Basketball

The basketball team is off to another horrible start.  We lost last night to Winthrop 71 to 67.  This is Barbee's third year and it is obvious this is a poorly coached team.  Auburn is not supposed to lose to Winthrop ever.  I have a feeling we will suffer with Barbee this year and one more year before the next change is made.

The Coaching Hires

We go into this Christmas season in a positive frame of mind as we see Coach Malzahn's hires.  It remains to be seen how the recruiting class works out, but we certainly have to be impressed with the assistant coaching hires.  Rodney Garner returns to Auburn.  We've heard about his recruiting and coaching prowess.  Now we'll see if it's for real.

Moving Fast

I am impressed with how rapidly Coach Malzahn is getting things done.  We already have coordinators and a new strenth and conditioning coach.    I've always heard good things about Yoxall but it's clear that Malzahn is cleaning house.  I'll be surprised if AN'Y of the old coaches are retained.

Ellis Johnson/Current Staff

Ellis Johnson is a top notch DC.  I don't see how Malzahn could do any better.  It is normal to dismiss the existing staff.  Who might still remain?  Who knows.  How will the verbal commitments hold up?  Who knows.

On Coach Dye

Phillip Marshall wrote recently that Coach Dye is in danger of tarnishing his legacy with his continued controversial comments.  I agree.  Here is what he said in the aftermath of the Malzahn hiring:  "You know what? If I had been on the selection committee, I probably would have chosen Kirby."

That should have been kept to himself.  Coach Dye needs to shut up.  If I were Malzahn, I would tell Coach Dye to keep his trap closed.  He only embarasses himself, if not the university too.

Malzahn

We get the word this afternoon that the next football coach at Auburn University will be Gus Malzahn.  The news comes as s letdown.  Maybe our expectations were too high.  Maybe we expected a bigger name.  Maybe we expected too much.  This morning I was reading that Kirby Smart might be the choice.  I would have preferred taking a chance with Smart.  But Malzahn is our man.  Let's united behind him.

AU Searches Prove Productive

BY Phillip Marshall
04 December 2012

AUBURN - Since 1980, Auburn has been through five coaching searches, including the one in progress. All have yielded coaches who had perfect seasons or championship seasons.

Pat Dye, hired in early 1981, won four SEC championships. Terry Bowden, hired in 1992, went 11-0 in 1993 and won his first 20 games. Tommy Tuberville, hired in November 1998, was 13-0 and won the Southeastern Conference championship in 2004. Gene Chizik, hired in December 2008, won the BCS national championship in 2010.

Here is a look at each of the searches:

1980-1981

Doug Barfield resigned under pressure after finishing a 5-6 season with a 34-18 loss to Alabama. The search for a new head coach began with a search committee headed by national Alumni Association president Bobby Lowder reaching out to Georgia head coach Vince Dooley, a former Auburn quarterback and coach, and Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden. Both expressed interest.

The committee decided Dooley was their man. After meeting with the committee, Dooley literally had pen in hand ready to sign. His lawyer told him they should first talk to the university president. The next day, Dooley decided he would remain at Georgia.

With Bowden no longer in the mix, the committee started over. There were talks with Texas A&M coach Jackie Sherrill and Auburn freshman coach Claude Saia, but the focus soon turned to Dye, who had finished his first season at Wyoming after a successful run at East Carolina.

Dye, one of the hotter candidates in the country, was named Auburn head coach in early January. Had Dooley left Georgia for Auburn, Dye would have been named head coach at Georgia, where he was an All-American lineman.

1992

After dominating the SEC for most of the 1980's, Dye's program had hit on hard times. Two non-winning season and coming NCAA sanctions led to his resignation the night before a 17-0 loss to eventual national champion Alabama in Birmingham.

Serious candidates were hard to come by. Interim athletics director Mike Lude liked Air Force head coach Fisher DeBerry, but another search committee settled on Terry Bowden, son of Bobby and the head coach at Division I-AA Samford.

Bowden was named head coach in December of that year.

1998

Bowden resigned after a 1-5 start and was replaced by interim head coach Bill "Brother" Oliver. Numerous candidates surfaced, including former Auburn quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Pat Sullivan, Temple head coach Bobby Wallace, Miami head coach Butch Davis and others.

Many expected Oliver to get the job permanently, but he was gone shortly after the final game. But Tommy Tuberville, who had become one of the nation's hotter candidates by making an Ole Miss program crippled by severe sanctions a winner, was the target from the start. On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Tuberville was named Auburn head coach. According to Tuberville, he also had a firm offer from Oklahoma and chose Auburn after consulting with his staff.
2008

Tuberville resigned days after a 36-0 loss to Alabama ended a 5-7 season. A search committee was formed. Among those interviewed were Ball State head coach Brady Hoke, Buffalo head coach Turner Gill, Louisiana Tech head coach Derek Dooley, Georgia assistants Rodney Garner and Stacey Searels and Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson. There were also conversations with South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier and Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt. Late in the process, the committee interviewed former Auburn defensive coordinator Gene Chizik.

In December, despite a 5-19 record in two seasons at Iowa State and 10 consecutive losses, Chizik was named Auburn head coach.

The final chapter in the story of the coaching search of 2012 remains to be written.

Interviews Today & Tomorrow

I see from Phillip Marshall that Kirby Smart will interview.  We could have a decision by tomorrow or Tuesday.

My Prediction

My prediction is that this Petrino's job to win.  If he convinces the committee that he's the man, he will be offered the job and he will accept.  Then we'll have Bo and Pat vouching for him.  The immediate Auburn nation reaction will be split and we will take a national PR hit.   If he wins all divisiveness will be forgetten, but we won't know about that until next season.  If not Petrino, then it will be Malzahn or Fisher.  Could be either one for all I know.  Bo Pelini is surely out after he had 70 rung up on him last night.  I'll be surprised if it's Stoops or some candiate out-of-the-blue.

The Coaching Search (2)

The new name this morning seems to be Bob Stoops.  At this point I have to read about the possibilities with amusement more than anything else.  Until today's games are over and we hear who  the final serious candidates are, it's all just speculation so far.  One thing I notice.  Some candidates, like Petrino and Malzahn, would have to interview.  I assume that candidates like Stoops and Fisher wouldn't have to interview.  If Auburn desires one of those guys, just offer them the job.  There is buzz about conference realignments.  Georgia Tech to the Big Ten?  Possible conference realignments will greatly affect hirings across the board.  I can't remember another year where there are so many high profile openings.

The Coaching Search

From what I read this morning from Phillip Marshall, I see that at least Auburn is going after or getting the attention of the top possibilities in the country.  Kevin Sumlin of A & M is intriguing.  Wouldn't it be something to get him?  Kirby Smart is equally intriguing.  Even though he has no head coaching experience, I would be happy to get him.  I have mixed feelings about Fisher and Petrino.  For me Malzahn would kind of a let down.  Charlie Strong I have no strong feelings about (no pun intended).  Out of this mix, who will we end up with?

The Auburn Family: A Divided Group and no one Divides them More Than Bobby Petrino

Professor Wayne Flynt thinks that Bo and Pat, who he says believe in the Auburn Creed (and love it), would never recommend hiring Bobby Petrino. I can only hope that he is right. As Professor Flynt suggests, we are Auburn and we are better than him. STAY OUT OF AUBURN, BOBBY!

BY Charles J. Dean
al.com
29 November 2012

AUBURN, Alabama - Jack Warren sat on a stool at historic Toomer's Drugs eating his toasted sandwich and talking Auburn football with a stranger when the question came: Who would you like to see as Auburn's next coach? How about Bobby Petrino?

Warren stopped chewing. He swallowed. He wiped his mouth. He then looked directly at the stranger. "No sir. Not that man. Not at Auburn," said Warren, who is an area manager of an air conditioning and heating company and who has lived a half-hour from Auburn in Columbus, Ga. for 56 years.

Asked why not Petrino given that he has won at every coaching stop in his career with the exception of the NFL, Warren didn't pull any punches.

"He's not a moral man, I don't care how many football games he has won," said Warren.

Asked why that mattered to him, Warren again was direct.

"A man's character matters, especially a man or a woman who is in charge of helping students grow from becoming teenagers to young men and women," said Warren. "I know he wins. But, I also know he can't be trusted in how he conducts his public life and his private life. What would Auburn be saying to those young men if he got hired. It would be saying anything goes as long as you win. I don't think that's what Auburn is about. I hope it's not."

Down College Street a block or so from Toomer's Corner, C.L. Smith was pumping gas into his truck on his way to a construction site on campus where he works as a carpenter. Asked the same question as Warren, Smith answered just as quickly and just as self-assuredly as Warren.

"Hell yes I'd hire Bobby Petrino in a heartbeat," said Smith, 37. "I know he's had his issues and I'm not saying I like him as a person but as a football coach he knows how to win and he knows how to win in the SEC and that matters. ...Look, Auburn is a mess. They didn't win one game in conference, not one. This thing has to be built back up and you need a guy who has done that and who has won and Petrino is the best coach available. .... Look, when I go to church, I want to hear from a preacher who will help me find my way to the Lord. But, when I go to the game, I want a coach who knows how to put a team together to win the game that day. I'm not looking for a saint as football coach."

One coach, two starkly different views. And, they are views one hears echoing all across not just the AU campus but deep within the so-called Auburn family.

It's a family that right now is divided not so much over the firing of Gene Chizik as they are over the depth of the problems Chizik leaves behind and over what path to choose to fix what has gone wrong in a program that just two years ago sat at the top of the college football world. Today, Auburn football finds itself the butt of jokes after a three win, nine loss season and, more importantly, the focal point of an NCAA investigation looking apparently at the recruitment of some players.

In interviews over the last few days with current and past trustees, with current and former administrators in athletics and throughout the university and with key supporters from the corporate community and politics, what emerges is a picture of serious men and women who care about the university but who see different answers to what Auburn President Jay Gogue must do to fix problems. They see different answers because they see the state of the school's athletic program very differently. Some see a program, especially the football program, in deep trouble. Others see a football program in need of, as one school trustee said, a new set of wheels but the wagon is essentially sound."

Another key supporter of the program laughed at the analogy.

"The wheels are off all right but if you look at the wagon, it's sunk in quicksand," the supporter said.

This supporter said he had hoped Gogue would have fired AD Jay Jacobs and then hired a new AD who would have been allowed to hire a new coach. The supporter said, "So many of our programs right now... all of them really are not functioning at a very high level."

