Published Nov 14, 2019
TIGER TALK REVIEW: Georgia '19
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Jay G. Tate  •  AuburnSports
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This was a live, minute-by-minute blog of Gus Malzahn's appearance on his weekly radio show ...

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6:06 -- Gus has arrived. He says they're doing "the same routine" during this (second) off week of the season.

6:07 -- Not Andy asks about off-week goals. "We used that off week to get a head start on (UGA) and get healed up. It really helped to have some extra time."

6:08 -- Gus says the mental break of an off week is useful because Auburn's schedule has been brutal. "There's a lot of guys who are fresh, mentally fresh."

6:09 -- Not Andy wants to know why this AU-UGA series is important. UMMMMMM. Gus says Auburn has 35 kids on its roster from UGA, that the game is important to players and fans.

6:09 -- KIM is in the house. First question. She asks if he watched football last weekend. He said he watched Georgia. Kim really asks Malzahn about beating UGA's rush defense with formations. "We're a run, play-action team. To have success, we have to run the football." NO ANSWER GIVEN.

6:11 -- Andy wants to know why UGA is so good against the run. Gus says it's talent and the pressure they create up front.

6:11 -- Not Andy says the run game is important. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT FOR FOUR MINUTES, MAN. "The good thing is ... we've had two weeks to prepare. We'll have to go out there and do it. We're feeling good about it."

6:12 -- Andy says the weather Saturday will be delightful. Gus agrees.

6:12 -- BUSTER is in the house. He wants to congratulate Andy for being a great broadcaster. Andy says he likes calling exciting plays. The real question is about players who fumble, how you fix that. "Most people will do ball-security drills. What we do ... on Tuesday after practice, that's when we do a ball-security circuit. We try to find that one thing (one reason for fumbling) and ... we've cleaned those up."

6:14 -- They get to talking about the wheel route from last week. "Harold is a guy who's really talented."

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6:17 -- PROFESSOR RICE has a question. Oh boy. He wants to know about how deep this offense is. "We've really tried to do a better job of playing young guys this season."

6:18 -- Not Andy notes that all the tailbacks have been good this season. Gus has no comment on that. "No doubt."

6:19 -- Not Andy wants to know about stopping UGA. "They've got, in my opinion, the most talented offensive line. Fromm is one of the best quarterbacks in the country. We're going to have to make him uncomfortable. We'll have to stop the run; we've really been talking about run fits. (Fromm) does a good job of getting rid of the ball. He knows where to go with it."

6:20 -- Not Andy notes that Georgia and Auburn are familiar with each other. "There's consistency. There's change. You have different players. Some times are different from year to year. We've went against each other numerous times. We know each other pretty well."

6:21 -- Auburn SID offers this nugget via Andy: No team has played more Top-5 teams than Gus. "We knew going into this year that it was going to be a grind. We've played, what, four real games so far? And we have some left."

COMMERCIAL BREAK

6:27 -- Andy notes that Bo Nix has been better at home. "It's a lot more comfortable; he can hear better. He's really no longer a true freshman in my eyes. These last two weeks of practice -- you can see a difference in him."

6:28 -- Andy asks for proof. "He's reactin'; he's not thinkin'."

6:28 -- BRAYLON emails in. He wants to know about more short receiver routes to get the ball out quickly ... like what they did against Ole Miss. "It got us in some rhythm and got us some first downs."

6:29 -- Gus quips that they should have scored more points against Ole Miss. Gus word salads a follow-up answer.

6:30 -- SETH asks about Dillingham, his strengths. "He's a young guy, but he has a lot of wisdom. He does a lot on game days -- helping with the game plan and adjustin'."

6:31 -- Andy's going down this rabbit hole, asks more about Dillingham. Gus then throws in Kodi. "Those are the guys I learn on on game days."

6:31 -- Some dude emailed in to ask about tailbacks, if he'll use Boobee and DJ. "The good thing is ... we're healthy and we're experienced."

6:32 -- Andy asks about Nick Brahms. "He's a veteran guy, too. He had four starts last year. It's not like he's a new guy. He played with a lot of confidence last week."

6:32 -- Andy notes that Brahms shaved. "He shocked me. He looks better, I think."

6:32 -- Andy asks if Gus ever had a beard. He says NO. "I don't need one." GUFFAWS ALL AROUND. Andy asks if he judges people with beards. "I'm not going that deep with it." GUFFAWS ALL AROUND AGAIN.

6:38 -- Question from the floor. She asks about Gus' coaching tree. "They're great people; they care about kids. I'm real proud of those guys who are doing that. Any time that happens, it helps us get new coaches in. It also says: I'm old." GUFFAWS ALL AROUND

6:39 -- Question from the floor about K.J. Britt. "He's a great football player, but he's a better person. He never had a bad day. I can't say enough good things about him. He'll bring the wood now."

6:40 -- Andy wants to talk about early enrollees. (Britt was one of those.) "It's a great advantage for them. For our standpoint, if they get here early ... it really helps."

6:40 -- Not Andy wants to talk about special teams. "That's going to be a big factor. Their kicker is one of the best in the country. We've got to win the field-position battle."

6:42 -- Andy wants to talk about the UGA offense. "You've got to stop the run first. That'll be a big factor Saturday."

6:43 -- Not Andy asks about offensive keys. "We've got to be balanced."

6:43 -- Not Andy wants Gus to talk about what the atmosphere needs to be. "We can't wait until Saturday gets here."

6:43 -- Gus offers a steely WAR EAGLE and thanks the crowd.