Ole Miss Postgame

[StatTiger 3,188]

  Entering the game, I feared the team might have rubber legs after 8 consecutive games but you have to give credit to the players for being resilient and to the coaches for limiting the physical contact in preparation for the Ole Miss Rebels. There was no doubt the Rebels had their backs to the wall with a 3-4 record and Coach Houston Nutt wanted to make this game, their Super Bowl. The crowd was big and the uniform change by the Rebels had the team fired up at kickoff. It did not take long for Ole Miss to score on their second snap of the game, with freshman, Jeff Scott torching the Tigers on an 83-yard touchdown run. To Auburn’s credit, they responded right back with a 5-play touchdown drive, never to trail again. The Auburn offense answered the bell time and time again not having to rely on the legs of Cameron Newton. Instead it was the duet of Michael Dyer and Onterio McCalebb that rushed for a combined 288-yards on 30 carries.

  Gus Malzahn continues to call a terrific game as he took advantage of everything Ole Miss was willing to give to stop Cameron Newton on the ground. Michael Dyer recorded his 3rd 100-yard game of the season with a career high, 180-yards on 21 carries. Cameron Newton passed for 188-yards in the first half, connecting on 15 of 21 passes as the Tigers built a 34-17 lead. Part of the lead came on a Demond Washington 95-yard return for a touchdown, which was aided by an Ole Miss player taking a shot on Onterio McCalebb, failing to record an easy tackle on Washington. Even after the score, the same Ole Miss player was laughing it up on the sideline, which will likely be addressed by the Ole Miss special teams coach. The Auburn defense continued to struggle but did register five “3 & out” series and the pass defense was much better tonight than expected.

At 9-0, Auburn will be rewarded with a slight off week as the Tigers prepare for Tennessee Chattanooga before playing host to the Georgia Bulldogs in 2 weeks. This might not be the most complete team Auburn has fielded but the offense might be the best in school history. With ¾ of the regular season in the books, Auburn has put itself in position to play for it all and that alone is plenty of reason to overlook the shortcomings of this football team. Though they are far from perfect, they play hard and have risen to every challenge this season. Last season, we witnessed a team that simply ran out of gas late in games but this year’s version appears to have a reserve tank to make the plays needed to secure the victory. We’ve heard the media talk as if this team is a one-man show but I would imagine Ole Miss would see it differently after tonight’s victory by the Tigers.

Inside the Numbers:

* Cameron Newton was held to just 45-yards rushing on 11 carries but it was evident the game plan was to throw the football early on. Newton finished the game with a passer rating of 175.6. He had 4 impact pass-plays but still managed to register 2 impact run-plays.

   

* Part of Michael Dyer’s career 180-yard rushing performance was 4 impact run-plays, also a career high for the freshman.

   

* Auburn averaged 6.91 yards per play on first down, holding Ole Miss to 5.11 yards.

   

* Through 9 games, the Auburn has now scored on 53 percent of their offensive possessions and 60 percent of their plays executed have gone towards a scoring drive.

   

* Last season, Auburn rushed for 2756-yards, which was the 8th most in school history. Auburn now has 2771-yards rushing through 10 games, which is the 7th most in school history. They are 668-yards away from becoming the most prolific rushing offense in school history.

   

* Michael Dyer now has 723-yards rushing, which puts him on pace for a 1000-yard season. Onterio McCalebb has 551-yards rushing on 8.6 yards per rush. In the last 5 games, McCalebb is averaging 10.4 yards per rush.

   

* Auburn has now registered 92 impact plays on the season or plays of 15-yards or more. The Tiger offense is easily on pace to break the school record established by the 2009 Auburn offense.

   

* The Auburn offense has now registered 24 plays of 30-yards or more, closing in on the 29 totaled by the 2009 Auburn offense.

   

* With over 300-yard rushing against Ole Miss, Auburn has now rushed for over 300-yards in 5 consecutive conference games, which is a school record. It’s also Auburn’s 6th game with 300-yards rushing, tying the school record of six 300-yard games in one season previously held by the 1979 and 1983 Auburn teams.

