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(11/22/14 8:30pm)
Before I move on, let me say I am in no way calling for the firing of Ellis Johnson. Gus Malzahn has expressed his confidence in him, and likely will not fire him come season's end.
Lately, though, there's been a clear problem on the defensive side of the ball for the Tigers, and it seems to be getting worse with each passing week. Again, I'm not calling for the firing of Johnson.
That is, unless Gus Malzahn is 100 percent certain he can bring Will Muschamp back to the Plains.
Muschamp is a top-notch defensive coordinator with an Auburn background. Bringing him back to Jordan-Hare Stadium would be a logical and exciting move for Malzahn's staff.
In his two years here, Muschamp led an aggressive defense, the likes of which haven't been seen since he left in 2007.
Auburn defense has been on a steady decline since the end of the Tuberville era. Even in 2010, in the middle of national-championship run, the defense was lacking.
Similar to that 2010 team, these first two Ellis Johnson squads have had to be saved by the offense many times. Eventually though, the offense won't be able to bail them out. That time never came for the 2010 team, but it should be noted that team also had arguably the greatest college quarterbacks of all time in the backfield.
For Auburn, that time in 2014 came against Georgia, when the offense was only able to find the end zone once the whole four quarters.
If the offense was bad, the defense was even worse, stretching out their arms in last-ditch efforts as Todd Gurley and Nick Chubb rumbled up and down the field with ease all night long.
Conveniently, Muschamp was fired the next morning. Things spiraled from there. Fans poured out their desires to can Johnson all over Twitter, and Alabama Media Group's Kevin Scarbinsky wrote Auburn should hand Muschamp a blank check.
I was hesitant to join the masses, but then a friend made a great point. He said if Auburn goes to Nick Saban's house and posts 30 or more points and loses, Malzahn may begin to question whether he can win with Johnson in control of the defense.
Malzahn doesn't like to lose. Everyone knows that, including Ellis Johnson. But the Georgia loss can't be blamed entirely on Johnson's defense. The offense didn't bail them out, as they have so many times before.
But the loss to then unranked Texas A&M was in large part on the shoulders of the defense. So too would have been a loss to South Carolina, but the offense stepped up in that game.
But if you ask me, the offense shouldn't have to bail out the defense. If you want to win games in the SEC, you've got to play two-way football.
This Iron Bowl doesn't have as much on the line as 2013's, but there is something at stake.
If Malzahn and the offense put the Tigers in a position to win, but are thwarted by their own defense, Will Muschamp just may get a call from a 334 number come Sunday.
(11/19/14 2:30pm)
As a freshman, college life is new and exciting. It's easy to get distracted with friends, parties, activities, projects and sleep. Like countess others, I made mistakes my first year at Auburn, and as a result I dedicated the last three years to bringing my GPA back up - which is easier said than done.
Here are a few simple ways to keep up with school so you won't have to play GPA-damage-control like me. 1. Be realistic when scheduling classes. If you're not a morning person- and let's face it, who is? - do not schedule classes for 8 a.m. unless you have to. Setting goals to wake up early are great, but not when your attendance depends on you keeping those ideal goals. Cramming all your classes in on Tuesdays and Thursdays is also an appealing option. If you get lucky enough to do this, make sure you have time to eat on those days. Eating is good. 2. Do not skip class. At some point during the semester, you're going to feel like you've earned a skip day. I hate to be the one to break this to you, but you haven't earned anything until your final grades are officially posted on Canvas. Some days are going to be tough, and you're going to be running late. Whether it's because your car broke down, your roommate hogged the bathroom, your alarm didn't go off or you're just feeling slow that day, do not skip class. Showing up late can be embarrassing, yes, but it's better to be late than absent. 3. Participate in class, especially the boring ones. Not every class is art. Not every class is bowling. Many of the classes you take will be so boring that you literally cannot help but drift off. These classes are usually important to your major. Take notes throughout the entire class and put a special mark besides the points you don't fully understand. After class, walk up to your teacher and ask them to explain those parts in more detail. During the dreadfully boring lecture, don't leave your professor hanging. Speak up and answer their questions. Even if you aren't correct, they will appreciate your effort and you'll be more likely to remember that information. Plus, participating in class makes the time go by faster, so you'll be out of there before you know it. 4. Do the extra credit. All of it. Not every class offers extra-credit opportunities, but many do. Whether it's something little like writing a one-page summary or taking a survey for the psychology department, just do it. Some professors will also give bonus points for attending on-campus lectures and seminars. These can take up a little more time and occasionally require you to dress in business casual, but it's worth it. If extra credit is never mentioned, ask your professor if opportunities exist. 5. Be a front-row kid. On the first day of class you'll notice the students on the front row. They probably have their laptops out, color-coordinated notes, an excessive amount of highlighters, etc. These people need to be your friends. Meet them before class, sit with them, text them about homework, study with them during exam weeks, talk to them about the material, compare your notes with theirs and always consider them a potential reference for future jobs. Be a front-row kid. Professors will also be pleased by this effort.
