'We are one': Auburn football notebook

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D.J. Williams

BATON ROUGE, La. – Everywhere LSU quarterback Joe Burrow looked, he saw Auburn defensive backs. Seven to be exact. A game-opening defensive alignment that helped hold the nation's No. 2 offense to less than half its 50-point average.

"Our defense played unbelievable," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "[Defensive coordinator] Kevin [Steele] had a super plan. I thought it was an excellent plan, it confused them early. I think our guys executed extremely well. He mixed some things up, made the quarterback uncomfortable early."

Auburn's Owen Pappoe sacked Burrow on LSU's first offensive play, leading to a three-and-out.

Jamien Sherwood and Roger McCreary made their first starts for Auburn, with McCreary making his first interception to thwart an LSU scoring opportunity. Auburn also stopped LSU twice on fourth down. The first-time starters each made 10 tackles.  

"They fought their guts out and they played outstanding," Malzahn said after LSU's 23-20 win.

"Show him something different," said Jeremiah Dinson, who equaled his career best with a game-high 15 tackles. "He had never seen that defense. We wanted to move around. Give him some eye candy. That was Coach Steele's game plan and it was a good game plan."

WILLIAMS WOWS

On Auburn's last run of the first half and first run of the second half, D.J. Williams gained 111 yards, flashing the ability that earned him a scholarship offer from the Tigers last fall.

"Just trying to help out anyway I can," said Williams, who rushed 13 times for 130 yards and added 21 receiving yards on two catches. "Help my teammates and get better every day. It's been great. My coaches always told me that I was good enough. Always kept me positive, so I ended up here."

Williams picked up 41 yards in the final minute of the first half, allowing the Tigers to take a shot at the end zone.

"They just opened it up," Williams said. "Our line did a good job of opening it up and it just happened."

Williams raced 70 yards on the Tigers' first play of the third quarter, setting up Anders Carlson's field goal that gave Auburn a 13-10 lead.

"He's coming into his own," Malzahn said. "I think everybody saw that. Really think he's got a chance to be an outstanding back. That was really his first real rodeo as far as being the primary running back against a very good defense in a hostile environment. He's got a chance to be a really good player."

Williams didn't get in the end zone, but he helped Auburn quarterback Bo Nix get there, pushing Nix over the goal-line on a QB sneak for a second-quarter touchdown.

"He's an incredible player," Nix said. "I'm glad he could be out there in such a big game and play like he did. He'll just keep getting better and better. The future is very bright for D.J."

HOMEWARD BOUND

After three straight road games, Auburn returns to Jordan-Hare Stadium Saturday to play Ole Miss at 6 p.m. CT, the first of four consecutive November home games to conclude the regular season.

"Stick together," said Dinson, a captain, of his message to him teammates. "We are one. We're one, and just stick together."

"At the end of the day you try to keep going," said Marlon Davidson, who made five tackles against LSU. "Leave a legacy. Show people that Auburn doesn't have any quit in them."

"We need to win these four games," said Derrick Brown, who had seven tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack against LSU. "We get to go back home. Play in front of the best fans in the country. We've just got to be able to execute, going back to the drawing board next week. It's time to get our confidence rolling. After that we'll have a bye week, then we'll go into the stretch."

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer