I wrote the following and posted it to Facebook over two years ago (Jan. 9, 2009). Re-reading it made me realize how well this "new" staff has met my expectations as an Auburn fan of some 50 years. It was previously entitled "Welcome New Auburn Staff":
Now that Gene Chizik's new football staff at Auburn is practically complete and all in place, I'd like to welcome them to the Plains and give them a few pointers that will make life easier for all. For those who have worked at Auburn before these are mere reminders. For those new to the staff, these are the basics - the requirements of the job.
For starters, Auburn's reputation and tradition is smashmouth. So any talk of a new spread offense (that may or may not be a spread) needs to be tempered with the realization that the offense needs to be able to pick up a yard at the goal line or on fourth down by running the ball right down the esophagus of the opponent. Auburn fans won't stand for less. The defense also needs to be smashmouth. It's expected on both sides of the ball...
Having said that, if you wanna pass the ball like Utah did against Alabama, that's okay. Alabama didn't seem to have an answer for Utah's offense, so the spread offense can't be all bad. And speaking of Alabama, that's a must-win on the schedule. You can lose to other teams and it won't matter as much (don't lose too many though), but you HAVE to beat Alabama. Every year. Or it could cost you your job. Tommy Tuberville was 7-3 against Auburn's cross-state rivals. The second time he lost to them (about eight years ago), there was a little plane ride to Clarksville, Ind., and an attempt to hire the Louisville coach to replace him. That failed. Then he caught on and beat Alabama six years in a row. The next time he lost to them, this past season, he "resigned" and there was an opening for you...
Let me re-emphasize: You HAVE to beat Alabama. Auburn fans live with Alabama fans 365 days a year - some in the same household (these are referred to as mixed marriages). So the Iron Bowl (dubbed that by former Auburn coach Shug Jordan when THE GAME was played in Birmingham every year) is a topic of discussion every day. All year long. It's called braggin' rights. But, as Frank Broyles once commented while covering the game for TV, "It's not a matter of life and death. It's more important than that." The Auburn family doesn't want to beat Alabama just on the field. It would be nice to beat them in recruiting too.
Which brings me to my next point. It's NOT the Auburn nation. It IS the Auburn family. Nation is so impersonal. And pertinent to other schools. Auburn is family. Always has been.
You may wonder, what does "War Eagle" mean? It's what Auburn fans shout when the ball is kicked off. It's what Auburn fans chant when the mascot is circling the field in an emotional pre-game ceremony. It's what Auburn fans say to each other as a greeting, whether in Auburn or in an airport in Tokyo. You see an Auburn t-shirt on another family member and there's an instant connection. There are many legends, but the one I believe says that a young man came across a wounded eagle at a civil war battlefield. The eagle appeared to be the only survivor. He nursed the eagle back to health, and later became a professor at Auburn. During Auburn's first football game against Georgia, in 1892, the professor was in the stands with his eagle when it broke free. The students, who recognized the old eagle, chanted "War Eagle" as it circled the field while Auburn marched its way to the game-winning score. The eagle then collapsed and died, having given all its effort in ultimate victory.
There's also the Auburn creed, which you'll need to learn. It ends by saying, "I believe in Auburn, and love it."
The bottom line is you're expected to win. Don't ever cheat, but win. Now. Auburn has the talent. The talent needs you - coaching. As much as you don't want to lose to Alabama, don't ever lose to Vanderbilt. Auburn had never lost to Vanderbilt in my lifetime, and I'm 52, until this year. Had Auburn been able to score from the 1-yard-line against Vandy, that streak would be intact and Auburn would've gone to a bowl. You'd probably still be coaching somewhere else. Don't EVER lose to Vandy. And don't forget, every recruit you sign, every preparation you make, during the season and in the off-season, needs to be something that will help Auburn beat Alabama. It's time to get another streak going there...
Hope this helps in your transition. Do these things and you will be an Auburn man.
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