Now there's a light at the end of the tunnel. We have survived the majority of the offseason with the help of Auburn Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Track, and numerous other sports. But now that summer is here, there is one thing we're all doing... counting down the days until kickoff against Clemson on September 1. We've made it down to double digits, and today marks what we're going to call Tez Doolittle Day!

Tez Doolittle, a native of Opelika, AL, played DT and fullback for the Opelika Bulldogs* in high school. After being a role player his first few years on the Plains, Tez entered fall two-a-days in 2007 with the hopes of making a bigger impact on the defensive line. Those plans were put on hold after he ruptured his achilles in August of that year, forcing him to miss the season. 

Like any good Auburn man, he didn't let the injury get him down or deter him. He rehabbed and worked hard to come back and was rewarded by being granted a rare sixth year of eligibility during the spring of 2008. 

Doolittle had a breakout performace against LSU that year with 4 solo tackles and a sack. That earned him his first career start against Tennessee on September 26. He seized the opportunity and went on to be one of the most productive defensive linemen in the SEC that season. His perseverence earned our respect, and we honor Tez today as we begin our Countdown to Kickoff.  

*Editor's note: A couple of CaM staff members hail from the great Opelika. Go Dawgs!**

**Not to be confused with anything associated with the University of Georgia or their awful barking. War Eagle. 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

The Auburn baseball team refuses to let this season end with a whimper. Auburn went to Fayetteville over the weekend and won two of three games against Arkansas. The Razorbacks came into this weekend ranked as high as No. 13 in the major polls. The Tigers have five games left in the regular season. Two non-conference games on Monday and Tuesday are followed by a three-game set at Plainsman Park against a Florida team that has been ranked in the top five all year long. Auburn clinched a spot in the SEC Tournament, and the Tigers did a lot to help their NCAA chances this weekend, but more work still needs to be done to guarantee a berth.

WHAT WENT RIGHT?

Young guys stepping up -- Patrick Savage and Mitchell Self got thrown into the fire this weekend and responded in a big way. Patrick Savage came in on Thursday when first baseman Garrett Cooper went down with back spasms. He played the rest of the series at first base and the offense did not miss a beat without Cooper. Savage hit two home runs and provided some clutch hitting. Self took the suspended Zach Alvord's spot in the lineup on Saturday and Sunday.  He played solid defense at third base, including taking a hard ground ball to his face. He also provided some offense with a few well-hit balls. 

Two-out offense -- After all of the frustrations and struggles that Auburn has had this year with two outs and with runners in scoring position, the Tigers did great in those situations this weekend.  Unofficially, Auburn was 7 of 10 with four RBIs when it had two outs. With runners in scoring position, Auburn was 10 of 19 against Arkansas. 

Clutch pitching -- Jon Luke Jacobs did his best Greg Maddux impression on Friday. He went eight strong innings and continued his successful season. Even though his pitching performance didn't make SportsCenter, he at least made the show by taking a pie to the face. Along with JLJ, Derek Varnadore and Justin Bryant also provided big performances. Varnadore relieved JLJ and picked up the win on Thursday. Bryant came in with the bases loaded on Saturday and got Arkansas' best hitter to pop up to get out of the inning and avoid further damage. 

WHAT WENT WRONG?

Situational baseball -- There were quite a few instances where Auburn had a hard time moving runners over. This Auburn team is not good enough to not play good situational baseball. There were instances of having runners on first and second with no one out and not being able to get both runners in scoring position. There were also times when there would be bases loaded or runners on second and third and the Tigers would only get one or zero runs. When Auburn is given those opportunities, the Tigers have to take advantage.

Off-field Issues -- For the second time in three weeks, an Auburn baseball player was suspended for a violation of team rules. In both cases, the suspended player has been a key part to the Tigers' line up. Zach Alvord was out of the lineup on Friday and Saturday, and with Self's play at third base this weekend, we'll be interested to see if Alvord is out there next week. 

Defense -- It is safe to say that Auburn could have left Fayetteville with three wins instead of two. The defense on Saturday was a letdown and led to the loss. By this time of the season, teams are who we think they are. Auburn is a bad defensive team. 

SERIES MVP

Patrick Savage, 1B -- Pat "Macho Man" Savage took advantage of his opportunity and had an outstanding series. He earns our MVP this week. Garrett Cooper is a big part of the Auburn offense, and Savage made sure that it did not miss a beat when Coop went down on Thursday.  In honor of Patrick's MVP, College and Magnolia staff member Everett Duke made up a graphical representation of the first baseman's weekend against Arkansas. 

UPDATED EXPECTATIONS

Going into the Arkansas series, most rational Auburn fans more than likely expected taking one game from the Razorbacks was the Tigers' best-case scenario. And if Auburn had left Fayetteville winless, it wouldn't have been much of a surprise. The fact that Auburn was able to take two of three on the road against a top 15 team shows just how good this team can be. The Tigers clinched their trip to Hoover, and with a couple of wins this week, they should wrap up a berth in an NCAA regional. Auburn still has problems, and the Tigers' inconsistency makes it hard to predict what they might be able to do in the postseason. Nevertheless, this weekend's series win proves that Auburn has the ability to surprise some people.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

The baseball team will be occupying Auburn all week as they play for SEC tournament seeding and look to pad their resume for an NCAA berth.  After this week, the playing fields on campus will go dark, so be sure to make it out and support our athletes.  Thanks to everyone who has read Home on the Plains this year and we look forward to having you back in August.  War Eagle! 

Monday, May 14^th 

Baseball vs. Florida A&M, Plainsman Park, 6:00 PM

Monday night is Fan Appreciation Night at Plainsman Park.  Admission is free and all seating will be general admission so get there early and enjoy the seat of your dreams.  We’ll still be up top watching from the parking deck, where it is also free, so feel free to join us up top as well.

Tuesday, May 15^th

Baseball vs. Jacksonville State, Plainsman Park, 6:00 PM

Tickets won’t be free for this one but they will be buy one, get one free.  This game was rained out earlier this year, but lucky for us, this in-state match up was rescheduled.  Come on out and support the tigers as they take on Jacksonville State.

