Auburn Equestrian Report: September 30

Auburn FB Coordinators Ellis Johnson & Rhett Lashlee

 This is a video of Coach Johnson previewing Ole Miss. Auburn will take on the Rebel/Black Bears this Saturday at Jordan-Hare stadium. The game will start around 6pm and will be shown on ESPNU 
 




 This is a video of Rhett Lashlee previewing Ole Miss and discussing the areas that the Auburn offense focused on "fixing" this past week.

My Thoughts on Reader's Questions

 Normally in this spot I would be discussing my thoughts on the game Auburn most recently played. As we are in the midst of a bye week, there was not a football game to discuss. Therefore I had to come up with something and this works, at least as filler.

 Three questions have been asked the most by you our faithful followers. Whether you be on facebook, Twitter, or just following along on the blog, these are the most discussed subjects concerning our Auburn Tigers.

 1.) What are the coaches doing to improve Linebacker play?
   The Middle linebacker is the QB of the front 6 or 7 defenders in this style of defense that we play. Not only is the "Mike" supposed to line everyone up, he also has an assignment himself to carry out.

 Bluntly, this question has been centered around one individual, instead of the group as a whole. I do not treat our players that way. I will not call out a certain player just to run his name in the ground, because I thought he may not have done his assignment correctly. First, I don't know enough to coach the position, and second, It is really bad form to single out some player for any mistakes he may have made. If there was a clear difference between the players competing for this spot on the field, the coaches would have pulled the trigger long ago.

 Coach Johnson has repeatedly stated that LB'er play hasn't been terrible, but it "hasn't been outstanding" either. That tells me that nobody has stepped up to take the reigns here.

 What appears, to my untrained eye, to be the repair for a lack of continued excellence in our Linebackers is the use of the "Dime" package on defense. That is where Auburn is playing more defensive backs,usually that number is 6, and less LB's. It is what it is, and we as fans have to accept the fact that until someone steps up and plays excellent at this position, we are going to have problems here. Rest assured the coaches and the players are doing the very best they can.

  2.) How much longer before our QB play is where "we" want it to be?
  I don't think the QB play is awful, I think we let ourselves believe another Cam Newton walked onto campus to lead us to the promise land. Recently I read that the AU starting QB has maintained a 150+ passer rating. That all by its self shows me that not everything "wrong" with the AU offense is the QB play. 

 Looking at it from another perspective, I see a tremendous improvement in our offense over the one we saw last season. Leaps and Bounds! Yes we have much improved coaching this season. Realistically we have to give this team enough time to get really good. They will, you just wait and see.

3.) We are 1/3 of the way thru the season, what would you most like to see from this team from here on out?
 I actually picked this question out because it was the most intriguing to me.

 What I have witnessed thus far in the season is a young team waiting to see what happened in a ball game. The coaches knew very little of what to expect from this team when the first kick off took place. The players had been thru mortal hell the last two seasons, so they were not 100% confident in what they were going to do this season either. In short, there was a learning curve. That makes for timid play at times.

 I could go on, and on about what we saw last season. Since this is "A New Day" in Auburn football, suffice it to say this team is playing head and shoulders above the way they played toward the end of last season. So....

 I want to see this team assert its will for the rest of the season. I want to see them take the fight to the other side of the line, and make the opposition back pedal to gain their footing only to see hungry Tigers pouncing on their prey!

 Many have compared football games to the sport of boxing. Lots of jabbing and a few really big hits. Using that analogy, I want to see us take the fight to the opponent. Not meet them in the middle of the ring, not wait for the other team to come to us, meet them suckers  as soon as thy get off the stool, and knock 'em back down on their respective butts!

 The defense needs to set the tone early, and that tone should be PAIN! The rest of the schedule is filled with tough teams, and they all are very well coached. So are we. Play like it! Make them suffer when they come into JHS. Send them home without victory, and with multiple bruises. 

 The offense needs to be focused. Quit thinking about anything except the snap count, and be ready to unleash punishment on those who would dare try to stop you from scoring. Do this from the very first snap of the ball. Don't wait to see what works, make every play work. 

 If we can accomplish this we can win some games the "experts" say we can't. Let the whole world know that this is our house!

WAR EAGLE!

