Auburn football: The good, the bad, and the ugly of the Mercer win

Week 1 finally came and went, and after the offseason that preceded it, it couldn’t come soon enough. Auburn football is officially 1-0, failing to cover the spread (as predicted) but willing to provide plenty of fireworks en route to an over hit with dance partner Mercer in a 42-16 drubbing.

The SoCon opponent found themselves a backdoor cover on the strength of a Fred Payton TD, his second of the game, in the closing moments after a lengthy lightning delay emptied out most of Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Bryan Harsin’s Tigers came out looking impressive in some aspects, and lacking in others. It’s Week 1. It’s a tune-up against an opponent that had a lot more to prove after a Week Zero statement win.

Over-exaggerations are natural, but we saw what we saw during a breezy night on the Plains that turned biblical in terms of rainfall. Some things were awe-inspiring, and other aspects were concerning.

This is the good, bad, and ugly of the Auburn football Week 1 win over Mercer

The Good: RBs ran wild, roles were filled on the Auburn football defense, and Robby Ashford looked ready

When it comes to Tiger touchdowns, and the conversation doesn’t start and end with the running backs, but it most certainly has to revolve around it. Tank Bigsby showed no mercy to Mercer, breaking the Bears’ spirit by hanging 147 rushing yards and finding the end zone twice. Jarquez Hunter one-upped his TD total, providing more of a short-yardage presence and delivering on the desired goals asked of him to accomplish.

The most impressive defensive player was Cam Riley, who brought down Mercer skill position players 15 times. Keionte Scott and Eku Leota provided timely tackling in the backfield while Derick Hall predictably pounded Fred Payton into the Bermuda Grass on Pat Dye Field for the only Auburn football sack of the night.

Perhaps the most optimistic non-RB room topic on the Plains offensively was the 168 all-purpose yard performance from Robby Ashford under center. It was long expected that we’d see multi-QB packages in Eric Kiesau’s first offense in charge, but it was more satisfying than even previously thought. T.J. Finley threw a touchdown, but Ashford was the star of the ongoing QB audition. Shout out to Ja’Varrius Johnson for sticking around and producing 117 receiving yards on just four catches.

The bad: Fred Payton is either playing below his weight class or the secondary is behind the curve

Truthfully, Fred Payton having himself a solid night wasn’t tough to envision a four-touchdown outing against Morehead State in Week Zero. But something about a two-touchdown outing unaccompanied by any forced turnovers by the defense is unsettling.

Auburn football didn’t come out looking like a world-beater in the same vein as a Mississippi State, Texas A&M, or the team up north did in Week 1. The secondary wasn’t totally to blame, since one of the TDs came after the prolonged break that undoubtedly created a palpable lull in the stadium.

Zac Etheridge is perhaps the most established name on the point-prevention side of the ball, so seeing a secondary deprived of Roger McCreary and Smoke Monday come out looking relatively flat isn’t ideal.

It’s Week 1, though, and all things considered that was a solid outing against an FCS team known to step up to their competition — just as they did in a spread-covering effort against the CFP National Championship runner-ups last season.

The ugly: 2021 Auburn football QBs throwing multiple interceptions in Week 1

Before the Tigers took on Mercer under the lights at Jordan-Hare Stadium, Bo Nix threw his second interception just as this writer was done recapping the reaction to his first in the opening moments of what was a drubbing at the hands of the defending national champion Dawgs.

Not every member of the Auburn family might consider that ugly, though. It’s quite possible that may is a sight for sore eyes re: those that feel burned by the second-generation Auburn football product out of Pinson’s departure.

What was truly ugly for every Tiger fan that had hope things would be different were the two T.J. Finley interceptions to the FCS foe. Again, Mercer has gamers on both sides of the ball, but seeing the guy deemed most in control of the offense showing inefficiency early on against inferior competition is concerning.

It’s not the end of the world by any stretch. The narrative could shift, as it so often does in sports, in short order. But there’s red worries worth concern for Auburn football fans despite Week 1 being in the bag from the jump.