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Auburn defense using LSU offseason bulletin-board material as added motivation
By: Ryan Wood | Opelika-Auburn News
Published: September 18, 2012 Updated: September 18, 2012 - 11:35 PM
Apparently, Auburn’s 45-10 beating in Baton Rouge last season wasn’t enough. Copeland implied the Tigers defense was soft, so soft they were “memorable†for that reason.
These are sensitive words to any defensive player.
“After the first couple of hits, everybody was just backing up,†said Copeland, a blocking fullback in the same role as Jay Prosch. “They didn’t want to hit at all. … Before I got to them, they just fell down and just laid on the ground.
“I actually said, ‘C’mon man, you’re better than that. C’mon, hit me.’ That was the only game I went home and had no nicks and bruises at all.â€
It was said nine months ago. At Auburn, a lot happened since. There are new coordinators, new circumstances.
Auburn didn’t even need extra motivation this week, not after the first 0-2 start since 2003 ran smack into an overtime scare against Sun Belt foe Louisiana-Monroe last week.
Auburn got extra motivation anyway.
Junior defensive end Corey Lemonier said he wasn’t aware of Copeland’s comments before this week. He definitely knows what the fullback said now.
“Yeah, definitely,†Lemonier said.
And his thoughts?
“It’s just huge disrespect to us and what we stand for,†Lemonier said. “We’re just going to use that as momentum going in and just put fire in our … just use it as motivation for us.â€
Lemonier isn’t alone.
Auburn’s defensive players initially tried to play it down Tuesday, but they couldn’t hide the disgust. Backing up? Laid on the ground?
To sophomore safety Demetruce McNeal, it sounded a bit extreme.
“We wouldn’t be SEC if we got guys jumping out of the way, man,†McNeal said. “I mean, everybody can look on tape themselves and see there wasn’t one person that just jumped out of the way of a guy who was running the ball last year. … When people go to the media, some people just outburst things and say things off the wall. But you know, it don’t affect none of us over here, man.
“We’re just going to keep preparing, man, no matter who they got. I know they’re going to care about who we got, man. It’s just going to be a big competition between two SEC rival teams, and we’re just going to see what happens on Saturday.â€
On Saturday, a physical game is a certainty. Every Auburn player asked this week about their thoughts on No. 2 LSU have started with that one word — physical.
Coach Gene Chizik said Tuesday that LSU is one of the toughest opponents on Auburn’s schedule each season. He thinks it’s one of the keys to LSU’s annual success.
“There’s no real secret with what they try to do,†Chizik said. “They execute. They have very good players. They try to out-physical you. They’re going to run the ball and play-action you and take some deep shots on you during the game.
“The physicality part of their defense is very obvious, as well, when you turn that film on. That’s what they’re built on. That’s one of the reasons, in my opinion, you’ve seen a lot of success from them. You can tell that’s a way of life for them.â€
Auburn didn’t need extra motivation. Now that it has some, McNeal said it won’t be wasted.
Despite Auburn’s struggles this season, regardless the defensive issues that have led to dismal weekends, McNeal feels like his defense is improving. This week, the focus is on proving Copeland wrong.
To do that, McNeal said the defense must play with controlled rage.
“When you hear stuff like that from coaches telling you in team meetings what a certain player said, I mean, it fires you up to just want to go out and get that certain player,†McNeal said. “But, you know, it’s a team defense, and you just need to go out and just play ball. Don’t try to single out a certain guy or things like that, or try to take out your anger on this certain guy who said this because that will just blow everything out on the defense, especially in this league.
“So we’re just going to stay focused, man. Our main goal this week is just showing that we’re aggressive. They think we soft? We’re going to show them that we ain’t soft. I mean, it’s just as simple as that.â€