Commentary: Stop Derrick Henry or else
AUBURN -- No. 2 is Auburn's No. 1 priority on defense
Derrick Henry has rushed for 1,526 yards, tied a school record for rushing scores in a single season (21) and must be contained for the Tigers to have any shot of upsetting No. 2-ranked Alabama (10-1, 6-1 SEC) in Saturday's Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
"Last year, he was a load," said Auburn coach Gus Malzahn about Henry, who ran for 72 yards and a touchdown on just five carries with a long run of 49 in Alabama's 55-44 win over the Tigers last season in Tuscaloosa.
"You look on film, it's hard for one guy to tackle him. He's a big, strong guy and fast. He doesn't need too much of an opening. He has a lot of explosive plays."
Auburn needs to take the same approach it did in 2009 when facing Mark Ingram. The Tigers sold out to limit the Heisman Trophy winner to 30 yards on 16 carries in a 26-21 loss to the eventual unbeaten national champions.
Keep it close and who knows. If Henry has his way, it won't be close at all Saturday.
The last time the Tigers (6-5, 2-5) faced a back of Henry's caliber was back in September when LSU sophomore Leonard Fournette ran absolutely wild on them for 228 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-21 road loss. Since then, Auburn has allowed an 100-yard rusher four times, is 11th in the SEC in run defense, but believe it's not the same unit Fournette obliterated.
"We're definitely a better defense now than we were at the beginning of the season," Auburn senior linebacker Kris Frost said. "That doesn't take anything away from the fact that this is going to be a big challenge for us. We're going to have to throw a lot of things at (Henry)."
Auburn better because Henry can truck Auburn safety Blake Countess just as Fournette did and keep going. Seventy percent of the leading Heisman Trophy candidate's rushing yards this season have come after first contact.
"He's a finisher," Malzahn said. "He's not going down real easy when he gets to the second level. He's one of best in the country."
Frost said a key to containing Henry is corralling him before he starts rolling. Fournette makes defenders miss at the line of scrimmage better, but Henry is nearly unstoppable once he invades the open field. He's had 13 runs of 20 yards or more with six of those ranging between 74 and 40 yards. He's scored on eight of those 13 runs.
"I just go out there and work hard and prepare and practice the right way to get ready for Saturday," said Henry when asked about the numbers he's put up this season. "I don't even focus on things like that."
Auburn can actually hold its own up front against Alabama, but should still put eight men in the box to stop the 6-foot, 3-inch, 242-pound Henry who run over, around or by defenders -- and makes it look effortless. Henry is bigger and faster than Auburn's top three linebackers -- Justin Garrett, Tre' Williams and Frost -- and top tackler - safety Johnathan Ford.
"He's obviously a big guy," Frost said. "He's able to run downhill while he has a lot of speed."
Keep an eye on these two numbers Saturday -- Jake Coker's passing attempts and Henry's rushing attempts. Coker is averaging 26 passes a game and Henry has carried the ball an average of 22.6 times a game this season. Auburn needs Coker to attempt 32 or more passes and the only way to do that is to bottle up Henry on first and second down.
Just for the record, Greg McElroy threw the ball 31 times in that narrow 2009 Alabama win in Auburn. He connected on 21 for 218 yards, two scores with the latter being the game winner with 84 seconds left and no interceptions. The Tigers must force Coker have the same kind of performance to beat them Saturday.
Now Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin will help out the Tigers a little bit cause because he'll call his share of pass plays. Alabama has run/pass options and if Auburn loads the box as it should, the Tide will opt to a pass. However, Nick Saban always reins Kiffin back in and you start seeing Coker hand Henry the ball repeatedly, especially if Coker turns the ball over.
Henry is Alabama's go-to guy and Saban has gone to him a lot recently. He's rushed for 888 yards and 11 touchdowns on an average of 28.8 carries in Alabama's last six SEC games that have all resulted in wins. Posting 200-plus yards in half of those games, the Tide junior can put up similar numbers on the Tigers if they miss assignments and tackles poorly.
This type of game is right up Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp's alley. He'll have his unit fired up to the brim to get after Henry. If Auburn still can't stop him, that will take the life force out of a defense that must play at an all-time high to even stay in contention against Alabama.
Muschamp didn't have much success stopping Henry last season as Florida's head coach. Henry ran for 111 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries in a 42-21 Tide home victory over the Gators. Henry has gotten better, doesn't have to share carries and Muschamp had better defensive players at Florida than he does now at Auburn.
Add all that up and it doesn't bode well for Auburn's defense. The Tigers have zero shot of winning they can't handle No. 2.