Tag: Sean Jackson

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.

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Report: Jarquez Hunter is with team ahead of California game

Does this mean that Auburn’s premier back will be suited up for Saturday’s game?

Has Auburn’s premier back finally returned?

Reports ahead of Auburn’s late-night tilt with California indicate that running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] is with the team. Several Auburn beat writers on site at California Memorial Stadium spotted him at Tiger Walk, and later watched him take the field during the team’s initial walkthrough.

His status remained in question until the team entered the field for warmups. Brian Stultz of Auburn Rivals reports that Hunter is dressed out and will be available to play in Saturday’s game.

Hunter missed last week’s game with UMass, potentially as a result of a University investigation of an incident that took place over the summer.

In two seasons at Auburn, Hunter has rushed for 1,261 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was projected to be the premier back this season after being used in secondary fashion over the last two seasons.

Last week, five running backs gained 228 yards in Auburn’s 59-14 win over UMass. [autotag]Sean Jackson[/autotag] led the way with 64 yards on five carries.

Auburn faces California at 9:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.

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Tale of the Tape: Auburn vs. California

These two teams are eerily similar, but who has the edge?

A pair of 1-0 teams will face off in week two, when the Auburn Tigers travel across the country to take on the California Golden Bears in Berkley California.

Auburn is coming off a 59-14 thumping of UMass in their home opener, while Cal’s week one game went eerily similar, as they coasted on the road against North Texas, 58-21.

Despite these similar results and Auburn having to travel all the way to the west coach and play in California Memorial Stadium, BetMGM currently has the Tigers as a 6.5 point favorite, giving the Tigers an implied odds of 71.43 to win the matchup outright.

ESPN’s FPI calculator sees this game going differently, as the Index is giving Cal a 54.9% chance to win their home opener.

With the differing opinions on how this game is going to play out, we’ll take it to the tale of the tape to provide some more clarity.

This game features two transfer quarterbacks who have yet to play a full game for their new teams.

On the home side, quarterback [autotag]Sam Jackson V[/autotag] played sparingly in his first two seasons for TCU, completing 6 passes in 6 attempts for 125 yards.

Jackson was named the starter in week one, but an early injury forced him to miss the remainder of the game after he completed 3/4 passes for 33 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 18 yards on three carries.

NC State transfer Ben Finley came in to replace him and played well, collecting 279 yards and a touchdown in the win. Still, Cal head coach Justin Wilcox told Jackson he wants him back, as he’s been named the starter for week two.

On the Auburn side of the ball, [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] played well in his 3+ quarters of action in week one, collecting 141 passing yards and a touchdown while completing 59% of his passes.

Auburn head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] also used a second quarterback frequently in week one, giving [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] a handful of packages in the red zone that led to 51 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

The edge in the quarterback department goes to Auburn, based on the fact Thorne and Ashford boast much more experience than Jackson and Finley.

As for the battle of the skill positions, that is much closer.

Auburn played week one without their number one running back in [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag]. That didn’t stop the Tigers from rushing for 289 yards thanks to great games from their o-line, the aforementioned [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag], [autotag]Sean Jackson[/autotag], and [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag].

Cal on the other hand rushed for 312 yards on the back of sophomore running back [autotag]Jaydn Ott[/autotag]’s 188. Ott’s 188 yards and two-touchdown performance comes off the back of a very impressive freshmen season in which he racked up 1,218 total yards (897 rushing) and 11 touchdowns for a team that won a single game.

Ott is probably the best skill position player in this game, and the fact he is paired with a true number-one receiving threat in Jeremiah Hunter (965 receiving yards in 2022) gives Cal the edge over Auburn’s committee backfield and unproven receiver room.

The defenses in this game also stack up fairly evenly. Last year, Cal’s defense was in the middle of the pack in Division 1, giving up an average of 433.2 YPG. Auburn was slightly better, conceding 406.5 YPG to its opponents in 2022.

It was Cal who had the edge in week one of 2023 however, as they were able to hold a solid North Texas team to just 225 total yards. Auburn on the other hand gave up 301 to a UMass team that isn’t very good.

It’s too early in the season to give one team the edge on defense.

If these comparisons have taught us anything, it’s that this game will be as close as many experts expect it to be. These teams very similarly had bad seasons in 2022 and good starts to 2023, but only one of them will continue the positive vibes into week three.

