Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper (9) celebrates his touchdown with Alabama running back Derrick Henry (27) during the second half of the Iron Bowl NCAA college football game against Auburn, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)In the immediate aftermath of Auburn's 55-44 loss at Alabama late Saturday night, it wasn't his defense that had Tigers coach Gus Malzahn most upset.
"I think the name of the game really was that when we got in the red zone, we had to kick field goals," Malzahn said in a news conference. "We kicked five of them and didn't score touchdowns. We had enough yards to score a whole bunch of points, and that was probably the name of the game."
Yet the defense is what Malzahn started fixing Sunday, as multiple media outlets reported the firing of second-year defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson. Auburn ranks ninth in the Southeastern Conference in total defense, 13th in pass defense and allowed more than 30 points in each of its last six league games.
Malzahn was asked Saturday night if he expected any defensive changes and replied, "I'm not going to go there right now."
Auburn unleashed an offensive assault inside Bryant-Denny Stadium that resulted in 90 plays and 630 total yards, the most plays and yards ever allowed by a Crimson Tide defense. Tigers senior quarterback Nick Marshall completed 27 of 43 passes for 456 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, and he broke the school mark of 416 passing yards set by Ben Leard against Georgia in 1999.
Sammie Coates was the biggest beneficiary with five receptions for 206 yards and two touchdowns, while Duke Williams added seven catches for 121 yards and Quan Bray four for 74 with a score.
"Looking at their defense, they've got five-star players at every position," Malzahn said, "and we felt like they could be exposed through the air deep down the field. That was kind of our plan."
Said Coates: "Nick threw perfect balls the whole game. It made it easy to catch them."
The biggest problem for the Tigers, who dropped to 8-4 and No. 20 in the Associated Press poll, was that they couldn't duplicate their dominance when they got down close. Not only did Marshall and Coates set Auburn records in the Iron Bowl, but so did kicker Daniel Carlson, whose five field goals were the most in the dazzling rivalry, topping the four by Alabama's Van Tiffin in 1985 and by Auburn's Jaret Holmes in 1997.
Carlson made four of his five attempts in the first half, with all four coming from within 24 yards.
"We really did leave a lot of points out there, and the whole world saw it," Bray told reporters. "It would have been a whole different outcome if we had scored (touchdowns) every time we got down there."
Auburn took a 33-21 lead early in the third quarter and led 36-34 early in the fourth before the Crimson Tide broke free. Alabama racked up 539 yards behind yet another stellar performance by junior receiver Amari Cooper, who had 13 catches for 224 yards and three touchdowns.
Cooper had a 75-yard touchdown reception Saturday night and a 99-yarder last year, giving him the two longest pass plays in Iron Bowl history. In three games against Auburn, he has amassed 511 receiving yards.
"Obviously he had a lot of yards," Malzahn said. "We did double-team him some and mixed it up, but the challenging thing they have is a good running game and other good receivers."
Tide junior tailback T.J. Yeldon gashed the Tigers for 127 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries before Derrick Henry pounded them late for 72 yards and a score on five rushes.
Auburn must wait until Sunday before learning its bowl destination, which will be determined through the league office. That wait likely will include additional reliving of another frenetic Iron Bowl.
"We didn't get touchdowns in the red zone," Malzahn said. "If we would have, we would have scored a whole bunch of points. That's what is sticking out to me right now."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.