Thursday, May 17^th

Baseball vs. Florida, Plainsman Park, 6:00 PM

ESPN will be at the ballpark so dress nicely and show the country what Auburn is all about.  This is a huge matchup, and winning the first game could go a long way in determining our post season fate.

Friday, May 18^th

Baseball vs. Florida, Plainsman Park, 6:00 PM

This will be the last Foursquare Friday of the season at the park. Be sure to check in via your smartphone for your chance to win a prize.

Saturday, May 19^th

Baseball vs. Florida, Plainsman Park, 1:00 PM

The final game of the season will be Senior Day at Plainsman Park. Make plans to arrive early as the 2012 senior class is honored at the game.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

1. South Carolina, 36-12/16-8, 59 (4) -- We were thinking the Gamecocks might never lose again, but they did drop one game to Arkansas. Still, Carolina won the series and has won 15 of its last 18 SEC games. This team looks like a national title contender once again.

2. LSU, 38-11/16-8, 53 (1) -- The Bayou Bengals picked up a big road series win over their hated rival, Ole Miss. LSU is now tied with South Carolina atop the league standings and also has the look of a team that could be Omaha-bound.

3. Kentucky, 37-11/15-9, 50 -- After playing incredible baseball for most of the season, Kentucky has now dropped two straight series to Vanderbilt and Florida. The Commodores are playing their best ball of the year, and the Gators are no pushovers, so Wildcat fans don't have much of a reason to panic.

4. Florida, 36-13/14-10, 47 -- Florida rebounded from the series loss to Arkansas by taking two of three from UK. The Gators aren't dead yet in the race for the regular-season SEC title.

5. Arkansas, 34-15/12-12, 41 -- Arkansas lost a tough series to South Carolina, but there's certainly no shame in that. The Razorbacks have proven this year that they have the talent to compete with anyone.

6. Mississippi State, 30-18/12-12, 32 -- The Cowbells started slowly in SEC play, but they're quietly climbing the conference ladder. State has now won three straight conference series and is at .500 in SEC play for the first time this season.

7. Ole Miss, 31-18/11-13, 29 -- The Rebels are trending in the opposite direction. Ole Miss has now lost four of its last five SEC series and is 6-9 in conference games over that stretch. A team that once looked destined to host an NCAA regional now is simply jockeying for position in Hoover.

8. Georgia, 28-20/12-12, 28 -- The Dawgs came away with a home sweep over Auburn, but we're not really sure how impressive that is. This team is good, but it's very inconsistent. Georgia will make the postseason, and it wouldn't surprise us if it made an early exit or put together a run to Omaha. The Bulldogs are that unpredictable.

9. Vanderbilt, 24-24/11-13, 20 -- As Vanderbilt struggled through much of the season, we couldn't understand how a team so talented could play so poorly. Well, the 'Dores have righted the ship. Vandy has won three of four conference series and should be a lock to make the SEC tournament. It was hard to see that being possible a month ago.

10. Auburn, 26-22/10-14, 16 -- Auburn promptly took all of its momentum from the sweep of Tennessee and threw it out the window by losing three in a row at Georgia. Barring a total disaster, the Tigers should hold on to the No. 10 and final SEC tournament slot. Then again, Auburn faces Arkansas and Florida to close out the regular season, so a total disaster is very possible.

11. Tennessee, 23-24/8-16, 10 -- Tennessee is 3-12 in its last 15 SEC games, but if the Vols can steal one of their final two series, they might be able to sneak into Hoover. If Auburn falls apart against the Hogs and Gators, Tennessee could make up the two-game difference in the standings.

12. Alabama, 18-30/7-17,5 -- 'Bama has shown a couple signs of life this season, but this team is just plain bad. Senior Taylor Dugas, who hit a walk-off home run against Auburn, has been the one bright spot in Tuscaloosa this spring.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Lutzenkirchen might seem like a hard name to pronounce at first, but eventually it will just roll right off the tongue.

 And Philip Lutzenkirchen is more than ok with it. Discoveries of the name have been entertaining to say the least, especially from the very beginning of his recruitment. 

"Growing up I have heard a lot of people butcher my name,” Lutzenkirchen said in an interview with Erik Smith of USA Today. “I've heard some funny stuff before; I've even heard 'lunch-and-kitchen' before. It's all good. I know it's a hard name to say so I don't think too much about it". 

One favorite discovery was that of CBS commentator, Verne Lundquist, who Lutzenkirchen believes might have some slight affection towards him. 

"I haven't seen any of the games, but my parents and buddies joke around that Verne has a man-crush on me," Lutzenkirchen said. 

Lutzenkirchen committed to Auburn in May 2008. He signed on with the expectation of playing under then head coach, Tommy Tuberville and his new "spread" offence. 7 months later, Tuberville and his staff (exempting Phillip Lolley) left the Auburn program. Suddenly, Lutzenkirchen had some things to think about. But those thoughts soon went away after he met Gene Chizik and arrived on the Plains.

Lutzenkirchen arrived at Auburn knowing what to expect. He began the season second on the depth chart behind senior Tommy Trott and didn't complain; he knew his time would come. Nevertheless, his freshman season wasn't exactly reticent -- he notched 66 total yards and even hauled in a few touchdown passes.

"Going back to my freshman year and being able to play and score a couple of touchdowns, I never even thought I would play my freshman year,” Lutzenkirchen said in an interview with Phillip Marshall of AuburnUndercover. “My sophomore year, getting all the way to Glendale and winning the national championship, playing such a role I did in that. I've just been blessed with so many opportunities.”

It’s no surprise that Lutzenkirchen crashed into the spotlight, and not just because of his play. His new pencil thin mustache caused quite a stir, which he managed to have some fun with. It became a frequent joke amongst his teammates, the media and the fans. Shortly afterward, teammates Brandon Mosely, Clint Mosely and Davis Hooper all followed suit. 

"He's going to come up with something. He's going to juice something. Now when I come to the games, I think people will start wearing the mustaches" teammate Jeffrey Whittaker said in an interview with WLTZ’s Jeremy Babin. 

