5-0 Starts

[Godfather]

5-0 Starts...A Look Back
Rod Bramblett

For the second straight year, an Auburn football team has started the season 5-0. The unbeaten start, plus the Tigers number eight ranking has garnered a lot of attention, but still there are those out there that still want more...pointing to last year's 5-0 start that turned into a 2-5 finish. So I thought, ok, fair enough. Let's look at history and see if last year's stumble down the stretch was the norm or an anomaly.

Going back to the Pat Dye era, Auburn has started the season 5-0 eight times. So about once every four years dating back to 1981 the Tigers have jumped out to a quick start. Below is a breakdown of what followed in each of those seasons.

# 1986--The Tigers went on to finish with a 10-2 record, a number six ranking and they defeated USC in the Citrus Bowl 16-7.
# 1993--Undefeated at 11-0...enough said. Finished 4th in the nation.
# 1994--Still on probation and not eligible for a bowl game, Auburn was 9-1-1. A tie against Georgia and loss to Alabama ended a 20 game win streak. The Tigers still finished 9th in the country.
# 1997--Dameyune Craig led the Tigers to a 10-3 record and a trip to the SEC Championship Game. Auburn's final ranking was 11th.
# 2000--A win over Alabama in the Iron Bowl put the Tigers in the SEC Championship Game. Auburn finished with a 9-4 record and a national ranking of 18th.
# 2004--13-0, SEC Champions and number two in the country.
# 2006--While the Tigers had disappointing losses to Arkansas and Georgia, Auburn still finished the year with an 11-2 record and a number eight ranking.
# 2009--The only year out of this group where Auburn had a losing month of October and a 2-5 finish. Still, the Tigers went to the Outback Bowl won the game and finished the season 8-5.

So as we can see, last year certainly seems to be a break from the trend. Out of those eight 5-0 starts, Auburn finished in the top ten five times, won an SEC Championship, went to the championship game three times and had five double-digit win seasons. Let's hope the trend continues...if it does then we all will be very happy campers at the end of the season.

This month of October will go a long way in determining if this team will go from "good to great." It all begins this Saturday night with the Tigers trip to Lexington.

[Snaggletiger]

Well, to be fair, I don't think any of those seasons began with the rebuilding effort that The Chin and Co. had to deal with.  Quite possibly the best job out of all those would be Bowden's 93' undefeated season.  Not just because they went undefeated, but because the talent level wasn't nearly what it had been all those years under Dye. The program was in disarray following a 5-6 slate, the resignation of Corch Dye and a definite lack of depth across the board.  However, I don't believe they were nearly as depleted as last years squad.  To his credit, CTB came in with the perfect system for that talent and some really solid play calling.

One thing I think that's in this team's favor that can't be overlooked is this past weeks game with LMAO. Last year, we were successful on O because of Corch Malzahn's schemes.  As has been well documented, the defense was one deep and one dimensional.  They just plain wore out in games the longer the season went on.  This year, not only are they a good bit more talented across the board, they got what should be a nice break this past weekend with many defensive starters playing only a handful of plays.  In my view, incredibly important heading into the stretch that will determine the success or failure of this season.  UK, Arky, LSU and Ole Miss.   

[AUJarhead]

The program was in disarray following a 5-6 5-5-1 slate, the resignation of Corch Dye and a definite lack of depth across the board. 

I disagree.  I had heard that Dye had always pointed to the 93/94 teams as being loaded.  Looking back at the 92 season, how many of those games we winnable?  UGA taught Auburn the "lay on the ball on the goal line" trick, that we repaid them back in 2001.  We tied Arkansas.  Had our TE been able to catch the ball, we most likely beat Mississippi State.  We have maybe 3 or 4 different plays, that's an 8-3 team.  Not so bad.  Yes, we barely got by ULaLa, so that could have gone either way.  But I don't think we were as bad as people think.  Players knew probation was coming also.

Now, the 93 team.  Look at the DL.  3 of the 4 players drafted.  The only position I can't recall having someone playing in the NFL was at LB, and that's because Miska was too fucking crazy to play LB.  He just yelled at Jay Barker, and Barker fell to his knees for a safety.  That defense was sick.

Offense?  Bostic/Davis.  Sanders/Bailey.  White and Nix were serviceable QBs.

Coaching?  Hell, Bowden left all of Dye's coaches.

I'd argue that we didn't really experience lack of depth under Coach Bowden until AFTER Dye's players left.

[Godfather]

I disagree.  I had heard that Dye had always pointed to the 93/94 teams as being loaded.  Looking back at the 92 season, how many of those games we winnable?  UGA taught Auburn the "lay on the ball on the goal line" trick, that we repaid them back in 2001.  We tied Arkansas.  Had our TE been able to catch the ball, we most likely beat Mississippi State.  We have maybe 3 or 4 different plays, that's an 8-3 team.  Not so bad.  Yes, we barely got by ULaLa, so that could have gone either way.  But I don't think we were as bad as people think.  Players knew probation was coming also.

