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Auburn’s 2015 finale reminder of what could have been, what could be in 2016
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Maybe Auburn should have played its entire 2015 season without a defensive coordinator.
With all due respect to Will Muschamp, the biggest takeaway from the Tigers’ 31-10 victory over Memphis in the 2015 Birmingham Bowl was how well their defense played. Led by interim defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Lance Thompson, Auburn held Memphis — which entered the matchup averaging 42.7 points and 510.4 yards per game — to season lows in points and total yards (205).
On top of that, Auburn made Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch — a potential Top 5 pick in next spring’s NFL Draft — look nothing like one. Lynch completed just 16 of 37 passes for a season-low 108 yards and one interception.
He couldn’t even lead Memphis to an offensive touchdown.
The Tigers of the American Athletic Conference scored on a pick-6 and a field goal — all in the first half. This was against an Auburn defense that came in allowing 27.3 points and 421.8 yards a game — neither figure ranking better that 11th in the SEC.
“Our team has been close. We’ve had some tough losses,” said Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, who avoided the first losing season of his 4-year college head-coaching career. “The thing that stood out for me about this team is they stuck together. There wasn’t one time where people would say, ‘Oh, they didn’t play hard. They quit.’ No, they didn’t quit. They played their tail off. The future is very bright. I think you can see that today with the momentum we have for next year.”
Malzahn might think that the future is very bright at Auburn, but this 2015 season could have been much brighter in its own right. Imagine what Jovon Robinson might have done had he not missed most of the year with an ankle injury. The Birmingham Bowl MVP burned Memphis for 126 yards and a TD on 27 carries for his second 100-yard rushing performance of the season. The Tigers are obviously hoping he stays healthy through spring ball and fall practice, and the competition between him and Peyton Barber next year should be a good one.
As good as Auburn’s defense and running game were against Memphis, its quarterback play entering 2016 remains a mystery. Sean White shook off two interceptions to finish 8-of-13 passing for 103 yards. The freshman finished with just 1 TD pass in 143 attempts this season, so he obviously needs more work.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Johnson delivered glimpses of why he received so much preseason Heisman hype. He came off the bench to run and pass for a touchdown while totaling 37 yards in just four plays. Still, Johnson who said after the game that he was returning next season, didn’t take enough snaps to generate hope for next year, and Auburn would be wise to add a QB to its current recruiting class.
Perhaps the biggest news of the day was the announcement that defensive coordinator Kevin Steele has left LSU to take the same position with Auburn. It’s unknown whether Les Miles’ tenuous situation in Baton Rouge had anything to do with Steele’s departure, but that fact that Steele’s brother Jeff is an associate athletic director at Auburn could very well have been a reason.
So Auburn has a new defensive coordinator in place. It also has a decent group of players slated to return, beginning with three-fifths of its starting offensive line — left guard Alex Kozan, center Austin Golson and right guard Braden Smith.
Sticking with the offense, sophomore Jason Smith — who caught an 11-yard TD pass from Johnson against Memphis — is coming back, as is fellow wideout Marcus Davis, who set up two of Auburn’s touchdowns in the Birmingham Bowl with punt returns of 28 and 56 yards. H-back Kamryn Pettway and tight end Jalen Harris also look like returnees. Defensive linemen Byron Cowart and Dontavious Russell should also be back, along with strong safety Tray Matthews and cornerback Carlton Davis.
Auburn capped its mostly mediocre 2015 season with arguably its best effort of the year. Malzahn and Auburn’s seniors finally came away with their first bowl victory, and the Tigers can certainly use this game — and their 7-6 finish — as steppingstones toward a better season in 2016.
“I’m extremely happy for our seniors. It was great to see the smiles of their face. It gives us momentum for the future,” Malzahn said.
Stan Chrapowicki is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers SEC football, Alabama and Auburn.
