Outback Bowl Review

Well it was not boring and I was certainly glad to win but I am much less enamored with this game than everyone else I have read. I am glad that seemingly the entire Auburn nation is absolutely thrilled with a mistake-filled penalty-ridden WAC-style victory but count me out. I tell you everyone, including me, continues to snipe at Tub for his awful recruiting the last few years but I think people can STOP deriding Tub for his method of winning football games. AFTER NEARLY BLOWING OUR THIRD GAME IN A ROW WHERE WE STARTED WITH A 14-0 LEAD I am thinking we need to get a little more Tubervillian after we get a lead. This new "super offensive" approach IS NOT WORKING to help us put games away. It continues to put more pressure on a defense that will not be that much better next year. There are times to go for the throat and times to run the ball 3 consecutive times and run clock.

Everyone hated the way Tub would never keep his foot on the gas pedal but he sure as hell did not blow many 14-0 leads much less THREE IN A ROW. Not only did we blow a 14-0 lead in this game, we blew a 21-7 and a 35-21 lead in the fourth quarter. Throw in the numerous penalties including a couple of seniors being glory hounds and you saw a disturbing lack of discipline throughout the game. We have heard a lot about Chizik being a disciplinarian and being cast in the image of Pat Dye and Shug Jordan. Well I think I can say for a fact you would not have seen one of their players doing that.

Yes it was an exciting game but I much more impressed with a "boring" win full of solid football like when we beat Penn St and Larry Johnson in 2002. It is absolutely essential to have a good offense with playmakers on it however NEVER playing conservative is as bad as ALWAYS playing conservative. For example, after trying one trick play throw with Kodi Burns and getting intercepted you probably do not want to try another one at a critical point in the game. We have done this stuff all year and thus we have one of the worst defense statistically in Auburn history.

I am very glad we are bringing in some offensive playmakers. Again they are absolutely essential but I sure hope we are bringing in some defensive talent and some common sense in our offensive playcalling for 2010. Congrats to the seniors. They have endured a tough ride the last couple of years and deserved to go out with a big win. I hope all the guys coming back are willing to put in the ridiculous amount of work needed to compete and win in the SEC. I hope the coaches will bring in a good recruiting class that will all actually make it into school in the fall. I hope the coaches will take heed of lessons learned this season.