Gene Chizik just had his weekly teleconference. Here are some quick points before we delve into transcribing the whole thing:

• LB Eltoro Freeman was out with an injury, which we're assuming is still the hamstring. Chizik said he, and a couple other players, weren't on the sidelines because players sometimes don't like being down there if they're not going to play. Chizik said 30 to 40 players on the roster were in the stands.

• Freeman, DT Zach Clayton (unknown), DE Nosa Eguae (foot) are all day-to-day with injuries. He called Eguae's injury "nothing serious."

• Chizik expects freshmen WR DeAngelo Benton and Emory Blake to be bigger parts of the offense in the future. Both had very limited roles in the Louisiana Tech game.

• Both of Chris Todd's touchdown passes came on double moves by the receivers. Auburn's coaches saw something in Louisiana Tech's cornerbacks that made them think that particular move would work. Looks like they were right.

• Auburn will take a long look at punt returner this week after Mario Fannin had his struggles Saturday, muffing a punt and making a bad decision to wait to pick up another. Chizik said punt return problems usually stick out in the first game, though.

Well, it's been a few hours since Gene Chizik's impressive Auburn debut, a 37-13 victory against Louisiana Tech.

Read all about it online at our main Web site. Here's the game story, a notes package I had to send by halftime because of deadline, a gameline with some superlatives and a column by Guerry Clegg summing up Chizik's night.

Many of this has been covered in great detail in a post below, but I thought I'd sum things up again now that we've had time to digest it all. We'll break this up in Chizik-like categories:

GOOD THINGS

• Gus Malzahn's offense worked much better than I thought it would in the first game. Yes, things were a little sloppy early on with turnovers (and Malzahn being Malzahn, those were the first thing he brought up in the post-game), but everything fell into place by the end. Auburn's 556 yards of total offense was its most since Nov. 5, 2005, against Kentucky. But the Tigers also looked comfortable running the offense, subbing in packages and sending players in weird motion patterns pre-snap. It all looked natural. Plus, the Tigers showed a commitment to running the ball, something we heard plenty of in the offseason but, after last season, had to see to believe. Two big positives after Week 1.

• Onterio McCalebb was as fast as he was billed, running for 148 yards in his debut. Any time your name get mentioned with Bo Jackson (the last frosh to run for 100 yards in his first game), that's a good thing. What was most impressive was McCalebb's ability to get to the corner. Oh how that was missing in this offense last year. He certainly has another gear when it comes to out-running defenders. It's an element Auburn's offense definitely needed.
  

• With a shoulder that finally looked healthy, Chris Todd showed what he could do, with a 17-for-26, 255-yard effort and two touchdowns. Even on the few deep balls he threw, he had some zip on it. Granted, there were a couple passes that looked like his 2008 form, but the vast majority of throws were very sharp. Honestly, the one that made me think Todd's arm was up to strength was the ball he completed to Mario Fannin across the middle that set up Wes Byrum's field goal just before the half. That ball was on a line and hit him in stride. Very impressive.

• Defensively, you can't say enough about the job done by newcomers DT Nick Fairley and S Daren Bates. Neither was overwhelmed by the big stage and both had a hand in Auburn's two forced turnovers, Fairley jumping on a fumble and Bates picking off a pass.

• The defense certainly locked down in the second half. Consider this: after Terrell Zachery's long touchdown pass, the Tigers held the Bulldogs to five first downs, two of which came on Louisiana Tech's last drive of the game.

• How about that Wes Byrum? The fact that he made some long ones (49, 47 yards) was nice, but the fact that he didn't miss any was even more impressive. Byrum has a strong leg, but his accuracy came into question last year, when his misses, especially from close range, cost the Tigers in a few games. But he nailed his first field goal (a chip shot) Saturday, the hit the 49-yarder just before the half that gave Auburn a 13-10 lead going into the locker room. If he misses either one of those, the game could have had a much different tenor.

• And finally, Chizik himself. There were all sorts of concerns about his game management skills heading into Saturday because, quite honestly, nobody had seen him in action on the sidelines (Iowa State clips are hard to find). But he didn't panic, even when Auburn was locked in a tight game through more than two quarters. I'd classify a very composed, very successful debut.

BAD THINGS

• We're nitpicking, because that's what you have to do for this category when a team wins 37-13, but for all the talk about rotating a bunch of defensive players into the game, it seemed like the starting group turned in iron men like performances. The linebacking trio of Josh Bynes, Craig Stevens and Adam Herring never seemed to come off the field. That's a good way to build some defensive unity, but there's no way you make it through the season playing only three linebackers. It seemed like it would have been a good time to get some of the younger players into the game in significant moments. That tells me the coaches don't think those freshman are quite there yet. Like we've said all along, depth is and will continue to be a problem with this team.

