Byrum Brown, Auburn Offense Have Something to Prove Against Southern Miss
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The Auburn Tigers will look to make a statement in week 2 against Southern Miss after a sloppy win in the opening game of the season against the Baylor Bears.
The team won at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta against Baylor, 17-16, but many questions remain about whether the Tigers are ready for SEC play.
With Southern Miss heading to Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first true home game of the season, what type of statement will the offense look to make in front of their home crowd for the first time in the Alex Golesh era?
If Auburn is to get a big lead, will Byrum Brown stay in the game later than expected?
I believe that answer is yes.
After the offense had some obvious issues against Baylor on Saturday, the team will look to make the proper adjustments to make sure they're ready for a big game next Saturday against John Sumrall and the Florida Gators.
Byrum Brown threw three interceptions in the Baylor game and will look to clean that up, as well as the issues among the interior offensive line.
Regardless of the score, I predict Byrum Brown will play well into the third quarter to ensure they're ready for their conference foe.
Speaking of the offense, the running back usage will certainly be something to pay attention to as well, heading into the home opener.
Jeremiah Cobb led the team with the most carries in Week 1, but that might not be the case against Southern Miss. Alex Golesh and offensive coordinator Joel Gordon might look to spread the usage out more to avoid injury and to evaluate the rest of their deep position group.
Players such as Omar Mabson and Bryson Washington had some great snaps against Baylor, especially in the run-blocking department. That doesn't always show up on the score sheet. They could be rewarded for that effort against Southern Miss.
Nikai Davenport and Alvin Henderson could also get in the mix in the backfield in this Week 2 matchup against a group of six opponents. It would likely be the best-case scenario to ensure this backfield's longevity for a full 12-game season.
Southern Miss is 1-0 and is coming off a 49-3 victory over Alcorn State. In the contest, they only allowed 223 total yards, including only 104 rushing yards.
Kickoff for the Week 2 matchup at Jordan-Hare Stadium is set for 6:45 pm Central Time and can be found on SEC Network.
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