Well, all I can say is wow. This game provided a wide array of emotions and ups and downs to last all season. Auburn came into this game very young and inexperienced just about everywhere and not really knowing what to expect. If you ready my previous post on how I though the season would go, I thought AU would play well and improve as it went. I, however, did not expect the game I saw Saturday. I won't sugarcoat anything, but I will preface by saying it's hard to win and be consistently good when half the team was playing highschool ball last year. That said, on to the review:
I was anxious to see the new guys get in and show off what we as Auburn fans had been waiting on all summer. Auburn kicked to start the game and right off the bat, it was apparent that it might be a long day. The first half was a blur, but I don't remember AU ever stopping USU on a three and out. They may have, but I don't remember. I do remember the defensive front getting pushed around and the linebackers not being in position to make a tackle and playing too shallow in the Tampa 2 defense on a 3rd and 20. These are all due to inexperience and should be correctable. Yes, even the line's toughness. If you recall last year, the O-line was having a hard time being tough and then turned it on. We may not be able to do it this year, but it can be fixed. On offense, it looked like we would be running the ball come hell or high water. USU stacked the box with 9 and 10 defenders and we kept trying to establish the run. I will never second guess Malzahn on play calling but I do wonder what the philosophy behind it was. When we passed, we made good plays. We never could get a decent push from the O-line, either from them stacking the line or just AU not being physical enough. Hopefully, all these things can be corrected before Saturday. Trotter looked good and did not do anything to hurt AU. It looked as if he may have checked down too soon but that may have been by design. He still threw for 261 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Auburn was behind 31-28 mid 4th quarter and USU had the ball. AU needed a stop in order to get the ball back and have a shot at going ahead. The defense could not get one. The closest AU had was late in the drive when USU was facing a 4th and 1 from the 4. USU got a delay of game penalty most thought in order to move back and get a better angle for a field goal. Except they didn't kick; they went for it. USU ran a fake and completed a pass down to the one and scored on the next play to go up 10 with about 6 minutes. I honestly thought the game was over. I should know better. Auburn took the next possession and scored a touchdown with around 2:30 left. Down by 3 and only one timeout, AU elected to kick an onside kick and try to get the ball back. If it fails, the game is probably out of reach. Chandler Brooks did a perfect kick and it bounced right into Emory Blake's hands. AU took it and scored with 30 seconds left and completed the miracle victory.
People will say AU deserved to lose and should have, etc... but AU won and since they won, they deserve it. The defense played really badly and the offense was not too bad, sans the running game. Special teams were really good with 4 of 7 kickoffs going for touchbacks and Tre Mason returning a kickoff for a TD. Auburn will get better but how much and how fast? AU could be looking at 2-2 at the end of September with the October gauntlet waiting. Mississippi St. is next and I will have a prediction up for them but right now, it doesn't look great.
Good: Trotter, Blake, Stallworth, Mason, DE ends, kicking game
Average: Dyer, McCalleb, defensive backs
Poor: Defense as a whole
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