• Nice games for Zachery and Darvin Adams and H-back Mario Fannin, but where were the rest of the wideouts? Kodi Burns was a nice Wildcat option, but I can't remember them throwing a pass his way. DeAngelo Benton was a non-factor. Tommy Trott didn't even catch a pass. I guess the running game was working well enough that Auburn didn't have to throw the ball around too much. Maybe we'll see some other players get involved next week.

• Fannin didn't look all too comfortable returning punts, muffing one and making a bad call on when to pick up another. Anthony Gulley looked good catching the ball in his place late in the game. As a punt returner, that's the very minimum you can ask for.

So in summary, a good first game. Is it enough for me to change my 6-6 prediction? Not yet. I don't like being one of those people who see one game and convince myself that will be the way things happen for the rest of the season, and that would have been the case had Auburn lost as well.

But I do have to say that after seeing what Malzahn did with this offense after one game (just to reiterate, 556 yards!), that things looked to operate much better than I thought they would. Now let's see how it works against a defense from the SEC. It should be interesting.

Gene Chizik's first game is in the book, and quite honestly, it was pretty impressive. Here's how tomorrow's story starts.

AUBURN, Ala. — For more than two quarters, Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn's fast-paced offense sputtered, effective at times, sloppy at others, not quite the explosive point machine it was billed as.

That all changed in one record-setting play.

Quarterback Chris Todd hit wideout Terrell Zachery in stride for a 93-yard touchdown reception, the longest play in Auburn history, jumpstarting the Tigers' offense to a 556-yard night and a 37-13 victory against Louisiana Tech in head coach Gene Chizik's coaching debut before 81,143 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

"There are always impostors in a game," Chizik said. "There are things that happen that you have to overcome. They aren't necessarily going to happen the rest of the game and they are not going to dictate how you play the rest of the game. ... I was proud to see how we responded to that."

Here are some other post-game notes and observations ...

• The normally reserved Chizik ran the gamut of emotions Saturday. He showed a rare display of enthusiasm during the pre-game Tiger Walk, wildly pumping his fist and shouting to fans for the duration of his walk to the stadium. He calmly paced the sidelines during the game, only breaking form when he briefly got in an argument with an official over a questionable pass interference call. And afterward, he soaked everything in, taking his time hugging various family members before exiting the field to cheers with two fists raised. "It’s great to win your opening game," Chizik said. "The weight off my shoulder? I have weight on my shoulder on every game. I just felt prepared."

• The Zachery touchdown turned everything around. Auburn's coaches and players saw Louisiana Tech's corners creeping in, so they took advantage and went over the top. "We had run it the play before that and I saw the corner pressing really hard on it," said Zachery, who had two career catches in his first two years at Auburn. "So we just came back with the double move." Todd pump faked and threw a perfect pass that hit Zachery in stride.

• In case you're wondering, the previous longest pass in Auburn history was Jason Campbell to Silas Daniels against Louisiana Tech in 2004.

• The long pass opened up everything on the ground. With fewer defenders near the line, Auburn's running game flourished. Malzahn followed through on its promise to run the ball and the Tigers responded, finishing with 255 rushing yards on 52 carries, more than any game last season. Ben Tate (117 rushing yards) and Onterio McCalebb (148) both topped the 100-yard mark. McCalebb was the first Tigers freshman since Bo Jackson in 1982 to top the century mark. "I was kind of nervous in the first place," McCalebb said. "But after the first play, I told the offensive line it's time. And once I told the offensive line it's time, it's time to roll."

• Kodi Burns proved to be effective as a Wildcat option, running eight times for 23 yards and a 1-yard touchdown. It was a lot of fun just being on the field," Burns said. "Like I said, I want to help out the team any way I can and just get on the field and play. I played all my life and I've never sat on the bench, so it was just a great feeling to get in the end zone and I made plays at quarterback, wide receiver, just all over the place."

• Chizik on Burns: "We told Kodi he was going to help us win football games. Whatever his role is, that is who he is. He is here for the team. He is a team guy. He is an Auburn man. I said it before, and I will say it again, it was really awesome to see that young man score. He came off and I said I told you that you were going to help us win games. It is great to see a guy who is that selfless. Good things happen to good people."

• It was a solid effort for Todd, who was able to show off what his surgically repaired shoulder can do. The senior completed 17 of 26 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns, the long one to Zachery and a pretty 17-yarder that he dropped into the arms of Darvin Adams in the corner of the end zone. "We look for our quarterback to manage the team and don't turn the ball over," Chizik said. "And I felt for his first game in this offense, he did his job tonight."

• Speaking of Todd, he got one of the warmest ovations from the Jordan-Hare Stadium crowd before the game. A nice gesture from a fan base that didn't treat him so well last season.

