To quote his Heisman-winning National Championship teammate on the 2010 Auburn football team: “I’m back…I’m ba-ack…”
Those were the famous words of Cam Newton, spoken after returning to the Carolina Panthers and scoring his first touchdown back with the team he won an NFL MVP with during the 2015 season, and they are being used here to paraphrase Zac Etheridge’s announcement on his Twitter account yesterday:
"No Time for Division.. United WE Stand. ALL IN.. 🤫 1-0"
Mike Bobo was let go. Derek Mason took a pay cut to leave Auburn. Nick Eason took his ‘dream job’ with Clemson and took one of his prized recruits, Caden Story, with him. Austin Davis never even got to run a meeting as offensive coordinator before his premature exit from the Plains.
Etheridge’s return was a necessity at this point for the sanity of Tiger fans and it had the Auburn football fanbase ready to run through a brick wall on Saturday due to the outstanding hype video attached to his announcement:
Oh LFG!!!!! https://t.co/KgNzll5AeV
— Logan (@loganm_9) February 13, 2022
🗣HE AINT LEAVING https://t.co/BcNkj6q4hW
— Auburn Barn Doc (Parody account)🐅 (@bradleyryanV) February 13, 2022
After a tough week, this is a huge W for Auburn Football. Despite Kirby Smart’s interest in AU DB coach Zac Etheridge joining Georgia’s staff, it appears the fan favorite is gonna remain home at The Loveliest Village on the Plains #WarEagle https://t.co/5VfoJJfTEh
— Power of Dixieland (@PwrofDixieland) February 13, 2022
Point me to the nearest brick wall https://t.co/JCuWmfhrnl
— McNeill Dobson (@mcneilldobson) February 13, 2022
Yes Sir Auburn Man. I’ve loved you from the jump. Auburn people love Auburn. Let’s do this #WDE https://t.co/xbV59d5Xxf
— Make it make sense 🧡1776💙 (@CHoney62) February 13, 2022
After everything the Auburn football program has put the Auburn family through in the last few weeks, the past few days have featured victories in the form of both Bryan Harsin’s, and now Zac Etheridge’s, returns to the Tigers coaching staff. Etheridge was reportedly a target on Georgia’s radar.
As perhaps the staff’s best recruiter on staff, Etheridge’s role will be vital moving forward as AU looks to put February’s scandals behind them and try to regain respectability in the SEC West in 2022 and beyond.