Orange Crush

There’s a lot of orange up in here tonight. A lot.
It’s hard to tell who’s cheering for who. That is until a band plays, then it’s pretty obvious. Still, it’s orange. All the time.

** Clemson, as the away team, is dressed in white tops and purple pants. Now, I’m a huge fan of Clemson’s all-purple unis. I like them a lot. But the half purple? No thanks. Go all purple or go home. That’s what I think.

Auburn is dressed, of course, in its traditional home blue jerseys and white pants. Classic.

** Watching the Auburn quarterbacks warm up, they are taking a lot of shotgun snaps. Maybe they always do that many in warm-ups, I’ve never really paid that much attention. But, like I said before, I think you’re going to see Brandon Cox in the shotgun a lot tonight. You’ll even see Kodi Burns back there, too. Believe it.

** Speaking of things to look out for, watch for the Auburn tight ends to have a big night. Tony Franklin loves to get the tight end involved, and Auburn has some pretty good ones. I think Gabe McKenzie will be featured a long with Tommy Trott in the spread offense tonight.

Seat 135 Georgia Dome

That’s right. We’re in the Georgia Dome, two hours before kickoff, locked and loaded for the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta.

I’m excited about this game, for two reasons. 1) It’s going to be a really, really good game. With Auburn and Clemson matching up very well across the board (and, stop me if you’ve heard this before, both coaches having the same first name, both wear orange and both are the Tigers) it’ll be competitive. Worth missing Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
And 2) I can’t wait to see what version, if any, of Tony Franklin’s new offense. Here’s my prediction ... a lot of no huddle, a lot of shotgun, a lot of wide receivers, but not a lot of points. I think Auburn will try to do too much and get too cute early, and that might hurt. And if that does happen—where Auburn finds itself in a hole—look for the two-back, run-it-till-our-eyes-fall-out philosophy.

Well, I smell food. I’ll be back later with more updates, observations and analysis.

In the ATL

Ahhhhhh, Atlanta! Just as beautiful as I left it nine months ago when I was here for the SEC Basketball Tournament.

I arrived today just in time for back-to-back press conferences with Clemson and Auburn’s offensive and defensive coordinators and an offensive and defensive player from each team. Like all press conferences go, it wasn’t too chalked full of news, but somewhat entertaining. It’s always fun to sit in another team’s press conference with its local media. It’s always good for a “if you’ve ever watched us play” or “if you have been around all year” or something when an out-of-town guy asks a questions that might be considered “old news” on that beat.
Plus, it’s always fun to hear what the other team’s beat guys want to know about the team you’ve been covering for the last year. I’m always interested to know what they think their readers would find newsworthy.

One of the more entertaining things that came out of Auburn’s press conference today was when new AU offensive coordinator Tony Franklin was asked who would be calling plays in Monday’s Chick-fil-A Bowl game against Clemson. He said that they’d all have input. But when asked who would make the final decision, Franklin delayed. But defensive coordinator Will Muschamp jumped to his colleague’s aid with the old “Coach Tuberville is the head coach and will make the final decision” defense.
I thought that was funny for two reasons: One, because they know exactly who’s going to call plays and exactly how much of the “new” spread offense they are going to run versus the “old” West Coast. They’ve got to. You can’t tell me they’re just going to wing it on gameday.
The second reason it’s funny is because Muschamp saved Franklin with the company-line answer. I guess you just had to be there.

With that being said, I’m faced with a dilemma. Do I (A) watch my beloved Penn State Nittany Lions play Texas A&M in tonight’s Alamo Bowl, which will be Joe Paterno’s 500th game where he will be going for his 23 bowl win—a record, by the way? Or do I (B) watch the New England Patriots’ pursuit of perfection?
I’m torn. I can watch Penn State lose anytime. But an NFL team going 16-0 doesn’t come around often. Only like once every 35 years.
So, what should I do?

On the beat

That’s right, I’m on the Auburn beat this week.
My esteemed colleague Collin Mickle is taking a much-needed vacation. He deserves it.

So, I’m holding it down in “The Bunker” for the next few days, handling all the AU football news.
For the most part, I thought this week was going to be slow and just the normal “we’re preparing for Clemson” bowl practice stuff. But, then things got crazy.

As you know, Al Borges is no longer the offensive coordinator, and Tommy Tuberville hired spread guru Tony Franklin just two days before practice began for the Chick-fil-A Bowl, which is Dec. 31 in Atlanta.
And with the hiring and a brand new offense, comes questions and news. And questions. Did I mention questions?

A lot of questions about the spread and why Tuberville decided to go to it and what not.
Here’s my thinking: For bowl game, Auburn’s going to run a lot of the stuff you saw them run this year. And why not? Brandon Cox can pretty much call the offense by himself and the players are already used to it.
I see Franklin installing some things that will be able to be run out of the Tigers’ “normal” formations, but nothing too crazy. You’ll probably see a no-huddle or two, but it will be the same formations you’ve seen all year.

