Game 11 Review: Sullivan's Last Ride

Auburn 31  Samford 7.  The 2014 Auburn football Tigers slogged through another unimpressive performance against in-state FCS foe Samford coached by former Auburn Heisman winner Pat Sullivan.  I think this might have been the last time we see Sullivan in Jordan Hare Stadium as a player or coach.  I think Sullivan's health issues will soon force his retirement from coaching.  It will end a career that has spanned over 40 years.  Pat Sullivan is a very special person and the definition of class.  My family and I made our first trip to Jordan Hare this year and I think the thing I will remember most about the game is the video of Sullivan's highlights at Auburn. 

 

First I want to again recommend the book this blog is named after, "Saturdays To Remember" by David Housel.  Housel's chapters on the greatest games of the Sullivan era are the best in the book.  People today just do not understand how good Sullivan was or what he did for Auburn.  The blocking rules for offensive linemen were much different in Sullivan's time.  His passing numbers for that era were truly amazing.  He was also the oasis in the middle of the deserts of the 60s and 70s for Auburn.  Sullivan played for Auburn from 1969 to 1971 and outside of 1963 and 1972 Auburn did not beat Bama or really have many good seasons from 1960 through 1980 (except for 1974 where the Tigers were very good but lost to Bama).

Pat Sullivan led the Auburn Tigers to a 25-5 regular season record from 1969-1971 including two wins over Bama.  He also brought an offensive magic never before seen on the Plains.  The Tigers scored 50 or more points six times under Sullivan.  Auburn averaged almost 35 points a game under Sullivan for three seasons.  He put on some amazing performances during that time including a 49-26 beatdown of Bear Bryant and the boys from Tuscaloosa.  Sullivan topped that the next year when he led Auburn back from down 17-0 to beat the Tide again.  There is also his legendary freshman team comeback over Bama where the Auburn freshman were down 27-0 and Sullivan brought them back to win 36-27. 

Pat Sullivan's finest performance might have been his last win at Auburn.  This was the game that clinched the Heisman Trophy and is still one of the greatest games in Auburn history.  Sullivan and Auburn were 9-0 and headed to Athens to take on Georgia who was also 9-0.  It was the first time two SEC teams had met this late in the season undefeated and untied.  It was a game for all the marbles including possible conference and national championships and a Heisman Trophy as well.  In the biggest game of his life Sullivan was 14 of 24 for 248 yards and four touchdowns leading Auburn to a 35-20 win.

Sullivan finished the season completing 162 passes on 281 attempts for 2,012 yards and 20 touchdowns.  Sullivan finished his college career with 6,284 passing yards and 57 touchdowns, along with another 18 touchdowns on the ground.  Sullivan would then go on to play in the NFL.  He would return to Auburn later as a color commentator on the radio and then as quarterbacks coach.  His five years (1986-199) as quarterbacks coach and offensive co-coordinator were the five most successful years in Auburn history.  Auburn went 47-10-5 in those five years and won three SEC titles.

Those five years also featured the best passing offenses since Sullivan had been at Auburn as a player.  Sullivan tutored three of Auburn's greatest quarterbacks in Jeff Burger, Reggie Slack and Stan White.  Sullivan would then leave Auburn to start his head coaching career at TCU following the 1991 season.  He would lead TCU to the Southwest Conference Championship in 1994 and was then hired by LSU.  Unfortunately in something you almost never see LSU could not negotiate a buyout of Sullivan's contract at TCU and the deal fell through.  It was basically a career killer for Sullivan but I know he would say God knows best.  Sullivan would return to his hometown of Birmingham as offensive coordinator at UAB and then head coach at Samford.

Sullivan also returned to the Auburn family after the arrival of head coach Gus Malzahn culminating in his role of honorary coach for the Tigers at last year's SEC Championship Game.  It was truly a special moment in Auburn history.  I hope Sullivan will continue to spend time in Auburn if he does retire from coaching.  He is still the first face on Auburn's "Mount Rushmore" of players in my opinion.  I have centered just on Sullivan throughout this post.  I know the first thing he would do when talking about all this history is point to all of his teammates, coaches, friends and family. 

 

"Maybe other people deserve this honor more than me, but from the bottom of my heart, no one will appreciate this more than me."

 

Pat Sullivan after winning the Heisman Trophy and after the unveiling of his statue at Jordan Hare