The Auburn Tigers are one of the great feel-good stories of 2013. But how good will the Tigers feel after the Iron Bowl? The team hit rock bottom in 2012 as part of Gene Chizik’s personal fall from glory, losing all eight SEC games and finishing 3-9 overall. The resurgence on the Plains is trending toward historic proportions under Gus Malzahn with a rise to #7 in the latest BCS rankings following a 55-23 drubbing of Tennessee.
Auburn took another step toward an Alabama showdown by running the football and running up the score. The Tigers’ dominant rushing attack ran roughshod over the Vols for 444 yards, the most given up by Tennessee in 27 years. Quarterback Nick Marshall made the right decisions on the read option and ripped off 214 yards on just 14 carries with two TDs. He handed off to Tre Mason 20 times for 117 yards and three more scores. Marshall’s best rushing day of the season brought his 2013 totals to 734 yards with a 7.1 average and seven TDs. Mason has been a monster as well, leading the Tigers in rushing with 1,038 yards, averaging 5.7 yards per carry, and 16 TDs. Cameron Artis-Payne is a nice third option, with 568 yards and 5 TDs. Auburn runs often and they run well- the Tigers lead the SEC in rushing and are third in the nation at 320 yards per contest.
Marshall’s passings skills are a step or two behind his running abilities. Coach Gus Malzahn has played it safe thus far with the junior college transfer. Marshall threw just two passes beyond the line of scrimmage in nine attempts at Arkansas. We saw more of the same at Neyland Stadium when Marshall completed just 3 of 7 throws for 35 yards. He did show some polish by tossing a sweet dime just past the defender on a 25 yards touchdown pass to C.J. Uzomah for Auburn’s first score.
Auburn’s defense bends a bit, but rarely breaks. The Tigers rank 21st in the nation in scoring defense. Defensive end Dee Ford is clearly the leader on his side of the ball. Despite missing three games (against, incidentally, three of the weakest teams on the schedule), Ford leads the Tigers with seven sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss. Robenson Therezie has found a home in the secondary in Auburn’s revamped 4-2-5 scheme. Therezie picked off his fourth pass of the season against Tennessee to rank among the SEC leaders. His pick six was key in the Tigers holding off Ole Miss 30-22 in Auburn’s first big win of the season. The Tigers are just 10th in the SEC in total defense and 9th in rush defense, but often stand tall in the redzone to rank 4th in the SEC in scoring defense. Despite the monumental improvement over 2012 when Auburn ranked 79th in the nation in total defense and 97th against the run, Ford has been preaching to his teammates that stiffer competition lies ahead and the effort to date won’t do against the likes of Georgia, Alabama and, hopefully, an SEC Title Game opponent, “We have to get a lot better because the competition is going to get better and better and better.” The stats back Ford’s concerns. Despite coasting to a win in Knoxville, Raijon Neal battered the Tigers at a 6.2 yards per carry clip and 124 yards total. Arkansas poses little passing threat, but still bludgeoned Auburn on the ground for 222 yards. And in the Tigers’ lone loss of the season, Jeremy Hill and LSU pounded the blue and orange for 228 yards rushing. As Defensive Coordinator Ellis Johnson explains, “(Teams) were able to get on the edge on outside runs and some inside runs weren’t gapped out.”
Special teams have also been key in Auburn’s resurgence. Chris Davis totaled 128 yards on two punt returns vs Tennessee, including an 85-yard touchdown while Corey Grant took a kickoff back 90 yards for a score. According to the Auburn Sports Information Department, the Tigers’ return game set a single game record of 44.85 yards per kick return vs the Vols, breaking a 1974 record set by Florida State vs Wake Forest.
The ride has been unexpected. Malzahn’s rebuilding program is way ahead of schedule. Closing out with wins over Georgia, Alabama and a trip to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game would complete a dream season. Auburn fans, though, should be beyond giddy with double digit wins and a prestigious bowl venue. Alabama feasts on one-dimensional offenses. In addition, the Tigers have proven vulnerable to a solid ground game, and Bama boasts one of the nation’s best. Auburn won’t pull off the miraculous, but has already impressed us with one of the most decisive one-year turnarounds in SEC history.
Thanks for Reading. You can follow me @markrogerstv fellow LWOS writers @LastwordLindsay, @BrittneeTaylor, @MikeTag98 and @GigemRoss on twitter for your NCAA Football needs, and follow the site @lastwordonsport and like our Facebook Page while you are at it.
Interested in writing for LastWordOnSports? If so, check out our “Join Our Team” page to find out how.
Football fans…check out our two partnered NFL podcasts – Thursday Night Tailgate Radio and Overtime Ireland. Both shows bring you interesting commentary, critical analysis and fantastic guests including former and current NFL players, coaches and personalities.
CREDIT QUOTES TO al.com
Main Photo Credit, Todd Van Emst via AuburnAuthority.com, CC
