By: Mr. Sensible

Will this be an old school defensive battle? The author thinks so.

Florida 24, Alabama 20

Three Keys for Florida Victory

1) Florida’s Defense
It is safe to say, Alabama hasn’t faced a tougher test than the one waiting this Saturday. Florida’s league leading defense is built in pressure, aggressiveness, and taking the ball away from the opponent. It is as hard to move the ball consistently against Florida as it is to score points – only nine times this season has the other team crossed the goalline against the Gators. Moreover, Florida is good as stuffing the run – only giving up 2.6 yards per attempt – which puts the onus on Alabama’s passing game even more. The Gators defensive backfield has produced 20 INTs this year and in a game against big, physical wide receivers of LSU (comparable to Alabama’s squad), Florida held them to 11 catches for 96 yards. That’s darn impressive. The loss of Carlos Dunlap on the defensive line due to suspension is noteworthy and he will be sorely missed. However, Florida possesses strength in scheme and quality depth which helps to cover for that loss and gives them a distinct advantage in this game.

2) Florida’s Coaching Staff
It is not a matter of Florida’s staff being better than Alabama’s as much as it is Florida’s staff has experience in these games and beyond and it all starts with the head coach, Urban Meyer.  It’s hard to describe Meyer without using the word “winner” in the report. Five double-digit win season, four conference titles,  two undefeated regular seasons, two BCS Championships, a number one overall NFL draft pick, a Heisman trophy quarterback, and 95 total wins over his nine year head coaching career. At Florida, he’s 56-9 overall and this may not even be the best team he’s fielded for the Gators. The supporting staff is excellent (don’t be surprised to see some of them plucked from the sidelines by season’s end) and they get maximum effort from highly-touted players. That’s not a small feat. It’s rare for Alabama’s Nick Saban to be equaled by the opposing sideline. Florida’s Meyer may just be better.

Only 2 more games of Hype, Will Vern's head explode? ...it just might.

3) Tim Tebow
Without going into too much hyperbole, Tebow is the x-factor, been there done it all, leader every team covets at the signal caller position. Even when it doesn’t seem possible for him to do something else, he finds ways to do it. Tebow’s won 34 times as a starter and lost only five times (four of those coming in his first year as starter). He’s thrown 84 TDs against 15 interceptions and rushed for a league record 56 TDs. Besides the insane stats, the leadership skills are undeniable and, maybe, unbeatable in big games like this one. Last year going into the fourth quarter, Florida was against the ropes and then Tebow made plays – with his arm no less – to bring them back to two fourth quarter scores against roughly the same Alabama team he’ll face Saturday. It’s hard to go against this guy with the big prizes are on the line.

Raise your hand if you think Alabama can knock Tebow out of the game. It took a blindside shot under the chin to do it before and it’s the only time we’ve seen this guy take a lick and not get up from it. I don’t think Alabama can be one dimensional on offense the way they were against Auburn and win this game; Florida’s too good at pass rush and pass defense for that. Alabama proved they can beat Auburn without a running game. Can they beat Florida without it? I don’t think so because opposing teams hoping to win against the Gators need balance. When it comes down to it, the best defense against Florida’s offense is to control the clock and keep the ball out of Tim Tebow’s hands. Finally, Florida’s offense isn’t as explosive – the scoring average is down 8 points and they haven’t been in the endzone as much – but they have actually gained more yards than last year’s squad. Additionally, the defense gives up 3 points less and 33 yards less per game this year. I’d say Florida is as good as 2008, just getting it done differently.

Final Thoughts
This is appointment football television for college fans. It’ll be an epic battle at every position and will come down to the wire. In the end, I believe Florida’s defense can limit Alabama’s endzone opportunities forcing field goals and the Gators offense can get to the endzone often enough to win the SEC Championship.

Chizik and Auburn had a Happy Halloween becoming Bowl worthy after a 33-20 victory over Ole Miss.

By: THS

Back when I was playing football in high school, we were expecting to be terrible my senior year.  Our quarterback was debating quitting to focus on baseball, we were starting two sophomores on the o-line, and we had a tall skinny white kid playing running back.  Along came a surprise on the first day of spring practice by the name of Montez Billings.  He was tall, skinny-style ripped, and could do a 360 degree spin in the air before dunking a basketball.  After the first day of practice, my o-line coach looked at us and said “he’s going to be the spark that keeps us in ball games.”

Auburn…

- Montez Billings didn’t lead Pelham to anything of note, but we weren’t terrible.  He caught 70 balls and averaged over ten yards a catch with 10+ catches of 50 yards or more.  We finished the year 4-7 after losing to Tuscaloosa County in the playoffs.  When County was up by 14, Montez took a screen pass and broke 7 tackles before running 70 yards down the field for a touchdown.  In the end, we still lost by 14, but we were in the game.  We had a chance.  He gave the rest of us a chance to be competitive when we were all obviously scrubs lucky enough to earn a starting position.

- Say hello to Eltoro Freeman.  He’s the spark that this defense has needed all year long.  I told a friend of mine yesterday that he looked like a man amongst boys.  He’s blessed with a strong body that is complemented with tremendous speed.  He has good vision, and he’s relentless when going after the ball carrier.

- “The Bull” couldn’t do it all by himself.  In fact, he didn’t.  More truth – he hurt us on a few plays.  Freeman doesn’t have the experience or technique (yet) to be consistent on every play.  He was out of position and missed a few tackles.  What he did do, however, was slow down the offense just enough for our other guys, who have very much looked like scrubs all year, get to the ball carrier in time to make a tackle.  He was enough of a threat blitzing and in coverage that our defensive line finally had time and the ability to rush the passer.

- “The Bull” is an apt nickname for Freeman especially this year.  In a bull fight, the bull rushes the matador with reckless abandon and with the intent to kill on the first hit.  He tucks his head, scratches his hoof against the dirt, and just goes.  The matador, being more intelligent and more experienced, steps aside and the bull misses.  Eventually, the bull wears down and is dropped dead by the matador.  But imagine if there was one other bull in the ring.  Imagine if the first bull rushed the matador just enough to keep the matador’s eyes off of the other bull.  The end result would be much different.  The end result would be two perfectly happy bulls and one bloody impaled matador saturating the dry dirt of the bull ring.

- I haven’t changed my mind a bit on Ted Roof.  We still look very much out of position, and our tackling skills are beneath SEC level.  But we got the spark we needed.  We made the plays and were determined to win.  Determination and heart can lead to a lot of victories, but I still haven’t seen the consistency we need to be a championship caliber defense.  Maybe a few more sparks in the next recruiting class can turn Auburn back into the program renowned for great defense.  I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

- I’ve come to the realization that I simply disagree with Gus Malzahn’s style of offense.  It’s just a personal preference.  Malzahn’s offense does work; don’t get me wrong.  I’m very happy to see us score 31 points against a top SEC defense.  I just don’t understand the “big play” offense mentality.  Maybe I’ll get used to it.  Actually, if we keep putting up numbers like that, I know I’ll get used to it.

- There’s no reason not to expect a victory over Georgia.  Chizik did it.  He persuaded me to believe he knows how to get this team prepared.  The question returns to “Can he be consistent?”  Can we continue this effort, or will we suddenly revert back to the same ole excuses after we lose?

- Talent and depth is no longer an excuse for losing.  You don’t beat Ole Miss with offense.  No one has this year except us.  There’s no reason to see performances like against LSU and Kentucky.  We obviously have the tools to do it; it’s up to the coaching staff to get it done.

- Furman, Georgia, Iron Bowl.  We have a chance to shoot some fireworks to close out the year.  No longer should anyone joke about the Papa John’s Bowl.  It’s not a joke.  We’re shooting for the Chik-Fil-A Bowl.  It’s very much a possibility.

Ole Miss…

- Snead is the worst quarterback in the SEC.  Not because of talent, but because of how much of a letdown he is.  A stud with an arm, smarts, and surrounding talent.  A stud with a slew of running backs to take off the pressure.  A stud with a good defense to allow him to take chances and not worry about turnovers.  Good lord he sucks.

- Houston Nutt will be exiting the SEC in two years.  I think Ole Miss will be hard pressed to get rid of him soon.  As critically as I’ve been with Auburn’s staff, I think Nutt is doing the worst job in the SEC.  Recruiting isn’t going well, and he’s doing less with more than anyone else in the country.  The biggest problem is Ole Miss’s offense, and who’s in charge of that?  Houston Nutt.

Florida…

- The offense is meh, the defense is looking a bit meh.  Florida is a bit meh.  Besides their punter, everyone seems to be going through the motions.  Watching Florida is boring.  It really is.  I can predict every play, and they always out-talent the opposition.  I bet they option it to one of the speedy running backs or run it up the middle with Tebow or Tebow throws a screen or Tebow kinda throws it downfield.

- Tebow has the worst throwing motion in the history of football.  Worse than Rivers.  Perhaps I noticed it more yesterday, but he brings the ball almost down to his knee before throwing it.  He adds 1/2 of a second to his throw, which is a lot when you only have a total of 4 seconds to throw it anyway.  This won’t hurt him in college football, but NFL scouts are going to puke when they see it.

Georgia…

- It’s a rebuilding year.  Richt seems to have a lot of them lately.  I’m not sure what they can fix, but I think Richt is looking at the end of his tenure.

- Joe Cox is barely good enough to start in the SEC.  That usually translates to 3-4 losses a year.  There’s talent on offense, but they lack a game manager.  I really like that Ealey kid, but he’s not as talented as Moreno, and he won’t do it alone.

- If Richt has any balls, he’ll fire Martinez the day after the GA Tech game.  Georgia’s defense has been terrible for the past few years.

USC…

Don't look now Pete, but thats the Oregon Duck laughing at you....Nelson Style...Ha-Ha!

- My how the mighty have fallen.  Don’t any of you be caught saying that.  Don’t think it.  Don’t make that mistake.  USC is starting a true freshman at quarterback and has replaced 7 NFL draft picks on defense alone.  This is the definition of a rebuilding year.  USC will return enough talent on offense next year to score points.  The scary part is that their young guys on D will have experience.

- Hate Pete Carroll and his style of coaching if you want, but I’ve been very impressed with his ability to overcome complacency and keep this team winning games.  A ten win season with a possible BCS berth is nothing to slouch at, and I think Carroll is responsible for their success.  Most people after being dominant for 7 straight years would just expect to be a top team.  Some might even forget how to coach a team up after so many years of running the machine.  To me, this team could have been a lot worse.  They could have lost to Notre Dame and Ohio St.

Oregon…

- Say hello to the new Rose Bowl participant.  I feel sorry for whoever has to face this Oregon team.  Since struggling the first three games of the year, they’ve blown out everyone they’ve played.  They’re on fire with tremendous speed on offense and solid play on defense.

- This is why I hate the college system.  Oregon really has no shot to get into the BCSCG.  Even if a few teams lose and they win out, they’ll have to overcome the arguments for Boise St AND they won’t get in over a 1 loss SEC or Big 12 team.  I think Oregon looks just as good as anyone else, but one goof in the season opener kills any hope.  If the playoffs started tomorrow, I’d put my money on Oregon and Texas.

Texas…

- Speaking of Texas, welcome to the top.  Texas is my new number one.  After a series of games where they struggled early with inferior teams, they’ve gone on a killing spree slashing everyone they’ve encountered.  41 points scored in Stillwater is no small feat.  This is one team you’ll see in the BCSCG.

Alabama-LSU…

- Alabama wins?  They’re in.  The SEC season is over, and the only hope anyone else has is to see Florida or Bama lose a game to get knocked out of the NC.

