aubiefifty 18,231 Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 al.com Kirby Smart speaks highly of Auburn passing game By Giana Han 4-5 minutes Auburn quarterback Bo Nix made an impression in his first game, and Georgia has been forewarned. In his press conference Monday, Georgia coach Kirby Smart previewed the coming matchup between Auburn and Georgia, and Nix and the passing game were the main topics. After looking at what Nix and his receivers did in the 29-13 win over Kentucky, Smart noted that Auburn has an ability to use its skill positions and get the ball to them from different locations. As the leader of the offense, Nix’s skill is an essential component of that. And Nix has plenty of skill. Smart listed off Nix’s attributes saying he has a vertical passing game, a great arm and great athleticism. That helped him complete 16 out of his 27 pass attempts for 233 yards and three touchdowns against Kentucky. He completed one of the throws with his legs wrapped up by a defender, and launched another deep ball from off his back foot. Nix doesn’t just have an arm. He’s also got a serious set of legs. “People don’t understand how good of a runner he is,” Smart said. In Auburn’s season opener, Nix was the team’s leading rusher. He picked up 34 yards on five rushing attempts, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. He went for 13 yards on one of his runs. But out of all of his skills, Nix’s decision-making ability is one of the most critical pieces of his success as a quarterback. As a coach’s son, Smart said Nix has been around the game all his life and shows an he knows what good decisions look like. It has helped Nix to go six straight games without throwing an interception. He has made 220 pass attempts since his last interception, which was intercepted by Derek Stingley in the LSU game. “I think the dink-and-dunk is the decision making he has, and it gives him the opportunity to not throw picks,” Smart said. “Quarterbacks avoid picks because they don’t throw into situations that are adverse.” Nix isn’t the only part of Auburn’s passing game that presents a threat, although he is the key component in getting the ball to the receivers. Smart spoke highly of Auburn’s receivers, as well. In terms of receiving corps around the SEC, Auburn’s group is very experienced. “Those guys seem like they’ve been playing there forever,” Smart said. “They’ve got a lot of good wideouts, in terms of their skill set on offense.” Junior Seth Williams was the first Smart mentioned, describing him as “one of the best there is.” Williams made six catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns against Kentucky. Both touchdowns were 50/50 balls, but Williams made them look like they were 100 percent his. As a sophomore in 2019, Williams finished with 830 yards on 59 catches for eight touchdowns. Senior Eli Stove, is the most experienced receiver in the room and has “been there forever,” Smart said. Stove finished 2019 with 321 yards on 37 catches and three touchdowns. In the first game of the season, he made four catches for 55 yards and a touchdown. Anthony “Flash” Schwartz’s reputation for speed precedes him. Smart simply described him by saying “and we know how fast Schwartz is.” Schwartz used that speed ton a 23-yard reception that almost put him in the end zone. He finished Saturday with three catches for 40 yards. Last season, despite an injury, he finished as Auburn’s second-leading receiver with 440 yards on 41 catches with one touchdown. Between Nix’s improvement as a quarterback and the talent in the receiving room, Smart is well aware of what challenges his team will be facing when Georgia and Auburn play Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in Athens, Georgia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddc 13,197 Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 Coach speak for we’re gonna make them beat us on the ground! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG 34,754 Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 Gus do you agree with KS assessment about Bo being a dual threat QB? - Reporter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbird 60,939 Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 Smart was taking a shot at Gus' "coach speak" https://www.dawgnation.com/football/georgia-auburn-gus-malzahn-kirby-smart-rivalry-no-love-lost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dual-Threat Rigby 9,046 Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 These two have a far more interesting relationship than Saban/Gus. I love Saban complaining every time and the little digs Gus will throw in reply, but Kirb/Gus have a full on animosity lol just wish that the results were closer like the iron bowl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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