Auburn's "Big Three" defensive linemen had a great game against Missouri
Saturday's 17-14 OT victory over Missouri was disappointing in several respects, from situational play calling to the running game to the lack of direction for the offense.
But Auburn's top three defensive linemen, EDGEs Derick Hall and Eku Leota, and defensive end Colby Wooden showed up to play on Saturday and made the best of it.
For the game, the trio combined for 14 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 4 sacks, and Auburn's first takeaway of the year, a 1st quarter interception by Derick Hall on a deflected pass intended for star freshman wide receiver Luther Burden.
On the season, those three have been the keys to any sort of defensive success Auburn has had.
In 2022, Derick Hall has 21 total tackles, 5 TFL, 3 sacks, and one INT. PFF grades him at a 77.1 grade for the season. Hall was all over the field vs the SEC East Tigers, with 5 tackles, 3 TFLs, 2 sacks, and the aforementioned INT coming in the close victory.
In his second season on The Plains, Eku Leota has 16 tackles, 5 TFLs, and 2 sacks. PFF grades him at 82.7 for the season, and Leota got 3 tackles, 1 TFL, and a sack of QB Brady Cook on Saturday.
Colby Wooden had a significant impact, despite missing the tackle on the game's final play. He had four tackles from the interior, 1.5 TFL, and a sack in the contest. PFF grades him out as a 79.6 on the season, and he has 14 total tackles. 2.5 TFL, 1 sack, and a forced fumble on the year.
Of Auburn's eight sacks on the season, six are from this trio of upperclassmen, as well as 12.5 of the 19 tackles for loss. Keeping those three humming and productive will be crucial as Auburn heads into the gauntlet of their conference schedule, beginning with next week's matchup under the lights vs LSU.
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