Now, the 93 team.  Look at the DL.  3 of the 4 players drafted.  The only position I can't recall having someone playing in the NFL was at LB, and that's because Miska was too fucking crazy to play LB.  He just yelled at Jay Barker, and Barker fell to his knees for a safety.  That defense was sick.

Offense?  Bostic/Davis.  Sanders/Bailey.  White and Nix were serviceable QBs.

Coaching?  Hell, Bowden left all of Dye's coaches.

I'd argue that we didn't really experience lack of depth under Coach Bowden until AFTER Dye's players left.

Why do you hate orange shaded numbers?

[Saniflush]

I disagree.  I had heard that Dye had always pointed to the 93/94 teams as being loaded.  Looking back at the 92 season, how many of those games we winnable?  UGA taught Auburn the "lay on the ball on the goal line" trick, that we repaid them back in 2001.  We tied Arkansas.  Had our TE been able to catch the ball, we most likely beat Mississippi State.  We have maybe 3 or 4 different plays, that's an 8-3 team.  Not so bad.  Yes, we barely got by ULaLa, so that could have gone either way.  But I don't think we were as bad as people think.  Players knew probation was coming also.

Now, the 93 team.  Look at the DL.  3 of the 4 players drafted.  The only position I can't recall having someone playing in the NFL was at LB, and that's because Miska was too fucking crazy to play LB.  He just yelled at Jay Barker, and Barker fell to his knees for a safety.  That defense was sick.

Offense?  Bostic/Davis.  Sanders/Bailey.  White and Nix were serviceable QBs.

Coaching?  Hell, Bowden left all of Dye's coaches.

I'd argue that we didn't really experience lack of depth under Coach Bowden until AFTER Dye's players left.

Thank you for saving me the time typing.

Apparently Snaggle not having control of his testes is also affecting his memory.

[JR4AU]

Well, to be fair, I don't think any of those seasons began with the rebuilding effort that The Chin and Co. had to deal with.  Quite possibly the best job out of all those would be Bowden's 93' undefeated season.  Not just because they went undefeated, but because the talent level wasn't nearly what it had been all those years under Dye. The program was in disarray following a 5-6 slate, the resignation of Corch Dye and a definite lack of depth across the board.  However, I don't believe they were nearly as depleted as last years squad.  To his credit, CTB came in with the perfect system for that talent and some really solid play calling.

One thing I think that's in this team's favor that can't be overlooked is this past weeks game with LMAO. Last year, we were successful on O because of Corch Malzahn's schemes.  As has been well documented, the defense was one deep and one dimensional.  They just plain wore out in games the longer the season went on.  This year, not only are they a good bit more talented across the board, they got what should be a nice break this past weekend with many defensive starters playing only a handful of plays.  In my view, incredibly important heading into the stretch that will determine the success or failure of this season.  UK, Arky, LSU and Ole Miss.

Fail, the 93 team was very talented, and had grossly underperformed in Dye's last 2 seasons. 

Stephen Davis, Willie Anderson, Wayne Gandy, Frank Sanders, Harold Morrow, Tony Richardson, Gary Walker, all had long NFL careers, some Pro Bowls too.  That's just the ones I can recall.

Not talented?  You're serious?

[AUJarhead]

Why do you hate orange shaded numbers?

I hated Bowden's "Prevent Offense" more.

[Godfather]

I hated Bowden's "Prevent Offense" more.

Demontray is comin to your cit-tay!

[Snaggletiger]

I disagree.  I had heard that Dye had always pointed to the 93/94 teams as being loaded.  Looking back at the 92 season, how many of those games we winnable?  UGA taught Auburn the "lay on the ball on the goal line" trick, that we repaid them back in 2001.  We tied Arkansas.  Had our TE been able to catch the ball, we most likely beat Mississippi State.  We have maybe 3 or 4 different plays, that's an 8-3 team.  Not so bad.  Yes, we barely got by ULaLa, so that could have gone either way.  But I don't think we were as bad as people think.  Players knew probation was coming also.

Now, the 93 team.  Look at the DL.  3 of the 4 players drafted.  The only position I can't recall having someone playing in the NFL was at LB, and that's because Miska was too fucking crazy to play LB.  He just yelled at Jay Barker, and Barker fell to his knees for a safety.  That defense was sick.

Offense?  Bostic/Davis.  Sanders/Bailey.  White and Nix were serviceable QBs.

Coaching?  Hell, Bowden left all of Dye's coaches.

I'd argue that we didn't really experience lack of depth under Coach Bowden until AFTER Dye's players left.

I definitely think we were talented with our starters but recruiting had gone to shit in the last year or two since the Ramsey thing drug out forever. And I love Corch Dye like the next Auburn man but "loaded"?  Someone might have been trying to take little credit for someone else's success. His mid to late 80's teams were loaded.  His last couple were anything but.  On the other hand, I thought Bowden was a fucking toad for what he did to change the program and send it into the toilet by the time he bailed. As he said he would, he changed everything after two years totaling 20-1-1.  He wanted to run his Diddy's offense but couldn't recruit for shit.

However, I have to give the short Corch credit.  Even if it was with Dye's players, you have to do one hell of a job in any league to go undefeated. 

