It's Been One Crazy Week and It Ain't Over Yet
by Jay Coulter on Oct 2, 2008 4:00 AM CDT
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Has Tuberville already pulled the spread offense?
I got in a cab early yesterday morning in Boston and the driver asked if I was excited about the playoff series between the Red Sox and Angels. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I thought baseball ended when college football kicked off.
I explained that the center of the college football world this week is Nashville, Tennessee and that Auburn is facing this elitist school called Vanderbilt. I promised they were no relation to Gloria. He looked at me strangely. I went on to explain that as crazy as the week has been already, the weirdest stuff may be yet to come.
I told him Auburn hasn't lost to the Harvard of the South since Dwight Eisenhower was president and that I didn't have a good feeling about Saturday. If Wachovia, Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers can disappear in a matter of days, then it's certainly possible for Auburn to fall in a matter of four quarters. He just looked at me through the rear view mirror. I thought to myself how lucky he is not to have to deal with this anguish. I then remembered where I was and realized he'd been through much worse with the Red Sox.
Driving home from the airport in Atlanta I listened to The Buck and Kinkade Show, a popular sports talk radio program in the big city. Buck Belue was questioning whether Auburn might scrap the spread offense completely before the year is out.
Now we know the former Georgia quarterback wants nothing more than to stir controversy among Auburn people. But it did force me to stop and give pause to the idea. On Tuesday, Tuberville hedged his bet by saying they were no longer running Tony Franklin's system, but rather a hybrid offense that incorporates more of the traditional running sets that Auburn fans have been raised on.
Talking to reporters this week, Tuberville said, "One day we'll have the talent that we can say, 'Well, we'll run 100 percent of what Tony likes to run.' Right now, we don't have that talent in some areas.
"We don't run Tony Franklin's spread offense. This is Auburn's offense. It's like our defense. We're going to run what works and what we're going to match up better with the other team. Everybody has to do that. You can't put a square peg in a round hole. Why would you do that?"
That's the question fans have been asking for weeks. Why would you pick a drop back passer to run the spread offense? Enquiring minds want to know. This season is reminiscent of the Terry Bowden years when he tried to run his daddy's offense with the players he recruited. It just doesn't work. Who says history doesn't repeat itself?
If Tuberville doesn't believe Auburn has the athletes to run this offense, then how long will it take to get them? Two years? Four years? Say it ain't so Tommy. This could become more painful than watching CNBC late in the afternoon after the markets close.
The crazy thing in all of this is that Auburn stands an excellent chance of being 9-1 when Georgia comes calling. The Tigers may rank 112th in the country in total offense, but it could very well be in the top five come November 15th. Has this world turned upside down or what?
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I keep telling myself...
…..that we’ve faced three very tough defenses in a row. I KNEW this stretch of games would be tough on a new offensive system. I called it going in.
…..But how good is MSU’s defense? They gave up 38 to Georgia Tech, and 34 to LSU. How good is LSU’s defense? They gave up 24 to Mississippi State. How good is Tennessee? They gave up a ton to UCLA.
…..I don’t feel good about this game, either. Being roped into attending a family function, Saturday, isn’t good, either. I’ll have my earbuds in. People won’t like it, but if you’re dumb enough to schedule something on a Saturday in October… I warned my kids at the dinner table, a few nights ago: “If you get married, and schedule the wedding on the day of the Auburn/Alabama game, I won’t be there!” My wife laughed, but I WAS DEADLY SERIOUS.
AMEN Acid
,,,,My wife told me that we have a birthday party to attend Saturday evening at 6:00. I politely told her, they better have the Auburn game on.
WAR EAGLE
I hear ya guys
I once cussed a friend out cause she got married during an Auburn/LSU game….? She’s an Auburn Grad….? Totally pissed me off cause i didnt want to be there and if i hadn’t of known her for 20 years i would have so blown that wedding off. Luckily my now girlfriend is a huge Auburn football fan and refuses to get married in the fall. So i have to caulk that up as 2 good points for her.
I’m worried about this game too. It shouldn’t be a contest but then again neither should Miss. St. So we’ll see.
War Eagle!
She...
…just doesn’t want to marry YOU in the fall, PT….
:-)
by War Eagle Atlanta on Oct 2, 2008 9:57 AM CDT up reply actions
Priorities in the Fall
First off, may I address something. Mr Suicidewatch, I realize that you’re an Auburn fan living in the Bulldog town of Athens, which is truly enough to drive any Tiger fan crazy, but is it necessary to use the fowl language when making a really basic comment? Come on man, I respect everyone’s opinions, but you’re the only fan on this site that continuously uses the “F” bomb. It’s like the kid who learned the word, thought it was cool and then used it as often as possible….“Mom, pass the F*&%$ grits!!! Dad, where the F$%^ is my toothbrush?” Just marinate on that, man…
Now back to the main subject. Priorities completely change in the fall for most football fans. Whether its a SEC or NFL, the weekend is scheduled around those important football games…and for good reason. It’s been a tough pill to swallow for my wife, but I’m pretty bull-headed about not scheduling ANYTHING on a Saturday when AU plays. And I get it honestly. My sister (married 3 years ago) was not allowed to have her wedding on the day of a UGA game, so she got married on a off-week in October. Dad’s got his priorities straight. Two weeks ago for the LSU game, my Dad and I opted out of going to the Grande Ole Opry (despite having to endure the rants of my pregnant wife) in order to go over to a Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the AU-LSU and UGA-ASU games. Priorities. And for my wife’s baby shower in November, it’ll be held at my brother-in-laws before the AU-UGA game…the only way to bring my dad and I together on an otherwise high-tension day for the two of us. Should be plenty of smack talk before the Dawgs and Tigers duke it out. As long as he doesn’t buy his soon-to-be-born granddaughter any UGA stuff then we’ll try to keep it civil. Haha!
Plans take care of themselves...
…in the fall for me. Saturday night’s alright for fighting and for football. Nothing else need apply. It’s cheaper that way, too, drinking my own beer and booze—unless I have to trek out to a bar for the occasional oddball game that isn’t televised, like ULM this year and New Mexico State last year. And if we play during the day, then that means check out how the neighbors do that evening…
Hey, all Tubs is doing is exercising executive authority over what ultimately is his responsibility and doing a little fine-tuning. There’s nothing wrong with borrowing some of the best from other offensive schemes. Anyone ever heard of MMA? Well, we’re going to have MMO—mix-mash-offense…
I’m copyrighting that, by the way. Who in here got a degree in marketing? You’re hired! Let’s go out and peddle WEA’s MMO system to high schools…
by War Eagle Atlanta on Oct 2, 2008 10:07 AM CDT reply actions
Glad to see it happen.
I for one am glad to see Coach Tubs intervene and take corrective action. Although I continue to support him, I was starting to get the feeling that he no longer cared and had decided to throw in the towel after this season. Maybe there’s still some fire is his belly after all.
Regarding Saturday Plans in the Fall:
I got married in 93 to a girl who’s parents reside in Tuscaloosa, but held out and refused to get hitched in enemy territory. We had season tickets and scheduled the wedding for the day of the Miss. State game. The following Saturday, we were in St. Thomas USVI, while my brother enjoyed my seats to watch Auburn host the Gators. Although I had promised not to watch football on my honeymoon, I couldn’t resist asking the bartender for an update on the score everytime I went for another round at the poolside bar. Near the end of the game, we went to the room to dress for dinner. I finally reminded my bride of my promise but also pleaded with her to let me attempt to get a final score from ESPN.
Once she agreed, I wasted no time in tuning to ESPN. The game was not televised due to Auburn being on probation, but when the final score was posted on the ticker, I went absolutely bonkers. I was so happy at the big win that I could hardly wait to leave paradise and return home! On the return trip, I was wearing my Auburn colors and I think that I probably bought a copy of every different newspaper that I could find in the Atlanta airport.
WDE
Best Wife ever
I have the privilege of being married to the best wife ever. I’m in the Marine Corps and stationed out in California. My wife and I decided that we were going to get married on a Saturday but I soon realized it was Auburn gameday. She took decisive action and moved the our small beach wedding up a few hours so that I could actually watch the game. After the wedding we went to a sports bar and watch Auburn roll to a victory over USM.
My Gf knows that when SEC football is on not to mess around
I couldn’t get married on an Auburn weekend…cause if Auburn lost it just wouldn’t be right. I would have to get married in the Summer/Spring.
Choosing wisely...
I had that gut feeling things weren’t going to work out when the guy I was dating at the time told me he would cheer for whoever was playing Auburn just because he enjoyed rivalry (and probably wanted to spite me for an imagined wrong). It was already bad enough that he was an OSU fan. :P
Be patient Auburn Nation
Those complaining about the Franklin System obviously don’t know the Franklin System. I volunteer as a high school coach and have run his system, being trained each off season personally by Tony and his staff, and have his playbooks, there is not a formation or lineup that they run now or have in the past that is not in his playbook, including under center, two backs (I formation) with double tight ends, actually if you want to know Tony calls it Orange Power. I love Auburn, actually player there a couple of years, but I am not from GA or AL like my wife and family, so I see Auburn through untainted eyes. Any time you change anything in life, there has to be an adjustment period, no different with a new offense. Also, it was Tubby who wanted to go for the spread to attract more specialty atheletes, so give em time Auburn. Frankly, from watching this year, yes I am frustrated too but give the boys the chance to learn and grow with this thing. The last thing a team needs who is struggling is everyone jumping down their throat and complaining about there coaches.
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