Kenny one hot Irons

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Auburn RB is one hot Irons

By By BILL SANDERS

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 09/07/06

Talk about your high expectations. Auburn's Kenny Irons ran for 183 yards last weekend, graded out at 99 percent on his blocking schemes, caught three passes for 40 yards ... and Tigers coach Tommy Tuberville thinks he can, and will, do better.

Even if he can have just a couple of more weeks like last one, Irons would become a bona fide Heisman Trophy candidate.

Could Kenny Irons materialize as a legitimate Heisman contender?

The behind-the-scenes folks in the athletics department are ready to start publicizing their guy from Dacula as the best college football player in America. Auburn has a history of doing such things in a low-key manner, and if Irons gets a Heisman push, it would be rather modest, too. No billboards at Times Square, joke the Auburn folks.

"He's come light years from this time last year," Tuberville said of the senior tailback, who ran for 1,293 yards and 13 touchdowns in nine starts last season. "He's a much more mature running back who knows now there's more to playing running back than running with the ball in your arm.

"He's good at running after a catch, he understands blocking schemes and has become the all-around running back. But I expect more out of him, and I think he can do more."

Irons seconds that.

He would be lying if he said he never thinks about winning the Heisman. But he knows there's a lot of work to be done to help Auburn reach a bigger goal — winning a championship.

"It's in the back of my mind, sure," Irons said of the Heisman. "I can't win it without working hard, I know that. I don't focus on that. I worry about getting better. I'm not at all comfortable with where I am. I need to be more physical of a blocker and more consistent running. If I have a great run, I can't come back the next play and get 2 yards, or tackled for a loss. I've got to get more consistent at that."

While it's too early to start any serious handicapping, one contender, Louisville's Michael Bush, is out for the rest of the season with a broken leg. The consensus front-runner, Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, had less-than-Heisman-esque stats Saturday at Georgia Tech. And the Ohio State guys, Troy Smith and Ted Ginn Jr., could make or break their cases Saturday against Texas.

Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom said Irons is as good as anyone.

"Obviously, I haven't seen them all, but he's very good," he said. "He'd be at the top of my list. We'll have our work cut out for us."

Back to what Irons has some control over.

Duplicating his Saturday numbers against Washington State would be quite an achievement this weekend, when Auburn visits Mississippi State. The Bulldogs might not win a lot of games this year, but they're extremely stout on the defensive line. They chase and pressure quarterbacks and are stingy against the run.

The Bulldogs held South Carolina to one touchdown last week, and since they played Thursday, they'll have two extra days to rest for Auburn.

"I watched them come off the football very well," Tuberville said. "They are very active and understand what they have to do. It'll take a good game plan to move the ball on that defense."

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said he was interested in seeing how Auburn can move the ball against Misssissippi State.

"I thought Mississippi State would have as good of a defensive line and middle linebacker as anyone, and it's going to be interesting to see how Auburn does," he said. "I wasn't pleased with the way our offensive line played, and Auburn might be a little more seasoned. It'll be interesting to see how [irons] does."

Auburn senior offensive lineman Ben Grubbs knows Mississippi State will prove to be more challenging up front than Washington State. But in knowing that, he thinks the line will come together and give the running game another shot at a big day.

"Those guys are quick, explosive and get to the quarterback a lot," Grubbs said. "We're going to have to have good fundamentals and beat them to the punch.

"But a guy like Kenny, he makes an offensive line look good.

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