Auburn Offensive Players to Watch vs. Missouri
Two programs are at a crossroads entering 2022. Would a loss change the outlook of the future of one staff's longevity?
Missouri is looking to bounce back after a sluggish finish to the 2021 season in the SEC East. Changes are coming at quarterback, running back, offensive line and most of the defense with players leaving for the draft and via the transfer portal.
The good news in Week 4? Auburn has just as many questions on both sides of the football.
The Tigers are starting fresh at quarterback for the first time since 2019. Bo Nix elected to leave following the year of the Bryan Harsin era and now will be suiting up for Oregon. Leading receiver Koby Hudson transferred to UCF to reunite with former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn. Senior receiver Demetris Robertson, who tied Hudson in touchdowns with four, graduated this spring.
Auburn has two options at quarterback, though both are far from complete passers. Expect a heavy dose of rushing plays following Missouri's allowed teams to average 229.3 yards per game while giving up 30 rushing touchdowns.
Will that be a problem at Jordan-Hare Stadium this fall?
Follow along with MizzouSportsTalk.com as we continue to provide an in-depth look at every opponent on Missouri's schedule. Now, let's look at several key offensive players.
QB Zach Calzada
Calzada comes with the most experience following his season at Texas A&M. Taking over for the injured Haynes King in Week 2, the Georgia native led the Aggies to an 8-4 record, including picking up a monumental win at home over No. 1 Alabama in October.
There are reasons why Calzada wasn't named the team's initial starter. His accuracy concerns cost the Aggies multiple drives, likely ending in either turnovers or quick three-and-outs. He also often lacked touch on the throw, delivering fastballs across the middle of the field regardless of the depth between him and the target.
Entering camp, Calzada was the favorite to win the starting job. Barring an injury, he might be the better of the two options.
QB TJ Finley
A fellow SEC transfer, Finley headed to The Plains following the 2020 season at LSU. Last year, he split time with Nix in the starting role, playing in nine games while starting three.
Finley provides mobility outside the pocket to keep plays alive, though lacks the awareness on when to take off for the quick yards. Last season, he finished with minus 36 yards and was sacked 10 times. As for consistency, he completed a career-low 54.4 percent of his throws for six touchdowns against one interception.
RB Tank Bigsby
The driving force of Auburn's offense, Bigsby returns after initially entering the transfer portal following a 6-7 season. In the past two years, the 208-pound rusher has shown the physical traits needed to be a lead back in the SEC, but also the elusiveness in space to fight for the hard yards.
Bigsby nearly doubled his workload from his rookie campaign and managed to surpass 1,000 yards on the year. He'll likely be splitting reps again, but expect him to be the focal point of Auburn's ground game early.
RB Jarquez Hunter
Hunter likely would be starting at most SEC schools due to his speed. He plays the "change-of-pace" role at Auburn and shines in space. Last season, he finished second in the conference behind Texas A&M's Devon Achane in yards per attempt at 6.7.
The production of Hunter could expand with questions at quarterback. Last year, he only recorded 89 rush attempts, yet still managed to find the end zone three times. He also finished with nine rush attempts of over 20 yards.
TE John Samuel-Shenker
Shenker returns for one more season as the COVID-19 pandemic gave all athletes an extra year of eligibility. Last year, he served as Nix's security blanket, often seeing most of his receptions on early downs to set up short-yardage runs. He finished fourth on the team with 34 catches for 413 yards and averaged 12.5 yards per catch.
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