In 2010, Lutzenkirchen established himself as one of the premier tight ends in college football. He made big plays on numerous occasions, including the famous game-winning touchdown in Bryant Denny Stadium which capped one of college football's most famous comebacks. It resulted in another brief moment of 'Lutziness' - an unusual dance celebration that he called a “a Riverdance or something,” at the time and that was later put to music, most memorably, "Teach Me How To Dougie."

“The Lutzie” soon became a cult classic, and shortly afterward, videos of Auburn fans performing the dance in their living rooms, kitchens, garages and even stores started popping up on the internet. It was a testament of his strong influence amongst the Auburn faithful. His intentional silliness was refreshing in a sports world full of crime, hatred and downright I'm-dead-serious-I-have-no-fun. Lutzenkirchen isn’t afraid to laugh at himself.

It’s not just silly things, though. Lutzenkirchen's influence and leadership is riveting. His teammates and coaches know all about it. 

His on field performances should not go unnoticed. He may not be the freak athlete that is increasingly common nowadays at the tight end position, but he knows how to get the job done, and that in itself is invaluable. The myth of Lutzenkirchen is real, and it's been proven numerous times - whether he's flipping over to finish a catch, grabbing the ball one handed out of the air, or running some of the cleanest routes you've ever seen. 

He'll risk everything for that extra yard, catch, or touchdown, a characteristic which is needed  but not frequently seen as much nowadays.

His sneakiness on the football field is uncanny; his knack to finding open space, create lanes and catch just about everything is a big reason why he'll be a valuable draft pick in 2013.

He'll likely go down as the best tight end in Auburn history, and for good reason. Lutzenkirkchen may not blow up the stat sheets, but his value to this team is inevitably high. He not only brings a hard-nosed playing style to the offence, but he provides intentional silliness, banter and positive vibes.

Lutzenkirchen will return to the team his senior season for his final encore, which will be invaluable for both the offence, and the team overall. And I'm certainly looking forward to it. 

"We're looking forward to Philip returning for his senior season," Gene Chizik said in an interview with Joel Erikson of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. "The success he's had at Auburn will help provide great leadership for our team in 2012."

----

*Editor's note: There may or may not be actual video evidence of at least one College and Magnolia staff member participating in the Lutzie dance craze. Maybe. 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

We almost didn't write this week's article. We were not able to produce a pitching scouting report last week, and look what happened.

Alas, we decided to mess with fate.

Auburn earned a big sweep last weekend against Tennessee to keep their NCAA and SEC tournament hopes alive. They will travel to Athens, Ga., this weekend, looking to keep the hot bats going.

The players had the entire week off due to finals. Other than those who will take summer classes, their concentration will be solely on baseball for the final stretch. Both teams are vying for the few remaining spots left in the SEC tournament, and both teams still have a shot at the NCAA tournament as well.

Here's who Auburn will be taking their hacks against and a look at their performances over the last two weeks:

Friday: LHP Alex Wood (5-1, 2.69)

Two weeks ago, Wood was the starter in the craziest SEC baseball game of the year. The game lasted 16 innings and approached the five hour mark. Wood pitched eight innings and had a quality start. He allowed two runs -- both of them earned. He fanned seven UF players and had four walks in those eight innings. Wood obviously did not get a decision in this game that UGA eventually lost.

Last week against LSU, Wood again pitched deep into the game. He pitched into the seventh inning after allowing some early scoring from LSU. The Tigers scored one in the first and two in the second inning. Those were the only earned runs he allowed. He struck out two and walked two in the outing. He had a 10/7 ground ball / fly out ratio.

Wood consistently pitches deep into the game for UGA and keeps the games close. Wood can get into trouble but it appears that he has the knack to get out of it thanks to timely defense by UGA.

Saturday: RHP Michael Palazzone (2-5, 5.40)

Palazzone was a highly touted recruit coming out of Lassiter High School in Marietta, Ga.  He was drafted in the 18th round by the hometown Atlanta Braves, but he chose to go play for UGA over the major leagues. He is now a senior and has been drafted each of the last two years. Michael was drafted by the Indians in the 32nd round in 2010 and by the Brewers in the 24th round in 2011.

Palazzone set the Bulldogs up for a series win when he had a quality start against Florida after UGA lost that Friday. He pitched 8 complete innings while the Gators could only manage six hits. He allowed three earned runs while striking out six and walking only one.  That win moved Pallazone into ninth place in UGA history with his 19th career win.

Against LSU last weekend, Palazzone got an early hook because of back spasms. He pitched four innings, giving up two runs in the first inning. He struck out two Tigers and did not issue any walks. We'll be interested to see how his back responds on Saturday.

Sunday: RHP Luke Crumley (1-2, 4.44)

Luke Crumley is a true freshman from Cleveland, Ga. According to Perfect Game USA, he was the number eight prep player in the state of Georgia last year.

Two weeks ago against UF, Crumley made his first career start and didn't stay on the hill long. He went three innings for UGA and faced twelve batters. He allowed a lead off home run to start the second inning, and that was the only run he allowed. He issued three walks and had zero strikeouts.

Coach Perno stretched Crumley out for one more inning last weekend against LSU. He lasted four innings.Typical of a freshman, he had some control issues again.  He walked four batters and struck out three while allowing five hits.

Auburn needs to be patient at the plate on Sunday and make the true freshman throw strikes. Runners are going to be put on base if the last two weeks are any indication. This will be his first home SEC start, so he will have some familiarity with his surroundings and will probably be a little more confident on the hill.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

While most students leave Auburn at the conclusion of finals on Friday, the softball team will begin hosting their final SEC series of the season.  Come see the girls as they polish off the regular season schedule and look to improve their seeding heading in to next week’s SEC tournament.  War Eagle! 

Friday, May 4^th

Softball vs. Mississippi State, Jane B. Moore Field, 6:00 PM

Friday night will be the “Strike Out Cancer” game at Jane B. Moore Field.  The first 250 fans will receive pink t-shirts.  Admission is free.

