Mike Szvetitz
Sports Editor
mszvetitz@oanow.com
Mike Szvetitz
Sports Editor, Opelika-Auburn News
Posted 01/11 at 06:17 PM
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Yeah, so the whole “Tommy Tuberville would be a perfect fit at South Florida“ thing wasn’t as on point as I thought it would be.
Apparently, Tuberville thought he’d be a better fit at Texas Tech. He was hired by the Red Raiders on Saturday and made it official Sunday.
Not that he was a sure thing to get the USF job, but I still think he’d be a better fit in Tampa, Fla., rather than Lubbock, Texas. But, again, what do I know? After reading my column on Saturday, apparently, not much.
Anyway, you can watch some highlights of Tuberville’s introductory press conference here.
Oh, and, did you know he’s also going to interview Troy OC Neal Brown. Yeah, that’s according to our sister paper the Dothan Eagle. Don’t believe me? Check it out.
Refresh my memory, what happened the last time Tuberville hired a spread offensive coordinator from Troy?
Mike Szvetitz
Sports Editor, Opelika-Auburn News
Posted 01/09 at 09:41 AM
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For my money, Tommy Tuberville should be on the very short list for South Florida as they look for a new head coach.
Find out why in the column I wrote for today’s Opelika-Auburn News.
My, so much can change in two weeks.
Go back 14 days and every BCS job in the country was filled. Every program had its man, or so it thought.
Then, seemingly from out of nowhere, Mike Leach was suspended and then fired at Texas Tech on the final Wednesday of 2009. Then, just Friday, South Florida head coach Jim Leavitt was let go.
Both coaches were alleged to have mistreated a player, and, for the most part the news — at least to those outside of Lubbock, Texas, and Tampa, Fla. — came as a shock.
It’s unfortunate and sad. The careers for both of these guys, who were “the next best thing” not too long ago, will never be the same.
The schools they were ousted from, however, have a great opportunity to take the next step with the right coach.
So, who do they turn to?
Well, you already know where I’m going with this.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce Tommy Tuberville. You might remember him from his work at Auburn — 10 years on the Plains, 85 wins, a perfect 13-0 season in 2004. You know.
Tuberville interviewed at Texas Tech earlier this week. On Thursday, the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported that Tuberville was still very much in the running for job. He and Red Raiders interim coach Ruffin McNeill are believed to be the only two candidates who have interviewed for the job thus far, the newspaper reported.
Not bad odds.
Then Friday, word out of Tampa was that Tuberville was considered a candidate for the now-open USF gig.
And I can’t say I’m surprised. He was the first person I thought of — and I know I wasn’t the only one — when word of Leavitt’s firing started leaking out. Tampa’s warm and the golf is plentiful. Oh, and the program’s not bad either.
Tuberville would be a good get for either school, however, he’d be a much better fit at South Florida. And it’s not just because of the sun and fun.
Tuberville is a defensive guy. Texas Tech is not a defensive team. Sure, he’d help the Red Raider defense, but Tuberville’s track record with offenses — and offensive coordinators — isn’t the best.
But people can change, and I’m sure Tuberville learned some valuable lessons from the Tony Franklin Experiment. He’d better if he wants to be a successful coach again.
Philosophy, however, isn’t the reason why he’d be better for USF than Texas Tech.
South Florida is one of the best jobs in the country as far as potential — on and off the field.
A program could just recruit athletes from the state of Florida and have a pretty darn good team year in and year out. And with Florida State making the switch to a new regime, and Florida being in doubt with Urban Meyer’s future on the sidelines, now is the time to strike if you’re South Florida — time to get some of the state’s (and nation’s) best recruits, all of whom live in your own backyard.
The right coach with the right staff could make this happen. If Tuberville got the job, and did learn from his final year at Auburn, putting a top-notch recruiting staff together would be paramount. And I’m quite sure he knows it.
What about off the field?
It’s in this area that Tuberville’s name should shoot to the top of the list.
South Florida is a huge school with a lot of alumni who are sick of being the fourth fiddle in the state to Florida, Florida State and Miami. They need a figurehead they can rally around, and, more importantly, give their money and support to.
Have you ever seen Tuberville work a room? He’s one of the best.
He’s also media friendly. A breath of fresh air for a program that now has a dark cloud hanging over it.
Don’t forget, Tuberville’s done it before at Ole Miss and at Auburn.
Also, Tuberville knows how to win. If he did it in the toughest conference in college football for more than a decade, he can certainly do it in the Big East.
Make no mistake, Tuberville doesn’t come cheap. He was making more than $3 million a season at Auburn. I don’t see him willing to take anything significantly lower than that.
But for South Florida, it could be money well spent.
Mike Szvetitz
Sports Editor, Opelika-Auburn News
Posted 01/01 at 06:46 PM
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Unreal. That’s all I can say.
Unreal. And if you missed Friday’s Outback Bowl, shame on you. But, if so, you’ll have plenty of chances to watch it again. It was an instant classic, fo sho!
Here’s my column that will appear in Saturday’s Opelika-Auburn News.
Enjoy.
TAMPA, Fla. – It’s the only way this game could have been played.
Two teams that wanted – no, needed – a bowl win more than maybe any other two programs in the country, played the way a game with that much riding on it had to be played.
Auburn needed the win to solidify its first year under Gene Chizik, proving to everyone, once and for all, that Mr. 5-19 is so much better than that.
Northwestern needed the win to get the 800 pounds of its 60-year drought without a bowl win off its back.
It was a must-win for both teams, and they both played like it.
