SPORTS

Auburn turns to Nick Marshall's arm to seal win

James Crepea
Montgomery Advertiser
Auburn wide receiver D'haquille Williams caught a 39-yard pass from Nick Marshall to seal the Tigers' 20-14 win over Kansas State.

MANHATTAN, KANSAS – Even after another lackluster passing night, when auburn needed a game-sealing play Gus Malzahn relied on Nick Marshall's arm.

Facing a third and nine from Auburn's 37 with 2:06 to go, Malzahn and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee considered their two options: run, and the Tigers would almost certainly have to punt and give Kansas State a chance to win with about 1:15 on the clock, or pass and try to win the game right there.

They chose the latter, with D'haquille Williams asking for a chance to redeem himself after a costly drop in the first half.

"We just felt strong that hey, let's give our guys a chance to win the game here," Malzahn said. "We caught them in a defense that we liked and it worked out."

Kansas State brought pressure and left no safeties to help its corners in a Cover 0 defense. Marshall stepped up and fired a deep throw to Williams, who ran a sluggo (slant-and-go) route that caught Wildcats cornerback Danzel McDaniel off guard.

"We felt like it was setup, the double-move with Duke," Lashlee said, "and fortunately our guys did it well."

Williams leaped into the air to haul in a 39-yard pass to seal the 20-14 victory for No. 5 Auburn over No. 20 Kansas State, denying a crowd of 53,046 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium the delight of what could have been one of the program's greatest feats.

Auburn wide receiver D'haquille Williams ran a sluggo route against Kansas State defensive back Danzel McDaniel on a critical 39-yard pass to seal the Tigers' 20-14 win.

"I was like coach just give me a chance," said Williams, who had eight catches for 110 yards and touchdown. "I feel like he's going to bite on a slant and when I ran a slant he went in, he bit on it and I just had enough room to catch the ball."

It was a play Lashlee admitted Auburn (3-0) could "probably not" call a year ago, "especially not in game three" of last season. The decision would have been more conservative.

But with Marshall in his second year in the offense and Williams, the No. 1 junior college player in the country last year, conservative is no longer the preference for the Hurry-Up, No-Huddle tacticians.

"I knew that I had to make that throw," said Marshall, who was 17-for-31 for 231 yards with two touchdowns and an interception with 46 rushing yards, "and I knew I was going to give D'haquille Williams a chance to make a play on the ball."

Auburn started sluggish, failing to convert on its first five third downs.

There were dropped passes, batted down throws, including a tip that led to an interception, and a tremendous outing by the Kansas State defense against Auburn's rushing game. The Tigers managed just 55 yards on 17 carries before the break and clung to a 10-7 lead thanks to a missed field goal by Jack Cantele, who missed three kicks on the night.

After four punts, an interception, one touchdown – a 40-yard catch by Ricardo Louis, and a field goal in the first half, Auburn was able to sustain drive in the second.

Marshall led drives of 80 yards on 15 plays, concluding with a nine-yard scoring pass to Williams in the back corner of the end zone, and 12 plays that led to a Daniel Carlson field goal.

"I think it's why our guys believe in him; why they follow him" Lashlee said of Marshall, who he recruited to the Plains against Kansas State, among others. "He's able to lead in clutch situations. The moments are never too big for him. It doesn't matter if he's played great all game or struggled or somewhere in between.

"When the game's on the line, he comes through for us."

Marshall is more confident in himself, and his teammates, than a year ago. He is more comfortable sticking in the pocket and relying on his arm, rather than his legs, to deliver.

"My confidence level is real high right now," Marshall said. "Last year I probably would have flushed out of the pocket, but this year I trust my linemen with everything and I know they trust me. So I stay in the pocket and deliver the ball, and (Williams) made the catch."