Auburn’s 2012 season in which they finished 3-9 was one of the worst seasons Auburn had had in roughly the past half of a century. For a numbers of reasons, Auburn did a complete turn around and fought their way to the national championship game. Ultimately, Auburn lost the title game, but to have turned a 3-9 program into championship contenders in a single offseason was unheard of until Auburn did it. That in itself was an incredible feat.
Leading Auburn’s shocking campaign was recent junior college transfer Nick Marshall. At the time, Marshall’s transfer was reminiscent of Cam Newton’s transfer. To Auburn’s advantage, the comparison to Newton did not stop there. Marshall’s athleticism was a show on its own. His speed, quickness, and balance made him a lethal running threat, both on designed runs and unpredictable scrambles.
In fact, Marshall ran for over 1,000 yards. His acceleration and overall speed made it possible for Marshall to run the corner and pick up an easy first down. On a tangent, Auburn’s stacked running back corps made defenses hesitant to focus Marshall on option plays. Aside from running, his athleticism also allowed him to extend plays in the passing game as he would roll out on his own to create space to throw. Although, despite his athleticism, Marshall needs work as a passer.
Too many young quarterbacks want to “go big or go home,” but that does not work when you are facing 11 other division one athletes. Marshall is no exception. Marshall is often caught staring downfield at blanketed receivers when a check down option is wide open. Not taking the easy yards that Marshall was given is part of why Auburn’s passing offense was only 108th in the nation. Part of that is because Auburn was a run heavy offense, but regardless, Marshall was not as efficient as he needed to be.
On the other hand, Marshall had flashes of impeccable ball placement that nullified any mental mistakes on that drive or even the game. At the collegiate level, pure arm strength can allow one to get away with risky throws. His arm strength allowed him to fit throws into much tighter windows than a normal quarterback would have been able to. Had it been most other quarterbacks making those throws, they would have been intercepted.
Unfortunately, one small off field issue has been lingering over Marshall’s head as of late. On July 11th, Marshall was pulled over for a violation regarding his tinted windows, but when the officer got to the car, he smelt marijuana. Under an ounce of marijuana residue was found and Marshall was not arrested, but the offense was cited. It appears as if Marshall will not face any sort of suspension for the citation considering it was a minor possession citation and not a positive drug test. The citation does not mean much and Marshall was said to be regretful and remorseful of his mistakes. Now, his mind is set entirely on football.
Last year, Marshall was an athlete playing quarterback. Next season is likely to be a different story. Near the end of 2013, Marshall showed minor improvements, but was still the same player for the most part. A second offseason focusing on being a smarter, less erratic quarterback will suit him well. His physical traits alone make him a scary player for defenses, but a more refined passing ability to compliment his athleticism would make Auburn arguably the best team in the SEC. It would be no surprise to see Auburn playing in the national championship again. At the very least, expect Marshall to lead Auburn to the playoffs.