Jeremy Johnson was better.
He definitely was better Saturday afternoon. The Auburn quarterback finished 13-of-19 for 163 yards and a pair of touchdowns during his team's 56-34 win against Idaho. He wasn't intercepted, which always is worth noting after what happened in September. He also ran the ball a little bit, scoring twice on short, option-ish runs near the goal line. It was a fine, productive day for the embattled junior.
Also, it was more than enough to beat an outmanned opponent from the Sun Belt Conference.
Now comes Alabama and its menacing defense, which is going to cause serious problems for the Tigers well ahead of the Iron Bowl. Why would it cause problems this week? Because Gus Malzahn and Rhett Lashlee must make another decision at quarterback.
Johnson has started the team's past three games because Sean White, the team's preferred starter, is out with some kind of injury in his left knee. Auburn infamously experimented with an infirmed White during the second half against Georgia and, in my opinion, terminally damaged its chances to win the game. It was a mistake, pure and simple. White had no business being on that field in his condition, but the coaching staff clearly considers Johnson a stop-gap option at this point.
And I agree.
White didn't play at all against Idaho, which isn't surprising. He's been getting treatment at least twice per day since the Georgia game and will spend all of his free time this week in the training room. Make no mistake: White must play if Auburn is to beat Alabama.
I spoke with a few esteemed Auburn observers yesterday and some of them believe Johnson is making real progress. They point to a pair of excellent deep throws to Ricardo Louis yesterday, one that went for a 56-yard gain and one that was adroitly knocked away by an Idaho defender, as evidence that Johnson is re-gaining the form that compelled Malzahn and Lashlee to re-order their entire offense around him.
I'm not so sure. He still had a tentative look about him and those deep balls were carefully calculated risks against a below-average secondary. Johnson managed the game well by any measure, yes, and that counts for something. It counts for a win against Idaho. Alabama's defense, which is truly outstanding against the run, is an obstacle Auburn must navigate carefully next weekend. That task will be impossible without someone behind center who can find gaps in coverage and leverage risks and make accurate throws under pressure.
I'm not describing Jeremy Johnson. I'm describing Sean White.
It'll all come down to that cumbersome left knee, a millimeters-thick membrane that may or may not have the necessary elasticity. Game of inches? It's much smaller than that.
And, if we're being real, a great night from White simply gives Auburn a chance. The defense offered little insight into its overall level of play against Idaho. Some early missteps led to a strong-ish second quarter and then Will Muschamp began playing second-, third- and even fourth-team defenders. What would have occurred had the Tigers' top-tier guys remained in the game? We'll never know; it wasn't a risk worth taking.
So what did we learn Saturday? Not much.
- Jovon Robinson is too good for Idaho. (6.6 yards per carry)
- Jeremy Johnson isn't hopeless, but he's not what we thought he'd become.
- Rudy Ford is fast. How would you like to see him get these kinds of carries from time to time?
