Countdown to Kickoff: 94 Days

Poor ULM, appearing twice already on this countdown and we still have over 90 days to go....

Unsurprisingly, there will be quite a few plays from the 2010 season featured in this countdown. However, none of them will cover as many yards as this one. In fact, no offensive play in Auburn football history has gone has long as this one.

After a dominating win to open the season against Arkansas State, the Tigers had to claw and fight their way to the next three wins over Mississippi State, Clemson and South Carolina. After those three close calls, it was nice to watch Auburn just go out and beat the pants off someone. Also, fun to watch records get set.

Watch six ULM defenders step up anticipating Newton to run. No one picks up Emory Blake out of the slot and the result is the easiest touchdown in Cam Newton’s life. Give some credit to Blake for outrunning the last ULM defender to ensure this was 6 points and his name was in the record book.

What’s interesting about this play is Auburn is actually in their Wildcat formation. Malzahn doesn’t define the Wildcat as having a non RB in the QB position. Instead, the Wildcat formation is simply an unbalanced formation and where the player lined up as the QB spot is a running threat.

As you can see in the coach’s tape below, Lee Ziemba is flipped over the right side and Phillip Lutzenkirchen is lined up in his place on the left side. The Tigers bring Onterio McCalebb in motion which gets the attention of the safety and freezes the cornerback. Newton faking a run up the middle is enough to suck everyone else in. That leaves Blake wide open for the score. FWIW this play is the same “Florida” play I talked about two days ago, just out of the Wildcat formation. The result is a 94 yard touchdown and the longest offensive play in Auburn football history.

94 days till kickoff! War Eagle!