Gus Malzahn faces the team he coached a year ago. That was a good Arkansas State team a year ago, and this team may be good also. They belted poor Arkansas-Pine Bluff last week. Arkansas State is supposed to a big running team. This is supposed to be a different challenge from last week's pass happy Washington State team. The Tigers beat WSU 31 to 24 last week. Auburn is something like an 11 point favorite at home with a 6:30 kickoff. Before the game Stan White says we need good linebacker play and we can't let the Red Wolves have long drives. The offense needs to continue to evolve and improve with improved passing from Marshall and no dropped passes please!
FIRST QUARTER
Auburn receives to start the game.
Bray returns to the AU 33. Good return.
The Tigers move to a first down at the Red Wolf 28 thanks to a long pass completion to Trovon Reed.
First down at the 12.
From the 12 Mason sweeps right end for the TD but holding is called.
Now a false start. We are back to the 25.
The score comes from the 18 from Marshall to freshman Marcus Davis in the end zone, his first catch!
Great opening drive by the Auburn Tigers. For one we score first.
Auburn 7 Arkansas State 0
ASU starts from their 25.
First down at the 36.
First down at the Red Wolf 48.
Converting 3 straight third downs, there is a first down at the AU 34.
A pass completion moves the all to the AU 17.
4th and 10 at the 17.
The 34-yd. FG is good.
Auburn 7 Arkansas State 3
Mason runs the KO back to the 28 but there is a holding call.
The Tigers start at the 15.
The Auburn Tigers drive IMPRESSIVELY for the touchdown.
Nick Marshall makes two impressive runs.
The scores comes off the speed sweep for 17 yards by Corey Grant.
Grant turns the corner and virtually waltzes into the end zone.
That was a terrific balanced 85-yrd touchdown drive.
Auburn 14 Arkansas State 3
Quentin Riggins says "what a difference a week makes. Our defense is smooth so far tonight."
The Arkansans start at their 25 the return starting 9 yards deep in the end zone.
ASU drives to the AU 21 but our defense holds on 4th and 1. Great job stuffing David Oku.
3rd and 13 for the Tigers. The quarter ends with AU facing a 4th and 1 after a 12-yd. run by Tre Mason.
SECOND QUARTER
Auburn punts to the Red Wolf 20 after a 50-yd. punt.
The Red Wolves drive to the AU 45
We are stopping their runs but giving up passes.
10:45 to go in the half.
The Tigers hold on 4th and 5 at the AU 25!
We go 3 and out and have to punt from the 32.
There is a terrible 25-yd. punt by Stephen Clark.
The Red Wolves get the ball back quickly at their 43. What a poor punt by Clark. No reason for that.
ASU trails but is dominating time of possession. AU has been rotating a lot of defensive players.
Our starting offensive rhythm is gone. Our defense so far has stopped them when it had to.
14 to 3 with 6 minutes and something left. But ASU has moved the ball between the 20's.
Our offense has to get going again.
Our DBs are playing tighter this year. Stan White likes this.
The Red Wolves drive but once again our defense really stiffens. Truly our defense has given up yards but when crunch time comes they rise up.
They punt into the end zone. AU starts at the 20 with 3 minutes plus left.
Lightening strikes as Marshall hits Sammie Coates in stride for a 68-yd. TD pass!!!
Wow oh wow! Great play action and great throw by Nick Marshall.
Auburn 21 Arkansas State 3
Parkey kicks off thru the uprights.
With 1:35 ASU has to punt on 4th and 5.
Chris Davis returns the punt to midfield but there is a holding call.
Au has start on the 6.
The Tigers punch it out to the 40 before a holding penalty moves it back as the first half ends.
We have to be pleased with the first half with Auburn leading 21 to 3, the offense showing signs of balance, and the defense rising up when it had to. Let's hope it continues in the second half.
THIRD QUARTER
Having won the toss and deferred, the Red Wolves get the ball to start the second half.
The visitors start on the 12 after another 15-yd. penalty for not wearing white.
The Wolves are quickly across midfield.
The Wolves are at the AU 28.
The Wolves are at the AU 12.
The Wolves are inside the AU 5.
Our defense stiffens again but gives up the short FG.
Auburn 21 Arkansas State 6
The Red Wolves took it to our defense to start the second half. We can't have this the rest of the game.
A bend but not break defense has sufficed so far but this game is far from over.
Touchback. Auburn starts at the 25.
Marshall drops the ball at the 17 and ASU recovers.
Oh my. This is a disastrous start to the second half.
ASU is set to tighten this game.
Our defense stiffens again but gives up the FG as we push them back for a 42-yarder.
Auburn 21 Arkansas State 9
After one first down we have to punt from our 39. Marshall misses a wide-open Uzomah. Fair catch at the 24 with 5:40 to go in the quarter. This is not going well in the second half. Our offense is sputtering.
3 and out as we push them back after a big sack on 3rd down.
Bad punt and we get the ball on the AU 46.
Hard running to a first down at the 10 and Mason runs it in from there!! Now THAT was a great drive running between the tackles.
