Auburn football: Five really important offensive players vs. Washington

RB Kam Martin

We wrote last week that the weight of the Auburn run game does not completely rest on the shoulders of Kam Martin.

Yes, Martin will get first shot at being the guy in the Auburn backfield. But we have no way of knowing how that will turn out Saturday and beyond.

That doesn’t mean a bigger (he’s listed at 5-10, 193) and stronger Martin can’t carry the load. He very well could be the running back who extends Auburn’s steak of 1,000-yard running backs to 10 consecutive seasons.

Last year, he ran 74 times for 453 yards (6.1 yards per carry) and two touchdowns. He showed that he can be a solid change-of-pace back. Now, Auburn will give him the opportunity to run between the tackles and pick up the tough yards, too.

Expect Martin to get plenty of opportunities Saturday. He could carry the ball anywhere from 5 to 20 times and catch passes out of the backfield, too.

With the depth Auburn has at the position, you can expect coaches to keep Martin and backups JaTarvious Whitlow, Shaun Shivers and Asa Martin fresh while trying to wear down the Washington defense.