   

* The Auburn offense has now recorded five 500-yard games in total offense, tying the school record held by the 1970 Auburn offense.

   

* Auburn’s 51 points scored against Ole Miss marks the 4th time Auburn has surpassed 50-points, a new school record. The 1969 Auburn Tigers held the previous record of three 50-point games in one season.

   

* Cameron Newton has now been involved in 62 of Auburn’s 92 impact plays (67.4 percent). That’s 36 passing, 24 rushing and 2 receiving.

   

* Michael Dyer and Onterio McCalebb have totaled 25 impact plays.

   

* Cameron Newton is currently averaging 304.0 yards per game in passing, rushing and receiving along with 30 touchdowns on the season.

   

* Cody Parkey did a great job with kick-offs, averaging 68-yards per kickoff.

   

* Auburn is now 53-0-0 since 1990, when leading by 17 or more points at halftime and 71-1-0, when leading by 14-points.

Inside the Red Zone:

Is there any doubt we are witnessing the best Auburn offense in school history? Based on yards per game, yards per play and TD ratio, the 2010 Auburn offense is the best offense in school history, rating higher than the amazing 1970 Auburn offense that averaged 485-yards per game to lead the nation. Coach Gus Malzahn put an end to the myth that Cameron Newton was the Auburn offense. Even Coach Houston Nutt felt like Ole Miss had shutdown the Auburn running game at halftime despite the Tigers having nearly 150-yards on the ground. It was the false perception that Newton had been limited in his 5 carries during the first half but the failure to recognize the damage Dyer and McCalebb had accomplished.

Its evident Michael Dyer is close to being 100 percent and it’s coming at a critical time in the season. He looked quicker through the hole and was explosive when he came off the edge. Tonight was the closest Auburn looked to being a traditional Gus Malzahn offense with the quarterback being featured in the pass-offense and the running backs carrying the ground game. Michael Dyer has slowly transitioned in as the featured running back and he along with Newton should be a terrific tandem the remainder of the season. Add in the explosive ability of Onterio McCalebb anchored by one of the best offensive lines in the country and it’s easy to see why Auburn’s run-offense is one of the best in the nation.

I thought the key moment in the game was when Newton and McCalebb fumbled the exchange during a zone-read play, giving the Rebels the football at the Auburn 18-yard line, trailing by 3-points. Demond Washington robbed the Rebels of what appeared to be sure points for Ole Miss. Washington intercepted a Masoli pass and Auburn drove 98-yards on 12 plays to take a 24-14 lead. The Rebels did respond with a field goal drive but Washington answered right back with a 95-yard kick-return for a touchdown. As inspired as Ole Miss was to start the game, those back-to-back plays by Washington created the separation Auburn needed to secure their ninth victory of the season. The Auburn defense won’t be a dominating defense in 2010 but as long as they can make plays during critical moments of the game, they can still create separation for an Auburn offense that is on pace to shatter many school record.

War Eagle and Happy Halloween!

[FreeBird 0]

STAT, you DA man.  :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

[3rdgen 2]

That's the way I saw it to stat I thought they deliberately were taking a shot at omac because he had burned them on that long td.  Why else would the guy run by the returner unless he was told to take another guy out?  Looked very suspicious to me and it was our ole buddy rodney scott that took the shot.

[kAmU 1]

Stat, or anyone else for that matter, other than maybe the first 2 defensive series could you say that we finally put 4 quarters together? I feel like we did tonight. War Eagle.

[wadechristopher 0]

Stat, thanks. Also, its Cody Parkey.

[tgrogan21 6,198]

That's the way I saw it to stat I thought they deliberately were taking a shot at omac because he had burned them on that long td.  Why else would the guy run by the returner unless he was told to take another guy out?  Looked very suspicious to me and it was our ole buddy rodney scott that took the shot.

