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(09/21/12 11:01am)
The ULM vs. Auburn game, in statistics.40: Auburn possessed the ball for 40 minutes-40 minutes and 15 seconds to be precise-and outpossessed their opponent for the first time this season. This resulted from a larger focus on the running game, which gained 255 net rushing yards to keep the chains moving and the clock running. The increase in time of possession showed that Auburn can keep opposing defenses on the field, while allowing rest for their own.2: Auburn converted two of their three red zone opportunities and the scores could not have been bigger for Auburn. Tre Mason scored on a 1-yard rushing touchdown to put Auburn up by 14 in the third quarter. The final conversion proved to be the game-winning one as Cody Parkey connected on a 35-yard field goal. Auburn should have gone three of three, but running back Mike Blakely fumbled inside the 5-yard line.1: Kiehl Frazier completed only one pass in the second half despite six attempts. While Scot Loeffler was right to keep the ball on the ground where the team enjoyed its biggest success Saturday, Frazier must still maintain control of the game. Judging from the post-game comments, Frazier's game plan was designed for him to manage the game and occassionally take a shot down the field. For Auburn to establish or keep a lead, however, Frazier must make the throws required of him in the closing minutes of games.27: ULM gained 27 first downs against Auburn's defense. Unfortunately, nine of those came on third down and three came from fourth-down conversions. The offense did a decent job of keeping the defense off the field, but the defense must return the favor and get off the field on the late downs. Auburn only recorded 19 first downs.
(09/18/12 11:01am)
Drafted fifth overall out of Auburn in 2009 by the Phoenix Mercury, DeWanna Bonner came off the bench earning three straight WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year awards.
(09/17/12 11:23am)
While current Auburn players struggle in collegiate play, their predecessors began their quest for the Super Bowl last week.
(09/15/12 8:48pm)
The Tigers defeated the University of Louisiana at Monroe by a whisker Saturday, but the team's inconsistencies loom large despite the victory.
(09/15/12 5:41pm)
For the first time this season, Auburn headed into the locker room at halftime with the advantage on the scoreboard.
(09/15/12 3:38pm)
The adage says “football is religion in the South.”I’m nowhere near naive or blasphemous enough to liken athletes to deities or even demigods, but there is some truth in the statement as to how it is received by the community.For half the year, a large amount of people congregate in the same place on almost the same day every week to chant and cheer—and yes sometimes pray—for victory for whichever team has their allegiance.Those opposed to the amount of money poured into collegiate and professional football point out that those finances could be applied elsewhere such as roads, schools, etc.Why follow people from high school to college to their careers when they do nothing more academic than take classes required to play a sport while the majority of intellectuals go unnoticed by mainstream America?It’s because football is something to believe in.Whether your team is a perennial championship contender or trying to become one, the act of rooting for your team is unifying.You may not know the 80,000 strangers sitting around you wearing the same colors and singing the same songs, but the fact that you share these things and a common loyalty is gratifying patriotism on a smaller scale.For that day, your social circle expands exponentially and a simple “War Eagle!” will earn a similar reply, high five or even a beer.Besides being a unifying force, football’s presence in the media makes it accessible to the masses because the results are viewable and tangible.As valuable as the valedictorians and scholars of our generation are, it’s much more difficult to track the progress of an individual’s mind than the body.There aren’t channels showcasing the country’s greatest engineers or doctors and there aren’t stat sheets for the number of structures built or the number of lives saved.I’m not saying athletes are more important than degreed professions. I’m just explaining why it is popular, and that’s because football, above all else, is entertainment.Whether it’s Batman versus Bane or Auburn versus Alabama, the act of having somebody to champion and fight for the name stuck on your bumper, embroidered on your shirt or tattooed in a place your mother would frown upon is inspiring.For Southerners, football is just another excuse to do what we already do best.As for the questions regarding the financial side of football, the proceeds from tickets, jerseys, food, hotel rooms and everything that goes into a game day weekend all go back into the community, and it’s no secret Auburn generates the majority of its capital from football season.There is a reason the majority of schools in the South are hesitant to dissolve their football programs.In New Orleans in 2005, the Saints franchise was forced to use San Antonio as its “home field” while the city was rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina.The following year, the team returned to the Superdome, and its subsequent success brought together a shattered community in a way I had never seen before.Simply put, people need something in which to emotionally invest.It’s not religion, but for something that inspires that amount of unfailing loyalty, dedication and common interest, why not believe in it?
