A little something to help you feel better.....
http://www.espn.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/122136/at-the-halfway-point-auburn-looks-new-and-improved-and-dangerousThis was a pivotal season for Gus Malzahn and Auburn. There were question marks back in August, and nobody really knew what to make of the Tigers.
After Saturday’s 38-14 win at Mississippi State, most of those questions have been answered. It might have taken a couple of games, but Auburn looks to have finally figured it out as it heads into an open week.
Question: Who would be the quarterback?
Fans would have liked to have seen this question answered a little sooner. But after the quarterback carousel we saw Week 1 against Clemson, Malzahn and his staff have stuck with Sean White as their starter, and it’s paid dividends.
White was 14 of 18 for 204 yards and a touchdown against Mississippi State on Saturday. His lone mistake was an interception on a ball that should’ve been caught by Tony Stevens. The sophomore currently leads the SEC in completion percentage (69.7), and since the season opener, he’s completing 74 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and the lone interception he threw Saturday.
Aside from a late appearance against Texas A&M and mop-up duty the past two weeks, we haven’t seen much of John Franklin III. This is White’s team, and he’s growing more and more confident every week.
Question: Were there any running backs left who could carry the load?
In the offseason, Auburn went from having four capable backs returning to having just one. And that one, Kerryon Johnson, had very little experience and questions about his durability.
Through the first five games, Johnson was among the SEC leaders in carries (102), yards (517) and touchdowns (6). The sophomore did injure his ankle on the opening drive Saturday, but Malzahn expects him to return following the bye week.
However, Johnson’s injury paved the way for Kamryn Pettway, who proved Auburn has more than one durable back on its roster. Pettway carried the ball 39 times, the most since Tre Mason carried it 46 times in the 2013 SEC Championship Game, and finished with 169 yards and three touchdowns.
At this time last year, Pettway was battling for playing time at H-back. Now he's third in the SEC, averaging 101 yards per game.
Question: What would the defense look like under Kevin Steele?
This might be the biggest surprise, and it didn’t take a week or two to figure it out. The Auburn defense has been rock solid since holding Deshaun Watson and Clemson to 19 points in Week 1.
Coming off a game in which they shut out Mississippi State in the first half, the Tigers are now ranked No. 19 nationally in defensive efficiency. Carl Lawson is second in the SEC with six sacks, and fellow defensive lineman Montravius Adams has been just as disruptive up front. Adams even returned a fumble for a touchdown Saturday.
“Every week our defense has done something that’s the sign of a big-time defense,†Malzahn said after the game Saturday. “And every week, they answer the bell. I’m real proud of them and Coach Steele and our defensive coaches. They’ve got a lot of confidence.â€
Auburn has addressed concerns during the season, too.
After the first three games, the Tigers had more negative plays (32) than any team in college football. On Saturday, the offense was picking up big chunks on first down like it was nothing. They found a rhythm that was reminiscent of the 2013 group that finished second in the SEC in points per game.
Auburn beat LSU despite not scoring a touchdown. The offense went five of six in the red zone with five field goals. In the two games since, they scored on nine of their 10 red-zone trips with eight touchdowns and one field goal.
“We’re getting better,†Malzahn said. “Our team knows it. Our coaches know it. We’ve got to continue to do that. Very few teams in college football actually get better throughout the year, and we’ve got a chance to be one of those teams.
"I feel good about where we’re at.â€