That particular supporter said he believes that the next football coach should be Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart. Why? To repeat the history of 30-plus years ago when AU hired Pat Dye, who had been at one point a key coach on Paul "Bear" Bryant's Alabama teams of the 1960s.

"We need to hire the guy's (Nick Saban) guy and that's Smart. Whether Auburn people want to admit it or not, Saban isn't going anywhere and Auburn has to find a way to deal with him and who better than his right hand guy," the supporter said.

Of Petrino, the supporter said he opposed his hiring citing Petrino's baggage and the fact the he's never beaten Saban and in fact seems to freeze up when he faces him, the supporter said.

Another key supporter who has given AU many dollars over the years said he hopes Petrino is the man Gogue hires. The supporter called Petrino the realistic choice, a coach who could walk through the door and turn the program around. The supporter said there is talent on the team.

"This isn't a matter of having to build it up from the ground. Petrino might not be the man Gene was, but I think he's probably twice the coach he was and what we need now more than anything is know how in that job and Petrino has it," the supporter said.

NBA hall of famer Charles Barkley, Auburn's most famous round ball hero ever, fueled the debate over the school's next football coach when recently during the telecast of an NBA game on TNT Barkley said he'd like to see Petrino get the job at AU.

Another coach that has been mentioned is Florida State's Jimbo Fisher. An insider close to the situation shook his head at the name and those who bring it up. This key supporter, a former trustee, said it is "hubris" to believe that right now Fisher would leave the FSU job for the Auburn job, although the supporter said Fisher would be a good fit at AU.

But, this supporter questioned how good the job at Auburn is right now vs. the FSU job given the NCAA investigation and the fact that the SEC West division is tougher than the whole ACC in which FSU plays.

"No, I just think Fisher's agent is trying to get him a raise, not a new job," the supporter said.

One former trustee still close to the situation agreed that the AU family is divided over what is the right answer. But the former trustee, who said he hopes Petrino gets the job, said it will matter little this time around what boosters or trustees or so-called insiders think regarding the depth of the problems or who should be the next coach. The former trustee said Gogue will be the man making the final decision this time.

And, that's a good thing said Wayne Flynt, professor emeritus at AU and a noted historian who has written with distinction about the state and about Auburn.

Flynt agreed that Gogue is the decider and it marks the first time in decades that the school's president is the one making the hiring decision.

"The undeniable fact of life at Auburn for years is that when it has come time to change coaches, to fire and hire, those decisions have been made in secret and by a select group of trustees and boosters," Flynt said. "That practice has led to an almost myopic view among some that Auburn is a football team with a university."

Almost a decade ago, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools placed Auburn on probation finding that AU trustees had too often stepped over the line to micromanage school programs, especially the football program. The probation embarrassed the school, lead to the resignation of the then president and a shakeup in the athletic department.

And, nine years later, more than half of the school's trustees are relatively new. All of it has resulted in giving Gogue the kind of free hand to make decisions on coaches that past presidents did not have, said Flynt.

Gogue last week announced he had formed a search committee to find and interview coaching candidates. In addition to AD Jacobs, Gogue appointed Auburn football icons Pat Sullivan and Bo Jackson, both winners of the Heisman Trophy and both Auburn men through and through.

Gogue turned down a request for an interview. He knows there is much debate going on in the AU family about the decision he will make and when he might make it. He did release this statement about the on-going debate and situation.

"Auburn is a special place with an active group of alumni who care about this school and its football program. I view the Auburn family as a source of strength and that's why we have such a powerful and dedicated search committee tasked with recommending to me our next head coach. I expect them to take their work seriously and move with all deliberate speed. When this thoughtful and through process is concluded, I look forward to receiving their recommendation."

Flynt said the move appointing the committee is Gogue at his best.

"I think it was an adroit move by Dr. Gogue," said Flynt. "What that committee does is take this search out of the hands of Jay (Jacobs) alone and puts it into the hands of two men who I doubt anyone at Auburn would question their integrity. And, it pushes away the influence of the boosters and trustees past and present who still want to have their hands in this process. It's a brilliant move."

Former AU President Ed Richardson said the committee provides Gogue with two assets he needs at a critical time: Sullivan and Jackson.

"If those men give their blessings to whoever the coach turns out to be, it will be harder for those who might not be happy to say much about it," said Richardson. "There are no greater names in Auburn football history than Sullivan and Jackson. They played the game. They understand the game. They understand Auburn. They love Auburn."

If you doubt Sullivan and Jackson's standing in the AU family, you don't have to look far to find it around the place. Along College Street are plaques cemented into the sidewalk of past AU heroes. Just in front of the entrance to Toomer's Drugs you find Sullivan and Jackson's plaques noting the years they played for the Tigers and their Heisman Trophy awards.

Driving into Auburn you find another reminder at the state rest stop just off I-85 before the Auburn exit where you find a large black and white famed photo of Jackson, Sullivan and Pat Dye each in tuxedos posing with the Heisman Trophy Jackson won in 1985.

Flynt said he was greatly pleased to see Jackson and Sullivan selected for a lot of reasons but especially because he knows many are lobbying for Petrino to get the job.

"Bo and Pat understand what Auburn means and I mean they understand that Auburn is about more than just football," Flynt said. "It's about a way to behave, to conduct your life. I can't imagine Pat Sullivan or Bo Jackson giving their approval to a man like Petrino who quit on his NFL team, who attempted to stab Tommy Tuberville in the back and who violated his marriage vows and then lied to his university about what he had done. Is that who we really want at Auburn?

Richardson said there is a division in the Auburn family over who the next coach should be, with a faction pushing hard for Petrino. He hopes they fail. And, he believes they will.

"Hiring a Bob Petrino would send a message that Auburn is desperate," said Richardson. "It would send the message that the only thing that matters is winning. I don't think that committee or Jay Gogue will allow that to happen."

About Petrino

What if it is Petrino?  What if Pat Sullivan & Bo Jackson stand up and say, "Coach Petrino is our man.  Auburn people need to unite and  rally behind him."  The thought occurs to me that maybe this is why these Auburn legends are on the committee.  If they say support Petrino, what are we to do?  And another thing.  What if he can produce a great defense?  Put Petrino together with a defense and it could be something special.  What if?

Rise and Fall of Auburn Football

BY Phillip Marshall
25 November 2012

AUBURN - Auburn's national championship was still fresh when head coach Gene Chizik got an early-morning telephone call in March 2011. The news was bad.

 

One day beyond two months after the Tigers won the BCS championsip, four players had been arrested and charged with armed robbery. All were dismissed from the team the next day.

The first crack in the foundation of Auburn's football program had appeared. And like on a windshield hit by a pebble, the crack would grow until the glass finally broke. Sunday, Chizik and his entire coaching and support staff were fired after his fourth season.

Twenty-two months and two weeks after hoisting the crystal football in Glendale, Ariz., Chizik watched his team be crushed 49-0 by Alabama last Saturday for its 10th consecutive SEC loss, eight of them by 17 points or more. Auburn and Kentucky shared last place in the league.

Thus ended a season of unhappiness and unrest, one which left players often shaking their heads in frustration and confusion. And it went deeper than what happened on the field.

Mandatory workouts became voluntary for some when assistant coaches got players out of punishment. Some players went to class. Some didn't. Discipline, those close to the team say, was unevenly applied if at all. Strength and conditioning coach Kevin Yoxall's role in discipline was greatly reduced.

"They've cut Yox's legs off," said a former player who is close to the team. "Coach Yox is the main reason we won a lot of games in past years. We were scared to death of him. We wouldn't cross him. They're not scared of anybody now. They're coddled and they're soft."

But many of them weren't happy.

"Players want discipline," the former player said. "They crave it. They really do. But some of them will do whatever they can get away with."

 

When discipline was applied, players who did things the right way often felt they were being punished for those who didn't.

Perhaps most onerous to players was the hiring of paid security guards to watch them and make they sure they didn't break curfew. The guards had to go inside apartments to make sure players were there and then sat in their cars outside throughout the night. When players missed curfew, some were disciplined. Some weren't.

***

Such an historic crash seemed impossible in the spring of 2011 when Auburn players, coaches and fans were basking in the glow of the national championship. But signs of trouble were showing on the field, off the field and even in the coaches' offices.

What had been a championship program was a program in disarray.

In the summer of 2011, Chizik's book, "All In: What It Takes to Be The Best," was released. It was the story of Auburn's climb to the national championship, but it was mostly about Chizik. Other than a mention in passing of offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn's role in signing Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Cam Newton, not an assistant coach was mentioned. The assistant coaches took notice.

"He really was bothered because he didn't feel like he got the credit he deserved for the championship," one who called him a friend said. "It was Gus and Cam and Nick (Fairley). Gene didn't like that. It was like he changed, like he was a different person."

After the 2010 season, Malzahn, with an offer to become Vanderbilt's head coach, signed a new contract with Auburn that paid him $1.3 million per year. He was the nation's highest paid assistant coach. He wondered to friends at the time if he'd made the right decision.

Three games into the 2011 season, the Tigers were 2-1 with a 42-38 victory over Utah State, a dramatic 41-34 victory over Mississippi State and a 38-24 loss at Clemson. They were averaging 393 yards per game. Chizik sat down to talk with Malzahn.

In that meeting, Chizik told Malzahn he wanted him to slow down his hurryup, no-huddle scheme to take some pressure off the defense. Malzahn protested, telling Chizik his scheme would not be effective that way. Chizik was adamant. After that day, in 15 SEC games through the 2012 season, Auburn scored more than one offensive touchdown just four times. It scored no offensive touchdowns five times.

It wasn't long after his meeting with Chizik that Malzahn told his agent to find him a job. He wanted out. At season's end, after narrowly missing out at North Carolina and Kansas, he took a $500,000 per year pay cut to become head coach at Arkansas State.

Meanwhile, Chizik was heavily involving himself in the defense. Most often, he sent director of
football relations Wayne Bolt to sit in on meetings and report to him. On more than one occasion, he told defensive coaches to make major changes at midweek when gameplans were already in place. He told defensive coordinator Ted Roof to radically simplify what he was doing.

The defense struggled to stop good teams and Roof resigned at the end of the season, moving to Central Florida and then to Penn State.

The fall of Auburn football was picking up speed.

***

In December 2008, Chizik was athletics director Jay Jacobs' choice to replace Tommy Tuberville. It was controversial, to say the least. Chizik, who had been Auburn's defensive coordinator from 2002-2004, had been 5-19 in two season at Iowa State. He arrived at Auburn on a 10-game losing streak.

But Chizik quickly won over Auburn players, adding perks to the locker room that made players want to hang around, and scheduling team-building functions. He restored confidence that had been lost.

