Props from Tubs

[Tiger Wench]

Tuberville proud of Auburn's accomplishments

Former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said he's proud that the Tigers will be playing in this season's national championship game.

Now in his first year as the coach at Texas Tech, Tuberville coached Auburn to an 85-40 record from 2000-'08, including a 5-3 bowl record. The Tigers are ranked No. 1 in the country and are undefeated for the first time since Tuberville led them to an undefeated record (13-0) during the 2004 season, when they finished the year ranked No. 2 in the nation.

"A lot of those guys I had the opportunity to go out and meet their parents and talk them into coming to Auburn and be part of that program there,'' Tuberville said of this year's Tigers. "Obviously when you've had a season like they've had -- undefeated, and won an SEC championship and an opportunity to play for the national championship -- that's huge.

"I've watched them on film and they have played hard all year, and they've had a lot of injuries. I've talked to several players on their team this year that's been injured, that's had season-ending injuries, that had surgery, and visited with them. They been very good leaders for their team, even though they've been injured.''

By Tuberville's estimation, the bond between a player and a coach is unmatched. Even if that coach is no longer coaching that player.

"It's hard to explain the relationship you have with players that you spent time recruiting,'' Tuberville said. "But I'm proud of them.

"The coaching staff there has done a great job, and they've got a great football team.''

Tuberville is hopeful that the controversy surrounding Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is behind the Tigers, and that they will go on and beat Oregon in the national championship game.

"The problems that they've had with (Newton), hopefully they've overcome that,'' Tuberville said. "It looks like they've put that to bed the last couple of weeks.

"(Newton) is a great football player. I haven't seen one like him in a long time, and I've been in this business and have seen a lot of Heisman Trophy winners and a lot of guys that have made All-American and gone on and been first-round draft picks. This young man is a difference-maker.''

-- Dwain Price



Read more: http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/colleges/2010/12/tuberville-proud-of-auburns-accomplishments.html#ixzz17NAR6fXQ