This is the kind of drive we needed to give the offense its swagger back and rest our defense.
Auburn 28 Arkansas State 9
The Red Wolves start at their 11 as Oku runs it out from deep in the end zone.
The Red Wolves cross midfield as the quarter ends helped by a 15-yd. penalty and ejection on Frost.
FOURTH QUARTER
Once again our defense holds and ASU punts into the end zone.
It is amazing from what heard about this offense that the Red Wolves have yet to cross the goal line.
13:58 to go.
We move the ball smartly down he field but have to settle for a 35-yd. FG. That's okay.
Auburn 31 Arkansas State 9
The Tigers take over on downs after the Wolves fail on 4th down at the Auburn 42.
We three and out as a blatant interference is not called on Ricardo Louis. That was a horrible missed call.
The Wolves start on their 20 after the punt into the end zone.
Carl Lawson puts a hit on their QB, he fumbles, and AU recovers at the Auburn 45.
Wallace is in at quarterback.
Cameron Artis-Pakyne runs it in from the 11.
Auburn dominates this football game.
Our opponents have yet to cross the goal line with 1:43 to go.
Auburn 38 Arkansas State 9
The game ends with the Wolves running out the clock still not finding the end zone.
FINAL SCORE
Auburn 38 Arkansas State 9
You have to be happy about this game. This team certainly improved on both sides of the ball. The offense found some rhythm but the biggest credit should go to the defense. The only major negative I see is 81 yards in penalities with the usual calls that go against us while the other guys get away with stuff.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Auburn Talk
Driving thru Montgomery today affords the chance to listen to some Auburn talk on Montgomery radio. I hear that Nick Marshall is being brought along slowly and that he should be very good by the end of the year. He has to be relieved of the gunfighter mentality that he had last year in junior college. Montravius Adams is going to be a great defensive tackle. And really, the WSU game was about what we expected. They ran the ball on better than they should have. We'll have see how that gets fixed.
Monday, September 2, 2013
The Washington State Game - Postmortem
Auburn wins 31 to 24. I saw some good things. I saw some things this football team needs to improve on.
The defense is certainly improved. This will not be a dominating defense, but it will be better than last year and it will, I think, get better. Getting all hands on board will help.
The offense will improve. Our QB is going to have to improve his passing accuracy and our receivers are going to have to make catches. Marshall can run, he can make things happen, and he has a cannon for an arm. He just needs to hit open receivers.
Corey Grant will be exciting to watch. A freshman named Montravious Adams may be our best defensive tackle. I don't know whether he's that good or the others are not so good! Maybe some of both. Adams will be dominating before he's through at Auburn.
The defense is certainly improved. This will not be a dominating defense, but it will be better than last year and it will, I think, get better. Getting all hands on board will help.
The offense will improve. Our QB is going to have to improve his passing accuracy and our receivers are going to have to make catches. Marshall can run, he can make things happen, and he has a cannon for an arm. He just needs to hit open receivers.
Corey Grant will be exciting to watch. A freshman named Montravious Adams may be our best defensive tackle. I don't know whether he's that good or the others are not so good! Maybe some of both. Adams will be dominating before he's through at Auburn.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
2013 Opener vs. Washington State
The Tigers open the 2013 season at home against the Cougars of Mike Leach. I think AU is maybe a 14-point favorite or so. No reason to think it won't be a high scoring game. WSU scores alot and gives up a lot. I see where they averaged only 29 yards a game rushing last year. That is amazing. How can you win like that? I see online before the game starts that Jeffrey Whitaker and Kenneth Carter are unavailable due to injuries. We knew already that Dee Ford is out. We will be thin across the defensive front tonight. The Gus Malzahn Era begins.
FIRST QUARTER
WSU receives starting at their 25.
The Cougars move the ball out to midfield.
The Cougars move the ball to the AU 39.
The Cougars move the ball to the AU 27.
Pass after pass.
Five yard procedure penalty moves the ball back 5 yards.
There is a nice completion down inside the 5.
Incomplete pass into the end zone.
2nd and goal from the 4.
Their only running play is the draw and there it is for the muscle TD up the middle. Okay. WSU marches right down the field in their opening possession. That was way too easy.
Auburn 0 WSU 7
After one first down AU has to punt. Our offense does not look good on its first possession.
WSU gets the ball back on their own 33 already leading 7 to 0.
The Cougars move the ball again but we hold at the AU 44.
Holy Cow! The punt is downed inside our one yard line!
6:45 to go in the first quarter.
After one first down AU punts again.
The Cougars start at their 35.
There is BIG interception by Robinson Therezie!
AU is at the WSU 28.
First and goal at the 8 after a completion to Bray.
Great run by Tre Mason from the 8 from the touchdown.
THEN AU goes for 2 and Ryan White the holder runs it in!!! Amazing!
The play is reviewed but it stands.
It was a strange play the way Auburn lined but the snap went directly to a standing White with Parkay split out. Strange indeed.
Auburn 8 WSU 7
WS starts from their 25.
