AUBURN | Danger, SEC defenses! Tank Bigsby is back and he’s coming right after you in Auburn’s new offense.
“We’ll be going more downhill than we went last year, so, it will be different,” the running back said on Saturday. “I’m excited about Coach Bobo and I’m excited to work with him.”
The mere thought of the 6-foot, 208-pound Bigsby taking on even more tacklers like we saw last season can be mesmerizing as he repeatedly put defenders on the ground and earned key extra yards. After working himself up the depth chart and breaking out with 146 rushing yards on 20 attempts in the Week 3 victory against Arkansas, all signs pointed toward a special back.
Bigsby, who fought an injury toward the latter part of the season, finished with 834 yards and five scores in 10 games. Now, he’s ready to take a major leap forward and is already feeling more relaxed even with the coaching change and brand new offense.
“Knowing how everything is going to be. Knowing the system and everything, it’s making it a lot easier," Bigsby said. "It makes it way easier than it was last year.”
Let’s not forget that things were anything but normal last season with no spring practice, the delay of the season and a camp that was unusual. The LaGrange, Ga., native expects a return to a regular fall camp to be a huge difference for the Tigers.
“Camp is a lot different because we really didn’t have a camp last year so this camp gets you ready, the work and effort we put in, everything we’ve been doing, so I feel like this camp will get us ready for a big season.”
With all of the success he had last year, there's a lot of hype surrounding what he can accomplish in Year 2. Already named to multiple preseason All-SEC teams, Bigsby is considered one of the top returning backs in the nation.
Don’t expect the praise to get to his head, though.
“I really don’t pay attention to it and all that social media stuff,” Bigsby said. “I never really paid attention to it growing up, even when it was all that ranking stuff. It’s good to be on lists and stuff and it’s a blessing, but I feel like you hype yourself up when you get on the field and if you love doing it you’re gonna do what you’re gonna do.”
Hype? Yes, his position coach Cadillac Williams is definitely familiar with it. He, too, was slotted as one of the best backs in college football coming into his sophomore season in 2002, so Bigsby is paying close attention to his counsel.
“He tells me all the time — it’s all about the game, all about what you do on the field, Bigsby said. "(Hype) is not going to get you where you’re trying to go and to your main goal. Just handle your business on the field and off the field. They keep it on me and I appreciate him for that.”
His partner in Auburn’s backfield, Shaun Shivers, has been impressed with Bigsby's maturation.
“He's a really, really good football player, and he has improved. He grew up," Shivers said. "He's looking way better than he looked last year. I think this offense is really good for him, too, because now we'll be getting him downhill. He's one cut and go."
A more experienced, relaxed and confident Bigsby running downhill?
Good luck, defenses.
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