This game should be a doozy, and it all kicks off at 9:30 p.m. CST on Saturday.

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Everything Hugh Freeze said after Auburn crushed UMass

Hugh Freeze had plenty to say after Auburn’s first win of the season.

The Auburn Tigers started the [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] era off with a bang, beating UMass 59-14 Saturday afternoon in a packed Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Auburn’s rushing attack was the story of the game as they rushed for 289 and six touchdowns. [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] led the way with three touchdowns and 51 yards as he dominated inside the red zone.

[autotag]Damari Aslton[/autotag], [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag] and [autotag]Sean Jackson[/autotag] all added a rushing touchdown of their own as Auburn showcased its depth.

Starting quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] wasn’t asked to do much but he did his job, completing 10-of-17 passes for 141 yards and one touchdown.

Freeze spoke with the media and had plenty to say after Auburn’s first win of the season, here is a look at what he said.

Instant Analysis: The Freeze era debuts with dominating win over UMass

Auburn cruises to a 59-14 win over the UMass Minutemen to begin the season, 1-0.

The Hugh Freeze era has gotten off to an incredible start, as he has led the Auburn Tigers to a gigantic win to kick off the 2023 season.

Auburn (1-0) outgains UMass (1-1) 495-301 in the yards department, including a 289-140 discrepancy in the run game to win, 59-14.

The Tigers took a 17-7 lead into the second quarter but would proceed to score 21 points in both the 2nd and 3rd quarters to pull away from the Minutemen in the season-opener.

Auburn got on the board first at the 11:28 mark in the first quarter. USF transfer [autotag]Brian Battie[/autotag] returned the opening kick to the Auburn 38-yard line from seven yards deep in the endzone. The drive ended with a two-yard rush by [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag], capping off an 11-play, 62-yard drive.

In the Tigers’ first drive, quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] completed 1-of-3 passes for nine yards and rushed for 16 more. Alston rushed for 25 yards and Battie gained nine yards on one carry.

The Minutemen answered on the ensuing drive by tying the game at 7-7 with 7:20 remaining in the quarter. UMass quarterback Taisun Phommachanh scored on a 1-yard rush to close out an 8-play, 89-yard drive. Phommachanh rushed for 50 yards on the drive, while Kay’ron Lynch-Adams rushed for 26 yards.

The Tigers’ second drive would see the season debut of Robby Ashford, who subbed in at quarterback for three plays, where he completed a pass for four yards and rushed for eight more. The drive would stall out, however, as Auburn was forced to kick a field goal. [autotag]Alex McPherson[/autotag]’s 37-yard attempt was true, thus extending Auburn’s lead to 10-7 with 2:11 remaining in the first quarter.

After forcing UMass to punt, returner [autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag] set Auburn up in a great field position with a 56-yard return to the UMass 16-yard line. The drive was short-lived, as Ashford checked into the game to score on the opening play of the 2nd quarter on a 10-yard rush to extend Auburn’s lead to 17-7.

Ashford’s momentum carried into the next drive. He entered the game on the final three plays of Auburn’s next possession and rushed one yard into the endzone for his second score of the game to advance Auburn’s lead to 24-7 with 10:11 in the first half.

His third score of the game would come in the Tigers’ next possession. Auburn increased its lead to 31-7 thanks to a four-yard rush by Ashford to cap a five-play, 35-yard drive.

The Tigers ended the first half with 237 net yards. Thorne completed 9-of-16 passes for 112 yards. Ashford rushed for 36 yards on six carries, scoring three times. Auburn’s leading rusher was Alston, who carried the ball eight times for 43 yards. [autotag]Jay Fair[/autotag] reeled in four catches for 27 yards, while [autotag]Shane Hooks[/autotag] led in overall receiving yards with 41 yards on two catches.

Defensively, [autotag]Eugene Asante[/autotag] led the way with five tackles. [autotag]Donovan Kaufman[/autotag], [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag], and [autotag]Elijah McAllister[/autotag] each recorded a sack while Asante and freshman [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] teamed up to record another.

The second half began with a bang as [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag] picked off Phommachanh on the second play of the third quarter. Simpson returned the interception 50 yards for a Tigers touchdown, increasing Auburn’s lead to 38-7 with 14:43 remaining in the quarter.