[Snaggletiger]

Fail, the 93 team was very talented, and had grossly underperformed in Dye's last 2 seasons. 

Stephen Davis, Willie Anderson, Wayne Gandy, Frank Sanders, Harold Morrow, Tony Richardson, Gary Walker, all had long NFL careers, some Pro Bowls too.  That's just the ones I can recall.

Not talented?  You're serious?

Reading comprehension fail.  Never implied they weren't talented.  I said they weren't the same level as Dye's earlier teams along with the depth that Dye had.

[AUJarhead]

recruiting had gone to shit in the last year or two since the Ramsey thing drug out forever.

Again, disagree.  I can only recall one Bowden recruit on the 95 team that was an impact player, and that would be true freshman Takeo Spikes.  I can't remember if Beasley was redshirted in 92 or not.

But wouldn't have Davis, Anderson, Gandy, Sanders, Morrow, Walker, Nix, etc, have been recruited during the "last year or two" of the Ramsey thing?

you have to do one hell of a job in any league to go undefeated. 

 

Yep, he was a really good motivator.  I give him credit for that.  He's still a dick though.

And don't even get me started about what that little fuck did when I worked at Turtles.  I still cuss the sum bitch for that.

[JR4AU]

Reading comprehension fail.  Never implied they weren't talented.  I said they weren't the same level as Dye's earlier teams along with the depth that Dye had.

Read above!  Everybody read what you wrote, and gave a similar response.  Semantics baby, semantics.

[AUChizad]

And don't even get me started about what that little fuck did when I worked at Turtles.  I still cuss the sum bitch for that.

Do tell.

I miss Turtles. Well, not really.

It was cool to get used CDs before it was common practice to get free ones through your friends over the intrawebz.

[JR4AU]

Again, disagree.  I can only recall one Bowden recruit on the 95 team that was an impact player, and that would be true freshman Takeo Spikes.  I can't remember if Beasley was redshirted in 92 or not.

But wouldn't have Davis, Anderson, Gandy, Sanders, Morrow, Walker, Nix, etc, have been recruited during the "last year or two" of the Ramsey thing?
 

Yep, he was a really good motivator.  I give him credit for that.  He's still a dick though.

And don't even get me started about what that little fuck did when I worked at Turtles.  I still cuss the sum bitch for that.

Correct, those were all Dye players. 

Bowden: Good Game Day Coach, horrible recruiter, horrible ambassador for Auburn. 

[AUJarhead]

Do tell.

I miss Turtles. Well, not really.

It was cool to get used CDs before it was common practice to get free ones through your friends over the intrawebz.

Remember how Turtles rented movies?  And the kid section was in an area where you couldn't see from the register?  So one night, he comes in with one of his kids, and it's about 5 minutes before we close.  So they are in the back looking at movies, and we lock the doors, but we don't kick them out.  So we're hanging up front, and all of a sudden, we watch as he puts back all the movies, and with his arm around his daughter, just goes right out.  We unlock the door for them, and they leave.  Go to vacuum, and someone (either Bowden or his daughter) had yacked all over the floor.  Fucker didn't even offer to clean it up.  Just left it.  I fucking hated him ever since.

[djsimp]

I love Rob Bramblett....

......ok, continue on.

[Lurking Tiger]

I disagree.  I had heard that Dye had always pointed to the 93/94 teams as being loaded.  Looking back at the 92 season, how many of those games we winnable?  UGA taught Auburn the "lay on the ball on the goal line" trick, that we repaid them back in 2001.  We tied Arkansas.  Had our TE been able to catch the ball, we most likely beat Mississippi State.  We have maybe 3 or 4 different plays, that's an 8-3 team.  Not so bad.  Yes, we barely got by ULaLa, so that could have gone either way.  But I don't think we were as bad as people think.  Players knew probation was coming also.

Now, the 93 team.  Look at the DL.  3 of the 4 players drafted.  The only position I can't recall having someone playing in the NFL was at LB, and that's because Miska was too fucking crazy to play LB.  He just yelled at Jay Barker, and Barker fell to his knees for a safety.  That defense was sick.

Offense?  Bostic/Davis.  Sanders/Bailey.  White and Nix were serviceable QBs.

Coaching?  Hell, Bowden left all of Dye's coaches.

I'd argue that we didn't really experience lack of depth under Coach Bowden until AFTER Dye's players left.

This.

[Godfather]

Remember how Turtles rented movies?  And the kid section was in an area where you couldn't see from the register?  So one night, he comes in with one of his kids, and it's about 5 minutes before we close.  So they are in the back looking at movies, and we lock the doors, but we don't kick them out.  So we're hanging up front, and all of a sudden, we watch as he puts back all the movies, and with his arm around his daughter, just goes right out.  We unlock the door for them, and they leave.  Go to vacuum, and someone (either Bowden or his daughter) had yacked all over the floor.  Fucker didn't even offer to clean it up.  Just left it.  I fucking hated him ever since.

That actually makes me like him a little more.

[AUJarhead]

That actually makes me like him a little more.

He also hated Family Guy.

[Saniflush]

And teh gheys.  He hated them as well.