- LSU wins?  The season gets a lot more interesting.  LSU could lose to Ole Miss or Arkansas.  Not likely, but it could happen.  But still – they HAVE to win those games.

- The conclusion is that we want LSU to win.  Taking the Auburn glasses off, every SEC fan besides Alabama fans should want LSU to win this football game.  Bama won’t be able to slip at all against Miss. St or Auburn.  LSU won’t be able to slip at all against their teams.  It makes for a much more interesting story and definitely makes for potentially an explosive end to the season.

- Bama wins?  It’s all humdrum for everyone.

Final Thought…

- We still need a few more sparks to finish the season the way we want and need to.  We aren’t good enough to be consistent.  I don’t believe our coaching staff is good enough to be consistent.  We need that spark.  We need a few more bulls on special teams and offense.

SEC Review

By: Townhall

Well, it happened.  We lost.  It was bound to happen to a first year head coach who inherited a team with depth issues.  I’m not upset about losing.  I’m upset with the way we lost.

Auburn…

- Got blown out.  Bad.  Period.  Destroyed.  Every facet of the game was dominated by Arkansas.

- The players weren’t prepared to play.  No matter how many times you say it, you have to MODEL FOR, TEACH, and INSPIRE college kids to play great football at 11am.  That’s all on the coaches.  I don’t buy into superstitions, so everyone claiming the “we’re cursed in early games” bullshit needs to shut up.

- Why did Malzahn get cute?  Why do all of these good offensive coordinators get cute?  After our first drive, I was reminded of Navy trying a 2 pt conversation against Ohio St.  They had the Buckeyes by the balls and could have sent the game into overtime where I had full confidence Navy would win.  Instead of running the option – the same option that had killed Ohio St all day – they get in a pass formation and throw an interception.

- Instead of running Ben Tate and McCalleb up the middle and killing the defense with a few easy throws from Todd, we have Kodi Burns, the inspirational wide receiver, lead the offense.  One wildcat play is fine.  Leaving Kodi in on 3rd down?  That’s trying to be too cute.  The defense might have been caught off guard, but they didn’t have to worry as Kodi is not a 3rd and long converter.

- We didn’t force the ball down Arkansas’s throats until the 3rd quarter.  It’s inexcusible.  You run the ball against that defense.  They’ve been terrible all year.  Their vaunting offense is nearly unstoppable.  You keep the ball out of their hands.  Malzahn stopped the clock with incompletions and gave the ball back to them time and time again.  We should have smashed the football into their chests and forced them to stop us.

- Although, all of the blame goes to the defensive side of the football.  The campaign has begun.  Fire Ted Roof.  No blitzes?  Really?  You give Mallett, a slow quarterback, all day to throw against our secondary who is as raw as a head of lettuce on a farm.  He picked us apart.  Also, leaving only four guys to guard the line of scrimmage with the back 7 desperately trying to get into position opened up enormous holes for their running backs.  AND THEN, once they got the ball passed the line of scrimmage, our defense has such poor tackling techniques that they racked up YACs like crazy.

- No excuses.  There is a glaring reason why our defense is tremendously worse than last year.  It’s our coaching.  I don’t know what goes on inside closed doors, but either Chizik needs to take over the defense or he needs to get away.  Ted Roof is the coordinator, therefore I expect him to receive the brunt of the criticism.  We can’t win against LSU or Bama with that defense.  We might outscore Ole Miss and Georgia.  We might.

Arkansas…

- Not impressed.  Mallett is a good quarterback who makes nice throws, but I saw the same Arkansas team that I saw against Bama.  I just didn’t see Bama’s defense out there.

- Petrino gets cute with his play calling as well.  I think that’s a recipe for disaster especially in this league.  Good defenses will stop Arkansas (see Alabama-Arkansas 2009).  LSU will stop it.  Florida will stop it.  Ole Miss will stop it.

- The defense still doesn’t look that impressive.  Auburn gave you the spotlight, but I saw a lot of players out of position; I saw Ben Tate on the worst day of the year gain 185 yards; and I saw Arkansas give up 20 points in 3 minutes.

