SZVETITZ COLUMN: Offense spread too thin? We’ll see

Of course, you’re disappointed.

You expected more. You got less.

The buildup was so magnificent, so other-worldly, that you lost sleep the night before. Visions of quarterbacks and wide receivers danced in your head.

You couldn’t wait to get into the stadium and see it for yourself — for the first time.

The high-flying, throw-it-until-your-arm-falls-off spread offense was finally here. The day had come. You were a bit nervous. A little lump formed in your throat.

Gulp. This is it. Kickoff.

Finally.

You were ready.

It, however, wasn’t.

Auburn’s spread offense didn’t impress in its first outing of 2008 under new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin last Saturday vs. Louisiana-Monroe.

Sure, the Tigers won easily, 34-0. But it could have been more — should have been more.

But the spread was too thin. It didn’t throw for 700 yards. It didn’t move the ball up and down the field with ease. It didn’t leap over tall buildings, stop a train or outrun a bullet.

It misfired.

It tripped.

It disappointed.

“It’s like a coming out party,” Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville said earlier this week. “We had a full stadium that came out to look at our offense and everyone was expecting us to throw for 500 yards and run for 75. It didn’t work like that.”

No, it sure didn’t. You know the statline by now — the Tigers passed for 85 yards against ULM. The entire game.

Auburn’s spread offense took a spill on its way into that party, and needed some assistance from its estranged partner — the running game.

That’s right, the running game. Remember?

AU running backs Ben Tate and company rushed for 321 yards to lead the Tigers in the season opener. The running game (oh, and a very, very stout defense and special teams) came to the rescue. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

“It’s always fun when everybody is disappointed in winning 34-0,” the head coach said.

But that’s not what you came to see. You come to see the circus and not the tractor pull. Right?

“Everybody looks at this offense and thinks that we are going to throw for 500 yards each game,” Tuberville said. “And we look up going into the fourth quarter (vs. ULM) and I think we had about 30 yards. The great thing about that is how right under it, we had rushed for about 300 yards.

“That’s what is going to win games for you in the long run. Looking at our offense and the reaction of our players, they’re disappointed that we didn’t put more yards up, but as I told them, the biggest thing is execution and fulfilling a purpose.

“It all starts with the approach you take.”

And that’s winning. It’s always about winning. Spread offense or spread punt, whatever gets the job done.

Last Saturday, the offense did enough. But what about today? Can 85 passing yards beat Southern Miss? Can it beat Mississippi State, LSU, Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia, Alabama?

We’ll see.

The party only gets tougher from here.

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