The Cougars go and out. We get pressure on their QB finally. Our DBs are in their face more.
AU will start on their 36.
1:25 left in the first quarter.
Ricardo Louis drops a pass and the Tigers go three and out. Should have been a first down.
WSU will start on their 12 with 6 seconds left in the quarter.
First play and Holsey intercepts!!! That's two picks in the first quarter.
Holsey leaps up and picks it off.
The quarter starts with the Tigers on the Cougar 45 starting a possession.
SECOND QUARTER
The possession ends when Cody Parkay misses a 50 yd. FG attempt.
Nick Marshall is showing an awesome arm but he is overthrowing receivers.
WSU on their 33.
Since the first Cougar possession our defense has stepped up.
If we lose this game based on what I've seen so far it's the inconsistency of our offense.
We could not take advantage of that last interception.
WSU will still score more points. Our offense will have to show up.
The Cougars drive like they did on their first drive picking us apart with short passes.
The TD pass comes from the 7. That pass was too easy. Their offense is bettering our defense. Here we go. This game will go to the wire.
Auburn 8 WSU 14
WOW! Tre Mason returns the kickoff 100 yards for the touchdown!!!
He runs right, turns it up the field and flat outruns 3 Cougars who seemed to have an angle on him.
Auburn 15 WSU 14
There is a long pass to a wide-open receiver and he runs a long way down to the AU 1.
WSU regains the lead quickly. It only takes them 5 plays. Boy oh boy. This is scary.
Auburn 15 WSU 21
The problem is that our offense is not consistent.
We can't win on kickoff returns.
Q says our defense is tired. Our offense has to move the ball. We have to run the ball and rest the defense. Our passing game is not in rhythm. We must run the ball and protect our defense.
Can we establish the run?
Well, this is not what we expected, but we'll take it.
On the first play from the AU 25 Corey Grant turns the left corner and speeds down the sidelines 75 yards for the touchdown. What blazing speed this kid has! He is faster than McCalebb.
Auburn 22 WSU 21
Is this wild or what?
Defensively we will not sack their QB but our lineman need to get their hands in the air which is the best chance to create more interception opportunities.
6:06 to go. This will be a LONG game.
Our defense didn't much rest. WSU at their 25.
A sack on the first play by freshman Montravious Adams.
The Cougars have picked on Mincy the whole game. Now he is down on the field.
We are thin at DB for sure.
The Tigers hold with 4th and 2 and the Cougar 45. Great play by Davis.
After one first down Cody Parkay kicks a 47-yd. field goal with 1:11 to go in the half.
Auburn 25 WSU 21
WSU is 3 and out and punts with 22 seconds left.
AU at their 32 with 14 seconds left.
The half ends with the Tigers up by 4.
THIRD QUARTER
As the third quarter begins it seems like it's one of those games where you think that the last team with the ball will have the chance to win. We get the ball to start the second half. It would be nice to do something with the ball first thing. Our offense has not been consistent. Our defense has had its moments. We've been saved so far by two interceptions, a kickoff return by Tre Mason, and a 75 yard TD run by Corey Grant. We have to match them score for score. Isn't this sort of what we expected?
AU gets the ball to start the half starting from our 25.
We go 3 and out. This is NOT what we needed. No surge in the line on 3rd and short. Chad Slade messed up.
Not good. Not good.
At least there is a good punt to the Cougar 13.
We did not need to go three and out on our first possession. Not good. Not good.
We needed to start the half with momentum. WSU picks up a first down but then has to punt. Mincy misses an easy interception.
A good punt return and AU starts on their 47.
Will our offense show up in this half? It has to if we are to win this football game.
There is a 35 -yd. completion to Coates to the 18.
We move to a first and goal at the 4.
But there's a holding call and we are back to the 15. Bad call.
After a first and goal at the 4 and a questionable holding call we have the kick the short FG.
Auburn 28 WSU 21
Parkay kicks out of bounds. WSU at their 35. Not good.
I would bet the house that WSU will score a touchdown right here.
I do notice that Montravious Adams is playing well.
The Cougars drive and we cannot stop them.
Our defense stiffens and WSU kicks the 43-yd. FG.
Auburn 28 WSU 24
We are still waiting for a consistent offensive drive. Come on, guys.
We drive to the WSU 38 but two misfires on wide-open receivers force a punt to the Cougar 10.
That was a tale of missed opportunities. Should have had a TD pass twice.
WSU drives as the quarter ends. This is scary. AU had an interception at the Cougar 31 but it was not reviewed. Our announcers are incredulous.
FOURTH QUARTER
The final quarter starts with Auburn clinging to a 4-point lead with the visitors driving. That interception that was not reviewed looms large. Oh, my. It was not reviewed because one official overruled another and called it an incomplete pass.
Our announcers say this is dicey. We've missed opportunties offensively.
Unbelievable that interception wasn't reviewed.
The drive ends at the Cougar 48.
Auburn begins at their 15 with a little more than 14 minutes left in this football game.
The Tigers drive running the football. Cameron Artis-Payne makes a great run on 3rd and short down to the WSU 31.