• The Tigers got a boost on special teams, where place-kicker Wes Byrum shook off his dismal 2008 campaign to drill field goals from 25, 49 and 47 yards. The 49-yarder came as the first-half clock expired, giving Auburn a 13-10 lead. "It felt good because it was nice to show the coaching staff that we can go out there at a moment's notice and hit a long one," Byrum said. 'It definitely felt good for all of us. Like I said before, from the hold to the snap, it just went well."

• The defense, although thin across the board, held strong against Louisiana Tech's no-frills attack. The Bulldogs gained only 245 yards, and two of their three scoring drives were prolonged by Auburn pass interference and face mask penalties, easily correctable mistakes according to Chizik. "We got some penalties on defense tonight, I call them try-hard penalties. They're trying," Chizik said. "You know, you get kind of an incidental face mask in there two or three times. You take away some of those penalties on some of those drives and I don't know if you can really draw up a first game with that many new players any better." Said defensive end Antonio Coleman: "We didn't play perfect, but we got out there and we played hard. We flew around and had fun."

• A number of defensive players did not play, including DE Nosa Eguae, DT Zac Clayton and LB Eltoro Freeman. "You can’t dwell on it," defensive coordinator Ted Roof said. "It’s the next man up. You can’t dwell on it as a coach or your team will respond that way. That’s football, that’s life, it’s going to happen to everybody. Maybe in the long run it will help us develop some more depth."

• Impressive debuts for a couple of newcomers. Freshman safety Daren Bates lived up to hig big-play billing by making a key interception in the third quarter, just before Todd's long touchdown pass to Zachery. "I knew I had to make up for the one I missed earlier," Bates said. "It felt good. I was hyped."

• DT Nick Fairley, a junior college transfer, also had a big game, getting the start in his first career game. He pounced on a first-half fumble in Louisiana Tech territory and finished with five tackles and two quarterback hurries. "I was messing with him the whole week," Coleman said. "I was like, 'You're going to get welcomed to the SEC.' 'What you mean, man?' 'That one offensive lineman or that one back will just knock you out.' So he was like, 'OK, I'm going to show you.' So he got out there and played his butt off, man. I'm real proud of him."

• Some other defensive leaders:

• S Zac Etheridge had 8 tackles and .5 TFL
• LB Craig Stevens had 8tackles, 1 sack and 1.5 TFL
• LB Josh Bynes had 8 tackles
• Coleman had 7 tackles, 1 sack and 2.5 TFLs.

• H-back Mario Fannin had a big receiving day, with eight receptions for 82 yards. It looks like Auburn is really going to try to take advantage of him as a receiver this year.

• Fannin had a rough night returning punts. He muffed one that teammate Chris Humphries was alert enough to recover in the second quarter. And he let one bounce and nearly roll past him on another. When he finally picked it up, the play was ruled dead, because Fannin called for a fair catch before that. Freshman Anthony Gulley went in to return the next two punts.

• Auburn ran the ball 52 times. Its season high last year was 50. It only threw the ball 27 times in comparison, but who cares about balance when you're running the ball that well. "We are more into taking what the defense give us," Chizik said. "We are not into, 'Did we throw it 40 times? Did we run it 40 times?' There are some means behind the madness of what we are trying to accomplish on offense. If we feel like running the football 50 times gives us a better chance to win and there are a lot of issues out there. It could be that you are wearing down the defense. It could be the fast pace — whatever the issues are. If we feel like that gives us the best chance to win, that is what we are going to do. We are not so much geared into how many times did we throw it or how many times did we run it? We are geared into what is working so if they give us the pass, we may pass it 50 times or run it 30."

• The Tigers ran 79 plays. The most they ran under Tony Franklin's "fast" offense last year was 77. It was the only time they topped 70.

• Chizik on his first Tiger Walk as head coach: "Our fans are the greatest fans in the country. I know probably every coach says that. I've said this before, that Tiger Walk, if you're not fired up, you're in a coma."

• And some stats of note to finish things out:

• Auburn averaged 5.8 yards per rush. Louisiana Tech averaged 2.6.
• Auburn ran for 301 yards. Louisiana Tech ran for 96.
• Auburn converted 8 of 13 third-down conversions. Louisiana Tech converted 5 of 14.
• And perhaps most important, Auburn scored on 4 of 5 red zone opportunities. After last year's struggles inside the 20, that's a positive sign.

We'll be back tomorrow for some follow up material when Auburn practices in the evening.

Welcome to the all-encompassing pre-game post. I'll be updating things here leading up to the game, so be sure to check back.

Oh, and follow the blog on Twitter for instant updates.

