Auburn War Eagle Gameday » Virginia Tech

Auburn Tigers News for 2009-10-05

WarEagles — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:50:00 +0000

College Football News Top 10: 1) Alabama 2) Florida 3) Texas 4) Virginia Tech 5) Auburn 6) Miami 7) USC OSU 9) Nebraska 10) Wisconsin #

This week’s CFN poll has Auburn ranked #5 in the nation

Admin — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:01:07 +0000

Auburn is getting a ton of respect from the good people over at College Football News. The College Football News rankings were released today, and they have Auburn ranked as the #5 team in the nation.

However, they toss out this disclaimer after ranking Virginia Tech at #4: “Take the teams from No. 5 to, roughly, No. 35, throw them in a bag and pick them out, and you’d probably have the right order.”

Check it out:

5. Auburn 4-0

Last Week: W, Ball State 54-30
This Week: at Tennessee

Why the ranking is too high: The special teams are struggling a bit with no return game, and the home win over West Virginia a few weeks ago was a bit shaky needing turnovers to win. Auburn hasn’t gone on the road yet and now has to go away for three of the next four games.

Why the ranking is too low: The 49-24 win over Mississippi State in Week Two now looks really, really strong. The offensive line has been fantastic, and after the win over Ball State, Chris Todd and the passing game proved they can move the offense if needed.

An Obsessive Auburn Fans Thoughts Week 1 Recap

Admin — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:33:58 +0000

By Matt Donaldson

Auburn War Eagle Gameday Correspondent

Week one is in the books. There were some great games, some near surprises, and some intriguing storylines. In Auburn, there is now renewed hope and optimism. Hope that last year was truly a one season problem. It’s great to have college football back.

Here’s my thoughts on Auburn’s opening win against Louisiana Tech:

1. The defense can be good. Very good. Louisiana Tech had an explosive running game last year. They struggled to establish any sort of a running game outside of a couple quarterback scrambles. After a terrible pass interference call kept La Tech’s opening drive alive, two facemask penalties aided their only touchdown. All they got after that were two field goals – one of which was from distance.

The defense looked solid. They worked together. They gang tackled extremely well. There was a decent pass rush, and the secondary played very well. Barring injuries, the defense should be just as good as last year’s, which ranked in the top 20 in the nation.

2. Gus Malzahn knows what he’s doing. As a football fan, it was fun to watch Gus Malzahn set up the opposing defense repeatedly. In this offense, there’s always a big play being set up by the smaller plays. He backed up his claim that his first goal is to run the football.

Anytime you can rush for around 300 yards and pass for over 250 yards, you’ve had a good day. He used Ben Tate’s power and Onterio McCalebb’s speed to set up great opportunities for Chris Todd down the field.

And how about Chris Todd. He didn’t make the big mistakes, and made two big time throws for touchdowns. He ran the offense with pace. He ran it making the correct reads most of the time. The offensive line looks big and physical. The receivers showed signs of having some confidence. It will be fun to watch how this offense does as the defenses improve.

3. Wes Byrum is back. He went 3 for 3, and made a HUGE 50-yarder going into halftime to steal some momentum back after Louisiana Tech had tied it up. In the SEC, you have to take advantage of your scoring opportunities. Wes looks like he is back to the form of his freshman year, a welcome sight to an offense that moved the ball consistently in the opener.

4. There are some talented freshmen. It was exciting to see so many new players play and have success last night. On offense, Onterio McCalebb stole the show, gaining more yards than any freshman in Auburn history has in his first game. Newcomers DeAngelo Benton, Emory Blake, and Anthony Gulley found their way on the field either as recievers or in special teams.

Dee Ford, Nick Fairley, and Daren Bates made their presence felt. Bates started at safety, came away with an interception, and looked totally comfortable against the run and pass. Eltoro Freeman didn’t play, but will bolster the linebacking core when he returns in the next couple weeks from injury.

All of these new players will be counted on to provide depth and quality play as the season rolls on. Most of them had a great start to their careers on Saturday night.

