Jarrett Stidham makes first Iron Bowl a memorable one

Jarrett Stidham makes first Iron Bowl a memorable oneJarrett Stidham makes first Iron Bowl a memorable one

Nov. 25, 2017

By Greg Ostendorf
AuburnTigers.com

AUBURN, Ala. -- When Jarrett Stidham made the decision to transfer from Baylor, he could've gone just about anywhere in the country he wanted. But he chose Auburn. And Saturday's 26-14 win over No. 1 Alabama in the Iron Bowl further validated that decision.

"This is exactly why I came to Auburn," Stidham said after the game. "I know the talent that this team had. I just wanted to come in and help in any way I could."

Playing in his first Iron Bowl, Stidham saved his best and grittiest performance for what was Auburn's biggest game of the year to date. The sophomore quarterback went 21 of 28 through the air for 237 yards, and he added another 51 yards and a touchdown rushing. But the stats do not begin to tell the whole story. He made play after play against one of the nation's top defenses.

There were plays where Stidham stood in the pocket and delivered passes to Nate Craig-Myers or Ryan Davis or Will Hastings to convert on third down. There were plays where he escaped the pass rush and scrambled to pick up a first down and move the chains. There were even a couple designed runs where he picked up big chunks of yards.

One thing was clear when Stidham was running with the ball -- he wasn't about to slide.

"When it's a big game like this, every yard matters," he said. "Sometimes, you have to take the hit and move on."

When you get up and realize you picked up a first down on third-and-7 like Stidham did on Auburn's go-ahead touchdown drive, it's worth it. Or when you get up after you score the touchdown that put the Tigers up 26-14, it's worth it.

The touchdown run, in particular, was a perfect example of Stidham's toughness. It was a zone-read where he faked the handoff to Kerryon Johnson and ran left. He eluded one Alabama defender, and when he got down close to the end zone, he could've slid and set up a first-and-goal. Instead, he went head first, took a shot to the chest and reached the ball across the goal line.

"He's a tough guy," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "He's a great competitor. He's playing with a lot of confidence and is doing a great job."

The only knock on Stidham from Saturday would've been his fumble at the end of the first quarter where he mishandled the snap and failed to recover the loose football, turning it over in the red zone and costing his team a chance at points. Sure, it made him mad. But he moved on from that, and the rest of his teammates followed his lead.

"I think the biggest thing is his leadership," Auburn offensive lineman Austin Golson said. "Obviously, he makes a lot of plays. But when you're a quarterback you need to be a great leader, and he's a fantastic one."

Looking back, Stidham wasn't the sole reason Auburn won Saturday's Iron Bowl. It was a collective effort. From the offense to the defense to the special teams, everybody played their part.

But it's hard to imagine this Auburn team in the position they're in -- beating the No. 1 team in the country to win the SEC West and booking their trip to Atlanta -- without the play of No. 8 at quarterback all season. He's been that valuable to what the Tigers have done.

"I don't think I'm the sole reason for any type of success," Stidham said. "I just want to play to the best of my ability. I want the coaches to trust me. I want the players to trust me. At the end of the day, we've worked so hard together for so long. I love these guys. I want to fight for them and do everything I can to make sure we win."

Stidham and his teammates are one win away from winning an SEC championship.

Greg Ostendorf is a Senior Writer for AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @greg_ostendorf