• DE Nosa Eguae showed up to the stadium wearing a protective boot on his right foot. That's not going to help Auburn's depth at defensive end, where freshman Dee Ford is the only other player listed on the two-deep. I imagine Zac Clayton and Nick Fairley will see some time there as backups to Antonio Coleman and Michael Goggans.
  

• Head coach Gene Chizik got very animated trying to get the Tiger Walk crowd pumped up as he came into the stadium. This is a big day for him and it looks like he knows it.

• There's some rain a-comin'. We'll see if -- make that when -- it gets here. (Update: Check that. It's kind of moving Northeast. Maybe it will miss the stadium.)
  

• As you might have noticed from the picture, Auburn went with an orange AU logo. Last year, it was blue.

• Looks like Auburn coaches will be wearing orange on the sideline today. Wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor is out there in an orange windbreaker right now.

• Kodi Burns is out working with the quarterbacks in the pre-game. Only four are dressed -- Burns, Chris Todd, Neil Caudle and Tyrik Rollison. Looks like Clint Moseley will be redshirting, as if we didn't know that already.

• WR Darvin Adams is dressed out. We've been hearing he might not play. We'll see.

• Don't know what this means, but we have not seen LB Eltoro Freeman out there stretching with the team in the pre-game.

• UPDATE: Eguae definitely not playing. He's not dressed out. Still wearing a protective boot.

• LB Adam Herring working with the first group on defense during warmups in Freeman's place. UPDATE: Herring just announced as the starter.

• Nice round of applause for quarterback Chris Todd in the pre-game. It sounds like Auburn fans are coming around on him.

• Adams announced as starter at WR along with Terrell Zachery and Tommy Trott.

• Wow, quite the War Eagle. Spirit flew around for at least 40 seconds before going through the goal posts and to midfield. Best one I've seen yet.

I wrote a story for today's paper about expectations heading into Gene Chizik's first season. Here's how it starts:

AUBURN, Ala. — It’s been nearly nine months since Gene Chizik was hired as Auburn’s head coach. That time has been filled with a seemingly endless parade of practices, preparation and platitudes, none of which has given a clue as to how the Tigers will fare in their season opener tonight against Louisiana Tech.

Even Chizik admits its hard not to second-guess himself on the eve of the season.

“Really, you’re always thinking along those lines,” he said. “I don’t think that ever leaves you. ‘Did we do enough? Did we do too much?’ It’s really human nature to look back and say those things, but I think we’ve been very thorough. We’ve just got to go out and play now.”

Chizik finally takes the field as the Tigers’ 26th head coach tonight at Jordan-Hare Stadium, hoping to get his tenure off to a good start. Auburn head coaches have a 16-8-1 record in their debuts, with four of the last five — Tommy Tuberville, Terry Bowden, Pat Dye and Ralph “Shug” Jordan — notching wins.

Beating an upstart Louisiana Tech won’t define Chizik’s Auburn career, but a victory would certainly calm the nerves of fans who are still skittish about the coach’s 5-19 record in two seasons at Iowa State.

Read the rest here. Also, be sure to follow the blog on Twitter.

Now, the question I most frequently am asked is how many wins Auburn will have this year. My answer usually disappoints. Six. And honestly, that should be considered a success.

As history shows, it's tough sledding for first-year head coaches in the SEC. As my story says, since 1992, the year the conference split into two divisions, there have been 32 new full-time head coaches hired in the conference. Here's how they've fared, from best to worst.

The format is: Coach (school) Record — Record of the team the previous year (whether or not the school made a bowl game the previous year):