- I think Florida takes Arkansas to the woodshed as does LSU.  Next year, when the defense STILL hasn’t improved, Petrino will be running for cover.

Alabama…

- The undisputed, unanimous #1 team in the country.  Florida lacks receivers.  Texas is overrated.  Boise St is a cinderella story.  There is not a more complete team than Alabama right now.  They control the clock on offense and dominate on defense.

- This is one of the better defenses I’ve ever seen.  The line of scrimmage is dominated.  They have a 1st rounder in McClain with other productive linebackers around him.  The secondary is always in perfect position and they can also deliver the big hit.  They haven’t missed a beat since Hightower was injured.  Although it seems like they benefit from lucky plays, when it happens every week multiple times a game, it’s no longer luck.

- The only weakness I see is with the quarterback.  He’s a game manager.  McElwain has put McElroy in a position to not screw up.  He’s done well so far.  He might get tested against LSU or South Carolina, but he’s been decent.  With that said, I don’t think Bama fans can expect him to win a game for them if Ingram or Richardson go down/get stopped.

Ole Miss…

- Give up.  Snead looked more like a 2nd string quarterback than a Heisman candidate.  1st round draft pick?  More like free agency.

- The defense is sound.  I thought they did a great job against Bama’s offense considering how bad the Rebel offense was.  If Ole Miss had any kind of offense, I think we would have seen McElroy get his first real test.  Eventually, Ingram out muscled the defense and controlled the game.

Florida…

- As I’ve said before, until some receivers truly step up, Florida will not win the SEC or NC.

- The defense is stout.  They’ve given up double digits once.  Here’s a big time stat – they’ve given up only 2 touchdowns all year.  I’d vault them over Bama’s defense, but I don’t think Florida has faced the same caliber of competition.  It’s really close, though.

LSU…

- Tiger fans need to start the campaign – Fire Crowton.  There’s no reason why a team with the best talent in the country can’t score points.  They struggle with execution and consistency.  That’s on the coach.  Get a new coordinator…actually, don’t.  It’s a lot easier for Auburn to win when your coaching sucks.

- The defense looked a lot better.  I think Florida being one dimensional helped.

Texas…

- Same quote each week.  ”It took a while for Texas to wake up….”  That sentence is usually finished with Texas blowing out the other team in the end.  I’ve heard that before.  I’ve watched that game every week.  Eventually, it bites you in the ass.  One day, you’re down 27-3 at halftime and you realize that it’s too late to wake up.  You realize it’s time to wake up at 11am.  It’s time to wake up at the beginning of the game and play a COMPLETE game.

- Oklahoma will more than likely beat Texas next week.  Lock of the week.  If Texas doesn’t play good football until late in the 2nd quarter against the Sooners, they’ll be down 28-3.  The comeback will look nice in the 2nd half, but Oklahoma isn’t Colorado or Wyoming.  They’re more like Arkansas – just good enough to kick your ass back down to the dirt.

Final thought…

- It’s not as bad as it seems.  Here are some interesting stats:

Tommy Tuberville’s first year at AU – Was blown out by Tennessee, Florida, and Arkansas.
Urban Meyer’s first year at Florida – Was blown out by Alabama.
Nick Saban’s first year at LSU – Was blown out by Auburn, Florida, and lost to UAB.
Nick Saban’s first year at Alabama – Lost to LA Monroe.
Mack Brown’s first year at Texas – Blown out by Kansas St.

- It happens.  Old fashion butt kickings happen and they often happen to first year head coaches.  A new system is being implemented, and while the players may see vast improvement, they aren’t ready to be the big boys yet.

- I’m still impressed with what Chizik is doing, and I think we beat Kentucky, Ole Miss, Georgia, and Furman.  9-3 is an amazing year for a first year head coach.

Of course, the wheels could fall off at some point.  After Saturday, I definitely can’t rule out that possibility.

A Big Bite for the 2009 Tigers?

by Townhallsavoy

While Tommy Tuberville had one of the most successful tenures in Auburn football history, he left the cupboard bare when it came to talented young players.  The attitude that our coach could turn two stars into five stars was flawed.  In essence, Tuberville had a knack for finding diamonds in the rough or players that were overlooked by recruiting websites and other schools.  Through attrition, the talent level at Auburn dwindled, and it showed on the field.  Tuberville’s lazy recruiting tactics and his belief that he could win by finding hidden talents led to his demise.  5-7 and a 36-0 tromping by archrival Alabama ended his career on a sour note.

For Tuberville, it was easy to leave.  A big buyout and plenty of real estate to sell sent him packing on a high note.  However, for Auburn, Tuberville’s departure gave way to a bleak outlook.  The future was grim; Alabama continued to recruit top talent, and it seemed like Auburn couldn’t even find the cookie jar when it came to recruiting blue chips.

When you listened to the talking heads on the radio and the qualified journalists in the newspapers, Chizik was entering a situation that he could not win.  His 5-19 record, no matter how indicative of his ability to coach, would hinder his reputation amongst top recruits.  Alabama’s juggernaut machine led by demigod Nick Saban would be impossible to compete against.  This was the media’s message to Auburn fans.  We were to understand our situation: Alabama is going to run the table for the next 5-10 years, and Gene Chizik was filling the void until Alabama slowed down.

What was needed was some genuine ingenuity.  A spark that would reignite the Auburn program.  A shot in the butt that would excite the Auburn fanbase.  What was needed was something that could close the curtain on Chizik’s reputation and give a reason to love Auburn despite the odds against us.  What was needed was the duo of Trooper Taylor and Curtis Luper.
One of the greatest coaching legends of all time, Vince Lombardi, once said, “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.”  This is the new philosophy in recruiting, and it also follows the original Auburn creed.  Trooper and Luper, the dynamic duo, have dedicated their innovative minds to creating an atmosphere of originality at Auburn.  Yes, Alabama media, you were correct when saying Auburn and Gene Chizik could not directly compete with Alabama and Nick Saban.  So we aren’t directly competing.

We’re going around the norm.  We got off the interstate and are taking the backroads.  The Tiger Prowl was the first of its kind in the SEC.  Our coaches spent a week driving from school to school in a limo.  It was deemed childish by Paul Finebaum.  It was considered a worthless gimmick by Jay Barker.  It was a desperate attempt to compete with Alabama said Alabama fans.  However, the perception changed after the week ended.  Take the following quote from Paul Finebaum:

“At least from a perception standpoint, it appears Auburn has gotten the better of    Saban. Alert the media! Miracles can happen.

Will it matter? Will this be a one-hit wonder? Or can Gene Chizik and his staff    start nipping at Saban’s heels on a regular basis?

Most important, did the school do anything last week to bridge the gap between    Alabama and Auburn, which seems about as wide as the Grand Canyon? Or, at    the end of a long week, was it merely a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing?”

Sure, the gap between Alabama and Auburn, Saban and Chizik, seemed as wide as the Grand Canyon, but why is that?  The media pumped up Saban from the get go.  It’s pointless to rehash the entirety of Saban’s beginning, but when the funeral of an ex-president is interrupted to broadcast the arrival of the new head coach at Alabama, you know the media is 100% behind him.  Nick Saban’s entire tenure at Alabama has been met with praise and worship.  Gene Chizik and Auburn have been the laughing stock of football in this state for all of a few months.  But as Finebaum wondered, has Chizik been nipping at the heels of Nick Saban?

If Tiger Prowl was the nip, Big Cat Weekend was the bite.  The media was able to prop their feet up on their Crimson desk after big time prospect Craig Sanders committed to the Tide.  The limo showed up at Ariton High School, but the coaches were unable to sway the considered-by-many-to-be-an-Alabama-lock Sanders.  The media was right back where they wanted to be: discussing Alabama’s dominant program and criticizing Auburn’s clownish program.  It didn’t take long for Trooper and Luper to step up their game.  Big Cat Weekend was the attack.

