As the 2026 Auburn football season approaches, there are plenty of questions about the Tigers. That is always the case when a new head coach takes over a program.
The Auburn defense should look like it has with D.J. Durkin returning to run that side of the ball. The offense should be intriguing, as USF produced one of the top offenses in the nation last season. Newly hired Alex Golesh brings his offensive coordinator, Joel Gordon, to the Plains, along with other coaches and players from South Florida, hoping to produce similar results.
For the Tigers to earn a victory in the season opener over Baylor, they will need a good showing from the offense.
Here are three keys to success for Auburn's offense versus Baylor on Saturday.
Establish the run
On Saturday, the first
objective for the Tigers will be to establish the run game and do it early. Auburn has the potential to be one of the best rushing teams in college football with the talent they have in the backfield. That starts with returning running back Jeremiah Cobb. Last season he rushed for 969 yards and five touchdowns. On the depth chart, the Tigers also feature Omar Mabson II and Baylor transfer Bryson Washington. Mabson showed potential last season in limited playing time, and Washington rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2024 for the Bears. Also, the quarterback Byrum Brown is a threat in the run game after rushing for 1,008 yards and 12 touchdowns last season for South Florida. Baylor was next to last in the Big 12 last season, giving up 197.2 yards per game on the ground. They did not do much to improve their defensive line in the transfer portal this offseason.
Protect Byrum Brown
Auburn is working with a rebuilt offensive line, and that group will need to come together quickly. Brown showed at South Florida what he is capable of behind center. It has not been kept a secret that he was the only player in FBS last season to throw for over 4,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards. In the first key, Brown is important to the run game. However, that is in the designed run game. It will not be a good sign for the Tigers if he is having to use his legs due to constant pressure. Staying ahead of the chains will be important for the Tigers, and that begins with the offensive line protecting their new quarterback. Last season, Auburn gave up 42 sacks on the season. That is an average of almost four sacks allowed per game.
Create big plays in the passing game
Over the last few seasons, the Auburn offense has not been able to consistently been able to create big plays down the field. That is a failure of the previous coaching staff when they had the talent of players like Cam Coleman, Eric Singleton, and Malcolm Simmons. Getting big plays in the passing game is something Golesh and Gordon will look to do with their offense. Last season, South Florida averaged 8.9 yards per attempt versus Auburn's average of 6.5. The Bulls offense had 41 plays for 25 or more yards, with Auburn only having 17. Keshaun Singleton and Chas Nimrod bring that big-play ability to the Tigers offense. Last season with South Florida, Singleton averaged 17.5 yards per catch, and Nimrod had an average of 20.3. If the running game is established early, Auburn should have plenty of big play opportunities.
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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Three keys for the Auburn football's offense vs Baylor
