Devan Barrett’s journey across the Auburn depth chart began in April when the then-running back appeared in a team photo at Gus Malzahn’s house. The photo was captioned, “Quarterbacks and wide receivers tonight.”
Malzahn confirmed the move a few days later. Barrett played both receiver and running back from the spring into fall camp.
But as Auburn’s freshman wideouts continued to make waves, tight end Sal Cannella showed improvement as a slot receiver and the Tigers’ stable of tailbacks impressed, Barrett was running out of room to contribute to the offense.
So Malzahn gave him the Noah Igbinoghene treatment.
Barrett now joins Igbinoghene as an offensive weapon turned defensive back. Speculation about the move began before Auburn and Washington kicked off in Week 1 when Barrett warmed up with the secondary. Malzahn confirmed the position change two days before the Alabama State game.
“I think he’s locked in (at cornerback) right now," Malzahn said postgame. "I think he did some good things out there. There’s nothing like experience for him."
The sophomore out of Tampa didn’t play any meaningful snaps against the Huskies but got his shot in the Tigers’ home-opening victory Saturday.
As a defender, Barrett didn’t stand out on the stat sheet by any means, recording just one tackle. On special teams however, he scored a 10-yard touchdown off a punt blocked by Jordyn Peters for one of Auburn’s many highlight-reel plays in its 63-9 win.
But the touchdown wasn’t even what impressed Barrett’s new coordinator the most.
“Devan and Roger (McCreary) both played really good technique, for the most part,” Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele said Sunday night. “They won at the line of scrimmage at a pretty high percentage with their technique, which was good to see because usually, the first time you get out there in front of a crowd, you forget everything you practiced — you get a giant eraser in your head.”
Steele provided some clarification for Barrett’s position timeline, and why the corner didn’t receive much work in the season opener.
“He’s been there three weeks,” Steele said. “We told him the first week, we said, ‘Devan, if you make this move now, we don’t have magic dust. It’s not going to happen before we get to Washington.’ That’d be two weeks away. If that works real good, we’d go sprinkle it on everybody.
“We told him, ‘Work to this point and we’ll get you ready in certain packages.’ And he’s got a good skillset: He’s a strong guy, tough guy, very resilient. We feel like that’s a skillset that can help us.”
In addition to Barrett and McCreary, Auburn received efficient performances from secondary youngsters in its first game after the departure of reserve defensive back John Broussard Jr.
Peters had three tackles and a sack and Christian Tutt racked up four tackles. Jamien Sherwood’s (4 tackles, pass breakup, interception) third-quarter pick made back-to-back weeks with standout plays for Auburn’s backup safety duo. Smoke Monday sacked Washington’s Jake Browning on a win-sealing 4th and 17 in Atlanta.
Auburn's Jamien Sherwood gets an interception in the second half. Alabama State Football vs. Auburn on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018 in Auburn, Ala.
Steele added that Auburn has rotations in the works for Sherwood and Monday to each play alongside starting safeties Jeremiah Dinson and Daniel Thomas, as well as with each other.
Steele said he will rely heavily on Dinson and senior linebacker Deshaun Davis’ leadership against LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, who Steele said has the smarts to check LSU “out of a bad play and into a good one.”
No. 7 Auburn will open SEC play against Burrow and No. 12 LSU at 2:30 CST this Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium, broadcast on CBS.
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Nathan King, senior in journalism with a minor in business, is The Plainsman's sports editor.
