Anxiety, some happiness, and anger is the state of the Auburn nation right now over what occured today.Auburn's Tommy Tuberville delivered a shot heard around the country early Wednesday afternoon by firing offensive coordinator, Tony Franklin. Tuberville is widely known for going through a coordinator or two in his tenure at Auburn, but it the middle of a season, just three days prior to a game?! Very interesting.
After the loss to Vandy, Tuberville vowed changes to his offense in search for answers to get the offense on track. Sunday morning and afternoon came and went with much uncertainty of what the changes would be--none came about. Even then, many thought Franklin may be on his way out. Nothing changed. Auburn hit the practice field Tuesday and it was like two-a-days again with the intensity, yelling, and the offense working at a faster pace. In that practice, Franklin came out a new man, inspired, full of energy, and on a war path. He was more animated for some reason and more involved in the up tempo practice. All was well and everyone was all on the same page, right? The "old" Tony Franklin was back! Well, where did he go?!
Someone (coach) didn't like the "new" Franklin taking control, eh?
Tuberville came out in his weekly presser still saying Auburn is still in the spread offense business, Franklin is the man and the offensive coordinator, and, for the six week in a row, reiterated "we gonna make this work." Check out the video...
| Auburn: The new Tony Franklin? |
Two words: COACH SPEAK! No ordinary fan will ever now what REALLY happened on the Plains in regards to this firing, but I have my theories.
Franklin seemed to be a snap hire back in December. He came in with a scoring maching offense and pumped the Auburn nation and players full of adrenaline. Installed his offense in approx. three week for the Chic-Fil-A. While it was not his full playbook, it was a hybrid offense with mixture of the west coast offense and the spread--it worked and Auburn beat Clemson. Fandom built over the spring and summer months of the potent spread offense--it flopped. Why?
My theory: Notice Franklin came into Auburn alone into a "Band of Brothers" coaching staff where loyalty and friendships take the cake. A new coordinator from the outside bringing in a new sexy offense vs. Auburn's tradtional pounding offense was going to be a tough sell. Mix that with other aprehensive offensive coaches and you have the 2008 Auburn offense as it sits today, minus a coordinator. Franklin's offense was doomed from the get go in my opinion. It didnt produce at AU, but could it have? I think so, Tubs would have allowed it. Didn't Tuberville say over and over and over that it will take time? Hmmm...
Tuberville thought he did what's best for Auburn, its players, and its program as a whole by firing Franklin. I trust that judgement, but not necessarily agree with it. Ok, that is fine and dandy, but why now? Why fire him when you are on record as being "all in" with the spread, "Tony is the hardest working coach on the staff", "it's going to take time", and "we are going to make this work"? Coach speak, maybe? Then, Tubs comes out in his presser today and says Auburn is STILL STAYING WITH THE SPREAD OFFENSE (What!?) and that the firing was about lack of production (fact there), but no "personal conflicts". Why fire a coordinator that is said to be a monk of the spread offense, fire him, and still want to keep his offense?!
Yeah reet, ask Franklin about no personal conficts.
My conclusion: It has not been a good day for Auburn and it could possibly come out as a worse day for Tubs when this is all said and done. I love the program and the things he has done for Auburn over the years, but this may be the final round. Tubs was and has been a fan favorite (they saved his job in 2003), but fans that really keep up with Auburn football really know what is going on down there and what was/is the main player(s) behind the Franklin debacle (see: Band of Brothers). Those faithful may be falling by the wayside. Tubs' saving grace might be pulling off one over the Tide, but, then again, is it time for new blood at Auburn? Differences in opinion, differences in coaching philosophy, and conflicts of personalities was the recipe of the occurence on Wednesday afternoon. How 'bout a better interview process then to keep from a PR disaster?!
However, I am a fan of the orange & blue. I will be there with every win and dwell with every loss while being objective as possible along the way because that is what I do here.
Let me know your thoughts.
WDE,
RR