The top two running back prospects in the country led the charge as blue chip recruits came in to experience Auburn in its truest form.  These were considered unofficial visits, so they came on their own volition.  One even drove down from the great state of Connecticut just to visit the small, quaint campus on the plains.  This was the big bite not only to our competition in state but to the big dogs around the country.

When you look at who was in Auburn this past weekend, you can see that Chizik has taken a different approach to Tuberville’s sit back and wait philosophy.  Auburn has gone on the offensive.  It’s not that Auburn is trying to steal every big time recruit from Alabama or Georgia or Florida, but we’re going to bring in the guys who fit in.  Auburn is a different school.  It’s not a state school.  It has its own unique tradition, atmosphere, and identity.  It’s alluring to those who want to be part of something distinctive, something that is built around family.  We’re one of the few schools in the country to consider ourselves a family as opposed to a “nation.”

Alabama can not directly compete with Auburn’s latest recruiting strategies.  They push their rich history with Bear Bryant and Nick Saban’s reputation onto recruits, and their strategy has been impeccable.  However, once able to stop Auburn from succeeding with top recruits, Alabama and their ilk must refocus their efforts in a different avenue.  It’s an avenue that has spent the last two years cozying up with Nick Saban.

The media, once with propped feet on their desks, has now flipped over backwards.  They’ve scrambled to get up and reshuffle their papers into order.  Big Cat Weekend took them by surprise.  For one, they weren’t notified about it until it started on Friday.  Two, it worked.  Auburn recruiting the same caliber of players that Alabama recruits?  Blasphemy.  So, what can the media, one of the components of the Alabama machine, do to stop the momentum of the weekend?

The talking points of the radio hosts on Monday, June 1st were not about how influential Big Cat Weekend was.  They weren’t about the innovative ideas coming out of the Auburn recruiting office.  They were about this: the audacity for a teenager to call out Nick Saban and the potential violations committed by Auburn.  Ian Fitzsimmons even stated that the Auburn coaching staff has had enough experience to know that they were committing violations, so he deduced that the violations were done on purpose.  Auburn completely disregarded the rules.  Finebaum even banged his fist on the table when explaining to a caller that coaches can’t announce recruits’ names on an unofficial visit.  Much to Finebaum’s dismay, this was an erroneous accusation as no coach made any announcement of recruits’ names during the weekend.

Take the following writers for local newspapers: Evan Woodberry, Ian Rapoport, Andrew Gribble, Luke Brietzke, and Charles Goldberg.  They all have written pieces over the last few days detailing the unacceptable actions committed in Auburn last weekend.  All of them, save Rapoport who focused on Seastrunk’s quote, have published articles detailing the specific rules that Auburn broke.  Not one person from the media has given Auburn credit for not only bringing in the top recruits but impressing them to the extent that they could be picking the Auburn hat by next signing day.  Radio hosts like Jay Barker have shown signs of being emotionally upset and angry with the Big Cat Weekend.  Before conducting an interview with Coach Luper, Jay Barker was quoted saying, “We’ll see how Coach Luper spins this weekend.”

Did Nick Saban have to spin the video teleconferencing?  Did the media lambast Saban’s gimmicky Breakfast for Recruits at the Sabans?  Has the media detailed the bylaws that Saban has broken numerous times over the years?  The answer is no.  The media has dismissed the textbook accusations at Alabama nothing to be worried about.  However, in big bold headlines, having recruits’ names announced randomly by a former student is a horrendous act in today’s world of recruiting.

The big bite hurt.  Auburn does indeed have their swagger back if not even more so than before.  Tuberville waited for diamonds in the rough to land on his front door.  Chizik is going out and searching, prowling for the top recruits that fit into his system.   And be on the lookout – Alabama, Nick Saban, media – Tigers don’t finish the job by just biting you in the rear, they make their kill by gnashing their teeth into the back of their prey’s neck.