" Few things give me more satisfaction than watching Nick Saban beg for that second back." - Casey Kelley
Monday, August 31, 2015
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Saturday, August 29, 2015
What Must Auburn Do: Texas A & M
When the time comes for our Tigers to travel to Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, the Aggies will have already welcomed the nations TV viewers into their newly redesigned stadium.
Coached by Kevin Sumlin, the Aggies start their season with Arizona State in Houston, TX. Then a couple of tune up games versus Ball State and Nevada before getting into their conference schedule. What a schedule it is!
In consecutive weeks they will play Arkansas, Miss St., Alabama, Ole Miss, and South Carolina before they play host to Auburn on November 7th.
Oddly, these two teams have some similarities. Both teams had explosive offensive numbers throughout their 2014 campaigns only to have their respective defenses let them down.
Both teams have won their last meeting at the others stadium. Auburn won in 2013 at Kyle Field, and A & M has won last year at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Each has hired a new and proven Defensive Coordinator. Auburn of course, hired Will Muschamp, and A & M hired John Chavis away from LSU.
A new offensive line coach, Dave Christensen is also in the mix for the Aggies.
What must Auburn do? As with any road game, the Tigers must keep penalties at a minimum. Nothing will give a home team the momentum faster than penalties by the visiting teams. The offensive line must be disciplined. The defensive backs must have great communication, and most importantly, the entire team must execute the game plan.
Last season Auburn lost the game partially because of 2 fumbles inside the Aggie 30 yard line while driving on A & M. Ball control is of utmost importance.
Auburn can take the crowd of the game by running the ball effectively, and taking advantage of any turnovers given by the Tiger defense.
If our guys can stay focused, not have senseless penalties, and take care of the football, Auburn can win this game. It happened in 2013, it can happen again.
Looking forward, this game is tough to predict. Since that is what I do here, lets go with Auburn 52 - Aggies 24
WAR EAGLE!
Coached by Kevin Sumlin, the Aggies start their season with Arizona State in Houston, TX. Then a couple of tune up games versus Ball State and Nevada before getting into their conference schedule. What a schedule it is!
In consecutive weeks they will play Arkansas, Miss St., Alabama, Ole Miss, and South Carolina before they play host to Auburn on November 7th.
Oddly, these two teams have some similarities. Both teams had explosive offensive numbers throughout their 2014 campaigns only to have their respective defenses let them down.
Both teams have won their last meeting at the others stadium. Auburn won in 2013 at Kyle Field, and A & M has won last year at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Each has hired a new and proven Defensive Coordinator. Auburn of course, hired Will Muschamp, and A & M hired John Chavis away from LSU.
A new offensive line coach, Dave Christensen is also in the mix for the Aggies.
What must Auburn do? As with any road game, the Tigers must keep penalties at a minimum. Nothing will give a home team the momentum faster than penalties by the visiting teams. The offensive line must be disciplined. The defensive backs must have great communication, and most importantly, the entire team must execute the game plan.
Last season Auburn lost the game partially because of 2 fumbles inside the Aggie 30 yard line while driving on A & M. Ball control is of utmost importance.
Auburn can take the crowd of the game by running the ball effectively, and taking advantage of any turnovers given by the Tiger defense.
If our guys can stay focused, not have senseless penalties, and take care of the football, Auburn can win this game. It happened in 2013, it can happen again.
Looking forward, this game is tough to predict. Since that is what I do here, lets go with Auburn 52 - Aggies 24
WAR EAGLE!
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Monday, August 24, 2015
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Saturday, August 22, 2015
What Must Auburn Do: Ole Miss
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| image created by: AUlteredEgo |
Not to sound arrogant, but have you seen the first half of the Rebel/Ackbar/Black Bear schedule? Except for an Alabama team that ***hasn't named their QB as of this writing, it's a walk in the park. Take a look!
| Date | Opponent / Event | Location | Time / Result |
| 09/05/15 | vs. UT Martin  |
Oxford | 11:00 a.m. CT |
| 09/12/15 | vs. Fresno State |
Oxford | 2:30 p.m. CT |
| 09/19/15 | at Alabama * |
Tuscaloosa, Ala. | 8:15 p.m. CT |
| 09/26/15 | vs. Vanderbilt * | Oxford | TBA |
| 10/03/15 | at Florida * | Gainesville, Fla. | TBA |
| 10/10/15 | vs. New Mexico State (HC) | Oxford | TBA |
| 10/17/15 | at Memphis | Memphis, Tenn. | TBA |
| 10/24/15 | vs. Texas A&M * | Oxford | TBA |
| 10/31/15 | at Auburn * | Auburn, Ala. | TBA |
| 11/07/15 | vs. Arkansas * | Oxford | TBA |
| 11/21/15 | vs. LSU * | Oxford | TBA |
| 11/28/15 | at Mississippi State * | Starkville, Miss. | TBA |
Up until their tilt at home with Texas A & M, Ole Miss should breeze to at worst, a 6-1 result. On October 24th however, it gets real.
That is a murderers row finish. No way they can make it thru that stretch unscathed in my opinion. If they do? Then they are SEC West Champs and represent the SEC in the College Football Playoff.