 

Not much was expected of the Tigers in 2009, but they went 8-5 and beat Northwestern in the Outback Bowl. Other than a 31-10 loss at LSU when quarterback Chris Todd was having arm problems, they were competitive in every game. Eventual national champion Alabama had to have a touchdown drive in the final minutes to win 26-21. Auburn was throwing into the end zone as time expired. The future seemed bright, and it was.

In 2010, Newton, Fairley and more than two dozen seniors took Auburn where it had never been, to a 14-0 season and a BCS national championship. After that season, Chizik got a handsome a raise and a $10 million buyout. After all, he was 22-5 at Auburn and had won the national championship.
Some close to the program say there were issues then, too. It was easy to ignore them because the team was winning and everyone was happy.

But all was not well.

***

Shortly after Chizik arrived, he and executive associate athletics director Tim Jackson became a team. Chizik ceded substantial responsibility to Jackson. Did Chizik know what was going on? People close to him wonder.

In 2010, as the accusations against Newton's family surfaced, Jackson was with Newton almost everywhere. Newton didn't get into trouble, and winning overshadowed everything else. A year later, Jackson focused on running back Mike Dyer. Things weren't as good for the team on the field or off the field, and some players didn't like what they saw as special treatment.

As time went on, uneven discipline angered and frustrated players. One player was punished for missing a class he didn't miss. Another was punished because he'd missed a tutoring session while in another academic meeting. His advisor called and explained. It didn't matter. Another, more prominent, player missed classes regularly and was never disciplined at all.

Off-field problems mounted. Promising players were sent home for good. Others found their names in the newspaper when they were arrested.

The Tigers were 8-5 in 2011, better than most expected. But all five losses were blowouts. Dyer, who had broken Auburn's freshman rushing record in 2010 and been the offensive MVP in the BCS Championship Game, was suspended for the Chick-fil-A Bowl against Virginia and eventually left the team.

Over the course of the spring and summer of 2012, more players got in trouble. More left the team. Wide receiver DeAngelo Benton was implicated as one of the antagonists in a confrontation that allegedly led to the tragic shooting deaths of three people, including two former Auburn players. Benton was suspended for two games. His return angered some of his teammates.

As the 2012 season began, few people knew it but Auburn was a team divided.

Things didn't look so bad in a 26-19 loss to Clemson in the season-opener. But they looked really bad a week later in a turnover-filled 28-10 loss at Mississippi State.

Things seemed to be getting better after a 31-28 win over upstart Louisiana-Monroe in overtime and a hard-fought 12-10 loss to LSU. But the next week, the stage was set for the rest of the season. Arkansas, with interim coach John L. Smith in charge, had been outscored 110-10 by Alabama and Texas A&M. It had lost to Louisiana-Monroe and Rutgers. But the Razorback beat Auburn 24-7 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

One very close to Auburn players privately sounded a warning before the next game at Ole Miss.

"We're not going to beat Ole Miss," he said. "There are players on this team - and it's more than a few of them - who just don't care. They just want things to change."

As the 2012 Tigers staggered toward the finish line, setting records for ineptitude, some players talked openly about leaving.

"If something doesn't change," said one player's parent, "the exodus of players leaving this program will be a national story."

Down the stretch of the season, things got historically bad. In the final three SEC games - against Texas A&M and Georgia at home and Alabama on the road - Auburn gave up 16 touchdowns on 18 first-half possessions and was shut out twice.

Sunday morning, Chizik got the word from athletics director Jay Jacobs that his time was up. Jackson was told he'll be reassigned and won't be involved with the football program.

"Winning three games is unacceptable," Jacobs said Sunday afternoon. "We have high standards here at Auburn, and we are going to keep those high."

Chizik is Fired

The word comes a little after 1.  Still no idea who the next coach will be.  No idea when the Auburn football coach will be announced.  I see there is a search committee that includes Bo Jackson, Pat Sullivan, and Mac Crawford.  The latter is a former Auburn football player.  I don't remember him.

We Wait

On this Sunday after our humiliating loss to Alabama 49 to 0 completing a season without a single SEC victory, the first time since 1980 this has happened, and a 3 & 9 record, we wait hear what will happen with Gene Chizik.  We can only wait and hope for the best, that he will be terminated and that the new coach will unite Auburn fans.  I have no idea who that coach might be as of this morning.

The Alabama Game

The big game each year has a different a different scenario, but it's always the same in one respect: it's always the biggest game of the year.  I't's different this year because Auburn is 3 & 8 and it is widely expected that Gene Chizik will be fired after this game.  I expect this to be the case although it still wouldn't surprise me if he is retained.  The Tigers are something like a 31 point underdog.  This must be the biggest spread in the history of the series.  I will say as I always do that this is not a series of upsets.  The numbers don't lie.  The team that is supposed to win this game almost always does. Auburn will have to play like it hasn't played all year to have a chance or to even keep the score respectable.  This is not likely. As Pat Dye used to say, there are no miracles on the football field.  I doubt there's much excitement at Bryant-Denny. Let's get it over with and see who our next coach will be.  I hope it's a good announcement and not like last time when it was Chizik.   The game is a 2:30 kick on CBS.

FIRST QUARTER

Alabama receives and drives 75 yards for the score helped enormously by two officiating fiascos.  A flagrant holding  is not called on a 22 yard completion.  On a third down a horrible interfence call on allows the Tide to go in for the touchdown.  It should have been  a FG attempt but the horrible, horrible call leads to the touchdown.  The ref from 20 yards away makes the call, not the ref at the scene.

Auburn 0  Alabama 7

The Tigers go three and out but we did have good protection on a third down incompletion.
A short punt and Alabama starts on their 39.
Will the refs continue to help Alabama?
Alabama drives again.  We can't defend their short passes.  We haven't defended short passes all year.
What else is new?
The score comes on a power run from the 2.  They are bigger and stronger.
Quentin Riggins says VanGorder is putting our guys in the right positions but they are not executing the scheme.  This game is starting just like every other game has started this year.  The Tigers start slow and the other team starts fast.  This is as we should expect.

Auburn 0  Alabama 14

AU starts on the 22.  Maybe we can make a first down before the half.
Pass incompletion.
2 yard gain by McCalebb.
There's a 16 yard completion for the first down to Blake.
There is a 17 yard completion to Blake to the Alabama 46.
We move to 4th and 5 at the 41.
Stan White says go for it for we have nothing to lose cause we are already down by 2 scores but Chizik decides to punt with less than a minute to go in the quarter.
The  ball rolls dead on the 12 with 45 seconds to go in the first quarter.
The quarter ends with Alabama having 2nd and 10 on their 12.

SECOND QUARTER

Our pass defenae is too soft.
Once again we can't stop them as we can't tackle.  We miss tackles right and left as we have all year.
The score comes on a TD pass from the AU 37 as their receiver beats Mincy by 3 steps.

Auburn 0  Alabama 21

The game is going just as expected.
Alabama is not a great team but they are clearly better than Auburn.  As much as anything this is Auburn not executing.  It's more Auburn not being good than Alabma being good.
12:38 to go in the half.
Louis is dropped at the 15.
Stan White comments again on how we should have gone for it on 4th and 5 from the Ala 41.
We make two first downs,.
We move to 3rd and 8.
Interception by Alabama.
Our receiver  was wide open by it was a poor throw by Wallace behind the receiver.
This is a case of Auburn not executing rather than Alabama executing.
Quentin says again that the defense is not executing what VanGorder is dialing up.
Our linebackers are not hitting their gaps.  We have the usual missed tackles and miss alignments.
The defense cannot carry out what VanGorder is trying to do.
His schemes are confusing for some of our players.
The TD pass comes on a 7-yd completion as our DBs are confused Stan White says.
Their receiver runs uncovered to the back of the end zone with no DB there.

Auburn 0  Alabama 28

We go three and out with a poor throw on 3rd down.

Alabama drives again.

Auburn 0  Alabama 35

We move the ball but Mason fumbes after a good run.  The score comes on a play that typifies this season.  The pass completion comes from the 30 as THREE Auburn defenders converge on the receiver at the 20 but the receiver runs thru all three of them. 

Auburn 0  Alabama 42

The half mercifully ends.

THIRD QUARTER

The third quarter is the same as the first half except that Alabama only scores once.  It helps that they fumble on our 7 late in the quarter.  Our offense is a zero.

Auburn 0  Alabama 49

FOURTH QUARTER

Fortunately there is no scoring in the final quarter.  The Tigers never come close to scoring.  Tre Mason gets 4 yards in his final carry, the last play of the game, to go over 1000 yards for the season.

FINAL SCORE

Auburn 0  Alabama 49

Act 1, this game is over.  Act 2 comes hopefully when Chizik is fired tomorrow or Monday.  Acxt 3 will come when we learn the name of the next Auburn football coach.  Act 4 will come when we learn about assistant coaches and recruiting results.

Before the Storm

At least this year there is no anxiety.  We know who is going to win the game.  Records don't lie.  Betting lines don't lie.  Historically Auburn does usually play their best in this game.  I would expect the same this year even under these tying circumstances.  The real drama will come next week.  Surely there will be an announcement next week on Chizik's future.  I hope he is dismissed, but it would not surprise me if it is otherwise.

The Alabama A & M Game

I've never liked games like this because you usually win like you should but if you lose it doesn't get much worse.  In this difficult season of seasons let us hope Auburn simply takes care of business.

FIRST QUARTER

The Tigers score impressively after receiving  on a long drive with mainly hard running..

AUBURN 7  A&M  0

Second possession is a repeat.

AUBURN 14  AA&M 0

Third possession Mason runs 86 yards on the first play for the score.  So far Auburn is taking care of business.  Against an outmanned team you gotta hit 'em early and hopefully don't let up.

AUBURN 21  A&M  0

Now the Bulldogs mount a drive.  What is happening out there?
The visitors advance to the AU 40.
The quarter ends. 

SECOND QUARTER

The A&M drive ends and Auburn gets a good punt runback to the Bulldog 45 but a block in the back takes the ball back inside our 10.  The one negative today is that we've had 5 penalities so far.
There is a 51-yd. pass completion to Benton with a good pass from Wallace.
Auburn is quickly threatening again.
From the 5 Prosch's second carry from the 3 pushes the pile into the end zone.
11:29 in the second.

