Jason Dufner Gives Encouraging Speech to Auburn Football Team

With the college football season rapidly approaching, coaches from across the country are bringing in people to help motivate their team to strive for excellence. Alabama brought in the heavy hitters in Herm Edwards and Ray Lewis, but Auburn decided to bring in one of its own in golfer Jason Dufner.

Dufner walked-on at Auburn and worked his tail off to become an honorable mention All-American in 1997. He is now a professional golfer on the PGA Tour, where he has won three times, including recently winning the U.S. PGA Championship with a record-setting 68 strokes.

The Auburn alum is now the eighth best golfer in the world, according to the Official World Golfing Rankings. 

If he could start from the bottom and work his way up to become one of the best, why can't a backup quarterback or a third-string defender rise up the depth chart and become an impact player?

Dufner is proof that hard work, dedication and determination pays off for those who are committed. Auburn only won three games last season, but that doesn't mean that a turnaround can't happen and the postseason can't be reached this year.

As players were grinning from ear-to-ear, Dufner mentioned that everybody has disappointments and that it's important to learn and move on. A new season and new coaching staff is a new beginning and should inspire all of the players to do better.

The players could certainly learn from Dufner's story after a letdown season.

It will be interesting to see how this rubs off on the players and who this short speech touched the most.

[h/t The Big Lead]

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