Saturday, May 5^th

Softball vs. Mississippi State, Jane B. Moore Field, 1:00 PM 

Cinco de Mayo at Jane B. Moore Field will be senior day.  Saturday will also be Parks & Rec team day.  Come on out and enjoy a hotdog and some sunshine.  Admission is free.

Sunday, May 6^th

Softball vs. Mississippi State, Jane B. Moore Field, 1:00 PM

Sunday will be the final home game of the 2012 season.  If you haven’t made it out to the ballpark yet, this is your last chance.  Admission is free.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Game 1: Auburn 12, Tennessee 5

Game 2: Auburn 12, Tennessee 3

Game 3: Auburn 11, Tennessee 4

Now, that's the Auburn baseball team we've been looking for. After losing eight of nine SEC games and plummeting to a tie for ninth place in the conference, the Tigers came out and throttled Tennessee three consecutive days to claim a much-needed sweep. Just when it looked like Auburn's season was going off the rails, John Pawlowski's team pulled it together and put itself in much better position to advance to postseason play. Almost all of the problems Auburn had been having over the last three weeks seemed to disappear this weekend, and the Tigers once again looked like a team that could beat any team on any given day. In fact, it's no surprise that Auburn's first sweep of 2012 was easily its best three-game performance this year.

WHAT WENT RIGHT?

The offense woke up in a big way -- It would be a bit of an understatement to say that Auburn had been struggling to push runs across during its abysmal three-week stretch. The line-up was shuffled, different players were given some at-bats, and nothing seemed to work. It's safe to say that the adjustments made before this series paid off in a big way. Auburn outscored Tennessee 35-12 in the series, with the 35 runs nearly equaling the 37 the Tigers scored against Alabama, Vanderbilt and South Carolina combined. The Auburn bats were able to explode for two main reasons ...

The return of clutch hitting -- The first reason the Tigers were able to virtually score at will against the Vols was because their ability to pick up timely hits returned after nearly a month's hiatus. In two-out situations, Auburn scored 17 runs, nearly half its total for the weekend. And in the final three innings, the Tigers scored 12 times. Producing in those two situations was a big reason why Auburn was able to get off to a hot start in SEC play, and the lack of production played a major role in the Tigers' recent skid. It's nice to see the offense back on the upswing. 

A change in strategy: less small-ball -- The second big reason for Auburn's offensive success was a change of the offensive attack. We don't have a problem with small ball. It's certainly a proven strategy, and it has its place. The problem for Pawlowski and Auburn was that small-ball had become too big a part of the offensive game plan. Frankly, Auburn was giving away too many outs, and taking the bat out of too many good hitters' hands. Against Tennessee, Pawlowski eased off the "get 'em on, get 'em over, get 'em in" strategy and let his hitters swing away. The result: 19 extra-base hits that helped lead to the aforementioned 35 runs. At certain times, it looked like Auburn had found a stash of the old, pre-2011 aluminum bats.

Sound defensive play -- Auburn's biggest problem all season has been its performance in the field. Errors and unearned runs have plagued the Tigers and cost the team multiple wins. That didn't happen against the Vols. Auburn committed two errors over the weekend that led to two unearned runs. Playing defense that well is the single biggest thing Auburn can do improve its prospects of winning as the season winds down.

Derek Varnadore, bullpen specialist -- Since picking up an Opening Day win with an 11-strikeout performance, the Varnasaur had been struggling mightily in his Friday starting role. After his last start against South Carolina on April 20, he still had only one win, and his ERA had ballooned to 6.02. Pawlowski gave Varney a shot out of the bullpen in the midweek game against Troy, and his solid pitching led to the same plan against Tennessee. Varnadore responded incredibly well and picked up a win on Friday and a save on Sunday. His line for the weekend was five innings, one hit, zero runs, one walk and four strikeouts. The entire staff had a solid weekend, but Varnadore was the star.

WHAT WENT WRONG?

Trey Cochran-Gill might not be ready for prime time -- Cochran-Gill has been given a few of recent midweek starts, and the freshman has looked good. But against an SEC opponent Sunday, he ran into trouble pretty quickly. The Vols teed off on the young righty and scored three runs on three hits and a walk in 1 2/3 innings. With Varnadore now in the bullpen, Cochran-Gill will likely get more weekend starts. He needs to make some improvement before he can be an asset to the Tigers' weekend pitching staff.

SERIES MVP

Cullen Wacker, LF -- This award really could go to a number of different Tigers. Varnadore, catcher Blake Austin, third baseman Zach Alvord and right fielder Jay Gonzalez all had great weekends and deserve mention, but Wacker was playing on a completely different level. The left fielder was benched on Friday due to a violation of team rules. If you follow Wacker on twitter, you likely saw some recent tweets criticizing Auburn coaching which made the suspension not all that surprising. Who knows if Wacker and Pawlowski now see eye to eye or if Wacker was just taking out his frustrations against Tennessee. Whatever the inspiration, it worked. In two games, he was 7 of 9 with six runs scored and two RBIs. In addition to his impressive hitting, Wacker made a couple of great plays in the field to keep Tennessee runs off the board. It's tough to play much better than Wacker did on Saturday and Sunday.

UPDATED EXPECTATIONS

As badly as Auburn was reeling going into the weekend, the Tigers absolutely had to win the series and probably needed to find a way to sweep Tennessee. Well, ask and ye shall receive. With the three wins, Auburn jumped from a tie for ninth in the SEC to a tie for sixth with Ole Miss and Mississippi State, two teams against which Auburn holds the tiebreaker. The Vols aren't a great team, so it's a stretch to expect the same type of output going into Amen Corner against Georgia, Arkansas and Florida. Nevertheless, it's encouraging to see that Auburn has remembered how to play winning baseball after playing so poorly against the dregs of the conference earlier this month. There's still plenty of work to be done before Auburn can feel good about a tournament berth, and it begins next weekend in Athens. But after winning three SEC games in convincing fashion, Auburn should be able to put together enough wins to make it to Hoover. If the Tigers can win the series against Georgia, we'll start to feel pretty good about their chances of making it to an NCAA regional.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Gus Malzahn has taken the Tiger Prowl recruiting tool to Arkansas State and renamed it the A-State Ambush. The secondary NCAA violations can't be too far away.

