Georgia football: 5 Auburn players to watch outside Tank Bigsby

Georgia football takes on its SEC West foe Auburn this week as the 127th edition of The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry kicks off Saturday at 3:30 pm ET. There are only a180 miles that separate these two teams, and in between those miles lay a lot of high-end recruits.

Many names on Auburn’s roster are familiar to Georgia fans due to recruiting. No one on Auburn’s roster is more known than Tank Bigsby. The fans know what he can do, but he is far from the only playmaker on the Tigers’ roster.

Bigsby is a stud and is one of the most productive members of the Auburn team, but he isn’t the only playmaker. Don’t let the Tigers’ record fool you because Auburn will always be ready for the Georgia game.

These are the five Auburn Tigers that Georgia football should watch for on Saturday.

These are guys the ones that could cause problems for Georgia if the Dawgs’ aren’t careful. Most of these guys were also interested in Georgia but chose Auburn. So let’s talk about Auburn players that will also be important for Tigers on Saturday.

Derrick Hall- DE

Derrick Hall is a senior defensive end from Mississippi who is the heart and soul of Auburn’s defense. He has tallied 16.5 sacks in his career, including nine sacks in 2021. Hall has four sacks already this season, including one last week against LSU.

Hall is also used in pass defense as Auburn defensive coordinator Jeff Schmedding isn’t afraid to drop the 6-3 256-pound defensive end into coverage.

His strength and size can create mismatches. Hall is a name to look out for Saturday. If you are hearing it a lot, it may not be good for Georgia starting quarterback Stetson Bennett and the Dawgs.

Jarquez Hunter- RB

Bigsby isn’t on the list, but Jarquez Hunter is an individual to look out for on Auburn’s offense. The 5-10 200-pound running back from Mississippi is a home run hitter for the Tigers’ offense.

Hunter is a good compliment to Bigsby. The sophomore is the fastest of the two. However, he is not afraid to stick his nose in and run physically. Through five games, his yards per carry has fallen from last season by over two yards, but that is more a knock to Auburn’s struggling offensive line than Hunter.

His biggest threat is in the passing game. Teams have liked to get the ball out quickly on Georgia in 2022. Look for Auburn to be no different. Hunter will be used in the screen game and will be quarterback Robby Ashford’s most sought-after target.

Robby Ashford- QB

Robby Ashford is from Hoover, Alabama, and was a Georgia target before his commitment to Oregon. One season with the Ducks, and he was ready to come home.

Ashford is an electric runner. Do not let that fool you into thinking he can not throw the ball. His biggest hold-up has been the offensive line. More often than not, Ashford is taking snaps and then taking off running. Not by choice but because the pocket collapsed that fast.

One thing to watch for with Ashford is he has been able to get the offense off to a quick start in the Tigers’ last two games. He led the Tigers to a 14-0 lead on Missouri in the first quarter and took a 14-0 lead on LSU early in the second quarter. However, in both of those games, Auburn scored zero in the second half.

Oscar Chapman- P

Punters are not usually known as a team’s top weapon, but Auburn 2022 is different. The Junior from Australia can flip field position in a hurry. As Auburn’s offense struggles, that is a huge deal.

Chapman has only had two punt returns on him for a total of -1 return yards. That is two returns on nineteen punts. He has also placed seven of the nineteen inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

Georgia punter Brett Thorson, also from Australia, has nine punts this season. If the game becomes a battle of field position, look for Auburn to have a known weapon and advantage.

Owen Pappoe- LB

When Owen Pappoe committed to Auburn as part of Auburn’s 2019 recruiting class, it was viewed at the time as a loss. However, Georgia went on to sign a five-star from Horne Lake, Mississippi. Signing Nakobe Dean softened the Pappoe blow. The fact Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and company thought highly of him speak volumes about his abilities.

Owen Pappoe battled an ankle injury in 2021 — only racking up 33 tackles and 0 sacks. In the shortened 2020 season, Pappoe had his best. Recording 93 tackles and four sacks.

So far, in 2022, the senior from Lawrenceville has tallied 33 tackles. He is a vicious hitter in the middle of an underrated Auburn defense. For Georgia to run the ball successfully, they must account for No.0.

With no disrespect to Missouri, their defense does not have an Owen Pappoe. If Pappoe was on Missouri’s defense, that fourth and one from the three in the 4th quarter might have had a different result.

Georgia football will have to watch out for these players on Saturday along with Bigsby, as these Auburn players will be looking to upset the Dawgs in Athens for the first time since 2005.