Fresno State at Auburn Equestrian Video

Kentucky at Auburn Volleyball highlights

TonyBarbeeGolfTournament

Women's Basketball Fun Fan Day Preview

2013 Auburn University Television Commercial, Version 2

Bye Week Blues

I got the Bye week blues, yes I do
I got the bye week blues baby, Lord you know i do
My team aint got to play nobody
I don't know what I'm gonna do....

 If you are singing along with me, then you love Auburn football as much as I do. Below is the last video (courtesy of AL.com) for the week from the Auburn football coaches or players. It's Coach Malzahn briefly talking about what we worked on this week, and going forward. I have added another video from one of the best blues singers of our time. I hope you like it.

WAR EAGLE!

This Is Auburn - ToriBall

NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER SURRENDER

Telling A Different Story

Normally I would start this blog with something like, A hostile crowd, the weather conditions unbearable, a young quarterback making his first start on the road against a formidable opponent. You know something to try and grab your attention so that you will be kind enough to read until the end. But today I really don’t want to talk about the game itself. Instead I’d like to talk about the team. Our team. Our Auburn Tigers.
This young group of Tigers, even the coach is young, went on the road to one of the most intimidating venues in all of college sports to play what is arguably the best team in the SEC at the moment. Tiger Stadium, Death Valley, Baton Rouge Louisiana, number 6 LSU waiting. It doesn’t get much bigger than that. And in the beginning our Tigers didn’t handle the pressure so well. 2 quick touchdowns by LSU coming courtesy of Auburn miscues put the real Tigers in a deep hole. Add another score and at 21-0 you had to know we were in trouble. But something happened from the midway point of the second quarter and the end of the game. Auburn went toe to toe with a national championship contender. They gave as good as they got.
Auburn actually won the second half of the game 21-14 but unfortunately lost the first half 21-0. Once down 21-0 I do believe last years team would have folded the tents and gone on to lose by more than 40 points. But not this group of Tigers. Instead they fought back. They showed poise in the face of adversity. They stood tall when they could have crumbled. They played like men against one of the best teams in the entire country. They may have lost the war but they won enough battles to be excited about the future. And by future I mean the next 8 games in the schedule.

Running Like A Boss

Tre Mason had what might be described as his most complete game as a tailback. Rushing for over 100 yards against a stingy defense like the one LSU puts out on the field is no small feat. He was quick through the holes. Maintained his balance well. And fought for every inch of yardage he could get out of each carry. Simply put he ran like a boss!! Auburn won’t face many more defenses the likes of LSU’s. Maybe only one. Yeah you know who I’m talking about. (I despise them so much their name will not be mentioned in my blog until we meet them in Auburn later this year).
The running game as a whole generated over 220 yards of offense. Pretty good if you ask me. Especially considering the crowd, the weather, and especially the opponent. 220+ yards will win you a lot of football games. Unfortunately for Auburn, Saturday was not one of them.

The Young Guns

Names like Adams, Daniel, Lawson, Therezie, Frost, Holsey, and Garrett are the building blocks around which an SEC caliber defense will be built. Folks, these kids are good. There is no doubt in my mind that there are 2-3 potential All-Americans in that group of young players. They are talented and hungry. They will be playmakers as their careers advance. They will bring Auburn’s defense back to the glory days of old. Mark my words, we are just a couple of players shy and a bit of experience shy of being a top tier defense in the toughest conference in college football.
By the end of the season these bad boys of Auburn Football will be making the routine plays look even more simple and the outstanding plays look routine. They will change the opinions of even the most ardent detractors. They will be great. What the coaching staff is asking of such a young group is immense yet they seem to rise to the challenge when they have to do so. The future is bright with this core group. Recruiting will make the difference from here.

As The Seasons Turn

As it does every year at this time, we move from summer to fall and with the change comes the heart of the schedule for Auburn. 8 games to go. 6 are in the SEC. 3 against three of the biggest names in college football. It’s time to put up or shut up. I can’t wait to see how the Tigers respond to the challenge.
Last weeks game can be a turning point also for Auburn this season. With their first loss under Head Coach Gus Malzahn occurring, these Tigers now know the heartbreak of a loss. Will they use it as a learning tool and go on to a successful season? Or will they let it break their spirits and collapse from here on out. I’m saying, based on Saturday’s performance after getting behind by 3 scores yet fighting back, they learn, the progress, they come out fighting and win.

