Auburn Tigers Football 2011: 8 Changes Needed Before the Mississippi State Game

Auburn has a tall task this coming Saturday as the Mississippi State Bulldogs come to town. Auburn had numerous issues this past Saturday, but a number of those can be fixable. Changes have to come so that Auburn can have a shot at beating a very good Mississippi State team.

Auburn has a lot of youth who are taking the blame, but missing assignments and taking bad angles isn’t just youth. Not giving effort to blow up the man across from you is not youth; it’s simply a lack of desire.

Auburn needs to find that passion this week. The Tigers coaching staff better open up the playbook a bit as well if they plan to be successful. They can’t wait for Mississippi State to blow an assignment, and they must make calls that will play the weakness of the defense.

This will be a huge test for the Tigers this week. This game could determine the focus and drive for this season. These eight fixes could lead to a positive finish Saturday for the Tigers.

Offensive Line Aggression

There was an obvious effort flaw that occurred Saturday at the offensive line. At times it looked as if the Tigers would cut loose their blocks before the runner had even hit the hole. There is simply no excuse for lack of effort.

The one positive came with the Tigers pass protection, but the run blocking left a lot to be desired. If Auburn wants to be successful and use their most effective weapons this season efficiently, the offensive line has to get aggressive.

The discouraging side to the lack of effort is that there are seniors on the line. Brandon Mosley is a starter from a year ago and Jared Cooper has been waiting for four years to get his shot. If these guys don’t pick up the pace and start getting nasty at the point of attack, they will be replaced.

Jeff Grimes should have his guys ready to play this week. The effort has to get better for Auburn to compete this season.

Defensive Line Aggression

The defensive line seemed to run into the same problem that the offensive line did. They allowed a veteran offensive line from Utah State manhandle them. Auburn got embarrassed and taken to task defensively to the tune of 227 rushing yards.

In no way is that an acceptable number from an Auburn defense. Coach Mike Pelton was a player that made an impact as a freshman. He knows it can be done and knows how to teach these guys to get it done. There may be a need to shift personnel and even formations to ensure that Auburn has as much talent as possible on the field at once.

Auburn doesn’t have veteran leadership to rely on, so the hope is that the underclassmen pick up the slack. They obviously dropped the ball this past week. Look for an increased effort this week and even different formations as the Tigers look to slow the very talented Bulldogs rushing attack. 

Wrap Up Tackles

Auburn put on a clinic for how not to lunge at a ball carrier.

Daren Bates may win the award for the most missed tackles after contact. There is no clear answer as to what Bates and his fellow Tigers were thinking at times, but there was a huge need to finish tackles on Saturday.

The Tigers looked like they were constantly out-muscled at the point of contact. The Auburn defense simply looked silly at times.

These Tigers are young, but that is no excuse for lacking fundamentals. Daren Bates truly has no excuse as this is his third year in the program and third as a starter. Bates has a nose for the football, but is terribly inconsistent at the point of contact.

I expect for Eltoro Freeman to be an instant boost this week. Coach Gene Chizik downplayed the return of the senior linebacker, but it should bring a new life to the defense. Freeman has a passion that will spread to his teammates and a leadership quality that is needed. Freeman also finishes tackles with a vengeance. 

Fix Defensive Alignment Woes

One of the biggest issues that was apparent for the Tigers was misalignment. One of the most important parts to good defense is excellent execution. Auburn severely lacked even basic execution.

It appeared as if the defensive linemen were waiting on moves from their opponent, so they could simply counter. Instead of just moving hard and fast to the ball, they were too worried about technique. Stay low and drive is the instruction that they need this week.

The alignment issues can be somewhat attributed to being young. A lot of these guys stepped on the field and had never played in front of 300 people, much less tens of thousands. The new has to wear off soon, though, if the Tigers want to be successful.

Auburn better play their assignments properly, or the Bulldogs will own the Tigers up front. 

Mix Up Play Calling Offensively

One of the most obvious concerns on Saturday was the play calling. Gus Malzahn is one of the most innovative minds in college football. Unfortunately, he almost didn’t earn his $1.3 million this past Saturday.

Pulling out the win was a big accomplishment, and Malzahn was able to make calls that got playmakers in space and put the Tigers in position to execute flawlessly. There has to be a plan to be less predictable and more varied this coming Saturday.

The Tigers will also hope to be more efficient and earn more than 54 snaps on offense this week.

Create Confusion on Defense

Auburn had confusion on defense last week, but the Tigers defenders looked more confused than the offense. The Utah State offense looked like an all-star squad against the Tigers.

Whether the Tigers overlooked the Aggies or they simply were caught on their heels, there was a lack of variation in the defense. Auburn played way too far off of the receivers and allowed more cushion than they should have. It hurt their execution and playmaking ability.

Auburn needs to bring blitzes and show multiple looks up front this week. That will be the only shot at slowing down the powerful rushing attack of Mississippi State. 

Eltoro Freeman Will Bring a Change

Freeman is entering his senior season with Auburn. He is looking to end on a high note and fulfill the hopes and expectations that arrived with him two years ago from JUCO. Freeman has been known to be a powerful player but he also makes mistakes from time to time.

The Tigers defense is undoubtedly better with Freeman in the game and the passion that he will bring to the defense will spread. He will bring confidence and swagger that will help these young guys get focused and realize that they can perform.

Freeman will also likely make plays and finish his tackles.

The Tigers Need to Play with Passion

The Tigers comeback showed grit and determination in every facet of the game. The performance that led to the need for a comeback was terrible. The Tigers absolutely played dead for the majority of the game.

It appeared as if the Tigers didn’t feel the need to be in the game. Almost as if the team had checked out before the game began. A lack of focus can ultimately be blamed on the coaching staff but it is difficult when you have the youth that this team has.

This team may have learned their lesson this past weekend or they may need to lose a game before reality sets in. One thing is for sure, the Tigers better gain some passion this week as the Bulldogs will be looking for a victory this week to prove they belong in the talk in the SEC.