The Auburn Tigers began this football season ranked among the nation's top 10 teams and, as the reigning Iron Bowl champions, viewed as Alabama's chief competitor in the Southeastern Conference's Western Division.
Auburn has reached the midway mark at 4-2, losing twice in the West and unable to accomplish what each of coach Gus Malzahn's previous teams achieved with varying degrees of success. The Tigers enter Saturday's home contest against Tennessee with an offense that has been unable to run the ball for nearly a month.
"I know our fan base is frustrated," Malzahn said Tuesday during his weekly news conference. "I know our players are frustrated and our coaches are. No one needs to be blaming our players. Any time a team is not playing at its potential, that's a coaching issue. That's my responsibility, and I've got to do a better job of preparing our coaches and our players moving forward.
"Now that our backs are against the wall, it's a real similar feeling as it was last year. I'm very confident that we are going to finish this thing."
Malzahn's comments Tuesday came on the heels of Saturday night's 23-9 loss at Mississippi State, when he stated that inexperience is no longer an excuse and that "we've got to solve it. We've got to run the ball better."
For the first time this century, Auburn has failed to gain 100 rushing yards - a rather tepid assignment - in three consecutive games. The Tigers produced 90 yards on the ground in Starkville, which followed 45 yards in a 24-13 victory over Southern Miss and 91 yards in a misleading 34-3 triumph over Arkansas, when Auburn's defense and special teams overwhelmed the Razorbacks.
Auburn entered this year having to replace four starters on the offensive line as well as a pair of 1,000-yard rushers, Kerryon Johnson and Kamryn Pettway, who elected to bypass their senior seasons. Johnson rushed for 1,391 yards last season in earning SEC offensive player of the year honors and is now averaging 5.7 yards per carry as a Detroit Lions rookie, while Pettway amassed 1,224 yards in helping the 2016 Tigers reach the Sugar Bowl but went undrafted and is now the running backs coach at Park Crossing High School in Montgomery.
Johnson and Pettway followed Peyton Barber (1,017 yards in 2015), Cameron Artis-Payne (1,608 in 2014), Tre Mason (1,002 in 2012 and 1,816 in 2013), Michael Dyer (1,093 in 2010 and 1,242 in 2011), Cam Newton (1,473 in 2010) and Ben Tate (1,362 in 2009) in providing the Tigers nine straight seasons with at least one 1,000-yard rusher, which is an SEC record.
Kam Martin got the first crack at extending the feat but has rushed for 251 yards and 3.7 yards per carry, leaving JaTarvious Whitlow with the best opportunity now. Whitlow has 414 yards, averages 6.0 yards a pop and scored the winning touchdown in the opening win over Washington, but he has battled a sore shoulder and is coming off a disastrous fumble at the goal line at Mississippi State.
"He's young and he's still learning, but I think he's got a chance to be a pretty good running back in this league," Malzahn said.
Auburn ranked third in the SEC last season with 451.6 total yards per game, but the Tigers are now 13th with a 364.2-yard average. Inflating their totals so far is a 63-9 win over Alabama State on Sept. 8, when they rushed for 429 yards and compiled 567 overall.
The offensive woes have resulted in this week's game against Jeremy Pruitt's rebuilding Volunteers being a crossroads moment for Malzahn and second-year offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey.
"We're going to have to find ways to get our playmakers the ball, whether that's by throwing it or by handing it to them on sweeps," Lindsey said in his weekly news conference Sunday night. "Each game plan is different because of what the defense presents, but we're going to have to do a good job of getting the ball on the perimeter through the passing game."
The passing game has struggled despite the return of redshirt junior quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who was a Heisman Trophy candidate several weeks ago. Stidham has completed 101 of 168 passes but for just 1,177 yards and only five touchdowns.
He does not rank among the SEC's top 10 quarterbacks in efficiency.
"Obviously he wants to play better, and he's a guy who's hard on himself," Lindsey said. "Playing quarterback is about being comfortable, and he's still looking for that. I do think he's capable of improving very quickly."
Said Stidham: "I'm the one with the ball in my hands every play, so I've got to play better. That's first and foremost for our offense to be as successful as it's going to be. I've got to play a lot better, and I know that."
Stidham connected with freshman Seth Williams for a 46-yard score in the win over Southern Miss but missed glaring deep-ball opportunities in Starkville.
A struggling offensive line. An inconsistent quarterback. Running backs trying to find their way in the SEC.
It's what the Tigers are having to move forward with, whether they approve this scenario or not. Auburn beat Alabama and Georgia by a combined 35 points last November and must face that unforgiving duo on the road next month.
"We're searching for the right mix at the right time, and we're searching for execution," Lindsey said. "We can say it's the running backs or the offensive line or the quarterback or the receivers, but it all works together.
"That's what we're focused on."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.