Auburn quarterback Jeremy Johnson possesses an abundance of physical skill, but for some reason he's been unable to translate those talents to the field for the Tigers thus far this season. In two games at the helm of the Auburn offense, Johnson has seriously struggled to push the ball downfield. On passes between 11-20 yards, Johnson is 3 of 11 with four interceptions and one touchdown. On passes beyond 21-yards, he's 2 of 7. He's off to the worst start for an SEC quarterback in six years. While Auburn has managed to start the season 2-0, at least one NFL scout believes that it may ultimately be Johnson's efforts that keep them from seriously competing for the SEC title.
"He's got a strong arm and they are high on him in that building, but No. 6 has looked awful so far," the unnamed NFC scout said, via Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. "His vision of the field and decision making has been awful. I will be shocked if Auburn can win the SEC with him at quarterback."
Johnson was always going to have a difficult time attempting to fill the sizable shoes of Nick Marshall, but in spot duty last season he provided ample reason for promise. Granted, it was only 37 passes that had Tiger Nation amped for the possibilities in 2015, but there's no denying that Johnson looked like a good one.
Now, though, with powerful conference foe LSU next on the docket, questions are beginning to swirl as to whether Johnson's the best answer for Auburn and whether or not he actually gives the team the best chance to compete with the likes of Alabama, LSU, Georgia and Texas A&M.
In preparation for this weekend's game, LSU defenders have watched Johnson's performances to date and they're not just hoping for a turnover or two - they're expecting them.
"We know that this guy, if we play our technique right, if we do the fundamentals and have our eyes in the right place, he should be able to throw us one -- if not, hand it to us," LSU cornerback Dwayne Thomas said recently, via ESPN.
Shockingly, Johnson hasn't even managed to provide a positive offensive spark with his legs, something he and head coach Gus Malzahn knows he can do. In the Tigers two victories over Louisville and Jacksonville St., Johnson has carried the ball only nine times for 18 yards.
In the end, though, it will be ball security that likely determines the success of Auburn's 2015 season and the length of Johnson's tenure at the lead of the Tigers offense.
