Tag: nick marshall

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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Missing the cut: NCAA Football 15

In honor of the NCAA Football franchise returning next year, here’s a look at Auburn players who missed out on being a cover athlete, staring with NCAA 2015.

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 this new series titled “Missing the Cut”, we take a look back at which Auburn players had the best chance of being the cover athlete for NCAA 15.

The 2013 season was a magical time for Auburn Football, as they bounced back from a 3-9 season in 2012 by winning the SEC Championship in [autotag]Gus Malzahn[/autotag]’s first season as head coach. There were plenty of athletes to choose from for this season, but I think Auburn’s top representative is a no-brainer.

Chris Davis led the team in tackles with 74 in 2013 and tied Jonathon Mincy for the team lead in pass deflections with 14. However, it was the role he played in the Iron Bowl that separated him from the pack. With one second remaining in the game, Alabama attempted a 57-yard field goal to win the game. The kick was short and fell into the hands of Davis. Davis would then return the missed kick for a touchdown to give the Tigers the 34-28 win. Not only did Auburn defeat its’ main rival that day, but it also locked up the SEC Western Division crown for the Tigers.

I can only picture it in my mind, but the cover of NCAA Football 2015 would be amazing with Davis’ return gracing it. I can see many local restaurants framing the cover and placing them on their walls as decoration.

Outside of Davis, quarterback [autotag]Nick Marshall[/autotag], running back [autotag]Tre Mason[/autotag], and star [autotag]Robenson Therezie[/autotag] were also strong candidates that I considered for the cover.

Here are some of the best images from each cover candidate from Auburn for the hypothetical “NCAA Football 2015” video game.

Two former Tigers make 247Sport’s all-time transfer QB rankings

These two QBs took Auburn to the top of the college football world.

Even before the last couple of seasons, the transfer portal has played a major role in college football. Many programs have enjoyed the benefits of a transfer quarterback even before the process was as liquid as it is now.

247Sports ranked the greatest all-time transfer quarterbacks in an article written by Brad Crawford.

Two former Auburn Tigers made the list: [autotag]Cam Newton[/autotag] and [autotag]Nick Marshall[/autotag].

Marshall, who was ranked 13th, transferred to Auburn after playing for the Georgia Bulldogs and then at the junior college level. During his two seasons on the Plains, the Pineview, Georgia native went 320-532 for 4,508 yards and 34 touchdowns to 13 interceptions. Marshall rushed for 1,866 yards and 23 touchdowns off of 25 carries.

247’s take on Marshall: The year prior to Marshall earning QB1 status on the Plains, Auburn finished 3-9 — so the Tigers’ landmark turnaround was met with tremendous praise. A converted defensive back, Marshall went from Georgia to JUCO to Auburn and was the player responsible for the “Prayer at Jordan-Hare” when the Tigers beat the Bulldogs on one of the most memorable plays in college football history. Marshall and Auburn reached the BCS National Championship against Florida State, but couldn’t hold on to a late lead in that one.

Cam Newton, who checked in at No. 3, played for the Florida Gators and at Blinn College before joining the Tigers in 2010. Despite only playing one season, Newton left his mark by earning the third Heisman Trophy in school history.

The College Park, Georgia native did a little bit of everything during the National Championship season. Newton went 185-280 for 2,854 yards and 30 touchdowns to seven interceptions.

Newton was a force to be reckoned with on the ground as he rushed for 1,473 yards and 20 touchdowns off of 264 carries. He also caught two passes for 42 yards and a touchdown.

247’s take on Newton: Newton enrolled at Auburn in 2010 and led the Tigers to their first national championship since 1957. Along the way, Newton completed passes at a 66.1% clip for 2,854 yards with 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Newton was a physical runner that accounted for 1,473 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. The Carolina Panthers saw enough of Newton to make him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Four years later, he was league MVP and playing in the Super Bowl.

Auburn has had great success with transfer quarterbacks. Will history repeat itself with [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag]?

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Throwback Thursday: Auburn defeats Missouri in 2013 SEC title game

On a ‘Throwback Thursday’, Auburn Wire takes a journey back to 2013.