5. Confidence. Even when the score didn’t show how well they were playing, Auburn didn’t look nervous or tentative. The offense moved the ball on nearly every drive. The defense settled down incredibly well after three penalties on the first drive. They played loose, pumping up the crowd and each other with each good play.

It’s crucial that they believe not only in themselves, but in the systems they are running. And it’s important that they truly believe that this program is still talented and has great potential. They took a big step towards that end on Saturday.

Thoughts from Around the Country:

1. BYU beats OU – I had a feeling about this game, but obviously wasn’t expecting Bradford to go down so early in the season. But give BYU credit, they were still down until late in the fourth quarter. They had to go take the game and win it. Oklahoma obviously still has a chance to have a big season.

They can win the Big 12, and in all likelihood a one-loss team will make it to the title game. But it’s a crushing blow to take so early. Sam Bradford needs to be ready by the time they meet Texas; if not, their season will end in a disappointing fashion.

2. Surprisingly close games – Northern Iowa had a field goal attempt to beat Iowa, Navy had a two point attempt to tie Ohio State, and Washington hung with LSU for quite a while. Those games are what makes college football fun. There’s so much parity around the country; every game has the potential to be like that.

3. Shaking hands before football games is a bad idea. I’m all for sportsmanship. I appreciate the programs that emphasize character and run a tight ship. But shaking hands before a big college football game is dumb.

The players have had all week to get pumped up about being physical with the other team…is it really a good idea to put them together right before kickoff? We’ve seen issues throughout the years with pregame altercations when they’re not brought together, so why is this idea on the table? I totally disagree with it.

4. Outside of Georgia, the SEC looked good. Alabama played well late to beat Virginia Tech. The lower teams of the SEC looked impressive, including Tennessee, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Auburn, and Mississippi State scoring big wins. Georgia went up against a very good Oklahoma State team and was a bit outmatched by Dez Bryant. But then again who can guard him? Looks like it will be another wild ride in the SEC.

5. Notre Dame impresses. I wasn’t on the Notre Dame bandwagon, but a 35-0 showing against the potent offense of Nevada is impressive. The schedule leaves nothing to fear outside of USC. As much as it pains me to say it, they might end up in the BCS. All they have to do is probably win 10 games, which means they can even lose a game they’re not supposed to and still get in.

Comment if you want! I’ll have a week two preview up sometime on Thursday. Thanks for reading. War Eagle!

An Obsessive Auburn Fan’s Thoughts: Week 1 Preview

Admin — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:09:59 +0000

By Matt Donaldson

Auburn War Eagle Gameday Correspondent

Today is the day that has been circled on so many of our calendars. When South Carolina and NC State kickoff tonight, the 2009 college football season will officially arrive.

Recent history says that it will be a wild ride for the next four months. Parity reigns supreme, as small market teams aren’t afraid of traditional powerhouses anymore. Everyone has a shot at glory.

Obviously, I’m an Auburn fan. But above that, I’m a college football fan.

A fan who has opinions and loves the sport as much as anyone. So I want to cover the national landscape on a broad scale, and the Auburn landscape on a closer, more specific scale.

Each Thursday, I’ll provide a list of five things for Auburn fans to watch for in the upcoming game. Things that I feel will determine the outcome. Then, I’ll provide a look at the top five storylines or games around the country that are worth any college football fan’s attention.

On Sundays, I’ll have a recap article talking about Saturday’s Auburn game, in addition to the other big time stories in college football. I would love for anyone reading this to check back and comment whenever possible.

Please comment, debate, and discuss what I say and what others say. That’s what makes this sport great. Keep it clean; keep it classy. But always share your opinion. Now to this weekend:

Things To Watch For: Auburn vs. Louisiana Tech

1. Know Your Opponent

Auburn fans need to understand the danger in this season opener. Louisiana Tech is a team that won eight games (including a bowl game) last year, including a victory in Starkville, and returns nine starters to an offense that averaged almost 200 rushing yards per game in 2008. They will not be intimidated walking into Jordan Hare Stadium.

I have no doubts that the coaches and players understand this. But I do worry about fans not understanding how good Louisiana Tech is. It’s a game Auburn should win.