• Bowden (Auburn) 11-0 — 5-5-1 (no bowl)
• Les Miles (LSU) 11-2 — 9-3 (bowl)
• Phil Fulmer (Tennessee) 10-2 — 9-3 (bowl)
• Urban Meyer (Florida) 9-3 — 7-4 (bowl)
• Houston Nutt (Arkansas) 9-3 — 4-7 (no bowl)
• Nutt (Ole Miss) 9-4 — 3-9 (no bowl)
• Nick Saban (LSU) 8-4 — 3-8 (no bowl)
• Mark Richt (Georgia) 8-4 — 8-4 (bowl)
• David Cutcliffe (Ole Miss) 8-4 — 6-5 (no bowl)
• Ron Zook (Florida) 8-5 — 10-2 (bowl)
• Dennis Franchione (Alabama) 7-5 — 3-8 (no bowl)
• Steve Spurrier (South Carolina) 7-5 — 6-5 (no bowl)
• Gerry DiNardo (LSU) 7-4-1 — 4-7 (no bowl)
• Danny Ford (Arkansas) 6-4-1 — 3-7-1 (no bowl)
• Tuberville (Ole Miss) 6-5 — 4-7 (no bowl)
• Brad Scott (South Carolina) 6-5 — 4-7 (no bowl)
• Saban (Alabama) 6-6 — 6-6 (bowl)
• Tuberville (Auburn) 5-6 — 3-8 (no bowl)
• Jim Donnan (Georgia) 5-6 — 6-6 (bowl)
• Hal Mumme (Kentucky) 5-6 — 4-7 (no bowl)
• Bobby Petrino (Arkansas) 5-7 — 8-5 (bowl)
• Mike DuBose (Alabama) 4-7 — 10-3 (bowl)
• Joe Lee Dunn (Ole Miss) 4-7 — 6-5 (no bowl)
• Rich Brooks (Kentucky) 4-8 — 7-5 (no bowl)
• Mike Shula (Alabama) 4-9 — 10-3 (ineligible for bowl)
• Ed Orgeron (Ole Miss) 3-8 — 4-7 (no bowl)
• Sylvester Croom (Mississippi State) 3-8 — 2-10 (no bowl)
• Woody Widenhofer (Vanderbilt) 3-8 — 2-9 (no bowl)
• Guy Morriss (Kentucky) 2-9 — 2-9 (no bowl)
• Rod Downhower (Vanderbilt) 2-9 — 5-6 (no bowl)
• Bobby Johnson (Vanderbilt) 2-10 — 2-9 (no bowl)
• Lou Holtz (South Carolina) 0-11 — 1-10 (no bowl)

And a breakdown of victories per first season (the average is 5.9):

• 11 wins: 2
• 10 wins:1
• 9 wins: 3
• 8 wins: 4
• 7 wins: 3
• 6 wins: 5
• 5 wins: 3
• 4 wins: 4
• 3 wins: 3
• 2 wins: 3
• 1 win: 0
• 0 wins: 1

As you can see, it's tough to turn things around. Only eight coaches inherited sub-.500 teams and finished better than .500 in their first year. Of those eight, only three finished with eight or more wins. Houston Nutt did it at both Arkansas and Ole Miss. Nick Saban did it at LSU.

Here are the best one-year improvements:

• Bowden (Auburn) +6 wins
• Nutt (Ole Miss) +6 wins
• Nutt (Arkansas) +5 wins
• Saban (LSU) +5 wins
• Franchione (Alabama) +4 wins
• DiNardo (LSU) +3 wins
• Ford (Arkansas) +3 wins

So, anyone driving the eight- or nine-win bandwagon should know that an improvement like that, which would require Auburn to increase by three or four wins, is extremely rare. In the last 17 years, only seven coaches have had that big of an improvement in Year 1, less than a quarter of the coaches hired.

Just for fun, here are some debuts from Auburn's most recent coaches. And notice how their record in the first season doesn't necessarily correlate with long-term success:

• Tuberville (1999) — won 22-15 vs. Appalachian State, 5-6 for season (85-40 career at Auburn)
  
• Bowden (1993) — won 16-12 vs. Ole Miss, 11-0 for season (47-17-1 career)
  
• Dye (1981) — won 24-16 vs. TCU, 5-6 for season (99-39-4 career)
  
• Doug Barfield (1976) — lost 31-19 at Arizona, 4-7 for season (29-25-1 career)
  
• Jordan (1951) — won 24-14 vs. Vanderbilt, 5-5 for season (176-83-6 career)
  

And one last thing, at least on Sports Illustrated.com writer thinks Auburn will be a surprise team this year. Here's what Arash Markazi had to say (you have to scroll down on the link to find it):

New offensive coordinator Gus Malazahn was one of the innovators of the trendy "Wildcat Offense," and if he can get the Tigers to play with some consistency they could be a scary team. The Tigers lost four games by five points or fewer last year because they finished 104th in the nation in total offense and 110th in scoring.

Thoughts?

I never really settled on what kind of a game breakdown I wanted to do on the blog, so for this week at least, I'll give a preview of what will be in tomorrow's paper:

Also, follow the blog on Twitter.

Louisiana Tech (0-0) at Auburn (0-0)

• Where: Auburn, Ala.
• When: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU
• Last game: Auburn 52, Louisiana Tech 7, Oct. 9, 2004

Offense:

Louisiana Tech: The Bulldogs return almost everyone on offense, with running back Daniel Porter (1,164 rushing yards, 9 TD), wide receiver Phillip Livas (607 yards, 2 TD) and quarterback Ross Jenkins (6-2 as a starter) leading the way. Louisiana Tech is also one of 13 Football Bowl Subdivision teams to return all five starters on its offensive line, which should help their no-frills, no-mistakes game plan.

