There was no bigger disappointment in college football last season than Auburn’s Jeremy Johnson.
Johnson entered his junior campaign facing Heisman talk and Cam Newton comparisons, as well as being the most important piece to Auburn’s expected College Football Playoff run.
Instead, Johnson was benched before his fourth game and split time with a freshman quarterback before earning back the starting job late in the season. The Tigers finished last place in the SEC West and were 1-5 against division rivals.
But it’s not like Johnson asked to be the center of attention. It’s not his fault that at 6-foot-5, 240-pounds, he has a similar frame to Newton, arguably Auburn’s greatest quarterback — albeit for a single season. It’s not like the magnification of his small sample size of work as a sophomore and freshman was his doing.
No. Johnson was the victim of the media’s obsession to be “right” about a rising prospect just so they could take credit. Granted, D’Haquille Williams was also supposed to be one of the nation’s best returning receivers and he was instead limited to 147 yards and a touchdown on 12 catches in five games before being dismissed from the team in October.
Auburn’s defense was also a huge disappointment in Will Muschamp’s lone season as defensive coordinator. The Tigers finished 13th among SEC teams in total defense. Coincidentally, the only team to rank lower was Muschamp’s new team, South Carolina.
So it wasn’t that Johnson was the only factor in Auburn’s lack of success. However, his performance wasn’t even close to living up to expectations.
Johnson threw for just 473 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions on 43-of-72 passing in his first three appearances, which led Malzahn to replace him with Sean White. But White failed to keep the starting job with just 1,167 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions on 83-of-143 passing.
That was enough for Johnson to reclaim his spot in Auburn’s starting lineup and finish strong with 1,054 yards total yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions. In 2016, he will need to be a consistent passer throughout the season, though.
There can’t be any debate on whether Johnson is a suitable SEC quarterback or not. Auburn doesn’t have the same hype it did in 2015, rather, it needs to win to avoid controversy.
Malzahn could be facing a hot seat in his fourth season as head coach, which seemed unfathomable last offseason. If the offensive guru’s scheme fails to live up to expectations for the third consecutive year, he may be looking for a new coaching gig.
Todd Kirkland
Johnson, as the quarterback, is the centerpiece for Malzahn’s offense. The Tigers will ultimately live or die based on how he performs.
The rising senior will need to improve for his team to contend in the SEC West.
Auburn has talent in several areas, albeit not as much as many believed last offseason. But the Tigers could make a jump from last place to contender if all the pieces fall into place.
Johnson will be the most important factor in Auburn’s SEC title hopes this season and he needs to perform like a top-tier SEC quarterback.
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