(11/15/14 5:30pm)
Most of the time, when I write these keys to the game articles, I try to get somewhat technical and take an in-depth look at Auburn and whoever their opponent is that week. I try to be specific and unique and avoid making what I say sound too basic. However, if Auburn hopes to find any success against the Bulldogs, or at all for the rest of the season, they need to get back to basics.
1. Tackle
It seems pretty simple. If you don't tackle the opposing player, you aren't going to win a football game. Against Texas A&M, Auburn's tackling was atrocious. The Aggies racked up 453 total yards with a true freshman starting quarterback. Against Louisiana-Monroe, TAMU only gained 243 total yards. That game was in College Station, Texas. In Jordan-Hare Stadium, Kyle Allen and the Aggies offense screened and slanted the Auburn defense to death, and there were very few times when an Aggie player went down after the first defensive contact. Somewhere in Athens, Georgia, a guy named Todd Gurley was watching this game, chomping at the bit to get back on the field against a defense that got gashed all night by an inferior offense. If the Tigers play to the same level defensively as they did against the Aggies, Gurley is going to have a field day between the hedges Saturday.
2. Get to the quarterback
Part of the reason a true freshman was able to come into Jordan-Hare Stadium and embarrass this defense in the first half was because he had roughly an hour to throw every pass. Save for the Ole Miss game, when Bo Wallace went down four times, the Auburn pass rush has been essentially nonexistent in 2014. With a secondary that struggles to get the ball carrier down, the defensive line is going to have to step up and pressure Hutson Mason. Mason may not be the best quarterback in the league, but then again, neither is Kyle Allen.
3. Play a complete game
The first half against Texas A&M couldn't have gone much worse for the Tigers. Kyle Allen and the Aggies shredded the Auburn defense for four touchdowns, and the offense, fast as it is, just couldn't keep up. In the second half, the defense held the Aggies to only six points, and the offense came within three points of tying the game. Then the offense fumbled twice inside its own 30-yard line in the last three minutes of the game. If Auburn wants to beat Georgia, the offense and the defense are going to have to play well at the same time, and, save for the LSU game and the second half of the Arkansas game, they haven't done that much this season in conference play.
4. Be smart
Ninety-nine percent of the time, if you give your running back the ball on the 2-yard line twice in a row, he'll get the ball into the end zone. I know there have plenty of times near the goal line when Nick Marshall has kept the ball and ran around the corner to the pylon, but that close to the end zone, there isn't really much of a decision to be made. In my opinion, that just wasn't a smart play call. Georgia is a confusing team. One week, they go out and pound Arkansas, and a few weeks later they get embarrassed by Florida. Auburn doesn't yet know which Georgia is going to show up, but that doesn't matter. They have to clean up their own sloppy play first.
5. Get Over It
"What just happened?" "No way that just happened!" Those were the most common things I heard said around me in the student section after Reese Dismukes fumbled the snap with less than a minute to go. The way the Tigers lost to A&M was absolutely heartbreaking, but they have to forget about it. They can't afford a hangover from a loss heading into Athens, Georgia. It happened, it's over, and the Tigers need to wipe it from their memories. There's one person Auburn needs to be focus on right now, and he wears a big No. 3 on his chest.
(11/13/14 7:45pm)
You could always find me with my nose in a book when I was younger. Through these books, I learned about so many different worlds, cultures and ways of thinking. I can honestly say the concepts I learned from books have shaped me into the person I am today.
Because of this, my heart breaks when I hear about books being banned in many schools and libraries.
We should be fostering the desire to read in children, not discouraging it.
The Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 307 challenges to remove books from libraries in 2013, but many challenges go unreported.
Recently, The New York Times bestseller for seven consecutive weeks, "The Fault in Our Stars," was banned by a district in California because of its inclusion of mortality and sexual material.
When informed of the books removal, author John Green wrote a response on his Tumblr stating, "I am happy because apparently young people in Riverside, California will never witness or experience mortality since they won't be reading my book, which is great for them. I am also sad because I was really hoping I would be able to introduce the idea that human beings die to the children of Riverside, California and thereby crush their dreams of immortality."
Banning books does not prevent young people from having to experience things such as violence, mortality and sex. It prevents young people from learning about those issues from a safe distance and how to cope with such things.
A teenager questioning their sexuality may be able to learn more about it through books including characters in a similar situation. But if books containing homosexuality were banned from their school, that resource has been taken away from them.
Beyond that, the removal of books is a form of censorship, which has no place in public institutions.
All it takes is just one person to disagree with the views in a book to challenge and ban it, therefore denying that content to many other people who may be interested and have no other way of obtaining those books.
