Auburn’s defense didn’t exactly fill up the stat sheet in the 17-16 win over Baylor, but coach Alex Golesh said the Tigers handled the game plan the way they wanted.
Golesh and defensive coordinator DJ Durkin went into Saturday knowing the Bears were going to stress them with speed. Offensive coordinator Jake Spavital wanted the ball out fast and the pace up, and quarterback DJ Lagway delivered it at the third fastest clip in the country in week one.
That approach naturally made sacks and pressure harder to come by for Auburn. Still, Golesh said the bigger picture was the right one: keep the run in check, play with a light box and force the quarterback to work underneath.
"I thought our entire game plan was to essentially try to stop the run with a light box and be able to play underneath, underneath pass windows," Golesh said. "Just simply what they do, you're gonna have four out every time, sometimes five, and you're gonna have to make a decision.
Like you could bring more and create more of a rush, or we were going to sit in windows, and we kind of - we did a little bit of both. But the intent and the ability to stop the run with the light box, which we did, I think it was just over two yards per carry, and force him to sit back there and try to deliver balls in the tight windows, I would tell you on that part of it, I was more disappointed than anything else in terms of some leverage things.
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Auburns Injury Picture Up Front Just Got A Lot More Interesting
Auburns injury outlook up front is starting to clear after the season-opening bruising against Baylor. Head coach Alex Golesh said three of the four trench players banged up in that game are expected to be available for the matchup with Southern Mississippi, with offensive linemen Cole Skinner and Jacob Strand both on track to play and edge rusher Chris Murray confirmed healthy.
The one lingering question is DaShawn Womack, who remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Golesh said Womack could return to practice later in the week, leaving Auburn with at least some much-needed stability in the trenches as it tries to get through the early part of the season without losing more depth up front. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Has A Real Chance To Expose Floridas Biggest Early Problem
Auburn comes into SEC play with a little momentum after edging Baylor 17-16 in the Aflac Kickoff Game, and that kind of early-season win can sharpen a teams edge before the league schedule starts to bite. Alex Golesh has already leaned into the idea of accountability and togetherness after that result, which is usually a good sign for a group trying to carry a close escape into something sturdier when the conference games start stacking up.
Florida, meanwhile, is still trying to settle the feel of its defense after a shaky showing against Florida Atlantic, and the next test will not be gentle. Auburns home atmosphere and DJ Durkins pass rush figure to put quarterback Aaron Philo in a difficult spot, giving the Tigers a real chance to make Florida answer some uncomfortable questions early in the season. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Pass Rush Concern Isnt As Simple As It Looked
Auburns pass rush number looked thin on the surface after the Tigers got to Baylor quarterback DJ Lagway 18 times and came away with only one sack, an early first-quarter takedown by Xavier Atkins. But the fuller picture was more complicated, because the defense was built to handle the run first, with a light box and a willingness to play underneath pass windows instead of selling out for sacks.
Golesh said that approach was intentional, and the results backed it up in other ways. Auburn held Baylor to 2.3 yards per carry and still managed to make life uncomfortable for Lagway by condensing the pocket and dropping rushers into coverage, which is why the pressure count may tell a better story than the sack total alone. [Read more 🡒]