But in the spring and next fall? Watch out. This won’t be your father’s Auburn offense. It can’t be. Sure, Tuberville loves to run the football. And Franklin has shown there is room for a running game in his offense. But you’re going to see a lot more down-the-field passing. And a lot more attempts. A lot more.

And why not? Why bring a guy in who slings it all over the place and has made a pretty good living and reputation by it, and make him convert to the running game? Why?
Tuberville said he expects to “mix” the two philosophies. And, at first, you’ll see that. But once Franklin gets comfortable with his players, I think you’re going to see a lot more wide-openness (if that’s a word).

Anyway, that’s just what I think. But what do I know? This isn’t my beat. So, for all of you holding your breathe until Collin gets back ... he’ll be back for bowl practice on Dec. 26.

Crazy last couple of weeks

I’m just going to tell you right now, never ... never, never, never, never ... plan a vacation in the three weeks immediately following football season. It just doesn’t work.

I took off the week after the Iron Bowl—to spend some time with my wife, 3-year-old and newborn—but ended up working about the same as if I were in the office. College football and the coaches who coach in it (make sense?) sometimes don’t cooperate with my vacation plans.
But, it’s my job. And I can’t complain. I mean, I get paid to cover sports. I know, my life is so hard.

Anyway, I wrote a column about some of the things that I’ve been thinking of the last couple of days as it pertains to Auburn and some people close to the program.

Enjoy ...

Is it football season yet?
I never thought I’d say that this close to the end of one, but I’m ready for another season to kick off right now.
Things are a lot clearer during the season than they are immediately following.
Everyone knows where coaches are and how to get in touch with them. There are actual games to be prepared for on the field, not played between the ears. There are rules during football season. There’s an order. A method. A consistency.
But once that final whistle blows, “order” goes out the window like a drive-thru.
These last two and a half weeks were supposed to be slow. Very slow. This was supposed to be the time we (the media) recharged our batteries and got geared up for the bowl season and then the night-after-night grid on basketball — high school and college.
With no practices, no games — nothing, really — going on, what a great time to take vacation, read some books, watch hours of TV or sleep.
Or so we thought.
Beginning with Tommy Tuberville Contract Watch 2007 and ending Wednesday with the hiring of new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin, the last 19 days have been anything but lazy.
And I should know, I invented lazy.
You know how everyone says there are three seasons in college football: The actual season, the spring season and recruiting? Well, here’s one more: Coaching Carousel season. Right now, I’m trying to figure out which one of these four is the most important.
It’s hard to say.

Good luck, Al
Yes, Al Borges’ offense wasn’t anything to brag about this year. Or last year. Honestly, it was boring. Very boring.
But, coupled with a good defense, it worked a lot more times than it failed. But, that’s not college football anymore. Three yards and a cloud of dust got left in the dust a long time ago.
Football offenses have evolved. And three years ago, Borges was on the cutting edge. Now, he’s gone. Resigned (cough). He went from the list of “best coordinator who’s never been a head coach” to unemployed (but not for long) pretty quickly.
Regardless of what you think of Borges as a playcaller — his offense was No. 1 in the SEC in 2004 and 2005, but 76th and 101st in the country the past two seasons — he’s one heck of a guy.
Yes, I know, this business isn’t about being nice. It’s about production. It’s about “what have you done for me lately.” But it still stinks when a good guy struggles and has to pay the price for it.
But he’ll land on his feet. Guys like him always do.
I know this, you won’t find a better — or funnier — interview than Al Borges.
My favorite Borges memory? Answering reports’ questions after a game with a mouthful of hot dog.
Classic Borges. Classic.

Will will be a good one
Stating the obvious here ... Will Muschamp will be a college football head coach soon. Very soon.
And why not? He’s a great hire — a young, fiery guy, who kids want to play for. A great recruiter and defensive coordinator. And an even better motivator.
It’s a shame Arkansas had to hire Bobby Petrino. Muschamp would have been a better fit. And more fun to quote.

What commitment?
Speaking of Petrino, how can you leave your team with three games left in the season and take another job?
I’m sorry, I just don’t get it.
If you want to go back to college (Arkansas), that’s fine, but at least honor your commitment to your current team (Atlanta Falcons) and finish the season.
Even Nick Saban did that. Why not Petrino?
Maybe he couldn’t hack it in the NFL. Maybe he saw an easy out to a terrible situation and had to take it. Maybe he just really likes the college game. Maybe.
But what about all those Falcons’ players who bought into his system? What about them?
What about honor? Loyalty? Finishing what you started?
Ahh, remember, football isn’t about that.
And neither is Petrino.

MIKE SZVETITZ is sports editor of the Opelika-Auburn News. He may be reached at or 737-2513.