Auburn Tigers Benefiting From Overcoming Adversity

The Auburn Tigers will benefit in the long run from the adversity experienced and the number of freshmen taking snaps

The latest win for Auburn was satisfying after weeks of heartache / John Reed-Imagn Images

From the coaches to the players, the Auburn Tigers are enjoying its return to the win column. The Tigers overcame adversity to get the job done, but ultimately found a way to come out on top.

Veteran linebacker Eugene Asante is aware of the effect winning games has on a program that involves so many people, both directly and indirectly.

“It’s a good feeling to come back off a win,” Asante said. “When you go through struggles, you lose, you’re going through growing pains, you’re going through the valley, you’re just trying to remember how it is to win. We got that feeling back and I know it brought joy to a lot of people.”

Auburn has been heavily reliant on freshmen this season, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. These freshmen include Jay Crawford, Kaleb Harris, Kensley Louidor-Faustin, Demarcus Riddick and more.

Asante has been pleased with what he has seen from this group of young players and believes the future of Auburn’s defense could be bright as they continue to grow and mature as players.

“I’ve actually never experienced being out there with that many freshmen, but it shows how much trust our coaches have in our freshmen,” Asante said. “They’re talented young guys, they work hard, they carry themselves like pros. My brain doesn’t really comprehend it.”

Riddick has earned the respect of the veterans in Auburn’s linebacker room and Asante is no exception. Riddick’s ability to perform on the field and execute in the mental areas of the game resemble an older player more than a freshman. Asante believes Riddick has a lot of potential.

“He is super talented,” Asante said. “I wasn’t as talented as him coming in. The things he can do, running, jumping, flying around. Just understanding the mental component of football… being able to diagnose plays, the sky is the limit for Demarcus.”