Auburn Football: Adjustments Tigers Must Make During Their Bye Week
AUBURN, Ala. — When it comes to the SEC and national-championship picture, the Auburn Tigers are down, but they're not out.
Coming off of a 38-23 loss at new No. 1 Mississippi State, Auburn will try to rebound in a similar fashion to its 2013 run to the BCS National Championship Game following a road loss at LSU.
And just like they had last season, the Tigers have an off week to correct their mistakes from the defeat at the hands of the Bulldogs.
"We’re halfway through the season," offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said Sunday night. "[The bye week] allows us to slow down really tonight, tomorrow and maybe even some on Tuesday and really look at ourselves... and try to say 'OK, with what we have and the way our team’s kind of forming and becoming, here’s the direction we need to really try to focus on to get the most out of what we have to give us a best chance to win.'"
After Sunday's film session and two coordinator press conferences, here is a look at four adjustments the Tigers' coaching staff will be looking at during the bye week.
Cut Down on Nick Marshall's Tipped Passes
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The Tigers' greater emphasis on the passing game in 2014 has led to a higher number of throws for senior quarterback Nick Marshall.
The dual-threat star has showcased some improvements with his accuracy and touch this season, but one major problem sticks out with the 6'1" quarterback—too many of his passes are getting swatted by opposing defensive linemen. On Saturday, both of Marshall's interceptions, ones that came on the first and the final offensive plays of the game for Auburn, came off of deflections by Mississippi State's front four.
"If it’s a deeper throw down the field like it was the other night, if guys get pushed in your face, you can’t get that ball batted down," Lashlee said. "The dig routes, things running across that aren’t timing throws, that’s where a quarterback’s got to find a lane. He's got to do a good job of throwing through an alley or throwing through a lane and not getting the ball knocked down."
Lashlee said one possible solution could be more cut blocking from the offensive linemen, a tweak that offensive line coach J.B. Grimes used in Auburn's road victory earlier this season against Kansas State.
Whether the problem is less-than-stellar mechanics from Marshall, a lack of adequate protection from the offensive line or a combination of the two, Lashlee said the off week will be instrumental in identifying causes and correcting these repeated errors in the passing game.
Get More Pressure on Opposing Quarterbacks
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Even after the loss to Mississippi State, defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson still believes his defense is "playing pretty well" at the season's midpoint.
However, the veteran coach still has an issue with his defense's ability to get penetration and rattle opposing quarterbacks with a four-man rush.
"The one thing that continues to be an issue right now is we're not getting any pressure on the quarterback with four people," Johnson said. "It looks like pass skeleton back there, frankly. Until we started bringing some people and getting in his face, [Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott] was making good throws."
On 3rd-and-long situations where the opposition is going to throw the ball downfield, Auburn's defense sometimes is not able to bring additional linebackers or defensive backs on blitzes. Last season, with the departed Dee Ford and the injured Carl Lawson, the Tigers front four could usually get enough pressure on the quarterback to affect his throws.
Johnson has repeatedly addressed his concerns about finding the right defensive line package for passing downs. With an extra week to prepare for the second half of the season, Johnson and defensive line coach Rodney Garner will be looking to find that perfect set of players who can give Auburn an edge against tough offensive lines and talented quarterbacks.
Lock Down Roles for Two Talented True Freshmen
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In his first collegiate action away from home, former 5-star running back Roc Thomas averaged seven yards per carry.
The true freshman from Oxford, Ala. gave Auburn fans something positive midway through a game in which the offense trailed the whole way. Thomas gained 42 yards on six carries and showcased impressive speed and agility through one of the nation's toughest defenses.
"We feel like he's getting to where he's ready," Lashlee said. "He showed great bursts and made some really good runs. He held on to the football, which was good...at least execution-wise, he knew what to do. He didn't have any busts."
Fellow true freshman Braden Smith received some extra playing time Saturday against the Bulldogs, but the former 4-star offensive lineman found himself in a new position—short-yardage H-back. Lashlee said the move was made because the powerful Smith "could get movement, as Coach Grimes would say, on a fire hydrant."
According to Lashlee, the coaching staff will evaluate and most likely expand the roles for Thomas and Smith during the bye week. The Tigers have depth at both of their respective positions, but the talented duo showed Saturday they could provide an extra spark for an offense coming off an erratic performance in Starkville.
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Work on Defensive Assignments
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Another one of Johnson's repeated concerns with his defense has been a lack of execution at times. Even in victories, Johnson points out missed defensive assignments that lead to big plays and points for the other team.
After giving up 38 points to the Bulldogs, Johnson credited a balanced and explosive Mississippi State offense and still zeroed in on his defense's mistakes.
"Missed tackles went up, but a lot of that’s because Mississippi State," Johnson said. "Missed assignments went up, and that’s Auburn. I didn’t think our players played within themselves. Thought they sometimes tried to overplay, run over somebody else’s area and make a play instead of playing within the system. Against a team like that, you’re going to suffer because they’re balanced."
An old-school coach like Johnson will always find mistakes from his defense, but they stick out more after losses. Auburn struggled on several 3rd-and-long conversions from Mississippi State—an area at which the Tigers were excelling heading into Saturday's game.
Auburn's defense has made significant strides this season, but not every player is completely familiarized with Johnson's 4-2-5 system, especially several underclassmen who have risen up the depth chart. An extra week of practice will help with familiarity on the defensive side on the ball and, hopefully for the Tigers, cut down on the missed assignments in big games.
All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All recruiting rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports. All stats courtesy of CFBStats.com.
Justin Ferguson is Bleacher Report's lead Auburn writer. Follow him on Twitter @JFergusonAU.
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