What Must Auburn Do: Louisville Cardinals

 2015 Auburn Football Schedule

Date	Game	Location	Time
09/05/15	vs. Louisville	Atlanta	TBA
09/12/15	vs. Jacksonville State	Auburn	TBA
09/19/15	at LSU	Baton Rouge	TBA
09/26/15	vs. Mississippi State	Auburn	TBA
10/03/15	vs. San Jose State (HC)	Auburn	TBA
10/15/15	at Kentucky	Lexington	TBA
10/24/15	at Arkansas	Fayetteville	TBA
10/31/15	vs. Ole Miss	Auburn	TBA
11/07/15	at Texas A&M	College Station	TBA
11/14/15	vs. Georgia	Auburn	TBA
11/21/15	vs. Idaho	Auburn	TBA
11/28/15	vs. Alabama	Auburn	TBA
SEC Championship

We have looked in depth at what these Tigers must accomplish to be a better football team. First we looked at the defense, then the offense.

It's the time of year when the players are working with their strength and conditioning coaches, and participating in voluntary workouts. This is where team chemistry, and trust, the two essential building blocks of any successful team are built.

Like Gus Malzahn, our head football coach, always says "We need to worry about us." Meaning that the players need to work hard on continuing to get better. Improve on the fundamentals, and get in the best physical shape of all the teams they will face.

The schedule, although not as brutal as the 2014 campaign, is still a tough and demanding course in which our Tigers must navigate unscathed if another national championship is to be achieved.

Lets look now at our first opponent of the upcoming football season, the Louisville Cardinals

Date: September 5th, 2015
Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic
Atalanta, GA 

Head Coach: Bobby Petrino
Offensive Coordinator: Garrick McGee
Defensive Coordinator: Todd Grantham
Pertinent Info: Schedule  Roster

The Cardinals run a pro-style run and gun offense that will mimic what we saw when Petrino and McGee were teamed together in Arkansas.The following video shows basically the type of offense we will see from the Cards.



Petrino was once the Offensive Coordinator at Auburn under Tommy Tuberville. In his book titled Orange is Our Color: The Tuberville Years Through Navy-tinted Glasses, Josh Dowdy writes: 

"So in 2002 Tuberville faced the challenge of restructuring, of refocusing. He needed coordinators who could translate Auburn's success in recruiting into more wins on the field." 
Auburn and Tuberville picked Bobby Petrino to run the offensive attack. All that Bobby Petrino had accomplished at Auburn has been overshadowed by his deeds away from Jordan-Hare Stadium. First there was "Jetgate", and later while at Arkansas "The Ride."

We know full well what type of offense Auburn will run, and so too the staff at Louisville.

Arguably, the man with the most success at stopping the Gus Malzahn attack resided in the state of Georgia for four years. Todd Grantham's UGA defenses finished those 4 seasons ranked 23rd, 5th, 32nd, and 45th respectfully in Total Defense.  

Grantham's defenses were particularly good vs. teams on 3rd down. Allowing less than 40% in his final three seasons he was with the 'Dawgs.

What Must Auburn Do?

First the Tigers must not turn the ball over. Fumbles and interceptions will be costly in any game, and Louisville will not need added adrenaline in this game. The Tigers will come into the contest with at least a Top10 ranking, and the Cardinal would love nothing more than to knock off the Plainsmen. Add to that the ACC vs SEC factor, and the hype will give the winner lots of carry into the playoff selections near seasons end.

Auburn must be able to run the football, especially needed is to convert on those 3rd and short situations. 

While Louisville is not completely settled on a starting QB yet, 5 different guys threw passes last season for the Cardinal. If the 2010 Arkansas game at Auburn is any indication of Bobby Petrino and his QB's, Louisville will have more than one QB ready to compete on September 5th.

Auburn must win the Special Teams. Kick off coverage, and Punt coverage must be very good to win this game. No breakdowns as in the 2013 BCS Championship game. Louisville will have plenty of speed on these return teams.

