The Operations Order: Auburn 2015 Football Season

The Operations Order, or OPORD for short, is a basic military method for issuing a plan to one's troops. It can be as simple as the primary five paragraphs alone, or it can contain multiple annexes, tabs, appendices, etc, and be very confusing.

This year, I'm going to try something goofy and very Army-nerdish. Here I've provided a basic five-paragraph OPORD for the 2015 football season. When I say basic, I really mean basic. I took the simple shell given to Cadets in Cadet Command and tried to fit football things into it. Is it perfect? No. I had to leave out some sub-paragraphs that I couldn't figure out how to make work. For those military-literate folks among you, I welcome suggestions on how to better make it fit or how I could include more. The problem I foresee right now is my mindset being too much "follow the book," and doing that will make these awfully boring and redundant.

One possible thing I may consider is altering this to an order for the fans. That way it's more about tailgating, game times, TV, etc. We'll see. I welcome comments and ideas!

I was going to do a new one every week,  but then I realized that Paragraphs 1, 4, and 5 would be largely redundant every week. So, I decided to write a base Order, and then I'll post a weeklyFragmentation Order - or FRAGORD (formerly just FRAGO, don't ask me what it changed) - with updates for the specific team we're playing that week. It will be VERY basic right now, but for actual games the tasks will involve discussing specific actions against specific teams.

This is a trial run. So, as noted above, feel free to let me know what y'all think.

1) SITUATION

a) Enemy -

Intelligence reports indicates that stiff resistance faces the 2015 Auburn Tigers. To achieve the mission objective, Auburn will need to traverse a field of no less than 12 enemy units. They are armed with a variety of weapons including power running backs, mobile quarterbacks, and tenacious defenses. The Most Likely Course of Action (MLCOA) is that the enemy will put up stiff resistance before ultimately being forced to withdraw. The Most Dangerous Course of Action (MDCOA) is that enemy resistance will at times prove too strong and the Tigers will be forced to conduct retrograde operations* and adjust the battle plan for further operations.

b) Friendly -

(1) Higher Unit Mission Two Levels Up: Auburn University maintains an Athletics Department for the management of all things sports related at the school.

Endstate:

enemy: Opponents are defeated on the field in a manner emphasizing good sportsmanship.

friendly: The Athletic Department is capable of fully supporting teams able to win the Conference and National titles.

(2) Higher Unit Mission One Level Up: The Auburn Athletic Department supports and maintains sports teams in both men's and women's sports that have all the resources necessary to compete at the highest levels of competition.

Endstate:

enemy: Opponents are defeated on the field in a manner emphasizing good sportsmanship.

friendly: Auburn sports team compete at the highest levels and win multiple Conference and National titles.

c) Civil Considerations:

The local populace's effect on the Auburn University forces and fans will vary depending on the location of the contest. More to follow with each event.

d) Attachments & Detachments:

Attachments: Auburn University Marching Band, Auburn Cheerleaders, Aubie the Tiger

Detachments: None

2) MISSION

The Auburn Tigers Football Team competes in the NCAA FBS (Southeastern Conference) during the 2015 season at home, on opposing campuses, and at neutral sites, in order to win the Southeastern Conference and College Football Playoff championships.

3) EXECUTION

a) Concept of the Operation.

The football team will play four quarters of fast, physical football against all opponents with each portion of the team performing special duties  assigned to them.

Scheme of Maneuver.

The operation will consist of multiple phases. Phase 1- the planning and preperation phase - begins upon review of film from the previous week and ends with the team departing for the Remain Over Night (RON) site prior to each game. For home games this will be a hotel in Montgomery. Sites for away games to be determined. Phase 2 - the travel phase - begins upon arrival at the RON site and ends with Tiger Walk. Phase 3 - the execution phase - begins upon arrival at the stadium and consists of pre-game warm-ups and game activity. It will end upon completion of the contest. Phase 4 - the recovery phase - begins with post-game locker-room activities and ends upon the team's arrival back at the athletic facility in Auburn.

Offense, the main effort, will conduct fast-paced, minimal communication attacks against the enemy utilizing multiple air and land-based weapons systems. Through speed of maneuver, simplicity in planning, and security of ball-control, the offense will attack the defense and cross the opponent's goal line as quickly and as often as possible.

Defense, a supporting effort, will employ fast/physical assaults on the opponent's offense. Through surprise, mass, and economy of force the defense will prevent the opposing offense from crossing the Auburn goal line through expending of their downs or through creating turnovers.

Special Teams, a supporting effort, will conduct all kicking and returning duties. Through maneuver, simplicity, mass, and economy of force, special teams will attempt to score points when supporting the offensive efforts and prevent opponents from scoring points while supporting defensive efforts.

b) Task to Subordinate Units

(1) Offense. Task: Conduct fast/physical hurry-up, no-huddle offensive maneuvers via ground and air attacks. Purpose: Move the ball into scoring position in order to score more points than the opponent.

(2) Defense. Task: Conduct attacking defensive schemes to block the opponent from moving the football toward the end-zone. Purpose: Prevent the opposing offense from scoring more points than the Auburn offense.

(3) Special Teams. Task: Conduct all kicking and returning activities. Purpose: To score points via the kicking and return game while preventing the opponent from scoring points via there special teams.

c) Coordinating Instructions

(1) Priority Intelligence Requirements (PIR): Opposing team signals, tendencies, etc. Only to be obtained through ethical, legal means.

(2) Timeline

Times will be adjusted based on subsequent operations.

Sunday-Thursday: Practice/Preparation

Friday: Depart for RON site

Saturday: H - 2:00, Tiger Walk

Saturday: H - 1:00, Pre-game warm-ups

Saturday: H - 00:20, Pre-game activities

Saturday: H Hour: Game begins

4) SUSTAINMENT

a) Logistics

(1) Supply: The team will be supplied with all equipment needed by the equipment managers

(2) Transportation: For movement to game site, transportation will be via bus or charter aircraft depending on the operation

b) Personnel

Casualty collection point will be the Auburn locker room.

c) Medical

SEC Medical Observers will monitor each game for possible concussion issues. MEDEVAC is available upon request

5) COMMAND & SIGNAL

a) Command

(1) Location of Commander: The Head Coach will be on the sidelines

(2) Succession of Command: Gus Malzahn (HC), Rodney Garner (Associate HC), Will Muschamp (DC), Rhett Lashlee (OC), Dameyune Craig (Co-OC)

b) Control

(1) Higher Unit Location: The Athletic Director will move between the box seats in conjunction with the University President or the sidelines. For some operations he may not travel with the team and remain located at Auburn University

c) Signal

(1) Call Signs: HC: Tiger 6, Assoc-HC: Tiger 5, OC: Tiger 3, Co-OC: Tiger 3a, DC: Tiger 2

(2) Challenge and Password: Fast / Physical

(3) Running Password: BOOM.

The time is now FOOTBALL SEASON. What are your questions?

*The US Army does not retreat. Retreat is the bugle call ending the duty day. We do, however, conduct "retrograde operations." These are "organized movements away from the enemy."