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Shivers finds footing in backfield


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‘Speed burst’: Confident freshman Shaun Shivers finds footing in Auburn backfield

Justin Lee | Auburn Reporter Opelika-Auburn Newsjlee@oanow.comFollow on Twitter @AUBlog|@ByJustinLee

7-8 minutes

Shaun Shivers flashed a fast smile.

The talk of the day at the Auburn athletics complex, in the moment as Shivers settled into a chair in an auditorium in front of media members, was about a proposed footrace between Kansas City Chiefs star Tyreek Hill and Shivers’ Auburn teammate Anthony Schwartz — one heralded as the fastest player in the NFL, and the other heralded as the fastest player in college football.

Schwartz challenged Hill to a race a week before on Twitter. Hill responded by accepting the idea.

But Shivers has already made his pick for the winner.

“(Between) him and Tyreek Hill? I’d pick me,” Shivers smiled. “I’m faster than both of them.”

Never mind that he wasn’t really invited, of course.

“Nah,” Shivers laughed, “but I’m just going to show up anyway.”

Confidence seems to follow Shivers wherever his fleet feet take him — and it may be part of why the true freshman running back at Auburn has found his way onto the field in the Tigers’ backfield rotation this season.

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Devan Barrett (10) and Shaun Shivers (25) run out for warmups on Sept. 29, 2018.

Justin Lee/jlee@oanow.com

Shivers rushed for 45 yards on 10 carries in Auburn’s 31-16 win at Ole Miss during the Tigers’ last game last Saturday. He’s rushed for 212 yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries in a complementary role on Auburn’s offense so far this season, putting his own speed on display at times with those touches.

Like Schwartz, whose credentials as a speedster have been well-documented and much-discussed this season, Shivers is a track star in his own right.

Shivers recorded a 10.29 in the 100-meter dash and 20.81 in the 200-meter dash during his prep career, as he rivaled Schwartz at meets on sweltering tracks across South Florida. Shivers competed for Chaminade-Madonna Prep when Schwartz competed for American Heritage High School, both near Fort Lauderdale in Florida, before the two joined up in the Tigers’ 2018 signing class, and headed to Auburn to play football and sprint for the Auburn track and field team.

But top-speed alone isn’t what has led Shivers to scoring against LSU earlier this season, or taking critical carries in Auburn’s bounce-back win over Ole Miss two Saturdays ago.

For the freshman listed at 5-foot-7 and 173 pounds, that confidence — on display when he chats about a proposed footrace just as it is when he steps on the field against SEC defenses — seems to allow Shivers to play bigger than his frame.

“I’ve been very impressed with him, his attitude and competitiveness,” Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said, in the week leading up to Auburn’s game against Ole Miss.

In that one, Shivers took on a season-high in carries against FBS competition. He rushed for 117 yards on 13 carries in Auburn’s win over the FCS’s Alabama State back in September.

“I’m just thankful for the opportunity from my coaches, and that the coaching staff has believed in me,” Shivers said, two days after that Ole Miss win, speaking with the media on Tuesday last week.

“And the team, they believed in me as well. They encouraged me to go out there and do things.”

Shivers credits those teammates as having guided him through his first fall on the Plains.

Tigers redshirt freshman JaTarvious Whitlow has emerged as the breakout among Auburn’s stable of backs, having rushed for 626 yards this season. Veteran junior back Kam Martin has rushed for 272. Sophomore Malik Miller has settled in as a third-down back and a power back, having caught nine passes for 92 yards over the team’s last four games, and having punched in two short-yardage touchdowns against Ole Miss.

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Auburn's JaTarvious Whitlow and Shaun Shivers chat before Auburn's homecoming game against Southern Miss on Sept. 29 in Auburn.

Justin Lee/jlee@oanow.com

Shivers, as a speedster capable of sprinting outside or hitting a hole fast between the tackles, has fit into the fold just fine.

“We’re getting started on a roll now,” Shivers said of the Tigers’ backfield. “Me as a player, I watch Boobee (Whitlow), Kam Martin — I watch what they do, and try to do it as well as them when we’re in practice.

“They’ve been my role models here, those running backs. Just watching them do what they do makes me go out there and do the same thing.”

As for that footrace, Schwartz is confident he’s faster than Shivers. Confidence isn’t lost on either of the Tigers’ two track-star freshmen.

But it’s all part of a friendly competition. Schwartz said he and Shivers are close friends.

“We come from the same city,” Schwartz said. “You always want to see people who come from your city succeed. … What we’ve both been doing, this has been very exciting, to me.”

It should be just as exciting in the spring, when the two trade their football cleats for track spikes, and sprint for Auburn track and field coach Ralph Spry.

Maybe then, when they’re back in sprinting shape, the two can try to settle the score on who’s faster.

But don’t expect either one to have their confidence shaken, whatever happens.

“It’s going to be fun,” Shivers said, of being track teammates with Schwartz starting in the spring.

“It’s going to be fast, too. It’s going to be real fun and fast.”

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worm even has a fast smile...........how awesome.

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  • WarTiger changed the title to Shivers finds footing in backfield

This kid will be a superstar by the time he leaves the plains.  Definitely going to need his attitude and toughness this weekend if Boobee isn’t 100%.  

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I really do like everything about this kid.  @Momma Worm you raised one heck of a young man!  He has a great attitude.  Exudes confidence.  And always has a smile on his face.  He truly loves where he is and what he is doing.

 

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He is going to be a star for us. I still feel like he could use more touches throughout the course of the game. Like regular touches, not gadget touches.

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