AUBURN, Ala. – There's been a lot of talk about this freshman group at Auburn, and for good reason. Freshmen have accounted for 206 of Auburn's 339 points (60.8 percent) this season, including 21 of the 40 touchdowns scored (52.5 percent).
The Tigers received further validation of their young stars Thursday as running back JaTarvious Whitlow and wide receiver Seth Williams were both named to the Freshman All-SEC team.
Whitlow leads the team with 777 yards rushing and four touchdowns despite battling injuries for much of the year. The redshirt freshman has gone over 100 yards three different times this season, including a 170-yard effort against Ole Miss in October, and he's averaging 5.43 yards per carry. He also has 107 yards receiving with a touchdown, and he threw a touchdown pass against Georgia.
Williams has caught 24 passes for 479 yards and leads the team with five touchdown receptions. His 11-yard touchdown grab in the final minutes against Texas A&M (see above) proved to be the game-winner and was his second touchdown catch of the day. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound freshman also leads the team and ranks fifth in the SEC averaging 19.96 yards per catch.
It's the first time Auburn has had a player on offense named to the Freshman All-SEC team since 2014 when offensive lineman Braden earned the honor.
Though Whitlow and Williams were recognized by the SEC, they weren't the only freshmen on offense to make plays for the Tigers this season. Wide receiver Anthony Schwartz accounted for 506 total yards (307 receiving, 199 rushing) and six touchdowns. Running back Shaun Shivers, who averaged 5.73 yards per carry, was third on the team with 338 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
"Those guys are making plays in big-time games in big moments," senior wide receiver Ryan Davis said. "Even though the outcome isn't always what we wanted, it's good to see those guys get that experience, make those plays and give coaches confidence going into next year.
"I know the talent those guys have, and I can't wait to see those guys improve and see how they can go from right now to the next level. Auburn is in good hands with playmakers. It's about how they go into the offseason, put the time in to see how they take their game to the next step."
Greg Ostendorf is a Senior Writer for AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @greg_ostendorf