SPORTS

Auburn's offense balanced despite less accurate passing attack

James Crepea
Montgomery Advertiser
Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall's completion percentage and passing efficiency rating are down from last season.
  • Nick Marshall less accurate%2C efficient than last season
  • Lack of pass rush a concern to defense

AUBURN – Other than 12 months and handful of new faces in the lineup, not much has changed for Auburn from a year ago.

The Tigers (5-1, 2-1 SEC) find themselves in a nearly identical position to last season: with one conference loss and looking up in the SEC West standings at an undefeated division leader. The difference of course is No. 6 Auburn does not control its own destiny this season after losing 38-23 to now No. 1 Mississippi State.

There are areas where Auburn succeeded in the first half of the season; a more balanced offensive attack with a still potent rushing game, all-around improvement on defense and not allowing a drop-off on special teams despite a new kicker and returners.

However, there are areas for concern as the Tigers prepare for what might be the most difficult closing stretch in college football.

Nick Marshall's passing statistics are down from last season, the offensive line has had trouble protecting Marshall and opening up running lanes at times, and there is absolutely no pass rush from the front four.

"After the first six games I feel OK about where we are at," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "We have to improve, and we are committed to doing that."

After making balance the primary goal for the offense this season, the Tigers have nearly evened the scales, passing for 1,355 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushing for 1,572 yards and 13 touchdowns during the first six games.

"Statistically we're more balanced, there's no doubt about that," Malzahn said. "Running the ball consistently — that's going to be a big factor moving forward, and we'll try to improve in our play-action game."

Cameron Artis-Payne has 664 yards and five touchdowns on an SEC-leading 126 carries, comparable to Tre Mason's 515 yards and seven scores in the first half last season, though Mason's production skyrocketed down the stretch.

Auburn is averaging 262 rushing yards per game, down from 287 at this time last year, but with a far more potent passing game.

The Tigers are averaging 225.8 passing yards, up from 187.2 through the first six games of last year, which including four pass-heavy games.

However, Marshall's accuracy and efficiency are down.

Auburn offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee set the goal for Marshall to complete between 65 and 70 percent of his passes this season, but Marshall is completing just 55.4 percent, compared to 59.4 for all of last season.

"I gave that (completion) percentage, and I probably shouldn't have; although that was pretty lofty and that's ideal because he was right at almost 60 last year," Lashlee said. "It may not be as much about the percentage of completions as it is the efficiency.

"As long as we're throwing touchdowns, not interceptions, maybe getting chunk yardages and making the throws when we need them, then that'll probably be good enough."

Marshall is 72-for-130 for 964 yards with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions and a lower efficiency rating (138.4) than he finished last season (143.2). Through his first six games of last season, Marshall completed 57.3 percent of his passes for 1,138 yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions.

"I don't know if he's regressed statistically," Malzahn said. "If you put the film on of the first six games, and you compare the first six games this year, it's a vast improvement. But like every position we got a week off; we need to finish strong in all areas."

Auburn linebacker Kris Frost tackles Mississippi State running back Josh Robinson.

Defensively there have been great strides, as the Tigers are sixth in the SEC in total defense, allowing 333.7 compared to 399.2 yards through the first six games of last year, with improvements against both the pass and run that have shaved points allowed from 18.8 to 18.3 this season.

But there has been a decline in pass rush, from 16 sacks through six games to just 11 this season, with 5½ of them coming in blitzes from the linebackers and secondary.

"We're not getting any pressure on the quarterback with four people," defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson said. "It looks like pass skel(eton) back there, frankly. … There's no question, right now, we're going to have to bring pressure to affect quarterbacks."

With an open week to focus on self-evaluation and recuperation, Auburn turns its attention to what might be the toughest remaining schedule in college football; with four of its final six games against ranked teams, including road trips to Ole Miss, Georgia and Alabama.

There is almost no margin for error, as a chance for one of the four spots in the College Football Playoff can vanish with a misstep on any Saturday.

"As a coach you got your goals to try to get to Atlanta," Malzahn said. "That's what's on our mind; and if you do that everything takes care of itself. I don't let my mind go ahead (to the playoff). … We got South Carolina, and that's our whole focus.

"When it gets towards the end of the year and everything will play itself out, then will be able to worry about more specific things."