Tag: Shaun Shivers

Offensive stats from Auburn’s 60-10 win over Akron

Some really impressive numbers from Saturday night…

Here are the offensive stats from Auburn’s 60-10 win over Akron. 

Scoring

Tank Bigsby opened the scoring with a 32-yard run and a one-yard touchdown on the fifth drive.

Bo Nix connected with Shaun Shivers on a 19-yard touchdown pass on the second possession. He then found Ja’Varrius Johnson for a 34-yard touchdown on the third drive and Kobe Hudson for a 28-yard touchdown on the fourth.

Anders Carlson closed the half with a 44-yard field goal to give Auburn a 37-0 lead.

Shivers opened the second half with a 26-yard touchdown rush for his second score of the night. Akron then snapped the ball over the head of their punter before a safety. 

T.J. Finley scored his first touchdown for Auburn on a quarterback sneak on the ensuing drive before freshman Jarquez Hunter scored his first career touchdown to give Auburn the 60-10 win.

Team Stats

Total yards: AU 612, AK 212

Pass yards: AU 297, AK 191

Rush yards: AU 315, AK 21

Yards per play: AU 10.6, AK 3.4

Penalties: AU 3-25, AK 5-35

First downs: AU 28, AK 12

Third downs: AU 4-6, AK 3-14

Sacks: AU 6, AK 0

Individual Stats

Bo Nix: 20 of 22, 275 yards and 3 touchdowns, 3 rushes for 32 yards

T.J. Finley: 2 of 5, 22 yards, 1 rush for 1 yard and 1 touchdown

Tank Bigsby: 13 carries for 121 yards and 2 touchdowns, 1 catch for 19 yards

Shaun Shivers: 2 carries for 26 yards, 1 catch for 19 yards and 1 touchdown

Jarquez Hunter: 9 carries for 110 yards and 1 touchdown

Sean Jackson: 2 carries for 24 yards 

Shedrick Jackson: 5 catches for 79 yards

John Samuel Shenker: 5 catches for 38 yards

Ja’Varrius Johnson: 3 catches for 51 yards and 1 touchdown

Kobe Hudson: 2 catches for 41 yards and 1 touchdown

Demetris Robertson: 3 catches for 28 yards, 1 carry for 7 yards

Ze’Vian Capers: 1 catch for 13 yards

Elijiah Canion: 1 catch for 9 yards

Malcolm Johnson Jr.: 1 rush for 1 yard

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3 keys to Auburn beating Mississippi State

Here are three things Auburn will need to do to beat Mississippi State Saturday night.

Auburn has made it to the end of the season and there are once again questions about the security of Gus Malzahn’s job.

The Tigers are coming off back-to-back disappointing losses and a strong performance against an unranked Mississippi State could be used to help quiet those conversations.

For that to happen, Auburn will need to play well against a State team that has showed some progress since a rough start to the season outside of the opener against LSU. The Bulldogs turned to freshman quarterback Will Rogers who has helped stabilize the offense.

Here are three things Auburn will need to do well to improve to 6-4 on the season.

Three reasons why Auburn could beat Alabama

Auburn will need to play nearly a perfect game on Saturday if the Tigers want to upset top-ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

In the year of 2020 anything is possible. No. 19 Auburn travels to Tuscaloosa this weekend to take on Alabama. Currently, Alabama is favored to win by 25.

The major storyline that developed this past week was that Alabama head coach Nick Saban tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday and will not be coaching during the Iron Bowl. That’s not really going to matter as Auburn still has to face Heisman front-runner quarterback Mac Jones and Heisman hopeful running back Najee Harris. The Tigers are outmanned in personnel on both sides of the ball, but there are a few things we can cling to in hopes of securing the win. Here they are.

1. Tank Bigsby returns

The Tigers’ phenomenal freshman running back left the Tennessee game with an undisclosed lower body injury. As of today, Bigsby is still listed as questionable and has not practiced this week. Through seven game,s Bigsby has rushed for 527 yards and 5 touchdowns. He’s a huge catalyst for Auburn’s momentum offensively. Just look at his performances against Ole Miss and Arkansas. If Tank is unable to return, the Tigers will need players like DJ Williams, Shaun Shivers, and Mark Anthony Richards to step up. Don’t be surprised if we see a JJ Pegues wildcat package to shake things up a bit (I really hope we get to see that, PEGUES FOREVER)!

2. The Tigers negate Bama’s passing offense

The Tide ranks third overall in NCAA passing offense this season. Per play Alabama picks up an average of 11.81 yards and they amass 380 passing yards per game. There’s a reason Mac Jones is the Heisman front-runner and its because his passes are fast and accurate, and he’s improved dramatically since his mistakes in last year’s Iron Bowl. Mac Jones has only thrown two interceptions all season and is playing perfect football right now while wide receivers Devonta Smith and John Metchie have been unstoppable since Jaylen Waddle’s injury against Tennessee. Auburn’s secondary will have their hands full with this unit.

3. Auburn’s offense regains efficiency, become masters of the clock

I really thought after the two-week bye that Auburn would be able to regain some of that offensive finesse we saw them showcase against LSU, but I was wrong. The Tigers were just straight up sloppy coming out of the gate against the Volunteers and kept that game close up until the fourth quarter.

Out of Auburn’s 25 red zone trips this season they have left with 10 rushing touchdowns, 6 passing touchdowns, and 5 field goals. Not bad, but what’s killing Auburn on both sides of the ball is quick non-sustainable drives. Last week against Tennessee the Volunteers dominated time of possession leaving Auburn’s defense absolutely gassed. The Tigers are going to have to slow the game down against Bama and give their defense plenty of time to regroup, otherwise they’ll get whipped on both sides.

These three things sound much easier said than done, but they aren’t impossible. Tank will most likely not return against Bama, so Gus Malzahn and running backs coach Cadillac Williams will need to adjust accordingly. It will be most interesting to see how Kevin Steele schemes against that passing game. I’m not expecting Auburn to win by any means, but if they shock the country by doing these three things successfully I like their chances.

Gus Malzahn updates status of Tank Bigsby ahead of Iron Bowl

Our friends over at Auburn Wire shared an update on the status of Tigers running back Tank Bigsby ahead of the upcoming Iron Bowl.

This story was originally published on Auburn Wire.

Auburn will need full hands on deck this Saturday when the Tigers travel to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 1 Alabama.

One of the players that may not be available is star freshman running back Tank Bigsby who suffered an injury during the first quarter of Saturday’s victory against Tennessee.

Bigsby’s injury came on his second run of the game when he was slammed down by a Tennessee defender. He returned for one more carry before being pulled for the game.

If he is not able to go, the Tigers will rely on Shaun Shivers and D.J. Williams to carry the load at running back.

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Keys to Auburn’s 30-17 victory over Tennessee

Auburn pulled out a 30-17 victory over Tennessee on Saturday night in Jordan-Hare Stadium to improve to 5-2 on the season.

The wait was worth it for Auburn fans Saturday night. Auburn went 21 days without playing a football game but returned to Jordan-Hare Stadium Saturday night and picked up its fifth win of the season against Tennessee.

Auburn looked like a team coming off of a long break to start the game with Bo Nix throwing his first career interception inside Jordan-Hare and falling behind 10-0 early in the second quarter. 

But the Tigers came roaring back, scoring the next 27 points on the way to a 30-17 victory. 

While Auburn got the all-import win to improve to 5-2 on the season, it was far from perfect. In four trips to the redzone they scored one touchdown, kicked two field goals and threw an interception. Also, the Tigers saw four starters get shaken up.

Star running back Tank Bigsby, left tackle Alec Jackson, right tackle Brodarious Hamm and receiver Seth Williams were all clearly shaken up during the game. Of the four, Jackson was the only to visit the locker room.

Bigsby returned to the game after he appeared to sustain a hip injury in the first quarter, but he exited after just one carry. Jackson returned late in the fourth quarter. 

Here were the keys to Auburn’s win in Gus Malzahn’s 100th game as Auburn’s head coach.

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.

Twitter reacts to Auburn routing LSU

For the first time in a long time Auburn fans could enjoy a football game without nearly having a heart attack. Auburn defeated LSU 48-11 and exorcised some demons from the last three years. This was a fun one to watch folks. Here’s what people had …

For the first time in a long time Auburn fans could enjoy a football game without nearly having a heart attack. Auburn defeated LSU 48-11 and exorcised some demons from the last three years. This was a fun one to watch folks. Here’s what people had to say:

It started off in scary Halloween fashion when Zakoby McClain was nearly ejected for targeting and Seth Williams fumbled near the end zone for a touchback.

It didn’t help that Gary Danielson was insufferable either.

But let me tell y’all what. Eli Stove came to PLAY today.

So did the defense.

EVERYBODY CAME TO PLAY TODAY!

As time waned off the clock, it became apparent to all of America that this game was a good ole-fashioned butt whooping. Auburn fans loved every minute of it.

War Eagle! And finally,

 

Auburn football: Does Shaun Shivers still fit into the RB rotation?

Tank Bigsby and D.J. Williams have proven that they can be reliable at the running back position. Does this make Shaun Shivers an afterthought?

We have seen it many times: starter at a position gets injured, one of the backups comes in and starts doing well and, when back healthy, the guy who began the season as the No. 1 option doesn’t fit into the rotation any longer.

Could that be the case with Shaun Shivers?

It has become apparent that the Auburn offense is just different when Tank Bigsby — and to a lesser degree, D.J. Williams — are on the field. Bigsby, a true freshman who came with all of the hype of a 5-star running back, has proven his rating was right. He has made a less than mediocre offensive line look good at times as he has found holes by himself. He has also proven that he is a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield.

More importantly, he is willing to put down the beating and take the punishment that a back must take especially in a SEC-only schedule. He’s a playmaker first and foremost and was the key asset for Auburn in Saturday’s win against Arkansas.

When given a chance to make his mark, Williams, especially against the Razorbacks, showed why he should earn playing time as well. Despite being one of Auburn’s top-two backs returning from last season, Williams has earned just 16 carries so far in three games this year, including zero against Georgia. Against Arkansas, eight carries turned into 71 yards (good for 8.88 yards per carry) as the Tigers offense got rolling.

Bigsby and Williams are built for the brutality of a SEC season. Big bodies that allow them to hand out abuse as well as take it are key for these two. In the Arkansas game alone, Bigsby made the Razorbacks miss 14 tackles.

So what should the Tigers do with Shivers?

It is unfortunate that, after working all offseason to earn the starting job, he had to get hurt. He’s earned enough respect and praise from both teammates and the coaching staff to be named one of the four captains for the Tigers this season. He deserves to have a chance at getting his job back yet, would that be the right move for Chad Morris and company?

When Shivers returns, how much time do you give him to try and get back into that rhythm of the game? One series? Two? If he struggles, you have to pull him and go with exactly what worked against Arkansas and that was a dose of Bigsby and Williams.

It is apparent that Bigsby and Williams are the future of this offense at running back. Will they also be the present? Cadillac Williams, Morris and the entire staff have a tough decision on their hands but for me, the answer is simple: more Tank.

Malzahn provides injury update after victory over Arkansas

One of the biggest questions heading into the season was how the grind of a 10-game conference-only schedule would affect a team.

One of the biggest questions heading into the season was how the grind of a 10-game, conference-only schedule would affect a team. Auburn has only played three games and has already felt that impact.

Senior linebacker K.J. Britt is out for up to six weeks following ligament surgery on his right hand and fellow team captains Shaun Shivers and Big Kat Bryant were also unavailable in Saturday’s win over the Arkansas Razorbacks as was senior wide receiver Eli Stove.

Two more starters were also out, as starting freshman corner Jaylin Simpson was unable to go after warming up and junior offensive tackle Austin Troxell did not dress after suffering an injury late in the week.

The ensuing shuffle along both sides caused some problems for Auburn, but overall Gus Malzahn said he was pleased.

“We did, on a positive note, get out of the game really without any serious injuries, which is great,” Malzahn said. “We’re very hopeful that we’ll get some of our guys back that weren’t able to play this past week. I think getting a game under our belt without K.J. Britt, with his leadership, and we were playing without three of our four team captains. Which I thought, that was good for our team and especially getting the victory. The thing I took from the game last night was just how we won. I think we can build upon that the rest of the season.”

Despite the absence of Troxell and Brodarious Hamm being held out of the starting lineup after getting banged up in the Georgia game, the offense had their best game running the ball against a stout Arkansas defense.

When Hamm entered the game, Auburn was able to move Brandon Council back to left guard and leave freshman Keiondre Jones at right guard. The results were quick to follow.

“I think we made it through ok,” Malzahn said. “But just getting those guys in the same positions, you know, I think, for an extended period of time up front will do nothing but help. And I know that we’re getting closer to figuring that out. Obviously, Brodarious was banged up coming into the game.

“We moved Council to right tackle starting out. You know, Brodarious, he did a good job once he was in and made it through the game. And we had KJ at right guard. Just getting five guys and getting settled in, so hopefully we can stay healthy enough to do that.”

Special team’s standout Jordyn Peters left the game early after blocking a punt that was recovered for an Auburn touchdown.

“We’re hoping that he’ll be back,” Malzahn said. “We’ll probably have a better idea of that on Tuesday. But obviously he went out in the first quarter or whatever. That’s a big loss. We’ll hopefully get him back.”

Malzahn is hopeful they will be closer to full strength for their second road trip of the season when they travel to Columbia for their game with South Carolina at 11 a.m. Saturday.

“Austin and Eli Stove both, we’re hoping to get those guys back,” Malzahn said. “Marco Domio’s (juco cornerback) a guy that’s been out with an injury, too. We’re hoping to get him back. Shaun Shivers, we held him out last night. Hopefully we’ll get him back too. I’ll probably know more Tuesday about how our guys handle practice.”

Two Auburn offensive starters ‘questionable’ for Arkansas game

Two of Auburn’s most experienced offensive starters are “questionable” for Saturday’s matchup with Arkansas.

Two of Auburn’s most experienced offensive starters are “questionable” for Saturday’s matchup with Arkansas.

Junior running back Shaun Shivers and redshirt senior Eli Stove are dealing with undisclosed injuries, and their status for this weekend’s game with Arkansas remains uncertain, according to Gus Malzahn.

Shivers started the season opener against Kentucky, but was unable to take the field in the loss to Georgia last weekend. The team captain suffered an injury in the second half of the Kentucky game and was limited in practice ahead of the Georgia game.

Stove, who had a touchdown reception against Kentucky, played in the first quarter against Georgia before leaving the field early with an undisclosed injury and not returning.