In college football, there are many factors that go into deeming a team’s season as successful, and it’s no different for the Auburn football fans anticipating new head coach Bryan Harsin’s first season on the Plains. In general, one might think that a season can only be successful if you win all your games, win a championship, etc, but those are not the primary focuses of Tiger fans this season.
When it comes down to success for Auburn football, fans are holding the 2021 team to a different set of expectations. Most importantly, fans want to see lasting improvement from the team. The past few seasons under Gus Malzahn felt like taking one step forward, then two steps back.
For Auburn football to be successful in 2021, there needs to be consistent improvement from week to week where the players don’t make the same mistakes over and over.
I want to see improvement with each week that passes. I don’t want to see a team that makes the same mistakes in week 11 that it made in week 2. That’s something that the last staff couldn’t manage.
— Jay Curry (@JayCurry15) July 20, 2021
The next biggest expectation for fans is quarterback improvement. After watching Bo Nix struggle to rise above mediocre for two seasons, the first few games of 2021 will be his last chance to prove he deserves the coveted QB1 title, especially with T.J. Finley on his heels and Dematrius Davis waiting in the wings.
Finally, the last thing that will ensure the Tigers have a successful season is a high level of competitiveness. While 6-5 is technically a winning record, it’s not good enough for Auburn football, and in order to get back to where we want to be the Tigers have to be competitive in big rivalry games like Georgia and Alabama, and that starts with coaching style and accountability of the new staff.
If the Tigers can finish up 2021 with seven or more wins and a strong showing in SEC play, show improvement from game to game and in the quarterback position, and continue to grind on the recruiting trail, 2021 is set to be a successful year for Auburn.