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(EDITED BY AUTHOR: 11/10/2003 - 10:14 a.m.) I have read many of the posts about the game and our coaches. I think I find myself near the camp of AUMACDAD, if not in it. The regime of Thomas H. Tuberville is one of high-end mediocrity. This is not satisfying, but the alternative is to allow the very same people who hired him to replace him. This is not satisfying either. I am reminded of the old Vermont farmer (pronounced fahmah) joke who, when asked "how's your wife?" replies, "Compared to what?" When it comes to the topic of replacing Tuberville, the "Compared to what?" line causes me uneasiness. I fear the Devil I do not know when it comes to this topic.
From my perspective, this was one of the better coaching efforts this season. Of course, I am aware of the inherent good news/bad news component of that statement. The defensive plan was excellent. Had you told me ahead of time that Auburn would hold Ole Miss to 302 yards, 24 points, and would go the entire game without turning the ball over, I would have placed the probability of winning in at 80% or better. But you don't win conference games against good teams when you make 5 trips inside the opponent's 20 and score only 13 points. From the second quarter forward, Ole Miss got alarming penetration on running plays. It looked even more alarming on the replay last night than it did from the stands. For that reason, I can understand, even if I do not agree with, the decision to pass on third down at the 3. Face it, the play worked except for the the catch. (How was the play, Mrs. Lincoln?) I feel terrible for Obomanu. He played superbly the entire game. It would have been a fairy tale finish for him to catch the ball. Unfortunately, the 2003 Auburn fairy tales are the fractured variety, and we have no moose and squirrel to bring comic relief.
That said, the Auburn offensive play calling suffers from a pronounced lack of imagination. Even Charlie Trotman was critical of it on the CSS broadcast, and I certainly see his point. When defenses are selling out on the run like Ole Miss was, you have got to give them something else to think about. We do that far too infrequently. This doesn't mean "putting the game in Campbell's hands" necessarily. Run a reverse, throw a half back-pass, fake the run and send the TE 15-20 yards down the hash marks. Do something to take a little edge off that pursuit.
The two most disappointing details for me: First, we have now had two complete seasons of misadventures in field goal kicking. I have seen several high school programs this season that are more reliable on placements in the 30-35 yard range. The lack of consitency there is inexplicable and was very costly Saturday. Second, when the defense is playing well, and there are 2 minutes to go in the half and you have a pocketful of timeouts, use them. Try to get the ball back. Don't be afraid.
Ole Miss has a good team and played well. I think their two biggest improvements are the tackling of their defense, especially in one-on-one situations and their kicking game. If there was one clear area of Ole Miss superiority Saturday, it was the kicking game.
Burn the Bulldogs.
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