Despite blowing a 17-point lead at home and losing to LSU, the Auburn football team showed signs of progress last week, especially on offense. The trend needs to continue and accelerate this week as the Tigers face their first road contest since playing at South Carolina in game 11 last season as they travel to face the Georgia Bulldogs.
In his second start quarterback, Robby Ashford made a huge improvement throwing the ball. A big reason for that was keeping his eyes downfield looking for open receivers instead of panicking and trying to run at the first sign of pass rush pressure.
Ashford still has a long way to go to be an outstanding player, but if he can continue to improve as much as he did from his first start to his second start, better days are on the horizon for Auburn’s offense.
The improved passing attack could be a big deal, but if the Tigers are going to take a major step forward as a team they have to solve what has developed into a huge problem.
Of the 131 teams playing college football at the FBS level, Auburn is 129th in turnover margin. It has been a group effort that has caused Coach Bryan Harsin’s team to be ranked so low. In addition to the offense already doubling last season’s interception total with eight, the Tigers have lost four fumbles.
The turnover numbers could be even worse. The Tigers have fumbled 11 additional times and kept possession on those plays. The defense, while generally out-performing their offensive teammates this year, has a glaring statistical shortcoming coming with just one pass interception and two fumble recoveries.
The turnover numbers go a long way towards explaining why Auburn is 1-2 vs. Power-5 level opponents this season and should be 0-3 if Missouri had not gifted the Tigers a victory in the SEC opener.
How much the Auburn offense has improved will be tested in a major way this week at Georgia. Although the defending national champions dropped from No. 1 to No. 2 in the rankings after a too close for comfort win at Missouri last Saturday night, the Bulldogs are the SEC’s top defensive team.
Georgia has also been dominant in recent years vs. the Tigers and will bring a five-game winning streak in matchups vs. AU into the SEC’s oldest rivalry. The fact that Auburn is a four-touchdown underdog for this game is the result of respect for what Georgia has done in recent years and a lack of respect for how the Tigers have been performing.
• Going into the season my thought was there are two players on defense the Tigers could least afford to lose. One of those guys is preseason All-SEC defensive end Derick Hall. The other is senior Eku Leota, the team’s other major threat as a pass rusher.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, Leota suffered what is likely a season-ending injury vs. LSU and there isn’t anybody on the roster who looks ready to perform at the senior’s level. That is a real shame for Leota, a young man with a terrific work ethic and love for the game.
• There is some good news on the defensive front for the Tigers. Zykeivous Walker, who has recovered from a knee injury, has been cleared for action. The 6-4, 305 junior has starting experience and has been missed.
• The AU men’s golf team is off to a strong start and is ranked No. 3 nationally. After winning the Maui Jim Intercollegiate in Arizona to start the 2022-23 season the Tigers finished first again on Tuesday at the Marquette Invitational in Milwaukee.
Junior J.M. Butler, who is on track to become one of the top players in program history, led the Tigers to victory with a second place individual finish in Milwaukee.
Mark Murphy is the editor of Inside the Auburn Tigers magazine and newsletter.Â
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