A Selfless Turnaround

Gus Malzahn was not my first choice back in 2012.

The hire seemed safe. Predictable. 

I was pushing heavily for Bobby Petrino. Yes, I was one of those — desperate, with a “win now” attitude. Willing to throw away all of the ideals and morals that Auburn University prides itself upon just for a chance at a winning program.

Auburn football was completely numbing in 2012. And to think someone like Gus Malzahn, a glorified high school coach, would be able to step in and immediately demand success and championships from his players seemed asinine to me. 

Looking back, though, Auburn’s success in 2013 makes sense. And so does the hire. The pieces were already set in place for Coach Malzahn. The majority of the offense was made up of his guys. Guys he had recruited while at Auburn from 2009-2011. So really, it was only natural that the transition was so smooth for the new coaching staff. 

Following the 2013 season, Malzahn set an expectation. An expectation that, realistically, can’t always be met. And because of that, we as fans are quick to put him on the hot seat. I was guilty of that. With a 1-2 record to start the year, I looked ahead at the rest of Auburn’s daunting schedule and struggled to find a way that Malzahn would keep his job by the season’s end. Especially with how inept the offense looked at times in those first three games. 

But suddenly, changes were made. Necessary changes. Malzahn handed play calling duties over to Rhett Lashlee, and in return, the team has responded well to the more calm and composed head coach, with far less on his plate. Since the change, players have said that practices are more relaxed, and that the “perfectionist” Malzahn, for one of the first times in his career, took a step back and allowed others to handle more responsibility. 

“He was more calm, more relaxed,” Rudy Ford said. “He let us have more fun. He came in energized throughout the whole week.”

Auburn’s offense is Malzahn’s child. “Living and dying with every play,” in the words of the man himself.

The ability to swallow his pride and hand his baby over to someone else was the greatest thing that has happened to this team. It was a selfless decision that Malzahn made with no influence other than his own. That takes guts. 

It’s not about being right, it’s about getting it right.

In early games this season, the offense was playing scared. Part of it came from an inability to place trust in a quarterback, and part came from a lack of confidence in the offensive line. Adjustments were made on the line — Austin Golson moved to center, and Darius James was inserted at the guard position. Sean White was definitively named the starting quarterback after a shuffle at the position in the season opener against Clemson. And lastly, the final piece of the puzzle, the reins of the offense officially transferred hands, from the master to his protégé. 

My grandfather called me earlier this week. He reminded me of the time we watched Auburn play Samford back in 2011. It was quite the homecoming for Pat Sullivan, as his team gave the Tigers everything they had that day. We were both thoroughly impressed with the way Samford’s offense performed on such a big stage, as I told my grandfather “Whoever their offensive coordinator is will be a big-name coach one day.” That man was Rhett Lashlee.

The transformation the offense has made from week one to now is staggering. And with how well the defense has been playing all season, this is now a championship-caliber team. 

I’m nervous going into Oxford, Mississippi to play a four-loss team with nothing to lose. The Rebels are oozing with talent, there’s no question about that. However, it’s been a tale of two halves with this year for Ole Miss, as they average 12 points less in the second half of games. If Auburn is able to punch them in the mouth early, as it’s done in the past two weeks, then it’s hard to see the Rebels clawing its way back into the game. 

So keep the foot on the gas pedal this weekend, and don’t let up. 

The post A Selfless Turnaround appeared first on Track 'Em Tigers, Auburn's oldest and most read independent blog.

from Track 'Em Tigers, Auburn's oldest and most read independent blog http://bit.ly/2eLTQkm
via IFTTT