One of Auburn's standout athletes on offense was noticeably omitted from the Tigers' first official depth chart of the season Tuesday.
Harold Joiner's name did not appear in the four-man running back rotation. Gus Malzahn still expects the redshirt sophomore tailback to compete for carries in the backfield during Auburn's 2020 campaign, but he hinted that Joiner's contributions may derive more from a role carved out distinctly for his skill set.
"Harold did some good things during fall camp, and he'll have a role," Malzahn said Tuesday. "But it will be a little bit more specific role as we go. And here's the deal, too: We feel like we've got five guys at the running back position that can all help. He is one of those guys that does have experience. And he's made some big plays in games. So you'll still see Harold Joiner out there some, too."
A 6-foot-4, 231-pound mismatch opportunity out of Birmingham, Joiner tallied 18 total touches, 222 yards and two touchdowns from scrimmage last year in his redshirt freshman season.
He was one of Auburn's most efficient offensive weapons, racking up a 12.3 yards-per-touch average — second on the roster only to No. 1 receiver Seth Williams' 14.1 yards per reception.
Much of those numbers are due to his 78-yard reception against Ole Miss — good for the Tigers' longest offensive play of the season. Joiner also busted free for a 28-yard catch in the season opener against Oregon and a 32-yard touchdown run later in the year against Arkansas.
Malzahn has also trusted Joiner in pressure-packed situations. He was the target of Bo Nix's errant throw on fourth-and-2 against Georgia last season while the Tigers were driving down the field, down just one score.
Joiner's opportunities in Auburn's offense have increased over his first two years. So what will it take to keep that trend going in his first season working under new offensive coordinator Chad Morris, competing against a host of other skill talent?
Morris loves to utilize running backs as pass-catchers in his offenses, so a history of success in that department would logically bode well for Joiner's versatility. Now it's just a matter of getting him on the field.
“Harold is a young man that has great hands," Morris said. "Great hands coming out of the backfield. He’s done some good things. You see flashes with him. You just want the consistency with him. That’s what I have been asking of him. We need more being consistent in our approach every day, but there are flashes there.
"He’s extremely talented. An opportunity to get him and get him space, the guy has tremendous hands.”
Auburn begins the first year of Morris running the show on offense Saturday against Kentucky at 11 a.m. CST on SEC Network.
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