Auburn: The Tigers will give fans a first look at Gus Malzahn's fast-paced offense, with hopes that it doesn't resemble Tony Franklin's purportedly fast offense from last year. Chris Todd is the starting quarterback again and is out to prove that last season's struggles can be attributed to a nagging shoulder injury that was corrected by offseason surgery. Just who he'll throw to remains a mystery. Auburn's receiving corps is young and beat up right now.

EDGE: Push

Defense:

Louisiana Tech: Seven starters return on a defense that ranked 13th in the country against the run last year, allowing only 103.8 yards per game. Tech's front seven is the strength of the unit, led by defensive tackle D'Anthony Smith, who had 65 tackles and five sacks last season. Antonio Baker, an All-WAC safety, will help lead a secondary that lost both its starting cornerbacks.

Auburn: The Tigers are talented but thin across the board. Defensive end Antonio Coleman, linebackers Josh Bynes and Craig Stevens and safety Zac Etheridge have All-SEC potential, but rotating in reserves is a problem. Auburn has three junior college transfers, two redshirt freshmen and five true freshman on its two deep, including newcomer Daren Bates, who's been on the Plains for a month and is already starting at safety.

EDGE: Auburn

Special teams:

Louisiana Tech: The Bulldogs were tied for second nationally last season with eight non-offensive touchdowns, five of which came from special teams. Return man extraordinaire Livas had three of them, taking back two punts and a kickoff for a touchdown. Tech's problems come at kicker and punter, where a pair of freshmen — Matt Nelson and Cade Glassgow — are the starters.

Auburn: Auburn's strong special teams effort last season was overshadowed by place-kicker Wes Byrum's struggles. He is looking to bounce back from an 11-for-19 season and early indications from practice are that the junior has solved some mechanical problems. Mario Fannin is a game-breaker who will be a factor on punts, while the speedy Onterio McCalebb should get a look on kickoff returns.

EDGE: Auburn

Coaching:

Louisiana Tech: Derek Dooley has taken a team that went 3-10 the year before his arrival to 8-5 last year, leading the Bulldogs to their first bowl victory since 1977. He's had several mentors along the way, from his dad, Hall of Fame Georgia coach Vince Dooley, to Nick Saban, with whom he coached at LSU and with the NFL's Miami Dolphins. He knows the game, that's for sure.

Auburn: Gene Chizik seems every bit as polished, having worked under Tommy Tuberville and Mack Brown before getting his first head coaching gig. But things went horribly at Iowa State, where Chizik was 5-19 in two years. Although it's likely few could have fared better in difficult circumstances in Ames, it's a fact that will sure to be brought up if Auburn struggles out of the gate this season.

EDGE: Louisiana Tech

Key matchups

Offense: Ryan Pugh vs. D'Anthony Smith. Pugh is back home at center, his natural position, and will have his hands full trying to move the 300-pound Smith to clear some holes for Auburn's running backs. Pugh bulked up in the offseason, adding more than 20 pounds to get up to 289 this season. He's hoping that extra weight will help him against bigger defenders, something he didn't have going for him when the Tigers' linemen slimmed down for Franklin's offense last year.

Defense: Josh Bynes vs. Daniel Porter. Porter is Louisiana Tech's go-to option on offense (he’s only the ninth 1,000-yard rusher in school history) meaning Auburn will have to keep him in check. That job starts with Bynes, the Tigers' middle linebacker who thrived after taking over for Tray Blackmon last season, making 53 tackles in eight starts. The Tigers' front will have its hands full with Tech's veteran line, meaning Bynes might be the one having to stop on Porter.

Prediction: Louisiana Tech is a feisty non-BCS school that pulled an upset — or was it? — of Mississippi State in Ruston, La., last year. But that was at home. Historically, the Bulldogs have struggled on the road against SEC teams, and they haven't beaten Auburn in 11 tries, salvaging one tie in the series. Despite the fact that Auburn will have to get adjusted to a new coaching regime, it is the more talented team. Provided the Tigers don't make a series of mistakes, they should previal. Auburn 24, Louisiana Tech 17.

First, follow the blog on Twitter. Then read these links ...

• Louisiana Tech is aware of how fast Gus Malzahn wants to move on offense, write Ethan Conley of the News Star.

• The Bulldogs might be a better team than last year but will have a hard time improving on their win total because of a brutal schedule, Conley writes.

• Jimmy Watson of the Shreveport Times writes that Louisiana Tech won't be able to sneak up on Auburn this Saturday.

• Two Bulldogs -- Adrien Cole and Solomon Randle -- return to their native Alabama for this Saturday's game, writes the Mobile Press-Register's Mike Herndon.

• Auburn's new basketball arena has a temporary name, writes Andrew Gribble of the Opelika-Auburn News. Drumroll please ... The Auburn Arena. Really? I can imagine this is how the brainstorming session went:

• Auburn brainstormer #1: "We need a name for the arena?"
• Auburn brainstormer #2: "How about ... the Auburn Arena?"
• Auburn brainstormer #1: "Brilliant! Let's go to lunch."
• Auburn brainstormer #2: "Where to?"
• Auburn brainstormer #1: "McDonald's?"
• Auburn brainstormer #2: "Another triumph!"

• Seriously, though, they'll drop that lame name as soon as a corporate sponsor comes along. And by naming it something so bland instead of after somebody famous, the school will be able to change the name without any uproar. The people I really feel for are Beard and Eaves. Although I won't miss the double hyphenation required in spelling the arena's name.

• Jerry Hinnen at the War Eagle Reader continues his position-by-position breakdown. Today he's got WRs/TEs/H-backs/etc. and the linebackers.

• More trouble at Alabama with the same booster that nearly cost Julio Jones and Mark Ingram. This time, it's linebacker Jerrell Harris who's being investigated for getting a laptop, writes Gentry Estes of the Mobile Press-Register.

• Georgia is playing a rare marquee road game at Oklahoma State to start the season, writes David Hale of the Macon Telegraph.

• Oklahoma State decides against a pre-game handshake with Georgia, writes Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner Herald.

• Maybe the NCAA should work on the post-game handshake after Thursday night's ugliness at Boise State, when Oregon's LaGarrette Blount threw a punch after the game was over, then went berserk and nearly started a fight with fans. You stay classy, Blount. I'm guessing a suspension is in his future.

• Paul Rhoads won his debut as Iowa State's head coach, despite having to communicate with cell phones during the first half because the headsets were not working. "I’d like to thank (athletic director) Jamie Pollard and the business department for paying our cell bill in the first half,” Rhoads said afterward. Also, check out the photo galleries on the side panel of that page. Rhoads seems to get pretty fiery during his pre-game speeches.

• This is disappointing. Guess Notre Dame can't take a joke.

• Forty percent of sports reporters bet on sports and 5 percent have done so on games they cover, according to Editor & Publisher. This does not shock me in the least. Me? I'm too cheap -- and too frequently incorrect -- to consider placing wagers. Plus, reading a Phil Steele magazine to figure out gambling trends will give you a headache. Too many abbreviations.

Just got this press release about enhancements to Auburn's game day experience at Jordan-Hare Stadium. I thought this would be helpful for fans planning on attending Saturday's game.

Here it is in its entirety:

AUBURN GAME DAY IMPROVEMENTS FOR 2009 FOOTBALL SEASON

AUBURN — The 2009 Auburn football game day will feature several improvements and enhancements in and around Jordan-Hare Stadium, including GuestAssist, Tiger Alley and Tailgate Guys, which have been incorporated for a more fan friendly experience.

GuestAssist provides instant two-way, text messaging-based communication between ticket holders and event staff, allowing for improved management of safety, security and guest services. For stadium assistance or to report an issue on game days, text the word AUBURN
followed by your message and location to 78247 (standard text messaging rates apply).

“We’re really excited about the improvements and additions that have been made for the 2009 season and believe that Auburn fans, as well as our guests, will have a tremendous game day experience,” said Scott Carr, Senior Associate A.D. for External Affairs. “One of the five goals we have in the athletic department is to provide a first-class game day environment, and feel that the improvements we’ve implemented help accomplish that goal.”

Tiger Alley, which will feature several food vendors in a row, will be located on Roosevelt between Donahue and Coliseum Drive. Chick-fil-A, Johnny Bruscos, Niffer’s, Tiger Ice-shaved ice and Sweet Shop will all have stands at Tiger Alley, featuring additional food options for fans
outside of the stadium.

Tailgate Guys provides participating fans with a turn-key tailgating experience. Tents, tables, and chairs will be set-up in advance. Fans will also have the option to order coolers filled with ice, paper products and utensils, and full-service catering. This hassle-free program will provide Auburn fans with first class tailgating without the time consuming set-up. Tailgate Guys is located on the green space east of Jordan-Hare and south of the new student union.

Some additional enhancements for fans in 2009 include:

• Nine ATM machines will be added outside Jordan-Hare Stadium.

• Hand sanitizer pumps are available at each concession condiment station and stadium gates.

• New Tiger Transit stop at Sam's Club (replacing the K-Mart stop) with easier access to the interstate at Exit 57.

• Doubled the number of card swipes at the student entrances, which will expedite the time it takes students to enter the stadium.

• Large ventilation fans were added in the north club, south club and northwest main concourse.

• The food court in the new student union will be open on game day, several hours prior to kickoff and remain open several hours after the game.

• New graphic design on the video boards and ribbon boards.