Auburn basketball hosted two recruits over the A-Day weekend, but it appears that both have signed with other schools. Back to the drawing board for Tony Barbee.

Offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler tried to explain his philosophy and shed some light on what Auburn's 2012 offense might look like in a recent Q and A.

In case you missed it, the Auburn Villager reports that residents of the Loveliest Village enjoy higher satisfaction than the national average. No surprise there.

In a ranking of the SEC's offensive guards, Auburn's John Sullen checks in at No. 11. 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Gene Chizik answered a few questions at this morning's SEC coaches' teleconference and said that he believes Auburn is closer to having an offensive identity. He also likes the strides that quarterback Kiehl Frazier has made. Related: If Frazier is healthy and isn't the starter against Clemson, we'll be stunned.

Chizik believes the Clemson game will be a great test for this Auburn team. Frankly, if the offense can't put up some solid numbers against a defense that gave up 70 in its last game, we should consider it a major failure.

Chizik's decision to introduce NFL verbiage into his team's offensive and defensive schemes was a smart one.

The Auburn staff is making a hard push for 4-star tight end and Alabama commit O.J. Howard, which is just despicable, right Nick Saban?

For any Auburn fans hoping the Tigers will break out orange jerseys at some point in time, we hope this photo changes your mind.

Mississippi State will be wearing white alternate uniforms for its game against Texas A&M on Nov. 8. State is an Adidas school now, and because it was a Nike school at the time that it wore the uniform inspiring the alternates, the Bulldogs won't be able to use the helmet logo from that uniform. Apparently, Nike claims ownership of that logo. This is a prime example of why a school shouldn't get too cozy with any uniform supplier.

No. 128 in Barrett Salee's countdown of the SEC's best players going into 2012 is none other than Auburn offensive lineman Chad Slade.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

1. Kentucky, 35-6/13-5, 59 (4) -- Took another impressive series win, this time over LSU. The 'Cats have pretty much solidified themselves as the SEC's best team.

2. LSU, 32-9/12-6, 54 -- No shame in losing the series to Kentucky. LSU still looks like a major contender for the SEC championship in Hoover. 

3. Florida, 31-9/11-7, 51 (1) -- The Gators bounced back with a nice series win over a good Georgia team. A tough test against Arkansas this week will give Florida another chance to impress.

4. South Carolina, 30-11/11-7, 45 -- Carolina went to the Plains and swept Auburn with relative ease. All of a sudden, this team is looking like a championship contender.

5. Arkansas, 28-12/9-9, 38 -- The Hogs are talented, but they're struggling a bit having dropped three of four series. Things don't get any easier with upcoming matchups against Florida, Missouri (out of conference) and South Carolina.

6. Ole Miss, 27-13/9-9, 36 -- Have been playing pretty well lately and won two of three against Arkansas. Don't sleep on this team.

7. Georgia, 24-17/8-10, 28 -- If not for a bizarre 16-inning loss to Florida on Friday night, the Dawgs could have taken the series from the Gators. Georgia has proven itself to be one of the SEC's better teams, but it's also one of the most inconsistent.

8. Mississippi State, 24-16/8-10, 26 -- The Cowbells inserted themselves back into SEC tourney discussion with a sweep of Tennessee. State hosts Ole Miss in a huge series this weekend.

9. Tennessee, 22-18/7-11, 21 -- Getting swept by State really put the Vols in a bind. Tennessee travels to Auburn this weekend, and it's unlikely the loser of that series will make it to Hoover.

10. Alabama, 16-25/6-12, 14 -- In the SEC's pillow fight of the week, the Tide took two of three from Vandy and nearly came away with the sweep. 'Bama should come back to Earth this week with a trip to South Carolina.

11. Vanderbilt, 18-22/7-11, 12 -- The Commodores proved the series win over Auburn was a fluke, which makes it hurt even more. Vandy hosts Kentucky this weekend, so don't expect the 'Dores to vault up the standings anytime soon. 

12. Auburn, 21-19/7-11, 6 -- It's been a fast and hard fall for the Tigers, who have now lost eight of nine SEC games. Tennessee comes to town this weekend for the definition of a must-win series. With 'Bama and Vandy playing two of the SEC's best teams, a good showing against the Vols could give Auburn some breathing room in the race for the conference tournament.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Baseball is a funny game. Three weeks ago, I would have said that Auburn has a legitimate shot at hosting a regional for the second time in three years. Base hits were finding their way through holes, pitchers were getting more calls, and everything was falling into place for Auburn to win games. Things changed quickly. Even at that point, it was obvious that this Auburn team had some shortcomings on defense. The only difference is that they were getting more clutch pitching and hitting to mask those shortcomings. The perfect example: When the bases were loaded on Friday in the first inning, Justin Bryant hit a bullet to the shortstop that resulted in a double play. Those were the type of hits that were falling when Auburn was playing winning baseball. 

Baseball always has a way of evening things out because it is such a long season. Right now, Auburn is playing like the "experts" thought it would. Auburn was believed to finish last in the SEC Western division, and the Tigers are playing like a last-place team right now. 

On the radio broadcast Sunday, Rod Bramblett gave an interesting statistic. He said that in Auburn's last 100 official at-bats, it had only had back-to-back hits twice. That was an eye-opener. That probably has a lot to do with the top of the lineup not producing like it once was.  Once Jay Gonzalez and Creede Simpson went into a slump, coach John Pawlowski inserted Dan Glevenyak at the top of the lineup. I can understand Pawlowski's move to create some offense by shuffling the lineup, but I really liked having Gonzalez at the top of the lineup followed by Creede.  There is a lot of speed there with Gonzalez and a speed/power combo behind him with Simpson. The SEC schedule is too short to allow players to get out of an extended slump, though. 

