ALERT: 24 Missed Tackles Tell Auburn’s ENTIRE Story | Auburn Podcast

Mike G (0:00)

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C-Dub (0:54)

I don't know if you watched any more of the game or if you thought more, obviously you thought more about it, but let us know how you're feeling, man.

Mike G (1:06)

I'm upset.

Ike Jones (1:08)

Um, I think disappointment is really the only word that I have, man.

Lance (1:15)

Disappointed because the thing that I thought you could count on the most is what failed the most.

I didn't expect miracles from the offense in gear one. I thought the offense actually did okay. Wasn't great, wasn't terrible, it was just okay. And you definitely did well enough offensively to be able to win the football game. I'm not even talking about points or any of that stuff. I'm just talking about just from the scheme and the, even with the offensive line not being great, even with Byron Brown not being amazing, you did enough to be able to win the football game. My issue today is gonna largely be about the defense. Of course, I hate the overreaction that's happening from a lot of people after the third game of the season, but I understand it. A lot of the people who are mad today were never really gonna be happy with Auburn this season unless they went out there and won this game. This was always gonna be a toss up football game, so losing a game that you weren't fully expected to win, that's not where my upset is at. It's the fact that I looked at the PFF numbers this morning just to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me.

24 missed tackles on defense. 24, just not, you're not gonna win a lot of football teams. Again, and this is not to take anything away from Florida and how talented they are in the skill positions, but 24 missed tackles.

The number of times I had to tweet last night that Auburn was in a third and long scenario and then subsequently gave up a big play is too many. It's just too many times. Like you just can't be that bad. And then expect to win football games. Missing tackles and the inability to get off the field is what also lost Auburn this game. We can have as many conversations as we want to about quarterback play calling offensive line. You do not win football games if you can't stop. This was the thing you're supposed to be able to do is stop other teams from... Forget stopping other teams from gaining...

Ike Jones (3:51)

Stop them from putting the freaking ball in the end zone.

Lance (3:53)

You didn't do it.

Ike Jones (3:54)

You forced one punt the whole freaking night. Just not going to get it done.

Lance (4:03)

I just don't have, there's no like, we can talk, oh, scheme and blah, man, tackle somebody. That's not a scheme issue. Tackling is not schematic.

I just, I don't know what to say about the inability to be where you're supposed to be, or you get there and you don't make the play. This is like a 180 from the game saving tackle that you make versus Baylor at the end. It's a complete abstraction from that. I don't get it. I don't know what's got to change in that regard in order for Auburn to win football games, but you're not going to win a lot of games and you're not doing that.

C-Dub (4:57)

So, Ike, Lance, Mike.

Mike G (5:01)

All valid.

The more I rewatch the game, because I got home and couldn't sleep, the less empathy I had for the defense. So, there's nothing I'm going to say about the defense.

C-Dub (5:13)

You had empathy to start with.

Mike G (5:16)

I always have empathy for them because they've been carrying Auburn for a really, really long time. And we've won games where the defense has carried us and the offense has struggled. What we have not seen is a game where the defense has struggled and the offense has picked up the slack when they needed to. So again, nothing I'm going to say about the defense that I can already say. My frustration still lies with the offensive struggles. It lies with the play of this offensive line. It currently lies with quarterback play. And it lies with how I feel they are struggling to adjust before it's too late.

Look, bottom line was that first quarter was as atrocious of offensive football as you could have watched. I mean, I mean, they failed on every single level. And as soon as Auburn got behind, I was just like, it's gonna be another one of them games where if they don't hold them under 24, you're not gonna have any shot. Something I want to see, I'm praying for an era of Auburn football where you can win a high scoring game. Now, credit to Florida. They're a lot better than I thought they was. Jane Baw is every bit of the best running back in the country, I think.