GAME 10 REVIEW: ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL

Auburn 13  Texas A&M 10.  After the tumultuous 2003 season for Auburn that included big losses and the "Jetgate" scandal it was widely believed that many of the best players would leave for the NFL draft.  That group of players included Auburn's best running back and their biggest star in Carnell "Cadillac" Williams.   Carnell did not end up leaving and neither did many others following his lead.  Carnell had a lot of good reasons to leave.  He got hurt in 2001 and 2002 while the team's 2003 season was ruined by bad coaching.  In fact looking back there sure seems like there were a lot more reasons to leave than to stay.  However Carnell and so many others did come back and played a big role saving the Auburn program then as 2004 became one of the greatest seasons in Auburn football history.  Carnell returned to Auburn in 2019 as the Tiger's running back coach and last night maybe helped save the program again as he led his alma mater to a special win as the head coach.

I said it last week and I will say it again this week, what Carnell Williams has done in just two weeks as coach is simply amazing.  As I said last week I have seen the worst teams in Auburn's modern history in 1980, 1998, 2008, and 2012.  This team looked exactly the same after a mediocre at best Arkansas team destroyed Auburn at home just three weeks ago.  This team was DEAD and the entire climate around the program was TOXIC.  Carnell turned all that around in less than two weeks.  He got this team off the mat and while they are not that good and mistake prone they have fought their butts off.  They should have won last week and got the win this week.  And the climate around the program?  Watch the videos of Jordan Hare Stadium last night.  It is simply unbelievable, Auburn students and alumni and fans came out and rocked that stadium like the SEC title was on the line for an Auburn team that was was 3-6 and 1-5 in conference!!!

I will repeat something else I wrote last week, and that is the power of the "Auburn family" mentality that Carnell has talked about non-stop in every interview he has done.  Auburn screws it up a LOT but nobody comes together like Auburn.  A night last night just does not happen anywhere else but Auburn.  However any resurgence needs a catalyst and I do not think anyone else could have done other than Carnell.  He has displayed his faith in a true and authentic way.  He  has done things that coaches do not do especially since the $aban model was established.  He has talked about his vulnerability, he has talked about serving, he has talked about him and his coaching staff pouring themselves into these players.  Is he crazy?  Does he not understand that the only thing that matters about college football is getting these players ready for the pros?  No one can get anything out of a losing season!

Carnell and this coaching staff have refused to give up on this team and it resulted in a special win last night.  Yes this team is definitely not very good and Texas A&M is even worse but it still mattered.  It mattered to everyone that is a part of this Auburn football team.  It mattered to get a win at home with a great crowd.  This was one of those times when you just enjoy winning the game even if the season has been a disappointment.  On a cold and windy night the Auburn collective team and family led by Carnell showed what Carnell joyously uttered after it was over...  "Auburn ain't dead yet".  Hopefully the large number of recruits at the game and the others that were watching understand that and also understand Carnell's initial recruiting slogan and that is that Auburn is "where dreams come true".  Auburn truly needs "a few good men" and hopefully Carnell is not only saving Auburn's present but its future as well.

The job Carnell has done obviously begs the question of whether he should be considered for the job going forward?  I would love to say yes but have just been around for too long.  I know the truth of that famous statement uttered in one of my favorite movies and it is "you either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villian."  It is true and I do not want to see Carnell go through it because no matter how good a person he is things will get ugly for any big time college football coach that does not win.  Almost no coaches go out on good terms anymore and it would be no different here. Also Carnell has only been involved in college football coaching since 2019.  He has the leadership to do what he has done this season but I do not think he has the experience to lead the program out of this dark place in the long term.  I could certainly be wrong but I just do not want to find out.

There is a lot to talk about regarding Auburn football like the new athletic director and the coaching search but I just do not feel like this post is the right time to talk about it.  I think this weekend it is just time to enjoy this win and the atmosphere that surrounded it.  Hopefully it will continue next week against Western Kentucky and hopefully there will not be that dreaded let down after a big win that really hurt a lot of other teams around the country this week.  This coming week and next week the coaching search talk will heat up as this hire needs to made as quickly as possible after the end of the season.  The road ahead for Auburn still looks dark and there is a lot of uncertainty but for one night we got to enjoy a big win and remember again why it is great to be an Auburn Tiger.