He is clearly tackled out of bounds but there is no call. Unbelievable.
The drive stalls and Parkay kicks a 42-yd. FG.
This is not going to be easy. This game is far from over.
Auburn 31 WSU 24
So far Grant and Artis-Payne have looked better and out-gained Mason.
9:02 to go. It will be a lifetime.
The visitors drive to a first and goal at the 8 but the Tigers intercept with Therezie in the end zone. Is that huge or what???
But then Mason puts the ball on the ground after a run to midfield. Golly, gee. Our first turnover in the game comes a critical time to say the least. Our defense is right back on the field.
Here come WSU again as the clock winds down.
The play of the game so far comes to 4th and 5 at the 27 and the pass is overthrown. Auburn holds with a little more than 2 minutes to play.
Can our offense hold the ball the rest of the game?
The secondary is markedly improved. Our announcers praise Robinson Therezie.
Mason gains 8 on the first play and WSU calls timeout with 1:59 left. AU at the 35.
Mason runs for the first down.
Mason gains 4 and Mike Leach calls his last timeout with 1:20 left.
The Tigers run out the clock.
The Malzahn Era begins with a W. I think the game went about like we could have expected. I do think our defense has improved over last year. The offense wasn't as smooth as we might have expected, but that's okay. It is obvious that Nick Marshall has great atheltic ability. The offense will improve game by game.
Final Score
Auburn 31 Washington State 24
FIRST QUARTER
WSU receives starting at their 25.
The Cougars move the ball out to midfield.
The Cougars move the ball to the AU 39.
The Cougars move the ball to the AU 27.
Pass after pass.
Five yard procedure penalty moves the ball back 5 yards.
There is a nice completion down inside the 5.
Incomplete pass into the end zone.
2nd and goal from the 4.
Their only running play is the draw and there it is for the muscle TD up the middle. Okay. WSU marches right down the field in their opening possession. That was way too easy.
Auburn 0 WSU 7
After one first down AU has to punt. Our offense does not look good on its first possession.
WSU gets the ball back on their own 33 already leading 7 to 0.
The Cougars move the ball again but we hold at the AU 44.
Holy Cow! The punt is downed inside our one yard line!
6:45 to go in the first quarter.
After one first down AU punts again.
The Cougars start at their 35.
There is BIG interception by Robinson Therezie!
AU is at the WSU 28.
First and goal at the 8 after a completion to Bray.
Great run by Tre Mason from the 8 from the touchdown.
THEN AU goes for 2 and Ryan White the holder runs it in!!! Amazing!
The play is reviewed but it stands.
It was a strange play the way Auburn lined but the snap went directly to a standing White with Parkay split out. Strange indeed.
Auburn 8 WSU 7
WS starts from their 25.
The Cougars go and out. We get pressure on their QB finally. Our DBs are in their face more.
AU will start on their 36.
1:25 left in the first quarter.
Ricardo Louis drops a pass and the Tigers go three and out. Should have been a first down.
WSU will start on their 12 with 6 seconds left in the quarter.
First play and Holsey intercepts!!! That's two picks in the first quarter.
Holsey leaps up and picks it off.
The quarter starts with the Tigers on the Cougar 45 starting a possession.
SECOND QUARTER
The possession ends when Cody Parkay misses a 50 yd. FG attempt.
Nick Marshall is showing an awesome arm but he is overthrowing receivers.
WSU on their 33.
Since the first Cougar possession our defense has stepped up.
If we lose this game based on what I've seen so far it's the inconsistency of our offense.
We could not take advantage of that last interception.
WSU will still score more points. Our offense will have to show up.
The Cougars drive like they did on their first drive picking us apart with short passes.
The TD pass comes from the 7. That pass was too easy. Their offense is bettering our defense. Here we go. This game will go to the wire.
Auburn 8 WSU 14
WOW! Tre Mason returns the kickoff 100 yards for the touchdown!!!
He runs right, turns it up the field and flat outruns 3 Cougars who seemed to have an angle on him.
Auburn 15 WSU 14
There is a long pass to a wide-open receiver and he runs a long way down to the AU 1.
WSU regains the lead quickly. It only takes them 5 plays. Boy oh boy. This is scary.
Auburn 15 WSU 21
The problem is that our offense is not consistent.
We can't win on kickoff returns.
Q says our defense is tired. Our offense has to move the ball. We have to run the ball and rest the defense. Our passing game is not in rhythm. We must run the ball and protect our defense.
Can we establish the run?
Well, this is not what we expected, but we'll take it.
On the first play from the AU 25 Corey Grant turns the left corner and speeds down the sidelines 75 yards for the touchdown. What blazing speed this kid has! He is faster than McCalebb.
Auburn 22 WSU 21
Is this wild or what?
Defensively we will not sack their QB but our lineman need to get their hands in the air which is the best chance to create more interception opportunities.
6:06 to go. This will be a LONG game.
Our defense didn't much rest. WSU at their 25.
A sack on the first play by freshman Montravious Adams.
The Cougars have picked on Mincy the whole game. Now he is down on the field.
