Without JaTarvious Whitlow, here’s how Auburn could replace its leading rusher
There are few silver linings for a football program losing its leading rusher to the transfer portal. Even fewer when the program in question has not fielded a 1,000-yard rusher in two years.
That’s the predicament Auburn is in. On National Signing Day, JaTarvious “Boobee” Whitlow, the sophomore running back who ran for a combined 1,551 yards and 16 touchdowns and was the Tigers’ leading rusher in 2018 and 2019, entered the transfer portal.
Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said at his Wednesday signing day press conference that Whitlow is seeking a “fresh start.”
“We appreciate his time here,” Malzahn said. “We wish him nothing but the best.”
The loss of Whitlow leaves a gaping hole in Auburn’s offense, but the Tigers are not without options.
Maybe the Tigers could use a “fresh start.”
“You know, I think that’s a position that we’re very deep and we’re very young and talented,” Malzahn said. “We feel very good about the guys that we have and to fit into what coach (Chad) Morris wants to do.”
Tigers return running back experience
Junior Malik Miller, sophomore Shaun Shivers, freshman D.J. Williams and redshirt freshman Harold Joiner all return next season, each with a solid amount of experience. But that does not erase the question mark that Whitlow’s departure leaves.
Aside from Williams, who had 84 rush attempts, none of those returning players had extended carries last year, even when Whitlow was sidelined with an injury.
Much of that was likely due to how crowded the running back position was. The Tigers had six serviceable running backs, including senior Kam Martin, and a position group that was so stacked it made it nearly impossible to evenly split action.
“There’s an open competition at every position,” Malzahn said. “The good thing is that we have really talented young guys. Even the guys coming back, we are going to put the best out there.”
Williams ran for 400 yards and two touchdowns last season, and Shivers ran for 286 yards and three scores.
Miller finished the season with 12 rushing attempts.
Joiner led the Tigers’ running backs in receiving, with 128 yards and one touchdown on six receptions, though most of that output came in two games — the 27-21 season-opening win against Oregon (28 yards) and a 20-14 win over Ole Miss (78 yards).
“(Running back) is a position that we have a lot of depth,” Malzahn said. “A lot of very talented young men.”
The running backs room won’t be any less crowded next season, though, with the arrival of a highly regarded four-star recruit.
Big opportunity for Tank Bigsby
Perhaps the player with the biggest opportunity now is former Callaway running back Tank Bigsby, who signed with Auburn in December and enrolled early.
Bigsby rushed for 700 yards in the 2A playoffs as a junior at Callaway. He rushed for 2,221 yards his senior season, adding 22 touchdowns.
In his final game for Callaway, Bigsby finished with 228 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He had five runs of 20-plus yards — including a 70-yard score that nearly sparked a Callaway comeback — and looked every bit like the four-star recruit he had been hyped up to be.
“We’ve had really good success with freshman running backs in the past,” Malzahn said. “Michael Dyer was the MVP in the national championship game in 2010. We have very talented guys at that position. And for the most part, all those guys are pretty versatile.
“They’re not just runners, but good protectors, and can catch the ball out of the backfield. Just talking with Chad, I know that’s what he likes to do. Looking at our league, that’s kind of where our league is going.”
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This story was originally published February 6, 2020 at 3:05 PM.
