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Auburn’s Nall visits Albany’s Tiger fans

• Auburn offensive line coach Hugh Nall is the guest speaker Wednesday at the Southwest Georgia Auburn Club’s annual dinner in Albany, telling Tigers fans that the team’s transition to a spread offense is the biggest offseason topic.

Derek Barichello

ALBANY — Memo to Auburn Tigers football fans: Get ready for a change — of sorts.

Members of the Southwest Georgia Auburn Club welcomed Tigers offensive line coach Hugh Nall as their guest speaker during the annual football kick-off dinner Wednesday night at Doublegate Golf and Country Club — and that was exactly the message the tough-talking, broad shouldered Nall gave them.

“In the past, we’ve run the football to throw it,” said Nall, who is in his 10th year at Auburn with head coach Tommy Tuberville. “Now, we’ll throw it in order to run it. Offensively, the question will be our chemistry and how well our team jells together with the new system.”

Despite a 9-4 season which included a Peach Bowl victory against Clemson, one thing was for sure: The Tigers needed a change to an offense that ranked towards the bottom in the nation.

So, Tuberville hired quite the change in spread offense guru Tony Franklin from Troy.

Nall admitted several times to the approximately 40-to-50 burnt orange and navy blue clad in attendance his love for smashmouth football, which has been the trademark of Auburn football for years, but also offered his optimism to the new pass-oriented, four-wide offense being implemented by Franklin.

“I guess you can call Tony and I an odd couple,” Nall said. “I am a hard-nosed guy that believes you need to run the football and he likes to spread it out. But I’ll tell you this:Tony wants to run the ball. If it’s working, he’ll run it over and over again.”

That reassurance immediately brought smiles to the Auburn faithful, who are still adjusting from watching the different offense's debut in last year's Peach Bowl.

"Even my 84-year old mother gave me a call and said 'What the (heck) are you guys doing?’ ” said Nall, referring to the no-huddle style of the spread offense and the way players look to the sidelines to receive signals while in formation. "The tempo of the offense is an important element. It's a big chess game and basically we're trying to catch them off guard."

Nall, who is a native of Thomaston, even said Franklin's hire was contingent on his approval.

"Tommy told me he wouldn't hire anyone unless I approved," Nall said. "And I wanted someone who knew how important running the football was. Tony knows it's important."

Nall also addressed to the gallery at Doublegate about the changes made to the Tigers defense after Tuberville hired former Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads.

Though, Nall was quick to point out that the changes on defense will not be as noticeable as Rhoads plans to stick with a base-four attack.

"He hasn't changed much of what we've been doing," Nall said. "What he does a little better, I think, is that he will try to disguise and scheme his blitzes."

Nall eventually answered the question everyone in attendance wanted to know about: Just how good will this year's Tigers be?

“Everyone knows in the (Southeastern Conference) anyone can beat anyone,” Nall said. “So we’ll have to strap it up and see where we go. Right now, all I'll tell you is that our first game against Louisiana-Monroe is the most important."

SCHOLARSHIP TO BE NAMED AFTER EX-LOCAL AUBURN ATHLETE

Hank Jester, president of the Southwest Georgia Auburn Club, said the organization is creating a new scholarship for area students wanting to go to the school.

The club already funds a scholarship won this year by Lee County's Brittany Mason but wanted to create another in honor of Albany-native Cleve Wester.

Wester was a standout on Auburn's 1957 National Championship team.

"He grew up in Albany and went to Albany High," Jester said. "When you think of Auburn athletics and you think of this area, he's the first name that comes to mind. He's always been very generous to the alumni association, so this is a way to honor him."

Jester said to raise funds for the scholarship, the Auburn Club will hold a quail hunt February 10-11, which will be attended by Tuberville, Nall and other Tigers coaches.

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