The Off Week

The first off week of the season comes at a good time for Auburn. 1/3 of the season is in the books and there are a lot of banged up players. This week will give them a chance to heal, rest, and rejuvenate. A quicker, more powerful, healthier team is what I expect to see take the field a week from Saturday against Ole Miss.
I feel Auburn will enter the game with the…well are they the Rebels, the Black Bears, or the Rebel Black Bears? Who knows but I feel Auburn will enter the game as a slight underdog. Probably a 3 point dog. I also expect Auburn to win outright and begin what I’m sure will be a move back towards dominance over the Mississippi schools.

The Final Word

Although every loss hurts we as fans have to realize that this is a team that is learning how to win on the go. A first year quarterback who didn’t even have a spring practice, freshman defensive linemen being asked to contribute like they were seniors, injuries galore, and an all new coaching staff have made this a work in progress. And progress is definitely being made.
The game against Ole Miss is huge for Auburn’s season. A win and the sky’s the limit. So that’s what we should focus on. Getting that W will be big for the program. It’s a win Auburn needs. A win I believe Auburn gets. From there the possibilities are endless.
This team has come a very long way in a short amount of time. With each game they get a little better. A little more football savvy. A little bit more confident. Although the loss to LSU hurt it is not the end of the world. It’s just time to practice harder, to play smarter, to avoid that happening again. This team, with this coaching staff can certainly do that. Because they will Never Give Up, and Never Surrender!!

Until next time. War Eagle! Enjoy the week off Tigers!

Auburn FB Wide Receiver Sammie Coates

Auburn Equestrain Report: September 24

Reflections: Is AU Football "Back"?

Tiger Walk: A tradition like no other.

 As I write this, I am unable to feel comfortable with a title to this post. Maybe one will emerge as I struggle with some things that are rolling around in the vast open spaces of my mind.

 One thing I know for certain, is that Auburn football is alive and well. I am forever grateful for Coach Malzahn and his staff. Their coaching abilities are starting to really shine as we progress into the season. 

 The first half of the LSU game started miserably for sure. Things like that happen occasionally. On the road, in this conference, it usually spells doom. Usually.

Maybe had Auburn's QB not worn gloves in the first quarter, things would have been different. Certainly if our punter had not bobbled the snap after the second drive stalled deep in our territory. Who knows? Trust me, as I bang these keys, I am not making excuses. Far from it. 

 In July, while filling time with preseason picks, and such, I wrote this:
"LSU is both deep in reserves, and well coached. Their record over Miles' tenure proves that to be the case. Auburn's question is this: Are we physically strong enough to play 4 quarters with the upper crust of the SEC West? 
 The Bengal Tigers have a huge advantage in this one by virtue of being at home. Between traveling to Baton Rouge, and not knowing just how well our conditioning really was this summer, I have to pick LSU as the winner in this one, but they will know that Auburn is back! LSU 31 Auburn 30"
 
The conditioning program works. The mental toughness has returned. The will to win is breathing, and the heartbeat of this team is strong!

 LSU's own Jeremy Hill, who rushed for 184 yards and 2 TD's, said this after the game about Auburn. “I don’t think we let up. I think those guys just adjusted.  That’s what SEC teams do. That’s the biggest difference when you play against non-conference teams.”-via 247 Sports & AuburnUndercover.com

 The title of this post is posed as a question. Yes, it is meant to engage each of you in discussion as to your opinion on the subject. As for myself, after watching our Tigers play last Saturday night, I can say this with confidence: AUBURN FOOTBALL IS BACK!

WAR EAGLE!

On the Pitch with Kim Spence

Women's Volleyball vs FSU

FSU and Auburn square off in the the Auburn Arena. It marked the first time ever that the Women's Volleyball team held competition in the new Auburn Arena. FSU won the series 3 games to 2. Next up is the Kentucky Wildcats on the 27th.

Auburn vs LSU Highlights

Weekly football highlights from AUHD.

Coach Lashlee Talk LSU and More...

Thanks to AL.com for the video.

Ellis Johnson Discusses Loss to LSU

Thanks to AL.com for the video.

Southern Miss at Auburn soccer highlights

Auburn Receivers Stepping Up

 Much has been written about how someone has to step up on the receiver corps on the Auburn team. Not arguing that a true "go to man" is not a great thing to have, but this season, Auburn has a luxury that few have. Multiple players are stepping up, and providing some much needed spark for the offense.

