(Dammit, I miss Fyffe. He was and is the broadcasting GOAT. Could turn a phrase so poetically and match it with magical vocal artistry. Took the homer broadcast where we all wanted it, yet was still professional
And all love for Rod in his own right.)
Now, the most fascinating 3-game stretch I can recall, 1994 AU vs LSU, State, Go Gatuh.
How in God’s name can a team look THAT BAD offensively against LSU in our house, bailed out by the defense’s SIX interceptions (and Curly Hallman and OC Lynn Amedee’s idiocy asking QB Jamie Howard to keep throwing the ball), only to become explosive like Joe Montana and the 49ers the next two weeks?
My LSU bud Frank Duffy told me yesterday, “I still wake up picturing Auburn DBs running a pick six in.” It was easily the wildest, most improbable of all AU vs LSU games and possibly all-time SEC. Final, AU 30 LSU 26.
Auburn entered the LSU game ranked No. 11 and riding a 14-game winning streak under second-year HC Bowden; while LSU entered with a 1-1 record.
The offense under Tot Bowden with Patrick Nix at QB was utterly anemic, held to 165 yards total offense. I have vague recollections of the Bunker posting in-game for Dameyune to replace Nix, and who could blame them?
But Wayne Hall’s Auburn defense scored four touchdowns against LSU. Since 1969, only two other seasons have featured that many defensive touchdowns for the Tigers. The game box score should be required reading for teams who think you can only win a big game on offense. Box score
LOL Jim Fyffe would close his broadcast with, “final score, the Auburn defense 27, LSU 26.” Hawkins’ early game FG would be the only AU offensive points.
AU vs Miss State, a week later. An offensive explosion that most AU fans fail to properly credit as the critical confidence builder before heading to The Swamp to face the Ole Ball Coach’s No. 1 ranked Florida Gators. The offensive coaching the week of this State game was arguably the most impressive in memory at the time, as the OL, run game, play design and calls, and most of all, Nix’s timing to WR Frank Sanders improvement over one week was eye-popping..
And then the stage was set for maybe the most sensational road upset by an Auburn team in decades. Under Spurrier, the No. 1 ranked Gators were 15-0 against SEC opponents in the Swamp. Coming into the game, the Gator defense was No 1 in the country. The AU upset should be discounted only by the fact that Auburn was riding a 17 game win streak entering the Swamp. We weren’t chopped liver putting it mildly, but the media and God knows Spurrier figured on a Gator beat down of AU as revenge for the 1993 loss in Jordan-Hare.
Spurrier himself was overconfident the night before the game, and Bowden made a “respect” point of being a 17-point underdog despite Auburn's long win streak.
It is probable that the game film of AU’s offensive ineptitude was a factor in the Gators’ overconfidence hosting Auburn. And the funny thing about confidence is, if it spills just a wee bit to overconfidence, once you get smacked in the face by a team that came to play, it can create doubt and panic. Your players start thinking, 'wait, something's wrong here. What's going on? This is not what Coach told us would happen.' Which is a major tenet of Col. Boyd's notion of the OODA loop and how to disrupt the enemy with chaos that disorients them, and allows you to FINISH the enemy.
You know the rest of the story:
And all love for Rod in his own right.)
Now, the most fascinating 3-game stretch I can recall, 1994 AU vs LSU, State, Go Gatuh.
How in God’s name can a team look THAT BAD offensively against LSU in our house, bailed out by the defense’s SIX interceptions (and Curly Hallman and OC Lynn Amedee’s idiocy asking QB Jamie Howard to keep throwing the ball), only to become explosive like Joe Montana and the 49ers the next two weeks?
My LSU bud Frank Duffy told me yesterday, “I still wake up picturing Auburn DBs running a pick six in.” It was easily the wildest, most improbable of all AU vs LSU games and possibly all-time SEC. Final, AU 30 LSU 26.
Auburn entered the LSU game ranked No. 11 and riding a 14-game winning streak under second-year HC Bowden; while LSU entered with a 1-1 record.
The offense under Tot Bowden with Patrick Nix at QB was utterly anemic, held to 165 yards total offense. I have vague recollections of the Bunker posting in-game for Dameyune to replace Nix, and who could blame them?
But Wayne Hall’s Auburn defense scored four touchdowns against LSU. Since 1969, only two other seasons have featured that many defensive touchdowns for the Tigers. The game box score should be required reading for teams who think you can only win a big game on offense. Box score
LOL Jim Fyffe would close his broadcast with, “final score, the Auburn defense 27, LSU 26.” Hawkins’ early game FG would be the only AU offensive points.
AU vs Miss State, a week later. An offensive explosion that most AU fans fail to properly credit as the critical confidence builder before heading to The Swamp to face the Ole Ball Coach’s No. 1 ranked Florida Gators. The offensive coaching the week of this State game was arguably the most impressive in memory at the time, as the OL, run game, play design and calls, and most of all, Nix’s timing to WR Frank Sanders improvement over one week was eye-popping..
And then the stage was set for maybe the most sensational road upset by an Auburn team in decades. Under Spurrier, the No. 1 ranked Gators were 15-0 against SEC opponents in the Swamp. Coming into the game, the Gator defense was No 1 in the country. The AU upset should be discounted only by the fact that Auburn was riding a 17 game win streak entering the Swamp. We weren’t chopped liver putting it mildly, but the media and God knows Spurrier figured on a Gator beat down of AU as revenge for the 1993 loss in Jordan-Hare.
Spurrier himself was overconfident the night before the game, and Bowden made a “respect” point of being a 17-point underdog despite Auburn's long win streak.
It is probable that the game film of AU’s offensive ineptitude was a factor in the Gators’ overconfidence hosting Auburn. And the funny thing about confidence is, if it spills just a wee bit to overconfidence, once you get smacked in the face by a team that came to play, it can create doubt and panic. Your players start thinking, 'wait, something's wrong here. What's going on? This is not what Coach told us would happen.' Which is a major tenet of Col. Boyd's notion of the OODA loop and how to disrupt the enemy with chaos that disorients them, and allows you to FINISH the enemy.
You know the rest of the story:
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