Why Freshman RB Roc Thomas Is the Spark the Auburn Offense Needs Right Now

AUBURN, Ala. — In order for Auburn's running backs to get back to their old selves, they might need to turn to a new face.

The Tigers are still toward the top of the national charts in almost every rushing category at this point in the 2014 season, but they haven't been at the pace set last season in head coach Gus Malzahn's return to The Plains.

Statistic	2014 (FBS Rank)	2013 (FBS Rank)
Yards per Game	262.0 (15th)	328.3 (1st)
Yards per Carry	5.6 (18th)	6.3 (4th)
Yards per 1st Down Carry	5.5 (30th)	6.7 (3rd)
Yards per 3rd Down Carry	5.0 (26th)	6.1 (2nd)

With six games of a brutal schedule left—six games that most likely need to be victories in order for Auburn to stay in the race for the SEC and national titles—Auburn's running game could use a spark.

Although the Tigers suffered a tough 38-23 loss last Saturday to new No. 1 team Mississippi State, Malzahn and Co. might not have left Starkville empty-handed thanks to a breakout performance from true freshman Roc Thomas.

The former 5-star running back took six carries for an impressive 42 yards against the tough Bulldogs front seven, including 36 yards on his first three touches.

In his first significant playing time of the season, Thomas showed an impressive burst and a slick spin move that reminded AuburnSports.com's Justin Hokanson of his high school highlight film:

"Roc did an outstanding job," Malzahn said Sunday night on his weekly Tiger Talk radio segment. "We made that determination that we're going to go ahead and turn him loose against Mississippi State. He did some very good things. He's a natural runner, and you see that."

Thomas came into the Mississippi State game with the Tigers down 21-0 and struggling to get any momentum going on offense. When the former Alabama Mr. Football winner stepped onto the field for his first action before the halftime break, Auburn's attack started moving toward the end zone for the first time.

While senior Cameron Artis-Payne continued to go between the tackles for tough yardage, Thomas was able to show his all-around speed and skill on both inside and outside runs for the Tigers.

"He's definitely a different kind of running back than me," Artis-Payne told AL.com's Brandon Marcello after the loss to Mississippi State. "It worked for us. He should get more carries soon."

Thomas finished the day with more yards and carries than senior Corey Grant, who had been the "change-of-pace" back for the Tigers until last Saturday's visit to Davis Wade Stadium.

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Auburn's rushing attack is still trying to find the same momentum it had when it lead the nation last season, and Thomas proved he could be the difference-maker heading into the second half of the campaign.

Malzahn and Rhett Lashlee each said the staff had planned to give the true freshman more responsibility in the offense, and it speaks volumes that Thomas got his biggest chance to date at a time when Auburn's offense was having a tough time finding any forward progress.

"We just felt like it was about time," Malzahn said. "We felt confident. We felt Roc was comfortable. He did a very solid job for us. He'll have bigger roles moving forward."

The Tigers showed last season that they can share the ball between a primary running back and not one, but two secondary backs. As Tre Mason racked up the bulk of Auburn's rushing yards in 2013, both Artis-Payne and Grant got their fair share of opportunities.

Player	Rushing Yards	Touchdowns	Yards per Carry
Tre Mason	1,816	23	5.8
Corey Grant	647	6	9.8
Cameron Artis-Payne	610	6	6.7

Lashlee was quick to say Sunday evening that Thomas had not passed Grant on the depth chart—the offensive coordinator said he is still confident in all four of Auburn's running backs at this point—but more carries should be coming in the future for one of Auburn's biggest offensive recruits in recent years.

After all, Thomas was given a huge amount of responsibility during the Auburn offense's roughest hour of the season, and he averaged seven yards a carry.

And, in a game that featured four Tiger turnovers, the freshman who fumbled shortly after his first career touchdown in the San Jose State game held onto the ball.

With defenses keying on Artis-Payne's power runs and Grant's speed sweeps, Thomas adds a major weapon to Auburn's offensive strategy as the Tigers look to return to their explosive ways.

B/R recruiting analyst Tyler Donohue said he expects to see Thomas carry on his high-level performances from high school into the bulk of an SEC schedule:

Even though he is a brand new college football player, Thomas gained big yards on the inside and the outside against one of the nation's toughest defenses.

Most importantly, he's just now getting started.

"Overall, I think I made the right decisions," Thomas said, per Marcello. "After we watch film I'll pretty much evaluate how I can do better."

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.