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Fortune Teller: Why Malik Willis is necessary for success of Auburn offense

The word "explosive" may not even encompass Willis' production last year, as a crisp 80 percent of his output on the ground came from three runs

Every Monday and Thursday, Plainsman sports staffers Zach Tantillo and Nathan King will analyze an Auburn football player who has a chance to make a sizable impact on the team next season.

Today’s Fortune Teller focuses on backup quarterback Malik Willis, an electrifying athlete who, despite having a lot of growing to do, is crucial for Auburn's 2018 offense.


By all accounts, Auburn starting quarterback Jarrett Stidham overachieved in 2017. The Baylor transfer eclipsed 3,000 yards passing for just the second time in Tigers history, passed for the second most yards in the conference, achieved the highest completion percentage in the SEC (67 percent) and earned second team All-SEC honors by year’s end, all while Auburn enjoyed its second double-digit win season under Gus Malzahn.

Like all fanbases however, the Tiger faithful occasionally looked to the man under center as a problem to solve when Auburn’s offense stubbed its toe against the likes of Georgia and UCF. Granted, Stidham did fumble in all five of Auburn’s final games of the season, but he still performed masterfully in wins over Georgia and Alabama, and in a Peach Bowl loss to UCF that the Tigers were hard-pressed to even care about.

Stidham earned All-SEC honors this preseason with another second-team nod from the media and is viewed in many NFL circles as a first-round talent for the 2019 draft. Fortunately for the redshirt junior, his injury issues from Baylor have yet to catch up to his new team. And even if they don’t, Auburn could benefit vastly from seeing its backup quarterback on the field next season.

Second-stringer Malik Willis received his fair share of playing time in the conference last season, appearing in six SEC tilts. His passing was limited — the Atlanta athlete completed 6 of 7 throws for 45 yards and a score — but his dual-threat prowess is what reminded Auburn fans so much of 2013-14 starter and fellow jersey No. 14 wearer, Nick Marshall.

From his first college football snap (a read-option keeper around left that technically netted 27 yards thanks to a facemask penalty) in a redshirt-burning win at Missouri, it was apparent Auburn had found its backup QB. The previous season’s starter, Sean White, was dismissed from the program a week earlier after a series of “poor decisions that are not in the best interest of (Auburn’s) program,” according to Malzahn.

It was speculated in the week leading up to Mizzou whether removing Willis’ redshirt was a smart move going forward for the Tigers. The decision proved effective as Willis blossomed into a player that kept Auburn from losing much offensive production when the backups were rolled in late in blowouts.

Willis completed a 38-yard touchdown to Griffin King on the first fourth-quarter play at Missouri, which, despite being called back due to offensive penalties, exhibited the potential for Willis to successfully emulate the run-pass option success of Marshall.

“I thought he performed really well, honestly,” Stidham said after the Missouri win. “That's his first taste of college football. They ran a little bit more of read-option stuff with him. Unlike me, he can actually move a little bit. I thought he did really well.”

Despite having an entire spring to work with the first-team offense (Stidham was sidelined in spring ball thanks to a shoulder injury), Willis disgorged an 8-for-20 performance with a fumble and several errant decisions at Auburn’s 2018 spring game, revealing he isn’t quite ready to head an offense all on his own, obviously. His mentor believes the spring generated only positives for Willis.

"I was super proud of Malik all spring," Stidham said after the spring game. "Obviously, he was thrown in there with the ones, and he handled it just like he should've. It was nice to see him really improve week to week. He took command of the offense and really led those guys. It was really positive to see."

With passing an obvious work in progress — Willis wasn’t even recruited as a quarterback initially out of high school — offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey focused on the speedster’s rushing prowess last season.

The word "explosive" may not even encompass Willis' production last year, as a crisp 80 percent of his output on the ground came from three runs — a 67-yard touchdown against Mississippi State, a 48-yard run against Arkansas and a 62-yard scamper against Louisiana-Monroe.

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“I think he’s becoming more and more comfortable, obviously, with the offense," Lindsey said at Peach Bowl practices. "I think he’s very comfortable with that now. He’s doing a really nice job of taking coaching, trying to do that. He’s learned how to prepare as the season’s gone along.”

Auburn certainly doesn’t have a quarterback battle on its hands. Stidham will look to break some program records this season as one of the more highly touted gunslingers in the nation. But next season might be a different story.


PREDICTION

Willis is the backup, but four-star freshman Joey Gatewood is right on his heels. Like Willis, Gatewood’s spring game showing was abysmal, but the pure athletic potential lying dormant in his 6-foot-5 frame will erupt sooner or later. 

Sooner might be 2018, as the new NCAA redshirt rule will allow Gatewood to see action in up to four contests without using a year of eligibility. Bo Nix, the No. 2 quarterback in next year’s class, will compete for the job immediately as a true freshman and likely the best passer of the group.

Wildcat packages involving Willis next season can only benefit Auburn, as long as the offense is developed. It’s Stidham’s unit, but as the Tigers’ starter put it, rushing yards should be aplenty on The Plains after his departure.

“I always give Malik crap about it because, just like that, he can bust one for 70, 75, 80,” Stidham said. “I’m going to be lucky to get the first down. With him and Kam (Martin) in the backfield, it could be pretty lethal in a couple of years.”


Catch up on previous installments of the Fortune Teller series:


Nathan King | Sports Editor

Nathan King, senior in journalism with a minor in business, is The Plainsman's sports editor.


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