Zachery provides big-play threat for Auburn offense
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Wide receiver Terrell Zachery came into the 2009 season with two career catches for 24 yards.
By the time his first-ever start came to a close in Auburn’s season opener, Zachery, a junior, nearly quadrupled that total on one catch – a 93-yard touchdown pass from Chris Todd that went down as the longest play from scrimmage in Auburn history.
Zachery’s knack for the big play has shined through in four of Auburn’s six wins this season. His two catches Saturday against Ole Miss for 42 and 41 yards, respectively, gave him six receptions of 20 yards or more on the season.
Those six catches have accounted for 317 of Zachery’s 437 receiving yards.
Players like senior Ben Tate said they knew Zachery had big-play ability. Now, he’s just getting a chance to display it.
“We’ve been knowing that T-Zach can do things, but when you’re just a player you can’t voice your opinion, your opinion doesn’t matter. It’s up to the coaches,” Tate said. “We asked him, ‘Were you doing something wrong? Were you doing this or that?‘ But you can’t really get into that because you’re not supposed to and it really isn’t any of your business, but we all knew he could play.”
Zachery’s two catches didn’t come easy. Both came in heavy traffic and neither were a sure thing until referees ruled that he, in fact, maintained possession of the ball.
The positive results went beyond the catches, alone. It helped open up Auburn’s downfield passing game, dormant during the Tigers’ three-game losing streak, which then made Auburn’s power running game more effective.
“That’s huge,” offensive line coach Jeff Grimes said. “When you’re not making big plays down the field in the passing game, that makes it so hard to run the football because they can commit so many people. And not even the number of people they commit, but the style of defense they are playing up front.”
Todd said Zachery’s proven ability to make those tough catches has had a direct effect on the confidence he has in him.
“When it gets to crunch time they’re looking for who I can get the ball to make a play for us and he’s been able to do that,” Todd said. “Some other guys have made some really nice plays as well but, in particular, he’s done a really nice job and called some plays for him and he’s made some big ones.”
In the evaluation stage
Gene Chizik said Tuesday that he plans to “re-evaluate” the process behind Auburn’s scheduling, which will have the Tigers play 11 consecutive games before their bye.
Auburn has the exact same quandary on its 2010 schedule.
“Everyone would love to have one right in the middle of the season. That’s the perfect world,“ he said. “It doesn’t always end of being able to be that way. But we will go back and look at it. The thing that is challenging for us right now with 11 straight weeks of football is the depth of the roster.
“Sometimes you get it at Week 8, Week 9. We just happen to get it after Week 11. We’ll always continually evaluate things and see if there’s a better way.“
Pugh makes all-academic team
Junior center Ryan Pugh was named Thursday to ESPN the Magazine’s Academic All-District IV Football Second Team, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced.
Pugh, a building science major, carries a 3.45 grade-point average.
To be eligible for the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale) at his current institution.
(Photo credit: Todd Van Emst)
