Auburn’s offense keeps putting Byrum Brown in the same bad spot, and that’s becoming the real problem.
Brown’s legs were the difference Saturday in a 24-14 loss to Tennessee, but they also tell the story of an offense that leans on him far too heavily. He ran for 107 yards and accounted for more than half of Auburn’s 186 rushing yards against the Volunteers, while Omar Mabson added 62 yards on 10 carries. Even with that production, the Tigers had trouble moving the ball with any consistency, especially early.
That’s the part that should worry Auburn during the bye week. Brown keeps being asked to rescue possessions that stall before they really start. When the pocket breaks down, when the run game doesn’t get going, when the passing game sputters, he’s the one left to create something out of nothing.
He’s doing it by escaping pressure, extending plays and taking off downfield, and those moments are keeping Auburn alive more often than not. But the bigger question is how long that can hold up when the rest of the offense isn’t doing its share.
The issues are stacked on top of each other: offensive line problems, an inconsistent ground game and uneven play through the air. Put those together, and Brown is being asked to cover all three cracks himself. That’s a tough way to operate in the SEC.
And it’s not exactly new.
Auburn has cycled through coaching staffs, quarterbacks and offensive coordinators over the last several years, and the same headaches keep resurfacing. Drives don’t last long enough.
The line doesn’t control the line of scrimmage. The defense ends up on the field too much.
Different names, same story.
Alex Golesh brought in almost an entirely new staff, with defensive coordinator DJ Durkin as the notable holdover, but he’s still inheriting issues that were in place before he got there. It wouldn’t be fair to expect him to clean all of that up in five games.
It is fair, though, to expect Auburn to help its quarterback more than it has.
Brown’s running ability should be one weapon in a fuller offense, not the emergency plan every time the rest of the unit bogs down. If Auburn keeps leaning on him like this, the Tigers risk repeating the same offensive pattern they’ve been stuck in for years.
In Other News...
Bo Nix Has A Powerful Voice In His Corner As Pressure Builds
Bo Nix has not exactly had a quiet start to life in Denver, but he does have a pretty useful sounding board nearby. The Broncos quarterback said during his weekly press conference that he stays in touch with Peyton Manning and leans on him for advice, while Manning has also been sending encouraging texts to both Nix and head coach Sean Payton after games. For a young quarterback trying to settle in under a microscope, that kind of support matters.
The timing is notable, too, because ESPNs Adam Schefter reported that Sean Payton will have increased involvement in the offensive playcalling during games. With the pressure around the Broncos offense continuing to build, Nix is navigating not just the usual rookie-learning curve but a setup that appears to be shifting around him. Having Manning in his corner gives him some extra perspective, but the larger question is how Denvers offense will look as Payton takes on more of the load. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Once Had Nick Saban Hearing Something Alabama Fans Loved
After Nick Sabans first Iron Bowl loss to Auburn in 2007, he got a reminder of just how much skepticism he had to overcome in Alabama. Saban later told a story about stopping at a gas station and being challenged by a cashier who saw his LSU championship ring and still wondered whether he could ever win it all with the Crimson Tide, a snapshot of how little faith surrounded him before his run changed the states football balance.
For Auburn fans, that game still carries a little extra weight because the Tigers not only handed Saban that early setback, they did it with a strong defensive performance in the kind of rivalry game that can reshape a season. It is a small but fitting footnote in the larger Saban story, one that shows how different Alabama looked in those first months of 2007 before the winning started to pile up. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Overton Just Became A Much Bigger Auburn Storyline
Kevin Overtons role for Auburn is suddenly looking a lot bigger after the departure of Keyshawn Hall, and the junior guard is sounding like a player ready to meet the moment. Overton spent the offseason sharpening the parts of his game that could matter most in a larger role, especially his ball handling and playmaking, after already showing he can deliver when the spotlight gets brighter. He pointed back to his run as the Most Outstanding Player in last years NIT as a reminder that he has already handled meaningful responsibilities for the Tigers.
Now the attention shifts to how that work translates once Auburn gets back on the floor, beginning with the exhibition against Florida State and then into the regular season, where Alabama always looms as one of the measuring-stick games. For a team that needs answers on the perimeter, Overtons development is no longer just a side note from the offseason. It has become one of the more important storylines to watch as Auburn starts sorting out who can help carry the offense. [Read more 🡒]