Forget the refs: Bigsby keeping Auburn out of the tank in 2020
In the instant reaction social media world we live in, the freshest hot take out there is that Auburn should be 1-4.
I get it. There’s no question that Auburn should have lost to Arkansas when Bo Nix threw a backward pass attempting to spike the clock. The refs got that wrong and it immediately and materially impacted the outcome of the game. The SEC even said so the following week.
I’m sympathetic to the Ole Miss claim, too, though a bit less so. Yes, the SEC said that their referees and replay crew again got it wrong, and that it should have reviewed a play where an Auburn player touched a kickoff and Ole Miss appeared to recover for a touchdown. But in that game, Auburn still had to drive the length of the field to win the game. And Ole Miss got the football back and failed to score. Bad calls happen, so spare me the hot takes.
Whine about refs all you want. If you want to talk football instead, let’s do that. Here’s a reality: Whether you think Auburn is a legitimate 3-2 or not, the biggest reason they haven’t gone in the tank in 2020 is a true freshman named Tank.
Tank Bigsby, a consensus top 50 recruit and high 4-star from LaGrange, Georgia, has been far and away the most effective part of Auburn’s offense in 2020. Bigsby leads the Tigers in explosive plays, with a total of 13 runs of 10 yards or more on the season.
Further, while you’d expect a running back named “Tank” to be a bit bigger than 6-0, 200 pounds, Bigsby runs with a brusing physicality that suits his name:
The stiff arm š±
The diving TD šTANK. BIGSBY. pic.twitter.com/NDethhkXkI
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) October 24, 2020
Bigsby also shows outstanding vision — he’s made 31 defenders miss on 85 total touches, a number that ranks in the top 5 in the SEC per touch, according to Stats Solutions. He leads SEC running backs in yards gained after contact and most broken tackles per 25 rushing attempts as well, both remarkable accomplishments for a true freshman.
Tank Bigsby is running over SEC defenders at an incredible rate pic.twitter.com/eiJSeG2jRH
— CFB Film Room (@CFBFilmRoom) October 26, 2020
Bigsby’s blend of physicality and elusiveness are why he’s been able to succeed despite running behind an inexperienced offensive line that has not produced consistent leverage or push. Bigsby grades out at 8th among all college running backs, per PFF, ahead of such household names as Travis Etienne of Clemson and Chuba Hubbard of Oklahoma State. Bigsby ranks 3rd in the SEC in total rushing yards (432), and at 5.8 yards per carry, trails only Isaiah Spiller of Texas A&M for the SEC lead in that category.
It’s hard to know what the future holds for Auburn in 2020. There’s not really a “lock” of a win left on the schedule — and dates against rivals LSU and Alabama beckon over the course of the next month. But what’s become clear is that as Bo Nix struggles to adjust to Chad Morris’ offense, the workload and demands the Tigers will place on their Tank will only increase.
Against Ole Miss, Tank carried a season-high 24 times, tallying 129 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns and breaking 11 tackles in the process. That shows the increasing trust the staff has in the freshman, and it’s likely no coincidence that Nix’s best game of 2020 came on a Saturday where the Tigers were a “Tank first” offense.
Despite facing only SEC defenses, Bigsby already is climbing the Auburn record books in terms of freshmen production. By season’s end, Bigsby is on pace to at least threaten Michael Dyer’s Auburn freshman record of 1,093 yards rushing — and in fewer games. Bigsby has already joined Bo Jackson and Dyer as the only freshmen in Auburn history to tally 100 yards rushing in 3 or more games.
Tank Bigsby has 432 rushing yards as a freshman this season, 16th most in Auburn history. He surpassed Ben Tate and Brad Lester, among others, in the Auburn rushing yards as a freshman leaderboard. Another 100 yards will launch him from 16th to 9th.
— joshdub (@joshdub_) October 26, 2020
Will Bigsby’s emergence steady Nix?
Saturday suggested yes, but that came against an Ole Miss defense that has struggled in every game it has played. One thing it should do is open up RPOs, which have been good to Nix in his young career. Nix’s success rate in RPO pass concepts is 53%. His success rate on other pass plays is only 47%. With the threat of Bigsby looming, Morris should begin to utilize the RPO concept more than the 14% of Auburn snaps we’ve seen him use it this season and closer to the 25% Gus Malzahn deployed last year in helping Nix earn SEC Freshmen of the Year honors.
Tank’s talents should also continue to free things up for Seth Williams on the outside. If Auburn can consistently pound the middle of the field — and the Tigers have managed 5,9 yards a pop on runs inside or to the left with Tank in 2020 — defenses are more likely to cheat safeties toward the line of scrimmage. This potentially means safeties stay home on RPO concepts, instead of helping on Williams. A mismatch nightmare who simply overwhelms corners, Williams is almost impossible to contend with in the absence of safety help.