No one should have the ability to deny others access to literature.
There are several ways help fight against the banning of books.
You can attend school board meetings and defend books that are being challenged, or visit your local library and find out how you can be involved in the challenged book process.
In order to stop censorship and the excessive sheltering of our peers and younger generations, it is essential to speak out and defend the rights of readers.
(11/17/14 2:30pm)
Cooking in college can be a challenge. Whether it is because of a lack of funds, time, resources or space, cooking edible and satisfying food is much easier said than done.
However, utilizing the wonder that is the cast-iron skillet to create meals gives students no excuse to go hungry or waste time complaining about on-campus food choices. A skillet is practical and versatile.
If you are craving Mexican food, but do not have the means to create a five-star burrito or a heaping plate of cheesy nachos, throwing a few ingredients into a skillet, including store-bought Mexican cornbread mix, will give you an easy Mexican cornbread dish.
Coat the skillet with approximately two tablespoons of peanut oil.
Layer the skillet with half of the Mexican cornbread mix, browned ground beef chuck, cheese and top it off with the rest of the mix. Add water or milk as required by your mix recipe.
Bake the dish in the oven for approximately 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
If you are looking for a healthier option, olive oil can be used in place of peanut oil and ground turkey can be used instead of ground chuck.
This dish, which is delicious and requires little effort, can be eaten all at once or portioned and saved for leftovers.
After Mexican cornbread, sometimes you just have to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Instead of binging on generic candy bought from the on-campus stores, you can satisfy your sweet cravings by cooking indoor s'mores in a cast-iron skillet.
No, it doesn't require a fire or complex culinary skills.
Only taking 10 minutes to make, indoor s'mores are made by covering the bottom of a skillet with chocolate chips and topping it off with halved marshmallows.
After baking for nine minutes at 450 degrees, the delicious combination can be dipped and enjoyed with graham crackers.
Let me caution you, though. While the indoor s'mores will melt in your mouth, if you indulge too soon, the heat will melt your mouth with one bite.
Unlike cast-iron skillet Mexican cornbread, there are no healthy substitutions to be made here. Sometimes you just have to enjoy good food.
These are two examples of many delicious dishes that can be prepared using a cast-iron skillet.
The lack of effort required may come as a surprise, but the end results will blow your mind and your taste buds.
Not only will a cast-iron skillet allow you to create tasty food, but it is also easy to clean. After letting the skillet cool, simply empty it of any crumbs and wipe it out with a dry paper towel.
Each recipe can be altered to fit your skillet's size. So whether you are seriously hungry, making a meal for four or making a meal for just yourself, each recipe will satisfy whatever expectation you set.
(11/18/14 7:00pm)
After the spook and magic of Halloween has passed, the season dedicated to thankfulness and charity presents itself.
November and December are holidays sacred to the American spirit. Thanksgiving provides a time for everyone to come together and realize how much there is to be thankful for. Christmas fills the streets with joyous carols and special gifts, and knick-knacks are bought to show loved ones how much they mean to them.
But what about those who are not as fortunate?
There are 610,042 people living homeless on a single night in the United States.
In 2009, the percentage of Lee County residents living in poverty was 21.7. In the state it was 17.5 percent.
There are at least four homeless shelters around Lee County that are available as day shelters, emergency homeless shelters and halfway houses. These facilities serve to help those in need. The holiday season brings forth volunteers hoping to aid theses facilities and some churches by providing meals, blankets and even presents to help during the season of giving.
Two pastors and a 90-year-old man were arrested in Florida on Nov. 5 for feeding the homeless. According to USA Today, one of the many news sources that picked up the story, the men could face up to 60 days in jail and hundreds of dollars in fines.
The arrests stemmed from a recent ban in Ft. Lauderdale dictating "feeding sites cannot be within 500 feet of each other, that only one is allowed in any given city block and that any site would have to be at least 500 feet away from residential properties."
This allows the homeless to be pushed out of the public eye, in an effort to try and conceal the amount of homeless living in the city.
A CBS station, WFOR-TV, based out of Ft. Lauderdale, reported the city had been looking for ways to solve its homeless problem for years and have also been trying to find a way to clean up a park in the city that is usually a haven for homeless men and women.
The station also reported "the city believes the sight of the homeless is affecting tourism, nearby businesses and tarnishing the city image."
In an attempt to try and hide the city's undesirables, the city is destroying what the holiday season encompasses.
While I hope those in Ft. Lauderdale try to challenge the ban, I encourage those living in Auburn to give back during this holiday season. Volunteering at soup kitchens and participating in Christmas charity drives in Auburn can help more people than can be seen.
Hiding the homeless is the problem. Understanding and actually seeing the problem of homelessness during this holiday season, and year round, is a step toward finding a solution.
(11/12/14 7:00pm)
From the moment Bruce Pearl was hired last spring, speculation surrounding Auburn basketball has been at an all-time high. On Friday, Nov. 14, that speculation will finally come to a tipping point, as Auburn will begin regular season play against Milwaukee.
However, the Tigers have already played an exhibition game, a 94-58 win against West Alabama in front of a sold-out Auburn Arena crowd. Here are five things we learned from seeing Pearl's first Tiger team in action for the first time.
(11/07/14 5:30pm)
The term trap game is a cliche. I try to avoid using cliches, but I'm breaking my own rule in this case because that's exactly what Auburn has Saturday, Nov. 8, against Texas A&M.
Auburn is in the middle of a national championship push and is running through one of the tougher schedules in the country, while the Aggies are having a down year after dominating South Carolina in the season opener and falling victim to a substantial amount of overhyping. It's the classic recipe for a trap game, but here are five things the Tigers can do to avoid an upset.
(11/07/14 8:30pm)
Auburn has risen to the top of the SEC leaderboard in a number of statistical categories in two seasons under head coach Gus Malzahn.
Whether they are fielding the top rushing offense in 2013 and 2014 or topping the league in punt returns this season, Malzahn's Tigers top the conference in more than just the final standings.
But Auburn has become an SEC leader in a startling new category this season: penalties.
After finishing in the middle of the pack last season, the Tigers lead the conference in penalty yards per game and have been backed up 547 yards because of infractions. That's 45 yards worse than Missouri, the SEC's next most penalized.
It's not that the Tigers are committing the most penalties. They're only ninth worst in the conference in that category.
But the penalties they are committing are damaging and often untimely, putting the offense behind schedule and bailing opponents out of tight situations.
Perhaps the most egregious example of Auburn's penalty prowess came in last week's 35-31 escape in Oxford, Mississsippi.
Of the Tigers' 13 penalties, which totaled a season-high 145 yards, their final two, a late hit by Ricardo Louis and a defensive holding by Jonathon Mincy, allowed Ole Miss to drive within range of a go-ahead touchdown.
We all know how Auburn escaped that situation: Kris Frost forced a fumble as Laquon Treadwell was entering the end zone, an outcome likely caused by the gruesome injury he suffered on the play.
I'm not a proponent of the idea that Auburn's success is largely founded in luck. That said, the Tigers were lucky to survive Saturday night.
As often as we've seen Nick Marshall, D'haquille Williams and Cameron Artis-Payne make championship plays this season, it's become just as common for the Tigers to commit inexcusable, potentially back-breaking penalties.
Auburn is as talented a team as they come in 2014, so it'll be disappointing if that talent falls short of the College Football Playoff because of silly, unnecessary penalties.
(11/11/14 2:30am)
As kids, playing house was a game that seemed to be popular among my generation. We struggled to impersonate adults and exaggerated the idea of children. We would play as we waited for our real parents to come around, so we could go back to being real children. Dragonball Z, Pokemon, Barbies, whatever the preference, allowed us real children to drift back into the world of make-believe as we became our toys and favorite TV show characters.
Halloween is similar to a trip back to that make-believe world, except we get to see what everyone else's make believe world is like too. This past Halloween, I partied with Luigi, a scarecrow, Poseidon, and two Twinkies.
These costumes attract fans of such things. When I saw students dressed up walking around campus for Halloween, I was really excited to see a few who were dressed as my childhood cartoon hero, Goku from Dragonball Z. As I looked at Goku as a person in real life, I thought, "next time I'm bored, I might as well be a real life cartoon for a few hours."
There is a short documentary, that I have recently seen, about a guy who dresses like his hero. Then he walks around town in hopes of spreading joy to those who have the same hero as him. Not just on Halloween either. Adults and kids, alike, would have their day made when they saw him.
Aubie the Tiger is a great example of a hero who can put a smile on the faces of adults and children at any given moment.
I was at the Auburn versus Texas A&M game. Watching the game was very stressful after the first few quarters, as an Auburn fan. Then, all of a sudden, I looked over at a breakdancing Aubie, who was dressed up like a mixture of Gus Malzahn and MC Hammer... My stress was immediately relieved.
Truthfully, I use to write people off who dress up like it's Halloween when it isn't. Upon understanding why they dress up like they do, I have learned that they are just unique individuals who would rather people smile at them as they represent a character that they relate to, even if it is a cartoon.
Kris Sims is the multimedia editor at The Plainsman. He can be reached at online@theplainsman.com
(10/28/14 1:30pm)
Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday. I love zombies. I love candy corn. It falls during what might be the most pleasant-weathered month of the calendar year, and it gives me a reason to buy the obscene amounts of fake blood I pine for the other 365 days.
But the older I've gotten, the more I've noticed Halloween changing -- and not in the typical "you're too old to trick-or-treat" way. Halloween has become political. It has been infected by a misogynistic society. Yes, I'm talking about slut-shaming.