Along with the top of the lineup not producing, the starting pitching has not been what it was during the first three SEC series, either. It was a bit of a surprise last year when Derek Varnadore announced he was coming back after being drafted by the Florida Marlins in the seventeenth round. He has not had his same command this year that he had last year. That has led to him only recording one win and an ERA north of five. It's hard to win series when you get into a hole on Friday. It should be interesting in the next couple of weeks to see if he remains the Friday starter. Many people were expecting Saturday to be the weak spot in the pitching rotation once Will Kendall was hurt. It turns out that Jon Luke Jacobs has been our most reliable starter the past two weeks. He did a great job on Saturday and kept Auburn close enough to win the ball game. 

The first inning on Friday and Sunday were as frustrating as it gets when watching Auburn baseball. On Sunday, inexcusable defensive lapses cost Auburn four runs when Daniel Koger should have been out of the inning without being scored on. Those four runs were the difference as Auburn lost 11-7 in what was their first "must win" game of the season. It was fundamental errors like staying down on a ground ball or getting in front of the ball instead of going for the backhand play that led to the unearned runs. College baseball players in the SEC should not be having fundamental errors. Is that coaching? I am sure that Coach P teaches the correct way and stresses the fundamentals. The players are not executing right now. 

Unfortunately, I think the real Auburn team is much closer to the team that it is playing like right now than the one that it was playing like in the first three SEC series. Can the Tigers still salvage the season? I think so. The Tennessee and UGA series in the next two weeks are must-wins.  The Tennessee series may be a must-sweep. It can be argued that it may be better for Auburn's NCAA chances if the Tigers do not make the SEC tournament. I disagree with that because I don't see more than eight teams reaching the NCAA tournament from the SEC. If Auburn is not in the top ten in their own conference, then it should not make the NCAA tournament. Auburn needs to make the SEC tournament and win a game, if not two. Regardless, it will be an interesting ride the rest of the way. 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

This weekend, Auburn will only be hosting baseball on campus.  The weather should creep back up to the 80s and can hopefully heat up the Tigers’ play.  If you’re in town, be sure to join us at Plainsman Park.  War Eagle!

Friday, April 27^th

Baseball vs. Tennessee, Plainsman Park, 6:00 PM

Alabama’s biggest rival comes to town for the first game of this SEC series.  As always, it will be Foursquare Friday at the park so be sure to check in via your phone for your chance to win a prize.  Don’t forget to tweet @AUTigerBaseball your song requests and let them know how much you appreciate #7thInningSeger.

Saturday, April 28^th  

Baseball vs. Tennessee, Plainsman Park, 3:00 PM

Saturday will be the annual Military Appreciation Day at Plainsman Park. The first 1,000 fans will be getting the awesome koozies seen below, courtesy of Golden Flake.

Sunday, April 29^th

Baseball vs. Tennessee, Plainsman Park, 1:00 PM

It will be family day at the park, so anyone who orders tickets online can use the promo code “FAMILY” to get one ticket free with the purchase of three.  Following the game, fans 12 and under can run the bases.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Game 1: South Carolina 12, Auburn 5

Game 2: South Carolina 5, Auburn 3

Game 3: South Carolina 11, Auburn 7

Three weeks ago, Auburn was coming off its third consecutive series win to open SEC play. The Tigers were 6-3 in the conference, putting them in a tie for first in the West and a tie for second in the conference. Considering that many before the season picked Auburn to finish the season near the bottom of the conference, the Tigers' achievements to that point were quite a surprise. The 2012 campaign was supposed to be a rebuilding season on the Plains, but John Pawlowski's players had proved that they were up to the task of competing with the SEC's best.

Fast forward three weeks, and Auburn's season isn't looking so rosy. South Carolina came to town over the weekend and promptly swept the Tigers, sending Pawlowski's team to its eighth loss in nine conference games. The team that was tied for first in the SEC West three weeks ago is now tied with three other teams for ninth in the conference. A season that appeared to be reaching incredible heights has come crashing back to earth. Not only did the Gamecocks sweep the Tigers, but there was never much doubt in the outcome of any games in the series. In key situations, Carolina out-hit and out-pitched Auburn and was vastly superior in the field. For a team that had struggled earlier in the year, the two-time defending national champions sure looked like their old selves at Plainsman Park.

Now, it's gut-check time for Auburn. If the Tigers reach the SEC Tournament, they need nine more regular-season wins to ensure a winning record and NCAA postseason eligibility after their trip to Hoover. With a midweek game at Troy and Tennessee coming to town this weekend, the time to turn the season around is now. 

WHAT WENT RIGHT?

Jon Luke Jacobs -- When Will Kendall was lost for the year with an elbow injury, Auburn suddenly found itself without the services of its best pitcher. Whoever was going to fill in for Kendall needed to step up and pitch well. Jacobs has done just that. He fell apart and allowed four runs in the sixth on Saturday, but before that, Jacobs was working on a one-hit shut out. In two weekend starts for Auburn, Jacobs has a 3.75 ERA and has given up just six hits in 12 innings. If he can cut down on the walks, Jacobs has the potential to be just as good as Kendall in the Saturday role.

Garrett Cooper is heating up -- Entering last week, Cooper was hitting .301 for the season. After going on a tear in five games against Troy, Alabama A&M and Carolina, the first baseman's average is up to .354. Against Gamecock pitching, Coop was 6 for 11 with a homer, three RBIs and two runs scored. Cooper staying hot at the plate would go a long way toward helping Auburn find a way to win again.

Auburn keeps fighting at the plate -- The one thing you can't say about Auburn during this tough stretch is that the team has just given up. The Tigers' bats didn't get off to very good starts against Carolina, but they certainly didn't just waive the white flag when the Gamecocks had taken control. After falling down 11-0 by the fifth inning on Friday, Auburn rallied to score five runs. And when Carolina took an 8-1 lead going into the bottom of the fifth on Sunday, the Tigers managed to score six more runs and, down 11-7 in the bottom of the ninth, had the bases loaded and three runs in before bowing out. The only way Auburn can bounce back from the last three abysmal SEC weekends is by staying mentally tough and forgetting about the hole the Tigers have dug for themselves. It's nice to see this team apparently has that capability.

