Ball State head coach Mike Uremovich all but dismissed Auburn QB Jackson Arnold as a threat to their defense, not-so-subtly in his pre-game conference preview of Auburn.
The cutting remark was the start of a tense, heated buildup, one that Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze also picked up on.
When asked about his thoughts on Ball State during Thursday's practice, Hugh Freeze showed Uremovich that two can play the game with his witty digs on their poor record throughout the offseason and Week 1.
"Well, they have been who they were last year and last week. So, it's really hard to probably change that," Freeze said, subtly meaning that he doesn't see Ball State as much of a threat, likewise. Last season, the Cardinals had an embarrassing 3-9 record under head coach Mike Neu, who was fired 10 games into the season.
The front office hired Uremovich right after their season concluded to oversee and improve the team during the offseason. But he hasn't proved himself anything yet since his squad faced a humiliating 31-0 shutout loss to Purdue in Week 1.
"And, so, you know, they are based out of a quarter team. In most quarter teams, you know, safeties are more active than the fit. And their safeties are physical guys. You would expect them to be at least a semblance of who they are," Freeze continued.
"So, I don't know if they are going to change that. But they could obviously play one high or do different things that we'll have to get in every game. That's all right. Here's a new little favor that we have got to adjust to as coaches for our kids. But I don't know that you can go all through the fall camp and be who you are and all of a sudden totally change that. So I think it'll be a semblance of what we've seen," the Tigers head coach concluded.
Talk is cheap, though. We'll see who among the two actually means business on Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium.