Auburn's secondary didn't play well on Saturday in the 31-15 victory over South Alabama. Hugh Freeze, never to mince words, said as much following the game.
What was supposed to be a strength for DJ Durkin's defense heading into the season has been below par in two of their first three games, with Baylor's Sawyer Robertson throwing for 419 yards and three touchdowns against the Tigers, while the Jaguars' Bishop Davenport threw for 170 yards and two scores.
Granted, 170 passing yards isn't exactly getting torched, but it was how those completions came, with wide-open receivers barely defended, that was the problem. And, with Oklahoma and John Mateer coming up this Saturday, it is time for Auburn's secondary to stiffen up.
"I felt like we lacked a little urgency," Kaleb Harris said. "We weren’t flying around like we usually do. We weren’t up to our standard. I think we played alright. We got the job done. That’s all that matters at the end of the day. Just get better."
The Tigers did hold off the passing attack in the fourth quarter as South Alabama tried to mount a comeback. With his final eight passes, Davenport completed just three, a marked improvement on earlier in the game when it seemed every ball he threw would be caught.
What was the difference?
"I think we just started making the ball bounce," Harris said. "We started getting some stuff our way."
The Jaguars were especially effective on slant routes, consistently finding receivers across the middle as Auburn's defense struggled to adjust. For Harris and his teammates, it will be a critical part of this week's preparation for the top-25 matchup against the Sooners.
"They got their little slant," he said. "They executed. We didn’t execute. We had some busts. I had a bust to where I flew down, could of held the seam a little bit. But it’s things we can watch film and get better at."