11.9.23 Football Articles

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247sports.com

 

Auburn Opponent Preview Arkansas defense

Jason Caldwell

3–4 minutes

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While the numbers might not back it up completely, former Auburn player and assistant coach Travis Williams has the Arkansas defense playing well as the Tigers get ready to face the Razorbacks on Saturday in Fayetteville. Currently 57th nationally in scoring defense, allowing 24.5 points per game, Arkansas has faced one of the toughest schedules in the country with a stretch of BYU, LSU, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Alabama, Mississippi State and Florida leading into the 3 p.m. kickoff on the SEC Network.

With an offense that has been inconsistent at best, leading to the firing of coordinator Dan Enos, the Arkansas defense has kept the team in every game this season with only BYU, LSU and Florida scoring more than 30 points in a game.

The leader of the defense for the Razorbacks is redshirt junior linebacker Raheim Thomas. With 79 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for a loss, Thomas has been a hugely productive part of the defense for Williams. He’s joined in the starting lineup by Chris Paul Jr. He’s second on the team with 54 tackles with a pair of sacks and 5.5 tackles for a loss.

Maybe the key for the Arkansas defense is junior pass rusher Landon Jackson. A monster at 6-7, 281, Jackson leads the team with 5.5 sacks and also has a team-high 11.5 tackles for a loss. On the other end is redshirt senior Trajan Jeffcoat with big men Cam Ball and Eric Gregory in the middle. 

The front seven is a big reason why Arkansas enters Saturday’s game allowing just 129.4 yards per game on the ground. In the last two weeks, the Razorbacks have allowed just 232 yards rushing. For the year they have given up just seven rushing touchdowns.

In the secondary, safeties Jayden Johson and Alfahiym Walcott have been productive for the Razorbacks with 87 combined tackles and two interceptions. The cornerback tandem of Lorando Johnson and Dwight McGlothern have three interceptions and eight pass breakups for a defense that is allowing 210 yards passing per game.

This season the defense has eight total interceptions, but five of those came in wins over Western Carolina and Kent State to open the season. Last week, Florida threw for 282 yards and three touchdowns against the Razorbacks in Gainesville. 

DE 

40 Landon Jackson Jr. // 6-7 // 281 

6 John Morgan III R-Sr. // 6-2 // 270

58 Jashaud Stewart Sr. // 6-2 // 257

DT 

5 Cam Ball R-So. // 6-5 // 319

9 Taurean Carter R-Sr. // 6-3 // 303

93 Keivie Rose R-Sr. // 6-3 // 303

DT 

50 Eric Gregory R-Sr. // 6-4 // 318 

10 Anthony Booker Jr. R-Sr. // 6-4 // 351

DE 

7 Trajan Jeffcoat *R-Sr. // 6-4 // 281

56 Zach Williams *Sr. // 6-4 // 250

LB 

27 Chris Paul Jr. R-So. // 6-1 // 233 

3 Antonio Grier *R-Sr. // 6-1 // 230

-OR- 22 Brad Spence Fr. // 6-2 // 237

LB 

28 Jaheim Thomas R-Jr. // 6-4 // 240

36 Jordan Crook So. // 6-0 // 220

CB 

1 Lorando Johnson R-Jr. // 6-0 // 193 

2 Dwight McGlothern Sr. // 6-2 // 188

25 Kee’yon Stewart R-Sr. // 6-0 // 185

S 

13 Alfahiym Walcott *Sr. // 6-2 // 210

4 Malik Chavis R-Sr. // 6-2 // 194 

S 

8 Jayden Johnson Jr. // 6-2 // 206 

18 TJ Metcalf Fr. // 6-1 // 206

CB 

11 Jaylon Braxton Fr. // 6-0 // 185

15 Jaheim Singletary R-Fr. // 6-2 // 187

24 LaDarrius Bishop *R-Sr. // 6-0 // 183

NB 

17 Hudson Clark R-Sr. // 6-2 // 188

18 TJ Metcalf Fr. // 6-1 // 206

21 Jaylen Lewis R-Fr. // 6-0 // 182

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auburnwire.usatoday.com

 

Auburn Wire goes 'Behind Enemy Lines' ahead of Auburn's game at Arkansas

Taylor Jones

4–5 minutes

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Auburn looks to extend its winning streak to three games on Saturday when it travels to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville to face the Arkansas Razorbacks at 3 p.m. CT on SEC Network.

