Options abound for Auburn in the backfield

Derrick Nix has difficult choices to make when it comes to who will actually carry the ball this fall.

He sees that as a good thing.

Auburn’s offensive coordinator and running backs coach said Monday night that he’s been pleased with how the offense has competed this fall. An important part of that offensive renaissance has been an overall rise in performance at tailback, where Nix added two freshmen plus a portal transfer to his existing supply.

“I think all the guys are competing at a high level,” he said. “I feel good about all of them so far.”

Senior Damari Alston entered camp as the most experienced option, though he has just 681 career yards. Nix in the past has praised the Georgia native for his broad base of skills — excelling at times as a runner, a receiver and a blocker.

Nothing has changed this fall.

“He’s almost like the NFL vet. The guy has a great understanding of the whole scheme,” Nix said of Alston. “He’s exceptional right now in pass protection, and he does a great job in our run game understanding what we’re trying to get to in the offensive line with fits and being able to set up blocks.”

Auburn’s other returning player, junior Jeremiah Cobb, was limited during the first 10 days of camp with a finger injury. He shed the yellow (injury) jersey ahead of the Tigers’ Friday scrimmage and has exhibited his usual explosiveness since then.

“He just brings another element of speed to the table,” Nix said of Cobb. “And I think him now going into his third year, just having an understanding of what we’re doing, just so much more mature, understanding fronts and obviously being able to catch the ball out of the backfield.”

NEW FACES IN NEW PLACES

Durell Robinson, who transferred in from Connecticut, missed spring drills after undergoing surgery for turf toe. He quickly solidified his value during fall camp, however, by emerging as an effective inside runner with a mean streak. It helps that Auburn is now his third school — Robinson began his career at Charlotte — so acclimating to new environments is nothing new.

“What stood out to me the most is in pass protection, his willingness to throw his body around and meet linebackers in the A and B gap,” Nix said of Robinson. “He’s done a great job of getting his legs back under him to become a complete runner. Probably gonna keep challenging him to catch the ball better out of the backfield. But all in all, he’s been a plus.”

The most hyped tailback this month may be freshman Omar Mabson, who was a late signee from Auburn High School. He sometimes looks small on the field because of his low-rider running style, but Mabson nonetheless weighs 215 pounds. His strength and vision may help him steal some snaps from more experienced backs as the season unfolds.

“He’s a monster in that weight room,” Nix said of Mabson. “He’s a guy that takes pride in trying to learn the details, learn his assignments. You see the talent he has and the time he puts into it; you expect the results he’s getting right now.”

Another freshman, Alvin Henderson, has impressed observers with his quickness and acceleration. He may be the team’s shiftiest back and that trait may help him carve out a role despite relative inexperience.

BALANCE OF POWER

Nix still isn’t sure how he’s going to manage all these options when it comes time to play at Baylor. He said Monday that “in a perfect world” he’d like to split carries between two tailbacks.

“If that running back position room had 30 carries in a game, you’d like one guy to get 20 and the other guy keep him fresh. But it depends,” Nix said. “There’s a lot more than just running the football — guys have to be complete, go out there and be effective in the passing game and (protect) the quarterback.”