Auburn quickly scored on its first true possession in the second half. The Tigers needed just one play and 10 seconds for Thorne to connect with Fair from 29 yards out for the first touchdown pass of his Auburn career to move the lead to 45-7.

Freshman [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag] broke onto the scene later in the quarter by taking his second-ever college carry 42 yards for an Auburn touchdown to move the lead to 52-7 with 5:25 in the third.

Two of Auburn’s three touchdowns in the third quarter lasted just one play. Auburn ran just six plays in the quarter.

UMass got off one final punch in the 4th quarter. Minutemen quarterback Carlos Davis connected with Anthony Simpson for 58 yards to cut into Auburn’s lead, 52-14, with 8:50 remaining in the game.

[autotag]Sean Jackson[/autotag] became the fourth rusher to put points on the board. His 45-yard rush with 7:02 to go in the game pushed Auburn’s lead to 59-14.

The Tigers (1-0) will make the trip out west next weekend to face Cal at California Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. CT and can be seen on ESPN.

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Luke Deal is excited about Auburn running the ball

Auburn tight end Luke Deal is a believer in Auburn’s running game.

Auburn’s running backs have had a great offseason and are expected to be a strength of the offense, however, their success has some wondering if they are that good or if Auburn’s run defense needs improvement.

“We’ll find out more Saturday.” [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] said Monday. Are we effective running the football kind of team against other opponents or has our defense made us look that good? I think when you start getting into a game week and start game planning and you figure out that this is what we’re going to try to do, hopefully we’ll be in the right spots and play well on both sides. That’s the hope.”

Senior tight end [autotag]Luke Deal[/autotag] is confident that Auburn’s running backs are just that good and that Auburn will have success running the ball this year.

“I think our running game is really good. I think you guys have seen it, even in the past. There are some familiar names in that running back room who have done some really great things at Auburn so far. Jarquez (Hunter) is an incredible back, that entire room, Damari (Alston), Sean (Jackson), even Jeremiah (Cobb), a young guy coming up, (Brian) Battie all those guys are really really good players.

“We’ve got such a talented room that I would lean on the side that we have a really good run game and we’ve seen production in the past. I’m excited to see how that works out against another defense.”

“Hopefully, our defense stops that run too against UMass.”

Auburn’s five running backs each bring something different but together they give Auburn a deep and talented rotation that should be able to keep all of them fresh during the game. They are also set to benefit from Auburn’s reworked offensive line, which has three transfers set to start.

UMass has already played one game on the season, a 41-30 win over New Mexico State, and struggled to stop the run. The Minutemen allowed 222 yards and one touchdown on the ground as the Aggies rushed for 5.8 yards per carry.

Auburn will look to enjoy similar success when they face UMass on Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game is set to start at 2:30 p.m. CT and will be on ESPN.

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Auburn Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 44 Sean Jackson

He is looking to carve out a role for himself in a corwded running back room.

Going into the 2023 football season, Auburn Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] in his first season on the Plains.

Up next is running back [autotag]Sean Jackson[/autotag]. A bruising running back, he came to Auburn as a walk-on but quickly earned a scholarship after arriving on the Plains

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Trussville, Alabama

Height: 5-9

Weight: 236

Class in 2023: Sophomore

247Sports Composite Ranking

Unranked

Career Stats

Year G Carries Yards YPC TDs
2021 4 12 60 5.0 1
2022 12 0 0 0 0

PFF Grades

Year Offense Runs Passing Special Teams
2021 78.9 75.5 59.8 70.3
2022 60.0 – 60.0 53.6

Depth Chart Overview

Listed at 236 pounds, Jackson is Auburn’s heaviest running back by over 20 pounds and is not afraid to lower his shoulder and deliver a big hit. It’s that physicality that could be his path to playing time after he didn’t register a carry last season.

In addition to a possible short-yardage role, he appeared in every game last year on special teams and should once again see plenty of action in that phase.

Sean Jackson’s Photo Gallery

Brian Battie listed among top SEC running backs according to College Sports Wire

Battie had a breakout season with USF in 2022. Could he break his ceiling at Auburn?

There is plenty of shake-up within the Auburn offense, especially at the running back position.