(09/15/12 10:17am)
9: Senior running back Onterio McCalebb had nine touches on offense against the Bulldogs. For a player that ranks 15th all-time among Auburn rushers in yardage and fourth in yards per carry on that list at 6.46, the ball must be in his hands more than nine times a game. He showed his speed and elusiveness on his 100 yard kickoff return for a touchdown, but only gained 4 yards on eight carries and had one reception for 7 yards. The last time McCalebb faced ULM, he averaged 14 yards per carry.5: Kiehl Frazier had five turnovers, three interceptions and two fumbles in his second career start. Auburn now ranks No. 118 in the nation with a -2.5 turnover margin per game. Auburn’s plan to start winning starts with protecting the football, and the team already has seven turnovers in two games with six of those coming from Frazier and one from running back Tre Mason. Auburn must keep its defense off the field and keep the ball away from ULM quarterback Kolton Browning. Doing so will win the game and not doing so may lose Frazier his job.18: Defensive back Demetruce McNeal led the team with 18 tackles. While Chizik divulged that those tackles aren’t that exorbitant when the scheme calls for a safety in the box, that number also confirms Mississippi State quarterback Tyler Russell’s ability to consistently move the ball past the linebackers and the defense’s inability to wrap up players before the second and third levels.0: Auburn’s red zone blues continued to haunt the blue and orange as the team failed to score a touchdown in the red zone for the second game in a row. Auburn’s first drive of the second quarter went down to the State 6-yard line and ended in kicker Cody Parkey’s seventh consecutive made field goal dating back to last season. On that drive, Auburn rushed 11 times with four different players for 25 yards and had no passing attempts.
(09/15/12 9:49am)
As the Tigers prowl into Jordan-Hare this weekend, a team that began the season with numerous questions is still trying to find the answers.
(09/14/12 10:59am)
Here we go again.
(09/08/12 11:49am)
In 2011, Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen's quest to beat the Tigers came up short.Inches short, actually.The Bulldogs' last gasp effort ran out of air when then-quarterback Chris Relf was stuffed on the goal line by defensive back Ryan Smith, clinching the victory for Auburn and the fifth straight loss to the Tigers for Mullen. In fact, Mullen has never beaten Auburn in his career as a coach. Mississippi State has lost all three games against the Tigers since he became head coach for the Bulldogs in 2009, and Mullen lost two others while offensive coordinator for the Florida Gators.While not quite as heated as the Georgia-Auburn rivalry, this annual Tigers-Bulldogs game has transcended mere dislike and has become a grudge match of sorts in recent years.Auburn defeated Mississippi State by 3 points during its national championship run in 2010, tied for the smallest margin of victory Auburn had with Heisman winner Cam Newton at the helm.Smith's goal line stand last season gave the Tigers a seven point victory.This year, both teams go into the first game of conference play unranked and with numerous questions to answer.Can Mullen beat Auburn?Can Gene Chizik and company prevent the first 0-2 start for Auburn since 2003?WHAT TO WATCH FOR:The Mississippi State secondary -- Defensive back Jonathan Banks leads all active players in interceptions returned for touchdowns. Banks had one of his pick-sixes against the Tigers last year, and Auburn's passing offense is still trying to discover and play to its strengths. If Kiehl Frazier doesn't take care of the ball and continues his habit of throwing deep into tight coverage, turnovers and easy points can give the home team irrevocable momentum.No. 50 -- While Chizik said center Reese Dismukes wasn't starting this weekend at Starkville, keep an eye on the sophomore when his number is called. Dismukes' presence may give the offense more rhythm and timing with the snaps, and his penchant for mauling opposing defensive tackles should improve an already stellar running game.The red zone -- Explosive plays can break any game wide open, but points are much easier to come by in the red zone. Or at least they should