AU presented UK with mixed bag

By Chris Easterling
Assistant Sports Editor

Two small steps forward, one giant leap backward. In the UK football team's two victories over Indiana and South Carolina, the Wildcat defense showed some promise. It made the plays necessary to keep the offense in the game.

However, against the high-powered Auburn offense, the Cats' defense failed to shut down the No. 13 Tigers, allowing Coach Terry Bowden's squad to roll up 584 yards of total offense en route to 42-14 victory.

Auburn managed 352 yards in the first half alone.

"We beat Kentucky, because we were able to put some things in that they weren't able to handle," Bowden said.

But UK head coach Bill Curry said the Tigers did "absolutely nothing" his defensive unit was not ready to handle.

UK cornerback Steven Hall agreed.

"Basically, Auburn wasn't trying to fool anybody," Hall said. "They just came out and executed."

Auburn, which didn't score a touchdown in its loss to LSU two weeks ago, scored on its first four possessions of the game using a balance of running and passing to keep UK on its heels.

"It was a big confidence builder, more for the coaches than us," Auburn wide receiver Tyrone Goodson said. "It got in (the coaches') mind that we were ready and back."

The Tigers only held the ball for longer than three minutes in the first half twice. One of those times was a four-minute drive resulting in a punt, the other was a 20-yard scoring drive just before halftime.

"One series it was one thing, the next series we put in a whole different look with a few extra wrinkles," Bowden said. "By the time the defense gets adjusted to one thing, you try to give them something else."

Going into the game, questions surrounded the style of offense the Tigers were going to run.

Was AU going to use the 'I' formation and tailback Stephen Davis, or were they going utilize quarterback Patrick Nix and the four-wideout set?

"Tonight, we used both," Bowden said.

Auburn burned the UK secondary several times during the game.

"We blew coverage," Curry said. "We were trying to make plays and not playing the coverage that we called."

On their first possession, for example, Nix hit a wide open Andy Fuller for a 36-yard touchdown. On several occasions, Auburn used its running game to set up long passes.

"Coach did a great job with the scheming of plays," Nix said. "The play fakes and run really hurt them. They were really committed to stopping the run."

Auburn came out to start the game in the no-huddle offense in an attempt to tire the defense.

"Tonight it was an on the field decision to run it," Nix said. "The coaches decided to do it to try and throw them off-balance."

"After running at them a lot the first half and using the shotgun formation a lot," Auburn running back Fred Beasley said, "we noticed a little fatigue on their part. From that point, we just ran right at them."

Despite Auburn's success, UK may have paved the way.

"Whether we could have beat them with our very best," Curry said, "I don't know, but it sure would have been nice to find out."