AUBURN 28  A&M  0

The Bulldogs move into Auburn territory again.
On a 4th and 1 at the AU 36 their QB easily sneaks for the first down.
On a 4th and 16 from the 40 our defense holds with 5:13 to go.
From the 28 let's see if we can score again before the half.
First down running the ball to the 41.
Mason is running well.
There is a throw to the 5 to Coates just out of his reach.
Mason crosses midfield for a first down with 3:47 to go.
But Wallace loses 10 on a sack.
Two passes and we're down to the 27.
The second ruffing the passer penalty on the Bulldogs moves the ball to the 9.
TD pass to Coates in the back of the end zone zipped it right in there after the ruffing penalty on A&M.
"I see alot of upside with Jonathan Wallace," says Stan White.  He is TOUGH.  He is 7 of 12 in the half.

AUBURN 35  A&M 0

The half ends with only seconds left after Auburn's last score.

THIRD QUARTER

A&M receives and drives right down the field.  I don't like the sound of this.
First down at the AU 15.
There's a run to the 10.
Incomplete pass.
But they are getting receivers open.
We give up an offsides penalty to keep them in 3rd down---3rd and short.
The Bulldogs punch it in.  I don't like this one bit.  Is our defense coasting?  Whatever---it isn't good.  We should shut this team out.  There goes the shutout.  Are we going to have a second half meltdown?

AUBURN 35  A&M 7

All of a sudden I have a bitter taste in my mouth.
If our offense stalls all of a sudden I might start to wonder.
AU starts at the 31.
Mason to the AU 45.
Pass to Blake to the A&M 39.
Pass to Blake to the 30.
Mason loses 3.  It bothers me that A&M seems to get tackelers in our backfield.
4th and 4 and Wallace has to throw the ball away.
With 7:22 to go we turn the ball over on downs.  They are getting pressure on Wallace.  This is not good.
A&M starts on their 33.
4th and 2 at the 41 after a holding penalty and a successful screen pass.
Thank goodness A&M punts.  They should have gone for it and they probably would have made it.
Auburn starts at their 23.
Will we score again in this football game?
There's been a shakeup in the offensive line today.  Not sure how well it has worked out.  Not sure what is due to injuries and what is due to simply shaking things up.
A couple of runs and we are out to the 42.
The Tigers move the ball down to the A&M 29 after a pass to McCalebb.
Wallace runs for one yard.
First down at the 16 after a 12-yd. run by McCalebb.
Incomplete pass in the end zone.
They are getting too much pressure on Wallace.
Early movement by Auburn.
Incomplete pass in the end zone.
Wallace is trying so hard to hit a receiver in the end zone.
Penalty on A&M half the distance to allow AU to convert a 3rd and 15,
The quarter ends with Auburn just outside the A&M 10 with a first down.

FOURTH QUARTER

McCalebb loses 5 but then runs it in from the 15 on the second play of the quarter.

AUBURN 42  A&M 7

The Bulldogs punt.
With Frazier in AU punts for the first time with 10:34 remaining.
A&M starts on their 35.
A&M goes 3 and out as it shoulds like we have substitutes in on defense.
There is a bad snap on 4th down and the kicker kicks the ball thru the end zone for a safety.

AUBURN 44  A&M  7

AU starts at their 40.
Blakely is in there now.  Grant is getting some carries.
We end up punting around midfield.
That's a 12-yrd punt.  Yikes!
A&M starts on their 39 with the clock winding down.  It gets sloppy at the end with Frazierr in at QB.
Less than 3 minutes to go.
We get an interception from Trent Fisher, our FIRST defensive back interception of the year, and he runs it in from about 60 yards out.

AUBURN 51  A&M  7

The game ends with no further scoring.

FINAL SCORE
AUBURN 51  A&M 7

Well, I suppose this will be our last laugh of the year.  I hope we will be respectable next week and then we shall see how the coaching decision comes out.  I'm predicting that Chizik will be back based on the vibes we've gotten this week.

The Coaching Situation

On the day before Auburn plays Alabama A & M the coaching situation is still up in the air as far as I know.  The signs this week were not hopeful that a change will be made.  We read on Philip Marshall that Gogue will take a recommendation from Jay Jacobs.  This evidently means that Jacobs will not be fired.  I assume that Jacobs will say let's keep Chizik.  Dr. Gogue is not bound by Jacobs's recommendation, but why would he not do what Jacobs says?  The feeling now is that Chizik will be retained.  If so, we are in for a continuing down period in Auburn football.  Sooner or later Chizik will be fired.  If he is retained, we are just delaying the inevitable.  It could be that the only thing that would change things would be losing to Alabma A & M.  That would be the most embarassing thing in the history of Auburn football in my time.
Gogue speaks to the media after today's board meeting.  I read what he says on Philip's blog but can draw no conclusions.  He is sticking to his plan of not announcing anything until after the season.  It seems to me that he should know now what he is going to do.  At least he does say that the decision on Chizik's status is entirely up to him.  If he doesn't make a change, a dark cloud will hang over Auburn football.

The Georgia Game

Here we go again in this oldest rivalry in Deep South.  It seems like there is always something riding on this game.  Unfortunately the riding is being by Georgia alone.  If the Dogs win, they go to the SEC Championship.  Auburn is already assured of a losing season with a 2 & 7 record as either Chizik fights for his job or else the decision has already been made to dismiss him and nothing public has been said by Dr. Gogue.  It's a strange situation.  Has there ever been another Auburn-Georgia game with this kind of scenario?  Not that I can remember.  It's a night game on ESN

FIRST QUARTER

The Tigers receive and go three and out.
Georgia drives quickly down the field for the touchdown.  The Bulldogs look animated.  That was easy.

Auburn 0  Georgia 7

At this point we see that A and M beats Alabama 29 to 24.  The game is preserved on an interception when Alabama had 4th and goal from the 4.
The Tigers drive looking good mixing the run and pass but mostly the pass as Wallace looks great so far.
But there is a big loss on Bray.  Should have been a horse collar but no call.
2nd and 20 from the Georgia 40.    Another one of those negative plays.  We've seen this all year.
We punt to the end zone.
The Bulldogs start another drive as Auburn plays simple base defense.  Auburn needs to mix up its looks Stan White says.
Georgia makes it look easy as our defense is static.
They have an open receiver on every play.  Our defense is not there.
Georgia is methodical.  We have no movement on defense.
Georgia is eating Auburn up.  We get behind early like we have all year.
Our defense lines up and doesn't move.
The score comes on a pass to a wide open receiver from the 5.

Auburn 0  Georgia 14

Well, this is going to be ugly. 
With Alabama's loss this game has big BCS ramifications for Georgia.
The quarter ends with Auburn facing 3rd and 10 trailing by 2 touchdowns.

SECOND QUARTER

The Tigers have to punt as they get pressure on Wallace.
Georgia starts on their 35.
The Bulldogs offense is slick and we can't stop them.
A bad call bails Georgia out of a 3rd and 7.
There's a TD pass.  What the heck.

Auburn 0  Georgia 21

We are making Georgia look good.  At the same time, they are clearly the better team.  This could be an historic blowout in this long series.
The Tigers move from their 25 to the Bulldog 44 but have to punt to the Bulldog 10 with 7:52 to go.
The Dogs drive for another easy TD.  There is no need to keep up with the details.

Auburn 0  Georgia 28

Once again we can't do anything on offense.
This time we force Georgia to punt.  The problem is that seconds remain and we have the ball on the 2.
Mercifully the half ends.  What is there to say?  Auburn is not competitive against their oldest rival.

THIRD QUARTER

We're no good on defense and we can't sustain anything on offense.
Jonathan Wallace is 8 of 10 for 133 yards.  That's the only bright spot.  But where is Tre Mason?
The Bulldogs drive 75 yards right down the field mostly running right up the middle.
We consistently have missed tackles at the line of scrimmage.
Their senior QB slices and dices our defense.
I don't know what ele to say.
We hold at the 3 but give up the field goal.

Auburn 0  Georgia 31

All we can do is try and keep it respectable, but I think it's a losing battle.
Once again we are 3 and out.
We continue to see potential from J. Wallace but he is getting no help.
Georgia starts at their 29 leading prohibitively.
Georgia marches efficiently for another TD.

Auburn 0  Georgia 38

Finally Auburn starts a smart drive, BUT Emory Blake catches a pass at the 10 and then in trying to get extra yardage he fumbles at the 6 and Georgia recovers at the 11.  It's just amazing how this team continually, game after game, shoots itself in the foot.  Just amazing.
Thankfully the third quarter ends.

FOURTH QUARTER

On the first play of the quarter Wallace overthrows and Georgia intercepts at midfield.
Georgia punts down to the Auburn one.
Auburn punts.  Georgia punts as they have obviously substituted.
Auburn somehow has the ball on their 4 yard line.
The Tigers move the ball out to midfield but have to punt when Wallace is sacked.
The game finally ends w/o Georgia scoring again.  Thank goodness.

FINAL SCORE
Auburn 0  Georgia 38

The New Mexico State Game

How strange this is.  The game is on CSS but we don't get CSS.  It's like the old days of listening on the radio.  Maybe it's best I can't see the game!  Everyone knows that Auburn will likely have a new football coach next though nothing has been said by administration.  We continue to wait for developments.  In the meantime Auburn at 1 & 7 plays an Aggie team with an identical record.  It's a homecoming 11:30 kickoff. The only question today is whether Auburn comes to play or if they've packed it in for the season.

FIRST QUARTER

Even against a 23 point underdog team it's the same song, different verse for the Tigers.
After being minus 5 yards in our first 2 possession, the Tigers advance to the Aggie 44 before Wallace tries to hit a long pass to Coates but the pass is intercepted at the 2 yard line.
Earlier in the quarter the Aggies advance to the Tiger 29 but our defense holds on 4th and 1.
In the early going it feels like we are going to lose this game or at best win by a close margin.  This is not historic Auburn football. 
New Mexico State is a short passing team, the kind of offense that drives our defense crazy.
The first quarter ends with NMS facing a 4th and 10 on the AU 30 after moving the ball from their 2 yard line.

Auburn 0  New Mexico State 0

SECOND QUARTER

On the first play of the second quarter the Aggies miss a 47-yd. FG attempt.
The Tigers are 3 and out.  Our offense once again cannot move the ball even against this team.
We are trying to throw the ball rather than line up and run the ball behind Prosch.
Our coaches must think we can't run the ball straight up.
Our offense will not commit to try and establish something.  We seem to run a little bit of everything without establishing anything.
After our punt NMS is quickly to the Auburn 48.
Our defense holds and we fair catch the punt on the 11.
Our coaches are letting Wallace throw deep.  Interesting though not much succss so far.
The Tigers move out to midfield.
Prosch runs for the first down on 3rd and 2.  If only the rest of our team was as tough as Prosch!
There's a pass completion to Blake to the Aggie 32.
There's a nice run by McCalebb to the 22.
Mason runs to the 13.
Mason to the 11 for the first down.
Mason to the 5.
Mason for the touchdown. 
Finally we show some smashmouth football with 4:56 to go in the first half.

