It will be Happy Hour for LSU at kickoff and throughout at Auburn
AUBURN, Alabama – It’s always five o’clock somewhere, and on Saturday it will be 5 p.m. when No. 17 LSU and Auburn kick off at Jordan-Hare Stadium on ESPN.
In this “Buyout Bowl” between LSU coach Les Miles ($6.4 million as of the end of 2016) and Auburn coach Gus Malzahn ($8.95 million as of the end of 2016), the winner will survive to enjoy happy hour for another week. And the loser will move closer to midnight in the garden of good wins and evil losses.
Meanwhile, the losing program’s firing squad of boosters, board members, bean counters and deep throats can begin moving that much more quickly toward the first round coach choice and perhaps rent that condo near the University of Houston, start looking into leasing a Brink’s truck and start wishful thinking, "Can Bobby Petrino and Art Briles be all that bad?"
Here are five bottom line items to consider as LSU and Auburn compare coaching hot seats.
1.THE QUARTERBACKS: When was the last time you read the following sentence? “LSU has the quarterback advantage.” Well, that’s too long.
Since Nick Marshall left Auburn after the 2014 season, Malzahn, the coach formerly known as a quarterback guru, has made even Miles look like the Quarterback Whisperer. Sophomore Sean White will start, but junior college transfer John Franklin III will have his helmet on. Neither have looked very good. And if they continue that way, true freshman Woody Barrett may be next man up with Louisiana-Monroe next week as a good starting point for a new starter.
While Miles missed on Dak Prescott in 2011 out of Haughton near Shreveport, Malzahn has done him two better. He passed on Louisville sophomore quarterback/Heisman favorite Lamar Jackson and on junior college transfer quarterback Jerod Evans at Virginia Tech the last two years.
Meanwhile, Danny Etling has looked better quicker than any new LSU quarterback since redshirt freshman Jarrett Lee came off the bench at Auburn on September 20, 2008, to complete 11 of 22 for 182 yards and two touchdowns, including the game winner of 18 yards to Brandon LaFell with 1:03 left for the 26-21 win. Etling, considering his starting experience at Purdue in 2013 and ’14, should fare much better the rest of the way than did Lee. Etling – so far – has looked much more like fellow former Purdue quarterback Drew Brees, particularly nimbly stepping to and fro in the pocket for more time, than a deer in headlights.
2.LSU TAILBACK LEONARD FOURNETTE: Ah, Auburn. To the junior tailback, Auburn must seem like his first girl – a career high (at the time) 228 yards and three touchdowns in LSU’s 45-21 win in Tiger Stadium on CBS last season in his first true breakout game. There were a plethora of Heisman moments such as his 71-yard touchdown on the first play of the game and his over the shoulder toss of Auburn safety Tray Matthews as if he was a load of laundry. Auburn has a new defensive coordinator in Kevin Steele, formerly of LSU, but many of the same would-be Fournette tacklers, such as Matthews. Auburn is ninth in the SEC in rush defense with 149 yards allowed a game. It finished 11th last season with 182.7 yards allowed a game. Fournette is as healthy as he has been all season as his ankle injuries appear to be behind him. If he can put his sudden fumble issues of last week behind him, he could have another great date.
3. AUBURN DEFENSIVE END CARL LAWSON: He missed the LSU game last season with a hip injury, and he was missed. Probably Auburn’s best defensive player will be a force to deal with for LSU offensive tackles K.J. Malone on the left side and Maea Teuhema, who is expected to start at right tackle for the injured Toby Weathersby (foot, ankle).
4. AUBURN RUN GAME: Auburn enters this game No. 1 in the SEC in rush offense with 261.7 yards a game, which is 24 yards more than No. 2 rushing team Texas A&M. Sophomore running backs Kerryon Johnson and Kamryn Pettway are sixth and seventh in the SEC in rushing with more than 90 yards a game. But Auburn’s passing game, which is No. 10 in the SEC with 194 yards a game, is so average that LSU can focus on the run and dare Auburn to pass. When was the last time you read that sentence about an LSU opponent instead of about LSU? LSU’s defensive line has played well this season, particularly nose guard Travonte Valentine and end Arden Key, who is second in the nation in sacks with five. Big game for first-year LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, who has been solid so far, but he needs a breakout game. It could be Saturday night.
5. DBU WHERE ARE YOU? News Flash! LSU has not been DBU in some time. The Tigers finished No. 12 in the SEC in pass defense last season. They are fifth now, but should be better considering the talent we keep hearing about. Safety Jamal Adams and cornerback Kevin Toliver II, for example, need to catch up with cornerbacks Tre’Davious White and Donte Jackson. Considering that Auburn’s quarterback position is a dumpster fire as large as the one that burned down the barn behind Jordan-Hare 20 years ago Wednesday, there should be some opportunities.
PREDICTION: LSU puts it all together for four quarters passing, running and defensively for a comfortable 27-13 win.
