Auburn vs Tennessee Post Game Press Conference

Auburn Football had its chances in Knoxville, but penalties, missed tackles and an inability to stop Tennessee’s rushing attack ultimately proved too much to overcome in a 24 to 14 loss at Neyland Stadium. Alex Golesh did not run away from responsibility afterward. Auburn struggled badly to find an offensive rhythm during the first half, with seven false starts becoming one of the biggest stories of the game. The Tigers prepared for the crowd noise at Neyland Stadium, but preparation did not translate to execution once the game started. Golesh made it clear that falls on him and his coaching staff. The frustrating part is Auburn actually showed what this offense can look like after halftime. Once the presnap penalties disappeared, Byrum Brown and the offense found a rhythm. Auburn was able to run the football more efficiently, stay ahead of the chains and generate roughly 260 yards in the second half. The problem was that the defense went in the opposite direction. Tennessee turned to George MacIntyre at quarterback and leaned heavily on its running game. Auburn struggled with missed tackles, gap integrity and getting enough push up front. A defense that created negative plays and turnovers early suddenly could not consistently get Tennessee behind the chains. Golesh also explained the critical fourth and one decision, including why Auburn elected to pitch the football outside instead of attacking Tennessee inside. Jeremiah Cobb’s physical condition also became a factor. Cobb attempted to fight through a back issue before Auburn turned to Omar Mabson II, whom Golesh praised for his toughness, running and pass protection. Now Auburn gets a bye week before another hostile road environment against Georgia. Can Auburn clean up the penalties, tackling and execution before Athens? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices