Auburn’s ground game wasn’t exactly humming in Atlanta, but the Tigers did show one thing Alex Golesh can build on: when they got close, they finished.
In Saturday’s win over Baylor, Auburn piled up 130 rushing yards on 41 carries and scored twice on the ground. That’s not the kind of bruising, consistent run game Golesh has been pushing since he was hired, though. It was more of a work in progress than a statement.
Golesh said the Tigers kept searching for answers all afternoon.
"You could tell we tried to get the run game going a million different ways," Golesh said. "We tried it in how -- Byrum (Brown), we rotated backs.
It felt like the whole first quarter and a half, maybe even the whole first half, we were a little bit off. Whether it was in the box, whether it was on the perimeter, it's hard.
Obviously I see it on the iPad. It's hard to tell.
It felt like we were just a little bit off everywhere, and it was like different people taking different turns being a little bit off.
"I'm excited to see the film and see where that really was, but again, not deflecting it, I'm sure we've got to get a whole lot better, and we will. But what I was proud of was that last touchdown just where we were. We were, I think, on the 17- or 18-yard-line, and it was like, we're going to get into 12 personnel, and we're going to run the football, and we're going to run it with Byrum, and we're going to punch this thing in, mind you, with two sub offensive linemen in there and find a way."
That final drive offered the clearest snapshot of the night: Auburn still has plenty to clean up in the run game, but it also showed the kind of tough, straight-ahead finish Golesh wants when the field gets tight.
In Other News...
Bryce Cain Is Forcing His Way Into Auburns Plans
Bryce Cain has gone from a name on the depth chart to someone Auburns staff is actively trying to get on the field more often. Head coach Alex Golesh said the Tigers plan to keep folding Cain into the game plan after a recent explosive play, and he pointed to the way Cain has handled special teams as part of the reason the coaches are taking a harder look at his role.
For a team still sorting out where its best pieces fit, that kind of production tends to travel. Cain has clearly done enough to earn more opportunities, and Auburn is now working through how to create them in the offense without losing what he already brings on special teams. The next step is less about whether he belongs in the mix and more about how quickly the Tigers can turn that into a bigger role. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Injury Picture Up Front Just Got A Lot More Interesting
Auburns front was a major concern coming out of the season opener against Baylor, when four trench players went down and left the Tigers waiting on clarity during the early part of the week. Alex Golesh has now provided a much better read on the group, and it points to a healthier rotation heading into the matchup with Southern Mississippi, with the staff getting encouraging signs on both sides of the line.
Cole Skinner and Jacob Strand are expected to be available, and edge rusher Chris Murray is already confirmed healthy, which gives Auburn a stronger baseline up front than it had a few days ago. DaShawn Womack is still working through a lower-body injury and remains day-to-day, though there is at least a chance he could return to practice later in the week, leaving one final question for a unit that suddenly looks far less depleted. [Read more 🡒]
Alex Golesh Sent Auburn Fans An Early Message After Ugly Win
Alex Golesh spent the day after Auburns 17-16 win over Baylor putting the focus on the problems behind it, not the relief of escaping with a victory. The Auburn coach took responsibility for the offensive mistakes, including three interceptions from quarterback Byrum Brown, and said the standard has to be the same for him and the players. In a game that still counted as a win, Golesh made it clear the performance on that side of the ball was not close to where it needs to be.
Golesh pointed to the offenses lack of rhythm as a major issue and stressed that Auburn has to do a better job protecting the quarterback and running the football. It was an early message, but an important one, because ugly wins can hide problems only so long in a season. For Auburn, the concern is not just cleaning up turnovers, but making sure the offense finds something steadier before the next tight game forces the same questions again. [Read more 🡒]