The Tigers currently rank 8th in the SEC in total defense, giving up an average of 327.8 yards/game. Even more disturbing is Auburn's rank of 10th in the SEC in scoring defense, giving up 24.2 points/game.
When you look at Auburn's opponents so far, there have been some decent offenses going against the Tigers. Lousiana Tech and West Virginia both feature experienced playmakers at the skill positions. Still, giving up 30 points to Ball State, even with the second half largely featuring second and third team players on defense, is inexcusable.
The Auburn defense is going to have to grow up fast. This weekend's test at Neyland Stadium in front of 100,000 people will not be easy, and the exact same thing can be said for going on the road next week to face Ryan Mallet and Bobby Petrino's Arkansas offense.
With that being said, here are the three keys to victory that Auburn must achieve to beat Tennessee:
1. Clamp down on the Tennessee rushing attack - Just as Auburn will look to pound the ball against the talented and deep UT defense, the Vols will look to find holes in the Auburn defense to pile up some big numbers running the ball. Tennessee has two solid running backs in Monterio Hardesty and the young phenom, Bryce Brown. If Auburn can contain these two and force Jonathan Crompton to try and beat Auburn with his arm, the Tigers will have a good chance.
2. Give Chris Todd time to make throws - The Tennessee defense is about as talented top to bottom as any defense in the country, much less the SEC. Obviously everyone knows about safety Eric Berry and his knack for big plays. Just like the Auburn defensive gameplan, Tennessee will probably stack the box, similar to what West Virginia did in an attempt to slow Auburn's running backs down. If Todd can hit his receivers for decent gains, this will eventually open up holes for Ben Tate and Onterrio McCalebb to take advantage of later in the game.
3. Do not commit special teams errors - One of the only negatives about Auburn's season so far has been special teams play. Auburn ranks 10th in the SEC in kickoff return yardage and 11th in punt return yardage, both of which have to improve. The Tigers have also muffed several punts, which could be very costly in a tough road game. Auburn's field goal unit has been excellent so far this year, converting 6-6 field goals and 23-23 extra points. If this game comes down to a field goal at the end, I'd have to feel pretty good about Auburn's chances right now.
This game certainly could go either way. Both schools are still looking to make up for last year's failures, and are using each other as sort of a measuring stick right now. Auburn is going to have to play an excellent game on defense, and take advantage of any mistakes that Crompton might make. The Tiger's secondary currently leads the SEC with 8 interceptions, and must bring pressure to force Crompton back into his old interception throwing habits. Also, the offense has to use big plays to its advantage, and play well in front of the gigantic hostile crowd.
Hopefully Auburn can come out early and take the wind out of both the Tennessee players and fans. In 2004, Auburn took a 31-3 halftime lead, and cruised to an easy victory. If Auburn can pull away early, this could be yet another chance for Gene Chizik to make a statement to the rest of the league, as well as the national media.
I'll be back later in the week with my score prediction.
No comments:
Post a Comment