WHAT WENT WRONG?

Defense, defense, defense -- The Tigers' play in the field has been a problem all year, and it was certainly no exception against Carolina. Against the Gamecocks, Auburn committed eight errors that led to eight unearned runs. At this point in the year, that is absolutely inexcusable. There is no way a team can win if it consistently plays defense that poorly. A team as talented as South Carolina doesn't need any extra chances to beat you. The Gamecocks are good enough to win on their own. If they are given so many extra chances and free runs, they'll dominate. That's what happened against Auburn. Pawlowski has to find a way to get it through his players' heads that they are playing big-time college baseball and are far too talented to be booting the ball around. That's the No. 1 thing that has to happen if Auburn is going to right the ship.

Pitching -- Auburn's pitchers have to be given a little bit of slack. It's tough to get outs when your defense is letting you down. Nevertheless, the Tigers on the mound were a let down against Carolina, too. Jacobs had a gutty performance and kept Auburn in it on Saturday, but Derek Varnadore and Daniel Koger had disastrous outings on Friday and Sunday. The two combined for a 12.27 ERA in 7.1 innings. The bullpen was much better -- 3.95 ERA in 13.2 innings -- but giving up three earned runs on Sunday really hurt Auburn's comeback chances.

Ryan Tella is cooling off -- As hot as Cooper was last week at the plate, Tella was just as cool. The center fielder entered the week batting .404, and after four hits in 14 at-bats and zero RBIs against Carolina, his average has dropped to .385. That's still a mighty fine batting average, but it's trending in the wrong direction. Tella is Auburn's best hitter and has been the catalyst for many of the Tigers' rallies throughout the year. Hopefully, this was just a bad week for Tella and he'll be hitting at a Ted Williams clip again in no time.

Little production from the leadoff spot -- The leadoff man basically has one job: Get on base and set up the rest of the offense. Dan Glevenyak wasn't able to do that vs. the Gamecocks. Yak was 3 for 13, which just isn't good enough. To make matters worse, the short stop left the bat on his shoulder and took a called third strike as the tying run to end the game on Sunday. In six SEC games at the top of Auburn's order, Yak is 6 for 24. As much as Pawlowski has been tinkering with the lineup, it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see right fielder Jay Gonzalez -- or someone else -- move into the leadoff role.

SERIES MVP

Garrett Cooper, 1B -- Cooper's performance was one of the very few bright spots in an otherwise dismal weekend. He has the size to be a big hitter for Auburn, and it looks like he's really found his stroke. Auburn needs Coop to stay hot this week and knock the ball all over the yard against Troy and Tennessee.

UPDATED EXPECTATIONS

Let's be honest, Auburn's postseason prospects aren't looking very good right now. The top 10 teams in the SEC make it to Hoover this season, and right now, Auburn is tied with Tennessee and Vanderbilt at 7-11 for ninth in the SEC. Alabama, sitting in the conference cellar, is just one game back at 6-10. Auburn already is at a tiebreaker disadvantage with the 'Dores and Tide, so the Tigers really need to take the series from Tennessee to gain an upper leg on the Vols. Auburn still has to play at Georgia and Arkansas and host Florida, so if they lose the series against Tennessee, it's hard to imagine the Tigers overcoming two teams the hold a tiebreaker advantage and making the SEC tourney. Now, whether or not making it to Hoover is a good thing is up for debate. Yes, missing out on the tournament is a big disappointment. But if Auburn goes into the event one or two games over .500 and is eliminated with an 0-2 record, the Tigers will be ineligible for the NCAA Tournament. Even if Auburn misses out on Hoover, the Tigers will likely make the NCAA field with a winning record thanks to playing in the nation's toughest conference. Obviously, the ideal situation would be for Auburn to get back on track, make it to the SEC tourney and be in position to make the NCAAs even with an 0-2 performance in Hoover. Unfortunately, Auburn is playing its worst baseball with the toughest portion of its schedule right around the corner. That being the case, it looks doubtful that the Tigers will be playing any sort of postseason baseball.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Auburn shot a final-round 313, which tied for the low round of the day, and held off Arkansas to win its second straight SEC women's golf championship and third in four years. The Tigers shot 916 for the three-day event, besting the Razorbacks by a single stroke. Alabama placed third, six shots back from the Tigers. Auburn made its big move in Round 2 on Saturday, shooting 297 to take the lead in Fayetteville, Ark. The win clinches an automatic berth for the NCAA Championships for the fifth-ranked Tigers.

Senior Patricia Sanz became the sixth Auburn golfer and first since 2006 to win the individual SEC women's title. Sanz shot a three-over 219 for the tournament and carded a five-over 77 in the final round to edge Vanderbilt's Mariana Alex by one stroke. Auburn's Victoria Trapani also earned a top ten finish, shooting 229 to tie for eighth with Alabama's Jennifer Kirby, Georgia's Rocio Sanchez Lobato and Vanderbilt's Lauren Stratton.

The No. 3 Auburn men's team shot 834 over three rounds to place second at the SEC Tournament in St. Simons Island, Ga., six strokes behind champion Alabama. The Tigers' final-round 277 was the low score of the day on Sunday. Blayne Barber led the Tigers, tying for third place with Florida's Tyler McCumber and TJ Vogel in the individual competition. Barber was three shots behind Alabama's Justin Thomas, who won the individual title. Auburn will wait on the NCAA selection committee to determine its postseason fate, but it will be a surprise if the Tigers don't land in the postseason field.

Women's Team Results

1. Auburn -- 916

2. Arkansas -- 917

3. Alabama -- 922

4. Florida -- 925

5. Georgia -- 933

6. South Carolina -- 936

7. LSU -- 937

8. Vanderbilt -- 940

9. Kentucky -- 946

10. Ole Miss -- 950

11. Tennessee -- 951

12. Mississippi State -- 974

Men's Team Results

1. Alabama -- 828

2. Auburn -- 834

3. Florida -- 841

4. Georgia -- 850

5. Arkansas -- 855

6. Ole Miss -- 857

7. Kentucky -- 866

8. Tennessee -- 868

9. Vanderbilt -- 869

10. South Carolina -- 871

11. LSU -- 877

12. Mississippi State -- 879

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

The Auburn men's and women's golf teams begin their quests for postseason honors today at the SEC Championships. The No. 3-ranked men tee off at St. Simons Island, Ga., while the fifth-ranked women play at Fayetteville, Ark.

