Auburn football: Tigers have two weeks to sort out offensive issues
By Rob Maxwell
Quarterback
Jarrett Stidham throws a very nice ball. Yes, he had two bad ones Saturday against LSU. He’s a quarterback. That happens, especially against a ball-hawking, aggressive secondary like LSU.
Auburn has run the ball 142 times this season and passed it 78. That’s 64 more rushing attempts and much of that discrepancy can be attributed to the Alabama State game when Auburn ran the ball 45 times more than it passed the ball.
Gus Malzahn spoke at SEC Media Days about Stidham having more freedom in the offense this season to audible. It’s difficult to know how much he’s done that this season. But this goes back to the section on receivers.
Too many of the Auburn pass plays are predictable. Yes, the quick throws to Ryan Davis are necessary and an important part of the offense. The passing game is missing variety. Not variety against Alabama State, but variety against the good teams.
Quick outs to Davis, slants over the middle, back-shoulder throws.
Stidham is too good of a passer to limit him.
What we’d like to see: Auburn really focus on the passing game against Arkansas and Southern Miss. That’s not to say the Tigers will pass it more than run — both games should be well in hand in the second halves, pointing to more running — but it’s a good opportunity to iron out some kinks and test what works and what doesn’t. That goes for personnel, too.