Even as Auburn's 2018 season began to spiral in the wrong direction, head coach Gus Malzahn was always able to hang his hat on the production of his freshman class.
The Tiger defense was littered with freshman playermakers at every position, while nearly 59 percent of the offense's total yards from scrimmage were generated by first-year players.
At the helm of that production has been redshirt freshman running back JaTarvious "Boobee" Whitlow and true freshman receiver Seth Williams, both of whom were named to the SEC's 2018 All-Freshman team Thursday morning.
Whitlow leads Auburn in rushing with 777 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. He emerged as the Tigers' lead back midseason and, despite a string of injuries that will likely keep him from extending the team's nine-year streak of having a 1,000-yard rusher, Whitlow ranks fourth in single-season rushing by a freshman back in school history.
He needs at least 53 yards in the Music City Bowl against Purdue to pass Bo Jackson in that category.
"It gives us all motivation because it's a next-man-up mentality," Tigers running back Malik Miller said after Whitlow played through injury and had a season-high 170 yards in a win over Ole Miss. "We see one hurting, we step up and be there for him. Just to see him be that tough and be that guy and tough it out, it's always like, hey man, he's fighting for this team; we all need to rally behind and fight for him and fight with him.
"You see it so much. That's just Boobee. That's what he does."
Williams quickly become a beloved target of quarterback Jarrett Stidham this season. A Tuscaloosa product, Williams snagged 24 passes for 479 yards and a team-high five receiving touchdowns. His 19.96 yards-per-reception average ranks first among all players in the conference.
“It’s incredible,” fullback Chandler Cox said of Williams after a win over Liberty. “He’s like having your own personalized player on Xbox or something.”
2018 SEC ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
OFFENSE
TE
Daniel Parker, Missouri
OL
Isaiah Wilson, Georgia
Cade Mays, Georgia
Dylan Wonnum, South Carolina
Ben Brown, Ole Miss
WR
Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
Seth Williams, Auburn
QB
Justin Fields, Georgia
RB
JaTarvious Whitlow, Auburn
*Tyler Badie, Missouri
*JaShaun Corbin, Texas A&M
AP
JaShaun Corbin, Texas A&M
DEFENSE
DL
Jordan Davis, Georgia
Phidarian Mathis, Alabama
Bobby Brown, Texas A&M
Tyree Johnson, Texas A&M
LB
Dimitri Moore, Vanderbilt
*Jacquez Jones, Ole Miss
*Eyabi Anoma, Alabama
*DeAndre Square, Kentucky
DB
Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
Bryce Thompson, Tennessee
Jaycee Horn, South Carolina
Trey Dean III, Florida
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK
Seth Small, Texas A&M
P
Jake Camarda, Georgia
RS
JaShaun Corbin, Texas A&M
(* - Ties )
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Nathan King, senior in journalism with a minor in business, is The Plainsman's sports editor.
