AUBURN | There used to be three sport seasons at Auburn — football games in the fall, football recruiting in the winter and football practice in the spring.
But it’s April 2, the Tigers are more than halfway through a spring practice that includes four quarterbacks battling for the starting job, and the interest may be at an all-time low.
Why? Well, it’s all because of basketball. The men’s team’s run to its first Final Four in program history has captured the hearts of Auburn fans everywhere, and that includes the football team, many of whom were part of the huge celebrations at Toomer’s Corner this weekend.
“I felt like a kid. I felt like a big kid throwing the tissue and just being with everybody and just being proud of Auburn,” junior Buck T.D. Moultry said. “I’m an Auburn man. Anything Auburn you’ve got going on, I’m with it. If you go here and you’re with another team, you need to leave Auburn. I ain’t got no problem with you but if you ain’t with Auburn 100 percent in every sport, no matter what, you shouldn’t be here.”
Auburn’s undefeated March included back-to-back-to-back NCAA Tournament wins over Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky, the three winningest programs in college basketball history. They avenged two regular season losses to the Wildcats without one of their best players, Chuma Okeke, who went down with a season-ending knee injury against the Tar Heels.
“For the guys to take that next step, when they lose a player and how they play together — we can all learn from that,” sophomore running back JaTarvious Whitlow said. “We can all learn how to put the team on our backs, put the city on our backs and beat the doubters. Everybody has said we couldn't. We just showed that we can. We just beat Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky? Those three schools are supposed to be in the Final Four. I mean, come on. Those are three known teams. They're there every year. And we just smashed all three of them. Virginia, y'all next. Believe that. That's how we coming, all aggressive.”
Even head football coach Gus Malzahn has gotten caught up in the excitement. He made the trip to Kansas City Sunday to watch Auburn’s win over UK in the Midwest Regional final.
“I thought it was unbelievable,” Malzahn said. “I’ve been here nine years and been blessed to be part of two national championship runs, and being there yesterday, it feels the same way. They’re doing something special. Just how fired up they have the whole Auburn family and the school – this whole school is on cloud nine with what they’re doing and the way they’re doing it. It was really special yesterday. Everybody who was there, I think you would agree.”
And the football team is hoping this run by basketball is just the start of something special for Auburn in 2019.
“There's doubters. They sleep on Auburn. But this year, it's time to wake up for sure,” Whitlow said. “Basketball and football, man. Ain't no more sleeping on us no more. Ain't no more doubting us no more. You're going to know who we are after this year. That's how we're feeling now. Ain't no more backseat-riding. We're front seat now. We're in the driver's seat. Y'all are fixing to get on our bus. You feel me? That's how we're going. Gus Bus, yeah. Get on. Putting everybody on there. I'm telling you. It's fixing to be lit this year, though. Believe that. Believe that. It'll be turnt this year.”
Auburn completed its ninth practice of the spring Monday afternoon. The Tigers will practice again Wednesday and Friday before holding a second scrimmage on Saturday. The A-Day game will be April 13 at 3 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