But don’t think for a minute that it’s one you can show up to and win because of the name on the front of your jersey.

2. Auburn’s Running Game

Gus Malzahn insists he wants to run the ball. History backs that claim up. With running back being the most reliable position on offense, expect to see heavy doses of Ben Tate, Mario Fannin, and Onterio McCalebb.

How successful that running game is will tell a lot in this game. It will take the pressure off Chris Todd and the defense. It will allow the offensive line to get back to what they have all admitted they prefer. If Auburn doesn’t run the ball more than they pass it, that’s not a good sign for the final score.

3. Who Plays at Linebacker

Craig Stevens and Josh Bynes will start and play a great deal. After that, the position of linebacker is mostly unknown. If Eltoro Freeman is healthy, he will start opposite Stevens. Behind those three, walk-on Wade Christopher and inexperienced players, like Adam Herring and Spencer Pybus, will all find the field if healthy. Freshmen Harris Gaston and Jonathan Evans might even get in the action.

Almost all of those players have been injured at some point this summer. And because of Chizik’s preference not to talk about injuries, we know very little about the status of quite a few of those guys.

Look for who plays and who doesn’t, and what that means for the next few weeks.

4. Injuries

Even at other positions, there’s a lot of questions to be answered about who is available to play at game speed. Be watching for who plays and who is not. And be praying that Auburn can make it through the first game without any severe injuries to starters.

5. An Attitude

Do Auburn’s players believe last year was a fluke caused by bad attitudes and conflict among coaches and philosophies?

How the team comes out of the tunnel and the way they play in the first quarter will answer a lot of questions that I have about the season.

This team, especially the defense, needs to play with a swagger; an attitude that they’re going to turn things around. I would imagine the returning players are going to be incredibly excited to get back on the field with a clean slate. Hopefully, that energy spills over to the newcomers and the fans, creating a great opening day atmosphere.

Things To Watch around the Country

1. Thursday Night Showdowns

The first night of college football provides two huge games for this early in the season. Both South Carolina and NC State would benefit greatly from a nationally televised win before heading into seasons where they’re both expected to improve.

Oregon and Boise State are both in the top 20. Oregon is the toughest test standing in the way of another 12-0 Boise State regular season. Oregon could make a huge splash by winning on the blue turf, a feat that is rarely accomplished.

2. Alabama vs. Virginia Tech

How important is this game? Just look at Alabama and Clemson’s records after week one.

Virginia Tech is the only legitimate title contender from the ACC, and absolutely needs this one for their own goals and to provide some legitimacy to the top tier of their conference.

Alabama is out to put back-to-back, 10-win seasons for the first time in a long time. A loss in Week One would be a huge setback.

Will Virginia Tech be able to have any offensive success against what should be a dominant Alabama defense? Will Virginia Tech score on special teams and/or defense? Those are my keys.

3. Georgia @ Oklahoma State

A huge stage for the Cowboys in Stillwater. Are they a legitimate contender in the Big 12 south?

They get a chance to prove that they are against a Georgia team with talent. But they’re breaking in a lot of new key pieces, especially on offense. Can Georgia regain a defensive swagger and keep the score somewhat moderate with OK State? A shootout wouldn’t be good news for the Bulldogs.

4. Underdogs

There will be a team that completely overlooks their opponent and loses, causing a huge blow to their season. I have no idea who it will be. But watch the scores wherever you are on Saturday. Keep up with those games that are too close for comfort for their favorites. That’s where the greatness of college football lies.

5. Swing Games

There are a few games this weekend that will send the two teams in completely opposite directions. One team gets shot towards a great season, one falls miserably short of expectations.

A few games that fit in this category are Miami @ Florida State, South Carolina @ NC State, and possibly even BYU @ Oklahoma. All these teams need a big opening day win to get where they want to go. They will play in a physical, emotional way, making for some good television.

Like I said earlier, I hope you’ll check out this bi-weekly “blog.” Feel free to comment, second-guess, or ask a question. I hope you all are as excited as I am for this 2009 football season. It should be a great one! War Eagle!