Really Early Morning Coffee - Getting to Know Auburn

by Jon Johnston on Dec 21, 2006 12:28 AM CST in Nebraska Husker Football

After a 13 hour day today, I don't have much left tonight. It's time to start talking about Auburn, though, so here's some stuff around the 'Net to keep you interested.

Big Red Network's 'State of Auburn Football' has some good history and points about our upcoming Cotton Bowl opponent.

M Zone's 'Get to Know: Auburn University' from early 2006 has some great comments. It all comes down to this - if you want to insult the Auburn fans, yell "war tiger" and then talk about the last time they lost to Alabama. It's more of a fixation than you'd think. I wonder if there are many self-help groups in Alabama for these two teams, particularly Alabama at this point.

OTOH, if you want to get Auburn fans to buy you beer, start talking about how they've beaten Alabama over the past few years, and you'll make instant friends.

Some guy from Georgia Tech tries to justify Tech's low attendance at bowl games by saying that Nebraska fans won't be travelling much. I wonder if he has any idea how many Nebraskans are living in North Texas, and just how much we support our football team.

Auburn is clearly worried about the early kickoff of the Cotton Bowl.

"Every morning game we've had, we've lost. But all down through the season, we've practiced in the mornings," said defensive end Sen'Derrick Marks, a Vigor High graduate.
"I don't know what's going on with that. We get a slow start in the morning."

It isn't going to get any better being that it's the morning after amateur night, so a double whammy on the Tigers. Given Nebraska's fast starts, combined with the Tigers' morning sluggishness, maybe Auburn will find themselves buried quickly? That'd be a nice late Christmas present, eh?

More grouching about the early start. What the heck do people in Alabama do in the morning that makes them so negative, cranky and lethargic? Or was it the night before?

Auburn plans on turning up the heat on Nebraska's Zac Taylor with a heavy pass rush. Probably in the second half, when they finally wake up. There are some good notes in this article regarding history and strategy.

Auburn's kicker recovered nicely this season after losing last year's LSU game by missing five field goals. John Vaughn was one of the finalists for this year's Lou Groza award.

If you really feel the need, you can tell Auburn they suck. I'm thinking that 99% of the posts are by 'Bama fans.

Question for all y'all. Given the statement made by Auburn Coach Tuberville:

"We've had two good days against the things Nebraska has done all year long," Tuberville said. "We're going to have to do a lot of mental preparation."

Is he: