Auburn football: Numbers you need to know entering Week 2 vs. Alabama State

Getting to the quarterback

The stat: 5 for 25 yards

The Auburn football team totaled five sacks of Washington QB Jake Browning and they came from five different players. Defensive tackle Dontavius Russell, defensive end Big Kat Bryant, Buck Nick Coe and safeties Jeremiah Dinson and Smoke Monday recorded sacks.

Sacks are almost always timely plays and that was the case last week:

• On second-and-8 at the Auburn 12, Dinson got to Browning for a 2-yard loss. Auburn held on third-and-long and forced a field goal.
• On third-and-goal at the 8 in the second quarter, Russell sacked Browning for a 3-yard loss and the Tigers kept the Huskies out of the end zone again as they kicked another field goal.
• On third-and-goal at the Auburn 3, Coe got to Browning and forced a fumble that Darrell Williams recovered. With the chance to take the lead with a field goal or touchdown, Washington was stopped again in the red zone.
• After Auburn took a 21-16 lead, the Huskies started driving again. On third-and-13 at the Auburn 40, Bryant dropped Browning for a 3-yard loss.
• On fourth-and-16, Monday picked up his first career sack and that was it for Washington.

What it means: Washington has a veteran offensive line, but was without preseason All-American left tackle Trey Adams, who was a late scratch. Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele was creative in his blitzes, especially on the final drive and it paid off.

Auburn won’t face many (if any) quarterbacks as steady and experienced as Browning this season. If the Tigers can keep pressuring quarterbacks, it’s a huge assist to the secondary. Last season Auburn had 36 sacks. Through one game, it’s on pace for 60. That number is unlikely, but if the Tigers can stay in that ballpark, it will go a long way this season to limiting opponents on offense.