If there's ever been a perfect set up for a 'trap game,' this is it. Auburn is coming off an emotional win on a national stage led by a true freshman quarterback. Tulane is coming off a confidence-building thumping of FIU led by a senior quarterback looking to make a mark and earn his (warranted) national and potential NFL recognition.
Senior quarterback Justin McMillan operates new offensive coordinator Will Hall's up-tempo spread offense with dangerous efficiency.
Tulane uses pace that would please the 2007 version of Gus Malzahn, all the while using the entire width of the field to spread and challenge defenses. McMillan, an LSU transfer, is a capable runner and patient, accurate passer. He carries out excellent play fakes; play action is a huge part of the Green Wave's approach.
McMillan also throws great back-shoulder balls against man coverage.
The Green Wave will use a trio of running backs, often two at a time in two-back sets. Sophomore Amare Jones is a multi-tool type player who can work out of the backfield or on the perimeter. He'll touch the ball in a number of ways and has SEC-caliber quicks.
Darius Bradwell is the big back who will get the between-the-tackles touches; a returning 1,000-yard rusher and a horse at 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds. Redshirt senior Corey Dauphine got the bulk of the red-zone work in week one.
The receiving corps is led by sticky-fingered Jalen McClesky and Darnell Mooney, who finished with 993 yards and eight touchdowns last season. The receiving corps is small in stature and lacks elite speed, but they understand how to run routes. Tight end Will Wallace will work from the backfield and beyond — he's more of a receiver than an on-the-line blocker.
The Green Wave offensive line is small-ish. Only two starters tip the scales at 300 pounds or more. Transfer center Christian Montano, who started three full seasons at Brown, is considered the group's anchor and best overall player. While relatively small, the line moves a lot in a more gap focused run scheme that employs a lot of counter, power and guard-trap runs.
Tulane led their conference and were eighth in the nation in sacks last season. It's easy to see why: Edge rusher Patrick Johnson is a preseason First Team All-Conference selection and combines a great burst with good bend and pursuit. All four DL starters from last season return.
The Green Wave's hybrid, 4-2/3-3 defense is driven by linebackers Lawrence Graham and Marvin Moody. They are asked to do a lot and challenged with some complicated run fits to acclimate to a moving and aggressive defensive front.
Thakarius Keyes is the unquestioned star of the secondary after breaking up eleven passes in ten starts last season. Keyes is a long, prototype corner who can play with most anyone's best receiver. His counterpart corner, Willis Langham, fits the same physical profile but has yet to display the same ball skills.
The Green Wave will blend coverage frequently — zone-dropping behind pressures on one side of the field while locking up in man (with Keyes) on the backside.
Kicker Marek Glover has never made a field goal over 40 yards in his career. Conversely punter Ryan Wright is one of the nation's best coming off a year netting 44 yards per punt. Amare Jones could prove dangerous as a threat in the return game.
• With a ton of play actions and RPOs expected from the Tulane offense, Auburn needs to use its superior athleticism to dictate where the ball can go.
• When Tulane is in '20' personnel (two-back sets), they are a heavy percentage play-action team. Bring heavy pressure to those sets and force the backfield action to speed up and you can create turnovers and tackles for loss that kill drives.
• On first downs and second downs longer than seven yards in single-back sets, expect RPOs. Stunt/collapse the front and force a pass read or man up and bring pressure to convolute the read making the QB indecisive or slow to release. With a smaller front, the Tulane OL won't afford McMillan much time.
• Tulane's defensive front will attempt to do a lot of what Oregon did — slant/move to challenge blocking angles and assignment integrity. Using an H-back to set the edge and simplifying the OL's job into primarily down-blocking will alleviate a lot of confusion on run-downs. With a mobile QB, slide protection that focuses on a gap to a single side rather than an individual can do the same for the Tigers.
Christian Tutt (AU nickel) vs. Tulane's slot players
Tutt put on a clinic during the second half versus Oregon. He'll be challenged by Jones and McClesky, who must have big games for Tulane to have a chance. They've shown several double-move route concepts from the inside receiver spots that require a lot discipline to cover — as well as fast screens in space. Tutt will need to be a boss again.
Tulane LT Tyler Johnson vs. Nick Coe.
You can't scheme physics — and this is one matchup where the physics should weigh heavy into Auburn's favor. With as much play action as Tulane likes to run, Johnson will have his hands full all night trying to block AU's uber-athlete on the edge.
Nick Coe for the reason mentioned above. Coe himself could force a couple of turnovers and swing the momentum in AU's favor.
Boobie Whitlow will build off of his big game finish last weekend. The AU OL needs to punch Tulane in the mouth with some SEC force. This team won't have the speed to run down Whitlow on the cutbacks like Oregon did.
This won't be an easy out for Auburn. If it was an 11 o'clock kickoff, I'd be quite worried. Tulane has some talent and a very challenging offensive scheme. This game will be closer than fans want it to be, though the AU defensive front shouldn't allow Tulane the time, nor the AU secondary allow Tulane the space, to operate their fast-paced, field-stretching offense. The Green Wave defense isn't deep and can't afford to be on the field for a long time.
Tulane hasn't beaten a ranked team since 1984. That won't change this week.
Auburn 35, Tulane 14.
