Steele ...'unacceptable' defensive performance

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Kevin Steele: Auburn must take ownership of 'unacceptable' defensive performance

Updated 1:15 PM; Posted 1:15 PM

Mississippi State's Nick Fitzgerald looks to pass against Auburn. Fitzgerald, who became the SEC's all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks, rushed for 195 yards and gave Auburn's defense fits on Saturday. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

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By Tom Green

tgreen@al.com

Kevin Steele had one word to describe his defense's performance in a loss to Mississippi State.

"Really, it can only be summed up by: unacceptable," Steele said Sunday. "We were not effective in doing our job. That rests with me in terms of assessing everything and how we go about doing what we do."

Auburn was gutted for 349 rushing yards and allowed 6.1 yards per carry in its 23-9 road loss in Starkville, Miss., on Saturday night. It was the most rushing yards allowed by Auburn since Steele took over as defensive coordinator prior to the 2016 season, with the last such performance coming in 2015 against LSU, which ran for 411 yards and five scores against Auburn's defense in Death Valley.

Saturday's result was uncharacteristic of Steele's defense, which had not allowed more than 238 rushing yards in its previous 32 games and which entered the weekend ranked eighth nationally in rush defense at 92.8 yards allowed per game. Mississippi State changed that, largely on the legs of quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, who accounted for 195 of those rushing yards and both touchdowns while surpassing Florida great Tim Tebow as the SEC's all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks.

Auburn defense 'bummed out' after Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi State rush for 349 yards

Auburn's run defense allowed its most rushing yards since 2015 in a 23-9 loss to Mississippi State.

Bulldogs coach Joe Moorhead introduced new wrinkles to the offense that the Tigers hadn't previously seen on film and took advantage of a numbers game in the box throughout the night.

"We had a few misunderstandings," Steele said. "They were not busts; it wasn't like that. It was just in terms of gap fits, just in terms of who's inside, who's outside. The width of it even, sometimes, being too wide on something, being too tight on something. They allowed the reloading of that empty back back into the backfield. We just didn't fit things very cleanly. And then we missed tackles. The missed tackles were not good at all, just uncharacteristic, something we have not done, but we'll get it corrected."

One of the biggest issues for Auburn, according to Steele, was its first-down defense against Mississippi State. The Bulldogs averaged 8.2 yards per play on first down, including 8.9 yards per first-down run, excluding a kneel-down to end the game.

"You can't allow yourself to give up die by a thousand cuts," Steele said. "You just can't do it. It all goes back to just doing your job, being in your gap and trust your teammate. Trust the scheme and trust the teammate. You don't have to make plays that aren't yours to make. You've got teammates to get that done. That's the biggest thing."

Statistically speaking: Auburn's rush defense falls to 51st nationally

Auburn's offense is on pace for some of its worst numbers of the Gus Malzahn era following a 23-9 loss to Mississippi State.

That was the biggest point of emphasis on Sunday when the team reconvened for practice following the road loss. While Steele said his defense "played extremely hard for four quarters" despite the outcome, the coaching staff hammered home accountability and responsibility -- something that applies not only to the players, but to Steele himself.

The message was straightforward and not unfamiliar.

"We went back and reiterated what we're built on in that room when we're in meetings, which is to always be accountable," Steele said. "Own it if you make a mistake. If I make one and it's on video I tell them, 'Hey, that's on me guys.' So, own your mistakes, be accountable and then have an attitude of correction. Be a pro. That was there today, very evident. They know. If you rob a bank, it's on video, you're a bank robber."

Auburn's Kevin Steele explains Mississippi State loss, looks to Tennessee

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

[tgrogan21 6,198]

1 hour ago, aubiefifty said:

"We went back and reiterated what we're built on in that room when we're in meetings, which is to always be accountable," Steele said. "Own it if you make a mistake. If I make one and it's on video I tell them, 'Hey, that's on me guys.' So, own your mistakes, be accountable and then have an attitude of correction. Be a pro. That was there today, very evident. They know. If you rob a bank, it's on video, you're a bank robber."

I saw the article and was about to get on here to post about it. It's amazing the difference between Malzhan/Chip and Steele when they speak. Steele takes accountability and it shows every time he opens his mouth. This man hates losing, hates mistakes, and I believe his players will run through a wall for him because he owns his mistakes, mans up and admits them, but does what he can to get better and not to make those mistakes again.

 

The other side of the ball ... not so much.