Auburn 21 Washington 16. It definitely was not pretty, in fact it was at times really ugly, but in the end it was a win and that is all that counts. The Auburn football Tigers defeated the #6 Washington Huskies in an extremely hard fought game. It is a big win ANYTIME you beat a top ten team to open a season. It is an even bigger win for Auburn after losing two in a row in the same place to end last season. As usual I plan to break down the game in my usual format of "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly". This game really breaks down into those categories really well.
THE GOOD
I think the place to start here is obviously the Auburn defense. They bent, they committed some stupid penalties, they got passed on, etc... but in the end they came through. They held a very good offense that included a senior quarterback and a great coach to UNDER 20 POINTS. They continually stopped Washington in the red zone when it really counted. Washington went to the red zone five straight times and came away with just 16 points. Is their luck involved in that? Yes but there is also clutch defensive play like senior Darrell Williams diving pass tip preventing an easy Washington touchdown.
The defense certainly bent between the 20s and was susceptible to the pass (as it has been the entire time Kevin Steele has been there) and that will need to improve. Washington ended up with almost 400 yards of total offense with almost 300 of it in the air. The defense also committed numerous penalties including multiple pass interference calls. However in addition to coming up big in the red zone the defense had 5 sacks and 9 tackles for loss plus they caused two turnovers. They just stuffed the Washington running game and came up with the big play when it was needed and that is the mark of a good defense.
The other good thing and the best thing on offense was quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Stidham is one of the most talented quarterbacks to ever suit up for the Tigers and that is saying something. Even being constrained by the Malzahn offensive system and an average to below average offensive line he played a brilliant game going 26 of 36 for 273 yards and a touchdown. He did a few dumb things but for the most part made good decisions and made some great throws. In the end he led a clutch 76-yard touchdown drive to win the game that included a big 20 yard throw to Darius Slayton. The only thing I will really complain about is his running. Coaches PLEASE get Stidham to stop running.
THE BAD
I have to say here that everyone else was right and I was wrong. I was actually a bit positive about our offensive line and wow they were bad most of the game. Everyone else in the offseason talked about what a concern they were but I thought our starting lineup was better than people thought especially with J.B. Grimes returning to coach them up. They just did not get that push up front but of course the coaches do not help them out much by continuing to run on first down most of the time. The coaches also continue to run out of three wide receiver sets or telegraph runs with Chandler Cox or Jalen Harris in the game.
Again Auburn does NOT run the HUNH (hurry-up-no-huddle) offense! The coaches substitute almost every play which negates any hurry up. I do not know how many times that needs to be said before people start understanding. You cannot HURRY if you SUB. Chip Lindsey continues to get a big few plays going against Malzahn tendencies but it is not enough to change the predictability of this offense. In my opinion, you have to run a series of plays in a row without subbing to make the "hurry-up" even a little effective and to not make your offense so predictable by substitutions. This offensive line is just not good enough to overcome our offense's predictability against good teams.
Of course it was the first game and I do believe in the old coaching axiom of a team improving the most between the first and second games. I know that is true of the soccer teams I have coached. Also, Washington was a good team with a good defense. They really impressed me on both sides of the ball with their grit. I think one of the keys to Auburn's season now will be how the offensive line plays in two weeks against LSU at home. The other bad thing about the game was the penalties (!!!). I mean wow, I know it was a Big 10 crew and they were not that good but that was still bad (12 penalites for over 100 yards). That has to be cleaned up immediately and I think it can be.
THE UGLY
The only ugly thing I saw in this game was the absolute BONEHEAD decision to fake a PAT in a match up of top ten teams. Auburn almost lost this game because of that monumentally bad decision. For the most part, trick plays are for losers. You do not need them if you are a good team. I thought this one was really stupid and took away momentum as well as putting Auburn in a bad situation the rest of the game. I am sorry there is no good argument for it in this game for me. Malzahn just cannot help himself in these early games. He has to try something stupid just about every year like the rotating quarterbacks two years ago and then this crap.
The ugly outside of this game will be a continual entry in this section and that is having to hear the continual national and regional blather about Bama and their quarterback as they play the easiest schedule in the country. Bama is literally guaranteed 11-0. Their backups could probably go 11-0 against this schedule. The only team that has a chance of beating them is Auburn and the refs will make sure that does not happen in T-town. All we can hope for is somebody beating them in the playoff but unfortunately the likely #2 seed in the playoff, Clemson, is the only team with a schedule easier than Bama. It is just sickening. They will be all we will hear about week after week while the rest of college football knocks each other off because they have to play decent schedules.
THE LAST WORD
I actually had another entry on the good side that I did not get in and that was the special teams play. Ryan Davis was fabulous returning punts and Anders Carlson outside of one bad miss was awesome in his first game. Davis is a playmaker and will be one of Auburn's most important weapons all season. I think the jury is still out on the running backs. They were not great but the line was getting no push so it is hard to judge. I thought Kam Martin was good in spots and "Boobie" Whitlow finally showed some of the potential I have heard about all spring and summer running for the game-winning touchdown and the first down to end it.
Auburn now travels home for four games in a row including two-in-a-row against LSU and Arkansas. I love the LSU being back at the third game of the year like it used be when the conference changed to divisions. It took the place of the Tennessee game at that third game spot. I think you need play somebody good in that spot. It is time to find out where you are and I think this Auburn team can make a big statement during this four game homestand. First up though is a scrimmage against Alabama State. My only concern in this game is many times Malzahn leaves the starters in too long in my opinion. Get them out early, let the subs play and lets get ready for LSU.
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