Let's stop shying away from it: humans -- that means men and, shocker, women -- are sexual creatures. Whether or not you believe that is because of a god's design or biology is irrelevant; even the Bible mentions sex has its place and is meant to be enjoyed.
Women and men desire sex equally, contrary to what movies with cuckolding wives would have us believe. But it's stereotypical female roles like that that lead to the perception that a woman who loves her body, who loves to show it off and use it, is a whore.
Men who do the same thing are typically given high-fives and hearty shouts of "get it, bro."
Halloween reinforces that.
Have you ever looked at the difference in men and women's Halloween costumes? Head on over to Party City and take a gander, if you haven't. A man can be a firefighter, a policeman, a superhero. Women are Flirty Firefighter, Curvy Cop, Sexy Superhero. Let's face it, ladies, when it comes to mainstream costumes we have a pretty limited selection, and who doesn't want to look cute?
Nobody, and yet when we wear things that show off our assets -- the things every other girl is wearing, we're met with a social-media chorus of "Girls, respect yourselves, don't dress like a slut!"
What if I wear a short dress because I like my legs? What if I wear a corset because it makes my waist look awesome? What if women wear these costumes to feel good about themselves and not in the hopes of snagging a man to take home at the end of the night?
Revealing costumes are not the same thing as a booty call. Wearing a bikini top to a bar does not mean yes. It doesn't mean that if someone does choose to take advantage of a girl it's her fault.
Women, wear what you want, and wear it for you. Men and women alike, stop perpetuating a rape-culture mentality. Drop the words skank and slut from your Halloween vocabulary. Drop them from your entire vocabulary, actually. If you're don't want to wear something skimpy, don't wear it. But don't be offended because other people do, and especially don't shame people who aren't like you. Be comfortable in your own skin. Wear what makes you feel beautiful, or enchanted, or -- if you're like me -- undead and hungry for the brains of the living. But most importantly, show each other the respect and kindness you want to be shown, and have a fun, safe Halloween.
Raye May is the photography editor at The Plainsman. She can be reached at photo@theplainsman.com
(10/29/14 1:30pm)
On-campus dining -- what an awful experience. Last year as a freshman, I was looking at my $995, often referred to as monopoly money, wondering how quickly I'd use it over the semester. So I did my math and came up with a budget of about nine dollars a day. Well, as I quickly found out, that wasn't going to last. One meal at Chicken Grill and my daily budget was essentially gone, a common complaint by most people in my dorm. Why is the food so expensive? We are already paying crazy amounts for the subpar living conditions most freshmen are subject to, such as the Hill, and the last thing we need to worry about is needing money for food. One personal pizza at Papa Johns is more expensive than if I walked across campus to the Dominos, where I can get an entire medium pizza for five dollars. I'm sure many people would favor a deal like that on campus. Lets not even get started on the inflated prices in the convenience stores in places such as the Student Center and Terrell Dining Hall.
Another gripe I have about the campus dining is the availability. I know you freshmen out there have noticed that eating on campus during the weekends is a difficult task. After football season, it almost seems like there will never be anything open on the weekends besides Panda Express on Sundays, and even then you could trek across campus to see a "Sorry, we're closed!" sign on the doors. Never have I felt more devastation.
None of this would matter as much if I were able to opt out of the meal plan and instead put that money to buying groceries to cook myself. Since moving off campus and having a readily available kitchen, buying a week's worth of food runs me less than seventy dollars. Four meals a day, seven days a week for $70. Compare this to approximately eight dollars for one meal on campus.
Solutions? Being from out of state, I hear my friends talk about their meal plans, and it sounds ideal. For the same $995, they get 3 swipes that can be used anywhere on campus, and once you've swiped in, you eat until you're full. Then, if you want, they still offer options similar to Auburn where you pay for individual meals with a swipe. Sounds like a good deal to me.
Auburn is still the Loveliest Village on the Plains, but lets review our dining plan. It's for the better.
Kenny Moss is a photographer with The Plainsman. He can be reached via email at photo@theplainsman.com
(10/23/14 9:00pm)
We are past the midway point in the regular season, and it has been an exciting eight weeks to say the least. For the first time, four of the top five teams in the AP Poll are from the SEC West, and the college football playoff race is heating up.
The SEC continues to prove to be the nation's best conference, so here are my updated projections for its top performers.
(10/24/14 7:30pm)
South Carolina is not a very good football team.
Expected to be one of the top teams in not only the SEC, but the country, the Gamecocks were upset by Texas A&M in their opener in Columbia, and it's been downhill from there since then.
They did pick up an impressive win against Georgia between the hedges, but also struggled early against an abysmal Vanderbilt team and lost to Kentucky.
Saturday, Oct. 25, Steve Spurrier's team will roll into Jordan-Hare Stadium boasting a 4-3 record to take on the fifth ranked, 5-1 Tigers.
On the Auburn side, the Tigers are coming off a much-needed bye week that gave them a chance to rest up following a tough 38-23 loss to Mississippi State in Starkville.
Here are my keys to the game for the Tigers, which they'll need to execute if they hope to beat the Gamecocks and remain in the top five in the polls heading into a pivotal matchup with Ole Miss in Oxford next week.
1. Don't beat yourself.
Mississippi State put a pretty good beating on Auburn. For the most part, the Bulldogs controlled the game the whole way, but people forget Auburn basically spotted the Bulldogs 21 points. The first two Auburn offensive plays resulted in turnovers and gave Heisman front runner Dak Prescott and the MSU defense a short path to the end zone. You can't do that and expect to beat any football team worth its salt.
2. Play to your defensive potential.
As of Oct. 19, Auburn is home to the 26th- best rush defense in the NCAA, allowing only 120 yards per game and an average of just 3.34 yards per rush. South Carolina is the 40th- ranked passing offense and 49th-ranked rushing, so if the Auburn defense can play up to their potential, they shouldn't see much trouble against the Gamecocks.
3. Exploit Gamecock weaknesses.
South Carolina has the nation's 90th-ranked rushing defense, paired with a passing defense that is allowing 239 yards per game. A healthy mix of runs and passes from Nick Marshall should translate to a win for the Tigers.
4. Red zone efficiency.
Auburn struggled mightily in the red zone against MSU. For most of the game, the Tigers just couldn't seem to find the end zone. Whether it was careless penalties or questionable play calling, Auburn couldn't punch it in when they needed to, and you can't win if you can't score touchdowns. Especially in the SEC. The Tigers should be able to see some success inside the 20-yard line against South Carolina though. The Gamecocks are tied for 91st in the country in red zone defense.
5. Try giving Roc the rock.
Roc Thomas brought a quick spark in the Auburn offense in the first half against Mississippi State. On three consecutive carries, he put video-game type moves on the Bulldogs and racked up 36 yards. He didn't see much other action. I'm not calling for the benching of Cameron Artis-Payne or Corey Grant, but neither of them were able to get much going against MSU. If the seniors struggle early against the Gamecocks, what's to keep the coaches from handing the ball to the talented freshman?
David McKinney is a sports reporter for The Plainsman. He can be reached at sports@theplainsman.com.
(10/25/14 4:30pm)
While the Tigers have put themselves into serious contention for the College Football Playoff, a 38-23 loss to No. 1 Mississippi State has reduced their margin of error to zero.
With its playoff destiny resting in its own hands, here are three areas Auburn will need to improve in if they wish to make it to the final.
(10/22/14 9:05pm)
Three women of France's national soccer team posed nude in a German tabloid newspaper for a campaign to promote women's soccer in Europe in 2009.
The women who participated in the campaign thought if they exposed themselves, it would make more people come watch them.
Sex appeal is one of many techniques used in the mission to bring more attention to women's sports, but viewership has still remained significantly lower than men's sports.
Look at Auburn Athletics.
The men's basketball team averaged 5,823 fans through 18 home games last season, while women's basketball averaged 2,250 through 16 games at home.
The baseball team averaged 3,161 fans at home games last year, more than five times as many fans as softball averaged.
Ask the first person you see on campus who won the Auburn football game. Not only will they most likely know, but they can probably tell you the score. Chances are they went to the game or watched it on television.
Chances of receiving an answer are low if you ask that same person what the outcome was of any of Auburn's women's sports.
Why are women's sports less popular than men's?
Some people say it is because men are stronger and faster, which makes them more entertaining to watch. That is not what matters to all sports fans, though.
While there are fans stuck on the fact that female athletes are not as fast, strong or physical as their male counterparts, other viewers want to watch sports at the highest professional standard, whether it is men or women in competition.
Sponsors and media also want to be associated with the best athletes, male or female.
If there were more sponsorship and media coverage for women's sports, they would be more popular.
So the real question is: Do women's sports need more media coverage and sponsorship to be competitive with men's sports?
The answer is yes.
Women in sports work just as hard as men do. They deserve the same attention.
Basketball is the most-covered collegiate women's sport, according to a 2012 USA Today article. It is still difficult to find a game being broadcast in the regular season, though.
The University of Connecticut has an impressive basketball program, and it is the women's program that has excelled. Huskies women's basketball has produced five championships and a higher overall winning percentage than the men's team.
Regardless of the program's success, the men's program continues to draw more attention from media, sponsors and fans.
While sports fans are still building an appreciation for them, female athletes and sports organizations are suffering.
Without the same coverage and sponsorship as men's sports, women's sports do not have the same fan experience or popularity.
The media and sponsors argue if women's sports attracted more interest in the first place, they would invest more time and money into coverage and sponsorship.
