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Breaking down Tennessee game


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Tiger Buzz: Breaking down Auburn-Tennessee

Updated Oct 11, 11:56 AM; Posted Oct 11, 11:56 AM

Jarrett Stidham has struggled the last few games, and his offense on Saturday will by a significant indicator of where Auburn's season is headed. (Tom Green)

 

By Sam Blum | SBlum@al.com

SBlum@al.com

The details:

What: No. 21 Auburn vs. Tennessee

When: Saturday, 11 a.m. CT

Where: Jordan-Hare Stadium

This game will determine...

If Auburn has any chance to salvage what appears to be a sinking season. Tennessee is a favorable opponent on paper for the Tigers, and is, for all intents and purposes, a must-win. Tennessee allows 25.6 points per game while Auburn is at just 14.3 points per game allowed. This game will also determine a lot of for Auburn’s struggling offense. Quarterback Jarrett Stidham has been overthrowing his targets. The Tigers didn’t score a touchdown against Mississippi State last week, and didn’t get much offense going against Southern Mississippi or Arkansas in the weeks prior. The Volunteers are coming off a bye week.

Three things to look for:

1. On-target passing: Head coach Gus Malzahn and Stidham both acknowledged the lack of accuracy in the throwing game, and both took responsibility for those issues. The team has publicly stood behind their junior QB through his struggles, with receiver Ryan Davis giving a full-throated endorsement of Stidham on Tuesday. This week will determine if the weekday words are empty. The offense hasn’t improved over the last month, and Tennessee presents an opportunity to make amends.

2. Tennessee’s deceptively bad defense: The Volunteers don’t have great defensive statistics, but their full-season stats are definitely skewed by opponent. In the three games against power-five competition, UT has allowed 115 points. In the two games against mid-major competition, they’ve allowed just three points. In those three losses, Tennessee has allowed seven touchdowns of 28 yards or more, showing a propensity to cough up big plays.

3. Tennessee QB Jarrett Guarantano: The other Jarrett in this matchup comes in after playing a solid game against Georiga two weeks ago. He was 13-of-21 for 143 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. That is not nearly enough to beat the Bulltdogs, but it was improvement for the sophomore in comparison to his game against Florida the week prior, when he throw for two interceptions and no touchdowns.

Key matchup: Auburn’s defensive line vs. Tennessee rushers

The Tigers are coming off an abysmal defensive game on the ground where it allowed 349 yards, mostly to quarterback Nick Fitzgerald. Tennessee is not an offensive juggernaut, but they average 177.2 yards on the ground per game this season. Auburn’s run defense is typically stellar, and only give up 135.5 yards on average, and that’s factoring in the MSU results. Stopping that offensive aspect for the Volunteers, led by Tim Jordan and Ty Chandler, will be crucial.

By the numbers: -0.5

Tennessee is No. 1 in the SEC and No. 3 in the nation in punt return defense, averaging -0.5 yards per return.

Tennessee player to watch: Bituli

The junior linebacker Daniel Bituli has been Tennessee’s most consistently good tackler over the last two seasons. He led the Volunteers with 90 tackles last season and is currently atop the list with 26 so far in this campaign. He actually posted 23 tackles in a game against Georgia Tech last season.

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So Auburn will likely run the ball straight at Bituli. :laugh:

Gus stated that this game will be more about fixing us than just going out there and beating Tennessee. With that in mind, we likely won't have a great 1st quarter. If they are smart they'll try to establish a run game that can drain the clock just like MS State did and limit our offenses chances to find any rhythm.

I look for Auburn to be pretty much 50/50 on called run plays versus pass plays and we actually look okay. We'll take a shot deep probably on the opening drive just to see if Stidham's feeling it or not. I think Shivers breaks a long run for a TD at some point in the game too.

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1 hour ago, Linayus said:

So Auburn will likely run the ball straight at Bituli. :laugh:

Gus stated that this game will be more about fixing us than just going out there and beating Tennessee. With that in mind, we likely won't have a great 1st quarter. If they are smart they'll try to establish a run game that can drain the clock just like MS State did and limit our offenses chances to find any rhythm.

I look for Auburn to be pretty much 50/50 on called run plays versus pass plays and we actually look okay. We'll take a shot deep probably on the opening drive just to see if Stidham's feeling it or not. I think Shivers breaks a long run for a TD at some point in the game too.

IMO that's part (BIG PART) of the Offense's problem.

Gus just "worries about us" and doesn't properly scout the opponent's strengths & weaknesses.  That's why every game seems to look exactly the same as the previous game.

Last week, I give them credit for seemingly making some half-time adjustments last week....they truly just didn't execute.

BUT, if there's anything we know about Gus, just when you think he's "learned" or "turned the corner" they come right out doing the same ol, same ol...

That's why I don't feel too confident going into the UT game.  Hey, maybe he'll surprise me...

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