Despite the departure of [autotag]Tank Bigsby[/autotag], Auburn is still solid in the running game as a pair of returners in [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] and [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag] plan to boost their production in 2023. Mix that in with USF transfer [autotag]Brian Battie[/autotag] and dark horse [autotag]Sean Jackson[/autotag], and Auburn is poised to become one of the SEC’s top rushing units.

The excitement of the running back room took a hit on Thursday with the news of suspensions being handed down by the University which allegedly involves Hunter.

No matter what comes of the situation, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and company are set with a stable of talented backs that should fill the void. The next man up is Battie, and he slides in as one of the top running backs in the SEC says Patrick Conn of College Sports Wire.

Conn shared his top SEC running back rankings this week and has placed Battie in the No. 4 spot behind Montrell Johnson of Florida, Rocket Sanders of Arkansas, and Quinshon Judkins of Ole Miss. Conn says that Battie’s versatility is what makes him so special.

Battie is a late addition to our rankings following the indefinite suspension of third-year running back Jarquez Hunter. Battie brings speed and big-play ability to the offense. Not to mention, he is a weapon as a kick returner. Provided that Hunter is suspended when the season kicks off, expect a healthy dose of Battie and Damari Alston.

In three seasons at South Florida, Battie rushed for 1,841 yards and 10 touchdowns while building up an additional 1,427 returning yards and three scores. Last season was Battie’s break-out season as a running back. He led the Bulls in rushing with 1,185 yards and eight touchdowns.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

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How will Jeremiah Cobb be used in Auburn’s offense this season?

Cobb did not go through spring practice with the Tigers, but could very well play a role in Auburn’s offense this upcoming season.

After watching A-Day last Saturday, it has become clear that the running back position will be Auburn’s strongest unit heading into the 2023 season.

[autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] is expected to be the bell cow of the group, with [autotag]Brian Battie[/autotag] and [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag] showing signs of positivity on Saturday. Two more backs, [autotag]Sean Jackson[/autotag] and [autotag]Justin Jones[/autotag], also threw their hat into contention to grab solid carries after ending the game as Auburn’s leading rushers.

With a group this stacked, that leaves one question to be answered… “what role will [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag] have in the Auburn offense this season?”

Cobb, a four-star running back from Montgomery, did not compete in spring drills as he is set to graduate from Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School in May. Cobb was one of Auburn’s first commits of the 2023 cycle and has remained loyal to the Tigers throughout his recruitment. He brings a reputable resume with him to the Plains by rushing for over 6,500 yards and 75 touchdowns during his high school campaign.

His credentials are telling, but will he see the field as a freshman? Running backs coach Cadillac Williams answered that question prior to A-Day by saying that the ball is in Cobb’s court.

“If Jeremiah Cobb comes in here and he’s the best out there on the field, then he is going to be on the field. I’m a firm believer − my guys know − that I am fair. … Coach (Hugh) Freeze, (offensive coordinator Philip) Montgomery and myself, we’re going to do what’s best for the team. If we feel like a freshman or whoever is the best player out there, then (they play). That is what I am a believer in. I’m honest with my guys. They’re going to create their roles on this team. … I always challenge my guys: Let’s be a realist, man. Film don’t lie. So, again, Jeremiah Cobb will come into this thing and he will have ample opportunity to prove what he can do.”

Cobb is the third-highest-rated signee of the 2023 cycle from Auburn, trailing Keldric Faulk and Kayin Lee. Cobb signed with Auburn as the No. 16 recruit from the state of Alabama, and the No. 11 running back in the country according to 247Sports.

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Top photos from a rainy A-Day

The scrimmage ended in a 24-24 tie.

The Auburn Tigers had their annual A-Day game to end spring practice on Saturday and despite the bad weather, the fans were happy to see their Tigers back in action.

The game was the start of the [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] era and offered some glimpses of what fans can expect in the season. While the rain certainly played a part in the play calling, the Tigers leaned heavily on the run game, calling 51 runs to just 12 passes.

They enjoyed great success too, with eight different backs combining to rush for 280 yards and two touchdowns. [autotag]Sean Jackson[/autotag] led the way with 77 yards.

The offense was able to erase the 24-0 deficit they started with and [autotag]Alex McPherson[/autotag] drilled a 33-yard field goal as time expired to end the game in a tie.

Here are the top photos from the first A-Day of Freeze’s tenure at Auburn.