Boobee Whitlow a 'beast' against Ole Miss

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Boobee Whitlow a 'beast' against Ole Miss in career performance before exiting with injury

Updated 5:50 PM; Posted 4:44 PM

Auburn running back Boobee Whitlow avoids a tackle by Ole Missdefensive back Cam Ordway during the first half of the Tigers' 31-16 win. Whitlow finished with a career-high 170 rushing yards. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

 

 

 

 

 

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By Tom Green

tgreen@al.com

 

There was a motto among Auburn's running backs coming off last week's loss to Tennessee.

Empty the tank.

Those three words motivated the team's beleaguered backfield, which was coming off a fourth straight game of being held to fewer than 130 yards rushing. No player better embodied that motto on Saturday than redshirt freshman Boobee Whitlow, who battled through injuries for a career-high 170 yards rushing and finished the game with 208 total yards and a touchdown during Auburn's 31-16 win against Ole Miss.

"Great day," running back Malik Miller said of Whitlow's effort. "A great day, same day you saw, man. Just, you know, his will to not be taken down. Even playing through the pain and everything, he's just being a beast out there."

Whitlow's career performance led the way for a rejuvenated Auburn run game that eclipsed 200 yards on the ground for just the second time this season and the first time against an FBS opponent. The Tigers finished with 269 yards rushing and three touchdowns, which was their most against an FBS team since last season's ULM game on Nov. 18.

 

Instant analysis: Auburn breaks through against Ole Miss

Auburn snapped its two-game losing streak by creating second-half separation against Ole Miss in a blowout win.

 

Auburn entered Saturday's game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium averaging 113.33 rushing yards against FBS competition this season. Whitlow eclipsed that number himself in the third quarter when he broke off a 54-yard run on a smoke draw -- at the end of which he fumbled the ball into the end zone. Unlike two weeks ago, when something similar happened at the end of a long run against Mississippi State, this fumble didn't hurt Auburn as Anthony Schwartz recovered it in the end zone to give the Tigers a 24-9 lead midway through the quarter.

"I'm proud of Boobee, man," left guard Marquel Harrell said. "Like I told him all week, man, 'You control your own destiny.' By that, I mean, you control how great you are. I told him, 'You're a great running back. All you got to do is just go out there and do it.'"

Whitlow did it, and then some, in a little less than three quarters of action against the Rebels. He left the game following a 27-yard run late in the third, when he pulled up on the sideline as he was tackled out of bounds. According to Auburn's radio broadcast, Whitlow was taken for X-rays, but coach Gus Malzahn said afterward the he did not yet have details on the seriousness of his leading rusher's injury, nor did he disclose what the exact injury was.

Up to that point, however, it was a tour de force for the 6-foot, 216-pounder out of LaFayette, even as he battled through nagging shoulder and neck issues. Against Ole Miss, he single-handedly resuscitated Auburn's hopes of extending its SEC-best streak of 1,000-yard rushers -- a record that entered Saturday on life support thanks to the Tigers' stagnant run game.

"He's a tough kid," receiver Darius Slayton said. "... He was fighting through his injuries. I think he did a hell of a job running the ball. I felt like he's been on the verge of breaking out in a couple of games and finally today he was able to get that going."

Whitlow now has 626 rushing yards on the season with at least four games, plus a likely bowl game, remaining on the schedule. If he remains healthy, the 1,000-yard mark should be attainable.

"We expect Boobee to do those things," receiver Ryan Davis said. "As he gets more carries, he's going to get better. I feel like we're starting to see that now throughout the season, him playing running back and stuff like that. I feel like he's going to continuously get better, and you're going to see more of Boobee making plays like that."

He took a step toward that with his effort against the Rebels, when he broke off six runs of at least 10 yards -- including runs of 18, 27 and 54 yards -- while plowing through defenders, evading others and showing off an array of moves. He also added a 27-yard reception on a screen pass that saw him spin off one would-be tackler before juking another to get Auburn in the red zone at one point in the second quarter.

"That's just Boobee," Miller said. "That's what he does."

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

[AubFanCT 180]

This kid is only a rsFR. And a converted hs QB.  He's here 3 more years. All things considered with our O Line, BW has been very productive. Looking forward to seeing him grow hopefully behind an improved line next year.