The Tigers will enter the game with confidence after picking up its second victory in a row last Saturday at Vanderbilt. However, the Razorbacks will enter the game on Saturday with positive vibes as well following their upset win over Florida in overtime.

Prior to the game in Gainesville, Arkansas fired offensive coordinator Dan Enos and called upon Kenny Guiton to fill the vacant seat. Arkansas defeated Florida behind a balanced attack that ended with 481 total yards.

Before the Tigers and Hogs tee it up on Saturday, we sat down with Derek Oxford of Razorbacks Wire to get to know the Razorbacks better. How confident is the team following the win over Florida? How dangerous can Arkansas be with KJ Jefferson and Rocket Sanders at full strength? Is Travis Williams as universally loved in Fayetteville as he is in Auburn? Those questions, and more, are answered in this week’s edition of Behind Enemy Lines.

Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun

Arkansas earned its first win last Saturday at Florida with Kenny Guiton as the new offensive coordinator. Has the fanbase found a new sense of confidence due to the change?

Definitely a feel good moment for the fan base getting the first ever win in Gainesville and the offense actually looking competent after a completely dreadful October offensively. Guiton is the toast of the town this week, but if things regress against Auburn this week, he’ll go from the penthouse to the outhouse quickly.

Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Rocket Sanders also had his first big game of the season after battling injury all season long. How dangerous can this Arkansas offense be with both KJ Jefferson and Rocket Sanders healthy and playing at their highest level?

They were both preseason first-team all-SEC for a reason. They’re hard to bring down, and if Arkansas can actually make the opponent respect the run game, then that just opens things up for KJ through the air.

Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers

Auburn’s defense leads the SEC in created turnovers with 15. How prone is Arkansas’ offense to committing turnovers?

Arkansas has been a little more careless with the football this year than they have been in previous years, but KJ (Jefferson) is usually pretty smart with the ball in his hands. Usually his interceptions come on like a Hail Mary at the end of the half or at the end of the game or if he’s just forcing something to try and make a play.

The Montgomery Advertiser

Last season was a defining game for former Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin, as a loss to Arkansas was officially his last game. What would a loss to Auburn mean for the future of Sam Pittman?

It wouldn’t be the death knell to his tenure (a loss to FIU the following week probably would be), but they haven’t won a home game since Kent State on Sept. 9. This Auburn team is formidable but it’s certainly beatable. He needs to win this game to keep the good vibes going and avoid more players wanting out of their commitments or jumping in the transfer portal.

Photo: Auburn Athletics

Travis Williams is still a beloved figure around the Plains despite being a coordinator for an SEC West rival. What are the vibes around Arkansas surrounding Williams?

Fans are in love with Williams and his staff. He’s made the defense do almost a total 180 from a year ago. His energy and enthusiasm is infectious

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

What is your score prediction?

I’ll go Arkansas 28-24 at home; they take an early lead, let Auburn back in the game and then close it out.

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si.com

 

Auburn's red zone defense is the best they've had in half a decade

Lance Dawe

~2 minutes

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The Auburn Tigers are not statistically dominant in a lot of categories this season.

At 5-4, it would be difficult to imagine that being true. However, we've already seen progress in a lot of areas on the defensive side of the ball in Ron Roberts' first season on the Plains as defensive coordinator. He's really turned things around when it comes to creating turnovers, something that Auburn was awful at last year and has greatly benefitted an otherwise struggling offensive unit.

However, creating turnovers isn't the only thing the Tigers have been good at.

According to CFBstats.com, Auburn's red zone defense is currently No. 1 in the SEC. The Tigers allow opponents to score 75% of the time, which is also good for 19th nationally.

The defense bends, but has not broken consistently this season.

That 75% mark is the best Auburn's defense has boasted since the 2019 season. The one with top ten pick Derrick Brown on it, alongside three other NFL Draft selections. The 2019 defense allowed opponents to score 71.8% of the time.

While Auburn hasn't been extremely dominant in a lot of categories this season, it's promising to see numbers like that, proving parts of the staff are off to great starts on the Plains.

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247sports.com

 

Travis Williams has added motivation in matchup with alma mater

Grant Baker

3–4 minutes

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Arkansas (3-6, 1-5 SEC) hosts Auburn (5-4, 2-4 SEC) this week in a matchup between two teams fighting to secure bowl eligibility. The game will have some added significance for Razorbacks defensive coordinator Travis Williams, who played linebacker for the Tigers from 2001-2005. He also served as a coach for Auburn from 2009-2011 and 2014-2020.

