Outside of all the noise that was made in Atlanta in the season opener between Auburn and Baylor, there was one thing that stuck out on both sidelines that was much more vague than numbers on a stat sheet.
That aspect of the game was the tempo.
Both the Tigers and Bears went into Saturday’s showdown knowing they were going to run a high-tempo offense from the jump, testing the opposing defense and their fatigue in any way possible.
However, neither team truly wavered in terms of energy, and that is especially true for Auburn.
Baylor ran 99 plays in the Aflac Kickoff Game, and its quarterback DJ Lagway was pinned for having the third-quickest release time in the country in the first week.
The Tigers knew that the Bears would look to move quickly down the field, and worked like that in terms of their preparation. Training in that way helped them when the game actually arrived, and some of the players even felt like they could have gone longer than regulation time.
“Every day is tempo,” said Auburn EDGE Jared Smith. “Us being in a condition, plus we were in the indoor, we could have went all day. Overtime, double, we could have went all day.”
With the warmth and humidity being on tap for the home opener against Southern Miss, the way some players handle the tempo will inevitably be changed.
One thing is for sure though, the players give a lot of credit to those behind the scenes that played a part in preparing them for these situations.
"The strength staff do a real good job during the offseason of getting us in shape,” said Tigers cornerback Rayshawn Pleasant. “I ain't even know I played that many snaps and we was in the indoor, so I ain't even really know. I was just in the moment."
Pleasant also did not hesitate to credit Defensive Coordinator DJ Durkin though for the work he has put his defense through.
Durkin pushes his players hard, trying to make things as difficult as possible so that they can be comfortable on Saturdays.
"Practice always be harder than the game,” Pleasant said. “Coach Durkin do a great job with pushing us and making it where the practice is harder, and we get to the game, it's just a breeze. We just out there trying to execute the calls."
Another thing that has helped the defense prepare though is the offense it has been facing throughout the entirety of the preseason.
The defense has been tasked with taking on Joel Gordon’s offensive gameplan, and to him and Alex Golesh, tempo is the name of the game.
So, when the defense lines up for plays, the players know where they are going and have a quicker process for deciphering a call.
“We go against them everyday when it comes to tempo, so I feel like everyday we just get a good feel of getting lined up, getting our eyes in the correct spot,” said Auburn defensive lineman Dallas Walker IV. “I credit the offense for helping us get in shape and getting ready for the opposing tempo.”
With the home opener being outdoors instead of indoors, time will tell if the tempo preparation stays as high, but Durkin is continually maintaining his plan to keep the defense moving quickly.
Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.
