Through two games, the talk of Auburn’s offense has been the running backs.
Junior Kam Martin (29 carries, 120 yards, TD) remains the starter, but redshirt freshman JaTarvious “Boobee” Whitlow (22 carries, 150 yards, TD) has been a top performer in two very different wins for the No. 7 Tigers.
Gus Malzahn said after the team’s 63-9 win over Alabama State that Whitlow’s carries, which doubled Martin’s against the Hornets, are not indicative of who will be the starter heading into SEC play. Auburn will continue to utilize a one-two punch out of the backfield.
That begs the question: Who will be the No. 3 back?
Third in carries — and second in yards — is true freshman Shaun “Worm” Shivers, a former four-star prospect from Hollywood, Florida. Following a one-touch outing against Washington, Shivers was Auburn’s workhorse in the second half against Alabama State, compiling 117 yards and a touchdown for a 9-yard average.
“Shaun Shivers came in and gave us a lift,” Auburn offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey said Sunday night. “He gave us a spark there that I thought was really nice. He’s an electric guy.”
In fall camp, Auburn’s coaches raved about Shivers’ ability to hit holes and truck defenders despite his 5-foot-7 frame. Against Alabama State, the freshman’s contributions in practice translated seamlessly to Pat Dye Field.
“He’s what he is in practice every day,” Lindsey said. “Explosive, plays extremely hard, hard to tackle, is competitive. I mean, I really think he shows all that. He brings a little spark; it’s fun to watch him play.”
When theoretically determining how many backs Auburn can realistically use in conference play, Lindsey said the Tigers will likely be limited to three or four, with Shivers playing more of a “situational” role.
Though he didn’t preface the listing as explicitly rooted in depth chart terms, Lindsey named Martin, Whitlow, Shivers and true freshman Asa Martin, in that order, later adding Harold Joiner, who scored Auburn’s first Wildcat touchdown of the season. In both of Auburn’s depth charts through two weeks, only Kam Martin and Whitlow are listed.
“We feel like we know our guys and what they can do well,” Lindsey said. “We try to put them in the best position to do that, and we’ll continue to do that same thing.”
With Auburn leading comfortably in the second half, banged up junior Malik Miller and walk-on senior C.J. Tolbert were able to add to the 429-yard rushing onslaught. Miller carried once for a 14-yard score and Tolbert had just one yard on three touches.
Asa Martin received his first touches as a Tiger, but quickly fumbled on his second carry. Of Auburn’s four lost fumbles, three came from freshmen.
Lindsey knew the mistakes were inevitable. For him, simply adding carries down the depth chart only served to help effectively prepare the future of the team’s rushing attack.
“We did make some mistakes, some of those young backs,” Lindsey said. “Overall, it’s always good to get some guys on the field.”
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Nathan King, senior in journalism with a minor in business, is The Plainsman's sports editor.