We are thin at DB for sure.
The Tigers hold with 4th and 2 and the Cougar 45. Great play by Davis.
After one first down Cody Parkay kicks a 47-yd. field goal with 1:11 to go in the half.
Auburn 25 WSU 21
WSU is 3 and out and punts with 22 seconds left.
AU at their 32 with 14 seconds left.
The half ends with the Tigers up by 4.
THIRD QUARTER
As the third quarter begins it seems like it's one of those games where you think that the last team with the ball will have the chance to win. We get the ball to start the second half. It would be nice to do something with the ball first thing. Our offense has not been consistent. Our defense has had its moments. We've been saved so far by two interceptions, a kickoff return by Tre Mason, and a 75 yard TD run by Corey Grant. We have to match them score for score. Isn't this sort of what we expected?
AU gets the ball to start the half starting from our 25.
We go 3 and out. This is NOT what we needed. No surge in the line on 3rd and short. Chad Slade messed up.
Not good. Not good.
At least there is a good punt to the Cougar 13.
We did not need to go three and out on our first possession. Not good. Not good.
We needed to start the half with momentum. WSU picks up a first down but then has to punt. Mincy misses an easy interception.
A good punt return and AU starts on their 47.
Will our offense show up in this half? It has to if we are to win this football game.
There is a 35 -yd. completion to Coates to the 18.
We move to a first and goal at the 4.
But there's a holding call and we are back to the 15. Bad call.
After a first and goal at the 4 and a questionable holding call we have the kick the short FG.
Auburn 28 WSU 21
Parkay kicks out of bounds. WSU at their 35. Not good.
I would bet the house that WSU will score a touchdown right here.
I do notice that Montravious Adams is playing well.
The Cougars drive and we cannot stop them.
Our defense stiffens and WSU kicks the 43-yd. FG.
Auburn 28 WSU 24
We are still waiting for a consistent offensive drive. Come on, guys.
We drive to the WSU 38 but two misfires on wide-open receivers force a punt to the Cougar 10.
That was a tale of missed opportunities. Should have had a TD pass twice.
WSU drives as the quarter ends. This is scary. AU had an interception at the Cougar 31 but it was not reviewed. Our announcers are incredulous.
FOURTH QUARTER
The final quarter starts with Auburn clinging to a 4-point lead with the visitors driving. That interception that was not reviewed looms large. Oh, my. It was not reviewed because one official overruled another and called it an incomplete pass.
Our announcers say this is dicey. We've missed opportunties offensively.
Unbelievable that interception wasn't reviewed.
The drive ends at the Cougar 48.
Auburn begins at their 15 with a little more than 14 minutes left in this football game.
The Tigers drive running the football. Cameron Artis-Payne makes a great run on 3rd and short down to the WSU 31.
He is clearly tackled out of bounds but there is no call. Unbelievable.
The drive stalls and Parkay kicks a 42-yd. FG.
This is not going to be easy. This game is far from over.
Auburn 31 WSU 24
So far Grant and Artis-Payne have looked better and out-gained Mason.
9:02 to go. It will be a lifetime.
The visitors drive to a first and goal at the 8 but the Tigers intercept with Therezie in the end zone. Is that huge or what???
But then Mason puts the ball on the ground after a run to midfield. Golly, gee. Our first turnover in the game comes a critical time to say the least. Our defense is right back on the field.
Here come WSU again as the clock winds down.
The play of the game so far comes to 4th and 5 at the 27 and the pass is overthrown. Auburn holds with a little more than 2 minutes to play.
Can our offense hold the ball the rest of the game?
The secondary is markedly improved. Our announcers praise Robinson Therezie.
Mason gains 8 on the first play and WSU calls timeout with 1:59 left. AU at the 35.
Mason runs for the first down.
Mason gains 4 and Mike Leach calls his last timeout with 1:20 left.
The Tigers run out the clock.
The Malzahn Era begins with a W. I think the game went about like we could have expected. I do think our defense has improved over last year. The offense wasn't as smooth as we might have expected, but that's okay. It is obvious that Nick Marshall has great atheltic ability. The offense will improve game by game.
Final Score
Auburn 31 Washington State 24
Friday, August 30, 2013
The Day Before
We come to the day before the start of another Auburn football season. I have truly followed Auburn football closely since 1967. It's so different now than in the "old days" before almost every game was TV and we listed on the radio. We can more now with our own eyes and draw our own conclusions.
There is no reason not to think that a lot of points will be scored tonight vs. a Mike Leach Washington State team. Both teams are coming off 3 & 9 seasons. I like to think that we can run the ball better than the Cougars and we are at Jordan-Hare but still if we win we will give up a lot of points.
As always we shall see.
There is no reason not to think that a lot of points will be scored tonight vs. a Mike Leach Washington State team. Both teams are coming off 3 & 9 seasons. I like to think that we can run the ball better than the Cougars and we are at Jordan-Hare but still if we win we will give up a lot of points.
