The Bulldogs simply pounded the Tigers into the Samford Stadium turf. Time always tells the tale for teams and coaches and it did for this team as well. As many great coaches have said, a team either gets better or worse and this one has gotten worse. This team has shown some bad tendencies on both sides of the ball all year plus a lack of leadership and it finally caught up with Auburn yesterday.
THE GOOD
Well there is not much good you can find for Auburn in this game. As Coach Gus Malzahn said the team got beat soundly in all three phases of the game. There was a critical fumble and missed punt block on special teams and another complete collapse on defense. Georgia had not one but two running backs with close to 150 yards. Unfortunately in this game the offense also joined the party and put up less than 300 yards of total offense and only one touchdown. The lowest output under Gus Malzahn as head coach.
I guess the only good is remembering the magic of last year at the end of the season. We knew last year was a once-in-a-lifetime type of end to a season. We knew there would be plenty more days like this but last year helped so much and hurt our biggest rivals much more than this loss and another potential loss in two weeks. Auburn had a lot coming back this year and a seemingly good chance at a title and no one wanted to lose that. However now that it is gone, hopefully all the things that have gone wrong this season will be a good learning experience for these coaches.
THE BAD
I am really starting to worry that Gus Malzahn will spend the rest of his time at Auburn running this 2013 running offense. I am starting to worry that he will not throw the ball enough even with Jeremy Johnson taking over. All we hear from the coaches and other Auburn bloggers is how great a passer Marshall is yet in the game against State and yesterday's game Malzahn admitted he was too stubborn in not passing the ball. What is going on? I just do not understand his stubborn refusal to throw the ball.
It has been obvious from day one of this season and I have said it many times on this blog that we had to throw more this year to be successful. He has just refused to do it and it certainly contributed to losses against Mississippi State and against Georgia. Auburn must become a more balanced offense or they will just be a slightly different version of Georgia Tech. I certainly hope that with Jeremy Johnson taking the reins and seeing how this season ended that the coaches will open up the passing game next year. You have to be able to run the ball but for long term success you have to be balanced as well.
THE UGLY
You take away Nick Fairley and Dee Ford and Auburn would have six consecutive years of the worst defenses in Auburn history. Auburn has not had a defense ranked anywhere close to the top since the Tuberville era. I can actually live with that, I just don't understand why Auburn defenses have to be SO bad? I mean it is not like the Tigers even had a mediocre defense in 2010 and 2013. They were still statistically bad defenses but just not an absolute train wreck like this year. I know you cannot have a great defense running the offense we run but why can't we at least have a mediocre defense?
The defense this year has looked a lot like 2012. Whatever we are doing is NOT working. First, the Tigers have got to get some better players, especially on the line. It all starts up front and Auburn is getting killed in the trenches. Defensive line coach Rodney Garner needs to use some of his recruiting prowness to restock his own position. It has to start there. Auburn needs improvement all over but it has to start there. Coach Malzahn then needs to really evaluate whether the defensive philosophy we are using is going to work. I do not think it is working or will work. I think a change in leadership and philosophy is needed.
THE LAST WORD
It sure seems like the sky is falling with Auburn's ugly fall from grace and Bama's concurrent rise to the top. However we must again remember we were there last year. We were on top of the world and ESPN was showing "The Immaculate Deflection" and the "Kick Six" over and over and over again. We put a dagger through the heart of both Georgia and Bama. We won the SEC Championship. We are down some but with all our problems I do not see a 2008 or a 2012 collapse on our horizon under Malzahn.
The biggest focus now must be on recruiting. Unfortunately it is all about recruiting. The teams with the best players win. You have to coach them up but the teams with the best players win. It is as simple as that. Auburn needs more good players especially on defense. Recruit, recruit, recruit. That is the last word from this vantage point on this cold rainy November morning.
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