In other words, Tank makes everyone around him better, precisely the type of difference-maker the Tigers have been searching for. With Bigsby leading the way, Auburn finally is showing signs of being the diverse and balanced offense many anticipated given the way the Tigers closed the 2019 regular season with a potent offense and win in the Iron Bowl.
Regardless of coordinator or staff, a great Auburn offense tends to begin with a battering ram of a running back who stresses defenses and forces safeties to cheat. For the first time since Kerryon Johnson, the Tigers clearly have a bellcow. Referee help or no, Auburn’s Tank should keep a season on the brink from going in the tank.
Neal, Bigsby is an outstanding talent but even with him and competent officiating/review processes, Auburn is 1-4. You can write how Tank makes everyone better all you want, but it still begs the question… Does it really translate to wins?
Yes.
I was referring to wins this year. We know the officiating has translated to a couple of wins that otherwise would have been losses, but even with Bigsby and competent officiating their still a 1-4 team, maybe not at the bottom of but kind of in the tank ya know. The headline doesn’t jive.
I hear you. The Arky game was obviously a horrendous call as was the missed Shivers kickoff call (I call it a Karma no call for the phantom holding penalty on Tanks TD return). I say yes they still translate to wins because without Tank it might not even be a close enough game for those calls to be a big deal. Iād say at worse weād be 2-3 because the phantom hold/Shivers kickoff return cancel each other out.
I’m a big fan of Bigsby, he’s got elite talent. And I was really thinking Nix would make a big jump under Morris this season but that just hasn’t clicked yet.
I say give it time. Nix may still find himself and become what we expect of him. I saw him play many times at Pinson Valley so Iāve seen why he was a 5-star coming out of HS. If he can center himself and find a way to translate that performance to the SEC, he will win a championship before he leaves as Gus suggests. The only thing I have seen him translate to college is the scramble. He was excellent at picking up the yards when they had to have them. I was also pleased to see Nix on designed roll-out plays. Many people donāt know this but that was one of his strengths in HS. Not sure how effective that will prove to be in the SEC, but it looked promising Saturday.
Why would you think that a mediocre QB would make a big jump under a coach that has proven that he can’t develop QBs??
@Kieth: Partly because Morris utilized the TE perhaps more than any coach in college football and Auburn has TE’s galore. I thought that it would not only help Nix have another option but also force defenses to play up on TE’s and free up other options. Also, despite Nix being a Freshman last season he showed poise beyond his experience and youth, that’s kind of an individual trait and I thought that would naturally stick with him, even regardless of the coach.
@Keith, letās not forget Nix is only halfway through is sophomore year. Last year he played behind an absolutely atrocious o-line in one of the most difficult schedules you can put a true freshman QB against and he finished with a positive record, SEC Freshman of the Year, and played the closest game against the National Champions in their backyard.
This year, heās under a new OC with a rebuilt o-line with no spring camp in a 10 game all-SEC schedule. Now, take all this into consideration coupled with the fact he has a positive record as a starting QB. Not sure how exactly you classify him as a mediocre QB. Right now, I would say heās average.
If you want an example of a mediocre QB, Iād draw your to the 5th year starting QB at Tennessee.
1-4?
Interesting, considering in 2 of those “shoulda been losses” Auburn had a TD called back on a BS call as well. Funny how Auburn beat KY by 2 scores even after having a pick 6 denied by a bs call but “they should have lost.” The only “shoulda lost” that has any merit is the Arkansas game, but had the refs not blown the whistle it’s still possible Auburn could have recovered the ball. As for Ole Miss, to continue beating the dead horse, bad officiating cost Auburn a TD on a kick off return. Even after the missed fumble, Auburn still had to march down the field, and OM didn’t stop them. OM then had another possesion in which they could have scored, yet they couldn’t. So enough with your “hip, woke” takes.
Just enjoy the thefts and let it go. Auburn could easily be 0-5 right now. Two blown calls and a missed extra point gift from Kentucky. Three gifts.
lmao, well glad2besec, at least this wasn’t another one of your misguided and missplaced Trump trolls.
my bad, confused you with a different troll. Nonetheless, the only game with a potentially outcome changing call was the arkansas game. KY had 30 minutes to bounce back, and yet even after the refs stole an AU td, Auburn managed to beat them by double digits. Before the missed fumble in the OM game, the refs stole an AU td due to a non-existent hold. Even after the fumble, AU had to drive all the way down the field to score and OM couldn’t stop them. OM STILL had a chance to drive down the field, but threw a pick, their THIRD turnover of the game.
UAT knows a lot about giving gifts. Yāall running a Dodge Charger dealership out of the athletics building or what?
The only positive I can take from your comment here is so far you are the only person Iāve seen with the audacity to try and diminish the impact Tank has in CFB. Some athletes are just game changers and Tank is one of those athletes. Any program would significantly benefit from having this young man as an offensive weapon, including Alabama!
This kid is ridiculously talented. Love watching him play on the weekends. Reminds me of AP.
Iām glad he finally got recognized with SEC Freshman of the Week. He really deserved it. Probably should have been co-honors because TJ Finley was also very impressive.
I think what makes him standout from the rest is his unrelenting physicality. He had 24 carries for 129 yards and 2 TDs. What is more significant is that 98 of those yards were after contact. Just think about that for a moment.
If what weāve seen from Bigsby is the floor, I would bet the farm this kid walks away with a Heisman before heās done at Auburn.
Nice post ALum
Let’s call it a team effort.
Can’t wait to have a normal Auburn article without mentioning the refs. It’s comical at this point. If it isn’t the refs, it’s Gus/Chad. If it isn’t Gus/Chad, it’s Nix. If it isn’t Nix, it’s back to Gus/Chad. Lather, rinse, repeat. Come up with something new.
Great idea for an Auburn article. “Auburn: Come Up With Something New.”
A new way to beat Alabama perhaps?
This time the punter will be lined up at RB. Prepare accordingly.
lol
Oh for ever loving …
Auburn fans complain about the refs working them over against Alabama all the time. They even claim wide-ranging conspiracies from the SEC office, the NCAA and the state of Alabama against Auburn. Is that going to stop all of a sudden?
Look, it is the way of life in football. It was like that in high school. It was like that at the small FCS college that I attended. It is like that in big time college football. And it is CERTAINLY like that in the NFL. (Also like that in basketball at every level too.) And that is:
The higher profile the program, the better the treatment you get from the referees. Nearly every ambiguity, every judgment call etc. will go to the higher profile program because they are the one who is “supposed” to win. If the lower profile program complains, well they had plenty of chances outside of that single call or play to win the game outright and leave no doubt.
And … it is not that big of a deal. I get it. It was like boxing back in the day – when it was still a major sport – when it was recognized that the only way to beat the champ in the title fight, especially if he was an undisputed champion (WBA, WBF, IBO) was to knock him out. There was NO WAY you were going to get a decision against a champ without completely dominating him in nearly each and every round (which is nearly impossible … even if the champ is secretly injured or ill or just flat out doesn’t train that makes a TKO that much more likely).
So just be magnanimous about it ok? Don’t compare other calls that happened much earlier in the game that left Auburn PLENTY OF TIME to recover from TO A BUNCH OF LAST SECOND CALLS THAT DIDN’T GIVE THE OTHER TEAM THE SAME. Just admit that Kentucky, Ole Miss and especially Arkansas got the short end of the stick, that life as a less elite program is a challenge but that just makes it all the more enjoyable when you DO get a great win or have a good season in comparison with programs who win 10-11 games every year and their fans get entitled and ungrateful and still want more, wish them the best of luck with the rest of the season and move on.
If you lack the fundamental honesty and consistency to do even that, then PLEASE no more whining and crying when the refs job you in favor of Alabama, LSU, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee WHICH THEY WILL DO BECAUSE THOSE SCHOOLS ARE HIGHER THAN AUBURN ON THE TOTEM POLL. No more bringing up 2004 either for the same reason: USC is a national program and Auburn is the #2 school in your state. Or that thing in 1983 where the national media screwed you just because they thought Miami was a better story with a more interesting style of play. Because if you do, it will just mark you as completely self-serving and could absolutely care about no one else but yourself. (In other words a Tide fan.)
Thanks for the long post of not even addressing my point.. good on you. A+ for effort.
Fantastic to read the comments from people who read the first two lines of the piece and the headline and decided this piece was 1) about the refs (it isn’t!) or 2) suggested Auburn should be 1-4 (it quite literally made fun of that idea).
But thanks for proving my point about “instant hot takes.”
I never said it was about the refs. I said “Canāt wait to have a normal Auburn article without mentioning the refs.” Did you not mention them? Does the title not mention the refs? Could you have not done this piece without mentioning the refs and just do the entire piece on Tank and what he is bringing to the table?
Not really addressing you, wde0012, but no, it is irresponsible right now to write about Auburn without mentioning the referee stories that have clouded 2 of their last 3 games with controversy.
The way to approach that is to say– yeah, say what you will about the refs– but maybe pay attention to football first.