be. Auburn ranks last in the country with zero TDs on three attempts this season. Mississippi State, on the other hand, scored six touchdowns on all six red zone possessions they had in the first game, albeit against Jackson State. Both teams have stables of running backs ready to punish defenses deep in their own territory, but Mississippi State returns seven starters from a defense that, last season, ranked No. 17 in the country in opponent red zone scoring percentage.Against Clemson last week, Auburn had one completion for -5 yards and three rushes for 2 yards inside the opponent's 20-yard line. What changes Scot Loeffler makes to his red zone offense could determine the game for the Tigers.The "L.O. package" -- One of Brian VanGorder's special defensive packages, the L.O. package features its namesake Ladarious Owens as an improvisational stand-up defensive end. In a position that would project to the NFL as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense, VanGorder gives Owens a bit of free reign to either cover or blitz the line. Owens said Monday the scheme worked when utilized against Clemson and he hopes to see more of it. This plus the starting defensive end combination of Dee Ford and Corey Lemonier -- which produced a total of three tackles for a loss and three sacks against Clemson -- should challenge a Mississippi State offense missing 2011 starting tackle Derek Sherrod and a dual-threat quarterback.The depth chart -- Under the current coaching staff, no Auburn player can take his starting spot for granted. VanGorder and Loeffler will throw every man they have out there at least once if they feel something is not working. Two players who might get solid action this weekend are defensive backs Erique Florence and Robenson Therezie. Both worked with the first team in the offseason, but injuries hampered the two from seeing the field the last few weeks. After giving up over 500 yards of offense, VanGorder is nowhere near done tweaking his starting lineup. On offense, look out for the wide receivers. Loeffler is eager to find a consistent receiver not named Blake or Lutzenkirchen and tried freshman Sammie Coates against Clemson last week. Perhaps this week will be the game he takes a look at Ricardo Louis or Melvin Ray, if only to give them some game experience.
(09/07/12 11:20am)
The Clemson vs. Auburn game, in statistics.3 – Total number of kickoff returnsThe new kicko\0x80ff rules had a blatant impact on the game Saturday night. Ten of 13 kickoffs were touchbacks and the combined returns for both teams yielded only 17 yards per return. Running back Tre Mason led the SEC in kicko\0x80 return average last season, but with the advanced ball placement on the 35-yard line, the kickers had no problem sending it deep. Also, the touchback possession line has been moved from the 20 to the 25-yard line, meaning teams may settle more for kneeling in the end zone than returning against a defense with a head start.4 – 3rd down conversions for AuburnAuburn converted four of 13 third down opportunities compared to Clemson’s eight of 17. Against an offense as dynamic as Clemson’s, this was especially crucial, because failed conversions mean loss of possession and more time the defense must spend on the \0x95field. Although defensive tackle Je\0x80ffrey Whitaker insisted the defense’s conditioning was not a problem Saturday, Clemson’s third down conversions were able to keep drives going, giving them five drives of 60 or more yards. Auburn only had two.17.6 – Yards per completion for FrazierOne of the more positive stats for Frazier, his yards/completion average was well above Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd’s respectable 8.7 yard average. Frazier’s numbers were inflated a bit from his 54-yard touchdown to Emory Blake, but even without that Frazier had 10 completions for 140 yards and a solid 14-yard average. Frazier has the arm strength to make all the throws required of him, but must improve his accuracy—41 percent—to take pressure o\0x80 the running backs and force teams to respect the pass.
(09/07/12 11:18am)
After Clemson defeated Auburn and senior running back Andre Ellington donned the Old Leather Helmet trophy, head coach Dabo Swinney summed up Ellington's success by giving credit to his offensive line.
