Auburn’s weakest link last week was its defense. Things have changed after Saturday’s loss against Ole Miss. With end Carl Lawson back on the line, the defense looked more competent and energized than it has all season, even though the squad did lose steam down the stretch.

In a surprising turn of events, it may have been the coaching that prevented Auburn from scoring enough points to win the game.

Here is an analysis of Auburn’s performance against Ole Miss:

5 TAKEAWAYS

  • Jeremy Johnson and Sean White take risky shots downfield: During the first half, White decided to chuck the ball away multiple times in the face of defenders bearing down. Johnson also tried two deep throws during his handful of snaps. None of those passes were picked off, and one of Johnson’s bombs was a 44-yard completion to the Ole Miss 3-yard line.
  • The ability to create explosive plays is back: On offense, the Tigers were able to create at least six big plays all with gains of 20 yards or more. They also had three plays with gains of more than 40 yards. It seems like the Auburn offense is improving bit by bit each game.
  • Auburn is struggling in the red zone: Auburn looks like it hits a wall every time it gets within striking distance of the end zone. Auburn moved inside the 10 yards on multiple drives, but questionable playcalling was a factor as the Tigers settled for field-goal attempts.
  • Creative offense doesn’t always necessarily work: A lot of different offensive players touched the ball toward the beginning of the game, a change from Auburn’s typical attack. Three different players lined up at quarterback during the first quarter. The  Rebels defense may have had an easier time reading the offense by which quarterback was in the game. And of course, we can’t forget Jeremy Johnson’s near-fumble just before the half.
  • Gus Malzahn is trying to be aggressive: During the postgame press conference, Malzahn explained his decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 during the second quarter. He also discussed the trick plays he implemented. Simply put, he wanted to be more aggressive. Based on the coaching decisions against Ole Miss, I think Auburn fans would prefer smart playcalling to aggressive playcalling.

REPORT CARD

Offense: B — White struggled with an injured left knee throughout the game. Despite limited mobility, he worked well with his running backs and receivers. Ricardo Louis redeemed himself from last week by making several big receptions. Jovon Robinson emerged as a dangerous threat on the ground in place of banged-up Peyton Barber. While the offense struggled in the red zone, much of that can be attributed to the coaches’ decision-making.

Defense: C+ — Auburn’s defense gave up a season-high 558 yards, allowing Chad Kelly to throw for 381. If you look at the first half in isolation, however, Auburn’s defense was performing at perhaps its highest level all season. When the Rebels faced third down, it was usually for 10 or more yards. The return of Lawson gave Auburn some pass rush ability that visibly affected Kelly throughout the game. The Tigers now just need to work on enduring for  four quarters.

Special teams: A —  Daniel Carlson was perfect on four field-goal attempts, including a 52-yarder.

Coaching: D — Malzahn didn’t get the ball to Jovon Robinson inside the Ole Miss 10. The coach gave Johnson playing time. The second time Johnson threw a deep pass into double coverage, the crowd audibly booed. Lastly, Malzahn decided not to use Auburn’s last timeout during the Tigers’ last possession of the game after White had just been leveled by Ole Miss’ Mike Hilton. A timeout would have allowed White to catch his breath and given coaches time to make a better fourth-down call, but Malzahn elected not to take a timeout and the play failed.

Overall: C+ — The defense still has work to do, and the coaching staff needs to rethink the purpose of their offensive playbook.

GAME PLAN

With Sean White and Peyton Barber not at full strength, Malzahn wanted to get as many other players involved on the offense as possible. However, keeping White under center was the most effective option. Robinson emerged as an excellent playmaker at running back. Malzahn kept Johnson in the game, utilizing him in for quarterback runs and when White had problems with his knee brace.

GAME BALLS

  • RB Jovon Robinson: Robinson emerged as another great running back talent, able to dodge defenders as well as lower his shoulder to gain extra yards. He finished with 18 carries for 91 yards.
  • WR Ricardo Louis: Louis finished with four receptions for 137 yards and one touchdown with no drops.
  • K Daniel Carlson: Carlson kicked four field goals.

INJURY UPDATE

QB Sean White’s left knee gave him trouble throughout the game. He was also walloped during Auburn’s last possession of the game.