@Neil: Yeah it doesn’t make sense to make fun of the 1-4 thing when everyone (minus you and Auburn fans) knows and is of the opinion they should quite literally be… 1-4. I mean if making a rule change and fining the Ole Miss coach doesn’t scream “yeah the wrong team won those games” I’m not sure what does.
You replied to my comment so I figured you were..
But I disagree. The ARK game was 2.5 weeks ago and just about every Auburn article mentions it still. Everyone knows what happened in that game but there is no reason to harp on it. That is why I said “Come up with something new”. Same with the Ole Miss game. The Pegues article today didn’t mention it all and it was great. It feels like every article on here now for Auburn is either about the refs, bashing Nix, or bashing Gus/Chad.
I’m over talking about the officiating because it’s really a dead issue at this point, but @waycross, your response was so dumb it warrants a reply. Not only is it wrong to suggest that Ole Miss didn’t have time to come back from being hosed as Auburn did when we were hosed the same game, but it’s logically inconsistent to say that Kentucky got the short end of the stick, when they literally had an entire half to make up for it and didn’t. Then you want to talk about “consistency.” What a joke. LOL
As for the other comment you put in all caps, I wouldn’t say all of those schools are above Auburn on the totem pole. Certainly not Tennessee. LOL Auburn has played for two national titles in the last decade, which only Bama and LSU have done out of that list you gave. Bama has 5, LSU has 1 (played for another), Auburn has 1 (played for another and almost got it), UGA played for one and almost got it, UF didn’t play for one at all, and Tennessee is relevant for a few games a year at best.
It’s completely fair for Auburn fans to point out the fact that only the Arkansas game should have gone the other way. None of the other stuff you brought up was even relevant.
Waycross, how do you sit here and say “You cant compare a bad call against Auburn earlier in the game to a later bad call that went against the other team” and then go on to say KY got the short end of the stick when they still had over 30 minutes left to play? You’ve completely contradicted yourself.
The main flaw in your entire post was only one call came in the final seconds and that was the Arkansas game. The call in the Ole Miss game came with around 4mins left, before both teams had the ball 2 more times. Ole Miss did nothing with it but turn it over while Auburn made a TD drive to take the lead and win the game. Sure seems like that call came in āPLENTY OF TIME to recover fromā just like in the Kentucky game.
Your thoughts?
Then help get the officiating crews fired. Games are played by the players..not the little guys in striped shirts deciding the outcome.
Ok, and what are your recommendations on how to proceed? Since the SEC keeps everything tight lipped and in-house, how do you suggest us Auburn fans get officiating crews fired when every fan base is already harping for it in some way or another?
If youāre suggesting the officiating crews are employed by Auburn exclusively, then disregard all this because you are out of touch with reality and thereās no discussion to be had with a moron.
Auburn needs to pay these refs more. They have literally put the team on their back twice to win games.
I will concede any argument regarding the Arkansas game, but please explain your reasoning for the Ole Miss game. I will gladly listen to any argument you can make on how that call cost Ole Miss the game over their turnovers, numerous offensive/defensive mistakes, and game management.
I see so many people commenting that Auburn should be 1-4. Iāve also seen people suggest we should be 0-5 but thatās more delusional than us Auburn fans.
But should we really be 1-4? 2-3 maybe, but 1-4? Can we really say that Ole Miss would have won had that call been reviewed? I mean, forget the TD we had taken away and all the other nonsense. Can we really say Ole Miss didnāt play a more active role in their loss than this call?
I really hate that these calls continue to happen in Auburn games but is it too far out of the realm of possibility that it is just a coincidence. Is it too far-fetched to think that itās just the SEC officiatingās incompetence? I mean, Iāve seen absolutely terrible officiating in every game every week, just seems the seriously game impacting calls come during Auburn games.
I would appreciate an honest dialogue here. No need to troll as they call it, present your opinion respectfully and I will respond in kind.
When Auburn had to punt that last time, I actually texted my family “that was the game”. Auburn’s defense couldn’t stop Ole Miss up until that point and I really thought Kiffin would run the rest of the clock out and end up scoring or taking a knee. He choked. Ole Miss play calling on that next to last possession was pitiful.
Exactly! Ole Miss was in a position to win the game and Kiffen blew it.
I think itās also important to note that Tank has started in 4 consecutive games and has produced 100+ offensive yards in all 4 games, not including KO returns. All this as a true freshman! I just donāt understand why it took 4 weeks for this kid to get SEC Freshman of the Week.
Slight correction, 99+ offensive yards per game. Might be splitting hairs but Iād rather be accurate.
A āhigh 4 starā… Are you kidding me?? Had he been a Bama commit he wouldāve been a high 5 star. This kid is legit and everyone knew it