Williams has done a remarkable job improving an Arkansas defense that was last in the country in passing yards allowed a year ago. The Razorbacks went from 124th in total defense last season to 40th this year. With his alma mater coming to town, Williams may have more motivation to have another stellar performance.

“I haven’t sat down and spoke with him specifically about that because I know, you can tell, he’s majorly motivated to do well,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. “We haven’t talked to the kids about it yet. But it’s like anything. When we played Georgia and I came from Georgia, I wanted to do well. I’m sure that’s what he wants.”

Williams’ success at Arkansas and in his previous role as the defensive coordinator at Central Florida has gained him notoriety and respect from his fellow coaches.

“I know of Travis and his reputation,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said. “I think he’s an outstanding recruiter, number one. Then you put on the tape and see how hard his kids are playing defensively and that’s a great testament to his leadership.”

While Williams made several scheme changes to the Arkansas defense, including relying on more four-man fronts, he has undoubtedly managed to get the most out of his players this season.

“Just going out there and putting our best foot forward,” linebacker Chris Paul Jr. said. “If you mess up, go 100%. That’s all he’s looking for, just effort plays, things like that. Always having in the back of your mind why you do the things that you do and why you play the game, why you have so much love for the game and that driving force that keeps you pushing the next play. He’s a very passionate guy about the game, and that type of energy rolls off on the players.”

Even if the game has some added importance, the players have no doubt Williams will have the same focus as every other game this season.

“[Coach Williams] is a more energetic guy in general,” Paul said. “He’s just emphasizing on going 1-0 this week and playing the Arkansas brand of football.”

“Most definitely,” linebacker Jaheim Thomas said. “Just focusing on going 1-0 and bringing that energy and passion every practice and every week so we’re ready for the game.”

Kickoff between the Razorbacks and the Tigers Saturday is scheduled for 3 p.m. (CST), and the game will be televised by SEC Network. The Hogs are 2.5-point favorites.

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si.com

Auburn Secures DeAndre Carter’s Commitment, Pushing For Jamonta Waller

Brian Smith

3–4 minutes

The Auburn Tigers are making an impact with key recruiting targets

To close their 2024 recruiting class, the Auburn Tigers are making a strong push. First, it’s helping to secure an area that has long since been plaguing the program.

Offensive line troubles date back more than five years for Auburn. That’s why not only landing Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei offensive guard DeAndre Carter in the first place – but also seeing him reaffirm his commitment – should help make Hugh Freeze and his staff feel more at ease. Here’s what Carter has on his X page:

It’s not like Texas, Oregon, UCLA, Southern California, and many other schools are going to give up on the 6-foot-4 and 340-pound road grader. He’s a special player and one that could potentially help the Tigers as soon as the 2024 season. Carter is not the only prospect to discuss today either.

After seeing Jamonta Waller play live, let me tell you, there’s a good reason that he has a plethora of SEC offers and beyond like LSU, Ole Miss, Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Penn State, and Tennessee in addition to Auburn and the school he's pledged to, the Florida Gators. A pass rusher with Waller’s unique skills is one thing, but a player who goes all-out play after play is quite another.

Waller’s motor is tremendous! Any coach would happily place that young man on his college football program’s roster and do so with a smile. As for Auburn potentially flipping Waller from Florida, there’s a prime development to monitor.

Which school, Florida or Auburn, does Waller actually visit down the stretch? When I spoke directly with Waller on Oct. 27, he let me know that the Florida State at Florida game would be the next time he would get to Gainesville, if possible. You can read more about Waller's skills directly below:

His Picayune (Miss.) Picayune Memorial team is likely to make a deep playoff run, so traveling is not the easiest thing for him to do on a Saturday.

That being the case, Auburn continues to go hard after this young man. If, and it’s a big if, the Tigers can get Waller to the Iron Bowl, that's a good sign for the Tigers.

There are several other top Auburn targets that Auburn Daily will be monitoring over the course of the next couple of weeks. Of course, there’s the hope that Phenix City (Ala.) Central wide receiver and current Texas A&M commitment Cameron Coleman will be in attendance for the Iron Bowl. He's been to the Plains already this fall.

Plus, there's Birmingham (Ala.) Parker defensive lineman and Alabama commitment Jeremiah Beaman. There's hope that he will be there as well, among other prime targets.

The bottom line, Auburn’s Iron Bowl recruiting visitors list should be elite! Stay locked in right here at Auburn Daily for the latest backstories on recruiting. It's going to be fun to follow from here on out.

