Tony “Dumbass” Franklin was unceremoniously sent packing yesterday as Auburn’s offensive coordinator. Franklin will be survived by basically no one, as he did not bring any of his own staff with him, and will be remembered by the Auburn faithful for making poor play calling decisions and spearheading an offense so bad that calling it “lackluster” would be a compliment.
Franklin came in just prior to Auburn’s bowl game against Clemson last year to bring the spread offense to the plains, and managed to put together a decent showing with veteran quarterback Brandon Cox and the freshman heir apparent, Kodi the Burns. The 2008 season was marked with quarterback controversy between Burns and JuCo transfer Chris Todd, inexplicably poor play calls at crucial moments in the game, and passes that arced like a rainbow and hung in the air longer than most punts.
Franklin apparently didn’t realize that Coach Tommy Tuberville had given him 6 games to get the Tigers up to a national championship caliber spread offense. Given the lack of talent at quarterback and in the receiving corps, and rumored friction between Franklin and long-time Tuberville assistant coaches Hugh Nall and Greg Knox, the dumbass never had a chance. He will be missed for his blubbering press conferences full of self loathing following each poor offensive showing.
Look for Auburn to get a new temporary Offensive Coordinator sometime in the near future, but don’t worry, because we’re still committed to the spread, as all 25 recruits that make up Auburns #4 ranked recruiting class are coming because of the spread offense. It will be interesting to see how a group of assistant coaches who don’t fully know the spread offense are going to implement it for the next 6 games.
Also to watch for, more bitchy bandwagon Auburn fans to complain about how Franklin ruined the Tigers offensively, even though these were the same lemmings who were touting Franklin as the greatest thing since canned chili six months ago. Meanwhile, Tommy Tuberville hasn’t been in a situation this bad since… oh wait… last season. Nevermind. We’ll probably end up renegotiating Tubbs’ contract at the end of another 8 – 4 season this year. Call me when we get a coach who’s second half strategy isn’t nicknamed “The Tubbershell”.
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