A balance of consumers, media and sponsors is what women's sports need to be as successful as men's.
People are currently more fascinated by male-dominant sports. A big part of their popularity is the attention they receive from media and sponsors.
Women's sports need to receive the same attention before we can see a change in their popularity.
It is a vicious cycle. Sponsors and media want to be associated with the best athletes, while viewers want to watch sports at the highest professional standard.
We need more women on television, in the newspaper and in the news to encourage the next generation of great female athletes.
Derek Thompson is a sports writer for The Plainsman. He can be contacted at sports@theplainsman.com
(10/24/14 1:30pm)
As my senior year at Auburn University is quickly coming to a close, I reflect on my last three and a half years with a lot of great memories. With these great memories, I owe a great amount of credit to Auburn University's Greek system. Greek Life has played a large role in my life as an Auburn student, and I would not be who I am today without this campus organization. Auburn's Greek system gave me the opportunity to get involved on campus. It helped me adjust to the heavy load of schoolwork and studying, and it introduced me to a lifetime of friendships.
As a new freshman at Auburn, I was overwhelmed by the organizations, clubs and groups the University provided. I knew I wanted to get involved, but I didn't know which organization was right for me. After joining a sorority, everything just fell into place when it came to involvement. The sorority encouraged and offered me to meet with older sisters to listen to their experiences and advice for on campus organizations. My sisters prepped me for my interviews and encouraged me to go outside my comfort zone. With my sororities help, I was able to find my place in a great Auburn organization that interests me.
I don't think as an incoming freshman I really grasped the idea of how much harder Auburn classes were going to be compared to my previous high school classes. There was a heavier workload and even harder exams. I needed a big wake-up call and my Greek organization did just that. With mandatory study hours and having a lot of sisters in my classes, it helped me adjust and learn some necessary study practices that kept me above water. My sorority gave me a large reality check that college is not all play.
Above anything else, Auburn University's Greek organization allowed me to make long lasting friendships. Greek Life allowed me to meet some amazing people that have made a lasting impression on me and my experience at Auburn University. Not only did I meet people within my sorority, but also in other sororities and organizations. By branching out and being apart of a sisterhood, I was introduced to and met so many people I never would have met otherwise.
There's a saying that goes around every university that claims that you pay for friendship when you join a sorority. Members pay dues to keep up with chapter operations and philanthropy events. These dues do not, however, cover friendship. The members become close after attending mandatory meetings and events as freshmen. These friendships made will carry long into the real world when your Auburn experience comes to an end.
I owe a lot of my great Auburn memories to my decision to join a sorority. By joining, I have been able to get involved in other campus activities and organizations, I have learned the correct way to study and how to make the grades I need to succeed, and finally, I have made long lasting friendships that I will maintain years from now. I believe every Auburn student should consider being apart of such a great Auburn organization because of its great overall experience and legacy it leaves on your life.
(10/22/14 1:30pm)
As the temperature drops, the amount of clothing increases. Thicker socks, longer pants, warmer tops, bulky sweaters, fingerless gloves, which I still don't understand, and hats are all fashion pieces that could make a statement but also serve the purpose of keeping us warm.
To some, this is an exciting time because this wardrobe change means their favorite season is upon us or because colder weather means Christmas is closer. With the changing season, people do look different in their fall get-ups, but I don't think anyone looks more different than men around this time of year.
That is because guys can change more than just the clothes they wear on their bodies. They can change the hair they grow on their faces.
In a few weeks, it will be November, and males around the country will be participating in No-Shave November, a pledge to refrain from shaving for one month.
People abstain from shaving for various reasons throughout the year. Men who are superstitious about their sports teams and won't shave until they lose often sport the playoff beard. No-Shave November serves different purposes for people and is specific to this one month.
Some participate out of laziness. Others participate because it gives them a reason to try out facial hair, and some withhold from shaving for charity. Money that would be used for shaving supplies for one month goes toward another cause. The American Cancer Society is an organization that benefits from No-Shave November.
It serves multiple purposes. November is a good time for men to pledge not to shave their faces because it comes just in time for colder weather, as the extra layer of hair warms the faces of the participants. The beard can also be used as a fashion statement. They go well with flannels and beanies this time of year.
Considering November does not start for another few weeks, men might keep their faces clean-shaven until the 30-day period begins to see how much hair they can grow in that time.
If you notice more beards next month though, it's probably people participating in No-Shave November. You could even ask someone his reason behind his facial hair because it might be more charitable than you think.
(10/21/14 4:00pm)
You won't learn your most important rhyme in nursery school.
Ring before spring is the gold standard for many college men and women. There is a massive push to be married by the time the college years are over. People seem to be getting engaged left and right.
Slow down, everyone.
