‘Tiger Talk’ Arkansas

[aubiefifty 18,302]

Bryan Harsin discusses Arkansas’ offense, Auburn defense, and early kickoffs on ‘Tiger Talk’

By Nubyjas Wilborn | nwilborn@al.com

5-6 minutes

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Auburn still can win the SEC West despite last week’s 34-10 loss against Georgia at Jordan-Hare. First-year head coach Bryan Harsin and the Tigers are reminding supporters any opportunity to get to the championship game starts with handling No. 17 Arkansas. The game is set for an 11 a.m. kickoff on the road.

Harsin took time on Wednesday to speak with Andy Burcham and Brad Law for his weekly appearance on the “Tiger Talk” show.

Here are some highlights from Harsin’s appearance.

-- Harsin said the team’s practice had gone well so far.

It’s been good. We did a good job of putting the Georgia game away. We were looking at the things that we did well and that we didn’t do well.

Then going out there and just being able to work on some of those things and let some of the young guys get after the play a little bit, let the older guys run and do some conditioning, and then come back together and start focusing on Arkansas, and they’ve been doing that. Tuesday and Wednesday went well.

The key is the things that we do in practice; we got to carry that over to the games, and that’s always been the message; I will continue to be it. We got to have a great practice tomorrow and one on Friday, finish out this week and be ready to go for the game on Saturday.

-- Harsin on the tough tests in the SEC.

It’s more of a game against yourself every week. How do you improve? How do you do things at a higher level? And as the season goes on, definitely your opponents’ matter, you’re going to see absolutely where you play, you know, some of that hype around the game and it all matters it all factors. But the reality is that you really have to focus on your standard and how you will pursue that throughout the season. Hopefully, before you get into it, if your drive is motivated by who you play, I don’t think that’s the best way to help yourself as a football player and certainly as a coach.

It doesn’t matter who you play; you can play the number one team in the country and win.

You can go play a team that’s not ranked, and you can lose, and that’s the reality of each and every week in college football and football in general.

It goes back to what’s the level of the standard that you’re trying to compete at every single day so that you can play at that level when you go out there and get on that matchup.

-- Harsin said Arkansas plays fast on offense.

I think that they don’t just play fast I do believe they play physically, and that’s one of the things with the team; it’s a no-huddle team unless you’re going to be that physicality, and we have that, so have that mentality.

What I think overall with Arkansas I think their entire team has a work ethic and blue-collar mindset, and toughness to see that when they play.

They’re able to score points we saw that last game. They’ve struggled against Georgia, which most teams out there that are very good have as well, so you kind of see both sides of that. So, they’re all things could go, and we got to be in the correct position.

When you are in your written play on the defensive side tempo, it’s a factor, but it can also be at your advantage where they can work three plays really fast and feel if you’re playing good defense and are lined up to be in the right position to make the play.

-- Harsin on defensive line depth against Arkansas no-huddle offense

Depth is important, conditioning is important, but it’s really about toughness; it’s mental toughness. You’re on the field, and you’re not going to be able to sub when they’re going that quickly. So those guys have to stay in their play.

As a competitor, why would you want to come off the field? So, at some point, you got to be ready to go, you got to be mentally tough enough to play fast and next play, and here’s the reality of it is too they’re tired as well.

If you’re feeling tired, they’re feeling tired as well. It’s not like, you know, they’re more conditioned than we are. It’s just a matter of mentality, they’re trying to attack on offense, and you’ve got to have the same mindset on defense.

-- How to combat the early kickoff?

Have yourself ready to play. Let’s go through our walkthroughs, but start fast. And, you know, be the team when we step on the field that’s got the most energy, the most excited to play, and is ready to go play four quarters of football.

And when there are opportunities to make plays as making, you know, I believe that we can. I think those are the keys. Besides the turnovers and running the football and tackling, all the other things.

You have yourself ready to go and be excited about playing and be excited about the early game, and be ready to play four quarters and be physical, the entire game.

Nubyjas Wilborn is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nwilborn19

[Gowebb11 9,945]

I wish we would stop making a big deal about early kickoffs. The clock is the same for both teams. 

[Randman5000 4,277]

That has to be an advantage that Harsin coached against Kendall when Boise beat FSU a few years ago. Different team but interesting note.

[SaltyTiger 8,596]

8 hours ago, Gowebb11 said:

I wish we would stop making a big deal about early kickoffs. The clock is the same for both teams. 

I hate them when we’re involved. Feels sorta like the “losers bracket”. Winning usually keeps you away from mornings. 
Understand that all things should be equal for the teams.
 

Good entertainment for tailgaters waiting on the later kickoff. 

[aubiefifty 18,302]

37 minutes ago, SaltyTiger said:

I hate them when we’re involved. Feels sorta like the “losers bracket”. Winning usually keeps you away from mornings. 
Understand that all things should be equal for the teams.
 

Good entertainment for tailgaters waiting on the later kickoff. 

do you tailgate at the games salty? i was shocked at how much some of those guys pay to bbq and drink beer and all that.

[SaltyTiger 8,596]

24 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

do you tailgate at the games salty? i was shocked at how much some of those guys pay to bbq and drink beer and all that.

Try to make it most Saturdays. Sponsored enough of them in my time so I freeload off my sons, family, and their friends these days. Rarely attend the games anymore and when I do leave at halftime and home by 2nd half. Just do not care for the crowded venue and has nothing to do with COVID.  Find the baseball park much more fan friendly.