 After 4 weeks into the season, one name however, is stepping up as a deep play threat. Sammie Coates the Sophomore Wide Out from Leroy High in Alabama has emerged as the 5th leading receiver in total yardage in the SEC. Here is Sammie in an interview with Bryan Mathews of AuburnUndercover.com

Gus Malzahn's Post LSU Presser

 Coach Gus Malzahn talks with the media after the Tigers loss to LSU. Thanks to AL.com for the video.

Tre Mason Talks LSU Loss

 In my post about the LSU game, I mentioned that our Tigers kept fighting. In Tre Mason's interview on AL.com, he confirms what we all seen Saturday night. Listen in. 

My Thoughts on LSU

picture via facebook

The game stared well enough. Auburn running up the middle with good success, although not by comparison. More on that later. The first two run plays average 5.5 yards per carry, and then Marshall hits Ricardo Louis for 9 more yards, and Auburn is on their 45 yard line and moving the sticks with some ease.

Thoughts of "we can play with these guys" were running rampant in the back of my mind. That was soon to be erased with horror. A fumble, a muffed snap from center by our punter, and poor tackling gave way to a 14 -0 lead for the LSU gang, and we weren't even 7 minutes into the first quarter.

 The LSU tailback averaged well over 15 yards each time he touched the ball in the first stanza, and Auburn's defense had no answer. When we had someone hit him at the line of scrimmage, the attempt at tackle was around the ankles. Old habits are hard to break. The first quarter of that game was more like a nightmare. 

 After that horrendous start, Auburn's defense settled down, and the offense struggled somewhat. Therezie was all over the place, making tackles. Auburn however was still susceptible to the big play on occasion, and there were too many. LSU kept coming up with big plays. The half ended with LSU up 21-0.

 Our Tigers kept up the success of the second half adjustments, and came out fired up. Zach Mettenbergers first pass was intercepted by Jermaine Whitehead at midfield, and AU made the turnover count. Touchdown Auburn, made it 21 -7 and we were back in it with plenty of time left in the game. LSU comes up with another big play, this time a 46 yard pass and finishes the drive with a TD, and we are back where we started the second half, down by three scores.

 Seemingly, every time Auburn had some momentum going, LSU had an answer. Those purple and gold Tigers are a very good team. We helped them way more than we should have. Not making any excuses, just the simple truth here, We could have won that game, if we play mistake free ball. We didn't, and they deserved the win. We have lots of work to do.

 The best thing I witnessed last night? Our guys never gave up, even after I had. Our Tigers kept clawing, kept working, and believed they could win if they fought, and fight they did. It was a simple case of too many turnovers, and too many big plays allowed. Solve those two things, and this team can play with anybody in the country. I know they can do this. All that it takes is work, hard work. We all know something about that, don't we?

WAR EAGLE!

Kentucky at Auburn Soccer highlights

Auburn FB team departs for LSU

 

    Tiger Talk Audio

Auburn Sports Report September 19, 2013

Malzahn Presser

 By now I am sure you have heard that one of the computer models used in the BCS formula has Auburn ranked #1 in the country. Another model has the Tigers in the Top 5. Coach Malzahn responded that "They don't watch us practice every day" Here is the Link

 Coach Malzahn also met with the media one last time before his weekly Tiger Talk radio show. Auburn travels to Baton Rouge, LA to play the LSU Tigers. Both teams are undefeated. Thanks to AL.com for the video.

Auburn Volleyball starts play in Arena

 Auburn Volleyball is 9-2 following the tough loss to Notre Dame. The next three opponents are at home, starting with Florida State on the 21st at noon. Come out and support these fine young ladies.

WAR EAGLE!

This video courtesy of Auburn Athletics.

Auburn Cross Country Report: September 17

Auburn Equestrian Ranked #2 Preseason

 In case you haven't noticed, while the big three sports at Auburn have been suffering through some hard times, and 2 of the 3 had to replace their respective coaching staffs, your Auburn University Equestrian team is getting ready to defend its National Championship of 2012.
 

