More from Tony Franklin
Tony Franklin had some fairly revealing stuff to say recently that didn't make today's editions of the Advertiser. Here are some nuggets:- On how players are reacting to the struggles: "I think it's always the same. I saw the same look in their eyes that I saw at Troy. I saw a look of frustration and I saw a look of they want you to figure it out. We take great pride in figuring it out. We just didn't get it figured out. They're looking to us to fix it and we're looking for them to help us fix it. I think, together, we can get it done and I feel certain that we will."
- On improving Auburn's practice habits: "That's just the growing progress. We went through the same growing process at Troy. It was ugly there. I didn't expect it to be this ugly here. The bottom line is that, as ugly as it was, we won. If we can be ugly and win or be pretty and lose, I'll take ugly and win every time.
- On Chris Todd being a better runner: "Yeah, he can be. He's not going to be like Kodi. It's just not there, so it's not going to happen that way, but he can be effective in that he makes people pay a price if they don't honor him. He's got to do that."
- On playing Kodi Burns more: "It's going to be a feel thing. I think Kodi needs to play. We need to find a way to do that, whether it's this week or next week or every week."
- On why the team seems to change plays so often at the line of scrimmage: "Every time is different. Sometimes, (the play call) is original. They'll get to the line and they already have it and they're running it. Sometimes, they don't have one and it's a fake deal and we call one after that. Probably 75 to 80 percent of the time when they get to the line, they already have a play. It may be higher than that."
posted by Jay G. Tate at
11:42 PM
37 Comments:
Something about those comments makes me feel uneasy. It almost seems that there's a lack of confidence and a sense of confusion. If that's the case, and the leader of the offense is giving that off, things are going to be really, really bad.
...and him making the comparison to Troy, well, TF, this is the big time. Troy, and everything that it was, got you here, but Auburn and the SEC have very little in common with the Sun Belt.
So far it doesn't seem like the team is struggling with the new offense, it's with penalties and fumbles.
The big mistakes we are making don't seem to have much to do with the type of offense.
Jay, do you know if Troy or any other teams when putting in this offense had those kinds of problems?
I need to peep Troy's numbers from Franklin's first season ...
In 2006, Troy ranked 77th in total offense right behind Auburn. Both teams put up around 320 yds per game. Auburn scored 37 tds to Troy's 38. In 2007, Troy dramatically improved to 16th at 450 yds per game. Auburn actually gained more yds than the year before at 335, but dropped to 97th in the country. Troy scored 52 tds while Auburn scored 38. Hopefully, we will see the same type of improvement.
Off topic:
We need Jay G's gas price update now more than ever.
I've saw prices anywhere from 3.96 to 4.49 around Montgomery yesterday. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason.
And while we are updating, any word on Lester and practice this week?
I'm more curious on how Troy did at the start of Franklin's first year as it relates to penalties and turnovers vs the end of the year.
Jay,
Have you seen Slaughter wondering around the doghouse this week?
rk, i've got a few free minutes.....i'm working on it for ya.
I'll do a gas report today.
Yes, it is ridiculous.
In MGM, it's 4.09 at the Chevron @ Carmichael/East Blvd, 4.15 at that Raceway and 4.25 at the Citgo on Woodmere.
On Slaughter: I think we may see him on the field sooner rather than later.
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OK, 2006, CTF's 1st season at Troy:
I tried to break it down by: Game/Turnovers/Penalties-Yards/Points Scored/WIN-LOSS
1. ALCORN ST / 3 / 4-35 / 38-W
2. FLA STATE / 3 / 8-71 / 17-L
3. GA TECH / 3 / 8-71 / 20-L
4. NEBRASKA / 3 / 10-80 / 0-L
5. UAB / 2 / 7-86 / 3-L
6. LA-MONROE / 5 / 8-73 / 24-W
7. N.TEXAS / 2 / 5-35 / 14-W
8. LA-LAFAY / 2 / 5-39 / 42-W
9. FLA ATLAN / 2 / 3-25 / 24-W
10.ARK STATE / 3 / 6-74 / 26-L
11.MTSU / 1 / 4-40 / 21-W
12.FLA INTNL / 1 / 4-50 / 26-W
13.RICE / 1 / 7-70 / 41-W
I can't believe how many turnovers Troy had and that trend didn't slow down till the very end of the season. Ok, compare that to CTF this year at AU:
1. LA MONROE / 1 / 7-55 / 34-W
2. USM / 4 / 6-53 / 27-W
3. MSU / 3 / 12-94 / 3-W
while we're talking personnel, is James Swinton still hurt of just not stepping up (as ususal)?
Those 3 games in a row vs FSU, Ga Tech and Nebraska are somewhat understandable.
However they averaged around 3 turnovers per game. Hopefully our adjustment is faster than Troys was in their first year.
That's amazing.
Thanks for looking this up.
Swinton: NSUAU.
Thanks for that, Scottie!
hey, i'm here for you guys. anytime.
can you imagine going into every game this year knowing you're going to turn the ball over 2-3 times? i can't seem to wrap my head around that.
i haven't gotten a chance to look at year 2 yet but i really hope we don't have to wait till 2009 to see significant improvement. i'll let you know what i find.
I guess that makes Swinton the anti-Billings.
What happened to Auburn running around 90 plays per game? We seem to be running around 70-75/game, which is a little higher than normal, but not the big numbers AU was supposed to be putting up. I would also like to know how many plays Troy was running per game the first year Franklin was there.
anonymous.....
In 2006, Troy ran 844 plays in 13 games for roughly 65 plays/game.
In 2007, Troy ran 979 plays in 12 games for roughly 82 plays/game.
I know, I know, I have waaayyyyy too much time on my hands today at work.
so, that's a nice increase from year 1 to year 2.
In 2007 Troy ran 80 plays vs. Arkansas, 78 vs. Florida, 97 vs. Oklahoma State, and 84 vs. Georgia.
It's pretty obvious that the acclimation period is ... longer than three games.
YUP.
gas prices are strange. here in arizona, we have no refineries, no oil and no port. reg. unleaded can be bought for $3.40/gallon. does that make any sense?
Any hope that the "process" is faster at a higher level school with better talent?
I think a run first (aka, West Virginia) type of spread would work better in the SEC. That may be what we settle on. We ran a tremendous amount in the first and third game and I think that is going to be the best O for us.
I do not think a Texas Tech spread will work here. The SEC is too good. It may work against the Vandys, South Carolinas, and others of their ilk; but, to rise to the top, we will have to be run oriented.
I love the spread principles and the stress it puts on a defense.
I just think we are kidding ourselves to think we can throw it 50 times a game and win in this conference.
Please see MSU game.
I think we just need to get through the entire season then re-evaulate the change then. I agree that most of the problems seem little things like penalties, illegal procedures and fumbles, if they eliminate those then we can accurately review and give our impression of this offense. I really think this week they do that and get it going positively in the right direction with better concentration and execution this offense and the QB will prevail.
I'm not sure how you think we are going to have better concentration and effort against a better defense. LSU will bring their A game.
The only way AU wins is to hit them in the mouth. Over and OVer again.
On the gas note....
According to AAA East Tennessee, Knoxville had the highest gas prices in the country over the weekend. The AAA Fuel Gauge Report listed Knoxville's average price for unleaded gasoline as $4.652 per gallon based on credit card swipes Sunday.
Yeah, between the Vols and gas prices these East Tennesseeans have been quite pissy. :)
The highest I have seen Chattanooga gas is $3.99. However there are hundreds of stations here that just decided not to buy any gas after last week.
Any update on Lester and Dunn's injuries for this weekends' game? I assume Lester is out, but not sure on Dunn.
Hope both recover fully.
Thanks Jay!
scottie,
I bet their pissyness level goes up even more after this weekend.
What's the word up there on the UF game?
jim,
they're expecting to get beatdown pretty bad. but of course, if they somehow pull it out and win then they're going to all the way to Atlanta. i'll keep everyone updated.
on the local sports radio station they just dropped the JIM ROME show to put another local sports show during the lunch hours. so, you've got UT FB talk from 6am to 6pm every freakin' day. it's usually annoying but lately it's been a blast. ha.
interesting interactive graphic/artice about the factors that drive fuel prices on cnn today. it doesn't explain economic impacts (supply/demand) so much, but is still pretty neat.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/05/27/explainer.pump.price/index.html
sorry, incomplete link, lets try again:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/05/27/explainer.pump.price/index.html
regarding the plays per game, with the new play clock we won't have as many as Troy did in 06 & 07.
scottie b, you think its bad in k-town, try living in b'ham where its bama football 24/7.
i'm sure auburn guy.... i grew up in mobile where i was the only 'auburn guy' growing up. i took my share of abuse in school.
i've got no problem here in knox-vegas. i don't have to listen to very many bammers gloat about the '12' but i don't have as many chances to brag about the '6' either. the one thing that keeps me sane is that UT & AU peeps hate the Tide. at least we've got that in common.
Scottie, you may be like me too. It seems all of the Bama fans here in Chattanooga hate UT more than Auburn (I guess it's being around so many UT fans instead of AU fans), so I don't have to deal with them much.
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