Most importantly Auburn has to come into this game with a mental toughness that they are here to win at all costs. Open field tackling is a desire, it's a mindset that the other guy will NOT beat you. Every play is important, every block, every run, every thing!

Accomplish these things and the season will be off to a wonderful start. 

Auburn 47  Louisville 23

WAR EAGLE!

2012/ 2013: The Passing Grades, Review of the Two Seasons

The Auburn Tigers have gone through some drastic changes in only a year under Gus Malzhan that has him as the leading candidate for the Coach of the Year Award. Thank heavens 2012 has passed rather quickly. Truth is, if Auburn has any success last year, do they fire Gene Chizik? As miserable as last year was I would take that hurt to be where the University is today. AU new day is upon us and players, coaches, and fans alike have put the past behind us and are 1 win away from being SEC West Champions.

Here are a few stats and grades that can express just how big of a turnaround has taken place:

2012

September 1, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Auburn Tigers quarterback Kiehl Frazier (10) fumbles the ball after being hit by Clemson Tigers linebacker Marcus Bullard (57) in the second half at the Georgia Dome. Clemson won 26-19. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-US PRESSWIRE
Offense- Points a Game- 18, Offense Grade: D

Passing- Last year the QB play was abysmal. Frazier played out of his element under the new offensive coordinator and it showed just how unprepared he was to play the position. Clint Moseley also was not up to speed with how the offense ran and Jonathan Wallace could have had better stats if he would have been implemented sooner than he was. Passing Grade: F

Rushing- One of the only bright spot about last years team was Tre Mason. He broke the 1,000 yard mark in the Alabama game, but he fought all year and demanded the ball more after each game. Kudos and a ton of respect for how he played last year. Rushing Grade: C

O Line- Only a few words are needed for last years O Line I'll keep it short and sweet. BAD. O Line Grade: D

Defense- Allowed Points a Game- 28, Defense Grade: F
LBs, Secondary, and D Line- I almost turned away from the T.V when we came up on defense. My wife and I attended 3 games last year; ULM, LSU, and Arkansas. By the time we played Arkansas destroyed us, I had all but completely lost hope in our defense. Entire Defense: F

Special Teams- The only other bright spot of the 2012 season was Special Teams. Cody Parkey was automatic as usual and Steven Clarke had a few mishaps, but he was solid and played a key role for the Tigers. Special Teams Grade: A

2013

Nick Marshall celebrates with the Auburn fans after his two-touchdown game in the Tigers' victory over Ole Miss. (USATSI)

Offense- Points a Game- 39, Offense Grade: A-

Passing- Nick Marshall has been an absolute game changer for Auburn this year. He has had experience in the SEC as a DB for Georgia and played a whole year on the JUCO side of football and excelled. His dynamic playmaking ability and cannon for an arm have made teams play true to their position. His accuracy is getting better each week, but a little improvement and the Tigers will be a threat through the air as much as they are on the ground. Marshall has 9 passing TDs through 11 games while Auburn as a team last year only totaled 8 between 4 different players. Jeremy Johnson has been magnificent when he touches the ball. A true passer, but has decisive speed when he needs it. Passing Grade: B

Rushing- Auburn is SECOND in the Nation in Rushing Yards only behind Army, which rarely passes the ball. Tre Mason, Corey Grant, and Cameron Artis-Payne all share the ball and contribute greatly when each touch the ball. You can't leave out Nick Marshall from this category either. Mason has evolved as the go to back, even though all play and play exceptional. Mason also leads the SEC in multiple categories and has stacked up some really impressive stats for anyone's eye's. Rushing Grade: A+

O Line- The Offensive Line has been a key factor in the success. Aiding Auburn's Rushing attack, the Line also gives Marshall ample amount of time to pass or make a play. The O Line is also a main reason why Auburn is 10-1 to this point. O Line Grade: A+

