Auburn Daily Roundtable: Tigers can make history
There's a lot going on this week with Auburn sports. The basketball team is gearing up to make history and a potential deep tournament run and football is getting ready for spring practice.
In this week's Auburn Daily Roundtable, we are joined by Auburn message board legend Charlie5 as he joins the Auburn Daily staff in answering some questions about the current happenings with Auburn sports.
Finish the sentence: Auburn makes a deep run in the NCAA Tournament IF…..
CHARLIE5: We shoot +35% from 3 and we get somewhere around 15ppg and 10 rebounds COMBINED out of Allen/Devan. Production from the 3 HAS TO COME for this team to go deep
ZAC BLACKERBY: Auburn finds some consistency with their guard play on offense. This includes shooting the ball better, finding better shots, and taking care of the basketball.
LINDSAY CROSBY: They get good guard play and Walker Kessler's shoulder is healthy. We saw the 3-guard rotation for the first time late in the Mississippi State game and it had a +/- of 15; obviously can't do that a lot, but it's a great way to close out a game. Walker Kessler hasn't had the same offensive and defensive dominance since the Tennessee game where he hit that shoulder, but his defensive presence alters twice as many shots as he blocks and oh yeah, he's already one of the best shot blockers in the NCAA and in Auburn history.
LANCE DAWE: The guard play improves. Auburn's guards not being able to make much happen in the half-court offense is a major concern. Wendell Green, KD Johnson, and Zep Jasper all need to step up.
MIKE G: Guard play improves. Without consistent guard play on the offensive end, it'll be difficult for Auburn to fend off some of the better teams in the tournament. Especially if the defense has a lapse.
GRAY OLDENBURG: If Auburn's rebound struggles, especially defensively, go away.
TREY LEE: Auburn makes a deep run in the NCAA Tournament if their guards step up to the plate. Bruce Pearl has made it his staple to have elite guard play during his time at Auburn, so Wendell Green, Zep Jasper, and KD Johnson will have to rise to the occasion if Auburn wants to cut down the nets in New Orleans.
If you could add one former Auburn player to the current basketball team, who would it be and why?
C5: Marquis Daniels. Feel like this team is really missing the lack of production from the SF position. Marquis could score at every level and late in the clock could get to the basket AND hit a big 3 when needed
ZB: Bryce Brown. Imagine a strong outside shooter on this team...
LC: My head says Isaac Okoro, but my heart says, Jared Harper or Bryce Brown. Giving Auburn another reliable offensive guard just opens up so much for the offense - it lets you rotate out a struggling guard, whether that's Wendell or K.D, while still rolling out a "small-ball" look. Harper is the true threat from anywhere inside half-court, and Brown's 50%/40% shooting percentages in that 18-19 season would look awful nice on a team that struggles to hit from 3.
LD: Isaac Okoro. Auburn's small forward position has arguably been the most inconsistent position on the team this season, with Allen Flanigan and Devan Cambridge struggling to figure out what their individual roles are.
Okoro would be a steady presence that would make sound decisions with the basketball. His defense would also be greatly valued.
MG: Isaac Okoro. Auburn has suddenly become the land of one and done but if this current team had Okoro they'd be unstoppable. He's a two-way threat that would easily make Auburn the deepest team in college basketball
GO: Bryce Brown. The shooting ability of Brown and his ability to get hot from outside could be so huge on this team. This Auburn team goes on offensive slumps for stretches of games and Bryce's shooting impact would be huge.
TL: Give me Isaac Okoro. He never got to have a run in March because of COVID and he would bolster the small forward spot with some really good defense.
Is there a player on the defensive side of the ball that you think will have a breakout season in 2022?
C5: I think the defense will be dominated by the headliners like Wooden and Hall but could see a guy like Eku Leota exploding. 7 sacks last year I’m not a ton of snaps. He and Hall will be an exciting tandem
ZB: I really like Keionte Scott. The guy was a stud at Snow Community College and I think he has the chance to make an impact right away.
LC: Nehemiah Pritchett (I think Trey Lee wrote about this in an article?) He's got great size for the defensive backfield and seems to have a knack for big plays (he blocked a kick for a TD, got a pick in the bowl game) and if he can put it all together, could have a big season for Auburn.
LD: I'll go with Keionte Scott. Scott was the No. 1 JUCO cornerback in the 2022 cycle. The Tigers will have a lot of competition in the secondary, but I think Scott will emerge as one of the bigger contributors in the defensive backfield.
He has quick feet and will likely see time at both inside and outside corner.
MG: I'm looking at big Thanos to have a breakout debut season on the plains. He's got the size and strength to be a dominant force on an already good group.
GO: I'm excited to see what the new safety room looks like, without Monday and Knighten, I want to see Donovan Kaufman have a breakout year. I'd also love to see a guy like Zion Puckett step up big.
TL: I made a pretty bold statement the other week when I said that Nehemiah Pritchett would have a breakout year in 2022, so I am sticking with him. Pritchett has not had to be the best player in the secondary the last few years with Roger McCreary and Smoke Monday in the backfield. Without those two there this season, I think Pritchett steps up big time.
In honor of The Batman movie releasing, what current Auburn athlete do you think would play a great superhero or supervillain in a movie?
C5: Hero: KD Johnson = Could be any Ninja Turtle but probably Michelangelo
Villain: Jeffrey M’ba = Thanos (too easy)
ZB: Tank Bigsby. He's super strong, he saves Auburn's offense like he could save the day, and he's already got a great name.
LC: K.D. Johnson. The death stare alone probably classifies him as armed and dangerous. Imagine what he'd do if you let him scheme up some shenanigans.
LD: KD Johnson could easily be a supervillain. I'd watch a movie with him as Joker.
MG: Let's ignore the fact that DC sucks for a second to look at this closer. This has to be the guy already named after a villain right?! It's Thanos. Expect him to snap out offensive lines this season. The year of the blip is nigh.
GO: KD JOHNSON!!! Would be the PERFECT villain. He's got that kind of swagger and attitude about him. Now that's a movie I would pay big money to watch!!
TL: The obvious answer here is KD Johnson. The man could play The Joker now if needed.
Who was the winner of the week?
C5: My winner of the week is Suni Lee. Holy cow she’s amazing. In consecutive weeks she introduces moves never done and the collegiate level and has nailed them both times. Truly special to have someone of her caliber in ANY sport on campus
ZB: The Auburn basketball team. They won an SEC championship.
LC: Sophomore 2B Cole Foster went 2-5, with 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 3 R, and 4 BB combined against Alabama State and UAB while also contributing some SMOOTH defensive plays (3 putouts, 7 defensive assists, and 2 double plays in the two games). Glad he's settling in at second base.
LD: Jabari Smith. The dude has been balling out recently. He dropped 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting (!) against Mississippi State. He's also averaging 25.6 points over his last five games.
MG: Jabari Smith. Always Jabari Smith.
GO: If Jabari Smith hasn't already solidified himself as the number 1 pick in the NBA draft, he just keeps doing it over and over again. He is averaging 25 ppg and 7 rpg in his last 5 games. with 27 points in the loss to Tennessee and 27 points in the win against Mississippi State, Jabari is my winner of the week.
TL: I'm doubling up here this week and going KD Johnson after his overtime heroics helped Auburn at least win a share of the SEC, with the chance of winning the whole thing this Saturday in Neville Arena.
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