Oct. 30, 2016
By Jeff Shearer
AuburnTigers.com
OXFORD, Miss. - Another week, another career-high for Auburn running back Kamryn Pettway.
Pettway piled up 236 yards on 30 carries, the 10th-best rushing performance in school history, in Auburn's 40-29 win Saturday at Ole Miss, his third straight 150-yard game.
"I'm just aiming to be better than I was the week before. That's my motivation," said Pettway, who has pulverized Mississippi State, Arkansas and Ole Miss for 597 yards in Auburn's past three games. "I just push myself to get better each week."
After rushing for 543 yards against Arkansas, the Tigers ran for 307 against Ole Miss.
"Downhill running, that's what works best for us," Pettway said, who has scored seven touchdowns this season.
"It all starts with the offensive line. They give me great gaps, and I just do what I can with it," he said. "My offensive line is great. I can't have any of my success without them."
For their part, Auburn's offensive linemen were equally impressed with their workhorse runner.
"He's a machine," guard Alex Kozan said. "We block well and Pettway will just pop a run, run somebody over. It's exciting stuff. Great to have him in there doing that. To do what he's done is impressive."
It was Pettway's fifth 100-yard game of the season and Auburn's fifth straight win.
"Five wins in a row. It's great momentum for us," said Pettway, who's averaging 133 rushing yards per game. "I think our dedication and focus got us to where we are right now."
Pettway scored Auburn's first touchdown on a 41-yard run, giving the Tigers a 7-6 lead in a back-and-forth first half.
His longest run went for 56 yards, but ended at the Ole Miss 3, setting up Kerryon Johnson's first touchdown, giving Auburn a 17-16 lead early in the second quarter. "I was pretty mad," about getting caught from behind, Pettway said.
"If you see Pettway coming at you, it strikes fear into defenders," said Johnson, who scored two touchdowns on Wildcat runs. "That's the performance I expect out of him now. He's a load, and he loves to run the football hard and physical. It's hard for people to tackle him. If he keeps that up, we'll go very far."
Pettway, the SEC's leading rusher with 933 yards, needs 67 next week against Vanderbilt to reach 1,000.
"It means a lot to me, knowing a lot of people doubted me," he said. "Some people thought just because I was so big, I wasn't going to be able to do too much."
Pettway may be one of the SEC's breakout stars this season, but his success comes as no surprise. At least not to him.
"I did expect to have these type of performances," he said. "I know what I'm capable of."
Auburn coach Gus Malzahn called Pettway "one of the better running backs in the country."
The Tigers return to Jordan-Hare Stadium next to play Vanderbilt but before Pettway turns his attention to the Commodores, he's savoring Auburn's victory.
"It's wonderful," he said. "A road win. SEC. It can't get any better than that."
What was working for guys you tonight? "Downhill running. That's what works best for us." @Uno_Kam on his career-high, 236 yards (30 rushes) pic.twitter.com/yuWmrICaPx
-- Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) October 30, 2016
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @jeff_shearer