Auburn Football: Grading the Tigers from Week 2

Auburn needed to make drastic changes before they hosted Mississippi State this past Saturday. Some adjustments were made, but the Tigers still struggled in some key areas against the Bulldogs. Despite the struggles, the Tigers were still able to land a win.

Auburn is gaining respect around the country for their grit and winning mentality. Unfortunately for the Tigers, there is only so far that grit and determination can take you. To continue to win ballgames, the Tigers have to execute more consistently.

Overall, it was a much improved performance for the Tigers. In no way has Auburn arrived for the 2011 season by beating Mississippi State, but they have showed the ability to find ways to win ballgames. They also have shown that special teams are a formidable weapon this season. Let’s take a look at this week’s past performance and grade the Tigers.

Quarterback: B

Barrett Trotter has become quite the steady hand the past two games. Trotter did telegraph a pick six early in the first quarter, but he also tossed a touchdown on the next drive. While 146 yards passing isn’t overly impressive, a completion percentage of 70 percent is pretty good. Trotter went 16 of 23 on the game.

Trotter didn’t do anything spectacular in the game Saturday, but he showed some improvement over Week 1 and did as well as could be expected after only his second start.

Look for Trotter to be a steady performer whose efficiency and typical pickiness with his throws won't  lose Auburn any ballgames. His ball placement and poise in the pocket has earned Auburn a win so far this season and will likely do so again in the future.

Running Backs: B

Auburn has one of the most formidable stable of running backs in the country. Despite both starting backs finishing with better than six yards a carry, there were some miscues. Michael Dyer ran 18 times for 150 yards, averaging 8.3 a carry. McCalebb added 11 carries and 68 yards. Dyer also added two scores.

Despite the statistical prowess, the Tigers had a few miscues. McCalebb showed his determination to avoid contact at times and stretched the field a little too far. He has a tendency to stretch the field horizontally more often than vertically, but he is a formidable runner with the ball in his hands.

One pleasant surprise for the Tigers was true freshman Tre Mason. Mason has become one of the most dangerous return men in the conference overnight and added some work at running back as well. Mason earned three carries and 14 yards averaging 4.7 yards per carry.

If McCalebb can make it back to running north and south, Dyer can continue to find holes and Mason develops as it appears he will, the Tigers running game will continue to be a cornerstone for the Auburn offense.

Receivers: A

The receiving corps for the Tigers had another stellar game. Philip Lutzenkirchen got his second touchdown, and Emory Blake had a career day for the Tigers. Blake had seven catches and 108 yards. He also held onto a crucial first down toss that resulted in one of the hardest hits of the new season.

The Tigers held the perimeter well on the outside for the running game, and blocks from receivers like Quindarius Carr enabled the Tigers to break long runs to the outside that would have otherwise resulted in losses or short yardage.

If the receivers, quarterback and running backs continue to improve week to week as they have so far, the Tigers will have one of the most dangerous offenses in the country yet again. The execution has to continue to get better, however, as does the offensive line play.

Offensive Line: B

The Tigers faced a very physical football team this past Saturday. They knew that the effort that was given against Utah State would have gotten them laughed off the field against Mississippi State’s defensive line.

The offensive line answered the call this Saturday, as they played lights out against the Bulldogs. The Tigers' offensive line had some drive and tenacity in them this past week, as they got great push and results upfront offensively.

The Auburn front also pass protected well for the second game in a row. They also finished blocks against Mississippi State. If they finished the man in front of them, they pushed on to the second and third level of the defense. The Tigers travel to Clemson this next week and will face a good Clemson Tigers team in a hostile Death Valley.

With the youth and newness that is on the offensive line, the first away game for the Tigers will be a challenge. If the Tigers can stay aggressive and finish plays, they will be a stronger group than most expected.

Defensive Line: D

The Tigers were able to have a good pass rush against the Bulldogs but that about ended their day. At times, they flushed the pocket and were unable to collapse back onto Chris Relf. Relf was very efficient against the Auburn defense.

Relf also kept the Auburn defense home on the option at times, which opened up the outside running lane for Vic Ballard and LaDarius Perkins. Auburn looked sluggish trying to defend the run, and often times got outplayed on third down.

Auburn has to improve the rushing defense if they intend to win consistently in the conference. The Tigers have made it to 2-0, but the defensive line hasn’t done too much to assist in the wins column. Allowing over 300 yards rushing is inexcusable. 

Linebackers: C

The linebackers drastically improved their game week over week. There was still some sluggish pursuits and missed assignments, but the effort seemed better, and so did the tackling. Daren Bates did a much better job at the point of attack and finished his tackles.

Eltoro Freeman added a much needed jolt to the defense and was all over the field in the win. He plugged some holes but also got taken to task against Relf on one third down play where they met in the hole.

The sound play of Jonathan Evans enabled the final goal line stop as he sealed off the pitch man and allowed Ryan Smith to make the final stop from the safety position.

If the Tigers want to survive in the future, they have to have more consistent linebacker play and be better than average. The Tigers have to find a way to continue to add to the aggression in their play and finish every down strong. 

Secondary: B

The Auburn secondary played a very good game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. There were opportunities for the Bulldogs to make plays but the Auburn secondary shined and had a few knock downs in crucial moments and even an interception for touchdown.

The secondary also played a role in stopping the run for the Tigers. Auburn had numerous plays that were allowed to make it to the secondary but the defense still made plays when they needed too. Some rookie mistakes occurred and they were a given, but the Tigers must continue to improve.

The biggest play of the game came from the safety position when Ryan Smith stuffed Chris Relf at the goal line and denied the Bulldogs the opportunity to tie the game and push into overtime. Play recognition, grit and determination were the ingredients that led to that play.

Auburn must continue to improve their play recognition and tackle angles this week. The physical play needs to continue however. Overall, it was a good day for the Tigers. 

Special Teams: A

The Auburn special teams stole the show again this week for the Tigers. Auburn did a great job in the return game, and despite not putting every kickoff in the end zone, the Tigers covered kicks extremely well.

The one punt that was returnable was returned for nine yards, but it wasn’t the yardage that was impressive; it was the style of return that earned the yards.

Auburn has dangerous kick coverage units, but their return units may be some of the best in the country. With Tre Mason returning kickoffs and Trovon Reed exploding downfield on punt returns, the Tigers are a block away from points every time. Look for teams to try and find creative ways to keep kickoffs out of Mason’s hands.

Coaching and Intangibles: C

Auburn showed that no matter their age, they were able to pull together and push through adversity to finish and win a ballgame. Auburn has won 17 straight games, and 10 of those have been within eight points.

No matter how you look at that statistic, it shows that Auburn is reliable when the game gets close. Close games are some of the best judgments of a coach, as it shows the true demeanor and play-calling abilities.

Auburn didn’t have the best game defensively, but they were able to make the ball move on offense The defensive staff needs to continue its in-depth analysis and drawing board sessions to figure out ways to make the defense better.

The coaches had a much better offensive game plan and execution this time around, but the defense didn’t look very dynamic. A win is a win, but the Tigers must improve everywhere to continue their winning streak.