By: Kevin Strickland
Today’s West Virginia at Auburn college football preview is brought to you by the number three and the letter ‘C’.
Three was Auburn’s unlucky number in last season’s 34-17 meltdown at Morgantown where the Tigers took a 17-0 lead and then surrendered 34 unanswered points. Four times in the second half of that game, the Auburn offense went three and out, leaving its defense tired.
Three of West Virginia’s four second half scores came after the Tiger offense folded after three plays.
Since the last time the Mountaineers saw Auburn up close, the Tigers have added a handful of C’s that will make a critical difference in Saturday night’s showdown in Auburn.
C is for Confidence.
A year ago West Virginia caught Auburn at an opportune moment. The Tony Franklin offensive experiment imploded the week before and the beleagured offensive coordinator had been fired after six games.
+Continue Reading
By: Kevin Strickland
5:07 a.m.
Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn wakes up without the benefit of an alarm clock. He doesn’t need one, because the offensive machine that is his brain has a self-timer and turns on automatically.
Why not wake up at 5:00 or 5:15? Because waking up at 5:07 is not what people expect. Malzahn likes to keep them guessing. Tomorrow, he might wake up at 5:12.
His eyes open, he reaches for one of the four pens lined up on his nightstand. On a yellow legal pad, he sketches out the visions that came to him during his sleep. One involves the center turned sideways and snapping the ball directly to a wide receiver.
He once had an alarm clock, but one morning lined it up as a toaster. It was so successful at that position it now resides in his kitchen, where it is currently leading all appliances in charred-bread production.
+Continue Reading
By: Kevin Strickland
Starring: Clark W. Aubie as the Aubie family patriarch. Co-Starring Cousin Bama Eddie as Clark’s across-the-state inlaw. Also starring various members of the Aubie family. Featuring Jay Jacobs as the boss.
The scene: A wintry Christmas Eve in the Aubie family household. Family members from around the state, including Cousin Bama Eddie are gathered in anticipation of the season. Clark is anxious because he’s expecting a Christmas bonus in the form of a great new football coach from his boss, Jay Jacobs. As Christmas approaches, the gift hasn’t yet arrived.
There’s a knock at the door. Clark answers the knock to find a wimpy-looking delivery boy with an envelope.
Delivery boy: “I have a package for Clark W. Aubsman? I was supposed to deliver it yesterday, but uh, it fell between the seats and I didn’t see it. I’m sorry.”
+Continue Reading
