I have been thinking about this for almost a week now. It occurs to me that had Auburn used Kodi Burns on just THREE freaking plays -- THREE PLAYS -- Auburn wins.
First:
On the first drive of the second half, third down 17 at the LSU 26. (At the 26 because of two dumb plays, but we'll ignore that). Todd takes an eight yard sack, turtling to the ground BEFORE HE GETS HIT when he sees two people blitzing from his right. Out of FG range. Middle of the field is wide open. Burns would have run straight ahead for an eight yard gain as the blitzers have no pursuit angle. Instead of a punt, AU kicks a 35-yard field goal.
On the second drive of the second half. Fourth and one at the LSU 32. Todd rolls out and throws the most ignorant pass in college football history. Interception. Scoring threat denied. Burns would have easily snuck forward for the first. OR, if the rollout had been called, he would have been fast enough to run for the first down. MINIMUM three points there.
Those TWO plays alone and it's at minimum 27-26 Auburn.
AU has the ball, first and ten. Five minutes to go. Leading 21-20. AU runs the slow-developing handoff play to the short side that Ben Tate cannot run. In the 50 previous times it's been tried, Tate has -18000 yards. AU runs a completely disjointed pass play. Tate runs to the right -- the play he CAN gain yards on -- and gets five. Has anybody else noticed this? Tate runs that slow developing play to the left and he gains nothing or loses. Runs it right and he gains yards. Anway, if Burns is in, here's what happens: Fake the handoff to Tate. Kodi runs right for five yards, second and five. Quarterback draw for four yards, third and one. Tate runs right for five yards, first and ten. Clock running.... see the pattern?
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