So Should Auburn Worry?

Should Auburn Worry?

It seems Alabama is back, and it seems as if Auburn is back too- to being a mediocre program and that "other team in Alabama." After the tigers went on a 36-5 run, including an undefeated season, and going to bowl games the past seven years, and beating Alabama for five years straight, Auburn has now lost two straight games- both at home, and both to unranked teams. Brandon Cox is throwing as many interceptions as he is pass yardage it seems, and Joe Paterno could probably walk backwards faster than Cox can run. The stout defense can only be stout so long. As it was Saturday, they will eventually give up the touchdown. It does not take many points to beat Auburn.

And Alabama seems to be on their way to a sure Iron Bowl victory- to break Auburn’s streak of five in a row. Shouldn’t Auburn worry?

Maybe. I wrote a blog Friday, before Auburn’s upsetting loss to Mississippi St., that Auburn should not worry. But after the ugly defeat, isn’t this time to worry. After all, I said that if Auburn loses to Mississippi St. on Saturday, as they did, that there may be reason to worry.
But I still, to a degree, hold to my original premise that there is hope and potential in Auburn- even in their offense. The problem is that they are not showing it. We are now three games into the season for Auburn and most other teams, and Auburn is not showing off the potential that they have- at least not consistently.

But there is hope. There certainly, as Saturday showed, should be a sense of urgency on apart of the Auburn coaches to find out what they need to do in order to make their team effective. But it is not good for the players, coaches, or fans to worry. Auburn has three tight ends- all of whom are naturally good athletes. The problem is that they do not hold onto the ball good enough. This is a mental mistake that should be worked on in practice. Dropped passes are costing Auburn the games almost as much as Brandon Cox’s poor passes. The receivers are the same way.
The hope lies in that the tight ends and receivers would catch the football, and a young man named Kody Burns. Unless there is a major surprise on the plains, Kody Burns represents the future of Auburn quarterbacks through 2010. If he gets a lot of experience the next few weeks, it is possible he could win his place as the starter sometime this year. If nothing else, the threat could force Cox to play harder to keep his position.

There is still hope for Auburn. They won’t win a national championship, and it is very unlikely of winning an SEC championship. But they can beat Alabama. They can go to a bowl game. Furthermore, they could be back to how they have been the previous three years in just a year or two. They have young running backs. A young and talented quarterback. Good young tight ends. And a young offensive line that will only get better. All this not to mention a great and young kicking game, with a great defense with much depth, and all the recruiting that they will get through the next couple of years. There should be a sense of urgency to make changes for the better at Auburn- particularly on offense- but there should not be panic. There is still hope, and Auburn should remember that.

What do you think?

God bless America

Support our troops.

September 16, 2007

Ryan Hampton