Today's Game

Auburn vs. Idaho

The smile spreads easily across Rusty Williams' face. It always has. It doesn't matter if it's 100 degrees outside and Auburn has just finished a grueling practice, the smile is still there. It doesn't matter if he has just spent the last two hours trying to learn a complicated defense halfway through a losing season, the smile persists. It comes easily and often, following the same worn path across his face until it breaks into a full grin and a "How ya doing?"

Recently as the Tigers went through two-a-day practices, Williams was requested to meet with the media. Auburn had just gone through two tough sessions punctuated with conditioning at the end. Most players hurried to dinner with grim looks of determination on their faces. But there was Williams, smile spreading across his face, waiting patiently for the media.

"I'm going to win the Heisman this season," Williams said as the smile ruptured into a large grin. The on-lookers and others waiting chuckled. After all, this was a boast coming from a running back that had one carry all of last season.

However, considering Williams' journey through the Auburn depth chart, naysayers might find the boast a little less improbable. After all, a little less than a year ago, Williams was toiling in the defensive backfield, donning a white jersey in practice, rather than the customary offensive blue. Now he is Auburn's starter at tailback and his play has already paid dividends for the Tigers this season. Consider Williams' career at Auburn. He came to the Plains as one of the most heralded running backs in the South after earning USA Today Player of the Year honors in the state of South Carolina. After being redshirted in 1995, he led the Tigers in rushing as a freshman and started six of the last seven games at tailback. As a sophomore, he started six more games and scored two touchdowns in Auburn's win at LSU.

Then came his junior season. Williams played one position for every season in the year. He started the year at tailback, but was moved to wide receiver. After catching only one pass in the first five games, he was moved to free safety. He continued to play on special teams and was moved to fullback for the last three games of the season. Four positions in four months.

Last spring, Williams returned to tailback. Last Saturday, Williams returned to the highlight film. Auburn's offensive workhorse gained almost a football field of yardage on 21 carries. He alone accounted for over a third of the Tigers' offensive production. And late in the third quarter, he literally carried Auburn to a tying touchdown against Appalachian State. On five straight carries, Williams picked up 24 yards, spinning, weaving, plunging and working for every single yard until his #3 jersey was airborne over the Auburn offensive line for the touchdown.

There it was again, the smile. Maybe it was a little deeper, a little bigger, but it was there, just the same as it has been for all four years during his career at Auburn.

Today's game with Idaho marks the 1,000th game in the storied 107-year history of the Auburn football program. In the previous 999 games, Auburn has compiled a 597-355-47 mark for a .621 winning percentage.

Prior to today's game, the 1949 Auburn Tiger football team will be recognized. Despite a 2-4-3 record that season, the squad posted one of the school's biggest upsets in the history of the program. The Tigers traveled to Birmingham's Legion Field on Dec. 3 to take on heavily favored instate rival Alabama.

A year earlier, the two schools renewed a rivalry that had taken a 40-year hiatus. Alabama defeated Auburn 55-0 in the 1948 contest. The 1949 game would be different however, as Auburn captured a 14-13 victory on a chilly December day.

Among those present today from the 1949 team include: Erk Russell, Travis Tidwell, Tom Banks Sr., Jim McGowen, John Adcock, Bill McGuire, and Ralph Pyburn. Russell and Tidwell will also join the Auburn coaches and players today in the traditional pre-game Tiger Walk.

"We will win the fourth quarter," is a simple saying that hangs above the doors in the Auburn lockerroom at Jordan-Hare Stadium. That motto couldn't have held more true in the 22-15 win over Appalachian State. Tied 15-15 entering the fourth quarter, Auburn recorded eight first downs and had 133 total yards after posting just eight first downs and 155 total yards in the first three periods.

This is the first meeting between Auburn and Idaho ... The Tigers own a 2-0 mark against current members of the Big West Conference ... Today's game marks the second time in the 1990's that the Tigers have played back-to-back non-conference opponents to start the season ... Auburn has won 23 of the last 24 regular-season, non-conference games dating back to 1991 ... Senior tailback Rusty Williams had a career-high 21 carries and 98 yards in last week's win over Appalachian State ... A total of 13 freshmen including six true freshmen played in last week's win ... Freshman receiver Ronney Daniels' two touchdown receptions against Appalachian State marked the first time an Auburn freshman caught two touchdowns in a game since Freddy Weygand caught two passes for scores against Georgia Tech on Oct. 24, 1984 in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Auburn Stat Leaders

Rushing	Attempts	Yards	Average	Touchdowns
Rusty Williams	21	98	4.7	1
Heath Evans	5	17	2.8	0

Passing Yards	Attempts	Completions	Yards	Touchdowns
Ben Leard	19	10	159	1
Gabe Gross	14	5	25	1

Receiving	Receptions	Yards	Average	Touchdowns
Ronney Daniels	4	73	18.3	2
Reggie Worthy	4	50	12.5	0

Tackles	Total	Solo	Asst.	Sacks
Haven Fields	9	7	2	0
Kenny Kelly	7	6	1	0
Stanford Simmons	6	4	2	0

Idaho Stat Leaders

Rushing	Attempts	Yards	Average	Touchdowns
Anthony Tenner	16	122	7.6	1
Michael Moody	11	60	5.5	0
Ed Dean	5	39	7.8	0

Passing Yards	Attempts	Completions	Yards	Touchdowns
Ed Dean	12	8	122	3
John Welsh	8	4	71	2

Receiving	Receptions	Yards	Average	Touchdowns
Jeffrey Townsley	4	101	25.3	2
Chris Lacy	2	41	20.5	1
Willie Alderson	2	16	8	0

Tackles	Total	Solo	Asst.	Sacks
Laki Ah Hi	7	5	2	0
Brad Rice	7	1	6	1
Josh Houston	6	3	3	0

© 1999 Auburn Network, Inc.