3 things I, Shea Brennaman, want to see from Auburn in last 4 games

Shea Brennaman doesn’t ask for much but is requesting these three things out of Auburn in the Tigers last for games.

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What a week for a bye week am I right?

We’re more than halfway through this abbreviated college football season. As it stands right now, Auburn sits third in the SEC West behind Alabama and Texas A&M who the Tigers conveniently play back-to-back at the end of their schedule. The Tigers are 4-2 and seemingly turned a corner offensively this past weekend against LSU. Can they hold on to that momentum when this bye week concludes?

With only four games remaining on Auburn’s schedule there are a few things I would like to see to ensure the Tigers finish on a high note.

1. Continuous improvement in third-down and passing defense

Through the first six games of this season, Auburn has allowed opponents an average of 236 yards per game. Sure that’s doable, but three of the four teams remaining on Auburn’s schedule are averaging well over 236 yards per game. Here are Auburn’s future opponents and where they currently stand in passing offense:

  • Mississippi State – ranked 18th overall, averaging 318.6 ypg
  • Tennessee – averaging 188.2 ypg
  • Alabama – ranked 3rd overall, averaging 380 ypg
  • Texas A&M – ranked 40th overall, averaging 252.2 ypg

In the Tigers’ last two games the passing defense shut down two top 20 passing offenses in both LSU and Ole Miss. Auburn only allowed LSU (who averages 338 passing ypg) 315 yards and forced three turnovers. The Tigers allowed Ole Miss (who averages 325.3 ypg) only 161 yards and forced two turnovers.

It would appear that at this point in the season the Tigers are coming along nicely in passing defense, but goodness gracious they have to get off the field on third down against both Alabama and Texas A&M.

The Tigers are ranked 103rd overall in third-down defense and its opponents are 49/94 on third down. Both Alabama and Texas A&M are ranked in the top five on third-down conversions. This next topic may assist the Tigers on defense in a multitude of ways, however.

2. The return of KJ Britt

The All-SEC linebacker had thumb surgery following the Georgia game and has not played since, but is expected to return for both Alabama and Texas A&M. In his first two games this season he recorded 23 tackles. The defense has managed well in his absence, but Britt’s leadership and experience will be impactful when he returns.

3. KEEP RUNNING THE BALL

Auburn is outrushing opponents by an average of 15.6 yards per game. The Tigers have scored 10 rushing touchdowns and average 4.67 yards per rush. This is obviously in huge part to freshman stud Tank Bigsby. In six games Bigsby has rushed for 503 total yards and five touchdowns.

Is it doable for Tank to become Auburn’s next 1,000 yard rusher? Probably, but he’ll have to put in absolute work in Auburn’s remaining games. After Kerryon Johnson’s string of injuries in 2017 I live in fear of the Tigers running their star RB into the ground, so I really want to see other backs in the rotation here.

DJ Williams was limited after the Georgia game and did not play this past weekend against LSU. I would love to see him return soon. Another back who has been missing in action this season is Shaun Shivers. Shivers missed the Georgia, South Carolina, and Arkansas games due to an undisclosed injury but returned to action just in time to deliver a Shivers’ hit to LSU star defensive back Derek Stingley Jr.

I want to see more of both of them in the backfield rotation.

Auburn I know I don’t ask for much, but if you give us these three things the possibilities could be endless. Take the bye week to think about it if you must.