Week 5 Review: In the Trenches

I apologize for the lateness of this post.  I usually write these posts on Sunday and I was out of town this last weekend and then a very busy week.  I was not able to watch the first three quarters of this game live but kept up vicariously through texting and then watched later.  I was able to see the fourth quarter of this improbable win by the Auburn Tigers.  Auburn 16 South Carolina 13.  I have to say I did not see that coming.  Who could have seen Auburn actually winning the line of scrimmage on defense?  Even with a true freshmen starting at left tackle for South Carolina it was incredible.  Auburn's strategy on defense also seemed a little more aggressive.  However rather than prostrating to the skies and begging for forgiveness for ever doubting our coaching staff, I am asking where was this sooner?  I do not regret or take back anything I have written.  Auburn's defense has been awful this year, one of the worst in the country.  This does not erase that but maybe it might signal that we might not be as bad the rest of the way.  I sure hope so.  However it is going to take more than one good outing with unbelievable punting to prove it. 

THE GREAT
Steven Clark and the punt coverage team were definitely the game MVPs as they continually made South Carolina try to start drives inside their own ten yard line.  This completely turned the game as the percentages of going the length of the field are low even for the best offenses in the SEC.  Great would also describe Mike Dyer as he carried the ball a record 41 times for 141 yards.  Dyer kept the chains moving and helped Auburn keep the ball over 10 minutes more than South Carolina.

THE GOOD
For the first time all season Auburn's defensive line dominated the line of scrimmage.  It was a welcome sight for these eyes after seeing us getting pushed all over the field in our first four games.  Auburn clogged up the running lanes and brought constant pressure on quarterback Stephen Garcia.  This was definitely where the game was won in addition to the great punting.  Everyone has been all over Garcia but after re-watching the game I have to say that it was not as much his fault as it initially seemed.  He had no time to throw on most plays and we also had good coverage downfield as well.  While our recruiting for our front seven has lagged as I have covered in previous posts, we have done much better in the secondary.  In addition to that, our linebackers pursued well and the tackling was much better.  It is amazing how much better the linebackers and secondary get when your defensive line is playing well.  It is also amazing how great players like Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery look a lot more ordinary without good blocking.  The game is won in the trenches, pure and simple.  I just hope this was more about Auburn's line playing better than South Carolina's banged up line playing bad.

THE BAD
Unfortunately while the Auburn defensive line was getting it done, the Auburn offensive line was not faring much better than the South Carolina offensive line especially tackles AJ Greene and Brandon Mosley.  South Carolina defensive end Melvin Ingram wreaked havoc on Auburn quarterback Barrett Trotter.  Trotter also took a lot of heat for a terrible game but he too had little time to throw.  Barrett Trotter is no Cam Newton but I do believe he is as good as Chris Todd.  Chris Todd enjoyed plenty of time to throw behind the same line Cam Newton worked behind.  He also had better receivers.  Trotter's main problems are lack of time to throw and bad decision making.  The lack of time to throw makes the bad decision making worse as the game goes along.  However I will say there is absolutely no excuse for some of Trotter's throws especially his two interceptions.  He has to know better than to make those throws.

THE UGLY
The ugly this week would be Bama's win over Florida.  I watched till Florida quarterback John Brantley threw that awful pick-six early in the second quarter and then it was time to find something else to watch...  I also have to continue to say how ugly it is that we are turning our conference upside down just to add Texas A&M.  Everything that is happening, all the angst over trying to make schedules in all sports with a 13th team and all the trouble it is going to be to find a 14th member, it all started with the stupid decision to bring in Texas A&M. 

UP NEXT
The South Carolina win was huge on all fronts.  It in all likelihood it made Auburn bowl-eligible and went a long way toward a winning season.  That would be a huge accomplishment in this rebuilding year.  It also took a lot of pressure off Auburn this coming weekend against Arkansas.  Auburn looks less likely to win against Arkansas than it did South Carolina but with the confidence boost from this win and Arkansas playing two tough games against Bama and Texas A&M there is a chance.