Auburn Football Week 1 Recap vs. Baylor

Death, Taxes, and Auburn Running the Football

Takeaways and Auburn football highlights
Auburn 38 - Baylor 24
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Welcome, Jackson Arnold

Did we all fall asleep on Thursday and wake up in 2013 on Friday? Auburn actually committed to the run. Zero turnovers. This game wasn't complicated, and it didn't need to be. Jackson Arnold looked great in what we saw – that opening three-and-out was quickly forgotten. Arnold finished the game with 137 rushing yards and two touchdowns while completing 11 of 17 passes for 108 yards. His night was capped by an encouraging 27-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-1, shutting the door on Baylor and earning him the SEC Offensive Player of the Week.

Winning on the Ground

Using our generationally talented wide receivers as blockers is about as Auburn as it gets. But I am not complaining, it was a breath of fresh air to not abandon the run game as we did so often last season. Coach Freeze said after the game, "We didn’t force anything just for the sake of it." You play the team that's in front of you and the run game was gashing Baylor's defense, and not forcing the passing game is what sealed Auburn's win.

Auburn finished with 307 total yards on the ground, slightly less than last year’s season-high of 326 against Kentucky, when Jarquez Hunter accounted for 278.

Damari Alston and Jeremiah Cobb both had 16 carries each for 84 and 74 yards respectively and a touchdown a piece.

Center Connor Lew said these are the kind of games the offensive line prays for:

Pass Defense Needs Work

Baylor's QB Sawyer Robinson is legit and senior TE Michael Trigg and WR Kole Wilson — both elite athletes — consistently outclassed Kayin Lee and Jay Crawford in the secondary. Unfortunately for Auburn, this won't get any easier in SEC play.

Tackling at the second and third levels was a big problem and Baylor racked up over 200 yards after the catch (YAC). Sawyer Robinson went unpunished across the middle time and time again. A sharper secondary could've turned some of those throws into interceptions.

Freeze had this to say on Auburn's disappointing pass defense:

"I have to go back and talk to my strength staff — I thought we were a little tired," Hugh Freeze said postgame. "I don't know if it was the heat or if we didn't prepare exactly right for it, but I thought we looked a little sluggish, and to see us fight through that and find a way to get a win and against a good opponent to open the year … we can really build upon it.

That said, Auburn still held the top-20 scoring offense to just 24 points on the road and found difference-makers across the roster.

Standouts

Rayshawn Pleasant
Without Pleasant's 98-yard kick return, Baylor is right back in the game. His wheels completely swung the momentum going into the 4th quarter.

Keyron Crawford
Auburn's leading tackler for the game. 7 tackles (4 solo) and a sack.

Horatio Fields
Not a flashy play, but one that came at a critical moment. Fields had clutch conversion on 3rd-and-8 in the final drive after Baylor had cut Auburn's lead to seven. He deserves a lot of credit for fighting for the last couple yards after this catch to get the first down and keep Auburn's final drive alive.

Injury Report

Champ Anthony: broken thumb, will undergo surgery. Will miss some time per Freeze.

Damari Alston: shoulder injury, questionable for week two.

Looking forward

Home game against Ball State on Saturday. With Alston questionable, are we going to see more out of our elite WR group? Either way, it looks like Freeze will stick to what wins games rather than forcing schemes for the sake of it.

Ball State may not test Auburn the way Baylor did, but this game showed the Auburn’s identity. If they keep leaning on the ground game and tighten up the secondary, Auburn will be a tough out for anyone in the SEC this fall.