Nov. 4, 2016
By Zac Ellis
VUCommodores.com
On campus in Nashville – After playing eight straight games to open the season, Vanderbilt heads to Auburn this weekend fresh off an open date. Head coach Derek Mason spent much of the bye “self-scouting” and attacking his offense from a defensive coordinator’s perspective.
The result, Mason said, is a revitalized Vanderbilt locker room. “It was good to take a look at ourselves and get a clear view of where we are,” Mason said.
Now the Commodores (4-4, 1-3 SEC) face another true test on Saturday against No. 11 Auburn (6-2, 4-1), which has won five straight after a 1-2 start. Here is how Vanderbilt can tame the Tigers:
1. Stop the run.
Running the football has always been a pivotal piece of Gus Malzahn’s offense, and this season is no exception. Auburn leads the SEC in rushing at 303.4 yards per game and also paces the league with 24 rushing touchdowns. Running back Kamryn Pettway is the conference leader in rushing average (133.3 yards per game) and averages a crisp 6.3 yards-per-carry. Last week, the junior scampered for a career-high 236 yards in a win over Ole Miss.
That running attack is a big reason why Auburn has come alive of late, averaging 48 points per game over its last four games. For Mason, there is no doubt what fuels the Tigers’ offense. “Gus has always been run-first,” Mason said. “He wants to run the football. Everything they do, from spread to their tight formations, it’s all based on being able to attack you downhill.”
Fortunately for Vanderbilt, it was able to limit the run against its last SEC foe. Georgia’s Nick Chubb and Sony Michel managed just 81 yards on 29 carries in the ‘Dores’ 17-16 win in Athens on Oct. 15. This week linebacker/safety Oren Burks said the Commodores focused on rallying to the ball in preparation for the 240-pound Pettway. Stopping the run remains a point of pride for Burks and his teammates.
“They’re challenging your manhood,” Burks said. “Are you going to be able to step up and stop the run? I think our defense is ready to accept that challenge.”
2. Play smart on the offensive line.
Auburn’s talent isn’t limited to its offense. The Tigers have been revitalized on defense under first-year coordinator Kevin Steele, particularly up front. Tackle Montravius Adams and end Carl Lawson have wreaked havoc in opponents’ backfields, helping Auburn amass 50 tackles for loss, fifth in the SEC. Meanwhile, its 20 sacks through eight games have already surpassed last season’s total (19).
Vanderbilt’s offensive line must step up and stifle Lawson (6.5 sacks, nine tackles-for-loss) and company in order to find rhythm on offense. Quarterback Kyle Shurmur has been sacked 17 times this season, but the Commodores can’t afford to keep Shurmur on the ground against the Tigers. The sophomore might have to step up in the red zone, as well; Auburn has allowed just four rushing touchdowns this year, second-fewest in the SEC. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, which has rushed for 15 of its 19 offensive touchdowns in 2016.
This week the onus is on Shumur and his offensive line to make quick decisions on the Plains, because Auburn’s front seven can make that a difficult task. “Their defense has been stellar,” Mason said. “They’ve done an extremely good job of making sure they’ve eliminated rushing touchdowns. Anytime you make a team throw to get into the end zone, you’ve got a lot of moving parts there.”
3. Make the most of third downs.
When Vanderbilt ventures to Auburn, it will face one of the most effective teams in the SEC on third down.
“Auburn finds themselves in very few third-and-long situations,” Mason said. “It’s always third-and-two, three, four. They don’t find themselves in a whole lot of third-and-10, third-and-13. When they do, [quarterback] Sean White has done a great job of getting them out of bad situations.”
Indeed, the Tigers are remarkably efficient in controlling the chains. They rank third in SEC in both third-down percentage (48.7) and opponents’ third-down percentage (31.7). To return to Nashville with a win, Vanderbilt will have to improve in those same areas. The ‘Dores convert just 34 percent of the time on third down while allowing opponents to convert 38.8 percent of their chances. If Vanderbilt can use first and second down to set up short-yardage situations for running back Ralph Webb, it can sustain drives and keep pace with Auburn’s piping-hot offense.
Vanderbilt kicks off against Auburn at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN.