But we have to comment on the goings on ‘down on the plains’ in Auburn.  The hiring of Gene Chizik doesn’t seem to be going over very well with the faithful down there…and rightfully so.

Chizik, who compiled a 5-19 record as the head coach of Iowa State, was announced Monday to replace Tommy Tuberville as head coach.

Uh…was this really the plan?  Cut loose a guy that was 85-40 for this?

Don’t get us wrong…as members of the SEC West, we’re not complaining.  Especially since the Tigers sniffed but stayed away from Head Hog Bobby Petrino and his $8.75 million buyout.

As the former defensive coordinator for the Tigers from 2002-2004, Chizik was a familiar face for Auburn AD Jay Jacobs.  But what about University of Buffalo miracle worker Turner Gill, who took one of the worst teams in the NCAA to MAC Champions in just a few short years.

After returning from a meeting with Chizik, Jacobs was booed and heckled upon his return to Auburn-Opelika Airport.  Not exactly the kind of national attention that you want your coaching search to make.

And now it seems that famous Auburn alum Charles Barkley is claiming race had a role in Chizik getting the job over Buffalo’s Gill.  Charles, who can’t help himself sometimes, laments:

“I think race was the No. 1 factor,” said Barkley, who played basketball for three seasons at Auburn during the early 1980s. “You can say it’s not about race, but you can’t compare the two resumes and say [Chizik] deserved the job. Out of all the coaches they interviewed, Chizik probably had the worst resume.”

In the cutthroat world that is the SEC, one team’s disaster is another team’s opportunity.  The SEC West just got a little easier.

HogBaller also contributed to this post.

But not so down on The Plains…where the Hogs will visit the Auburn Tigers (4-2, 2-2) this weekend.

Generally, it’s not going to be a good day for a coach when you lose to Vanderbilt for the first time since 1955, and the first question at your weekly press conference is, “Have you fired your offensive coordinator?”

But that’s exactly what Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville (84-35, 10th year) has been facing this week.

“He (Tony Franklin) is our offensive coordinator,” Tuberville said.  “He’s worked harder than anybody here, and he’s as disappointed as anybody here.  And he takes as much of the blame.  He probably takes more blame than he should.  We’ve got to find some answers.”

Tuberville went on to put Franklin off limits to the media.  “I’m trying to put him in a better situation where he can coach and not have to worry about you guys,” Tuberville said.

So far, at least, the new spread offense that Franklin brought with him from Troy is not working out given the players currently at Auburn.  (Coach Broyles tried to tell ‘em.)  And that has led to a dismal 18.7 points per game for the season, and a woeful 12.8 points per game against SEC opponents.

But just because the offensive coordinator can’t talk to the media, doesn’t mean the players can’t.  And trust me, that hasn’t been a problem this week.

“I don’t know what we are right now — spread (or) old Auburn offense.  I’m just really confused right now.  Everybody is confused.  Everybody is hurting and confused.” — Wide Receiver Rod Smith

“We’ve got to figure something out.  This — man, I don’t know.  This isn’t the Auburn I saw when I was recruited.  This isn’t the Auburn I saw last year.  I don’t know what’s going on.  We’ve got to figure something out.” — Quarterback Kodi Burns

Thankfully for the Tigers, they haven’t needed to score much.  With a defense that’s ranked in the top three nationally — only yielding 11.2 points per game — you can be average on offense.  But that’s the problem…they haven’t been average.

If the Hogs can hang around in this one, the discontent found within the Auburn team and in the stands from frustrated fans could continue to fester.  And that might be just what this young band of Razorbacks need to pull off an upset victory on the road.

Report: Broyles Offers Job To Gillispie

Report: Broyles Offers Job To Calipari

Altman Hired As Razorbacks Basketball Coach

Altman Returning To Creighton

Report: Tuberville Will Be Next Arkansas Coach

Report: Arkansas Negotiating With Bowden

And now:

Report: Grobe Will Be Next Arkansas Coach

Not Much Sizzle…But A Lot Of Steak

And the hits just keep on coming…

The new Athletic Director is just that — ‘new.’  The old Athletic Director announced to the world that Arkansas can’t expect to be competitive year in and year out at the highest level of the SEC.

If Butch Davis is as smart as I think he is…there’s no way he comes to Arkansas.  Besides there’s his health and the whole ‘prophet is not without honor except in his own hometown’ thing.  Plus he’s not going to want to have to constantly deal with his own personal benefactor on the Board of Trustees.

And I couldn’t see any good reason to hire either of the ‘Tommy boys.’  I think both of them are too boring.

Throughout all of this, these quotes have come to mind: *

I don’t know what they have to say,
it makes no difference anyway –
whatever it is, I’m against it!
No matter what it is or who commenced it,
I’m against it!

– Groucho Marx

If I told you what it takes
to reach the highest high,
You’d laugh and say ‘nothing’s that simple’
But you’ve been told many times before
Messiahs pointed to the door
And no one had the guts to leave the temple!

– Pete Townshend

“In my opinion, it will not cease, until a crisis shall have been reached, and passed.  A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

– Abraham Lincoln

Our coaching choices appear to be:  a) someone brave and fearless on the way up — which means success will cause them to move on, or failure will send them back to the minors; or b) someone who got knocked back to the minors over some stupid issue and is working their way back up.

Looking from the outside in, who in their right mind would want to be ‘next?’  We just ran off a coach that won 18 games over the past two years.  We don’t exactly have history on our side.  This place has all the markings of a snake pit.

This is not an easy hire.  We have way more going against us than for us.

* We’ll give away a RazorBloggers t-shirt for the best interpretation and application of these quotes.

Multiple sources tell KNWA that Tommy Tuberville willl be Arkansas’ next head football coach. There is still a chance the situation can change but KNWA firmly believes the Auburn coach is close to an agreement.

Also:

• YouTube (Video): KNWA Breaking News Report

Monday, 12/3

• Alex Abrams: Tuberville’s Decision Could Come Today

Sunday, 12/2

• Tom Murphy: SEC fallout impacting Arkansas
• Opelika-Auburn News: No new developments in Tuberville negotiations
• The Birmingham News: Tuberville, Auburn president fly to Big Apple, Scarbinsky: Decision day looms for Tuberville
• Mobile Press-Register: Tuberville talks at a standstill
• The Huntsville Times: Auburn meetings shifting to NYC
• The Montgomery Advertiser: Tate: Tuberville tussle brings unique times on the Plains

Saturday, 12/1

• Alex Abrams: All Appears Quiet On UA’s Coaching Search
• Tom Murphy: Tuberville still silent after Arkansas hunt
• Opelika-Auburn News: Auburn makes formal contract offer to Tuberville
• The Birmingham News: Tuberville receives new contract proposal from school
• Mobile Press-Register: Desk set, Finebaum: Tuberville wants deal like Saban
• The Huntsville Times: Auburn extends offer to Tuberville

Friday, 11/30

• Alex Abrams: Sources: Arkansas Has No Deal With Tuberville
• Tom Murphy: Reports link Arkansas job to Tuberville
• Nate Allen: Tuberville-to-Arkansas reports conflicting
• Opelika-Auburn News: Rumors about Tuberville future swirling
• Mobile Press-Register: Jacobs: Hogs haven’t asked about Tubbie
• The Huntsville Times: AD denies Arkansas reports on Tuberville

Thursday, 11/29

• ArkansasSports360.com: Tuberville Is In Arkansas’ Sights, Harris: Arkansas-Tuberville Marriage Probably 10 Years Too Late
• KFSM: Sources: Tuberville deal in works but not done

Updated 12/2/07 10:45 p.m.

Saying the Hogs are catching the Tigers at a bad time is an understatement.  After dropping back-to-back games to South Florida and Mississippi State, Auburn has righted the ship by winning 20-17 at Florida and then punishing Vanderbilt 35-7 last Saturday.

Winning at Florida has given Auburn a tremendous amount of confidence.  Sort of like last year when DMac and the Razorbacks rolled into the Plains and thumped the Tigers 27-10.  As the Hogs found out, a wave like that can last for a while.

So how are the Tigers doing it?  Simple…by winning the line of scrimmage on almost every play.  Head Coach Tommy Tuberville challenged his veterans on the offensive line by inserting some young, hungry players into the mix a few weeks ago.  Led by true freshman tackle and Rogers native Lee Ziemba, the change has helped the Tigers improve their running game and taken pressure off quarterback Brandon Cox.

Cox is 23-7 as a starter, and is getting spot help from Kodi Burns, the true freshman from Ft. Smith.  Running back Brad Lester came back last week after sitting out the first five games with academic problems.  Lester, along with sophomore Ben Tate and freshman Mario Fannin, gives Auburn three solid backs who can run tough with breakaway speed.

On defense, despite a foot injury to senior All-American defensive end Quentin Groves (2 sacks, 6 tackles for loss, 18 QB hurries), the Tigers have been salty.  (Groves missed the Vanderbilt game and may not be available again this week.)  In three SEC games, Auburn has given up an average of 14.3 points per game.

On special teams, kicker Wes Byrum has been ‘Pontiac Game Changing Performance’ clutch, beating Florida with a last second field goal.  And that was after Urban Meyer called a timeout to negate Byrum’s first shot at the game-winner.

The visitor has won four of the last five in this series.  And amazingly, the Tigers are 12-1 in their last 13 SEC road games since 2004.  That’s an incredible mark and, in this league, it speaks volumes about their preparation, execution and leadership.

For the Hogs to have a chance in this game, they’ll have to match up against Auburn and stop the run first.  On offense, the play-action passing game needs to be effective and turnovers need to be limited — two things that didn’t happen last week against UT-Chattanooga.

Will the late start and ESPN atmosphere be enough to help the home team?  Hold on to those score predictions…we’ll make them with you on Thursday.