Auburn Football: The Hidden Potential in Individual Training

I have spent hours looking through blogs and reports and reading Auburn fans post. The fact that 63000 fans showed up live and countless others took the time to read and post their opinions on dozens of articles recapping an open practice scrimmage tells me volumes. The future of Auburn University, Auburn Athletics and in particular Auburn football is in great hands.

There were 30,000 plus that toured the new Auburn Arena this weekend. Fans let faculty, students, coaches, and athletes alike know who Auburn University belongs to and how close they are watching. Young students and athletes across the nation witnessed the intensity of the support behind Auburn and it left a lasting indelible impression.

There are very few people that would not be moved by what happened on the plains for A-Day 2010. This was a well mannered supportive crowd made up of entire families. The Auburn Family was televised across the nation. There was a friendly supportive atmosphere where recruits, players, fans and students came together to enjoy a very special day that is the beginning of a very special season.

Looking forward from A-Day and spring practice Auburn fans have every reason to be optimistic. There was much to be learned about the progress of the team. The main thing Auburn fans need to take from A-Day is there are no big holes left to fill.

I thought the ESPN team that worked the game was excellent. They stayed on point and pointed out the good and the bad. Women liked the addition of a woman to the team and she did a great job.

The biggest issue that was pointed out was missed tackles that led to big plays. This was a huge issue in 2009. Of the nine missed tackles that I remember only one was missed by a certain starter on defense. Three more were missed by players that were on the playing rotation and expected to play this season.

For Auburn fans this should be encouraging. Five of the obvious missed tackles were made by players far down the depth chart that are learning their position. These players will learn from this experience and perhaps move up the depth chart and get some playing time one day.

There is no doubt that missed tackles is an area of concern, but it is no longer the overwhelming issue it was for the 2009 season. With hard work between the close of spring practice and the start of fall practice this problem can now be managed and over come.

The development of the 2010 Auburn football team is moving into a phase where the leaders on the team must take charge. Players will have to organize and improve themselves. This can be a period where this Auburn team rises to the level of champions or settles for the standard of mediocrity.

There will be new players that arrive in May and they will need the leadership of upperclassmen to show them the process. Some will have to learn the offense and others will have to learn the defense. All will have to push their limits in strength and conditioning.

If the leadership on the team is good this team will work out most of the problems that still exist before fall practice begins. New players will have a basic understanding of offensive and defensive schemes and be ready to learn execution.

Senior players will help less experienced players develop the skills the coaching staff has been teaching through spring practice. It is a time for the team to flourish in development at an accelerated pace.

Teaching basic fundamentals is not something that should take up precious practice time in August. The players should show up with the skills they need to perform at their appointed position. This is simply the way of a championship caliber team.

We all were able to see how hard these players worked between the Outback Bowl and spring practice. We saw the added muscle, the swagger of competence and confidence of execution that resulted from this work.

This process of development has to continue during the down time between formal practice periods. Players that have the discipline and drive that develops champions will improve even more during these times.

Players and fans alike witnessed the potential of the 2010 season. The individual development period between spring and fall practice will be a major factor in how much of that potential is realized.

For the fan this is a hard time. There is little or no information available about the team. It is a time of hope and patience. This is a period where the care and quality of the Auburn Tiger Football Team is solely in the hands of the players themselves.