As always we shall see.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
A Week from Today
A week from today Auburn's 2013 football season will start with a night game at Jordan-Hare against Mike Leach's Washington State. The Gus Malzahn era begins.
Excitement is high with a new coaching staff. Expectations seem to be modest. If only we can have a winning season---something like that. That's okay since Auburn seems to do best when least expected.
JC transfer Nick Marshall wins the QB job. We hear good things about the offensive line. The receiving position is supposed to be thin, the running back position strong led by thousand yard rusher Tre Mason. The defense is expected to give up points. We get good vibes from defensive line coach Rodney Garner. Dee Ford, our best DE, will miss at least the first game. Demetruce McNeal, our best safety, was dismissed from the team, yet we get good vibes regarding the secondary.
The line is something like 14. I'll take a win any way we an get it.
Excitement is high with a new coaching staff. Expectations seem to be modest. If only we can have a winning season---something like that. That's okay since Auburn seems to do best when least expected.
JC transfer Nick Marshall wins the QB job. We hear good things about the offensive line. The receiving position is supposed to be thin, the running back position strong led by thousand yard rusher Tre Mason. The defense is expected to give up points. We get good vibes from defensive line coach Rodney Garner. Dee Ford, our best DE, will miss at least the first game. Demetruce McNeal, our best safety, was dismissed from the team, yet we get good vibes regarding the secondary.
The line is something like 14. I'll take a win any way we an get it.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Tales from SEC BeachFest: Coaches - Steve Spurrier's Worst Putdown
BY Mark Inabinett
20 August 2013
GULF SHORES, Alabama - During SEC BeachFest over the weekend, the 22 former coaches and players had a lot to say about their former coaches and their coaching rivals. Here are some excerpts:
CHRIS DOERING ON STEVE SPURRIER
Chris Doering set the SEC record for career touchdown receptions while playing for coach Steve Spurrier at Florida from 1992 through 1995. Now Spurrier is coaching South Carolina:
"Some people referred to him as the Evil Genius. He wanted us to refer to him as the Head Ball Coach. ... The biggest insult you could ever have when you came off the field after making a mistake: 'That's all right. Not your fault. My fault for putting you in there.' Not a more demeaning feeling than to have him tell you that. He didn't have to yell or throw the visor. ... The job he's done at South Carolina: They had no history of success there, with all due respect to George Rogers. They have no facilities. They haven't been able to recruit every well. Now all of a sudden, they've turned the tide. They've gotten every player they wanted out of the state of South Carolina now. And he's done it a little differently than he did it at Florida. He did it without the big passing game. He's done it by playing defense and running the football, which I know drives him crazy. But I think that shows the discipline that he has and his desire to win that he'd give up what he loves doing the most to get those W's on Saturday."
BEN LEARD ON TERRY BOWDEN
Ben Leard played for Auburn from 1997 through 2000. He started his career on the Plains under coach Terry Bowden:
"From Sunday to Friday, he was quite quirky. He just didn't connect with you. He kind of stayed off on the sidelines and monitored from a distance. But ... coach Bowden was an in-game genius. He could do things and make plays and draw question marks around certain defensive strategies and things that really made Dameyune (Craig), who I backed up for two years, understand what they were trying to accomplish. Now Dameyune was a tremendous athlete who could make plays on his own, but coach Bowden just had a knack. He had a knack to be able to do things on Saturdays that not many football coaches could do, and he had a way to deliver that to the football team so they could accomplish whatever goal it was he had in mind."
BEN LEARD ON TOMMY TUBERVILLE
Ben Leard was the starting quarterback on coach Tommy Tuberville's first two teams at Auburn:
"Coach Tubs was a blue-collar guy. Coach Tubs would basically tell us, 'Guys, if you score 17 points a game, I expect to win,' because he was so defensive-minded. ... He felt like his defensive football team should be able to hold an opposing offense to 16 or less. And that's the way we operated. I got threatened to be benched at least a dozen times a game because I'd check from a run to a pass. Third-and-long, first-and-10 or whatever, he wanted to run the clock down, play ball-control offense, and not to mention we had a guy behind me that could run the football pretty well, too. So he felt like he was hedging his bets giving the ball to Rudi (Johnson) more so than me putting the ball up in the air threatening an interception."
BEN LEARD ON GUS MALZAHN
The former Auburn quarterback is full of confidence about the job that former Tigers offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn will do now that he's the head coach on the Plains:
"He obviously had a tremendous amount of success in 2009 and 2010 and that was obviously expedited quite a bit by a kid who wore No. 2 in Cam Newton. But we'll take it any way we can get it. I am really, really excited not only about coach Malzahn coming back, but I'm excited about the staff he brought with him. ... They're tremendous recruiters, but the biggest thing is they're great football coaches. On top of that, they're going to coach those kids hard. Auburn will be a disciplined football team from the word 'go.' But the best thing about it is they'll coach them hard, but they'll love them, too. At the end of the day, these are kids that are 17, 18 years old that are away from their parents, away from their families, and as soon as they get on a college campus they don't know which end is up. They're going to treat them that way. I'm extremely, extremely excited and looking forward to this football season. I don't know if it's relative to the lack of success from 2012, but I'm really looking forward to what they have coming in the years to come in trying to compete with the other side of the state."