 Introducing your Auburn Equestrian Team for 2013/2014

Maggie Barlow	Western	SO	Homewood, Ala.
Caroline Becker	Hunt Seat	FR	Branchville, NJ
Elizabeth Benson	Hunt Seat	SO	Whitehouse Station, NJ
Megan Bifano	Hunt Seat	SO	Austin, Texas
Katie Buff	Western	JR	Morganton, N.C.
Morgan Burns	Western	JR	Tallahassee, Fla.
Bailee Bussey	Western	JR	Guin, Ala.
Claire Connaghan	Hunt Seat	SO	Apex, NC
Julianna Cook	Western	JR	Farmington, Ga.
Cheyenne Cracraft	Western	SR	Las Vegas, Nev.
Jennifer Delman	Hunt Seat	JR	Greensboro, N.C.
Piper Donnelly	Hunt Seat	SR	Terrace Park, Ohio
Allie Dusha	Western	SO	Batavia, Ohio
Landrie Folsom	Hunt Seat	SO	Thomasville, Ga.
Ashley Foster	Hunt Seat	FR	Brookeville, Md.
Gabriella Gianturco	Hunt Seat	FR	Canton, Ga.
Quincy Hayes	Hunt Seat	SR	Ontario, Canada
Lena Hernig	Western	FR	Chelsea, Ala.
Tory Hoft	Hunt Seat	FR	Raleigh, N.C.
Lucy Igoe	Western	JR	Powell, Ohio
Griffin Knight	Western	SO	Madisonville, Texas
Katsy Leeman	Western	JR	Massillon, Ohio
Rachel Christina Lin	Hunt Seat	SR	Lewisburg, Pa.
Danielle Long	Western	JR	Anchorage, Alaska
Hannah Loseke	Western	SO	Kearney, NE
Hannah Marco	Hunt Seat	SO	Jacksonville, Fla.
Emily Marosi	Hunt Seat	FR	Ocoee, Fla.
Morgan McQuay	Hunt Seat	SO	Carmel, Ind.
Caitlin Moran	Western	JR	Collierville, Tenn.
Hailey Munger	Western	SO	Johns Creek, Ga.
Stephanie Rucci	Western	SR	Alpharetta, Ga.
Jacqueline Shilen	Hunt Seat	FR	Greenwich, Conn.
Katie Sluck	Western	SO	Fort Worth, Texas
Melena Smith	Hunt Seat	JR	Mahopac, N.Y.
Peyton Smith	Hunt Seat	SO	Ordinary, Va.
Hannah Stephens	Western	FR	Fort Valley, Va.
Demi Stiegler	Hunt Seat	JR	Irvine, California
Brianna Tamulewicz	Western	FR	Westerville, Ohio
Lacy Watson	Western	FR	Goshen, Ohio
Jennifer Waxman	Hunt Seat	SR	Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Chelsea Zillner	Western	SR	Lenexa, Kan.

 These young ladies and their coaches work hard at trying to stay on top of their sport. 


This team is preseason ranked second, behind arch nemesis UGA to start the 2013/2014 season. If you get an opportunity, please spend some time watching this team perform and compete. After all, they are Champions! Your Auburn Tiger National Champions to be exact.

WAR EAGLE!

THE STREAK IS OVER

The sun sets on that conference losing streak - Rick Palmedo

The Streak

     686 days. Yes you read that right. It had been 686 days since the Auburn Tigers had tasted the “thrill of victory” in an SEC game. Dating all the way back to October 29, 2011 Auburn had failed to win a conference game. On that day the opponent was Ole Miss and it was the last time the Tigers would come out on the right side of the scoreboard in an SEC contest until this past Saturday.
     An 0-8 conference slate in 2012 spelled the end of the Gene Chizik reign as head coach and ushered in the Gus Malzahn era. With high hopes for an improved record, this group of Tigers took the field Saturday night hoping to end one of the worst streaks in Auburn history. 0-10 in the last 10 conference games. And the Tigers did just that.
     So the streak is over. We are 1-0 in the conference. 3-0 overall. A great start to the season. More wins are sure to occur but getting that first conference win and ending the streak was huge. Some may say monumental. I would be one of those. With LSU looming, a loss to Mississippi St could have proved disastrous. Instead a last second win insured that this group of Tigers would not go winless in the conference. And that the streak would not reach 11 games.