I disagree on that! I think it was just a mistake from Mr. Scott by going after the lead blocker and not the returner. Something that the coaches will probably yell at him after they see the video. No way in hell I think that Scott would take a 'cheap shot' after all of the emotions flying between him and Etheridge.

[StatTiger 3,188]

Stat, thanks. Also, its Cody Parkey.

late night....

[telling tiger 156]

Thanks stat. Looks like an early morning, too.

[avltiger 0]

Stat, thanks. Also, its Cody Parkey.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^  this!!  (yes, Parkey!)

[aupops2 9]

Many thanks, Stat.  I hope you realize what a monster you have created, based on the meltdown we all had last week when you actually had to do things away from AE!!  Can you believe that nut, Nutt, said at halftime that they had stopped or contained the run?

[jl2426 1]

If I were a coach, player, or fan of Ole Sis, I'd be pissed at Scott after seeing him laughing after that TD.  What's so funny?

[AUUSN 823]

If I were a coach, player, or fan of Ole Sis, I'd be pissed at Scott after seeing him laughing after that TD.  What's so funny?

Or the Ole Miss player flashing his land shark hand gesture after scoring and still down by 20 points.

[around4ever 4,139]

That's the way I saw it to stat I thought they deliberately were taking a shot at omac because he had burned them on that long td.  Why else would the guy run by the returner unless he was told to take another guy out?  Looked very suspicious to me and it was our ole buddy rodney scott that took the shot.

I disagree on that! I think it was just a mistake from Mr. Scott by going after the lead blocker and not the returner. Something that the coaches will probably yell at him after they see the video. No way in hell I think that Scott would take a 'cheap shot' after all of the emotions flying between him and Etheridge.

I agree with tgrogan on this one.  I don't think Rodney Scott would take a cheap shot in this game.  In many kickoff schemes, a couple of guys job is to take out blockers.  They are called wedge busters.  Although there was no wedge and Mr. Scott had a direct shot at Demond he took out the blocker.  I'm not sure if that was his job or not but it could be an explanation. 

[icanthearyou 4,468]

That's the way I saw it to stat I thought they deliberately were taking a shot at omac because he had burned them on that long td.  Why else would the guy run by the returner unless he was told to take another guy out?  Looked very suspicious to me and it was our ole buddy rodney scott that took the shot.

I disagree on that! I think it was just a mistake from Mr. Scott by going after the lead blocker and not the returner. Something that the coaches will probably yell at him after they see the video. No way in hell I think that Scott would take a 'cheap shot' after all of the emotions flying between him and Etheridge.

I don't know, it was strange, he just plows into McCalebb who obviously doesn't have the ball and then starts celebrating his big hit while Desmond takes it to the house.  Wierd.

[Weegle777 78]

I think Scott was anticipating Demond going behind Omac's block. If Demond had followed Omac, Scott would have taken Demond and Omac out, but in a brilliant cutback Demond made one of those plays that coaches can't teach. It was just a heck of a play by D-Wash.

[dke 0]

I think Scott was anticipating Demond going behind Omac's block. If Demond had followed Omac, Scott would have taken Demond and Omac out, but in a brilliant cutback Demond made one of those plays that coaches can't teach. It was just a heck of a play by D-Wash.

I wondered about that myself -- but the way it played out it sure looked like a dumb mistake. If Demond doesn't cut back he looks brilliant. But against that was the self-congratulations, if I'd taken a chance like that and it failed, I wouldn't be yucking it up. I'd be looking for the coach to explain why I did what I did.

[JayStew1345162876 0]

I don't think OMac came back into the game after that hit either. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[Magnolia and College 1]

I think Scott was anticipating Demond going behind Omac's block. If Demond had followed Omac, Scott would have taken Demond and Omac out, but in a brilliant cutback Demond made one of those plays that coaches can't teach. It was just a heck of a play by D-Wash.

This is what I thought. I'm sure he thought DW was going to OM's left and then DW cut. He anticipated and was wrong and it looked bad on TV. I don't think he just wanted to hit someone who didn't have the ball.

