|
Borges displays cautious optimism about 2007
Published May 22, 2007
AUBURN — Al Borges sounds like a man who can’t decide how he feels.
Is he excited about the 2007 Auburn football season, or is he concerned?
Borges, the Tigers offensive coordinator, gave his opinion and insight last Wednesday at Auburn’s spring media day at the Auburn Athletic Complex.
Borges talked about spring practice, as well as giving his thoughts on each position on the offensive side of the ball.
He called spring drills a tale of two halves and maybe the best of his four at Auburn.
“The first half of the spring the defense was very dominant. I thought they did a good job,” said Borges, who is entering his fourth season on Tommy Tuberville’s staff.
“But the second half I won’t say we were (dominant), but we caught up a little bit and did a little better at the end than at the beginning.”
One of the main reasons Borges thinks the offense made up some ground was the improved health of quarterback Brandon Cox.
Cox, who will be a senior this fall, battled leg and knee injuries most of last season. The injuries limited his mobility in the pocket and led to him being sacked a lot.
Borges said that with a healthy quarterback, it gives him more flexibility in playcalling.
“Brandon is 100 percent and moving better than he’s ever, although he’s never been what I’d call a mobile quarterback.
“But in 2005, you saw he is capable of escaping the rush, and he’s got a more solid base to throw the football because his legs are sound,” Borges said of Cox, who is 19-5 as a starter and has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 20 of his 24 starts.
While Borges feels good about the quarterback position, he’s concerned about the guys up front who provide protection for Cox.
“I think the biggest question mark is the offensive line, which lost four starters,” Borges said.
“Four good football players with a lot of minutes, and that can be a little scary because that is a position that not only requires a certain level of talent, but also requires certain chemistry, and that chemistry doesn’t come overnight,” said Borges.
King Dunlap, at left tackle, is the lone returning starter on the line. According to Borges, Dunlap “has become a reliable factor, pass-protection wise (and) run-blocking wise. He’s really developed his toughness and his athleticism. He’s going to be a solid entity for us.”
Others Borges expects to contribute on the line are Jason Bosley at center, Tyronne Green and Leon Hart at guards and Andrew McCain at right tackle.
He said Tiger faithful are going to have to be patient with the line.
“That’s a position (offensive line) where we’re going to have some growing pains and there’s no getting around it,” he said.
“As a matter of fact, from an offensive perspective, we’re probably doing more rebuilding than we’ve done since I’ve been here.”
Borges believes the Tigers should be well-stocked at all other offensive positions.
Auburn should be a solid three-deep at tight end and four-deep at tailback.
The Tigers have a lot of options at the three wide receiver spots and fullback when they need it.
– – –
Borges was asked to compare the Southeastern Conference to the Pac-10, where Borges coached in the past at UCLA. He also coached at Indiana in the Big Ten.
Borges’ assessment leaned to the SEC.
“I’ve said that the SEC is the best conference in the country,” Borges explained.
“And the reason being is I think the speed factor (in the SEC) is such as the other conferences just don’t have that.”
But he added, “Can other conferences beat SEC teams? That’s been proven they can, but to say the other conferences could go through this schedule and do as well as they do in their own conference, I’d have to see that before I’d believe it.
“And that comes from being in the Pac-10 and the Big Ten and seeing those teams.”
Borges added that there are other reasons that the SEC is better.
“The speed, the enthusiasm of football and the jam-packed venues every single week are the reason this conference is unlike any other in the country,” he said.
Share |
Save |
Mail |
Print |
Letter
|
|
|
 |
|
Follow the Reporter on Twitter:
SMR News and
SMR Sports
|
