Aubie7 0 Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Does anyone else see the irony in this story? Auburn's defense not missing a beat By JOHN ZENOR AP Sports Writer October 31. 2005 6:23PM email this story. Print this story. Will Herring thinks this Auburn defense gets the nod over last year's in at least one regard. The 17th-ranked Tigers' free safety says they have had fewer mental lapses that led to giving up big plays. "I think that's the one area we've drastically improved on," Herring said. It's helped Auburn turn in comparable defensive numbers with the 2004 squad that led the nation in scoring defense and had far more star power in the secondary. The Tigers (6-2, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) have yet to allow a team to pass for 200 yards in the first eight games. Opponents have managed only three touchdown passes, putting Auburn's defense in a five-way tie for the nation's fewest. "I don't think it's the scheme as much as it is the individuals taking it upon themselves to take responsibility each play not to get caught sleeping," Herring said. "Last year, it seemed we'd play great 95-99 percent of the time, but then we'd relax and take a play off and they'd hit us through the air up top." As a result, Auburn gave up big scoring plays late in wins against Alabama and against Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl, among others. The secondary especially had its doubters coming into the season after losing cornerback Carlos Rogers, the Thorpe Award winner as the nation's top defensive back, and strong safety Junior Rosegreen. "Coming into the season, our secondary was the weakness of the defense," said cornerback Jonathan Wilhite, a junior college transfer who has started the last three games. "So we just took that and made it a positive. We just believe in each other." The Tigers rank fourth in total and scoring defense, allowing 269 yards and 10.9 points per game in defensive coordinator David Gibbs' first season. They're eighth against the pass (162 yards per game). In league games, Auburn has been even better. The Tigers are allowing 9.4 points and 255 yards against SEC opponents, both league lows. It helps that they've played the league's two lowest scoring offenses (Mississippi and Mississippi State), the worst passing offense (Arkansas) and the worst running team (South Carolina). The Tigers, who visit Kentucky (2-5, 1-3) on Saturday, held Ole Miss on a goal line stand and allowed only 209 yards in a 27-3 win. "Every year, you set goals to be one of the best defenses out there," said strong safety Steve Gandy, who got his first career start against the Rebels. "When you're in the SEC, you've got hard teams to play and you've got to prove it each week. "They were inside the 5, inside the 2, and we held them. That just says a lot about our defense. When everybody's playing good, we think we have one of the best defenses in the country." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerFanInTexas 0 Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Hmmm...seems to me that bammer played some of these very same teams---so we have great numbers only because of a weak schedule, and bammer is #4 in the country. Gotta love it!!! Print this story. Will Herring thinks this Auburn defense gets the nod over last year's in at least one regard. The 17th-ranked Tigers' free safety says they have had fewer mental lapses that led to giving up big plays. "I think that's the one area we've drastically improved on," Herring said. It's helped Auburn turn in comparable defensive numbers with the 2004 squad that led the nation in scoring defense and had far more star power in the secondary. The Tigers (6-2, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) have yet to allow a team to pass for 200 yards in the first eight games. Opponents have managed only three touchdown passes, putting Auburn's defense in a five-way tie for the nation's fewest. "I don't think it's the scheme as much as it is the individuals taking it upon themselves to take responsibility each play not to get caught sleeping," Herring said. "Last year, it seemed we'd play great 95-99 percent of the time, but then we'd relax and take a play off and they'd hit us through the air up top." As a result, Auburn gave up big scoring plays late in wins against Alabama and against Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl, among others. The secondary especially had its doubters coming into the season after losing cornerback Carlos Rogers, the Thorpe Award winner as the nation's top defensive back, and strong safety Junior Rosegreen. "Coming into the season, our secondary was the weakness of the defense," said cornerback Jonathan Wilhite, a junior college transfer who has started the last three games. "So we just took that and made it a positive. We just believe in each other." The Tigers rank fourth in total and scoring defense, allowing 269 yards and 10.9 points per game in defensive coordinator David Gibbs' first season. They're eighth against the pass (162 yards per game). In league games, Auburn has been even better. The Tigers are allowing 9.4 points and 255 yards against SEC opponents, both league lows. It helps that they've played the league's two lowest scoring offenses (Mississippi and Mississippi State), the worst passing offense (Arkansas) and the worst running team (South Carolina). The Tigers, who visit Kentucky (2-5, 1-3) on Saturday, held Ole Miss on a goal line stand and allowed only 209 yards in a 27-3 win. "Every year, you set goals to be one of the best defenses out there," said strong safety Steve Gandy, who got his first career start against the Rebels. "When you're in the SEC, you've got hard teams to play and you've got to prove it each week. "They were inside the 5, inside the 2, and we held them. That just says a lot about our defense. When everybody's playing good, we think we have one of the best defenses in the country." 194137[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draven 0 Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 :huh: After this weekend all four teams mentioned will have played both Auburn and Bammer. While our schedule is "weak" and these teams have bad offenses, if you ask the media or better yet just ask many bammers they will gladly tell you how each of these teams will have played the best game each respective school has played in the last 50 years (the weekends in which they had to play uat of course). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrnfanatc 6 Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Of course, doesn't everybody give the Bammers their "A" game? I don't know what that really says for the pass defense if the numbers are basically the same without giving up the big plays. Maybe last year's D was rock solid until the scrubs came in, and/or this year's D is a "bend but don't break" D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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