Defense- Allowed Points a Game- 22, Defense Grade: B

LBs, Secondary, and D Line- Keeping this short and sweet again with the Defense, but Auburn's freshmen have stepped up all year long and are filling out their expectations. The Defensive Line has been able to make plays all year long and the LBs and Secondary have forced turnovers and made plays that have won games on multiple occasions. LBs Grade: B-, D Line Grade: A, Secondary: B+


Special Teams- The Special Teams are the only consistent part of the 2012/ 2013 seasons. Except this year, the Tigers have added more of a threats in the Return Game. Chris Davis has been electric  since his return and has yet to disappoint when he gets a head start. Special Teams Grade: A+


Well there you have it. As you can see just in this small review, Auburn has made leaps and bounds in only one year. Much credit is to Malzahn and his staff, but these players are simply fighting and playing harder than every game except the LSU game last year. Auburn has a chance to make even more history this weekend by knocking off the top ranked Tide in Jordan-Hare. Can the Tigers somehow pull out another Miracle in Jordan-Hare? We will see this coming Saturday.





Be sure to follow me on Twitter @austin_preiss19. Leave questions or comments on any Topic that you would like me write about in the coming weeks.

The Ending of an Era, the Beginning of Another

The End of the BCS

With the last couple of weeks left, in what we know it as the BCS standings, the Auburn Tigers are ranked 4 after a very disappointing season in which the Tigers only won a total of 3 games. Since the beginning of the BCS there were always those teams that have been on the outside looking in. Auburn in '04, Boise State a couple of times, and in this very last year could be yet another. Ohio State has owned and dominated in the last two years. Problem is, they haven't played a schedule that demonstrates they should stay above a 1 loss Auburn or Missouri. Let's say that Auburn does beat Alabama. Auburn wins against Mizzou or South Carolina. Would the voters keep a team who has won against 3 top ten teams out? Under an Ohio State who hasn't played a top team all year? We shall see in the coming weeks.

 

Malzahn's Present and Future

Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images

Not even the most optimistic Auburn fan would have predicted that Auburn would be going into the Iron Bowl 10-1, 6-1 in SEC play. Not even myself. I am and optimistic realist and would have been happy with an 8 win season. Anything better than last year. Gus Malzahn believed it would happen. He also gave hope to all the players and staff that it was possible to compete and have Auburn's name thrown around as an Elite SEC team again. Another name being thrown around is Malzahn. A semifinalist for the Coach of the Year award and well deserving. Him and his coaching staff have instilled discipline and a fire inside the locker room that has transcended on to the playing field. The Iron Bowl on November 30th could be a staple win and seal up those Coach of the Year talks and place an even bigger question up in the air... Pasadena?

 

As the end of a long, much aggravating system comes to an end a system arises at Auburn once again. One that has prospered and one that may put Auburn back into the prestigious powerhouse that it has been in recent years.

 

 

 

Be sure to follow me @austin_preiss19 on Twitter for Auburn, SEC and much more.

The Sum of The Parts

Driven and focused. Auburn coach Gus Malzahn.

There is an old adage that states that the one is not greater than the whole. This true with anything to do with team sports. Like a well built engine, take away a part and the performance will not be optimum. For peak efficiency, every part is needed. Auburn needs one more part to complete its coaching staff for the football program.

 Since being named the head coach of Auburn University, Gus Malzahn has been tireless in his efforts of hiring the best of the best when it comes to coaches. No matter what it took, there was not a hurdle too tall, nor an obstacle too difficult that could prevent him from building an exceptional coaching staff here at Auburn.

 Yesterday was like Christmas morning for a six year old for all Auburn fans with news of the hiring of former San Diego Chargers coach Rich Bisaccia(Be-sach-ia) to be the new Running Backs coach and Special Teams coordinator. 

 Bisaccia brings to Auburn 11 years NFL experience, a Super Bowl title, and is widely regarded as the best Special Teams coach in all of football. In addition he has three years of SEC coaching experience at Ole Miss and 5 years at Clemson. Read more about him HERE.

 As if that wasn't enough, late yesterday we found out one of Auburn's prodigal sons would be returning home to coach wide receivers. Former Auburn star quarterback Dameyune Craig agreed to return to Auburn. 

 You can look HERE for his bio. Suffice it to say that Craig has been a thorn in the side of Auburn recruiting efforts for years. He is known as a relentless and shrewd recruiter, who will win more recruiting battles than most others.

 With the addition of these two gentlemen, this Auburn staff is now a force on the recruiting trail, and proven to be leaders of men. The amount of young men they have coached who have made their living in the NFL is astounding. The total years of coaching experience is astronomical at around 161 years at the college or professional level.

 As we found out on January 3rd, 2013 Gus is a driven recruiter. His ability to get the best coaches has been proven. If he  continues this effort in recruiting the very best athletes to Auburn, then Katy bar the door.

WAR EAGLE!

New Tigers

We will start with Cam, er excuse me, Cameron Artis-Payne the #1 rated Running Back out of the JUCO ranks. First the video. 



 Impressive enough? I thought you would like it. after further evaluation, Rivals.com has vaulted Cam's rating to the 4 star level. I mean after all he is the #1 rated JUCO RB in this class.

 I was fortunate enough to listen to his radio interview with Justin Hokanson and Rob Pate of "Eyes on Auburn" and came away impressed with this young man. He sounded mature, and answered all of his questions with the savvy of a veteran player. 

 At 5' 11" and 210 pounds, and with 4.5 second speed in the forty yard dash, he has the body style of Mike Dyer who was listed as 5' 9" at 215 ponds. Cameron should fit in well with the Gus Malzahn style of offense, and be a very productive member.

 Devonte Danzey signed with Auburn after announcing on Christmas Day that he would play for the Tigers. At 6' 3" and 285 pounds, he is a piece to the puzzle at the Guard position that should compete right away for playing time.

 While You Tube doesn't show any available video of Danzey, we have this scouting report courtesy of ESPN:
Danzey is an aggressive offensive lineman who won't turn down an opportunity to try and knock someone on their butt. He plays tackle but will likely end up sliding inside at the next level. He has good size for the guard position.

 Welcome to the Auburn family men, and as always...

WAR EAGLE!

Defensive Response

In response to this article about jumping on the Gus Bus, the author left the impression that he had some angst about how well the AU defense would play. I left this comment...

Please don’t take this as a personal attack. It is not meant to be.
I feel all the angst about running a HUNH offense, but I truly believe it is all misdirected. The amount of time any defense spends on the field of play, is solely the responsibility of that defense. No one has delivered a concrete argument showing how an offense scoring in 49 seconds has any real deflating effect on an effective defense.
I believe quite the opposite. If your offense can score at will, the defense should be more pumped to get back out there and get the offense the ball back the quickest way possible.
There is not an offense in the country that is directly responsible for the amount of time any defense spends on the field. Ideally I would like to see the AU offense back out on the field in less than two minutes after finishing a drive in the end zone. That is how defenses should approach their mission.
WAR EAGLE!

 Let me know what you think about this in the comments below.

WAR EAGLE!
 

Malzahn Chooses Experience

 As the staff at Auburn continues to grow, I have become more impressed with Gus Malzahn and his ability to hire experienced, hard nosed football coaches. It's no secret that Malzahn was not the first choice on my wish lists of coaches. However, as his transition into Auburn's head football coach continues, I have come to see what the selection committee did throughout its search process. Gus Malzahn is the right man for the job.

 The addition of Melvin Smith to the defensive coaching staff is another master stroke by Malzahn. Smith coached the Jim Thorpe Award winner last season, which is given to the best defensive back in America. His groups at Mississippi State have led the SEC in takeaways or interceptions two years in a row. Auburn had been sorely lacking in that department.

 With SEC experience on this staff nearing the century mark, our team should have no trouble learning what it will take to compete at the highest level in the toughest conference in America.

 Thinking along those lines, that much experience on the defensive side of the ball should allow Gus time to dial up more diabolical plays for the upcoming season.

 I can hardly wait to see what he has in mind.