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saturdaydownsouth.com

 

Hugh Freeze recalls time at Arkansas State, challenge of facing Arkansas on the road

Ethan Stone | 17 hours ago

3–4 minutes

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Hugh Freeze makes his return to the state of Arkansas this Saturday as his Tigers face off against Sam Pittman and the Razorbacks.

Freeze never coached at Arkansas, but he was the head coach at Arkansas State in 2011 after a stint as OC. He translated that into a HC gig at Ole Miss and the rest is history.

On Wednesday during the SEC’s weekly teleconference, Freeze was asked about his return to Arkansas. Here’s what he had to say:

“Great atmosphere. Obviously I still have a lot of friends in Arkansas from time there at Arkansas State, and I’ve always thought a lot of the people of that state, and then gameday there’s always a challenge for sure. My experience there when I was at Ole Miss was not good, but we had some awful weather, both times and then last year at Liberty we caught a beautiful day, which was helpful for sure. Their kids seem to handle the elements there a little better than ours did back in the day. It’s a good place to play, fun place to play and it’s challenging, but that’s why you really sign up for this deal is to experience places like Arkansas. … I think them having very little margin for error, and them playing well last week makes it a lot more difficult on us. And they’ve got a very mature senior quarterback that I think starts with his leadership, and I think a lot of KJ and again, I think Sam has done a really nice job of holding this team together and I know what it’s like to go through the stretch of games he went through. Man, he’s right there in every game and I think they will be extremely motivated to keep their hopes of postseason alive. I think that just adds to the difficulty of our challenge.”

Freeze and the Tigers face off against an Arkansas squad that had lost 6 straight games before downing Florida last week in overtime.

The Tigers and Razorbacks face off at 4 p.m. on SEC Network Saturday.

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247sports.com

PMARSHONAU Lessons learned early prepared Thorne for life of an SEC QB

Phillip Marshall

6–7 minutes

Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne comes from a football family. His father won a Division III national championship as a head coach in 2019 and finished second in 2021. He played quarterback and later coached quarterbacks. His grandfather was a coach.

So it was that Payton Thorne knew about the life of a college quarterback long before he played at Michigan State and, last summer, moved to Auburn as a graduate transfer.

Jeff Thorne, Payton’s father, didn’t just teach his son proper technique. He taught Payton praise and criticism would come, and he should not let either one distract him.

“Payton has known since the day he started playing quarterback that it is different,” Jeff says. “You are going to get unfair criticism some of the time, and you are going to sometimes get unwarranted praise. He tries to stay level-headed the best he can. He really has done a good job of just falling back on his faith and really trusting what he is doing on a daily basis, trusting what the coaches are doing and trying to execute the best he can.”

That’s easy to say, but not so easy to do in this day of anonymous social media warriors. During Auburn’s four-game losing streak and even before, Payton became a favorite target on X (formerly known as Twitter) and message boards.

“You try to steer clear of it the best you can, but some of it is almost unavoidable,” Jeff says. “What I am able to do that might be different than others, I have been a coach for 21 years, I played the position, I coached quarterbacks. I have a different vantage point than maybe some others because I often know what is supposed to happen when maybe others don’t know what is supposed to happen. And then, obviously, I get to talk to the quarterback when all is said and done.”

Payton echoes his father’s words. Criticism or praise, he says, can’t affect the way he works and the way he prepares.

“Obviously you don't ever like to hear it, but that is human nature,” Payton says. “You don't want people talking bad about you or what you're doing. But I'm an older guy who's played a lot of games now and been through winning and losing. I've had practice with criticism, and I'm thankful for growing up with a strong support system and good parenting.

“It goes with the position. When you're doing good sometimes you get more praise than you deserve, and sometimes you're getting more blame than you deserve. You do your best not to listen to it and just keep working with the guys that matter.”

There isn’t so much criticism these days. Auburn has won its last two games. Payton has played well. But Payton and his family were sold on Auburn from the start.

“He loves Auburn,” Jeff says. “We do, too. It is an awesome place. Our family is really enjoying it.”

 Through the first six games, Payton got most of the snaps but shared time with backup Robby Ashford. After starting 3-0 against overmatched opponents, Auburn lost to Texas A&M, Georgia, LSU and Ole Miss. The past two Saturdays Auburn has beaten Mississippi State 27-13 and Vanderbilt 31-15. Payton played every snap at quarterback last Saturday at Vanderbilt and all but three snaps against Mississippi State.

