LSU's Sheppard ready for Auburn power game

• By RANDY ROSETTA
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Oct 22, 2009 - Page: 1C

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As a linebacker, LSU’s Kelvin Sheppard chomps at the bit when he knows the opposition has designs on running across the middle.

Right into his front yard.

Auburn’s new-look offense will do just that, although in a different manner than most spread offenses.

That only makes things a little more interesting for Sheppard and the LSU defense.

This will be the Tigers’ first close-up look at the overhauled Auburn offense of first-year coordinator Gus Malzahn, a scheme Sheppard and his teammates deemed a “power spread.”

The unlikely moniker fits because Auburn’s spread is a run-first scheme with the quarterback much more likely to be in motion than standing still out of a shotgun formation.

AU has thrived with the new look, averaging 464.9 yards and 34.9 points a game — second in the SEC in both.

Auburn has rushed for 247.3 yards a game and passed for 217.6. AU quarterbacks have been sacked a SEC-low five times and Auburn leads the league in first downs (152) while ranking second in third-down conversions (43-of-103, 41.7 percent).

The foundation of the power running game is 218-pound senior Ben Tate, with smaller and faster freshman Onterrio McCalebb as a sidekick — Auburn’s thunder and lightning.

Tate ranks second in the SEC with 856 rushing yards and McCalebb is seventh with 461.

A big key for AU is a variety of misdirection plays intertwined with Tate’s power and McCalebb’s speed.

Much of Auburn’s attack is aimed at the center of the defense and big plays are a major part of the diet.

That means the LSU linebackers will have every chance to make plays because Auburn criss-crosses the field, hoping to catch defenders off-balance or out of position.