Auburn's running backs should get more passes thrown their way in 2021

The Tigers want "complete backs" in their new offense. Bryan Harsin and Mike Bobo know a thing or two about developing those.

RB Tank Bigsby (Todd Van Emst/Auburn Athletics)

Before its first scrimmage of spring practices, Auburn’s quarterbacks and running backs got together during an individual drill period.

While the Tigers’ young wide receivers worked on route-running on the sidelines, Bo Nix and the rest of the signal-callers split up down the right hash inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. The running backs lined up next to the two sets of quarterbacks that were facing each other and ran football’s most perfect route — the wheel — over and over.

Nix and freshman Dematrius Davis in particular displayed good touch on their deep balls to the streaking running backs, who created a circuit of sorts during the drill. Run the route, catch the ball, line up behind the next quarterback.

So much of Auburn’s new offense under first-year head coach Bryan Harsin and coordinator Mike Bobo is based on meshing a wide variety of concepts together. The goal is for the end result to be a versatile, well-executed offense that will make …