I agree with our little green friend: the oddly-timed insertions into game situations speak to a purpose for Johnson's lost RS.
I was watching us chew up rushing yardage yesterday and, boom, JJ comes in and throws towards Coates (which is his MO: first play bomb to Coates). Why abandon the run? Why get so predictable with JJ's first play? The better question is why isn't Gus trying to balance out the offense?
I think he's hiding the bulk of the passing playbook as we creep toward the Iron Bowl. In addition, he's setting up Saban/Smart: lull the opponent to sleep with film of run-heavy gameplans and create the narrative that Auburn HAS to run because they can't throw effectively.
The bama D decides that they simply have to stack the box and Auburn will be put away post haste. I think this allows a couple of early passing scores and gives Auburn the early lead that will, hopefully, prove to be the difference in the game.
Gus is too smart to get locked into a tendency that's as completely obvious as this run/pass disparity. He knows that you can't get one dimensional and expect to beat a defense like bama's. Thus, I have to believe that he's engaged in some strategery.
Edit note: upon review of the box score, Johnson did not attempt a pass yesterday. I was confused, apparently, by watching the Ark game replay just prior to kickoff.