Greatest sociopath of our era?

This is the guy whom Urban Meyer felt obliged to protect… for years.

I was crucified and ruined on social media… for no reason. However…….. I know several high profile coaches that SHOULD have been…. know what I mean @CoachTomHerman ? Remember the several times you cheated on @belletjh and she told my ex about it? Because… I do. Lmao

— Zach Smith (@CoachZachSmith) November 11, 2018

Hey @Brett_McMurphy – report this. I witnessed Tom Herman cheat on his wife (@belletjh ) several times… once at an Asian massage parlor… and just texted him that I’m done protecting him. We gonna be “honest” now!? Or nah… LMAO

— Zach Smith (@CoachZachSmith) November 11, 2018

Remember when you were with an a Asian massuese? Because I dooooooooo…. @CoachTomHerman – you’re the biggest snitch alive… and also the biggest hypocrite alive. Anyone wanna know all that I know about Tommy Boy? Contact me. Lmao pic.twitter.com/L9x4bJ19ii

— Zach Smith (@CoachZachSmith) November 11, 2018

Seriously, WTF, Corch?

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“This probably won’t help with coach Dan Mullen’s pleas for fans to fill the stadium.”

Feleipe Franks just shushed his own fans.. 👀 👀 👀pic.twitter.com/GdNpilz1O1

— FanSided College (@FanSidedU) November 10, 2018

Well, that’s certainly one interpretation.  I like to think he’s telling Gator fans he thinks they’re number one.

(h/t)

Today, in awkward

Okay, maybe it wasn’t a Kiffin-esque fire the coach on the airport tarmac moment, but you gotta admit canning a coach while his show is airing has a certain cold-bloodedness that you have to respect in this day and age.

I mean, if you have to pay the guy $14 million anyway, you might as well get your money’s worth out of publicly humiliating him.

I really wonder who’s the next idiotic/lazy AD to hire Petrino.  You know somebody will, despite the almost certainty of it ending in disaster.

He back.

D’Andre, swift.

D'Andre Swift…

77 yards. TO. THE. HOUSE. ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/3GNTrgeYPa

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) November 11, 2018

Two things about this run:  the downfield blocking, which was superb, and Swift’s top end speed, which was readily apparent to me watching the play live.  As he’s crossing the Auburn 40, he takes a look to see where the pursuit is and hits another gear to cruise into the end zone.

And to think he claimed after the game that he’s still only about a 7 or 8 on a scale of ten, healthwise.  Jeebus.

Net yards per play rankings

Purely for yucks, I thought I’d take a look at how the SEC currently stacks up in net yards per play in conference play:

1. Alabama:  +3.07
2. Georgia:  +1.70
3. South Carolina:  +0.19
4. Mississippi State:  +0.07
5. Florida:  +0.04
6. LSU:  -0.09
7. Auburn:  -0.14
8. Kentucky:  -0.19
9. Texas A&M:  -0.63
10. Tennessee:  -0.78
11. Missouri:  -0.79
12. Vanderbilt:  -0.95
13. Ole Miss:  -1.14
14. Arkansas:  -1.27

Alabama and Georgia have sucked all the statistical oxygen out of the room, so to speak.  Which means Auburn’s net is about to take another hit in a couple of weeks.

Name that caption, loose lips edition

Gus Malzahn was caught muttering something on his way to greet Kirby Smart after last night’s game…

Everything is fine at Auburn…
Gus Malzahn appears to be saying, "They better not fire me" during his latest loss to Georgiapic.twitter.com/PEN6yLEQ0J

— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) November 11, 2018

Welp, that’s one interpretation.  Here’s another.

I see “You better not fight me” here but lipreading is hard https://t.co/dtJ8tes1Ms

— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) November 11, 2018

He’s unhappy, so I’m good either way, actually.  Your thoughts/interpretations?

What was once a hypothetical…

… is now a legitimate question.

Then, of course you have the rivalries. There are no rivalries like college football rivalries. For many fans there is no better salve for a rough season than the opportunity to destroy that of their most hated opponents. The Iron Bowl is one of the sport’s iconic games, right up there with Georgia-Florida and Michigan-Ohio State. Those games have always meant more to the participants and their faithful followers.

Until now.

With Notre Dame and Clemson looking like locks to make the playoff and all three of the other Power Five conferences still sporting one-loss favorites, combined with an Alabama schedule that has been heavily criticized, it is highly unlikely that the Tide will make the cut as a conference runner-up this season. Lose to Auburn and beat Georgia in Atlanta, and they’re in. Reverse the two and they are out. It’s that simple.

In other words, the Iron Bowl means absolutely nothing to Alabama this year in terms of the conference or national championships.

Keeping that in mind, it has to be tempting for Saban to treat the last game of the season like a NFL team that has clinched its spot….

I’m not saying Saban should, mind you.  But it’s not a totally speculative consideration, either.  And it’s only going to be more so after the CFP expands the field again.

In this case, it’s sort of moot, since Alabama’s second team is good enough to beat the Tigers at home.  Expect Saban to split the baby by sitting his starters early and often after kickoff.

The greatest box score of our era

Honestly, I didn’t think it was possible to rush for 789 yards (an NCAA record!) and lose.

Randomly caught the USD/Davidson game on the radio on the way to the Coliseum tonight. Davidson rushed for 789 yards and lost. What a boxscore. pic.twitter.com/5Y4EstTt6z

— Antonio Morales (@AntonioCMorales) November 11, 2018

What a time to be alive…

Got his number

So much for being an offensive genius.

Auburn finished the game with 274 yards, the 14th-worst offensive output in Malzahn’s 13 seasons as a college coach. Five of his 15 worst performances have come against Georgia.

More jolting? Auburn has been out-scored 123-3 in the five games against Georgia in the Peach State since 2011.  [Emphasis added.]

123-3 would make an excellent tag number for the Gus Bus, I think.

Cognitive dissonance, SEC-style

As you watch this play unfold…

“Arkansas, describe your season in one play.”

Arkansas: pic.twitter.com/IZao6FT5AD

— Connor O'Gara (@cjogara) November 11, 2018

… just remember that Arky scored 31 points against Alabama, which happens to be the exact number of points ‘Bama has given up total in its four games since (including back-to-back shutouts of ranked opponents).

College football is weird, man.