The slumping Auburn baseball team begins a crucial three-game series at home today against South Carolina. The Tigers need to find a way to get back on track after two miserable weekends in Tuscaloosa and Nashville.

South Carolina fans are worried about their Friday starter, who has a 2.55 ERA. If a guy with a 2.55 ERA is a concern for the Gamecocks, Auburn could be in for a tough weekend.

Auburn softball, losers of 15 of 18, hosts Arkansas this weekend in a series that could determine whether or not the Tigers reach the SEC Tournament. Auburn is currently in eighth place in the SEC standings, and the Hogs are one game back. The top eight conference teams advance to tournament play.

Looking for a photo of the newest edition of the Auburn cheerleading squad? Here you go.

The Auburn men's tennis team picked up a first-round win over South Carolina in the SEC Tournament on Thursday before falling to Georgia this morning. Women's tennis bowed out in the first round of the tournament, losing to Tennessee.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Pat Summitt, one of the true legends in all of coaching, stepped down as head of the Tennessee women's basketball program on Wednesday to focus her attention on fighting Alzheimer's Disease. We felt that some words needed to be written on Summitt's great career, but as a bunch of Auburn fans, we didn't know where to start. Thankfully, Volunteer partisan Ryan McBee was kind enough to offer his take on Summitt in this guest column. 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Auburn will have its hands full this weekend with the two-time defending national champions rolling into town. South Carolina will bring their usual boatload of future MLB talent this weekend.  After a slow start in SEC play, the Gamecocks have won three straight series. As we know, Auburn is in the exact opposite situation. The Tigers will be trying to win their first SEC series in three weeks.

Friday: Michael Roth (3-0 2.55 ERA)

It seems like Roth has been pitching for the Gamecocks for ten years, and we're sure the rest of the SEC feels the same way. 

Two weeks ago against Tennessee, Roth had a quality start.  He pitched into the seventh inning and allowed three earned runs to give South Carolina a chance to win the game. The Gamecocks could not capitalize, however, as they lost to Tennessee in the series opener.  Roth had a heavy ball that game which led to eleven ground ball outs. Roth did not strike out any Volunteers and had zero walks. 

Last week against Mississippi State, Roth took a no-hitter into the fifth inning but gave up a home run. After he gave up the no hitter, things unraveled a bit. Roth allowed five earned runs and issued three walks, which is uncharacteristic for Roth. He retired two Bulldogs via strikeout. 

Saturday: Jordan Montgomery (3-0, 2.40 ERA)

Last week, Montgomery gave South Carolina another quality start, throwing 6.1 innings and allowing five hits and one earned run. He had good command and only walked two batters.  Are we sure this guy is a freshman?

Sunday: Colby Holmes (5-0, 2.87 ERA)

Things do not get any easier on Sunday with Holmes pitching for South Carolina. Against Tennessee two weeks ago, Holmes helped the Gamecocks clinch their weekend series with a fantastic effort. He threw seven innings and only gave up four hits. The only run against Holmes came from a solo homer in the seventh inning. He did not give up any free passes to the Vols, which is the way you are supposed to pitch with a lead like South Carolina had.

The Gamecocks were going for their first SEC sweep of the year and called on Holmes to deliver it for them last week. All he did was pitch into the ninth inning. Carolina tried to give him the complete game, but after two hits to lead off the inning, the Gamecocks called on the bullpen to close it out. Mississippi State was able to find a way to tag Holmes for four earned runs, but it appears he never allowed a big inning. Holmes struck out three batters, walked none and threw exactly one hundred pitches. 

Analysis

South Carolina shows why it's back to back national champions with its pitching rotation. The Gamecocks issue very few walks, so Auburn should go to the plate ready to swing. If the Tigers want to have a chance to redeem themselves after the last two weeks, they must capitalize when given the opportunity. Doing the small things and playing A-B-C baseball can be the difference when facing a team the caliber of South Carolina.  We would like to see Auburn return to the team that was built on speed and put some pressure on the defense by attempting to steal more bases. 

We will be keeping a close eye on outfielder/designated hitter Bobby Andrews and seeing if his performance the last two games was due to who Auburn was playing or if he has really turned it around. Andrews has great speed that can really impact a game, especially against a team like Carolina.  

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Dee Liner, the top prospect in Auburn's 2013 recruiting class and best-named defensive lineman ever -- recently took a visit to Tuscaloosa. Fear not, Liner assures Auburn fans that he is still firmly committed to the Tigers.

After taking a look at a projected football depth chart, we can't help but feel pretty good about most areas going into the fall. The one exception: linebacker. Auburn desperately needs someone to have a breakout year at that position.

What can we take away from Auburn's spring practice? If you ask Gene Chizik, nothing. You shouldn't pay attention to A-Day's stats, reps or anything else. But if you must deduce something from the last two weeks, know that Auburn's practices felt more like NFL practices and no one's job is safe.

No matter what you take away from spring practice, lingering questions certainly remain.

Cam Newton has made it all the way to the final of the Madden Cover Bracket. Cam now faces Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson, and the winner earns a spot on the Madden 13 cover.

We've seen SEC teams ranked based on traditions, uniforms, stadiums, etc. It only makes sense to rank them based on their fan bases' sanity levels. Comparing Auburn to Pete Campbell makes plenty of sense. We're successful, but we want so much more, and that tends to drive us over the edge.

Despite a dismal weekend in Nashville, Auburn baseball didn't suffer too much in the stats department. The wins-and-losses department? That's another story.

For the third time this year, men's track and field standout Harry Adams has been named SEC runner of the week. 

LSU has released artist renderings of its proposed stadium expansion, which would increase capacity to more than 100,000. The thought of 100,000 fans in Tiger Stadium is absolutely terrifying. 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »