Auburn Isn't Winning the Off-Season

It's been kinda funky down on the Plains lately.

Maybe it's because Auburn University tempted fate.

Its athletic director did so by waxing poetic about the wonders of geography.

That's what happened when Jay Jacobs took a slice of nostalgic bar talk gone wild from former Tiger coach Pat Dye and ran with it.

The Tigers have been suggesting they change divisions at least since the SEC expanded for the 2012 season. After all, that's when the league did their Horace Greeley thing by absorbing Texas A&M and Missouri.

Their old college try included citing student considerations -- as if -- but when did that ever take precedence over money?

So, unless the SEC dumps divisions -- zero chance unless four 16-team superconferences form -- have fun sending those gymnastics and track teams across the Mississippi.

Then, more pertinent to immediate reality, Auburn wasn't expecting a slinger shortage this summer.

Barrett's off to Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

Coincidentally, Baylor transfer Jason Stidham had a helluva spring game, but he'd better not go down anytime soon.

About the same time, another four-star from Auburn's 2016 recruiting class is saying sayonara, too.

Since the Tigers blocked DT Antuwan Jackson's desire to enroll at Ohio State, he'll tread water at Blinn CC and be a Buckeye in 2018.

And now, karma has attacked.

War Eagle VII, aka Nova, is on the shelf for the 2018 season.

Next up is Spirit, pulling his redshirt to become the school's first bald eagle.

He'll thus buck the Auburn tradition of golden eagles making the stadium circuit, but it seems like traditions are optional there these days, anyway.