The Auburn Tigers will face the Missouri Tigers on Saturday morning for just the 4th time in history, and for the first time ever at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

In honor of Auburn’s SEC opener, Auburn Wire travels back in time to an important game in the short series between these two programs with our “Throwback Thursday” feature.

Today’s rewind takes us back to the 2013 season when Auburn defeated Missouri, 59-42, in a battle of unlikely representatives in the SEC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

The matchup was surprising, as Missouri represented the East division despite only being in the SEC for just two seasons. Auburn rebounded from a 3-9 season one year prior to represent the SEC West in Gus Malzahn’s first season on the Plains.

Both teams nearly matched each other, as neither team held a lead of over eight points through three quarters of play, with Auburn holding onto a 45-42 lead heading into the final stanza.

Auburn, who had pulled off miraculous plays against Georgia and Alabama just a few weeks prior, had more magic in their pocket.

Auburn running back [autotag]Tre Mason[/autotag] rushed for two scores in the 4th quarter to lift Auburn over Missouri to claim their 8th SEC Championship.

Mason rushed for four touchdowns in the game and recorded 304 total rushing yards in the game. Quarterback [autotag]Nick Marshall[/autotag] rushed for an additional 101 yards and completed 9-of-11 passes for 132 yards. Most of Marshall’s passes went to [autotag]Sammie Coates[/autotag], who caught six passes for 94 yards.

Here is a look back at one of the most important wins in the series against Missouri, the 2013 SEC Championship Game:

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.

Auburn football’s all-time record vs. Mountain West teams

Auburn faces San Jose State at Jordan-Hare Stadium this Saturday. How has Auburn fared historically against the Spartans’ home conference?

As the days continue to dwindle down to the opening day of the College Football season, Auburn Wire will take a look at each nonconference opponent that Auburn football will face this season and break down its’ history against teams in their opponents’ home conference.

This edition takes a look at the Mountain West Conference, home of Auburn’s second nonconference foe, San Jose State.

Auburn will face the Spartans at 6:30 p.m. CDT on Sept. 10 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game has been scheduled to take place since 2019, when Auburn agreed to pay San Jose State a cool $1.85 million to travel across the country to play.

The next meeting between the Tigers and Spartans will be the third meeting all-time between these two squads, all three being played on the Plains.

Auburn welcomed San Jose State to town for the first time in the school’s history on Sept. 10, 2014, as the second game on the schedule.

Auburn had just come off of a national championship appearance in 2013 and opened the season with a convincing 45-21 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks a week prior. Auburn struck first when [autotag]Nick Marshall[/autotag] completed a four-yard touchdown pass to [autotag]Ricardo Louis[/autotag] to give Auburn the 7-0 lead with 8:15 remaining in the opening quarter.

San Jose State quickly answered when Blake Jurich found Tyler Ervin 75-yards downfield to tie the game at 7-7 just 12 seconds after Auburn got on the board.

Auburn scored 28 unanswered points before the Spartans struck for another touchdown in the first half, and would go on to score three more times in the second half to win, 59-13.

The result of the second-ever meeting between these two squads one year later was a little too close to comfort for Auburn.

Auburn entered the game feeling tons of pressure after squeaking by FCS’ Jacksonville State at home and losing two straight games to LSU and Mississippi State in three consecutive weeks. Auburn really needed a dominating win to rebuild confidence in the program heading into the rest of the season.

[autotag]Peyton Barber[/autotag] led the way for Auburn offensively by rushing for 151 yards and all five of Auburn’s touchdowns in the Tigers’ 35-21 win over San Jose State. Auburn jumped out to a 21-7 halftime lead, but did not see a surge in the second half to run away and put the blowout into effect.

Although brief, Auburn does have a history against teams currently affiliated with the Mountain West Conference, sporting a perfect 5-0 record all-time against the conference. Here is a look at Auburn Football’s history against the Mountain West:

Two of College Football’s most depressing losses of all-time were Auburn’s fault

Thankfully, Auburn was on the right side of these two games.

The year is 2013, and Auburn has reached the SEC Championship, due in part to several breaks bending in their direction.

The first came on November 16 against Georgia. Auburn grabbed a 34-17 lead over the Bulldogs heading into the 4th quarter. Georgia would then catch momentum and score 21 unanswered points to take a 38-37 lead with 1:49 remaining.

