Auburn Football: 8 Changes That Are Needed Before South Carolina

Auburn bounced back from their loss at Clemson with a win at home over FAU this past weekend. Despite earning the win, there are still numerous changes that need to be made before the Tigers depart for their second road trip this season.

Auburn looked less than stellar in many areas against the Owls and allowed more plays than most fans would have liked, but at the end of the day it was a win. Still, there was a lack of execution at times on defense and the Tigers had some mismanaged plays on offense.

Overall the performance was not the best but there was some improvement in areas like tackling and pursuit. One area that must produce more is the offense. Only totaling 315 yards against Florida Atlantic is not a positive. That effort must improve this week.

Williams-Bryce Stadium will be jumping awaiting the return of the Auburn Tigers, a team that defeated the Gamecocks twice last year on the way to the national title. Auburn has a chance in the game this week in Columbia but these eight changes must happen if the Tigers want to be competitive.

Lockdown the Line of Scrimmage

The Auburn defensive line has had some terrible games to start the season. Running against this Auburn defense has been easy for every opponent. The Tigers have to find a way to lockdown the line of scrimmage this week.

Breaking off of blocks and getting to the backfield is another big need for the Tigers upfront. Clogging the run gaps and making Lattimore scratch and claw for his yards are a must. If the defensive line can make major strides this week and play in the Carolina backfield, the Tigers have a chance to knock off the Gamecocks.

The Auburn offensive line also has to make strides and continue to grow as a unit. Through the first four weeks there has been marked improvement and the Tigers have made a lot of headway in run blocking. Aggressive play and mistake free football is a must this game.

Time of Possession Must Increase

Auburn has managed to give their opponents 11 more minutes of offensive time of possession so far this season. That is almost a full quarter of play that Auburn’s defense is on the field and around 30 more plays for the opposing offense a game. It’s no wonder the Auburn defense has been sluggish in all four games.

The Tigers have to increase the ball control of the offense and be better on third downs. Running the ball will enable the Tigers to control the clock and create short yardage situations on later downs. Their time of possession has created a large disparity in total offensive snaps. Auburn has 238 total plays on the year, their opponents have 339.

The time of possession will be a major factor against South Carolina and will be the most important factor for the Tigers. If the Gamecocks have an 11 minute advantage in this game, Marcus Lattimore will likely surpass 250 yards. Auburn has to limit his role to win.

Feed the Running Game

Auburn wants to be a running team. The Auburn offense has done a great job in the past two seasons gaining yardage on the ground and utilizing every opportunity to run the football. In 2009 they were relatively balanced but in 2010 the Auburn offense was heavily tilted to the runs.

In 2011, the Tigers have returned to a balance but there is a large disparity in the production value. The Tigers have lacked efficiency at times and have shown a questionable desire to run the ball. The choice to make apparent rushing downs into clock stopping incomplete passes is another questionable decision. There have been more than a few 3rd and 4th-and-shorts that turned into passes when they should’ve been runs.

The fix is obviously Michael Dyer, who was a workhorse late in the season last year and was a great compliment to Cam Newton out of the backfield. This season he was expected to be the primary back but has only averaged 15.5 carries a game. Getting the ball to Dyer more will be a huge boost to ball control and help the Tigers keep the ball from the Gamecocks offense.

Control the Carolina Pass Rush

Jadeveon Clowney and Melvin Ingram have combined for six sacks so far this season. Clowney and Ingram are very talented defenders that have been difference makers for the Gamecocks this season and have wreaked havoc in opponent’s backfields this season.

Auburn will hope that their tackles can hold off the speed rush and talent of these two players. Trotter is also going to have to play a part in avoiding the pass rush by releasing the football faster than he has in games past.

False starts will also be the other concern as the Tigers may attempt to make it to their block faster than the snap. Avoiding mental errors will be a big part of the battle against these talented pass rushers.

Multiplicity on Offense

The Gus Malzahn offense has been less than fearsome so far this season. There has been an apparent lack of ball control and an inability to convert on crucial late downs at times throughout the season.

The Tigers have been extremely predictable as well but that has come largely from the lack of opportunities. This game marks the beginning of one of the toughest stretches of any schedule in college football.

Malzahn needs to open up the playbook this week and utilize every player possible. Auburn has great skill players on offense and they would seemingly match up well against the Carolina secondary and linebackers. Look for multiple motion sets and the possibility of some odd formations in this game. 

Increase Quarterback Efficiency

Barrett Trotter entered the season surprising the masses with his come from behind winning drive against Utah State. His second performance was equally efficient, but since then he has lost the steam that he started with.

Trotter has to show better decision making this week and has to focus on getting the ball out much faster. Trotter has also telegraphed throws multiple times in the past few games—resulting in an interception in each of the last three contests and multiple dropped potential turnovers.

Opening up the middle passing lanes will be another major focus for Trotter as it should increase his completion percentage and the effectiveness of the deep routes that the Tigers have looked for often so far this season.

If Trotter can make himself a threat, the rushing lanes will follow and the Tigers will have the balance they have hoped for all season.

Increased Aggression at the Point of Contact

Auburn has missed a ton of tackles so far this season. A lot of the missed tackles haven’t come from the Tigers not being in the right position or making a strike on the ball carrier, it just seems that the Tigers aren’t exploding through the tackle.

There was one play that was a “wow” play this past game. Jake Holland laid the law on Willie Floyd early in the first quarter but that was the only play that really stuck out as a big hit. If Auburn wants to stay with the elite in college football they have to hit like they are elite. It hasn’t happened so far this season.

Causing snot bubbles in the nose of the opponent is the goal and so far the Tigers have been shaking hands and playing two hand touch. Gene Chizik is an aggressive coach that usually has aggressive defenses. That mentality change has to come this week.

Lock Down Lattimore and Jeffery

Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery have combined for 996 yards of offense so far this season. That is 63 percent of the total offensive production for the Gamecocks so far in 2011. The obvious focus for the Tigers defense will be these two key players this week.

The Tigers will have a handful on the outside with Jeffery. He had some big games against the Tigers in 2010 and has tremendous ability to make plays up and over the top of defensive backs. Auburn has struggled at times to defend the pass so I would expect Garcia to lean heavily on Jeffery through the air.

The Gamecocks bring arguably the best back in the country to the table in Marcus Lattimore. Lattimore is averaging 5.7 yards a carry and has been very impressive catching the ball out of the backfield. Lattimore is Carolina's second leading receiver.

If South Carolina wants to come out swinging, a bubble screen to Lattimore should be the first play from scrimmage. Auburn will have a tough time trying to stop the tandem, but shutting down one component of the offense may be enough to create a win for the Tigers.