Today’s loss to Tennessee showed signs of weakness for this team’s dream of winning March Madness. The team isn’t happy with each other. Johni Broome looked displeased at the play calls late, and Denver Jones is playing out of his mind — but still accruing fouls late.
The Tigers just looked like they just didn’t want to play anymore.
Tennessee was all over Auburn at the start, making it a defensive battle and taking the lead early.
Auburn sticking with the plan that best Ole Miss in using Broome to overall dominate the game. Tennessee would have none of it as it would use their team work to get into the minds of an already mentally weak team and started gaining fouls from Auburn players trying to look tough. This might look good on Television but not to the refs especially after Chad Baker-Mazara’s flagrant 2 last Saturday.
Ipso facto, everyone on the Tigers is under a microscope.
What do you want Bruce Pearl to do? The team has started not to respond, you’ve benched Jahki Howard in place of jamming Tahaad Pettiford into the lineup in big moments, trading defense for offense at a time when defense wins championships.
Pettiford taking that last shot was a head-scratcher. He had been cold all night.
Tennessee won the game and they may have been the straw that broke these Tigers' back.
Pearl has already said Indiana is his dream job, and it's now open with the Hoosiers on the bubble and in danger of missing the Big Dance. Would Pearl stay on the Plains if he is incapable of finishing the job with a higher-prestige job out there?
Auburn would then need a head coach. Pearl enjoyed his time with Auburn. What better gift to give then the chance of Steven Pearl becoming his successor?
What would Auburn have to lose? It isn’t like Auburn is going to have to spend a lot of money. The team will be fresh and a clean slate for an up-and-coming head coach prodigy -- who then can quickly build a team that can compete in the SEC.
This team imploding now wouldn't be the end of the world if Bruce wants Indiana and Steven wants to follow his father's footsteps.