The Game

     199 yards in the first quarter. 199 yards. That’s nearly an 800 yards pace for the game. That’s Playstation/Xbox numbers. 11 points in the quarter. A touchdown, 2 point conversion, a field goal. 11 points. Quarterback Nick Marshall looking sharp. The running backs looking average. But the offense was clicking. Then all of the sudden…nothing.
     17 yards. That was the total from the second quarter. The Offense sputtered. The Defense was giving up huge play after huge play. There was no answer for MSU quarterback Dak Prescott. He ran up the middle over and over gaining big yardage each time. 22 carries in the game. 133 yards. Better than 6 yards a carry. Better work on that.
     Still, Auburn carried a 14-13 lead into the locker room at halftime. The problem was State carried all the momentum. And they would receive the ball to start the second half after winning the coin toss and deferring. They took advantage of the second half kickoff and drove for the go ahead score. Thankfully that would be the last time they would see the endzone. The last time they would put points of any kind on the scoreboard.

Enter Nick Marshall

     Playing easily his best game as an Auburn Tiger, Quarterback Nick Marshall took it upon himself to insure that the perfect record the Tigers had posted so far would live to see another day. Oh he wasn’t perfect. He made a couple of bad throws (missing a WIDE OPEN Sammie Coates for what would’ve been a sure touchdown being the biggest). But in the end the Junior from Pineview, Ga made the plays when he had to.
     23/34 339 2/2. 339 yards through the air when the MSU defense stacked 9 in the box intent in stopping the run. That folks is getting it done. Two touchdowns including the game winner from a young man who didn’t have a spring to prepare for the season. Pretty stout if you ask me. Yes I know he threw 2 picks but one was on a Hail Mary to end the first half so I really can’t fault him for that one.

The Drive

     1:58 on the clock. 20-17 State. Ball on the 12 yard line. 88 yards between victory and defeat. Fans leaving the stadium having given up on the team. What the @!$&@!!                                     A pass to get Auburn out of the hole. A run here, another pass there and hopes were running high. In field goal range. If nothing else overtime was a possibility. But Nick Marshall and C.J. Uzomah would have none of that. C.J. did a double move leaving the State defender looking for his panties on the field. A strike from Marshall from 11 yards out and Auburn regained the lead.

     TOUCHDOWN AUBURN!! The crowd went crazy. Then the dreaded words no one wants to hear. “The previous play is under further review”. Review? For what? He was clearly in the end zone. He never bobbled the ball. It was a touchdown. No way this is overturned. As it was the Line Judge felt Uzomah went out of bounds and came back in to make the catch. Unless he was pushed that would make it an illegal touch because as e know an offensive player cannot leave the playing field of his own volition and then be the first player to touch the ball after coming back in bounds.

     A hush over the stadium. 85,000+ waiting, praying, hoping. “The replay shows the player was pushed out of bounds. The ruling in the field stands. Touchdown”. Eruption. Noise reaching decibels not heard at all last year. Auburn with the lead. 24-20. :10 in the clock. Ten seconds from victory. Ten seconds from staying undefeated. Ten seconds from breaking the streak.

:10

     Auburn teed it up with just 10 seconds left on the clock. You had to figure a squib kick was coming. Uh, nope. Auburn chose to kick it deep and rely on the defense to make one more stop. (Let’s rethink that strategy for the next time this happens Coach Gus).      Ball at the 25 after the touchback. (Wow the Parkey kid can boom it!) time for a play or two. Pressure from the D Line. A tackle. 3…2…1…ZERO!!! BALLGAME!!! AUBURN WINS!!!
     In a game where they could’ve easily given up. A game in which both the offense and defense struggled throughout the second, third, and part of the fourth quarters, this team found a way to win. They got the job done when the odds were stacked against them. They made the plays when they had to. They won a game and ended a streak. They played with heart, grit, and determination. They played like Auburn Tigers.

The Aftermath

     The win accomplished multiple goals. For the players it proves that they could win in the face of adversity. For the coaches it gave them more information on just what type if team they have and what their strengths and weaknesses are. For the fans it gave us another week of being able to stick out out chests and make claims of being undefeated. It ended the streak.
     This win can go a long way in determining where this team ends up as the season unfolds. Remember that in 2010 we beat that MSU team by a mere 3 points and went on to win a National Championship. Last year we lost by 18 (28-10) Saturday we won by 4. Times, they are a changing. It truly is "A New Day."
     With a big win under its belt Auburn now travels to Baton Rouge for its first road game of the year against the number 6 team in the nation. A tough test awaits this group of Tigers as they invade Death Valley looking for a rare night win against LSU. I said in an earlier blog that I thought Auburn would steal a game from one of the big 4 (lsboooo, bammer, ugag, or A&M and Johnny Football). This is the game I was pointing towards. The boo have been playing solid football. But there’s something in me that says overmatched Auburn is going to march into Red Stick and come away with a monumental upset of the number 6 team in the country.