Last season the Rebs allowed opposing teams to score in the red zone 73.53% of the time. That mark is higher than their own 70.73%
Even though Ole Miss led the country in Scoring Defense in 2014, the offense finished ranked 70th in Scoring Offense, 75th in Rushing, 38th in Passing Offense, and 94th in Kick Off Returns.
So, what must Auburn do to ensure victory against Gus Malzahn's good friend Coach Freeze and his talented Rebel-Black Bears?
Run the ball effectively.
The Tigers must be able to control the ball, on the ground, without turnovers. It won't be easy with that defense.
Ole Miss was a Top 20 team against the pass last season, and for things to work in their favor several things must happen as suggested by Saturday Down South, they will be just as good this season. Read this excerpt:
"We also can’t forget about the Ole Miss secondary, which could be just as good despite losing two All-Americans. Mike Hilton, who has played every position available to him in the secondary, was moved to Rover safety this spring, which will give him freedom to own the back part of the defense and flex his ballhawk skills. Tony Conner, a potential high-round NFL draft pick, and Trae Elston return to the secondary as well. Then there’s Tee Shephard and Tony Bridges, two unproven junior-college cornerbacks showing their talent and size advantage during practice."
Jeremy Johnson will have a more difficult time throwing in this game. The Rebels have experience, and deep talent against the pass. So, running the ball is a must.
Key will be zero turnovers on offense for the Tigers, as in every conference game, and keep the penalties to a minimum.
The Tigers must capitalize on every trip into the Red Zone. Failure to do so could result in what we saw in Tuscaloosa last season. Lots of yards gained, and a loss. This particular problem has been an emphasis this summer.
Scoring in the Red Zone should not be an issue this season. I look for an Auburn victory, although it won't be an easy win, make it: AU 35 UM 31
***Ole Miss had not named a starting QB either as of this writing
WAR EAGLE!
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Monday, August 17, 2015
Time to Get Ready
As the summer heat beats down on the Loveliest Village of the Plains, the thudding sound of football practice echoes across the campus at Auburn University. The pecking order of who is going to start, which Freshman will have the chance to play this season, and who will relegated to the practice squad, is being set. The scrimmage held Saturday August 15th went a long way in determining those positions.
Soon the games will begin and the 2015 college football season will be underway. Today students are reporting to classes. Campus becomes alive overnight like a field full of peanuts after a refreshing summer shower.
For us the fans football is almost here, and we could not be more excited.
WAR EAGLE!
Soon the games will begin and the 2015 college football season will be underway. Today students are reporting to classes. Campus becomes alive overnight like a field full of peanuts after a refreshing summer shower.
For us the fans football is almost here, and we could not be more excited.
WAR EAGLE!
Friday, August 14, 2015
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Auburn Defense: A Breath of Fresh Air
A couple of videos from Phillip Marshall and AL.com to illustrate my point that was made in the previous post about Duke Williams, and also some great news about our defense in the Tuesday scrimmage.
Raashed Kennion is Carl Lawson's back up. Listening to him makes me feel much better about Carl getting some rest during the season. Be sure to give him a listen.
War Eagle!
Raashed Kennion is Carl Lawson's back up. Listening to him makes me feel much better about Carl getting some rest during the season. Be sure to give him a listen.
War Eagle!
Auburn Football and Duke Drama
Entirely too much has been made of the situation surrounding Duke Williams. The preseason All-SEC selection at Wide-Out has been suspended due to disciplinary issues.
Coach Malzahn has stated that he could "return to the team when" he completes his appointed items of punishment. Notice Coach Malzahn said "when" not "if."
Jeremy Johnson, starting QB has zero worries about the abscense of Williams.
Is Duke Williams a physical threat, and does have really good instincts as a receiver? Yes!
Is Duke Williams the only player on the Auburn offense with that particular skill set? No! In fact, I'd argue that are at least 3 others based on past performances alone. Ricardo Louis, Marcus Davis, and Melvin Ray all possess these attributes.
If there is any position on the Auburn football team that could continue without skipping a beat after losing a starter, it would be the Wide Out group. So, let us all breathe a little easier, and lets not make too much out of this. Okay?
In the mean time, lets also pray that Duke can fight thru whatever this seems to be, and become a better man for it, an Auburn Man.
War Eagle!
Coach Malzahn has stated that he could "return to the team when" he completes his appointed items of punishment. Notice Coach Malzahn said "when" not "if."
Jeremy Johnson, starting QB has zero worries about the abscense of Williams.
Is Duke Williams a physical threat, and does have really good instincts as a receiver? Yes!
Is Duke Williams the only player on the Auburn offense with that particular skill set? No! In fact, I'd argue that are at least 3 others based on past performances alone. Ricardo Louis, Marcus Davis, and Melvin Ray all possess these attributes.
If there is any position on the Auburn football team that could continue without skipping a beat after losing a starter, it would be the Wide Out group. So, let us all breathe a little easier, and lets not make too much out of this. Okay?
In the mean time, lets also pray that Duke can fight thru whatever this seems to be, and become a better man for it, an Auburn Man.