WAR EAGLE!

Gus Malzahn speaks at Super 6 banquet 12-5-12

Looking Forward: The Talon "D"

 Immediately when we found out about the hire of Gus Malzahn the Auburn Tigers knew exactly what type of offense they are going to run. Most of the intricacies and the warp speed of it all are something we will have to wait to find out. We know what we are getting, and most are salivating at the thoughts of triple digit numerical scoreboard. 

 What we are less familiar with as Auburn fans is the new defensive coordinator's style of defense. Coach Johnson incorporates a fifth defensive back. At South Carolina he called this hybrid Linebacker/Saftey a "Spur". Jay G. Tate of rivals.com has dubbed the position at Auburn as "Talon". A name we hope is used by the coaching staff.

 We remember the 2010 SEC Championship game where Auburn trounced South Carolina 56-17



What most may not remember is that during the regular season, Auburn was battled pretty well by South Carolina. Cam Newton accounted for half of the Auburn ground game that day. Without the rushing performance behind an extremely talented, and experienced offensive line, Auburn would have easily lost that day. 

 Watch this next video of the Gamecocks defense against Alabama that same year.

 

 For now, let's enjoy these two moments in time we just revisited. Later I'll post a more in depth analysis of the style and type of defense Auburn will employ under the guidance of Ellis Johnson.

WAR EAGLE!

Introducing Charlie Harbison

 According to 24/7Sports.com Gus Malzahn and Auburn defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson have chosen to hire Clemson defensive backs coach and Co-Defensive Coordinator Charlie Harbison. Harbison's defenses have consistently ranked among the best in college football in most passing departments. 

 Saturday evening Auburn defensive lineman Greg Robinson his approval.
@NineORhino: Auburn fans coach Cheese aka coach Harbison is a great hire man good recruiter too!...#WDE

 The following video is from a pre-game press conference where Clemson was preparing to face Troy.


 The following is from the official Clemson University athletics site:

• In 2011, he coached cornerback Coty Sensabaugh, who had 14 passes defended and was drafted by the Titans.
• Clemson was in the top 26 in the nation in pass efficiency defense in 2009 and 2010.
• Coached first-team All-American DeAndre McDaniel in 2009 and 2010. McDaniel led the ACC and was tied for third in the nation in interceptions (8) in 2009. He was also named First-Team All-ACC both seasons.
• Named one of nation's top-25 recruiters by Rivals in 2010.
• Helped Clemson to a top-25 ranking and the ACC Atlantic Division title in 2009. Clemson had 21 interceptions, fifth-most in Tiger history and tied for fifth-most in the nation. Clemson was seventh in the nation in passing defense.
• From 1995-97, he helped the Tigers to three bowl games (1996 Gator, 1996 Peach, 1998 Peach).
• Coached great players in the 1990s at Clemson, including nine-time Pro Bowl selection Brian Dawkins. He was an All-American and led the ACC in interceptions in Harbison's first year at Clemson (1995).
• Came to Clemson from Mississippi State, where he was defensive coordinator and safeties coach. The Bulldogs were seventh in the nation in pass defense and 20th in the nation in pass efficiency defense in 2007.
• Has had two tours of duty at Alabama (1998-00, 2003-06). He helped Alabama to five bowl games in seven total years, including 1999 when the Crimson Tide won the SEC title. Alabama finished ranked #8 in the nation that year. He coached defensive backs in his first tour of duty and wide receivers the second time around at Alabama.
• Coached at Louisiana State under Head Coach Nick Saban in 2001 and 2002. The 2001 team won the SEC title and ranked #7 in the final AP poll with a 10-3 record. Louisiana State played in two bowl games in his two years there.

Coach Lashlee on Quarterbacks

 Here is a short video from al.com with Gus Malzahn, and Rhett Lashlee talking about the challenges ahead installing their offense.
Click on this LINK if video fails to appear. 

 

WAR EAGLE!

Meet Auburn's New Coordinators

Thanks goes to Aaron Brenner and wareagleextra.com for the video provided.

