Auburn May Have a New RB1 Emerging in Omar Mabson

The Auburn Tigers have plenty to figure out during the bye week after their devastating loss to the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday. 

And although it might not be the top priority, I think it's worth looking into making a change as to who is considered running back 1 for the rest of the season. 

Jeremiah Cobb has been the starter throughout the first few games of the year under Alex Golesh and was the starter in the second half of the season last year for the Auburn Tigers. However, Omar Mabson continues to impress every time he gets a carry. 

Mabson has found something in the rushing attack that Cobb has struggled to do in the first few games of the year: get outside the tackles and get consistent running, doing so. This isn't to say to completely take Cobb out of the equation, but if the carries are going to be divided among multiple running backs, Mabson should get the bulk of them. 

And the amount of running back usage is also something that needs to be questioned during this off week for Auburn, as it's not being utilized enough. Last week, the running backs of Mabson and Cobb only had 13 combined carries, and that is just not going to cut it. 

Earlier this offseason, Alex Golesh stated that he wants to "run the piss out of the football." And that has yet to happen over the first five games of the season. 

It's too early in the season to talk about the program's future beyond year one of Alex Golesh's coaching career at Auburn. However, Mabson is only a sophomore and has a lot more eligibility on his plate that could be accomplished on the Plains. If this is a conversation where both running backs have an even amount of support inside the coaching staff and the locker room, then the nod should go to the younger player to ensure you can potentially keep him long term. 

There are still seven games left in the season, and there is still more for Mabson to learn and develop before being seen as one of the best running backs in the conference. However, I believe that he has surpassed Cobb as the best on the roster and is finding ways to perform at a higher level inside Alex Golesh and Joel Gordon's offensive scheme. 

We will see who gets the bulk of the carries in Athens next Saturday, as the Auburn Tigers will travel for another hostile SEC road game as they take on the Georgia Bulldogs when they return from their bye week.