STARKVILLE, Miss. – First-year defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads was like a proud father when he talked about his defense, which pitched its second shutout in three games.
“I’m proud and excited about what we are becoming and what we have a chance to be,” Rhoads said. “What I enjoy most about these kids is they are level-headed and they are together. They don’t separate themselves. They don’t try to celebrate individually and get away from the group. They do it all together. They are very attentive to details. They work hard in their preparation throughout the week.
“At the same time, there is more to give. We’ve only played a quarter of the season.” …
The final score was just fine with junior Auburn defensive end Antonio Coleman. Auburn’s defense dominated the Bulldogs from start to finish. For Coleman, with the memory of last season’s 19-14 loss at home still fresh, it was sweet tonic.
“We played a great game,” Coleman said. “We watched a lot of film from last year. Their quarterback (Wesley Carroll) made a couple of smart remarks that they ran it down our throat. We took that to heart. We said we were going to stop the run. If you can’t run, you can’t beat us.”
Coleman said the defense was ready to do what it had to do, even when the offense self-destructed. It comes, he said, from the bond that has grown with Rhoads.
“That’s what Coach Tuberville recruited us for,” Coleman said. “Coach Rhoads is a great defensive coordinator. He puts us in position to make plays. When you have a great defensive coordinator like that, you can’t be stopped.” …
Quarterback Chris Todd was on the winning side in his first Southeastern Conference start, but it didn’t unfold the way he imagined.
“We were moving the ball,” Todd said. “Sometimes stuff happens. The biggest thing and the most important thing is we kept going and everybody stayed together and we won the game.
“Everybody can get their heads down and start pointing fingers. We didn’t do that. You have to come together and find a way to win the game. The defense played lights out.” …
Sophomore center Ryan Pugh was the culprit in what could have been a disastrous penalty. With quarterback Chris Todd throwing out of the end zone midway through the fourth quarter, Pugh was called for holding. By rule, holding in the end zone is a safety.
“I scored more points than their offense did,” Pugh said. “… I thought there was a little facemask on it. It’s my fault. You can’t hold in the end zone. I know that. They said it before we went onto the field.”
Click below for video of Rhoads talking after the game.