DAVID GREENE ON MARK RICHT
Quarterback David Greene became the SEC's career leader in passing yards while playing for coach Mark Richt's first four teams at Georgia:
"There's a misconception of coach Richt. Everybody just thinks he's just laid-back and never gets fired up. But it's really just the opposite, I'd say, during the week. Coach Richt has actually got plenty of fire in his belly, but he always made this comment that if he gets too worked up on game day, he doesn't think clearly. So he actually forces himself on game day to just stay calm no matter what's going on because he feels like, 'If I get too fired up, I'm not going to make clear decisions.'"
PHILLIP FULMER ON FRIENDLY RIVALS
Phillip Fulmer served as Tennessee's head coach for 16 seasons and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. He said any hatchets from his coaching days are long buried and he enjoys coming to events such as SEC BeachFest and visiting with his former rivals:
"We probably were fierce competitors, but we were also very respectful of each other in most cases. Everybody in the SEC, and to some degree even in coaching period, is intertwined. Coach (Pat) Dye had the great Auburn run, but before that he was at Alabama. He recruited me when he was (as assistant coach) at Alabama and I was a high school kid. We were laughing last night about all that. I have unbelievable great respect for coach (Gene) Stallings and all that he's accomplished. R.C. (Slocum) and I just went into the Hall of Fame together. We've been friends for 20 years. Coach (Jerry) Stovall and the list goes on and on with people that you enjoy and respect. I kid them that I'm younger than most of them, and I have some fun with that occasionally."
MATT JONES ON BRET BIELEMA
Matt Jones played quarterback at Arkansas from 2001 through 2004. He said there are precedents indicating Razorbacks new coach Bret Bielema will do well after leaving Wisconsin for the SEC:
"You look at the Big Ten success. Nick Saban, right? Les Miles. And the way they go about that -- that kind of road plan. Run the ball, be physical, control the clock, control the tempo. Here's a stat: Last three years, coach Bielema's teams only had one double-digit loss. They had nine losses in the last three years, they were all but one single-digit losses. That tells you they're disciplined, they're smart, they're going to be able to stay in the game. We're excited at Arkansas. We definitely think we got one of the best coaches in the country."
R.C. SLOCUM ON RESPECT
R.C. Slocum has more victories than any coach in Texas A&M history. Now, he's in the College Football Hall of Fame. He said most coaches are not adversaries:
"I would say that there might be a few of those kinds of contentious relationships, but by and large, coaches respect each other. They compete hard against each other, but that's really what competition should be about. I tried to teach my players, I never taught hate. I thought the world has enough hate in it without coaches teaching kids how to hate. I talked in terms of respect - really doing your best and going out and giving your best effort to win the game and playing out of respect for your opponent. Those kids, a lot of times in Texas, the guys that would be on the other team were guys I knew their parents and I tried to recruit them and I had high school teammates of theirs, so there's no way I was going to have animosity toward them. No one knows how difficult coaching is better than coaches, so you look at your opponent a lot of times that he's going through the same challenges you are, so you develop a respect for them, especially the good guys, and most coaches I met during my career I would consider good guys."
20 August 2013
GULF SHORES, Alabama - During SEC BeachFest over the weekend, the 22 former coaches and players had a lot to say about their former coaches and their coaching rivals. Here are some excerpts:
CHRIS DOERING ON STEVE SPURRIER
Chris Doering set the SEC record for career touchdown receptions while playing for coach Steve Spurrier at Florida from 1992 through 1995. Now Spurrier is coaching South Carolina:
"Some people referred to him as the Evil Genius. He wanted us to refer to him as the Head Ball Coach. ... The biggest insult you could ever have when you came off the field after making a mistake: 'That's all right. Not your fault. My fault for putting you in there.' Not a more demeaning feeling than to have him tell you that. He didn't have to yell or throw the visor. ... The job he's done at South Carolina: They had no history of success there, with all due respect to George Rogers. They have no facilities. They haven't been able to recruit every well. Now all of a sudden, they've turned the tide. They've gotten every player they wanted out of the state of South Carolina now. And he's done it a little differently than he did it at Florida. He did it without the big passing game. He's done it by playing defense and running the football, which I know drives him crazy. But I think that shows the discipline that he has and his desire to win that he'd give up what he loves doing the most to get those W's on Saturday."
BEN LEARD ON TERRY BOWDEN
Ben Leard played for Auburn from 1997 through 2000. He started his career on the Plains under coach Terry Bowden:
"From Sunday to Friday, he was quite quirky. He just didn't connect with you. He kind of stayed off on the sidelines and monitored from a distance. But ... coach Bowden was an in-game genius. He could do things and make plays and draw question marks around certain defensive strategies and things that really made Dameyune (Craig), who I backed up for two years, understand what they were trying to accomplish. Now Dameyune was a tremendous athlete who could make plays on his own, but coach Bowden just had a knack. He had a knack to be able to do things on Saturdays that not many football coaches could do, and he had a way to deliver that to the football team so they could accomplish whatever goal it was he had in mind."
