Tag: cameron artis payne

Brian’s Column: Auburn’s running game needs to show up against Texas A&M

The Auburn Tigers have gotten off to an undefeated start this season, but the running game has struggled. It needs to be better on Saturday.

For the past decade, the Auburn football offense has run through the running game.

The best player on the offensive side of the ball for the Tigers has always been their running back, whether it’s [autotag]Tank Bigbsy[/autotag], [autotag]Kerryon Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Cameron-Artis Payne[/autotag], or Tre Mason, the offense has literally run on running the ball.

This year that has not been the case. The team’s leading rusher through three weeks is quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag].

The team’s leader in rushing touchdowns is backup quarterback [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag]

In a year in which starting running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] was voted to the preseason All-SEC team, he has rushed for a grand total of 90 yards and 1 touchdown in non-conference play.

If Hugh Freeze’s team is going to be successful in SEC play, the running backs are going to have to start running the ball and running it well.

This week Auburn travels to play a familiar opponent, the Texas A&M Aggies, who are currently giving up just over 4 yards per carry on the ground.

Auburn’s running backs are averaging 4.3, and that number dips almost below 4 if you take away long touchdown runs by [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag] and [autotag]Sean Jackson[/autotag] against UMass.

That is simply not good enough for a team that has issues throwing the ball as well. This week the Tigers are going to have to score points against an A&M offense that averages 44 points per game.

If Thorne and the receivers falter in the passing game, the running game has to pick them up.

While Payton Thorne ran free last week, it was mostly due to him being a superior athlete against FCS competition. The run game needs to be more fundamentally sound against A&M and avoid sequences like the one below.

This sequence is downright brutal from first to fourth down.

Auburn tries to run an outside concept on first down, and it get’s completely blown up. The line of scrimmage immediately shifts to the Auburn backfield, and [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag] is left with little to do but string out the run as long as he can before hoping a hole develops.

It does not, and Auburn is left with a second and long.

Now for second down.

Everything about this play is executed perfectly besides the most important part.

#77 [autotag]Jeremiah Wright[/autotag] and #72 [autotag]Izavion Miller[/autotag] execute their pulls perfectly, and have the edge completely locked up for Payton Thorne to follow them to the endzone.

Wide receiver #0 [autotag]Koy Moore[/autotag] does his part as well, taking his defender completely out of the would-be-play.

This should have been 6 points for Auburn. Instead, [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] handed the ball off and the Tigers gained one yard.

Fourth down is just as bad as first and second. Just like they did on the outside run, the Auburn lines gets bullied on this inside run, leaving [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] with nowhere to go.

Auburn had many drives similar to this one during their 45-13 win last week. They were able to get away with it because of their talent,

That won’t be the case this week.

If Auburn is going to win as 8-point underdogs, the running game has to show up. The offensive line and running backs need to take some of the pressure off of Payton Thorne.

We’ll see if they can when the Tigers kick off SEC play Saturday at 11 CST.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter @TheRealBHauch

Brian’s column: Auburn needs to find its identity in week one

Auburn Wire’s Brian Hauch says that Auburn should discover themselves under Hugh Freeze.

Auburn football has been in a tenuous place for the last few years. The [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] era was full of controversies, flip-flopping recruits, and downright bad football.

The last few years have caused the Auburn Tigers to have the main thing every successful football team has, a true, strong, identity. The 2010 Tigers were Hollywood rockstars, feeding off the swagger of their best player, and one of the best Auburn football players of all time, [autotag]Cam Newton[/autotag].

The 2013 team was defined by their offensive explosiveness, with playmakers like [autotag]Nick Marshall[/autotag], [autotag]Tre Mason[/autotag], [autotag]Sammy Coates[/autotag], and [autotag]Cameron Artis-Payne[/autotag] making sure Auburn was never out of a game.