Take some time to enjoy being single. It is a great time to reflect and figure out the best course for your life, academically, socially and any other path you want to take.
Don't get me wrong, I am not against relationships. I have been in long-term relationships in college and they were great. I grew as a person and learned how to treat others. I met lots of interesting people and made friendships I still cherish. Those relationships were great, but it's time for a new season of life, one I am still learning how to embrace.
Being single is scary. Some people feel totally alone, and no one will come to your aid. That could not be further from the truth.
Finding a community that will provide unconditional support can be a daunting task, but is the most rewarding thing you can do. Go out to the next O-Days and grab some fliers. You could be meeting the people who push your truck across the road.
I am very new at being single. It has been eye-opening. I have invested in my future, through activities and cementing lasting friendships. I have bonded with some amazing people over the last couple months. I became involved in groups I might not have tried out otherwise.
True love is a beautiful thing. I see it every day all over campus, but I also see people who are forcing relationships.
Do not date someone to avoid being alone. It hurts everyone involved, even those you don't know about. Face your fears, whether they are being alone or of the unknown. If nothing else, you have more time to invest in a new hobby or series on Netflix.
Relationships are a wonderful thing. But sometimes they don't last forever. If you find yourself single, embrace it and love yourself. A piece of wisdom I heard somewhere said you should be comfortable as a single person before you go out to find your husband or wife.
In the midst of proposals, sparkly rings and candlelight ceremonies it can be hard to not give up and become a hermit. But it's OK if you don't find Mr. or Mrs. Right before graduation. You're not doing anything wrong, I'm sure it's not because you stepped on the seal by Langdon Hall. Get involved, make new friends and enjoy being single.
Maria McIlwain is the assistant copy editor at The Plainsman. She can be reached at copy@theplainsman.com
(10/15/14 4:00pm)
How much do you weigh?
If you were to ask me that, I wouldn't have an answer. I have no idea. "Above 100? Below 200?"
Yeah, no clue.
If you were to ask me two years ago, I could tell you the exact pound and ounce. (123.5 lbs.)
Living with an eating disorder is hard. Trying to recover? Even worse.
I've been in recovery for around two and half years.
Recovery alone is no joke, but when you're surrounded by people obsessed with dieting, it feels impossible.
I started my journey into recovery after eight months of living in the loveliest village on the plains. It's lovely, don't get me wrong, and so are the people - men with rippled abs playing Frisbee on the concourse shirtless, girls with perky breasts and tiny waists running down Gay Street in spandex.
Yes, it's lovely, but it's a breeding ground for eating disorders. It gave mine the perfect place to flourish.
I can't tell you how many times I've heard people stressing out about calories, foolish little numbers. Calories are one of the most arbitrary units of data when it comes to the quality of food. After all, a Twinkie is 135 calories. An avocado is 289 calories. I think we both know which is better for you.
Variety is what matters; getting all of your food groups and nutrients are what matters. Liking what you eat is what matters.
There have also been way too many times that I've heard someone bemoan a type of exercise because it doesn't burn enough calories.
Fun fact: exercise is not solely about burning calories. It's about keeping your body healthy. It's about rewarding yourself with endorphins. It's about reaching limits you never thought possible.
It's been months since I've exercised with the intent of burning calories. I exercise because I want to strengthen my body. I want to experience this amazing body in action.
Our bodies are so amazing --- mine has survived a car accident, falling off a 17 foot balcony and five years of an eating disorder. The fact that our society has glamorized and encourages women to drink juice when they want to eat a sandwich, or men to lift extremely heavy objects when they'd rather do yoga, makes me sick.
1 in 5 women suffer or have suffered from an eating disorder. The statistic is lower for men - 1 in 10 - but still far too high for comfort. I can't imagine the numbers for people with disordered eating.
I understand that the United States is fighting an obesity epidemic. That doesn't mean we should fight it with logic that sends people to the hospital on the verge of death.
I've been purge free for more than two years. I haven't weighed myself in almost a year. I drink whole milk every day (and so does my nutritionist!), because I know I get more health benefits from the fat than I'd receive from skim milk, or white-colored water.
I didn't get to this state listening to preachers of calorie counting or reading magazine articles telling me "how to up my post-workout calorie burn."
That's how I found myself existing on 500 calories, the ache in my stomach sometimes comparable to broken ribs. (I've had broken ribs, so I know the pain.)
My body image still sucks sometimes, I won't lie. But, I know I am so much healthier now than I ever was when I knew my weight or my exact calorie count or how many calories an hour of running burned.
Being healthy isn't about losing weight or cutting out calories or food groups or whatever. It's about gaining nutrients your body's probably been lacking, awareness of your body and a love for what it can do.
Being healthy is about gaining an appreciation for yourself, body and soul.
If you think you might have a problem, contact Student Counseling Services at 334-844-5123. I did, and it's one of the best decisions I ever made.
