Auburn's Offensive Futility is a Team Effort

When it comes to the mayhem that is currently the Auburn Tigers offense, there are a lot of dirty hands.

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze's offense is last in FBS with 14 turnovers in four games. / John Reed-Imagn Images

Auburn’s incredibly poor offensive performance in the last three weeks has been a team effort as several Auburn players have been responsible for multiple turnovers.

Two weeks ago it was Payton Thorne throwing four interceptions versus Cal. In the Tigers’ 24-14 home loss to Arkansas, it was Hank Brown throwing into coverage for three picks in the first half as Auburn was scoreless going into halftime.

Those interceptions don’t fall at the feet of just the quarterbacks. The offensive line hasn’t been great in pass protection. The receivers have run the wrong routes. Cam Coleman has twice run a slant route only to have the ball ricochet off his outstretched hands and into the hands of a defender.

The running backs have been an issue as well. Both Jarquez Hunter and Damari Alston have fumbled in multiple games. Even Keionte Scott at punt returner has contributed to the turnovers.

Through four games, Auburn has thrown eight interceptions, has fumbled 10 times losing six. After four games, the Tigers rank last of 133 teams with 14 turnovers.

“Unfortunately this (scheme) is what I know,” Freeze said after the game when asked about finding plays the offense can execute. “And I know there’s people open, and I know that we’re running the football. We’ve got to find a guy that won’t throw it to the other team, and we’ve got to find running backs that hold onto it.

“This scheme, it’s what most everyone in the country is running some sort of,” Freeze continued. “You’ve got to have good play at quarterback in whatever system you want to choose.”

Auburn had 173 yards in the first half on just 25 plays because of four turnovers. Brown threw into coverage twice for picks, and another time he missed a slant route to an open Sam Jackson V that would have put Auburn in position to the tie the game at 7-7 in the second quarter. That ball was caught by a Razorback defender as well.

“(Brown) did not play well in the first half, and missed open guys,” Freeze said of his starting QB. “He threw the ball into coverage. In the red zone again, and he double clutches one and floats it over the middle. Obviously we’re not doing a very good job of coaching quarterbacks right now.”

Other than third-and-long situations, the Auburn defense had what could be considered an extremely positive afternoon holding Arkansas to 342 yards on an alarming 83 plays – which were due to the Auburn offense turning the ball over five times, and the defense’s failure to get off the field on third and long countless time.

The Auburn offense had another opportunity late in the first half to tie the game going to the locker room, but Alston fumbled going into the end zone.

“I thought the plan was really good honestly,” Freeze said, “and it didn’t feel like at halftime we needed to change anything. We were effective running it, we were open. I thought we could win some in our empty sets with our receivers.”

Thorne took over in the second half at quarterback. Despite being benched for throwing interceptions against Cal, Freeze had Thorne open the third quarter with seven-straight pass plays. So, let's not gloss over Freeze's part in this play.

Thorne finished the half by being sacked twice and throwing an interception as Auburn could never take a lead in the contest.

Thorne found KeAndre Lambert-Smith for a 67-yard touchdown on a 4th and 3 play to cut the Razorbacks’ lead to 17-14 with around 10 minutes remaining, but that was as close as it could get. The damage had been done to a tired defense, and Arkansas was able to stretch the lead back to 10, and hold on for the 24-14 victory in Jordan-Hare Stadium.