Here in mid-October, Auburn heads into the bye week with a 5-2 record. The Tigers are coming off a big, confidence-boosting road win against a previously ranked SEC opponent in the Arkansas Razorbacks. It is clear to anyone who has followed Auburn football this season that adjustments and improvements have been made that have led to this point.
Here are some of them:
Coaching adaptations
Many know about the hiring of head coach Bryan Harsin prior to this season, but things have changed and he has had to make tough decisions over the course of the season.
One major decision Harsin has made is sticking with Bo Nix over backup quarterback TJ Finley. After Finley led the comeback over Georgia State in week four, many coaches would have stuck with him as the starter, but Harsin remained level-headed and left the competition at quarterback open. As a result, Nix has elevated his play and reclaimed possession over the starting job.
Another decision I like that Harsin has made is the implantation of underclassmen. This adds competition amidst the team and could elevate play.
Against Georgia, freshman tight end, Landen King, hauled in his first two collegiate receptions and added two more catches against Arkansas. Freshman Defensive Lineman, Marquis Robinson, has also seen playing time the last two games.
Freshman running back, Jarquez Hunter, is proving himself to be a star already. He is the current leading rusher for Auburn despite having significantly fewer carries than starting back Tank Bigsby. He pushed his way into the end zone for the winning score against LSU as well.
Playing underclassmen does a few things for Auburn. First off, it builds for the future, which is what a new head coach wants to do. Those freshmen are the first class Harsin has brought in at Auburn. He needs to use that foundation and show his confidence in them. Also, it adds depth to the roster. It helps to play those guys who are fresh and save the starters’ energy for crunch time.
Another coaching adaptation that I think has gone in Auburn’s favor is the hiring of Eric Kiseau on Sept. 27th as the wide receiver’s coach. It was obvious that Auburn’s receiver group was one of their main weaknesses earlier this season, but Auburn has seen major improvement in their receivers in the wins against LSU and Arkansas.
The big play threat in the passing game disappeared because the receivers were not able to make the catches, thus making the offense one-dimensional and defensive backs did not have to respect the deep route.
Kiseau seems to have figured things out, as Auburn completed a 71-yard touchdown to Demetris Robertson, a 39-yard touchdown to Ja’varrius Johnson and a 21-yard completion to Shedrick Jackson against Arkansas. They also spread the ball around well, as 10 different receivers had catches, totaling 292 receiving yards as a team. Give credit to Kiseau for that improvement.
Players settling into their roles
Fans have also seen improvement as players have discovered and settled into their individual roles.
One obvious example is at quarterback. As I previously mentioned, there has been some controversy at quarterback. Finley took over for Nix in the Georgia State game and led the Tigers to a win, but Nix has taken all of the meaningful snaps ever since, except for one lone drive in the first half versus LSU.
I think some competition is all Nix needed. He seemingly got too complacent as the starter, and Finley’s emergence against Georgia State on homecoming week was a wake-up call for him.
Previously, many of Nix’s challengers at quarterback transferred to other schools, and especially after winning SEC Freshman of the Year following an Iron Bowl win in 2019, it seemed like Nix won the quarterback spot at Auburn for the remainder of his collegiate career. However, some inconsistency in 2020 and early this season brought that into question.
The junior quarterback seems to have won back the quarterback job once again with big road victories over in-conference rivals LSU and Arkansas. Doubts aside, No. 10 always elevates his performance in the face of doubt and speculation.
The use of tight ends as pass catchers has also come back into the picture for Auburn this season. Several different tight ends, in fact. John Samuel Shenker has carried much of the load. He has 20 catches for 268 yards on the season. Following him is Luke Deal with five receptions and Landen King and Tyler Fromm with four.
A defensive improvement that has gone under the radar is the pass rushing ability of defensive end Colby Wooden. He has tallied 16 solo tackles and 4 sacks on the year. He came up with two clutch sacks on Arkansas’ KJ Jefferson on Saturday.
Auburn lacked in the pass rushing department earlier this season. It only sacked the opposing quarterback twice versus Alabama State and none versus Penn State. The emergence of Wooden is what they need to start putting the other team’s passer on the ground more.
Looking ahead…
As we anticipate more Auburn football after the bye week, expect to see them continue to build on these improvements. Considering the Tiger’s only losses are both to top-10 teams in the AP poll, there is no reason for Auburn fans to be discouraged.
Auburn only needs one more win to become eligible for a bowl game, but I think Auburn is looking for more than just that six-win mark. I expect the best football to be played in the second half of the season by Auburn.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
