AP writer Paul Newberry penned a story today on how the Auburn and Georgia game pits two teams that didn’t live up to expectations. The story mentions Alabama several times—it is a common theme this year where Alabama’s surge has left other SEC schools off balance. (Read the AP story in its entirety below)

Georgia hasn’t been the same with all the injuries followed by the thrashing from Alabama between the hedges. Alabama hasn’t played Auburn yet, but one prominent part of the story is this:

Then again, the Bulldogs look like a major success next to Clemson and Auburn, which share a nickname (Tigers) and suffered through the same sort of season.

Both started in the Top 10. Both have gone through major coaching changes. Both are struggling just to finish above .500 and maybe eke out a minor bowl invitation.

Auburn (5-5) brought in a new offensive coordinator, Tony Franklin, to install the spread before last year’s bowl game — a striking change for a team that had relied on a power running game.

Auburn and Clemson are both teams reeling thanks to Alabama. Clemson was exposed on national television, and wasn’t able to recover. Auburn entered its experiment with Tony Franklin due to Nick Saban’s arrival at Alabama. Does anyone think Tommy Tuberville would’ve hired Franklin and tried the spread if not due to recruiting fears? Tuberville’s laziness on the recruiting trail led him to a knee-jerk response. And it failed. Badly.

Without a doubt, Nick Saban has shifted the balance of power in the SEC West. This AP story illustrates just how much.

12 thoughts on “AU and UGA face disappointing seasons”

  1. Auburns season was definately a bummer. Georgia on the other hand has stll had a good season. Most everyone in the preseason SEC polls picked Florida over Georgia for the east any how, right ? But as far as the national picture goes, I suppose its been a letdownn.

  2. Georgia had nowhere to go but down. USC passed them after a couple of weeks into the season, and Bama sent them even lower. Auburn, man when they stink it up, they seem to really stink it up. It is feast or famine with them since Tuberville has been there. But Auburn recruiting has been down the past two years, and it is showing this year. This season won’t help much in that area. I know Auburn people think they have a good class coming, but the commits they have really look no better than the past two years.

  3. That is exactly why none have dropped off Aub’s list, they were offered early and jumped on because the only other school that wants them is East Popcorn State. Bwhahahahahahahaha

  4. The recruiting arguement is invalid in Bamas recent flash in the pan succes. Your #1 class hasnt contibuted all that much. Jones and Hightower are good. Cody is good , but not a freshman. Its the Shula boys that are winning for you. I believe that the #1 class will soon be paying off. But not yet. As is the case every time, coaching is the reason for your success. But great coaching and great recruiting are going to be that much better. And yes, Auburns coaching and recrruiting both stink right now. Ha ! I beat yall to it.

  5. Ballplay, I was talking about Auburns recruiting. It has not been as good the past 2 years as the previous 4-5 years, and it shows because Auburn has no quality depth this year.

    But you are right, the players that Shula left behind that are still there, which is probably around half of the team now, have become better players in Sabans second year. But to say that this last recruiting class hasn’t contributed much is pretty stupid to say. Cody is not a freshman, but he is part of that class. He wasn’t there last year. Jones, Ingram, Hightower and Cody have made a huge impact this year. Shulas best players that are left are Caldwell, Wilson, Coffee and Smitty. Don’t forget about the stand out players in Sabans first class. But the recruiting is a very big deal now with Alabama and Auburn. If Auburn can’t hang in recruiting the next few years, Bama will be dominant.

  6. Rashaad Johnson, The punt returner / cornerback (having a brain fart, cant remember his name) ………..dangit……….Oh well. Both of those guys are good.

    As far as ASabans recruits go, IMO none better than Mcclain, Jones,Cody.

  7. Ballplay, you say our #1 recruiting class hasn’t contributed much? Surely you jest ol’ boy, we are third in the country for playing the most freshman and we are ranked number 1 presently, so that statement is as ridiculous as most of yours. . . . next

  8. I knew we could turn Ballplay Indian into a winner (BAMA FAN) before the season was over. Nobody type’s or think’s more about The Alabama Crimson Tide than Ballplay Indian. Welcome aboard the #1 TEAM in the NATION.

    Shane, it’s amazing to me how you get these General Robert E. Lee County cockroaches out from under their rock’s.

  9. With great respect to the few Barnies who post here, I’ll say UGA’s season has to be the bigger disappointment.

    I know you guys had a lot of high (but false) hopes with Tony Franklin coming in, but buried somewhere deep in the back of your minds, you knew this was a transitional year for both of the main coordinators, and at the most crucial position on the team: quarterback spot.

    UGA on the other hand, was preseason ranked number 1, and had a lot of high expectations coming into this season, especially with the talent they had stock-piled up and coming off of a monumental season the year before. They’ve suffered two humiliating losses this year, which has killed their BCS title hopes and the hopes of even an SEC berth.

    From an outsider’s perspective, I’d give UGA the edge on that one.

  10. Look dudes……I freekin loathe Bama. Lets get that straight right now. Second. I didnt say they didnt contribute. I am only making the point that yall had some talent all along. Just no coaching. Got it ?

    And third, it would be hard to imagine a fanbase morre disappointed than Auburns right now.

  11. It’s not just the obvious newcomers that have started (Jones, Ingram, Cody) – it’s the guys like Dareus and Scott and Hightower contributing on special teams and giving the starters rest time – giving the team the kind of depth we couldn’t have possibly counted on to begin the season. (Bama’s still not what I’d call a deep team – but it’s improved in that regard tremendously.) We haven’t seen a new class give such a complete contribution in a very long time.

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