SZVETITZ COLUMN: Young Tigers learn on the fly

Maybe the only thing that surprised Gene Chizik about last week’s win at Tennessee was all the green he saw when he got on the plane.

“We took 27 new guys on the road with us who had never traveled to a college football game,” Chizik said.

Yep, 27. Enough for an entire offense and defense with some to spare.

That’s a lot.

But from the looks of the Tigers’ 26-22 win on Rocky Top, it seems everyone remembered his toothbrush, as unpreparedness (and homesickness) didn’t seem to be an issue at all.

Other than a mental lapse in which Auburn’s defense forgot that there was still time left on the clock on the final drive to give the Vols an “Oh, by the way” score to make the game a lot closer than it should have been, the only real green that showed up was on the back of the Tigers’ white jerseys from the Neyland Stadium turf.

The “kids” seemed prepared for everything. Even the nerves of spending a night away from home.

Consider it just another step in the process of growing up. Maturing. Becoming a more complete football team.

Every week is uncharted territory — a little bit tougher terrain than the week before.

Last week was the first road game. Today, at Arkansas, is Auburn’s first game before lunchtime — an 11 a.m. kick.

Not groundbreaking by any means, but new and different, nonetheless.

“This is uncharted territory for us,” Chizik said of the early kickoff. “This does create a new series of things that we will encounter, especially with such a young team.”

But the way Auburn’s season has been going, the only thing you might worry about with a young team playing an early game is that they might forget to get everything out of the hotel room before they leave.

Don’t forget to look under the bed.

Auburn’s 5-0 start has been surprising to most everyone. Even its head coach.

But the wins didn’t come all at once. Little by little, the Tigers have become a better football team, tackled different circumstances and overcame obstacles that, well, let’s face it, the same team couldn’t do a year ago.

And that’s the difference. Just as there are a lot of “new” players on the roster doing “new” things, it all starts with the “new” coaching staff.

Success is not only new to the players, but it’s new to the guys wearing the headsets, too. Every win is a benchmark for these guys. Especially the head coach. And you know why.

The focus has been redefined.

This year’s team, and coaching staff, has taken everything as it comes, instead of looking ahead or behind. Especially behind — perhaps the biggest stumbling block for the previous staff.

And when you consider all that these players have had to go through over the past year, it makes this undefeated start that much more impressive.

“I’m very happy with our football team, and I’m very happy for our coaches and our kids because they’ve worked really, really hard.” Chizik said. “Obviously, you can’t be sitting any better than 5-0.

“...I’m very happy for our kids. They deserve it. They’ve played hard to get to this point, and there’s been a lot of change in their lives these last 10 months.”

You can say that again.

But they’ve come through learning, basically, how to win again.

This team talks about the season as a 12-round heavyweight fight, with each game (or round) being bigger than the one before. One they’re going to do everything to win.

And, guess what? They have.

Check with Harold Lederman if you disagree.

Scorecard: Auburn 5, Opponents 0.

Undefeated.

Not too shabby.

But ...

“But we’ve got a lot to do,” Chizik said. “They know that and we know that.

“But, again, 5-0 beats the alternative.”

You can say that again.

MIKE SZVETITZ is sports editor of the Opelika-Auburn News. He maybe reached at mszvetitz@oanow.com or 737-2513.