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More SEC: Breaking down Auburn's defense
What will the Cougs be facing in Auburn's new 4-2-5?
We've gotten the up close view of Mike Leach for the past year, and while his quotes are still fun, we're just sort of ready to win games. The same does not hold true for the rest of the country, which for whom Leach is still must-watch TV and must-listen radio.
Leach and the rest of the Pac-12 North coaches are making the rounds at ESPN, and for Leach that included a stop on First Take. While Skip Bayless resisted the urge to ask a question about Adam James and closets, he and Stephen A. Smith did ask coach about a few current topics.
Such as, how about that new ejection for targeting rule?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p>Leach on Clowney: "I think it's ridiculous. I'm getting tired of everyone apologizing for playing football."</p>— CougCenter (@CougCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/CougCenter/statuses/360062862238031872">July 24, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Leach: "Now all of a sudden we're nuancing this thing up and cluttering this thing up with one thing after the next. ...."</p>— CougCenter (@CougCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/CougCenter/statuses/360062748723384323">July 24, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Leach on ejections: "It's crazy. It's ridiculous. We have old men in bifocals trying to make a split second-decision." (h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/onlypac12">@onlypac12</a>)</p>— CougCenter (@CougCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/CougCenter/statuses/360064242818367488">July 24, 2013</a></blockquote>
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But coach was just getting warmed up. Asked to compare the SEC and the Pac-12, he talked about how the best teams in the SEC were really, really good, and then OH MY GOODNESS SHOTS FIRED:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Leach: "The bottom half of the Pac-12 is better than the bottom half of the SEC."</p>— CougCenter (@CougCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/CougCenter/statuses/360062178423869441">July 24, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Wait, that doesn't rile you up? That's because you're not an SEC fan, sworn at birth to defend your college football conference's honor! A sampling of responses (there were many, MANY more than this):
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/CougCenter">@CougCenter</a> Now the argument is which lower 1/2 is better? Really? Btm line=big boys frm <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23south&src=hash">#south</a> whip "big boys" from <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23anyolwheres&src=hash">#anyolwheres</a> else. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SEC&src=hash">#SEC</a></p>— Joey Jackson (@jgjpower) <a href="https://twitter.com/jgjpower/statuses/360072611071397890">July 24, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p>. <a href="https://twitter.com/ChaseGoodbread">@ChaseGoodbread</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CougCenter">@CougCenter</a> I guess we'll fucking see about that when Wazzu plays Auburn. Feel free to prove me wrong Leach.</p>— Jeremy Sherer (@JPSherer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JPSherer/statuses/360070896410574850">July 24, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/squidbilly790">@squidbilly790</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CoyWire">@CoyWire</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CougCenter">@CougCenter</a> didnt they legalize a certain plant in Wash St? Thats crazy talk there.....</p>— Doug Chapman (@DougChapman) <a href="https://twitter.com/DougChapman/statuses/360069449996439554">July 24, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p>"<a href="https://twitter.com/CecilHurt">@CecilHurt</a>: sigh... RT <a href="https://twitter.com/CougCenter">@CougCenter</a>: Mike Leach: "The bottom half of the Pac-12 is better than the bottom half of the SEC."" BULL SHIT!</p>— R_E_E (@REbear65) <a href="https://twitter.com/REbear65/statuses/360070705712336896">July 24, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/jonsol">@jonsol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TheMikeHerndon">@TheMikeHerndon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CougCenter">@CougCenter</a> I don't think anyone has ever accused Leach of being intelligent.</p>— PrincessTiger (@PrincessTiger1) <a href="https://twitter.com/PrincessTiger1/statuses/360075957408772096">July 24, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Never change, SEC Fan. Never change.
If you missed the segment, we'll embed the YouTube video when it's available. And it looks like coach also will be on College Football Live at 12:30 p.m. PT today on ESPN and replayed a number of times thereafter.