One week earlier they were outmanned, outplayed and embarrassed. The Tom Osborne led Nebraska Cornhuskers took them to the woodshed, picked up a piece of split cordwood and put a whipping on them that was demoralizing and deflating. The visiting Huskers thrashed the Auburn Tigers 41-7 in front of a sellout crowd and national television audience, and the game wasn’t even that close.
Afterwards, Coach Pat Dye challenged the defense to pick themselves up and look in the mirror and have some Tiger Pride. There was an SEC game only 7 days away. Coach Wayne Hall and the rest of the defensive staff put the Tigers through torment and anguish that week. “Get Tough!” was the mantle.
The following Saturday, October 9, 1982 the defense was strong, hard hitting and tough, giving up only 72 yards rushing for the day. On the very first play, the Auburn defense dropped the Wildcats for a 4 yard loss, and that set the tone. The Kentucky Wildcats got inside the Auburn 20 yard line only once. A 51 yard pass from Randy Jenkins to Alan Watson with 35 seconds left to play, the Wildcats found themselves on the Auburn 10 yard line. On the very next play, Dennis Collier intercepted the ball for the Tigers. The defense didn’t give up a touchdown that day.
It was a good thing that the defense stood tall, because the offense, led by Bo Jackson and Randy Campbell, couldn’t put the ball in the endzone.
It became a day for the place kicker.
Through the first 4 games of the season, Al Del Greco was one of five in field goal attempts. In fact, Coach Dye considered benching Del Greco for another place kicker. Prior to the Kentucky game, Del Greco was quoted as saying “I read that if I missed one more attempt, they were going to find someone else.”
Al Del Greco set a Southeastern Conference record against the Kentucky Wildcats that day. He kicked six field goals in one game, which accounted for all of Auburn’s 18 points. In fact, had a 39 yarder not been 2 feet wide left, he would have had seven.
Up until that point, George Portela held the Auburn record with 5 set in 1977.
With successful kicks of 22, 28, 26, 23, 39 and 38 yards, Al Del Greco wrote his name in the record book.
After the Kentucky game, he said, “I just wanted one more opportunity. Maybe now, everybody will believe in me.”
Auburn won the game 18-3, giving them a 4-1 mark, while the Kentucky Wildcats went to 0-4-1.
The Tigers finish the season 9-3 that year. They would celebrate a tremendous victory in the Iron Bowl. The win would end the Tide’s Iron Bowl win streak at 9. “Bo over the top” would be Bear Bryant’s last game against Auburn. The Tigers would go on to defeat Doug Flutie and the Boston College Eagles in the Tangerine Bowl that year.
But those memorable feats would occur later that season. On this day, it was Al Del Greco who was the MVP.
Twenty-Eight years to the day from this Saturday, when the Auburn Tigers once again tangle with the Kentucky Wildcats.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
The Other Games
Driving from Atlanta to Spartanburg this afternoon, I listened to Sporting News Radio, ESPN, and one other satellite sports radio. Finally, I got tired of hearing the same regurgitated message over and over, albeit from different mouths. They were all drinking the same Kool-Aid, eating the same food, and salivating over the same game. You’d think there was no other ballgame on Saturday besides the Florida – Alabama game.
Rather than puking my own version of their shows and feeding it to you like a mommy bird does, let’s just say that the major news media are star-struck with Saban, Ingram and Richardson, and no one other than Mike Leach gives Florida a fighting chance.
But I digress.
There are, in fact, other games to be played on Saturday. Some of these “other” games have a great deal of significance. Because the national media refuses to seriously acknowledge the magnitude of them, I therefore take it upon myself to be the chief informer of the “other” games implications. Besides, I want to rid myself of that nauseating feeling one gets when too much syrup has been ingested with the pancakes. And might I say, sports radio was pouring the Aunt Jemimah on thick this afternoon.
The first “other” game of significance: Georgia at Colorado. Mark Richt cannot afford to lay a Rocky Mountain egg in Boulder. The death nail may already be in the executioner’s hand, but if the Dawgs get avalanched, the hammer will surely hit the nail.
“Other” game #2: Miami at Clemson. Although the ACC has taken it on the chin outside the conference, both of these teams still have a legitimate shot at their conference title. The winner has a huge leg up, and the loser goes home only dreaming about what might have been.
“Other” game #3: Oklahoma at Texas. The Red River Rivalry (too many “r’s” there…used to be the Red River Shootout, which was much easier to say) had some luster removed last week due to the surfing crowd’s invasion of Austin. However, the Big XII title is still reachable for both.
“Other” game #4: Tennessee at LSU. Although this one should be a no brainer with LSU winning easily, nothing is a “no brainer” when the mad hatter is involved. If Tennessee slips into the bayou and steals the stripes off the Mike the Tiger, the SEC west becomes a two team race.
“Other” game #5: Notre Dame at Boston College. O.K., who around here cares? However, I do respect the Pope and therefore the Catholic brawl makes my list.
FINALLY..”other” game #6: Stanford at Oregon. Two diametrically opposed philosophies clash in a PAC 10 showdown. Although no one east of the Mississippi cares about this game, an eyeball should stay on this one. Why? Because the winner might just slip into the BCS National Championship Game.
Well, there you have it. The other games that actually have some significance this week. Oh, and lest I forget, the Warhawks of Louisiana Monroe have breakfast at Auburn. This should be a non-event and hopefully the first team Tigers will get some well earned rest.
Rather than puking my own version of their shows and feeding it to you like a mommy bird does, let’s just say that the major news media are star-struck with Saban, Ingram and Richardson, and no one other than Mike Leach gives Florida a fighting chance.
But I digress.
There are, in fact, other games to be played on Saturday. Some of these “other” games have a great deal of significance. Because the national media refuses to seriously acknowledge the magnitude of them, I therefore take it upon myself to be the chief informer of the “other” games implications. Besides, I want to rid myself of that nauseating feeling one gets when too much syrup has been ingested with the pancakes. And might I say, sports radio was pouring the Aunt Jemimah on thick this afternoon.
The first “other” game of significance: Georgia at Colorado. Mark Richt cannot afford to lay a Rocky Mountain egg in Boulder. The death nail may already be in the executioner’s hand, but if the Dawgs get avalanched, the hammer will surely hit the nail.
“Other” game #2: Miami at Clemson. Although the ACC has taken it on the chin outside the conference, both of these teams still have a legitimate shot at their conference title. The winner has a huge leg up, and the loser goes home only dreaming about what might have been.
“Other” game #3: Oklahoma at Texas. The Red River Rivalry (too many “r’s” there…used to be the Red River Shootout, which was much easier to say) had some luster removed last week due to the surfing crowd’s invasion of Austin. However, the Big XII title is still reachable for both.
“Other” game #4: Tennessee at LSU. Although this one should be a no brainer with LSU winning easily, nothing is a “no brainer” when the mad hatter is involved. If Tennessee slips into the bayou and steals the stripes off the Mike the Tiger, the SEC west becomes a two team race.
“Other” game #5: Notre Dame at Boston College. O.K., who around here cares? However, I do respect the Pope and therefore the Catholic brawl makes my list.
FINALLY..”other” game #6: Stanford at Oregon. Two diametrically opposed philosophies clash in a PAC 10 showdown. Although no one east of the Mississippi cares about this game, an eyeball should stay on this one. Why? Because the winner might just slip into the BCS National Championship Game.
Well, there you have it. The other games that actually have some significance this week. Oh, and lest I forget, the Warhawks of Louisiana Monroe have breakfast at Auburn. This should be a non-event and hopefully the first team Tigers will get some well earned rest.
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