(09/04/12 8:20pm)
Sophomore outfielder Jay Gonzalez has been suspended indefinitely from the Auburn baseball team.
(09/03/12 8:09pm)
Iris Prosch died Monday, September 3 after a yearlong battle with brain cancer.
(09/03/12 6:59pm)
After the 26-19 loss to Clemson on Saturday, sophomore running back Tre Mason said turnovers and red zone errors were the key difference in the game.
(09/02/12 2:29am)
It's a new season, with a new coaching staff, new-look defense and a new quarterback.
(09/02/12 12:40am)
After 30 minutes of football, Clemson leads Auburn 13-10.
(09/01/12 8:41pm)
-The SEC has played the ACC in four of the past five Chick-fil-A Kickoff games with the exception being last season's Boise State -- University of Georgia contest.
(09/01/12 12:53pm)
In the past few years, Auburn and Clemson have formed the beginnings of a heated rivalry. Already similar in mascot and campus, the recent games played between the two teams have differed no less on the scoreboard.
(08/30/12 2:19pm)
For this year’s Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game on Sept. 1, Andrew Yawn, sports editor for The Auburn Plainsman, and Clemson student Robbie Tinsley, sports editor for The Tiger News, answered one another’s questions and offered predictions for the teams’ first game of the season.PLAYERS TO WATCHAY:Auburn: RB Tre Mason – Starter Onterio McCalebb is the obvious backfield threat, but Mason is expected to spell the senior speedster off the bench. Loeffler has mentioned the addition of multiple-back sets which will allow more opportunities for the sophomore ‘back. Mason also led the SEC in kickoff return yards/attempt last year among players with at least one attempt per game. If given the touches, Mason has the ability to create for the Auburn offense in a variety of ways.Clemson: QB Tajh Boyd – Gutsy pick, I know. However, when you face a player that torched your defense for four touchdowns and almost 400 yards last season, not watching him would be an egregious error. The Auburn secondary, while talented, is still somewhat inexperienced. The safeties will have to make the right calls from the back in VanGorder’s system, and Clemson still has the arsenal to replace Watkins.RT:Auburn: DE Corey Lemonier – The last time Clemson came to Atlanta for a season opener, the Alabama defensive line neutralized a fairly potent offense by having their way with a young offensive line. 4 years later, Chad Morris’s offense has a little more firepower, but the same weakness. If Lemonier continues his strong play and puts pressure on Boyd time after time, it could be another long night for Clemson in Atlanta.Clemson: TE Brandon Ford – Ford replaces an integral part of Morris’s offense last year in Dwayne Allen. A converted wide receiver, Ford has drawn rave reviews from camp and possesses much better ball skills than last year’s Mackie Award winner. If Ford can continue Allen’s work, that’s one more body that the Auburn defense will have to worry about and gives more room for Ellington, Hopkins, Brown and Peake.PREDICTIONSAY: Sports pundits often base their suppositions for upcoming games on what thay’ve seen in the past, myself included. In the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, it seems Auburn does not even know what to expect from its team. Will the team benefit from the leadership of the veterans or fall by the inexperience of the youth? Will the new systems create problems for the opposition or the players trying to execute them? The answers will be revealed Saturday, but, this team seems to have a drive that could only be seen across the line of scrimmage last year. Clemson still has a big-play offense, but VanGorder’s stress on turnovers will create points for Auburn and steal them from Clemson.Auburn 27 – Clemson 17RT: Those who have compared this game to that Clemson-Alabama game have done so a little bit lazily. This Clemson team has a better quarterback, better receivers and a much better coaching staff than the team that walked into the Dome four years ago. Not having Sammy Watkins is a big loss and the offensive line is a worry, but Chad Morris has had a long time to plan for both issues. Venables’s new defense will take some time to gel, so Auburn will be able to put some points on the board, but in the end, Clemson is able to move the ball on Auburn enough to offset the defense.Clemson 31 – Auburn 27