Mississippi State Football Film Preview: the Auburn Tigers

Examining Auburn’s Offense

When you think of Hugh Freeze, you think of a lot of unsatisfactory things that I probably shouldn’t write about. But you also think of offense. Auburn was willing to look past the major red flags that come with Freeze for three reasons:

1. He can recruit
2. He’s shown the ability to beat Nick Saban
3. He scores a bunch of points

So far he seems to be delivering on #1. It’s TBD on #2 (though I wouldn’t get my hopes up for this year). But as for #3, he’s failing miserably.

Their 16.6 PPG against Power 5 opponents is the worst in the SEC. They’re also last in the SEC in such games with 4.36 yards per play. Second to last in third down conversions, last in explosive plays, you get the picture.

They’re bad.

But if they do have any one thing they can hang their hat on, it’s their running game. They have a solid rushing offense that’s averaged 180 YPG against Power 5 opponents at a respectable 4.5 yards per carry. They are by no means dominant on the ground and can’t just run teams over to victory, but it at least gives them something to work with.

Auburn utilizes a fairly standard modern spread rushing attack. It’s a lot of Zone Read and Counter variations. They don’t use a ton of motion or misdirection nor do they play at a super fast tempo, which is somewhat surprising given that it’s a Freeze-coached team with a Veer and Shoot OC in Philip Montgomery. But most of the ground game is option-based, either through RPOs or QB keeper options.

The rushing attack is led by RB Jarquez Hunter with 309 yards and five TDs. Auburn tends to share the wealth in the backfield, so he’s only averaged 12 rushes a game, which is probably a mistake as he’s easily the Tigers’ most talented player on offense. Hunter is a well-rounded ball-carrier. He’s got the power to run between the tackles and fight off defenders, and he’s got the vision and burst to create explosive plays, as highlighted by this long TD off an Outside Zone Read.

When Hunter is carrying the ball, it’s typically going to be one of Auburn’s two QBs. Both returnee-Robby Ashford and transfer Payton Thorne have been far more effective with their legs than with their arms this season. Both had big runs in their game against Georgia. Thorne opened up the game with a 61-yarder off an Inside Zone Read. This is a “double” Split Zone Bluff of sorts with two blocking backs showing split flow before getting out in front of Thorne.

Later in the game, Robby Ashford scored off a QB GH Counter Read. It looks a lot like Power Read with the option coming off the play-side overhang defender whereas most Counter Read plays will option a backside edge or overhang. But with the guard on the kickout and the H-back as the lead blocker, it’s a Counter, and it’s a nice change-up from what most defenses are used to seeing.

The formula for stopping Auburn has been pretty simple: get them into 3rd & Long and don’t get beat by the QB scramble. Their passing game has been abysmal. They have the SEC’s worst passing offense at just 151 YPG. And while they don’t throw the ball much, it can’t even be called a selective passing attack. They average just 6.4 yards per attempt with just seven pass TDs and six INTs at a 59.5% clip. There’s nothing efficient about what they do through the air.

If you force them to throw, they will not beat you. Their lone saving grace in long yardage has been either Thorne or Ashford taking off to convert on passing downs. That’s been something that’s plagued Mississippi State in the past, but the emergence of Edge rusher Donterry Russell might give State a solution. He’s the lone player in the defensive front athletic enough to play as a QB spy in long-yardage situations.

State’s run defense has mostly been solid this season. If they can contain the Auburn ground game and avoid getting gashed on QB scrambles, they can have success.