On Auburn’s final drive of the game, they were stuck with a 4th and 18 situation from their own 27 yard line. Quarterback [autotag]Nick Marshall[/autotag] delivered a desperation pass down the field, where the football would be tipped by two Georgia defenders (one of those defenders, [autotag]Tray Matthews[/autotag], would finish his career at Auburn) and would land in the hands of [autotag]Ricardo Louis[/autotag]. Louis caught the pass in stride and ran into the end zone to stun the Bulldogs, who had almost completed a monumental comeback.

The second miracle that Auburn would receive came just two weeks later. Auburn and Alabama were tied at 28 in the 4th quarter. On the next to last play of the game, Alabama running back T.J. Yeldon stepped out of bounds as time expired. However, after instant replay review, it was determined that he stepped out of bounds with one-second remaining in the game.

That second would go on to be the most important second of the season, and maybe in college football history.

Alabama elected to kick a 57-yard field goal in hopes to break the tie, and to give Alabama the Iron Bowl win. But, fate wanted another outcome.

Adam Griffith of Alabama’s kick was just short, and allowed Chris Davis to return the kick. He zoomed down the field sparingly touched, and ended his dash in the end zone, where Auburn rose victorious over the Crimson Tide.

Those two finishes have special places in the hearts of Auburn fans, but not so much in the hearts of those on the other side.

Riley Gates of 247Sports recently ranked College Football’s 10 most depressing losses of all-time, with both “The Prayer at Jordan-Hare” and “The Kick Six” being listed.

Here is where each game is ranked on the list, as well as 247Sports’ reasoning behind placing the games where they did:

Gus Malzahn calls the ‘Kick Six’ the best play he has seen in person

Is this play the best one you’ve seen in person?

During his time at Auburn, former head coach Gus Malzahn achieved plenty. The only thing lacking was a national championship. He came close but it just wasn’t meant to be as the Tigers fell to the Florida State Seminoles back in 2013, his first season back on the Plains.

There were plenty of good memories as well as some that were not so great. The not-so-great moments ultimately ended his tenure after returning to lead the program where he won a national championship with as the offensive coordinator.

One of the great moments included the hail mary pass that was dubbed the “Prayer at Jordan-Hare.” Needing a final desperation touchdown with time winding down, Auburn snapped the ball on fourth and 18. Quarterback Nick Marshall threw a pass that bounced off a Georgia Bulldogs defender and landed in the hands of Ricardo Louis, who scampered into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. What a moment.

However, when Paul Finebaum asked about the greatest college football play you’ve seen in person, Malzahn had another play in mind and it took place just a week later against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Late in the Iron Bowl game with the Tide, Marshal once again had a big play as he found Sammie Coates for a 39-yard touchdown pass to tie the game after the Cody Parkey extra point with just 32 seconds left. Alabama and Nick Saban opted for a long field goal attempt to win the game and head to the SEC Championship. However, with the 57-yard field goal try landing short, Chris Davis took care of the rest.

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Auburn football: Top 10 passing yards in a season by a Tiger

Auburn has had some productive quarterbacks including Jarrett Stidham, Patrick Nix and Dameyune Craig during program history.

Auburn has had an array of types of quarterbacks from straight drop-back passers such as Patrick Nix, multiple threats such as Nick Marshall and, of course, the super-beast that was Cam Newton in the 2010 national title season.

Yet all of those guys had arms — in the case of Brandon Cox, a left arm — that could find receivers and put up yards and points on the board. But who has had the best passing season in Auburn history?

We take a look at the top 10 passing performances in a season by a Tiger quarterback.

Auburn football: Top 10 career passing yards by a Tiger

From Pat Sullivan to Stan White to Bo Nix, a long list of talented quarterbacks have played in an Auburn uniform.

Auburn has had an illustrious list of quarterbacks play in the burnt orange and navy blue but only the best of the best appear on this list.

From Pat Sullivan winning the 1971 Heisman Trophy to Bo Nix currently slinging it down the field for the Tigers, Auburn fans have cheered on some amazing signal-callers.

Here are the top 10 players with the most career passing yards in Auburn program history.