War Eagle!
Monday, August 10, 2015
Two JUCO Players to Watch
The 2015 football season is just a few weeks away and Auburn will have a new scoreboard and team to celebrate. Jeremy Johnson will finally get his start and I just hope that he remains at Auburn for 2 more years. There are 2 former JUCO players that I will be watching this season and they are destined to be stars at Auburn University. The players are:
1) Jovon Robinson - Jovon set the JUCO rushing record at the Georgia Military College in 2013 with 2,387 rushing yards and 34 TDs. His combined rushing yards for 2 years in the JUCO ranks was 3,198 and 43 TDs. Ironically, he was recruited by Alabama and Louisville before deciding to play at Auburn.
2) Jason Smith - I remember watching Jason play in the 2012 Alabama-Mississippi All Star game with Jeremy Johnson and hea was all over the field. He was the MVP in that game and caught 6 passes for 134 yards. He went on to play quarterback at MIssissippi Gulf Coast College and threw for 1,566 yards for 18 TDs and only 2 picks. Also, he rushed for 424 yards and 10 TDs. I expect Jason to play some in the "wildcat" position this season, wide receiver and maybe return some punts. He will keep the opposing DBs awake at night.
Enjoy the season and War Eagle!
Saturday, August 8, 2015
This Is Auburn
Ashley Kotero, who recently played on the Auburn Soccer team has turned out to be quite the on camera personality. Here are three recent videos where she talks with some of the Auburn football team and an interview with former Tiger great Freddie Smith. Enjoy.
WAR EAGLE!
WAR EAGLE!
Friday, August 7, 2015
Running Back Competition
This is a hot topic at Auburn. Mainly because the Tigers have had great success at Running Back in the past. After all, Auburn is known as Running Back University.
Here are some videos from various sources that spotlight the Auburn RB's. We start with Peyton Barber mainly because Tre Mason indicated, after his phenomenal 2013 season, that Barber was the heir apparent.
Roc Thomas.
Jovon Robinson( from the spring)
WAR EAGLE!
Here are some videos from various sources that spotlight the Auburn RB's. We start with Peyton Barber mainly because Tre Mason indicated, after his phenomenal 2013 season, that Barber was the heir apparent.
Roc Thomas.
Jovon Robinson( from the spring)
WAR EAGLE!
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
How Will It Be?
I get asked that question many times a week now that Will Muschamp is coaching defense again at Auburn.
My answer is simple. Our offense will play like this:
Our defense will play a lot like this:
I also tell them to look for lots of pics like theses:
My answer is simple. Our offense will play like this:
Our defense will play a lot like this:
I also tell them to look for lots of pics like theses:
More Day 2 Videos
Let's start with Shon Coleman
Next we'll listen to Alex Kozan
In other news, Sports Illustrated released their preseason poll today. Ohio State, to no surprise was #1, and our Auburn Tigers came in at #2.
Here's a link.
War Eagle!
In other news, Sports Illustrated released their preseason poll today. Ohio State, to no surprise was #1, and our Auburn Tigers came in at #2.
Here's a link.
War Eagle!
Day 2 of Fall Camp Videos
We start with the inAUgural press briefing with Blake Countess the transfer from Michigan
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
1st Day Videos: Football is Back
First we have Ashley Kotero, formerly of Auburn Soccer fame, with an interview of Marcus Davis
WAR EAGLE!
Oh Happy Day
Tuesday August 4th, 2015
That's the date. The first day of Auburn Tigers football fall camp. Preparation for the upcoming season will begin in earnest for the casual fan. Of course the players have been toiling in the summer heat all along.
I am happy we get some actual football reporting, and not just speculation about what each team will look like.
There are some real question marks for this 2015 version of Auburn football. How will the depth along the defensive line develop? Which, if any, running back will separate himself and become the 7th consecutive Auburn RB to gain over 1,000 yards? Who will win the Punting job? Can this team live up to the preseason hype and deliver a spot in the College Football Playoff?
The answers to these questions and more will be revealed in the coming weeks and months. For now we can relish the thought that the road to the CFP starts, and we couldn't be more happy.
The following video is from the Greater Birmingham Auburn Club function in July 2015. Video provided by: Joey Nettlemen
WAR EAGLE!
That's the date. The first day of Auburn Tigers football fall camp. Preparation for the upcoming season will begin in earnest for the casual fan. Of course the players have been toiling in the summer heat all along.
I am happy we get some actual football reporting, and not just speculation about what each team will look like.
There are some real question marks for this 2015 version of Auburn football. How will the depth along the defensive line develop? Which, if any, running back will separate himself and become the 7th consecutive Auburn RB to gain over 1,000 yards? Who will win the Punting job? Can this team live up to the preseason hype and deliver a spot in the College Football Playoff?
The answers to these questions and more will be revealed in the coming weeks and months. For now we can relish the thought that the road to the CFP starts, and we couldn't be more happy.
The following video is from the Greater Birmingham Auburn Club function in July 2015. Video provided by: Joey Nettlemen
WAR EAGLE!
Monday, August 3, 2015
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