Looking Forward: The HUNH Offense

 It seems like an eternity since we had a functioning offense at Auburn doesn't it? While I won't speculate on rumors or hearsay about why the 2011 AU offense wasn't as productive as the previous two versions, I'll say that I am looking forward to the unbridled, non-haltered, and unabridged version of the Gus Malzahn HUNH offense.

 I will attempt through video, to give you some examples of what we can look forward to. The first video shows Gus himself explaining his famous Buck Sweep



This video shows us some actual footage of the AU Counter play. Enjoy some of this vintage footage from happier times. Can you name all of the players in this one?



The next look we get is the Mad Scientist again describing his use of the Wildcat.



Next we see ESPN analyst Todd McShay going into detail on the high powered Auburn offense.




 Clearly we are in for a treat offensively. We know that this offense can and does produce scores in a hurry. I always felt that Auburn was in every game when Malzahn led our offense, and that we had a legitimate chance to win every game. I am looking forward to that feeling making its return in the fall of 2013.

WAR EAGLE!

Blame the Defense

Defenders of freedom, and the Auburn Family

 I am going to boldly make this statement, and debunk a myth that many in college football believe. A true (HUNH) Hurry Up No Huddle style offense has absolutely no bearing on a defensive unit being tired or worn out at the end of the game.

 It is the sole responsibility of the defensive unit to get off the field in just three plays. If a defense can't get off the field in three plays, then it is to blame, not the offense. No matter how fast your offense scores and puts your defense back out on the field, the defense needs to only be back on the field for three plays.

 So, the next time you hear some big time sportswriter talk about how the NASCAR style offense is the culprit to blame for a team's defensive unit being tired, tell 'em the defense is to blame, not the offense.

 The most important piece of the puzzle for newly named head coach Gus Malzahn, is defense. Malzahn is a smart guy, in fact, many say he is an offensive genius. Figuring out what it will take to be successful in the SEC as a defensive unit will be his biggest hurdle. I hope he gets it right.

WAR EAGLE!

Get On Board!

 Now that the suspense is over, and we know that Auburn has hired Gus Malzahn, the Auburn family can come together again, and support our 26th head football coach.



  First here is a statement released by Malzahn:
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to become the head football coach at Auburn University. It’s an outstanding institution with a storied football program that I had the pleasure of experiencing first-hand for three years,” Malzahn said in a statement. “I deeply appreciate the confidence that Dr. Gogue, Jay Jacobs and the search committee had in my ability to turn this program around and to bring Auburn back to national prominence. This is a homecoming for me and I look forward to being reunited with the Auburn family.”

 Here is the arrival at the airport...



 USA Today ran an interesting article on Malzahn as he prepared for his first ever game as head coach at Arkansas State. Click HERE to read that story. 

  There are numerous reasons to be excited about Gus returning to the Plains. We are going to examine a couple of them here.

Recruiting:
All of this Auburn team has been recruited while Gus was at Auburn. The staggering support this will create among the players is vital to turning things around quickly, and creating a "Winning Attitude" that is necessary during the long grueling months of preparation for the next season.

 In his first talk with the team prior to the introductory press conference Malzahn said: "I told the team it's an honor to be back. Our expectations are to win championships. 

Nobody will out work us."

 Almost unanimously the recruiting class has responded by stating via twitter that they are on board with the Malzahn hire. 

Offensive style:
 We already knew the plan would be to have a fast paced offense. Which is good news considering that almost every player on the team was recruited for that style of offense. I am interested to see how Gus will use Jay Prosch. I know that Jay was largely wasted in the Loeffler play book.

 The QB play again will be key, I'll get into why later and in another post, but for now, these QB's are about to get back to playing fast paced fun football. 

 All of the current AU running backs should be extremely excited. Malzahn had Onterrio McCalebb averaging 8.6 yards per carry in 2010 & 5.7 ypc even after losing nearly the entire offensive line from the 2010 BCS National Championship team.

WAR EAGLE!