AUBURN — Though he doesn’t exactly agree with it, Tommy Tuberville has a week and a half to prepare Auburn for its Iron Bowl clash with No. 1 Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
That preparation began Tuesday with Auburn focusing on its most familiar foe: itself.
“We’re going to work more on ourselves than we’re going to work on the next game,” Tuberville said. “We’re going to go back to fundamentals and try to have shorter, crisper practices.”
That approach was certainly apparent when selected players faced the media after Tuesday’s short, indoor/outdoor practice.
Asked about potential matchup concerns, thoughts on what the Crimson Tide does well or any opinion as to whether this is the most meaningful Iron Bowl in recent history were given generic answers or deferred until more time was spent watching film.
“When we go into Saturday, every team is No. 1,” nose guard Tez Doolittle said. “That’s the kind of mindset we take into every game.”
Basic translation: There is plenty of time to prepare and listen to the ever-building hype — not that it just started building this week.
“We have posters and signs up in the locker room,” cornerback Walter McFadden said. “We have a countdown board that starts the season — two, actually: One from the start of the season counting down to this game, and one for the whole year.
“The countdown is getting low.”
Because of the extra time off, Auburn will be as healthy as it was for its game at Vanderbilt on Oct. 4, Tuberville said. He said the same thing before last week’s Georgia game, but it’s safe to say a number of banged-up players, whom Tuberville said he will mostly hold out of practice this week, will definitely benefit from the extra time off.
Time, however, won’t be on tight end Tommy Trott’s side heading into the Iron Bowl or, perhaps, spring practice.
Trott, who was pulled early against Georgia, will have season-ending surgery performed on his knee Thursday by renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews.
“He’s played very well for us and is one of the leaders of our offense,” Tuberville said of Trott, who hauled in 20 passes for 201 yards this season. “Hate to lose him.”
Gabe McKenzie, who was reconverted to tight end from defensive end for the Georgia game, will start in Trott’s place with true freshman Vance Smith serving as the backup.
Trott’s surgery, on top of a number of others incurred by Auburn players, may influence Tuberville to push back the Tigers’ comparably early spring practice schedule.
“Depending on how many we’ve had that are able to get back, we’ll decide that in January on terms of when we’ll do spring ball,” Tuberville said. “I want to have most of them back so we might back it up some.”
Tuberville, as he did last season and again Sunday, voiced his displeasure Tuesday over the 73rd Iron Bowl being played after Thanksgiving. He even sympathized with Alabama, which will have just six days to prepare for No. 4 Florida in the SEC Championship.
“It’s very difficult for these two teams to play this type of game and then turn around and play a championship game,” Tuberville said. “This is not like another conference game. This is a huge game.”
Tuberville did recognize that a hangover from Saturday’s 17-13 loss to No. 10 Georgia should be avoided because of the extra week of preparation.
But for 5-6 Auburn, staying “out of the office” for a good portion of this week before the intensity kicks up next week likely won’t cure all the wear and tear caused by the unexpected tumult of this season.
“You don’t want to do too much,” Tuberville said. “You want to make sure you keep them fresh and sharp and don’t overplay it. You don’t want to play the game before we get there a week from Saturday.”
Source: Opelika-Auburn News
