SZVETITZ COLUMN: Tigers had better get better fast

When Gene Chizik talked a day after Auburn’s loss to Arkansas, one phrase kept coming up over and over.

No, it wasn’t “day by day.” However, that was used plenty.

It was “we’re not good enough ...”

Now, please understand the context of the statement. He wasn’t saying his team is terrible. At 5-1, that’s not the case.

Auburn’s good. Or at least better than everyone thought it would be at this point in the season. One loss to a better-than-advertised Arkansas team isn’t enough reason to head to the bomb shelter and start rationing out the canned goods.

What Chizik is saying is that his team isn’t at the point where it can overcome mistakes and still win ballgames.

Especially on the road. Especially in the SEC.

Especially now. Auburn needs to be as close to perfect as possible.

And he’s right. The Tigers just aren’t good enough to stand toe-to-toe with another team from the same conference when their knees keep buckling at crucial moments.

Winning consistently in the SEC is hard enough. Throw in a young team that lacks depth and put it on the road, that’s when you get 44-23.

Add three turnovers, eight penalties and a lack of focus ... it’s just a wonder it wasn’t 64-23.

“Our margin for error is certainly not even close to being where it needs to be able to do that and win,” Chizik said Sunday.

Preach it, brother.

And it’s only going to get harder. And tougher.

Have you seen the rest of the Tigers’ SEC schedule? Sure, a banged-up Kentucky won’t pose as many problems as it would if the Wildcats were 100 percent. But, it’s the first game after a big loss for this young team. How will Auburn respond today?

Your guess is as good as mine.

Then (just in case you live under a rock) Auburn goes to LSU, then hosts Ole Miss, goes to Georgia and then has the misfortune of hosting Alabama (which could be ranked No. 1 by that point) at Jordan-Hare Stadium the day after Thanksgiving.

Bring on the yams.

It certainly doesn’t get any easier for Auburn. So the Tigers better get better. Quickly. If not, they’ll be on their knees before they even get to Amen Corner.

“It’s only going to get tougher as far as who we’re playing,” Chizik said. “We’re not anywhere close to where we need to be in this league and we know that.”

Why?

Well, let’s start at the beginning: Auburn has only 78 scholarship players. That’s seven less than the number most every other Division I football team is playing with.

And the only reason the number is close to 80 is because Auburn gave out some scholarships to some walk-ons just before the season started. When you talk about scholarship athletes, seven might as well be 20.

And that brings us to the depth problem. A lot of that has to do with the lack of legitimate scholarship athletes. Some has to do with injuries. But, hey, at this point in the season, every team is banged up.

The difference is, most of those teams can replace a starter with another guy and not miss a beat. Auburn can’t. The song stops.

The drop-off between first and second string is significant on the Plains this year. And it trickles all the way down into the scout team. There aren’t enough athletes to go around to give the starters a solid look in practice leading up to a game.

That makes a difference. Big time.

If you really think about it, it’s a wonder Auburn has five wins. Really.

Well, OK, not really ... La. Tech and Ball State aren’t exactly world-beaters. But, still ... I mean, Auburn played just three scholarship linebackers against Arkansas. Three!!! That’s it.

“I mean, we’ve got to make it work if we’re playing against air,” Chizik said. “That’s our (the coaches) job. But, if you’re asking me in that has an effect on how you prepare, without it being an excuse, of course it would. But when you sometimes have to throw a scout team tight end at guard, that affects you, But hey, that’s not an excuse now.”

Well, maybe it should be.

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