Watch Bryan Harsin react to Robby Ashford’s fumble against Georgia
Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin experienced an emotional roller coaster that is a microcosm of the Tigers’ season through six games during a failed series on Saturday at Sanford Stadium.
The Tigers took possession on offense at the Auburn 23-yard-line with 8:40 left in the second quarter trailing by 14-0 against the Bulldogs. Ashford led the team on a seven-play drive that ended with a fumble at Georgia’s 38 with less than five minutes left in the first half.
Our video team at AL.com captured Harsin’s reactions to every play during the series that ended with the fumble by Ashford.
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The drive had completed passes by Ashford to tight end John Samuel Shenker, a run by Tank Bigsby, and a holding penalty that negated a potential big play.
Fumbling on the drive is a recurring theme for a team with a -9 turnover ratio. Also, going from the exhilaration of Auburn’s first drive into Georgia territory with a chance to cut the lead in half to a costly turnover is indicative of the Tigers’ 1-2 record in conference play and 1-3 against Power 5 teams, including the 29-point loss against Penn State at Jordan-Hare.
Harsin is a stoic man. However, the agony of missed opportunity was visible during the video.
“Nobody’s trying to not take care of the ball, but in order to win games, and to be a good football team, that’s got to be the most important thing when you have that ball in your hands,” Harsin said. “So, we’ll work on it, and he’ll get better at it. That will continue to be an emphasis, and I know it’s important to him. So, by no means does he run off the field shrug it off and like, ‘oh well.’ It hurts and he’s going to work very hard on that to improve in that area.”
Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Group.