Auburn 7  New Mexico State 0

After one first down the Aggies are punting with 3:23 to go.
Bray faircatches at the 10 when he should have had room to run.  Big mistake.
We go 3 and out as we disappointingly can't convert a 3rd and 2 from the 18 from a heavy set.
There's still plenty of time for New Mexico State to score.
NMS starts at their 39 with 1:13 to go.
The first half ends on an Aggie punt.
I suppose this is what we could have expected.  Our offense struggles like it has all year, manages one touchdrive drive, but there is no consistency as has been the case all year.  We are saved so far by the same inconsistency on the part of the opponent's offense.  This game is not in the bag by any means.  In any event, there is no cause for optimism at the half of this game.

Auburn 7  New Mexico State 0

THIRD QUARTER

The Tigers get the ball first.
I don't understand why we don't line up and run Tre Mason and throw off play action.
At the half Chizik says we need some turnovers.  We shouldn't need turnovers to beat this team.
Auburn hasn't had an interception in 8 weeks.
The Tigers march 80 yards for the touchdown.  Along the way Mason runs for 32 yards and Blake makes a 15 yard catch.  McCalebb also has a big run.
Prosch bulls his way in from the one for the score.  It's good to see Prosch score one.
7 plays for 80 yards.

Auburn 14  New Mexico State 0

Okay, so the second half starts like a dream.  What will happen now?
Will our defense continue to hold up?  Will our offense continue from here or fold like it has the rest of the year so far?  What will happen in the fourth quarter?
The kickoff is returned to the 23.
Bates picks up a fumble and runs it back 61 yards for the touchdown!  Our annoucers praise the runback including a ferocious stiff-arm by Bates around the 15.  Bates dives into the end zone and picks up an unsportsmanlike penalty enforced on the kickoff.

Auburn 21  New Nexico State 0

Parkey kicksoff out of bounds and because of the penalty the Aggies start at midfield.
We push them back to the 41.  It sounds like the defense is aroused.
The punt rolls to the Auburn 4.  Let's be careful, offense.
6:24 to go in the third quarter.
Our announcers say that Wallace has pocket presence.  He is doing a good job so far.
There's a clutch 3rd down completion to Blake to the Auburn 36.
McCalebb runs to the Aggie 46.
MCalebb runs 38 yards untouched to the end zone!  That was an easy TD run Stan White says.

Auburn 28  New Mexico State 0

The Aggies are 3 and out and Bray almost returns the punt for the score.
Wallace gets pressure but continues to look downfield.  He is obviously our best quarterback.  He has the maturity far beyond that of a freshman.  He is much better than our other two quarterbacks.
Parkey misses a 47-yd. FG attempt with 7 seconds left in the quarter.

Auburn 28  New Mexico State 0

FOURTH QUARTER

Auburn outscores the Aggies 21 to 0 in thei third quarter.  We do not need a 4th quarter meltdown.
The Aggies get a long 51 yard pass completion and they are inside the Auburn 5.
The visitors run it in from the 2.  The fourth quarter is not off to a good start with 12:26 left.  Come on, guys.  Don't let this game get close.

Auburn 28  New Mexico State 7

McCalebb runs the kickoff back to the Auburn 45.
Mason runs for 8.
Mason explodes to the NMS 7.
McCalebb runs it in from the 7.
That didn't take long!  3 plays.  55 yards.

Auburn 35  New Mexico State 7

Don't get sloppy, defense.
Okay.  The Aggies go 3 and out.
Bray fields the ball and is dropped at the Auburn 23 with 10:27 to go.
Blakely joins the fun and runs hard.  Three runs for the first down.
There's a long pass to the Aggie 44 to Ricardo Louis.
Blakely to the 39 for 4 yards.
There's a touchdown pass to Reed for 39 yards!  Reed is open in the middle and Wallace does a great job of making the pass.  It's about time we saw something big from Trovon Reed.  All I hear all game is good things from our announcers about Jonathan Wallace.  If nothing else this year, we have found our quarterback.

Auburn 42  New Mexico State 7

As the game winds down Auburn recovers a punt muff at the Aggie 18 but cannot advance the ball beyond the 15 going for it on 4th down as Frazier plays the last minutes with Corey Grant in the backfield.  NMS drives into AU territory but the game ends on a sack by the defense.

FINAL SCORE
Auburn 42  New Mexico State 7

I do not know what the rest of the season holds.  I do not know the fate of Gene Chizik.  I do not know if this game result has any significance.  What I do know is that our quarterback is Jonathan Wallace.

We Wait

We will wait each day for news of new developments.  We are at the point where the only thing that will satisfy is news that somebody has been fired.  I assume the first thing will be that Jacobs has been let go.  Then a new AD has been hired and along the way that Chizik will not be back and that a search is underway for a new head football coach.  The first step is a new AD.  I expect Chizik to coach out the season with a new AD the search can begin right away for a new head football coach.

The Possibilities

Chizik will be fired.  No doubt about that.
How will it be handled?
It seems to me that Jacobs will terminated also.  That has to come first.
Will nothing be said until after season is over or will it be announced Monday morning that both will not be retained.  If this is the case, will we be told that though he will not be back Chizik will finish out the season or will someone else take over the team right away?
I can see Gogue continuing to say that the situationn will be evaluated at the end of the season.  I can also see the announcement right away that changes will be made making Chizik an immedaite lame duck.
It could go either way.
I'm betting on some kind of announcement next week.

The Texas A & M Game

In its first SEC season the Aggies come into Jordan-Hare a 14 point favorite with a 5 and 2 record.  The Tigers are struggling with their worst start since 1952 at 1 and 6.  A & M runs a terrific spread offense, which Auburn struggles to defend, and our offense struggles to score.  There doesn't seem to be much hope that Auburn can win this game.  A & M will score easily and we will not be able to keep up.  Speculation swirls about the future of Coach Chizik.  My guess is that this is his last season at Auburn.

FIRST QUARTER

Most likely if TAM receives they'll march right down the field and score within 3 minutes.  If Auburn receives we'll go three and out, punt, and A & M will go right down the field.  This shows you how hopeless this thing seems to be before kickoff.
Auburn wins the toss and defers.  The wind is gusty.
Sure enough, the Aggies drive 70 yards for the touchdown.  The drive is kept alive by a careless offsides penalty on Auburn on the first series.  Otherwise, it would have been three and out.  Once again Auburn gives up an opening touchdown drive.  The only thing I was wrong on is that it took A&M 3: 42 to score.
This is going to be embarassing just like everyone thought it would be.

Auburn 0  Aggies 7

Fulse is wide open on the first play but Mosely underthrows him.
The Tigers go 3 and out and go backwards as Mosely is sacked on 3rd and 9.
Yep, here we go as expected.
A&M could score 60 tonight.
This is as hopeless a game as I have ever seen Auburn in.
We can't stop their offense and our offense is totally inept.
Is this the worst Auburn team in 60 years?  Probably so.
Here A&M  goes again as we have missed tackles all over the field.
This is sad to watch.  They are smashing our defense at will.
Their fast-paced offense is overwhelming our defense just as we knew it would.  How pathetic.
This is A & M's only second possession but this game is already over.
Right down the field they go and there's another touchdown with a run in from the 7.

Auburn 0  Aggies  14

With 5:38 to go Mosely is out of the game with an injury.
Quentin Riggins says our defenders are not tackling  but diving and missing the runner, not locking up.
This is nothing new, is it?
Kiehl Frazier is in the game.  Will there be any fight from this offense.
Frazier bobbles the first shotgun snap and there is an incomplete short pass attempt.
There is a first down pass to Blake but we have 5 men in the backfield.
The Tigers are 3 and out.  Frazier makes no difference except that he did throw the ball well but the penalty negates the first down.
TAM has the ball back at their 37 already leading 14 to 0.
It doesn't take them long to score again and A & M is running away with it before the end of the first quarter.

Auburn 0  Aggies 21

How many points will they score?  The sky's the limit.
There's a gain of 6 but Frazier is sacked and then he is sacked again. 3 and out & we go backwards.  This IS the worst Auburn team I have ever seen.
With 6 seconds to go in the quarter A & M has the ball again.
Not only do we trail by 21, our offense has negative yardage so far.   A & M looks confident and Auburn looks lost.  The Auburn Tigers are a dead football team.
The first quarter ends on a long pass incompletion by A & M.

Auburn 0  Aggies 21

SECOND QUARTER

This is sad and pathetic to watch.
3rd and 10 but Auburn jumps offsides again for the third time tonight already.
That makes it 3rd and 5 and their QB Manziel runs for the first down easily.
On a third and 7 there is a 34 yard TD run with the middle wide open as we dialed up an outside blitz.  There was nobody in the middle of the field for Auburn.

Auburn 0  Aggies 28

How bad will the final score be?  Our only hope is that A & M has some mercy.
Aand M  is exploiting our defense like it isn't there.  Their QB is checking to our defensive weaknesses mainly an open middle of the field as our tackles are nowhere to be found.
This is so ugly.  It is almost an accomplishment for us to get lined up properly.
There is a 37 yard pass completion.  At least Frazier does look good so far.
Surprisingly the Tigers drive for a touchdown with Frazier throwing and Wallace running.
Mason runs it in from the one.

Auburn 7  Aggies 28

Well, that was refreshing, but if this game is like the rest of the year so far, it won't last.
The Aggies drive again.
On a 2nd and 27 their QB runs for 36 yards.  We score the TD but we simply cannot stop their offense.  It's isn't going to happen tonight.  Their offense is a total mismatch for our defense.
The score comes on a run from the 2 by their quarterback running around the right end and extending the ball over the goal line.   Their QB Manziel is great and is better than our defense.  Our defense is getting gashed as I expected.

Auburn 7  Aggies 35

They have 346 total yards already and have scored on every possession.
Our defense is getting totally manhandled.  They have guys running free and we have missed assignments.  This is what I expected.
Mason runs for 11.
Wallace runs for 4.
Frazier overthrows Mason on a short route.  You gotta hit those.
Frazier loses 2 and looks lost under pressure.
Auburn has to punt after one first down.
Clark gets a good roll on a poor punt.
TAM gets another chance starting on their 28.
Immediately there is another LONG pass completion to the AU 23.
The score comes from a 7-yd. run with arm tackling.  Stan White says he's never seen anything like this.
Quentin Riggins says the defensive effort isn't there.

