Auburn's Slide Is Longer Than You Think

Tommy Tuberville will be firmly on the hot seat going into 2009 -- if he even makes it that far -- after a season in which one of the finer moments is a 3-2 win over Mississippi State. This is taken for granted. But what are the chances Tuberville turns it around? As recently as last year the Tigers were winning a fairly prestigious bowl once named after a fruit. Surely Auburn will bounce back?

Eh... not so much, actually. The Joe Cribbs Car Wash brings forth a stat that will be harrowing to Auburn fans: yards per play differential. To calculate, just take your averaged yards gained for every snap on offense and subtract yards allowed. And then, if you like Auburn, cover your eyes:

2004: +1.8 (6.4/4.8)
2005: +1.0 (6.0/5.0)
2006: +0.6 (5.5/4.9)
2007: +0.3 (4.8/4.5)
2008: -0.2 (4.6/4.8)

That is five years of steady decline, and this offseason the Tigers will be searching for a new offensive coordinator. Again. Who will install a new system. Again.

Even if Tubby gets another year, the writing is on the wall here.