Despite Auburn losing its third straight game, and falling to a dreadful 2-4 on the season, Hugh Freeze has found an absolute star in defensive end Keldric Faulk.
The young sophomore has undeniably been Auburn’s best defensive player thus far, as he came into the game leading the Power-Four in quarterback pressures, and the Tigers’ defense in sacks with three.
Faulk added to his total on Saturday, piling on two more sacks to go along with his seven tackles. The 6 '6 288-pound defensive lineman was wreaking havoc among the Georgia front five, much like he’s done to every team he’s faced this season.
“I had confidence coming into the game anyway,” Faulk said on his two sacks. “Me getting those two sacks was expected. It was a goal I had set before the game, so once I achieved that goal I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s what I’m supposed to do.’ Go do something you ain’t supposed to do, go make plays basically.”
Third down stops have been a glaring problem for the Tigers’ defense in their three losses prior to Saturday. Both of Faulk’s sacks were pivotal in getting the Georgia offense off the field on third down, and they both came in the first half in which Auburn held the Bulldogs to just two touchdowns, giving them a chance late in the game.
“Crucial,” Faulk said on getting off the field on third down. “The more times we get the ball in the offense’s hands is a good deal in itself. Our goal is to keep the defense off the field, and we need as many possessions as we can, and allow our offense to go to work.”
Just a sophomore, Faulk has stepped into a leadership role for his team, not only on the field, but off the field as well, making it a mission to get the young guys on this team ready when their name is called.
“We only finished one season,” Faulk said on what his message will be to those guys during the bye-week. “So we’re done with this season, we’re coming in after this bye-week 0-0, and we want to start the new season off 1-0. That’s our goal, and that’s what we’re going to work to achieve.”
Faulk was a big National Signing Day flip from Florida State for Freeze in his first class on the Plains. Two years later, he’s become the epitome of an “Auburn man.” Freeze had nothing but high praises for Faulk after his performance on Saturday, acknowledging his leadership ability, and just what he means to the program.
“Can’t say enough about Keldric Faulk,” Freeze said after the loss. “He is the young man he is. He’s everything you want in an Auburn football player and an Auburn man. He lays it all on the line, like Jarquez does, and he needs an off week. He and J-Mac (Jalen McLeod) are beat up for sure and having to play a ton of snaps. Hopefully, he can get healed up and have an outstanding second half (of the season) but his leadership is vital to our team.”
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Logan Fowler is a Senior from Sumiton, Alabama and is majoring in journalism. He joined the Plainsman in Spring 2024.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @loganffowler