Auburn 7  Aggies 42

This team is getting embarassed more than any Auburn team in my memory.
Auburn is 3 and out with about a minute left.
Frazier is inaccurate on that possession.
The punt goes to the A&M 30 with 45 seconds left.  Plenty of time to score again!
The half ends with A & M missing a 48 yard FG attempt.

Auburn 7  Aggies 42

THIRD QUARTER

The Aggies amassed 464 yards of total offense in the first half. 
Auburn receives to start the third quarter.
We go 3 and out and TAM goes right down the field as if our defense isn't there.  No effort and no intensity.  It's that simple.

Auburn 7  Aggies  49

I am not going to do the rest of the game in detail.  This is so pathetic.

The only bright spot is that Jonathan Wallace plays most of the second half and looks good.  He plays with more confidence and decisiveness than our other quarterbacks.

FINAL SCORE

Auburn 21 TAM 63

Texas A & M

I've always liked Texas A & M mainly because I've always rooted against Texas.  Otherwise, I have no feelings one way or the other about A & M.

At 1 and 6 Auburn faces tomorrow the inevitability of a losing season.  I see no way we can win this game.  Students rallied yesterday to the team at the behest of President Gogue.  That is noble but it won't change anything.  A & M runs a spiffy spread offense which Auburn cannot defend.  We would have to score lots of points to beat the Aggies and that will not happen.  The line is at least plus 14 for A & M. 

I keep reading about how Auburn is not "physical."  If so, this is disturbing.  Historically Auburn has always been considered a physical team.  Why is this if true?

At this point I see no way Chizik can and should survive.  The future all depends on hiring the right HC going forward.

Auburn's Gene Chizik Must go in Part Because Alabama's so far Gone

According to this, there is a movement towards Petrino as the next coach.  PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF AUBURN, DO NOT HIRE PETRINO!  I don't know how true this is or how much interest there is, but any Auburn person trying to get Petrino is insane.  I may move to Canada and become a Toronto Maple Leafs fan if Petrino is our next coach.

That being said, my only point of disagreement is that Alabama should not be a factor in what we do.  Maybe it matters, but I do not care three shakes of a rabbit's tale about Alabama football.  It should have no bearing on Auburn.  We should not compare ourselves to those low lifes.  We are better than that.

BY Kevin Scarbinksky
20 October 2012

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee - You change coaches when you start losing to teams you’re not supposed to lose to, historically speaking, and you do it in consecutive games.

You change coaches when you’re off to your worst start in 60 years, and you’ve passed the season’s midpoint and you still can’t be sure you’ve hit bottom.

You change coaches when you’ve fallen so far behind your biggest rival that you have to trade in your binoculars for a telescope to watch him pull farther and farther away.

That’s where Auburn and Alabama found themselves Saturday. They were in the exact same state in polar opposite states.

Alabama has a head coach in search of a challenge. Auburn has a program in need of a head coaching change.

It looks like Nick Saban can’t be stopped, which is just part of the reason Gene Chizik’s got to go.

The evidence has been building toward that conclusion, and Vanderbilt 17, Auburn 13 made what should be the closing statement in that argument.

As improved as Vandy may be in its second season under James Franklin, the Commodores have beaten only three teams this season: Presbyterian, Missouri and Auburn. What do those three have in common? None of them has won an SEC game. Ever, in the case of Presbyterian and Missouri, and it may be awhile for Auburn.

As much hope as Franklin has given his fan base, the precedent has been established at Auburn. Lose to Vanderbilt during a losing season, and lose your job.

It happened to Tommy Tuberville in 2008. It’ll be an upset - not to mention a mistake - if it doesn’t happen to Chizik in 2012. Tuberville, by the way, is 6-1 at Texas Tech after a 56-53 triple-overtime win at TCU. Chizik is 1-6.

You can’t always play connect the dots in college football, but if Auburn couldn’t take the lead in the fourth quarter at Vanderbilt, a week after not being able to stay close for four quarters at Ole Miss, how ugly will things get a month from now in Tuscaloosa?

As ugly as Saban wants them to be.

The Alabama coach took no pity on one of his less-gifted students here Saturday in a 44-13 romp.

Everyone knew Derek Dooley had no chance to stand up to Saban long before the Tennessee coach decided to work on crutches on the sideline because of his surgically repaired hip.
The original plan was for Dooley to coach from a stool on the sideline, but why drag an actual hot seat into the picture? Especially when you’re winless in the SEC.

Not sure what Tennessee is going to do, but if Auburn cares about its football program, it has to change coaches at season’s end. And not just a coordinator or two, even if one of them seems all in so far over his head he needs scuba lessons.

Change staff members, and all you’re doing is rearranging deck chairs on a boat that’s become a submarine. The only way to stop a spiral that began last year with five lopsided losses is to start over. At the top.

All the good work Chizik and his staff did in 2010, in running the table and winning the national championship, has come undone. On and off the field. The fan base he rallied so skillfully that season has turned against him, to the point that one Auburn booster said a quiet movement has begun behind the scenes to gauge and enlist support for Bobby Petrino as the next coach.

The discussion of the next coach can wait. The machinery to create the opening can’t, not with actual or potential job searches at Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky as well. Someone at Auburn has to realize that being a good man isn’t good enough for an SEC head coach. Especially when the best coach in college football lives and works in the same state.

At best, Auburn will finish this year 4-8, and that’s likely only if Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Football quits in the next week to play baseball. At worst, the Tigers will be 3-9, and that’s certain only if the players and coaches haven’t completely splintered before a quality Alabama A&M team comes to town.

There’s no excuse for 3-9 or 4-8 at Auburn. No excuse for 9-11 since the BCS title. No excuse for ugly losses to old rivals and uglier defeats against old doormats.

That’s the state of our state, for better or worse. Alabama’s grinding its way toward a third national title in four years. Auburn’s grinding its gears en route to a second coaching change in that same span.

Both outcomes seem inevitable.

Gene Chizik's Former Auburn Coordinators Getting it Done at New Jobs

BY Kevin Scarbinsky
22 October 2012

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Remember when Gus Malzahn and Ted Roof were supposedly part of the problem at Auburn?

Remember when the thinking was that the SEC had figured out Malzahn's offense and Roof's defense was full of holes?

Look at Gene Chizik’s former coordinators now.

They're both getting the job done in their first years at new schools.
I
n Malzahn’s first year as the Arkansas State head coach, the Red Wolves are 4-3, with two of the three losses to Oregon and Nebraska, and they’re one game out of first place in the Sun Belt.
Malzahn’s offense isn’t the best he’s ever run, but it’s not bad.
Arkansas State is No. 24 in the Football Bowl Subdivision in rushing offense, No. 57 in passing offense, No. 35 in total offense and No. 48 in scoring offense. The Red Wolves scored more points than anyone else against Oregon in their 57-34 loss to the Ducks.

In contrast, Auburn is No. 97 in rushing offense and No. 113 in passing offense. If you think that’s bad, the Tigers are No. 119, or next to last, in total offense, and is tied at No. 118, or tied for next to last, in scoring offense.

Thank goodness for Tulane, or anecdotally and statistically, Auburn would have the worst offense in college football.

Roof is a key part of one of the best stories of the season at Penn State. After starting 0-2, the Nittany Lions have won five straight games, and Roof’s defense is a big part of that turnaround. And it is his defense because head coach Bill O’Brien’s area of expertise is on offense.

Penn State is No. 21 in the nation in rushing defense, No. 36 in pass defense, No. 22 in total defense and No. 13 in scoring defense. Roof’s defense is putting up those strong numbers despite playing alongside O’Brien’s hurry-up no-huddle NASCAR offense.

In another contrast, Auburn is No. 95 in rushing defense, No. 90 in pass defense, No. 75 in total defense and No. 55 in scoring defense.

Roof and Chizik never really worked at Auburn as a defensive coordinator-head coach combination. Malzahn and Chizik had philosophical differences last season.

That didn’t mean that Roof and Malzahn were bad football coaches.

They’re not. This season just reinforces that point.

The Vanderbilt Game

Here we go again.  The Tigers play Vanderbilt in the Music City as  a 7-point underdog.  Things have changed dramatically since the 2010 National Championship year.  At 1 and 5 the Tigers try to avoid their worst start since 1951.  It doesn't feel good as concerns swirl around whether Gene Chizik will return next year.  The game is the morning SEC game.  It looks cold on TV in Nashville.

FIRST QUARTER

Vanderbilt has the first possession and from the 25 the Dores drive right down the field with our defense soft as it has been all year.  This is a Vanderbilt team that is supposed to have struggled all year on offense and yet they dominate our defense on this first drive.  They run the same plays they've run all year with their offensive line dominating our defensive line while converting two 4th and shorts on the way.   Nothing fancy: just straightforward running between the tackles and a couple of short passes.  The score comes on a 7-yard run over left tackle.  The drive takes up over half of the first quarter.  It looks bad quickly.  No wonder Vandy chose to receive.

Auburn 0  Vanderbilt 7

AU starts on the 26.
After a 17 yard run by Mason on the first play, the offense, like it has all year, disintegrates.
Auburn is punting from their 47.  Two straight negative plays lead to a 3rd and 12 and that leads to the punt.
After the punt into the end zone Vanderbilt starts again.
Vandy goes to the AU 45 on a long run on 3rd and short as we miss tackles like we have all year.
Quentin Riggins says AU is struggling to get lined up on defense as Cassanova McKinzey struggles to get the defense lined up.
The Commodores fumble and AU recovers on the 33.  That's a big turnover early.  Can we take advantage?
The quarter ends with Auburn facing 2nd and 9 from the 34.  Stan White says that if you stop Auburn on first down you stop our offense.  This tells you how limited our offense is.

Auburn 0  Vanderbilt 7

SECOND QUARTER

The Tigers are 3 and out after forcing the turnover.  This is so sad.  On second down McCalebb would have had a first down on a short swing pass but he slips down.  How many times have we seen McCalebb stumble and fall down on his own?  Too many times to count.
Vanderbilt starts on their 43 after McCalebb interferes with the punt receiver.
Finally a 3 and out by the defense.
Vandy fakes the punt with a 4th and 9 but the plays blows up and Auburn starts on the Vandy 37.
First down at the 22.
First down at the 9.
3rd down at the 10 after a gain of 1 and a loss of 2.
3rd and goal from the 10 and we have to call a timeout to get lined up correctly.
When things are not going well it is so easy to be critical of every little thing.
We have a wide open receiver in the end zone and Mosely throws it behind the receiver.  How amazing.  We have to settle for the short field goal.  Mosely costs us an easy touchdown.  You can't win with this kind of QB play.  If we can say nothing else, we can clearly say that we do not have an SEC quarterback.  Mosely is terrible.  If it were me I'd play Jonathan Wallace and forget the other QBs.

