Auburn at West Virginia (10/23/2008)

Notes, Quotes

• WVU starts seven freshmen or sophomores on defense and S Quinton Andrews and SLB Mortty Ivy are the only players who started last season.

• QB Patrick White figures to be the centerpiece of the offense this week, both throwing and running. He seems to often rise to the occasion on nationally televised games.

• Stewart said his team, eager after a week off, went at it so hard on Sunday that he had to call an end to practice. “I had to stop practice early because I thought they were going to hurt each other,” the coach said.

Scouting The Offense:   The word coming out of WVU this week was that the offense will be more open this week than it has been in the past. With QB Patrick White’s healthy return the Mountaineers are expected to throw the ball more often, especially down the field in an effort to loosen up Auburn’s tight run defense. Auburn allows only 108 yards a game rushing while WVU will try to get White and slick RB Noel Devine loose on the perimeter.

Scouting The Defense:   Turnovers are expected to play a big role in this game that defenses are expected to dominate and WVU is 46-2 when it wins the turnover battle since 2002. The Mountaineers are hoping to take advantage of Auburn’s passing deficiencies, having thrown nine interceptions. Auburn also has lost six fumbles. WVU likes to get pressure on the quarterback with a variety of blitzes out of its 3-3-5 stack defense that allows it to bring players from everywhere.

Quote To Note:   “If you love defense, you’ll love the way the Auburn Tigers and West Virginia Mountaineers attack each other this week.”—WVU Coach Bill Stewart on what he expects in Thursday night’s game.

Strategy And Personnel

Players To Watch:   WR Dorrell Jalloh has not been featured much in the offense this year but look for him to be used out of the slot to receive a number of short passes over the middle to cut back on Auburn’s pass rush and make them conscious of the center of the field to open things up for QB Patrick White and RB Noel Devine running on the perimeter.

CB Brandon Hogan will be tested by Auburn’s passing game. Playing his first year on defense, Hogan has shown great promise but is prone to make mistakes and Auburn figures to try to capitalize on that.

With backup QB Jarrett Brown hurting, you may see WR/QB Bradley Starks have to play, if not in this game, then in the future. “We need Bradley Starks to step up and make some plays,” said coach Bill Stewart. “He hasn’t done it yet. He’s capable, we see it in practice. Now he has to do it in the arena.”

Roster Report:  

• Backup QB Jarrett Brown, who started and beat Syracuse in WVU’s last game, has a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder, according to players, and his availability is questionable.

• OT Ryan Stanchek has become the Mountaineers’ ‘Ironman’. He will be making his 41st consecutive start against Auburn.

 WVU and Auburn both are without starting middle linebackers.

The Mountaineers lost senior Reed Williams for the season to a medical redshirt two weeks ago and the Tigers learned last week that junior Tray Blackmon will need season-ending surgery to repair a broken wrist.

"Anytime you lose a 'mike' linebacker, a player who has to be a leader for you because of the position and the way he's involved with the defensive schemes because of where he's lined up, it's a big loss," Auburn defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads said.

Rhoads was at Pitt the previous eight years and last year the Panthers lost four starters to long-term or season-ending injuries. This year, the Tigers have lost eight players for the year.

Blackmon was trying to play through the break and had started to share time with sophomore Josh Bynes recently. He has 32 tackles, two tackles for a loss and an interception.

"Josh stepped up and has done a better-than-admirable job," Rhoads said. "He's got three games under his belt since Tray got hurt, so the loss is minimal compared to what it could have been."

***

AUBURN FRESHMAN defensive back T'Sharvan Bell has been playing the role of WVU quarterback Pat White in practice this week. Bell, a 6-foot, 160-pound native of Kissimmee, Fla., runs a 4.45-second 40-yard dash.

"He gave us a good look," Auburn Coach Tommy Tuberville said after Tuesday's practice. "He really helped us defensively."

Rhoads, for one, welcomes the help.

"I had the opportunity to coach against Mike Vick at Virginia Tech and I think Pat White is a better, more accurate throwing quarterback than Mike was," Rhoads said. "And he's more dangerous as a runner because they design plays for him whereas Mike just ad-libbed when he took off with the football."

White needs 356 rushing yards to become the NCAA's career leader among quarterbacks.

***

AUBURN (4-3) is 18-5 in road and/or neutral-site games since 2004, the nation's third-best record. This is its first non-conference road game since playing Georgia Tech in 2003 ... Only Auburn and two other teams have played seven games and allowed three rushing touchdowns or fewer ... Auburn ranks No. 2 nationally in third-down defense. Opponents are 25-for-110 and Mississippi State was 0-for-14 in a 3-2 loss at home Sept. 13. WVU is 32-for-75 on third down this season, tied for No. 44 nationally.

Scouting The Offense:   Despite firing Tony Franklin and benching Chris Todd, Auburn seems committed to staying with some form of a spread offense. However, the coaches also have more confidence in running backs Brad Lester and Ben Tate than they do in anyone who might line up at quarterback. So what will this offense look like? Expect a more traditional running game, but with passing done out of a spread formation.

Scouting The Defense:   With everyone healthy after a week off, Auburn should be able to return to the dominating defensive performances of the first few games of the season. This is still a team that ranks high in the nation in most defensive statistics, built on speed at every position that should match up well against West Virginia’s spread-option offense.

Quote To Note:   “All the detractors from the outside that keep throwing stones at us, that’s fine. I love it. It just makes us work harder.”—Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville.

Strategy And Personnel

Players To Watch:  

QB Kodi Burns—Tuberville has said this is Burns’ offense, and Chris Todd is not expected to play because of a sore shoulder. Still, there will be a lot of fans looking for … Burns this year: 0 tds 4 ints

QB Barrett Trotter/Neil Caudle—Trotter and Caudle have been working as backup quarterbacks in the off week. Caudle is a junior who has played very little. Trotter is a true freshman who was expected to redshirt. Both are apparently making the trip to Morgantown.

K Wes Byrum—He has struggled as a field goal kicker, but apparently is the best Auburn has. With the offense struggling to get into the end zone, winning or losing could come down to a field goal.

Roster Report:  

• QB Chris Todd is expected to make the trip to Morgantown for the West Virginia game, but may not play. The coaches continue to say he is “resting” a sore arm.

• WR/PR Robert Dunn is expected to resume his duties as punt returner after missing the Arkansas game with a sprained ankle.

• DB Jerraud Powers is listed as “day to day” with a pulled hamstring. One day it sounds as if he is ready to play; the next the coaches act like he won’t be ready this week.