Is there really an A-Day game MVP curse?

[WFE12 9,191]

Does Auburn football really have an A-Day spring game MVP ‘curse’?

Justin Ferguson 

AUBURN, Ala. — Three years ago, former Auburn football offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee compared winning the Tigers’ A-Day spring game MVP awards to being on the Madden cover or winning the Par-3 competition at The Masters.

The winners of all three don’t have recent history on their side.

 

NFL players who are named the cover athlete of the popular Madden video game series normally have poor seasons later that year. The winner of the par 3 competition at The Masters has ever gone on to win the tournament that weekend.

And for Auburn football, winning A-Day MVP hasn’t been a guarantee for future success. In some cases, it’s been the precursor to disappointment.

Look back to last year for an example. Quarterback Jarrett Stidham won the offensive A-Day MVP award, and he went on to become the second 3,000-yard passer in school history. But defensive end Paul James III won the award for the defense. He only had 9 tackles during the season and left the program before the start of spring practices this year.

In recent seasons, Auburn has given A-Day offensive MVP awards to Jovon Robinson and Myron Burton Jr. — and both of them weren’t on the roster by the time the fall season started. In 2013 and 2014, A-Day defensive MVPs Justin Garrett and Kenny Flowers went on to combine for 9 tackles.

So is the curse real? Is Auburn destined to have at least one spring game standout not deliver in the following season? Let’s take a look back at all of them since 2000, starting with the offense.

Auburn football offensive A-Day MVP winners

• 2017: QB Jarrett Stidham. The Texas native threw for 3,158 yards in his debut season for Auburn and led the Tigers to an SEC West title. Not cursed.
• 2016: RB Jovon Robinson and WR Marcus Davis. Robinson was kicked off the team before the start of 2016 fall camp, while Davis had his least productive season as a Tiger with 17 catches and no touchdowns. Cursed.
• 2015: WR Myron Burton Jr. Burton left the team before the start of the season. Cursed.
• 2014: QB Nick Marshall. The dual-threat quarterback put up more than 3,200 yards of total offense and helped the Tigers set offensive records after an SEC title-winning season. Not cursed.
• 2013: RB Cameron Artis-Payne. As a backup to Tre Mason, Artis-Payne hit 610 yards and 6 touchdowns on fewer than 100 carries. Not cursed.
• 2012: QB Kiehl Frazier. The Arkansas product threw 4 times as many interceptions as touchdowns in the Tigers’ 3-9 season. Cursed.
• 2011: TE Phillip Lutzenkirchen. The beloved tight end caught 24 passes for 238 yards and 7 touchdowns in a strong campaign by the position’s standards at Auburn. Not cursed.
• 2010: WR Quindarius Carr. Auburn didn’t use him much at receiver in its title-winning campaign, catching just 3 passes for a pair of long touchdowns in blowouts. Cursed.
• 2009: RB Ben Tate. Auburn’s 1,000-yard rusher streak started with Tate’s big season under the Tigers’ new coaching staff. Not cursed.
• 2008: QB Kodi Burns. Auburn’s current wide receivers coach had a rough time in a bad 2008 season for the Tigers, throwing 2 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in a losing campaign. Cursed.
• 2007: QB Brandon Cox. This one is iffy. Cox had more interceptions than touchdowns but threw for 2,000 yards in a 9-4 season. That’s still on the positive side of the spectrum. Not cursed.
• 2006: RB Brad Lester. Lester rushed for a modest 510 yards and 9 touchdowns for the Tigers in 2006. Not cursed.
• 2005: QB Brandon Cox. Cox took over for Jason Campbell in 2005 and produced strong numbers — 2,300 yards, 15 touchdowns, 8 interceptions and a 9-3 season. Not cursed.
• 2004: QB Brandon Cox. The lefty starred during his first A-Day spring game, and he backed up Campbell in the Tigers’ undefeated run. Not cursed.
• 2003: RB Tre Smith. A shoulder injury ended a season that started with 6 touchdowns and nearly 5 yards per carry. Cursed.
• 2002: QB Daniel Cobb. Cobb had decent numbers — 1,175 yards, 7 touchdowns and 5 interceptions — before getting benched for Jason Campbell, who helped the Tigers win five of their last six games. Not cursed.
• 2001: QB Daniel Cobb. It wasn’t a good season for Cobb, but it had its high points, including an upset win over No. 1 Florida. We’ll split the difference between his two seasons. Cursed.
• 2000: WR DeAndre Green. Green became third-leading receiver in a season that ended with an SEC West title. Not cursed.