BEN LEARD ON TOMMY TUBERVILLE
Ben Leard was the starting quarterback on coach Tommy Tuberville's first two teams at Auburn:
"Coach Tubs was a blue-collar guy. Coach Tubs would basically tell us, 'Guys, if you score 17 points a game, I expect to win,' because he was so defensive-minded. ... He felt like his defensive football team should be able to hold an opposing offense to 16 or less. And that's the way we operated. I got threatened to be benched at least a dozen times a game because I'd check from a run to a pass. Third-and-long, first-and-10 or whatever, he wanted to run the clock down, play ball-control offense, and not to mention we had a guy behind me that could run the football pretty well, too. So he felt like he was hedging his bets giving the ball to Rudi (Johnson) more so than me putting the ball up in the air threatening an interception."
BEN LEARD ON GUS MALZAHN
The former Auburn quarterback is full of confidence about the job that former Tigers offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn will do now that he's the head coach on the Plains:
"He obviously had a tremendous amount of success in 2009 and 2010 and that was obviously expedited quite a bit by a kid who wore No. 2 in Cam Newton. But we'll take it any way we can get it. I am really, really excited not only about coach Malzahn coming back, but I'm excited about the staff he brought with him. ... They're tremendous recruiters, but the biggest thing is they're great football coaches. On top of that, they're going to coach those kids hard. Auburn will be a disciplined football team from the word 'go.' But the best thing about it is they'll coach them hard, but they'll love them, too. At the end of the day, these are kids that are 17, 18 years old that are away from their parents, away from their families, and as soon as they get on a college campus they don't know which end is up. They're going to treat them that way. I'm extremely, extremely excited and looking forward to this football season. I don't know if it's relative to the lack of success from 2012, but I'm really looking forward to what they have coming in the years to come in trying to compete with the other side of the state."
DAVID GREENE ON MARK RICHT
Quarterback David Greene became the SEC's career leader in passing yards while playing for coach Mark Richt's first four teams at Georgia:
"There's a misconception of coach Richt. Everybody just thinks he's just laid-back and never gets fired up. But it's really just the opposite, I'd say, during the week. Coach Richt has actually got plenty of fire in his belly, but he always made this comment that if he gets too worked up on game day, he doesn't think clearly. So he actually forces himself on game day to just stay calm no matter what's going on because he feels like, 'If I get too fired up, I'm not going to make clear decisions.'"
PHILLIP FULMER ON FRIENDLY RIVALS
Phillip Fulmer served as Tennessee's head coach for 16 seasons and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. He said any hatchets from his coaching days are long buried and he enjoys coming to events such as SEC BeachFest and visiting with his former rivals:
"We probably were fierce competitors, but we were also very respectful of each other in most cases. Everybody in the SEC, and to some degree even in coaching period, is intertwined. Coach (Pat) Dye had the great Auburn run, but before that he was at Alabama. He recruited me when he was (as assistant coach) at Alabama and I was a high school kid. We were laughing last night about all that. I have unbelievable great respect for coach (Gene) Stallings and all that he's accomplished. R.C. (Slocum) and I just went into the Hall of Fame together. We've been friends for 20 years. Coach (Jerry) Stovall and the list goes on and on with people that you enjoy and respect. I kid them that I'm younger than most of them, and I have some fun with that occasionally."
MATT JONES ON BRET BIELEMA
Matt Jones played quarterback at Arkansas from 2001 through 2004. He said there are precedents indicating Razorbacks new coach Bret Bielema will do well after leaving Wisconsin for the SEC:
"You look at the Big Ten success. Nick Saban, right? Les Miles. And the way they go about that -- that kind of road plan. Run the ball, be physical, control the clock, control the tempo. Here's a stat: Last three years, coach Bielema's teams only had one double-digit loss. They had nine losses in the last three years, they were all but one single-digit losses. That tells you they're disciplined, they're smart, they're going to be able to stay in the game. We're excited at Arkansas. We definitely think we got one of the best coaches in the country."
R.C. SLOCUM ON RESPECT
R.C. Slocum has more victories than any coach in Texas A&M history. Now, he's in the College Football Hall of Fame. He said most coaches are not adversaries:
"I would say that there might be a few of those kinds of contentious relationships, but by and large, coaches respect each other. They compete hard against each other, but that's really what competition should be about. I tried to teach my players, I never taught hate. I thought the world has enough hate in it without coaches teaching kids how to hate. I talked in terms of respect - really doing your best and going out and giving your best effort to win the game and playing out of respect for your opponent. Those kids, a lot of times in Texas, the guys that would be on the other team were guys I knew their parents and I tried to recruit them and I had high school teammates of theirs, so there's no way I was going to have animosity toward them. No one knows how difficult coaching is better than coaches, so you look at your opponent a lot of times that he's going through the same challenges you are, so you develop a respect for them, especially the good guys, and most coaches I met during my career I would consider good guys."
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