At this point in time, under these circumstances, Auburn football couldn’t be more blessed with the man that chose to step up to lead the team down the stretch of what has been another turbulent season on the Plains.
Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, the Tigers’ running backs coach under both Bryan Harsin and Gus Malzahn and a legendary running back from the Tommy Tuberville era who helped lead the team to a 13-0 record and Sugar Bowl win in 2003, took on the interim head coaching role. On Saturday, he showed the world what to expect from the four — or, if AU can somehow win out and become bowl eligible, five — games he’ll likely coach before a permanent Harsin replacement is hired.
Down 24-6 at the half, Williams’ Tigers roared back to take the lead in the fourth quarter on two different occasions before Mississippi State’s Will Rogers led the Bulldogs down the field to tie the game in the closing seconds of regulation and in the game-winning drive in overtime after Anders Carlson missed a go-ahead field goal during the only Auburn football possession in the OT period. The final was a 39-33 nail-biter for State.
While the Tigers didn’t get the win, Williams showed that under his watch, Auburn doesn’t quit games. “Somebody’s going to quit and it’s not going to be us,” he told his team at halftime. Those words certainly rang true in Starkville Saturday night.
Auburn football fans couldn’t be happier about Cadillac Williams being as head coach
It may last longer than we expect, or we may get exactly four weeks in our lifetimes of Carnell “Cadillac” Williams coaching the Tigers. However long it lasts, one thing is for certain: the Auburn football brand will be well represented on the field and off of it during the Cadillac era.
Tiger fans were emotional in the aftermath of one of the most inspiring coaching debuts college football has ever witnessed in November:
No matter what, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. I AM SO FREAKIN PROUD OF COACH CADILLAC WILLIAMS AND THIS TEAM. To come back and fight like we have after the week we have had?! THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AUBURN MEN! WAR DAMN EAGLE!WAR DAMN CADDY!!! I believe in Auburn & LOVE IT!
— jennifer moore 🦚 (@jennaunp12) November 6, 2022
Cadillac Williams gave Auburn fans something in one week that Bryan Harsin couldn’t produce all season — hope. His players fought tooth and nail for him till the final whistle. The Tigers may have came up short in the end, but the Auburn spirit that is not afraid was resurrected
— Skye Underwood (@SkyeUnderwood) November 6, 2022
Cadillac Williams FOREVER ❤️❤️❤️
— Calliesonblooski (@soAUcal) November 6, 2022
I love you all. War Eagle Always. Let’s regroup and kick ass next weekend, shall we??
The first time I’ve said War Eagle always and still been so so so proud!!! Cadillac Williams did amazing and our team fought til the end!!!
— Bri☺️ (@BeeEllTee1) November 6, 2022
Auburn lost, but they no doubt played harder under Carnell “Cadillac” Williams in this one than they ever did under Harsin this season. That counts for something
— Clay Price (@Clay342) November 6, 2022
While the Come-Lac, Cadi-Back, or however you want to refer to Auburn’s 21-point comeback as, fell short on November 5, the legend of Cadillac Williams — the quintessential Auburn man — grew exponentially.