Down to the end. All three of them.
There was nothing left to wonder when final whistle sounded, finally … for the final time, finally. No, really … finally.
There was nothing left physically, either.
Players from both teams had to be carried off the field. Some from injuries, some because they couldn’t muster up any more strength.
Coaches talk about laying it all on the line and leaving everything you have on the field. With that in mind, Friday’s scene on the muddy Raymond James Stadium turf was something out of a Vince Lombardi speech. Or a Norman Rockwell painting.
It was beautiful.
And unreal. Just like the game that you thought was over so many times. First on a sack. Then on a missed field goal. Then on what was thought to be a fumble. Then, finally, on a fumblerooski. That’s right, a fumblerooski.
Hollywood couldn’t have scripted it better. Nor would you want it to.
This was real and raw.
“That was one heck of a fight and one heck of a battle,” Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald said.
“I haven’t had time to see many bowl games up to this point this year, but it would be hard pressed to find one better than that one as far as getting your money’s worth,” Chizik said.
For sure.
And who is it that wants to do away with the bowl system? Shame on you.
If all bowl games turned out like the Outback, I say let’s play 100 of ’em, because it’s exactly what we talk about when we talk about the essence of sport. Especially one as physical, emotional and popular as college football.
Neither team ever quit. They never gave up. They never wanted to—never even thought about it.
In a game both teams needed to win, they went out the only way they knew how: swinging.
Bravo!
Auburn and Northwestern’s players should stand up and take a bow for their performances Friday. If they can move, that is.
Both teams came to Tampa to win. And, you know what, both did.
For Auburn it’ll show up in the record book – 8-5 is so much better than 7-6.
For Northwestern, it’ll show up in the locker room and in the very heart of an already strong program under a very talented and motivational head coach.
“We are going to find a way to climb over this mountain top,” Fitzgerald said. “We are not there yet, but I believe we took a step forward today.”
And so did college football.
This is the way the game is supposed to be played and coached.
Beautiful.
Bravo!
(PHOTO CREDIT: TODD J. VAN EMST)
Mike Szvetitz
Sports Editor, Opelika-Auburn News
Posted 01/01 at 08:32 AM
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... Er, Tampa. Which, having went to high school here, is nice, but when I think of paradise I think of Jamaica. Call me crazy.
But if we’re supposed to believe the Outback Bowl hype machine (which has been really good to us this week, so, we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt), Paradise is 60 degrees and rainy. And it’s supposed to be like this all day.
At least it’s not snow.
So who does the rain favor? Not really sure. Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said that rain always, always, gives the offense the advantage. They know what the snap count is, they know where the play’s going and they know how to get there. The defense doesn’t.
And if you believe that logic, then you’ve got to look at which offense is better. In my opinion, it’s Auburn. They’ve averaged over 430 yards a game and 30-plus points .... mostly against SEC defenses. Northwestern is averaging more than 370 yards a game and right at 25 points.
So, you do the math. But, football isn’t a game of math. It’s a game of inches. Just ask this guy.
So, who’s going to win those inches?
My pick ... Auburn, by 12.
What say you?
And while you’re thinking, go ahead and read some of the Opelika-Auburn News’ award-winning coverage of the Outback Bowl.
Andrew P. Gribble wrote a great story about “Good Guy” Walt McFadden.
Here’s another story by Mr. Gribble (an Ohio grad, mind you) about the two high-powered offenses that will face off today.
If you want to read something I wrote, here’s my column on Auburn’s senior class and how much the last 365 days has meant to them, and to head coach Gene Chizik.
Oh, and in case you haven’t heard, Auburn signed the top JUCO quarterback in the country last night. His name is Cameron Newton.
Mike Szvetitz
Sports Editor, Opelika-Auburn News
Posted 12/31 at 02:46 PM
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Gene Chizik is very fond of his seniors, like Walt McFadden, pictured above.
Read the few graphs of my column for tomorrow’s paper, which is below, and you’ll find out why.
Also, Chizik spoke Thursday morning in the final press conference before Friday’s Outback Bowl. Auburn’s playing Northwestern if you haven’t heard.
Here’s what Chizik had to say ...
Now, on to the beginning portion of my column.
Enjoy ...
TAMPA, Fla. – Gene Chizik could only come up with one word to describe his senior class.
“Phenomenal,” was his choice.
Patient would be mine.
Either way, for the 13 Auburn seniors who will play their final college game today, the past year has been one they will never forget – one that stretched their mettle as players and teammates.
It’s been a story told many times over the last 12 months, but let’s repeat it.
Why? Well, to Chizik, it’s worth it. The seniors are worth it. Again, they’ve been “phenomenal.”
“That’s the only word I can tell you,” Chizik said, “because No. 1, we don’t have many of them. No. 2, they’ve been through a lot of stuff, now. They’ve been through a lot of stuff at Auburn.
“If you date back a year ago now, they’re whole world was turned upside down. They’re at Christmas right now, they’ve got a new football coach after having the same one for 10 years. They don’t know me, they don’t know the coaches we’re getting ready to hire. If you go back a year ago right now, there’s a lot of stuff going on out there.”
And you know all about it: Tommy Tuberville resigned in early December 2008 after a 5-7 season. Auburn spent the next 10 days looking for a coach before deciding on Chizik. And if you’ll also remember, the news of Mr. 5-19’s hiring wasn’t received very well by a vast majority of Auburn fans.
And in the middle of it all were the Tiger football players, mainly the seniors.
(Photo of Auburn senior cornerback Walt McFadden, courtesy of Todd J. Van Emst)