[BustemBigBlue 185]

I think Scott was anticipating Demond going behind Omac's block. If Demond had followed Omac, Scott would have taken Demond and Omac out, but in a brilliant cutback Demond made one of those plays that coaches can't teach. It was just a heck of a play by D-Wash.

This is what I thought. I'm sure he thought DW was going to OM's left and then DW cut. He anticipated and was wrong and it looked bad on TV. I don't think he just wanted to hit someone who didn't have the ball.

Did anyone else see him laughing and mocking OM on the bench after that play? It was really strange considering the end result of the play was a TD for us and it was probably his fault.

[3rdgen 2]

I think Scott was anticipating Demond going behind Omac's block. If Demond had followed Omac, Scott would have taken Demond and Omac out, but in a brilliant cutback Demond made one of those plays that coaches can't teach. It was just a heck of a play by D-Wash.

This is what I thought. I'm sure he thought DW was going to OM's left and then DW cut. He anticipated and was wrong and it looked bad on TV. I don't think he just wanted to hit someone who didn't have the ball.

Did anyone else see him laughing and mocking OM on the bench after that play? It was really strange considering the end result of the play was a TD for us and it was probably his fault.

This was part of the reason I took it as an intentional shot on omac.  Why would a player be on the sideline laughing and having fun after giving of a kickoff return td?  I think if that was us that guy would be hearing it from boulware and probably not be very happy at that moment.

[triangletiger 1,599]

How do any of y'all know what Rodney Scott was laughing about?  Were you privy to his conversation?  He may have been talking about something totally unrelated to the play.  I'm not saying there's no way he was sent out there to take out McCalebb, but none of us are in a position to know that and, thus, should give him (and Ole Miss) the benefit of the doubt.

Granted, it was inexplicable that he didn't go after Washington on the play, but I tend to agree with around4ever that it may have been his assignment to 'bust the wedge' and let the others behind him contain the returner and make the tackle. 

Also, Scott may not have realized how close he was to making the tackle.  Things look a lot different out on the field than they do from overhead with the aid of instant replay.  I'm sure he'll hear about it when they review the game film.

[3rdgen 2]

How do any of y'all know what Rodney Scott was laughing about?  Were you privy to his conversation?  He may have been talking about something totally unrelated to the play.  I'm not saying there's no way he was sent out there to take out McCalebb, but none of us are in a position to know that and, thus, should give him (and Ole Miss) the benefit of the doubt.

Granted, it was inexplicable that he didn't go after Washington on the play, but I tend to agree with around4ever that it may have been his assignment to 'bust the wedge' and let the others behind him contain the returner and make the tackle. 

Also, Scott may not have realized how close he was to making the tackle.  Things look a lot different out on the field than they do from overhead with the aid of instant replay.  I'm sure he'll hear about it when they review the game film.

Its not so much Scott as Houston Nutt that makes me wonder.  It is well documented his and Malzhan's discontent with each other.  Just seems like if you were looking for a guy to deliver a shot on an opposing player the player they had least likely to catch flack over it was Rodney Scott.

[BustemBigBlue 185]

How do any of y'all know what Rodney Scott was laughing about?  Were you privy to his conversation?  He may have been talking about something totally unrelated to the play.  I'm not saying there's no way he was sent out there to take out McCalebb, but none of us are in a position to know that and, thus, should give him (and Ole Miss) the benefit of the doubt.

Granted, it was inexplicable that he didn't go after Washington on the play, but I tend to agree with around4ever that it may have been his assignment to 'bust the wedge' and let the others behind him contain the returner and make the tackle. 

Also, Scott may not have realized how close he was to making the tackle.  Things look a lot different out on the field than they do from overhead with the aid of instant replay.  I'm sure he'll hear about it when they review the game film.

He was laughing and doing an impression of someone getting layed out right after he knocked OM block off. Hard to imagine what else he could have been referring to..

[Tigermadness 0]

There was no doubt Rodney Scott was laughing on the sidelines about laying out OMac

[MarcAntony 0]

Excellent work Stat - I completely agree with every word of it. 

WDE