AU FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK: Red means go when Tigers get inside 20

When it came to red-zone offense last season, no one in the country executed worse than Auburn.

One year later, only five teams can say they do it better than the Tigers.

Auburn has come away with points in all but two of its 35 trips inside its opponents’ 20-yard line, 25 going for touchdowns. That total ranks second in the SEC behind Arkansas, who has amazingly scored in all but one of its 42 trips inside the red zone, and ties the Tigers with three other teams for sixth in the nation.

“I feel like when we have gotten down there, we have executed well,” coach Gene Chizik said. “We have a good plan every week when we get down there in taking advantage of different coverages that you see when the field shrinks.”

What has helped the Tigers increase their success rate from 2008’s 57 percent to 94 this season, Chizik said, is offensive coordinator Gus
Malzahn’s extreme focus on red-zone efficiency.

Players have commonly remarked that they have had certain plays for certain situations, yard-lines and hashmarks drilled into their heads since the start of spring practice.

“We spend a lot of practice time, probably as much or more than most people do,” Malzahn said. “I think that has a lot to do with it.”

The Tigers will face their biggest red-zone test Friday against Alabama, which has limited opponents to an SEC-best (second-best in the nation) 68 percent success rate. No team in the country has allowed fewer points from red-zone opportunities (66) and only Florida has allowed fewer red-zone touchdowns than the seven Alabama has surrendered.

Getting there appears to be even more difficult.

The Crimson Tide has allowed teams inside their 20-yard line just 19 times, which is tied for second in the nation behind Nebraska (18). Auburn, for comparison’s sake, has allowed teams inside its red zone 39 times.

“Hopefully, we come up with another great plan against this great defense,” Chizik said. “They are a great defense, and once we get down there, it is going to be more difficult this week than most weeks to get it in the end zone.”

Any tricks?
Malzahn offered a wry smile but not much else when he was asked Tuesday if he’d have any extra tricks up his sleeve after having nearly two full weeks to prepare for Alabama.

“Well, we’re going to do everything in our power to try to score points,” he said. “Whatever that is and whatever they’re giving us, hopefully, we’ll be able to take advantage of that. It’s a big game, so we’ll have to see.”

Holding back Mr. Heisman
Alabama’s Mark Ingram is considered by many as the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy.

Speculation has arisen that back-to-back solid performances against Auburn on Friday and Florida in the SEC Championship would lock it up for the sophomore tailback.

Auburn’s defensive line has heard all the talk and, apparently, will take a spoiler mentality into Friday’s game.

“D-line as a whole, we said he’s not going to win the Heisman on us,” defensive end Michael Goggans said. “So we’re going to definitely stop him and stop that run. They’ve got a great running attack, but if we do our job as a D-line, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

The last Heisman winner Auburn faced is Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, who won the award in 2007.

The Tigers kept him relatively in check. He ran for 75 yards and threw for 201 with a combined two touchdowns in a losing effort against Auburn.
Tebow finished that season with a combined 51 touchdowns and 3,970 yards of offense.

“We’ve done it before,” linebacker Craig Stevens said. “It’s able to be done.”

McFadden recognized
Senior cornerback Walter McFadden has been named to the 2009 SEC Football Community Service Team.

The SEC recognizes one individual from each school who has made a superior effort to give back to his community.

McFadden has been active with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for the last three years, and has participated in Toys for Tots and the Beat Bama Food Drive the last three years with the AU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.  He participated in the BRIDGES Summer Program at Drake Middle School as a featured speaker during the summer day camp. 

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