In 2017, the Tigers ran, ran, and ran some more. Defined by grit and toughness off the back of SEC player of the year [autotag]Karryon Johnson[/autotag] and head Coach [autotag]Gus Malzahn[/autotag]’s approach.

Auburn teams of late have lacked these true defining characteristics, often times looking uninspired on the field. With a new head coach and an overhauled team, the time is now for Auburn to find an identity again.

So what can that identity be? On the offensive side of the ball, the team needs to be quick and elusive, but also mean and gritty.

Head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze [/autotag] has been known for his air-raid offense in the past, and Auburn has the personnel to implement it.

[autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] needs to be quick, calm, and poised in the pocket in week one. Coach Freeze’s system is designed for quick reads and accurate balls. Here’s an example of what kind of throws Thorne will be asked to make in the Hugh Freeze offense.

In this clip, Liberty quarterback Malik Willis reads man gets the snap, and fires a dot to his receiver running the go. The play was simple, smooth, and effective. Payton Thorne has already hinted that Auburn’s offense will look similar to [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s fast-paced, one read and go, Liberty offense. 

Now he has to execute it, which may be a tougher task than assumed against a UMass secondary that had a great deal of luck confusing New Mexico State quarterback Diego Pavia with their man coverage in week one.

While Thorne needs to be quick in his reads, bad decisions will be detrimental against a UMass team that is going to try to bait him into as many as possible. Auburn’s quarterback needs to trust the system and get the ball in the hands of [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag], [autotag]Jyaire Shorter[/autotag], [autotag]Shane Hooks[/autotag], and [autotag]Jay Fair[/autotag] quickly and often. If he can do that, the Tigers are going to be a quick, energetic, fun offense.

The next step comes from the offensive line. The boys up front need to be feasting, supplying more pancakes than the waffle house on West Glenn on a Sunday Morning. [autotag]Kam Stutts[/autotag], [autotag]Avery Jones[/autotag], [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag] and Co. have to establish themselves as the gritty, nasty, yin to the skill positions fast and energetic yang.

That is how you build a strong offense. Auburn should be able to punch their opponent in the gut for 3 quarters then take the top off the defense before they know what hit ’em. Physicality paired with elusiveness creates winning football, and more importantly, it can build an identity.

As for the defensive side of things, the Tigers have to become big-time playmakers. Last year Auburn had a negative 0.7 turnover margin. The year before that they were negative 0.1.

On the surface, it is easy to blame the inept play of the offense, but in reality, both units were equally bad. In 2022, Auburn’s offense turned the ball over 22 times, good for 107th most of out FBS teams. They also only gained 13, which was 112th most among teams in the FBS. 

[autotag]DJ James[/autotag], [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag], and the rest of the secondary’s focus should be creating chaos.

The high-tempo [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] offense surely is going to wear down opposing defenses. The more you can change the field and get the opponent’s unit back on it the more successful Auburn will be.

If the offense is going to transition into a high-energy unit, the defense needs to follow suit. That happens by creating turnovers.

 

Auburn not only has to beat UMass, but they have to show the rest of the SEC what kind of team they will be under [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]. If they are going to be successful this season and beyond,  that team needs be flying around the field, out-conditioning their opponents while also beating them down physically. We need to see who this team is going to be moving forward. It’s time for Auburn Football to re-establish itself.

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Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter @TheRealBHauch

Missing the cut: Which Auburn Tiger could have been on the cover of NCAA Football 18?

Three Tigers had cases to be on the cover of NCAA Football 18 if it had been released.

Many sports video game fans across the country (including myself) were excited to learn that the NCAA Football franchise is on track to return to our lives in the summer of 2024, which will be re-named “EA Sports College Football.”

Plans for the game were threatened to be delayed due to a lawsuit from The Brandr Group, citing that the franchise’s $500 million pool, which would give each athlete represented in the game $500, was considered to be “far below market value.”

Despite the setback, EA Sports remains on schedule to release the game next summer.

“We’re incredibly excited to bring back an authentic college football experience for fans and athletes that have shown such passion for the franchise, and we’re looking forward to delivering it in Summer 2024,” an EA spokesperson tells On3’s Pete Nakos.

It has been ten years since the release of the last game, NCAA Football 14. It has us at Auburn Wire thinking… which Auburn athletes missed out on being a cover athlete for the famous video game franchise?

Our pick for NCAA Football 15 was [autotag]Chris Davis[/autotag] with [autotag]Cameron Artis-Payne[/autotag] selected to represent Auburn on the cover of NCAA Football 16. We returned to the defensive side of the ball for NCAA Football 17, tabbing [autotag]Rudy Ford[/autotag] as the cover player.

Up next we take a look at NCAA 18 and once again one Tigers stands out. The 2016 season got off to a rough start for Auburn, they lost two of their first three games before they rattled off six straight wins to get the season back on track.

A major reason for Auburn’s success was the breakout of sophomore running back [autotag]Kamryn Pettway[/autotag] who emerged as Auburn’s top offensive threat and one of the best backs in the SEC. He led the Tigers with 1,224 yards and 209 carries, rushing for over 100 yards in seven of the nine games he played.

His best work came on the road against Ole Miss, Pettway bowled right over them for 236 yards on 30 carries, leading the Tigers to a 40-29 victory. The 236 yards are the 10th most ever by an Auburn running back in a single game.

Other contenders for the cover athlete include defensive end [autotag]Carl Lawson[/autotag] and defensive tackle [autotag]Montravius Adams[/autotag]. Lawson led Auburn’s defense with 14.0 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks to go with one forced fumble.

Adams shored up the interior of the defense, making 43 tackles, recording one interception, recovering two fumbles and returning one for a touchdown.

Here is a look at the best photos from each of the contenders.

Missing the cut: Which Tiger had the best chance to be the cover athlete for NCAA Football 17?

Rudy Ford, Kris Frost, and Carlton Davis each had a great shot at being a cover athlete for NCAA Football 17… if EA Sports had released the game.

Many sports video game fans across the country (including myself) were excited to learn that the NCAA Football franchise is on track to return to our lives in the summer of 2024, which will be re-named “EA Sports College Football.”

Plans for the game were threatened to be delayed due to a lawsuit from The Brandr Group, citing that the franchise’s $500 million pool, which would give each athlete represented in the game $500, was considered to be “far below market value.”

Despite the setback, EA Sports remains on schedule to release the game next summer.

“We’re incredibly excited to bring back an authentic college football experience for fans and athletes that have shown such passion for the franchise, and we’re looking forward to delivering it in Summer 2024,” an EA spokesperson tells On3’s Pete Nakos.

It has been ten years since the release of the last game, NCAA Football 14. It has us at Auburn Wire thinking… which Auburn athletes missed out on being a cover athlete for the famous video game franchise?

Our pick for the hypothetical cover of NCAA Football 15 was [autotag]Chris Davis[/autotag], and we selected [autotag]Cameron Artis-Payne[/autotag] to represent Auburn on the cover of NCAA Football 16. Now, it is time to share our selection for NCAA Football 17.

The 2015 season was not kind to Auburn, especially in SEC play. Auburn ended the year with a 7-6 record and a Birmingham Bowl win over Memphis. When it came to production, the Tigers relied heavily on their defense. [autotag]Rudy Ford[/autotag] led the team in several categories, which leads him to be our candidate to represent Auburn on the cover of NCAA Football 17 if the game had been released.

Ford made 116 stops in 2015, becoming the first Tiger to record 100 or more tackles since [autotag]Daren Bates[/autotag] and [autotag]Neiko Thorpe[/autotag] accomplished the feat by making 104 and 102 tackles respectively in 2011. Ford also pulled down two interceptions and forced two fumbles.

Other cover athlete candidates from the 2015 season include [autotag]Carlton Davis[/autotag] and [autotag]Kris Frost[/autotag]. Frost was second in tackles with 96, while Davis led the team in interceptions with three. Offensively, [autotag]Peyton Barber[/autotag] rushed for 1,017 yards and scored 13 touchdowns.

Here are some of the best images from each cover candidate from Auburn for the hypothetical “NCAA Football 2017” video game that would have been released ahead of the 2016 football season.

Missing the cut: NCAA Football 16

Here’s a look at Auburn players who missed out on being a cover athlete for the popular EA Sports video game franchise for the 2016 edition.

Many sports video game fans across the country (including myself) were excited to learn that the NCAA Football franchise is on track to return to our lives in the summer of 2024, which will be re-named “EA Sports College Football.”

Plans for the game were threatened to be delayed due to a lawsuit from The Brandr Group, citing that the franchise’s $500 million pool, which would give each athlete represented in the game $500, was considered to be “far below market value.”

Despite the setback, EA Sports remains on schedule to release the game next summer.

“We’re incredibly excited to bring back an authentic college football experience for fans and athletes that have shown such passion for the franchise, and we’re looking forward to delivering it in Summer 2024,” an EA spokesperson tells On3’s Pete Nakos.

It has been ten years since the release of the last game, NCAA Football 14. It has us at Auburn Wire thinking… which Auburn athletes missed out on being a cover athlete for the famous video game franchise?

In the first edition of the series titled “Missing the Cut”, we took a look back at which Auburn players had the best chance of being the cover athlete for NCAA 15, ultimately settling on [autotag]Chris Davis[/autotag] and now it is time to break down who could have been on the cover of NCAA Football 16.

After making a run to the BCS National Championship Game in 2013, Auburn’s 2014 season did not go nearly as well, the Tigers finished the year 8-5 and lost four of their final five games. However, several players had impressive seasons and have strong cases for being on the cover but only one player can be picked.

[autotag]Cameron Artis-Payne[/autotag] had the tough task of attempting to replace the production of [autotag]Michael Dyer[/autotag] and he proved to be up to the task. He wracked up 1,608 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground en route to being named to the All-SEC First-Team.

Artis-Payne rushed for over 100 yards in nine different games including a monster game against Texas A&M where he ran for 221 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries.

His great season was just enough to edge out wide receiver [autotag]Sammie Coates[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Jonathan Jones[/autotag] both of whom had breakout seasons for the Tigers.

Here are the best photos of each of the candidates that could have been used as the cover image.

Throwback Thursday: Peyton Barber runs wild on San Jose State

Peyton Barber was the hero in Auburn’s last meeting with San Jose State, which ended with a 35-21 victory in 2015.

The Auburn Tigers look to boost their record to 2-0 on Saturday as they host the San Jose State Spartans at 6:30 p.m. CT at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Saturday will mark the third time that Auburn and San Jose State have met on the football field. Auburn first met San Jose State on Sept. 6, 2014, at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Quarterback [autotag]Nick Marshall[/autotag] and running back [autotag]Cameron Artis-Payne[/autotag] each rushed for over 100 yards while [autotag]Montravious Adams[/autotag] recorded three tackles for loss in Auburn’s 59-13 win.

The very next season, Auburn met San Jose State after suffering through a tough three-game stretch. After scraping by Jacksonville State in overtime in week two, Auburn went on to drop two straight contests to LSU and Mississippi State before hosting the Spartans in week five of the 2015 season.

Auburn’s running game would go on to step up in a huge way, as the Tigers would take down San Jose State, 35-21. Running back [autotag]Peyton Barber[/autotag] scored all of Auburn’s points, rushing for five touchdowns and 147 yards on 28 carries.

Auburn would go on to finish the season with a 7-6 record and would defeat Memphis in the Birmingham Bowl, 31-10 at season’s end.

Here is a look at the best images from Auburn’s last meeting with San Jose State on October 3, 2015.