Auburn Football

     It’s time to put Auburn Football back on the map. Time to dig our way out of the cellar and claw out way back to the top. That climb started this past Saturday.
     We saw the continued growth of a Quarterback. We saw a never say die attitude from the players. We saw a defense bend repeatedly but didn’t break when we couldn’t afford it. We saw an offense sputter but turn magical at the right moment. We saw an Auburn win when it seemed bleakest.
     We saw work, hard work. Those of us who stayed until the end believed in Auburn. And in the end we sure as hell Loved It!!!

Until next time War Damn Eagle!!
BEAT LSU!!!!

by: Rick Palmedo

Auburn Softball starts fall practice

Gus Malzahn Talks MSU and LSU

 Thanks to AL.com for the video.

Auburn Volleyball Report: September 16

Auburn Offensive Coordinator Rhett Lashlee

Ellis Johnson Talks MSU Victory & LSU Prep

Long Beach State at Auburn soccer highlights

Auburn vs. Mississippi State Highlights

Post Miss State Player Interviews

     Thanks to the AUfficial site of Auburn Football for the video

My Thoughts on Mississippi State

 Sometimes what you see with your own eyes is so unbelievable, that you question yourself.   Sometimes, it's not about what you see. Saturday night, it was more about what we didn't see. We did not see quit in this team. We never saw doubt, nor did we see any member of this Auburn team give up.

Last night with everything on the line, and time running out in the fourth quarter, Nick Marshall led an Auburn team on a drive, that defined exactly what Coach Malzahn looks for in a winning Quarterback. 

The previous three Auburn drives finished Punt, Interception, Punt. There was hope, but it was clouded with so much doubt, that a 88 yard drive with just 1:56 left on the clock seemed impossible. I thought the moment was too big for Marshall. I could never be more happy to be wrong.

 Last week I penned this: Speaking of Marshall, he has a ways to go before he can be called a polished passer, but it took Cam until the fourth or fifth game to get settled in with his deep passes in 2010. Marshall sure can run the ball, and that is what this offense needs most to be successful. His first interception throw of the season was dropped, so he still doesn't have one of those, he did fumble however. QB needs to pick it up a notch as we are heading into conference play next week.

 That last drive against Miss St.  Nick Marshall looked and performed every bit as polished as an SEC QB can be.

 We still don't have have a handle on just what kind of season we will have. We could be 6-6, or we could be 9-3. There is also a lot of things for the coaches to work on, to help these players get better. I see improvement. Not by leaps and bounds, more like step by step. Will it be enough to win more conference games? Who knows.

There are not any easy teams in the conference on Auburn's schedule. A big step was taken last night, and some confidence was gained. If we never give up, we have a chance to succeed.

Thanks to AL.com for the post game press conference video.

College of Charleston at Auburn Soccer highlights

Auburn Men's Basketball Picture Day

Wired For Sound: Brett Hawke

Auburn Women's Basketball Summer Workouts

Meet Scott Woodward AU Softball

Letter From SGA President

Friends,

We've had a great first two weeks this football season, and this weekend we play our first SEC game against Mississippi State in Jordan-Hare Stadium. We pride ourselves as being one of the loudest student sections in the nation because of the passion and love we have for Auburn. We've entered "A New Day" this season, and I expect this weekend that our presence will show our team, alumni and national television audience that we are the best.

Saturday, I challenge each of you to be there for Auburn. Let's bring our shakers, show our spirit, respect our neighbors and cheer our Tigers on until the final whistle is blown and we proudly sing our alma mater.

War Eagle!

R. Harrison Mills
President, Student Government Association

Auburn Soccer vs. College of Charleston and Long Beach State

Malzahn Talks w/ Media September 11th Edition

Coach Malzahn's last press conference prior to the start of conference play. The focused on 3rd down plays on both sides of the ball. Thanks to WarEagleExtra.com for the video.

