AUBURN | Auburn has played three really good teams this season — Georgia, Alabama and Texas A&M — and the difference between winning and losing came down to one major factor — the line of scrimmage.
The Tigers weren’t competitive against the Bulldogs or Tide because they were both dominant on the offensive and defensive lines. AU basically had no chance.
The TAMU game was a little different story. The Aggies offensive line took complete control of the game pummeling AU for 313 rushing yards, but AU held its own on the other side of the ball rushing for 196 and *only* allowing two sacks and three quarterback hurries. AU’s mostly offensive guard front has improved and is pretty capable at run blocking.
But overall it’s been the same story all season — Auburn can’t compete against the top teams on its schedule because of the talent discrepancy, mainly on the line of scrimmage. There are other issues, sure, but AU’s lack of offensive tackles and Buck linebackers, and some young defensive linemen that are still experiencing growing pains has made this season very tough to watch at times.
I wrote weeks ago that I thought this team could be much better and compete for championships in 2021. Under increasing scrutiny, Gus Malzahn said the same last night.
But if he and his staff don’t overhaul both the offensive and defensive lines going into the offseason, those words are going to turn out very hollow and it’ll be the same song and dance all over again.
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Forget about the postseason ban, or the Sharife Cooper saga or the ongoing NCAA investigation for a minute and just imagine how good this Auburn basketball team is going to become once all that length and athleticism gains experience and confidence. You can see it when you watch JT Thor and Dylan Cardwell and Jaylin Williams and Justin Powell and all of Auburn’s freshmen and sophomores. As individuals and as a team overall, they’re the definition of upside, and they’re being guided by a coaching staff that’s proven to be excellent at player development.
How long will it take? I don’t think it’s going to flip after just one game. I expect to see improvement as the non-conference season continues and perhaps some adversity at the start of SEC play. But by February, this will be a very dangerous team, one that’s going to be more than capable of going to Kentucky, LSU or Alabama and pulling off a huge road win.
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Today’s musical journey takes us back 71 years and the death of a musical legend, who paved the way for a number of talented musicians and bands including the Beatles, Bob Dylan and Nirvana, and was also known for serving several prison sentences including one for murder. Huddie William Ledbetter, better known as Lead Belly, passed away on Dec. 6, 1949 at the age of 61 after a long career in which he wrote and performed songs that remain popular to this day.
Lead Belly was born on a plantation in Louisiana, but grew up in Bowie County, Texas. His first instrument was an accordion, and he also played a 12-string guitar, steel guitar and the piano. He started his musical career playing in the red light district of Shreveport, La. Lead Belly served his first prison sentence in 1915 for carrying a pistol and then in 1918 for killing a relative in a fight over a woman. He was paroled in 1925 after writing a song for Texas governor Pat Morris Neff. He was back in a Louisiana prison for attempted murder in 1930 and again in 1939 for an assault. Many of his songs were recorded in prison by folklorists John Lomax and his son, Alan Lomax. They recorded hundreds of his songs in 1933 and 34 at Angola prison including Midnight Special and Goodnight Irene.
Lead Belly was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2008. George Harrison credited Lead Belly and his Rock Island Line song for paving the way for the skiffle movement in the UK and eventually the Beatles. Dylan credited Lead Belly and his song, Cotton Fields, for getting him into folk music, and Kurt Cobain promoted Lead Belly with his must-see rendition of Where Did You Sleep Last Night during a televised concert for MTV Unplugged in New York.
