Passion Renewed: Auburn Improves to 1-0

Sitting at halftime of Auburn's 2009 season opener, many fans may have been wondering if this was another 2008 repeat. It obviously was not.

In the first half, Auburn made some stupid penalties that kept them from dominating the entire first half and let Louisiana Tech stay in the football game.

If you paid close attention to the way things went for the Tigers though, you had to have at least some clue that this team is different, and will continue to be different.

Not only was it evident that the players were ready, but the fans were even readier. From the Friday SGA Pep Rally, to Saturday's Tiger Walk, it all had a different feel than last season.

Tommy Tuberville, the former face of the Auburn program always led the Tigers into the stadium during Tiger Walk. Gene Chizik, he brought up the rear. He did it a fashion that may be unrivaled in all of college football. 

Chizik wasn't just all handshakes and smiles. In his business suit, the Auburn leader was yelling and throwing his hands up like a linebacker in his prime. If that didn't show you something, maybe the pregame flying of the eagle did.

Not that it played any impact on the game itself, but when the the Auburn Golden Eagle flew around the stadium for the first time in 2009, you could feel the passion in the air.

Not just students, but fans of all ages brought a different level of intensity to Auburn on Saturday night. Despite the fact that Jordan-Hare wasn't completely sold out, La Tech may have thought it was.

If not for a few unfortunate penalties, Auburn would have kept La Tech out of the end-zone. 37-13 certainly isn't anything to be ashamed of, especially over a team that won the 2008 Independence Bowl.

The differences from this season to last?

1. 556 yards of offense: That's right, almost 600 yards of offense. Two players with over 100 yards rushing, against a La Tech team that was ranked 13th in the country in Run Defense last season.

When La Tech gave us the ball back before the end of the second half, AU found themselves within field goal distance two plays later. Tuberville would have taken a knee and gone to half in a tie. Not Chizik. 13-10 and some huge halftime momentum may have been the turning point in the ball game.

2. Chris Todd's arm: He made the short throws, the long throws, and overall some pretty solid decisions. It helps to have Malzahn on your side as well; when Todd came within inches of throwing a pick on an out route, Malzahn calls the same play, but changes the route to an out and up, leading to the longest play in Auburn Football history.

3. Wes Byrum: After a phenomenal freshman season, Byrum found himself struggling with field goals and occasionally point after attempts that proved costly for AU in 2008. This year, PAT's right down the middle, and three field goals that were no walk in the park.

4. North and South Football: The bread and butter is back, albeit out of the shotgun set. Gone are the sideline to sideline runs that proved to be virtually useless in 2008, and in it's place are runs that proved quite successful Saturday,

5. The O-Line looks like an O-Line: The weight and the aggressiveness is back. Todd had time to make throws, the running backs had time to find gaps, and even though it wasn't an SEC defense, the offense clicked on all cylinders.

If Auburn can clean up the penalties, and hold on to the football better, this team will improve each week. Malzahn appeared to not miss a beat from Tulsa to Auburn, and his offensive mind baffled yet another defense. 

Depth didn't prove to be much of an issue this week, and hopefully that will be the case all season. It's a new year, a new coach, and a new team. This Auburn Tiger Football, and we're no pushover. We're back, and we're not going anywhere.