• New graphics highlighting Auburn’s five major award winners Bo Jackson, Carlos Rogers, Tracy Rocker, Pat Sullivan, and Zeke Smith have been added to the exterior of the stadium, located on the south side.

• The Tiger Team Village has been renamed the Coca-Cola FanFest (location remains the same, on the north end of Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum).

After a quick follow-the-blog-on-Twitter plug, let's get to the links ...

• Andrew P. Gribble of the Opelika-Auburn News asked 12 questions about Auburn football leading into the season. Here, he answers them.

• Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News writes that Gene Chizik is a veritable Knute Rockne in his pre-game speeches. We've seen Chizik speak at press conferences. Call us skeptical.

• Paul Gattis of the Huntsville Times writes that first-year coaches don't fare so well in the SEC.

• Friend of the blog Jerry Hinnen, he of Joe Cribbs Car Wash fame, is now over at The War Eagle Reader. Lately, he's been doing position breakdowns. Click on the following to read about the quarterbacks, offensive line and running backs.

• Acid Reign at Track 'Em Tigers has a nice breakdown of the Louisiana Tech-Auburn rivalry, if you can call it a rivalry when one team wins all the time.

• On the Alabama front, the NCAA reinstated WR Julio Jones and RB Mark Ingram after they made a repayment for a spring fishing trip with an Athens, Ga., resident. That's certainly a huge boost for the Crimson Tide as it heads into Saturday's Georgia Dome showdown with Virginia Tech. Busy time on the Alabama beat this week. I'm not envious.

• Richard Samuel (the bruiser) and Carlton Thomas (the burner) will do their best to replace Knowshon Moreno at Georgia, writes David Hale of the Macon Telegraph.

• The pre-game hand shake was an issue at Georgia yesterday after Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy, who is now 42, took a strong stance against the issue earlier this week. The issue? He's afraid both teams get a little too amped in the pre-game to be able to cordially meet and shake hands. My question: why not just do it after the game like every other sport? And quite honestly, this seems like a pretty hollow gesture considering both teams will try to beat the holy heck out of each other for the three hours immediately after the hand shake.

• Yup, Texas Tech's Mike Leach sure likes him some pirates. That guy is from a different planet. I love it.

• Eric Hansen of the South Bend Tribune gets to the bottom of who's behind Charlie Weis' "coaching intern" billboard.

• ESPN.com's Pat Forde is required reading every week. In his Forde Yard Dash this week, he lists some fictional tweets from head coaches. Although the best was an actual tweet posted by Ball State's offensive line coach Jason Eck: "Players off today ... unlike Michigan."

• ESPN.com SEC blogger Chris Low likes Auburn by a score of 24-10 on Saturday. I said 24-17. Oh, and the only SEC team he has losing in Week 1 is Alabama to Virginia Tech.

• Want a graph to show the drop-off in quarterback experience in the SEC once you get past Tim Tebow and Jevan Snead? Low provides that too. My favorite column is how quickly the TD column drops off. 67 ... 28 ... 9.

• And finally, The Onion, which was proudly founded where I went to college in Madison, Wis., chimes on Notre Dame with a new Rudy-like character: "Small, Unathletic Walk-On Injures 9 Starters In Notre Dame Football Practice." (It also has a fake headline scroll at the top that says, "Rich Rodriguez: 'I Think It's Obvious That Michigan Football Does Not Practice That Much.'" Great stuff.)

I wrote a story for today about Louisiana Tech coach Derek Dooley, who has plenty of Auburn ties. Here's how it starts:

AUBURN, Ala. — Derek Dooley won’t lack tour guides Saturday, when he brings his Louisiana Tech Bulldogs to Auburn.

The coach’s family tree is flush with former Tigers. His father, Vince, played then coached for Ralph “Shug” Jordan before launching his Hall of Fame head coaching career at Georgia. His mother also went to Auburn, as did both of his wife’s parents.

“I’m having a hard time finding some allies this week,” he joked.

Dooley, a rising star in the coaching industry, hopes to have some support from the folks at Jordan-Hare Stadium for Saturday’s season opener.

The 41-year-old coach has transformed the Louisiana Tech program in his two years in Ruston, La. Since inheriting a team that went 3-10 the year before his arrival, Dooley has gone 13-12, leading the team to an 8-5 mark last season and its first bowl victory since 1977.

“What coach Dooley has done with that program in two short years is really amazing,” Auburn coach Gene Chizik said.

Read the rest here. Also, follow the blog on Twitter.

Dooley's quite the coach. As I mention in the story, he's been around Hall of Fame caliber coaches his entire career, from his dad, to Virginia's George Welsh to Nick Saban (yes, Saban's well on his way to that distinction). It seems like Dooley has the pedigree to strike it rich with a big-time program. It seems like it's only a matter of time before he leaves Ruston for greener pastures.