Auburn 3  Vanderbilt 7

Vandy on their 25 after the kickoff into the end zone.  Parkey may be the best thing going for this team.
Vandy is 3 and out again.
After a long punt Auburn starts on the 17.
Auburn is 3 and out.  Our offensive struggles continue.  We'll say this the rest of the game.
After a short punt Vandy is on their 43.
On third down.we have 2 defenders in the backfield but their QB escapes.  So sad.
On 4th and inches the Dores go for it & we stop them!
AU on their 48.
There is a first down completion to Blake.
First down at the Vandy 30.
There is a strike to Blake to the 7.
McCalebb is just short of the goal line.
Mason for the touchdown from the one.
Now THAT was a crisp and efficient drive.
Great execution, balance, and rhythm.
The play action worked there.
Establish the run and mix it up.
Both of our scoring drives come after Vandy botches it on 4th down.

Auburn 10  Vanderbilt 7

We have momentum.  This is where our letups have occurred.  What will happen today?
Vandy starts at their 22 with a minute fifteen left in the half.
Auburn has only one interception all year.  This will be a good time for one.
We show soft coverage to allow Vandy to move into field goal range.
The Commodores are all the way down to the Auburn 22.
Our pass coverage is way too soft.
20 seconds left and Vandy has 2 timeouts.
3rd and 10 from the 22.
I do not understand why our defense plays so soft allowing Vanderbilt to move down the field on short passes.
With 3 seconds left the Commodores kick the 30 yard field goal.
Just like last week the Dores go right down the field to tie the game with just over a minute left.  Just like last week.  I don't understand it.  I really don't.  We give up putting pressure on their quarterback and let them short pass right down the field.  I don't understand it.  Ole Miss did the same thing last week.  I mean exactly like last week.

Auburn 10  Vanderbilt 10

THIRD QUARTER

At the half Chizik says the team has to finish. No joke.   It will be a field position game.  Auburn has missed opportunties in the first half. On that last score Auburn was in offensive rhythm for the first time.    Auburn has to will itself to win.  This is a game for Auburn to win.  Will it happen or will the Tigers collapse in the 4th quarter like they have in the past?
AU starts on the 19.
First down run by Mason.
9 yard run by McCalebb.
Prosch for the first down.
An 11 yard run by McCalebb.
Wallace fumbles, Prosch recovers,  but it's a big loss.
Here we go again.  A big negative play.
We move to 3rd and 14.  A big loss puts us behind the 8-ball again.
Mosely is sacked on a 3-man rush.   Here we go again.  A promising drive gets stonewalled by a huge negative play as Wallace fumbles and Prosch has to recover for a double digit loss.
After the punt Vandy starts around their 15.
This is a bad omen.
You've got two not very good teams here and only one will be standing at the end.
Vandy to the 31.
Vandy to the 40.
Our defense is folding.
Vandy to the AU 32.
The Dores are cutting our defense to pieces.
Vandy runs 30 yards to the Auburn 2.
There is the touchdown.  Vanderbilt manhandles our defense.  This is sad, so sad.
That was ugly.  What can you say?  This team is like night and day.  Our defense has quit and our offense kills itself.  It was like we didn't have enough defensive players on the field.  This game is history.  We are going to get blown out by Vanderbilt.

Auburn 10  Vanderbilt 17

Auburn starts on their 15.
Mason is stacked up.
This is a confused offense says Stan White.  So sad.
The Tigers are 3 and out.  It's like our offense doesn't have a clue.
We have another interference call on the punt and Vandy has great field position on the Auburn 45.
Our announcers say these are junior high  penalities.  We keep making the same mistakes over and over. 
We have absolutely no pass rush.  Thank goodness our pass defense is good at times.  It's good down the field but we still give yardage on the short passes.
The Auburn 45 is as far as they can go.
The punt goes into the end zone.
We trail only by a touchdown but our defense is comatose.
There is a long run by Mason.
AU on the Vandy 40.
There is a procedure penalty.  As always we make a mistake to bring up first and 15.
After a short pass completion to McCalebb there is ANOTHER procedure penalty.  Our offense again and again shoots itself in the foot.  It is amazing.
There is a no gain completion to Bray.  It is amazing how this offense self-destructs.
Now Mosely is sacked.  After the big gain. Auburn goes BACKWARD 20 yards.  This is utterly amazing how poor our offense is.   This is a poor, poor offense.  There is no other way to put it.
We don't get to the line of scrimmage until 8 or 9 seconds are left on the clock which leads to complete discombobulation as Mosely looks to the sideline for an update to the play call.  The offense is slow, slow, and slower.
Vandy regains possession as the 4th quarter ends.

Auburn 10  Vanderbilt 17

FOURTH QUARTER

Here we are in another fourth quarter.  This is where Auburn fades.  Of course, it looks like we've already faded in the third quarter.
The Commodores go three and out.
The Tigers start at their 49.
Can the Tigers finally win the fourth quarter?  I doubt it.
The Tigers move to the Commodore 24.
McCalebb to the 20.
Mason loses a yard.
Incomplete pass.  Poor decision by Mosely.
Thanks goodness for our placekicker as Parkey makes the 39 yard FG.

Auburn 13  Vanderbilt 17

The field goal is all fine and dandy but it will take at least another touchdown to win this game.
This is an ugly game by two below average teams.  Vanderbilt is still Vanderbilt but this is not the Auburn football we expect.
Vandy starts on their 25 after the touchback.
There is a long pass completion to a wide-open receiver to the Auburn 38 which Stan White calls "pitiful."
If we give up a touchdown here it's all over.  It's probably over anyway.
The Dores go for it on 4th and 3 from  around the AU 31.
We stuff the attempted halfback pass.
The Tigers start on their 38.
Auburn has not scored a single touchdown in the 4th quarter all year.
The Tigers are 3 and out after having a 2nd and 2.
McCalebb runs sideways on third down.  That play is easy to read.  McCalebb is a great East and West runner but he can't turn it North and South.  Why would you run McCalebbb laterally on third and short?
That is a baffling play call on third and short.
Outside of opening drives in both halves our defense has played pretty well.
We need a 3 and out here and a miracle by our offense.
Vandy starts on their 19 and very quickly there is a 27 yard run by their wildcat QB.
Well, that is that.
There is a five yard gain.  Auburn will lose the fourth quarter once again.
Our offense is incredibly inept and our defense tries to hang on but gets worn down, this time to lowly Vanderbilt.  Make no mistake about it---this is still Vanderbilt and Auburn has no busines losing to Vanderbilt, but it is going to happen today.
There's a run up the middle for a first down.  Barring a turnover, AU will lose again.
Our offense is inept and can't get anything done leaving our defense to hang on.
Vandy fumbles on 3rd and 6 and Auburn recovers on the Vandy 32.
The clock says 2:24.  Auburn has a long way to go and there is no confidence that we can drive for a touchdown.
Auburn moves to the Vandy 40 on a pass completion on 3rd and one.
On 4th down we overthrow Coates who was wide-open BUT,  there was a penalty that would have negated the play anyway.
Auburn will lose to Vanderbilt.
Stan White says there is no excuse for our offense.  None whatsover.
How embarassing. 
"It's ugly," Stan White says.

FINAL SCORE

Auburn 13  Vanderbilt 17

I think I've said all that needs to be said.  This is a terrible Auburn football team.  In particular, the offense is ridiculously bad.

























Like I said to start with, here we go again.

Pat Dye Says One of Auburn QBs Must "stand up and become a man"

BY Matt Scalici
15 October 2012

"It is what it is and I don't see it getting any better."

That was former Auburn coach Pat Dye's assessment of Auburn's disappointing 1-5 start to the 2012 season when he spoke on the Paul Finebaum Radio Network on Monday afternoon. Dye said he doesn't see Auburn winning an SEC game this season, including Saturday's game against Vanderbilt.

'I don't see us winning one Paul. It will be a big upset if we win Saturday against Vanderbilt. Everybody knows that that's not acceptable."

In assessing the fundamental problems with Auburn's 2012 squad, Dye said the Tigers' problems are numerous but that the quarterback position was the single-biggest obstacle to Auburn's success.

"We've got problems that are not solvable on offense," Dye said. "You've got to have a quarterback to win in this league. Every team that we've played, their quarterback has been better than ours."

Dye said that Auburn's struggles up front have likely made it more difficult for the quarterbacks to have success.

"In fairness to them (the quarterbacks), we've got a young offensive line starting, two sophomores and two freshmen and a senior that's not playing very well. They're getting more pressure than they should get and they're not handling it well."

Dye said the development of Auburn quarterbacks Kiehl Frazier and Clint Moseley is the key to turning around the program.

"In the 4th quarter, it's just total collapse. If you're gonna be a man, you want to stand up and be a man in the 4th quarter. If you're a good football team and you're a good football team, it's going to come down to the 4th quarter. I think in the 4th quarter we've had 9 turnovers and our opponents have had 2, and that comes down to the quarterbacks."

"Unless one of them stands up and becomes a man, and I haven't seen it yet, I don't think we stand a chance. Not against a good football team."

Despite Auburn's struggles, Dye reiterated his support for current Tigers head coach Gene Chizik.

"My confidence in Gene and that coaching staff has not changed. I still believe in them. I believe in them because of the kind of men they are and where they came from and what their history is. You can't have any better background. It's not what we're doing offensively and it's not the playcalling."

"The fact remains that we have gotten sub-par play at linebacker, which creates problems stopping the running game, and the secondary is young and growing. They played as hard as any football team I've ever seen at Auburn against LSU. If they'd done anything offensively they'd have had a chance to win it."

"There's a light at the end of the tunnel but it's tough walking through the darknesss. You've got to persevere."

Dye said two other SEC schools, Ole Miss and Alabama, provide perfect examples of what could be solutions to Auburn's quarterback issues.

"Mississippi did a smart thing when they went and got a junior college quarterback. He ain't no great quarterback but he's mature. He's man enough to take the criticism that comes with the position. If you can't take it, it makes a coward out of you. To me, that's the problem we've got right now.

"Coach Saban makes A.J. McCarron's job as easy as he can make it and he's doing a great job. He could probably expand what McCarron's doing and score 60 points a game but he's being smart and playing young players and managing the game."

The Ole Miss Game

It's going to be a tough rest of the season.  After losing to the Rebels yesterday and with a record of 1 & 5 everyone knows that Chizik is on his way out.  He will be terminated at the end of the season.  I see no way he will get another season.  The slide has gone too far.  The situation cannot be redeemed.  Who will be the next head football coach at Auburn University?

The Arkansas Game

The understatement of Chizik's Auburn tenure would be to say that Auburn needs to win this game today.  At 1 & 3 playing a 1 & 4 Arkansas team that has given up points in bunches this year the Tigers desperately need to win this football game if they have any hopes of a winning season and a bowl game.  The offense needs to shine today as it hasn't all year.  We need to eliminate any turnovers.  Arkansas can score; it's just that their defense has been terrible.  The game is an 11 o'clock kickoff on ESPN 2.

FIRST QUARTER

Arkansas receives and from their 25 move the ball right down the field starting with a 40 yard pass completion.  The Hogs move into the red zone before our defense stiffens and they miss a short FG as the ball hits the right upright.
The Tigers drive across midfield but then get pushed back to the 50 where Steven Clark punts into the end zone.  Arkansas is getting pressure on Frazier.  Stan White says Frazier is looking at the rush and is not looking downfield.  This is not a good start for our offense.  Our offensive line is letting the rush in and Frazier looks lost.  Our offense definitely does not look better.
Their QB Wilson is getting plenty of time to throw the ball.  This is a big differnce so far in the two team's first possessions.  The Hogs move the ball again.  Their QB has time and their receivers are open.  This is not going well.  Their offense is making our defense look helpless.  We continue to have busted pass coverages.  The touchdown comes after another picture perfect drive on a straight run into the end zone from the two.  This is bad.

Auburn 0  Arkansas 7

A different day but the same story for Auburn.  Another slow start for the Tigers.  Their QB is picking our defense apart.  We are getting zero pressure on their quarterback.  Our offense is looking like it has all year, which is to say, terrible.  We are certainly not as physical as we were against LSU.  Something is wrong.  Arkansas is doing what they've been doing all year on offense.
McCalebb mishandles the ball in the end zone and can't make it back to the 10.  Jay Prosch carries for the first time from the 7 to the 10.  There's a first down pass to Blake as the quarter ends.

Auburn 0  Arkansas 7

SECOND QUARTER

Going into the second quarter it appears that we are going to lose this game.  Our offense will not win a shootout against Arkansas if that is what this game turns out to be.  With our offense, of course, a shootout is unlikely.  More likely lots of points for Arkansas and much fewer for us.
We start moving the ball but then Frazier loses 12.  That's 3 sacks so far by the Hogs.  Frazier has to learn to get rid of the ball.  Our offense has some good plays but we have so many negative plays.  We were moving the ball but then Frazier allows himself to get sacked for a 12-yard loss. 
Arkansas, leading by 7, starts on their 19.  We are going to lose this game barring a miraculous turnaround.
This is sad.  One thing: Frazier is not an SEC quarterback.  He doesn't know how to look downfield.  He doesn't know how to get rid of the ball.  Our offensive line is allowing penetration on every play against a defense that has given up over 50 points twice this year.
We get a 3 and out as they come up a yard short of the first down.
The punt rolls dead on the AU 19.
Here we go again.  There is no reason to think we will move the ball any better than we have in our first 2 possessions.
Blake catches a pass but the ball comes out and Arkansas on the AU 29.  This is big trouble.  Blake fumbles and it's all on him.
There is a pass to a wide-open tight end.  Their TE has been open all game.  Our linebackers seem to be lost at times.  It's about assignment football Stan White says.  We cannot cover the TE.  This is not a well-coached defense.  Our hopes after LSU have been dashed that this team would be more physical and improve.  This team has regressed.  Our linebackers are struggling.  Jake Holland is awful.  Our linebackers are missing their QB bootlegs.
At least we hold them to a field goal . 

Auburn 0  Arkansas 10

I suppose that is something of a minor victory for our defense, but still, we look terrible on both sides of the ball.  The Blake fumble leads to 3 for Arkansas.
We start on the 25.
There is a 22-yd. pass to Stallworth.
There is great pass and catch to Coates.
Frazier looks good on this drive.
But then the drive stalls and on third down Frazier holds the ball and goes down on a big sack.  Frazier continues to do this.  We move the ball but once again we have a huge negarive play as Frazier doesn't throw the ball away.  He stands back there, runs around, and ends up taking a big sack.
Parkey misses the long FG attempt.  Frazier's big sack probably costs us 3.
Arkansas moves the ball as the quarter winds down.  You can tell they have a very good senior QB.
They are winning the battle of the trenches as their lines on both sides of the ball are dominating our lines.
The Hogs miss a 50-yrd. FG attempt.
As the clock winds down Frazier completes a pass to Blake to the Hog 49.
But then there is an interception as Blake doesn't look around on a high throw.
The first half mercifully ends.  It looks bad at the half.  Very bad.

Auburn  0  Arkansas  10

THIRD QUARTER

Despite the week off, Auburn has shown no improvement.  Arkansas is winning the line of scrimmage.  This is an Arkansas team that is ranked 116th in the country on defense and we are shut out so far.  Our offense is ranked 113th and we are showing it.  If we lose this game it cannot be explained away.  The improved team we showed against LSU is nowhere to be seen.
Big change!  Clint Mosely starts the second half at quarterback.  We must run the football better.
No change.  We are pushed back from the 25.  It doesn't matter who the QB is when your offensive line cannot block.
Three and out.  No difference.  Our offense is ugly.  There is no spark whatsoever.
Our special teams are getting in on the act.  The punt gives Arkansas possession on our 42.  This is team is coming apart right before our eyes.  This could be Chizik's Waterloo.
Arkansas had 7 sacks  in 5 games coming into today's game.  They have 5 already today.
We have a 3 and out as our defense gets a big sack, the first of the game, on Tyler Wilson.
Trovon fair-catches on the AU 10.
We move out to our 41 before a 5 yd. penalty creates a first and 15.
On third down Mosely goes down back at the 19.  Just when you get a little excited reality sets in.
But then Arkansas muffs the punt and AU has the ball on the Hog 39.  Here is a big break and our offense must take advantage.
Mosely misses a WIDE-OPEN Blake who has his man beat by 5 yards with an overthrow.  That would have been a touchdown easy.
Back we go past midfield after a big sack AGAIN on third down.
Auburn punts to the Arky 13.  My, my.  This is painful to watch.  This offense makes a play or two and then goes backwards.  We cannot block their blitz.  Our QB is easy pickings in the pocket.
That's about 6 sacks so far.  That last one was on the line.
I am more confortable with Mosely throwing the ball but he has to be given a chance.
So many, many negative plays for the offense.
Arkansas goes 3 and out.
Our defense looked animated on that series.
The Tigers start at midfield.
The Tigers are 3 and out. 
Arkansas fair-catches on their 10.
I would say this game is slipping away.  Nothing is going right for our offense.  The only way we win is if our defense scores.
Once again Arkansas is 3 and out.  Arkansas has yet to make a first down in this half.
Auburn startts at their 32 with 2:46 left in thei third.
What can the offense do?  We are not winning the line of scrimmage.  Open receivers need to be hit with catchable passes.
There is a 22-yd. pass completion to Mason.
The drive culminates in a 21-yrd TD pass to a wide-open  Blake!
Being able to run the ball on that drive led to the touchdown pass.
If we can run the ball and control the line of scrimmage this offense can throw the ball successfully.
The play by Mason turned a 4 yard gain to a 22 yd. gain.  Mason sparked the drive.

Auburn 7  Arkansas 10

The quarter ends with Arkansas 2nd and 5 on their 30.

FOURTH QUARTER

Well, at least that last score has made it a game.  The 4th quarter will likely be a wild one.
The problem now is that our momentum goes away as Arkansas moves the ball.
There's a poor holding call on Holsey.  Unbelievable!
There's a 26-yrd. TD pass.
Just like that Arkansas takes our score back and retakes a 10-point lead.
The Hogs gut-punch our defense.  They go right down the field as if our defense wasn't there.
We finally score, have the momentum, and Arkansas, to their credit, takes it right back, moving right down the field virtually unimpeded.
It's hard to understand this football team.  It really is.  After being aggressive in the third quarter, our defense goes passive.

Auburn 7  Arkansas 17

Mosely is sacked on 2nd and 4 when he cannot get rid of the ball.
A ruffing penalty allows us to keep the ball.
Blakely fumbles and Arkansas recovers on the AU 40.
That should do it.  It's ugly, very ugly.
The talk will heat up about Chizik.
This is a poorly performing football team for whatever reasons.
With 9:18 to go Arkansas is at the AU 18 driving for an icing on the cake score.
The Razorbacks run it in from the 2.  After having the momentum on an exciting touchdown, AU has been outscored 14 to 0 in the fourth quarter.  What is left to say?  This is a poorly performing football team with seeming no character.

Auburn 7  Arkansas 24

Arksansas has struggled all year in the 4th quarter, but not today.  This is a team that has yielded boatloads of points all year, and all we can manage so far in this game is 7 points.  Arkansas has risen to the occasion in the 4th quarter, and Auburn has given up.  This team has played horribly.
Stan White says, "Auburn's offense is bad."  No joke.
Arkansas has won in every phase of the game today.
We move the ball crisply but Mosely gets hit as he releases the ball, the ball floats, and the ball is intercepted in the end zone.  Stan White says Slade got beat which allowed Mosely to get hit.
Not that it matters.  This has been a hard game to watch.  In a game we desperately needed to win, the Tigers go down ugly.  The sad thing is that I don't see any upside the rest of the season.  We are dominated by a 1 & 4 team that has given up big points all year.
With 3:36 to go Auburn gets a fumble.
Arkansas's defense  is not very good Stan White says, which tells you how bad our offense is, and we've had good field position all game long to start drives.
We have averaged less than 2 yards rushing per attempt.
If we cannot rush the ball against this team, we cannot rush the ball effectively against any SEC team.
After a good pass completion to Trovon Reed, there is an interception  in the end zone when Lutzenchirchen lets a smaller man in front of them catch the ball.
No need to run down the rest of the game.
This is one of the toughest losses in Auburn football history.
Let it go at that.  The sun will come out again one day in Auburn football, but not this year.  This will be one of those years.  We've had them before.  There will be better years.

FINAL SCORE

Auburn 7  Arkansas 24