Curse Count: 11 not cursed, 7 cursed
Gus Malzahn’s Curse Count: 3 not cursed, 2 cursed

 

Auburn football defensive A-Day MVP winners

• 2017: DE Paul James III. James fell down the pecking order at Auburn in the fall and left the team before spring practice. Cursed.
• 2016: DE Carl Lawson. The popular defensive end finally put it all together in a healthy season, coming up with 13.5 tackles for loss and 9 sacks as Auburn surged in defense. Not cursed.
• 2015: DB Tray Matthews. The former Georgia Bulldogs’ debut season with Auburn was solid, as he had 46 tackles and a pair of interceptions. Not cursed.
• 2014: LB Kenny Flowers. Flowers mainly played on special teams and in blowouts during the 2014 season. Cursed.
• 2013: LB Justin Garrett. The versatile defender suffered an injury during the middle of the season and was limited to just 4 tackles. Cursed.
• 2012: DE Dee Ford. Before tearing it up for Auburn in 2013, Ford was a bright spot in a bad 2012 campaign with 6 sacks. Not cursed.
• 2011: DE Dee Ford. But first, Ford suffered a back injury that held him out of action for most of 2011. Cursed.
• 2010: DE Antoine Carter. Although Nick Fairley was the star up front, Carter more than held his own with 11 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Not cursed.
• 2009: DE Michael Goggins. Goggins was a decent rotational piece for the Tigers in 2009, coming up with 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Not cursed.
• 2008: DT Sen’Derrick Marks. Marks had a double-digit season in tackles for loss and picked up a pair of sacks in 2008. Not cursed.
• 2007: DE Michael Goggins. Same song for Goggins. He had a couple of tackles for loss and another sack as a reserve in 2007. Not cursed.
• 2006: DB David Irons. The defensive Irons brother had 3 tackles for loss and a pair of interceptions while being one of the Tigers’ top players on that side of the ball. Not cursed.
• 2005: DE Stanley McClover. “The Predator” followed up a huge 2004 with 13.5 tackles for loss and 8 sacks after his A-Day show. Not cursed.
• 2004: DE Stanley McClover. McClover had 7.5 sacks for the undefeated Tigers and was one of their most all-around productive players. Not cursed.
• 2003: DB Will Herring. With 46 tackles and 3 interceptions, it’s safe to say Auburn got good production out of the safety/linebacker hybrid. Not cursed.
• 2002: DE Reggie Torbor. Solid season here for Torbor, who had 7 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks  for the Tigers. Not cursed.
• 2001: LB James Callier. He pitched in 20 tackles and 3 tackles for loss for an up-and-down 2001 team. Not bad at all. Not cursed.
• 2000: DE Derek Magwood. Auburn’s 2000 A-Day defensive MVP is nowhere to be found on the Tigers’ stat sheet for the fall season. Cursed.

Curse Count: 13 not cursed, 5 cursed
Gus Malzahn’s Curse Count: 2 not cursed, 3 cursed

Curse or no curse?

Individually, A-Day MVPs on the whole turn out more positively than negatively.

While it’s hard to find reliable defensive statistics prior to 2000, most of the offensive MVPs from 1987 (the first season of the award) to 1999 were either star players or backup quarterbacks who weren’t expected to be stars.

However, it’s been more of a mixed bag under Gus Malzahn, as Auburn is down the middle when it comes to “cursed” and “not cursed” seasons for A-Day MVPs.

Stidham could be a sign in the positive direction for the Tigers on offense — besides, almost all of Malzahn’s offensive MVPs have been good if they stayed on the roster for the regular season.

Still, Auburn hasn’t had both of its offensive and defensive MVPs on A-Day have a strong regular season since 2009. Until the Tigers can end that particular streak, don’t expect the whispers of a curse to go away.

[kd4au 1,145]

Well we know Justin reads this site for ideas on what to write.

[gr82be 14,401]

I don't believe in curses but just to be safe I'd be okay with naming Tua Tagovailoa our honorary A Day MVP. 

[kevon67 2,368]

Same here curse smurse....(while still wearing Ralph Lauren bikini briefs from td and 2pt conversion 1st round playoffs win 1985?)

 

Lol ran same play for td and 2pt conversion..........was so open for conversion almost slipped through arms and between legs......that would have been one hellish bus ride home.

[toddc 13,194]

Who y’all got this year? I’ll take Willis at qb!

[WFE12 9,191]

3 hours ago, toddc said:

Who y’all got this year? I’ll take Willis at qb!

McClain

[abw0004 10,104]

Do not speak of this.  You might as well said... VOLDERMORT.  

 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,641]

It’s crazy how many elite looking WRs we’ve just thrown away 

 

MBJ looked like a world beater