“It’s been really fun to see the team have success the last couple of weeks.” Jeff says. “It’s been a frustrating year, I think, for everybody. That’s not just the quarterback. I am sure the entire offense has been frustrated, the coaches have been frustrated. I would imagine the defense has been frustrated because they have been playing so well.

“I think that’s common when so many new pieces were coming together. Payton wasn’t there for spring. Neither were three of the receivers. A lot of coaches haven’t coached together before. There is a little bit of a feeling out process, and they didn’t have a lot of time to do that. It’s been really, really encouraging to see the last couple of weeks.”

Payton’s numbers have not ever been as bad as they have been perceived in some quarters to be. For the season, he has completed 117-of-183 passes, 63.93 percent for 1,269 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has thrown six interceptions. Auburn’s turnaround has coincided with head coach Hugh Freeze’s decision to play more uptempo offense.

“Some of the tempo, some of the things they are trying to do that they weren’t doing earlier in the year have helped,” Jeff says. “I think a lot of it is his comfort level with receivers and their comfort level with him. It takes time. It takes thousands of reps. We are really proud of him for a multitude of reasons.”

A number not many likely expected is Payton’s 81 carries for 337 yards. He has actually gained 442 yards, but has 105 yards in losses, mostly on sacks. That comes as no surprise to his father. Payton was a draft prospect as a baseball player and a 3-point ace in basketball.

“He’s a lot more athletic than people give him credit for,” Jeff says.

Jeff could chuckle three days later about the pick-six Payton threw out of his own end zone against Vanderbilt. “I saw the ball kind of float, and I knew he didn’t see the (defender),” Jeff says. But Jeff saw what he’s frequently seen when Payton has met misfortune.

“One thing that has always blown me away is his ability to snap back from a bad play like that,” Jeff says, remembering instances at Michigan State. “You have to be able to put it behind you, and he has done that.”

Auburn goes on the road to Arkansas Saturday in search of its third consecutive victory. And that’s what Jeff wants most of all.

“We really want to finish this year strong,” Jeff says. “It’s going to be a tough game, but if we win it, these last three games with the Iron Bowl are going to be lots of fun.”

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you were talking about smoking butts salty? i thought you would reserve that for the political boards............grins.

[Mikey 16,781]

1 hour ago, aubiefifty said:

Fans are in love with Williams and his staff. He’s made the defense do almost a total 180 from a year ago. His energy and enthusiasm is infectious

Wait a minute! This cannot be! Just a couple of seasons ago we had "insiders" here saying Williams was only a figurehead as the UCF DC and somebody else was running the defense. Now Williams has been hired as DC at Arkansas and is successful. Somebody swung and missed with their dissin' of Travis Williams.

[augolf1716 21,969]

For a comparison

2023

				Passing					Rushing				Total Offense			First Downs				Penalties		Turnovers
Rk	School	G	Pts	Cmp	Att	Pct	Yds	TD	Att	Yds	Avg	TD	Plays	Yds	Avg	Pass	Rush	Pen	Tot	No.	Yds	Fum	Int	TO
1	Georgia	9	15.4	18.8	33.4	56.1	182.2	1.2	26.8	100.0	3.7	0.8	60.2	282.2	4.7	8.6	5.9	1.1	15.6	5.4	40.2	0.1	1.2	1.3
2	Alabama	9	17.8	19.3	32.0	60.4	205.9	1.3	34.0	119.6	3.5	0.7	66.0	325.4	4.9	8.6	7.1	1.4	17.1	5.7	44.0	0.3	0.9	1.2
3	Tennessee	9	18.4	21.9	33.6	65.2	222.2	0.9	34.0	97.3	2.9	1.0	67.6	319.6	4.7	9.7	5.3	2.6	17.6	5.3	37.1	0.4	1.0	1.4
4	Texas A&M	9	21.6	15.2	26.2	58.1	196.9	1.4	33.7	100.0	3.0	0.6	59.9	296.9	5.0	8.4	5.6	1.6	15.6	8.7	74.3	0.3	0.4	0.8
5	Auburn	9	21.7	17.2	29.0	59.4	202.8	1.2	35.3	154.2	4.4	1.3	64.3	357.0	5.5	8.3	8.0	0.8	17.1	6.6	52.8	0.4	1.2	1.7
6	Kentucky	9	22.3	22.4	33.8	66.4	236.4	1.4	32.9	110.8	3.4	1.0	66.7	347.2	5.2	11.1	6.9	1.8	19.8	6.8	58.6	0.4	0.9	1.3
7	Ole Miss	9	22.9	20.0	31.9	62.7	228.4	1.3	39.9	137.2	3.4	1.4	71.8	365.7	5.1	10.4	8.3	1.7	20.4	5.7	43.9	0.4	1.1	1.6
8	Missouri	9	24.0	20.7	33.3	62.0	229.1	2.0	31.6	114.3	3.6	0.6	64.9	343.4	5.3	10.1	7.0	1.9	19.0	7.1	58.7	0.1	0.8	0.9
9	Arkansas	9	24.3	16.3	26.7	61.3	210.3	1.8	35.1	129.4	3.7	0.8	61.8	339.8	5.5	9.0	7.1	2.0	18.1	5.7	44.2	0.6	0.9	1.4
10	Florida	9	24.7	16.2	26.4	61.3	209.2	1.6	32.0	141.2	4.4	1.3	58.4	350.4	6.0	8.6	6.7	1.4	16.7	5.8	45.2	0.3	0.3	0.7
11	Mississippi State	9	25.7	21.7	30.2	71.7	229.9	1.8	34.9	132.1	3.8	1.1	65.1	362.0	5.6	9.7	7.0	1.6	18.2	5.6	46.1	0.4	0.7	1.1
12	LSU	9	28.2	18.2	30.4	59.9	236.3	1.8	34.9	171.1	4.9	1.8	65.3	407.4	6.2	10.1	9.4	1.1	20.7	7.6	61.6	0.2	1.0	1.2
13	South Carolina	9	31.1	22.2	34.7	64.1	286.7	1.6	38.6	146.9	3.8	2.0	73.2	433.6	5.9	11.9	9.2	1.3	22.4	5.8	47.6	0.3	0.9	1.2
14	Vanderbilt	10	33.9	23.1	33.8	68.3	255.5	1.9	35.7	180.0	5.0	1.8	69.5	435.5	6.3	11.5	8.7	1.5	21.7	7.1	59.4	0.3	1.1	1.4

 

 

2022

Passing					Rushing				Total Offense			First Downs				Penalties		Turnovers
Rk	School	G	Pts	Cmp	Att	Pct	Yds	TD	Att	Yds	Avg	TD	Plays	Yds	Avg	Pass	Rush	Pen	Tot	No.	Yds	Fum	Int	TO
1	Georgia	15	14.3	19.6	34.1	57.5	219.7	1.0	26.7	77.1	2.9	0.5	60.8	296.8	4.9	9.4	4.5	1.6	15.5	5.5	40.8	0.5	0.8	1.3
2	Alabama	13	18.2	18.3	33.4	54.8	187.8	0.9	35.9	130.4	3.6	1.2	69.3	318.2	4.6	8.8	7.2	2.6	18.5	6.7	51.0	0.5	0.5	1.1
3	Kentucky	13	19.2	15.8	26.7	59.4	170.8	0.8	33.3	140.6	4.2	1.2	60.0	311.4	5.2	7.5	6.6	1.0	15.2	5.7	49.5	0.5	0.8	1.3
4	Texas A&M	12	21.2	15.3	27.3	56.3	156.2	1.3	43.3	208.8	4.8	1.1	70.6	365.0	5.2	7.9	10.8	2.1	20.8	7.0	60.9	1.0	0.3	1.3
5	LSU	14	22.5	16.9	30.2	55.8	206.2	1.2	36.2	148.4	4.1	1.3	66.4	354.6	5.3	9.1	8.4	1.4	18.9	5.9	56.4	0.8	0.6	1.4
6	Tennessee	13	22.8	25.6	40.9	62.6	289.5	1.6	35.3	115.8	3.3	1.2	76.2	405.3	5.3	13.7	7.4	2.5	23.6	8.5	67.4	0.8	0.8	1.6
7	Mississippi State	13	23.1	19.5	32.5	59.8	210.3	1.2	34.3	134.2	3.9	1.5	66.8	344.5	5.2	8.5	7.4	2.5	18.4	6.5	49.5	0.7	1.1	1.8
8	Missouri	13	25.2	18.1	30.3	59.6	214.4	1.4	34.4	125.5	3.7	1.5	64.7	339.9	5.3	8.9	7.5	2.2	18.6	5.4	42.5	0.5	0.8	1.4
9	Ole Miss	13	25.5	21.1	33.2	63.6	219.8	1.7	39.7	168.0	4.2	1.4	72.8	387.8	5.3	9.8	9.6	1.8	21.3	5.9	47.1	0.9	0.6	1.5
10	Florida	13	28.8	18.5	30.5	60.6	235.8	1.3	39.0	175.2	4.5	2.2	69.5	411.0	5.9	10.8	10.4	1.6	22.8	5.6	44.4	1.2	0.7	1.8
11	South Carolina	13	28.8	16.7	31.1	53.7	206.7	1.8	40.2	198.0	4.9	1.8	71.2	404.7	5.7	9.4	10.7	2.4	22.5	6.5	54.0	0.6	1.2	1.8
12	Auburn	12	29.5	19.8	34.3	57.8	222.7	1.3	37.3	172.7	4.6	2.3	71.6	395.3	5.5	10.0	9.1	1.4	20.5	7.6	58.3	0.6	0.5	1.1
13	Arkansas	13	30.6	21.2	34.5	61.2	294.7	1.8	37.5	170.5	4.6	2.0	72.0	465.2	6.5	12.0	8.6	2.1	22.7	7.2	59.0	0.7	0.7	1.4
14	Vanderbilt	12	36.0	21.4	33.3	64.4	290.5	2.4	33.1	170.8	5.2	2.1	66.3	461.3	7.0	12.1	7.5	1.8	21.3	6.0	54.8	0

 

[bigbird 60,940]

6 minutes ago, augolf1716 said:

For a comparison

2023

				Passing					Rushing				Total Offense			First Downs				Penalties		Turnovers
Rk	School	G	Pts	Cmp	Att	Pct	Yds	TD	Att	Yds	Avg	TD	Plays	Yds	Avg	Pass	Rush	Pen	Tot	No.	Yds	Fum	Int	TO
1	Georgia	9	15.4	18.8	33.4	56.1	182.2	1.2	26.8	100.0	3.7	0.8	60.2	282.2	4.7	8.6	5.9	1.1	15.6	5.4	40.2	0.1	1.2	1.3
2	Alabama	9	17.8	19.3	32.0	60.4	205.9	1.3	34.0	119.6	3.5	0.7	66.0	325.4	4.9	8.6	7.1	1.4	17.1	5.7	44.0	0.3	0.9	1.2
3	Tennessee	9	18.4	21.9	33.6	65.2	222.2	0.9	34.0	97.3	2.9	1.0	67.6	319.6	4.7	9.7	5.3	2.6	17.6	5.3	37.1	0.4	1.0	1.4
4	Texas A&M	9	21.6	15.2	26.2	58.1	196.9	1.4	33.7	100.0	3.0	0.6	59.9	296.9	5.0	8.4	5.6	1.6	15.6	8.7	74.3	0.3	0.4	0.8
5	Auburn	9	21.7	17.2	29.0	59.4	202.8	1.2	35.3	154.2	4.4	1.3	64.3	357.0	5.5	8.3	8.0	0.8	17.1	6.6	52.8	0.4	1.2	1.7
6	Kentucky	9	22.3	22.4	33.8	66.4	236.4	1.4	32.9	110.8	3.4	1.0	66.7	347.2	5.2	11.1	6.9	1.8	19.8	6.8	58.6	0.4	0.9	1.3
7	Ole Miss	9	22.9	20.0	31.9	62.7	228.4	1.3	39.9	137.2	3.4	1.4	71.8	365.7	5.1	10.4	8.3	1.7	20.4	5.7	43.9	0.4	1.1	1.6
8	Missouri	9	24.0	20.7	33.3	62.0	229.1	2.0	31.6	114.3	3.6	0.6	64.9	343.4	5.3	10.1	7.0	1.9	19.0	7.1	58.7	0.1	0.8	0.9
9	Arkansas	9	24.3	16.3	26.7	61.3	210.3	1.8	35.1	129.4	3.7	0.8	61.8	339.8	5.5	9.0	7.1	2.0	18.1	5.7	44.2	0.6	0.9	1.4
10	Florida	9	24.7	16.2	26.4	61.3	209.2	1.6	32.0	141.2	4.4	1.3	58.4	350.4	6.0	8.6	6.7	1.4	16.7	5.8	45.2	0.3	0.3	0.7
11	Mississippi State	9	25.7	21.7	30.2	71.7	229.9	1.8	34.9	132.1	3.8	1.1	65.1	362.0	5.6	9.7	7.0	1.6	18.2	5.6	46.1	0.4	0.7	1.1
12	LSU	9	28.2	18.2	30.4	59.9	236.3	1.8	34.9	171.1	4.9	1.8	65.3	407.4	6.2	10.1	9.4	1.1	20.7	7.6	61.6	0.2	1.0	1.2
13	South Carolina	9	31.1	22.2	34.7	64.1	286.7	1.6	38.6	146.9	3.8	2.0	73.2	433.6	5.9	11.9	9.2	1.3	22.4	5.8	47.6	0.3	0.9	1.2
14	Vanderbilt	10	33.9	23.1	33.8	68.3	255.5	1.9	35.7	180.0	5.0	1.8	69.5	435.5	6.3	11.5	8.7	1.5	21.7	7.1	59.4	0.3	1.1	1.4

 

 

2022

Passing					Rushing				Total Offense			First Downs				Penalties		Turnovers
Rk	School	G	Pts	Cmp	Att	Pct	Yds	TD	Att	Yds	Avg	TD	Plays	Yds	Avg	Pass	Rush	Pen	Tot	No.	Yds	Fum	Int	TO
1	Georgia	15	14.3	19.6	34.1	57.5	219.7	1.0	26.7	77.1	2.9	0.5	60.8	296.8	4.9	9.4	4.5	1.6	15.5	5.5	40.8	0.5	0.8	1.3
2	Alabama	13	18.2	18.3	33.4	54.8	187.8	0.9	35.9	130.4	3.6	1.2	69.3	318.2	4.6	8.8	7.2	2.6	18.5	6.7	51.0	0.5	0.5	1.1
3	Kentucky	13	19.2	15.8	26.7	59.4	170.8	0.8	33.3	140.6	4.2	1.2	60.0	311.4	5.2	7.5	6.6	1.0	15.2	5.7	49.5	0.5	0.8	1.3
4	Texas A&M	12	21.2	15.3	27.3	56.3	156.2	1.3	43.3	208.8	4.8	1.1	70.6	365.0	5.2	7.9	10.8	2.1	20.8	7.0	60.9	1.0	0.3	1.3
5	LSU	14	22.5	16.9	30.2	55.8	206.2	1.2	36.2	148.4	4.1	1.3	66.4	354.6	5.3	9.1	8.4	1.4	18.9	5.9	56.4	0.8	0.6	1.4
6	Tennessee	13	22.8	25.6	40.9	62.6	289.5	1.6	35.3	115.8	3.3	1.2	76.2	405.3	5.3	13.7	7.4	2.5	23.6	8.5	67.4	0.8	0.8	1.6
7	Mississippi State	13	23.1	19.5	32.5	59.8	210.3	1.2	34.3	134.2	3.9	1.5	66.8	344.5	5.2	8.5	7.4	2.5	18.4	6.5	49.5	0.7	1.1	1.8
8	Missouri	13	25.2	18.1	30.3	59.6	214.4	1.4	34.4	125.5	3.7	1.5	64.7	339.9	5.3	8.9	7.5	2.2	18.6	5.4	42.5	0.5	0.8	1.4
9	Ole Miss	13	25.5	21.1	33.2	63.6	219.8	1.7	39.7	168.0	4.2	1.4	72.8	387.8	5.3	9.8	9.6	1.8	21.3	5.9	47.1	0.9	0.6	1.5
10	Florida	13	28.8	18.5	30.5	60.6	235.8	1.3	39.0	175.2	4.5	2.2	69.5	411.0	5.9	10.8	10.4	1.6	22.8	5.6	44.4	1.2	0.7	1.8
11	South Carolina	13	28.8	16.7	31.1	53.7	206.7	1.8	40.2	198.0	4.9	1.8	71.2	404.7	5.7	9.4	10.7	2.4	22.5	6.5	54.0	0.6	1.2	1.8
12	Auburn	12	29.5	19.8	34.3	57.8	222.7	1.3	37.3	172.7	4.6	2.3	71.6	395.3	5.5	10.0	9.1	1.4	20.5	7.6	58.3	0.6	0.5	1.1
13	Arkansas	13	30.6	21.2	34.5	61.2	294.7	1.8	37.5	170.5	4.6	2.0	72.0	465.2	6.5	12.0	8.6	2.1	22.7	7.2	59.0	0.7	0.7	1.4
14	Vanderbilt	12	36.0	21.4	33.3	64.4	290.5	2.4	33.1	170.8	5.2	2.1	66.3	461.3	7.0	12.1	7.5	1.8	21.3	6.0	54.8	0

 

Crystal clear

[Swamp Eagle 5,282]

I’m more afraid of our offense than their defense, honestly. I hope the last two games have given them some confidence.

[aucanucktiger 1,892]

It's mid November, papa Thorne's line re Payton, 3 WRs & this staff still learning each other has sailed.