Good AU Undercover piece on Chad Morris. I've said many times, if Malzahn will truly just let his OC, whoever it is, do what they were hired to do, the results would be night and day. In honor of former poster, Tarheel, emphasis all my own. And that emphasis, which gives me chub, is obviously the use of tight ends and the middle of the field. Something almost non-existent under Gus.
AUBURN, Alabama–Being
Chad Morris as the Auburn offensive coordinator for 2020 has to be more appealing when considering his chance for success than Chad Morris as the Arkansas head coach who was also responsible for the 2019 Razorback offense.
Of the 24 scholarship skill players at his disposal this season, Morris will have 16 football players rated as 4-stars or better, something Arkansas could not provide during his last year there as head coach. There is plenty of talent to field a highly competitive offense, but it becomes a matter of schematics, personnel evaluation, and play-calling that Morris will be judged by in 2020.
The covid-19 virus was an obvious setback for programs across the country with most having no spring practice, but Morris said he remains confident the Tigers should be effective on offense this season.
“Well, we want to be the best Auburn football team we can possibly be, whatever that means,†he said. “I believe with the way that we do things and being able to get guys moved all over the field and put them in space, I think we have an opportunity to be extremely explosive.â€
Personnel and Player Groupings:The 2020 Auburn offense will look familiar to fans because of the Gus Malzahn influence on Morris, but there will be differences because Morris has morphed Malzahn’s base-attack to his liking.
Malzahn has made it known that Auburn will likely throw the football more this year than in 2019. Last season Auburn averaged 30.5 pass attempts per game, the highest average since the 1999 season.
During the past five seasons, offenses coached by Morris averaged nearly 35 pass attempts per game, which will likely be the case again 2020. The Tigers returns return starting quarterback Bo Nix along with their three leading receivers from 201–Seth Williams, Eli Stove, and Anthony Schwartz. That trio will provide a strong foundation of experience, mixed with a potent mixture of new talent at the wide receiver position.
The running backs and tight ends are expected to be more involved in the passing game under Morris. Utilizing all the skill positions consistently will make the offense more challenging to defend.
Chad Morris joined the Auburn football team just prior to Christmas in 2019. (Photo: Todd Van Emst/Auburn Athletics)
Having multiple options at tight end and running back should prove to be beneficial for Auburn’s coordinator. However, it poses an immediate concern of balancing substitution along with the natural progression and tempo of the offense on game day. Some critics have pointed out Malzahn’s flaw in substituting too much, and individual players pigeonholed into a specific play. Morris will be tasked to balance the fine line of defining what players to operate his offense without disrupting the continuity and flow. This is easier said than done, but his goal is to figure out how to best take advantage of space on the field for his explosive players to operate.
There exists a constant demand for underutilized players to see more playing time. The reality is that Auburn averages approximately 71 snaps on offense per game, which means some players will not always receive the number of opportunities they may deserve or want. There will likely be a core of players who receive the majority of touches, with subtle adjustments made based on game situations and opposition.
Tight Ends and Running Backs:Expect that Morris will use the tight ends more than Malzahn, especially between the 20-yard lines. This alone should provide Nix with more passing options in 2020 and the ability to attack the middle of the field.“Bo is like a coach on the field,†said Morris, commenting on the sophomore’s field recognition. “When things break down, Bo is usually really good when those things happen. He's able to make plays with his feet.â€
Last season Nix rushed for 313 yards, totaling 26 first downs, which aided in the extension of drives.
A goal for 2020 is Nix improving his ability to pass his way out of bad situations.
This will require more targets as passing options and Nix’s ability to recognize the best options on a given play. Auburn’s three scrimmages during camp have allowed him to work through his complement of skill players available to him this season. Brandon Frazier and J.J. Pegues provide new options at tight end and two other true freshmen, Ze’Vian Capers and Kobe Hudson, are projected to provide quality depth at wide receiver.
From 2011-2012, Clemson’s tight ends caught 118 passes, and their running backs caught 49 with Morris as the offensive coordinator. From 2013-2014, the running backs caught 94 passes and the tight ends caught 53. The numbers indicate the flexibility under Morris based on the talent available.
The 2020 season could be the first time Auburn’s tight ends catch more passes than the running backs since 2003.For every play of 15-plus yards gained on the ground there are two through the air. During the past five seasons, Auburn’s wide receivers have accounted for close to 82 percent of the impact plays in the passing game. The running backs have accounted for 14.5 percent and the H-Backs have accounted for 3.4 percent. Auburn’s tight ends have totaled 10 impact plays the past five seasons while the tight ends under Morris at Clemson combined for 43 over four years. With five scholarship tight ends available, look for Morris to use them as much as possible.
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