Golfing Tigers Have Top Notch Facilities

Jason Dufner Spends Time with AU Basketball Team

Dufnering

Auburn Soccer Report September 10th Edition

Coach Malzahn Previews Mississippi State

 Coach Malzahn talks about the upcoming opponent Mississippi State, which happens to be the first in conference game for the Tigers. Listen as he talks about being more competitive (with Oregon ) in the signs used to call certain plays. Funny stuff.

Thanks to AL.com for the video

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WEEK MAKES

Gus Malzahn is looking forward to SEC play

The Game That Was

     A quarterback showing signs of brilliance, a defense standing tall, an offense beginning to click, a team starting to believe. These are just some of the things I saw as Auburn took on the Arkansas St Red Wolves this past Saturday night in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
     While there were still mistakes made, the strides this group of Tigers made from game one to game two were huge. Yes I said HUGE!!  And in my humble opinion it will only get better as the season progresses. From the coaching up of players to a team playing with heart and determination this is a vastly different team than we saw last year. A win this week and Auburn accomplishes two very significant goals. First, we match last years win total. Second, we end a 10 game SEC losing streak.

The Quarterback

     Quarterback Nick Marshall showed a great deal of poise under pressure, using both his arm and his legs to direct an Auburn attack that generated nearly 500 yards of offense. His pass to Sammie Coates down the seam for 68 yards and a touchdown was an absolute thing of beauty. Coates never broke stride as the ball softly landed in his hands allowing him to simply run away from the defender for the score.
     Long runs around the end showed Nick’s quickness getting to the corner and his speed after turning up the field. With him getting into the flow of the game you could see both the athleticism and natural talent begin to manifest itself in a positive manner. I believe that will continue to be the case and he will continue to improve each game.

The Running Backs and O Line

     Auburn’s 3 headed monster at running back once again showed why we are called Running Back U. Corey Grant, Tre Mason, and Cameron Artis-Payne ran through, around, and over the Red Wolves defense on the way to a 300+ yard rushing night. Anytime you can do that as a team you put yourself in a position to win.
     And of course that all starts with the "big uglies" up front. As the game progressed the O Line began to really take control of the line of scrimmage. That was something we desperately needed and should really be a nice shot of confidence going into Saturday’s SEC opener against Miss St.

The Defense

     What can you say about the play of the defense? Well, how about it was STELLAR! Chris Davis was a man amongst boys Saturday night. Double digit tackles, pass break ups to stop drives, and a presence on the field that showed maturity and leadership.
     The D Line spent the evening establishing a new line of scrimmage 2-3 yards in the Red Wolves backfield. The linebackers made play after play. What an improvement from game one.
Sure we gave up over 400 yards but inside the 30 the defense was relentless and unbreakable. We just need more consistency between the 30′s.
     Stops on multiple 4th downs, sacks in critical situations, 13 tackles for loss, and most importantly ZERO touchdowns allowed, showed that this defense is headed in the right direction. Remember that just the prior week this Red Wolves offense had 4 backs rush for over 100 yards EACH. On Saturday as a team they could only muster 150 with nearly half of that coming from the quarterback. A lot of those yards were gained while he was running from the relentless pressure being applied by the defensive front.

Where To From Here

     2-0! Sounds pretty good to this fan. As you know you can’t win ‘em all if you don’t win those first two. Do I think Auburn can win every game? My orange and blue heart says yes. My more analytically thinking mind says we aren’t quite ready to compete with the likes of Texas A&M, Georgia, LSU, or That other school in the state. But I also wouldn’t be a bit surprised if we stole one from that group of 4.
     With Coach Gus leading the way the sky is the limit for this group of Tigers. They are being coached up in a way we haven’t seen in a while. Players seem to know their roles and everyone is doing their part. There is no hanging their heads after a missed assignment. They just go back to the huddle and come out and make a play on the next snap. I like that.
     The true tests of how far we have come in this short period of time begins this Saturday. A convincing win could set this team up to do something special. A loss could lead to doubt, doubt to poor play, poor play to more losses. I just don’t see this staff allowing that to happen.
     The will to win is strong in this team. Their dedication, desire, and devotion is not going unnoticed. They will overachieve. They will beat someone they are not supposed to beat. They will shock the college world. They will know all along they could do it.

We believe in AUBURN and LOVE IT!!
War Eagle everyone. Let’s go beat State!!

by: Rick Palmedo

follow Rick on twitter @tgrfan89