Gus Malzahn Might've Taken a Veiled Shot at Alabama Over Complaints About Noon Kickoffs
By Chris Pyo
Even after finishing last year with a dismal 8-5 record, Auburn football coach Gus Malzahn is still finding ways to take shots against rival Alabama.
After Nick Saban complained about Alabama's early kickoff time against Southern Miss, which is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET on September 21, Malzahn had this to say about Auburn's kickoff time against Kent State.
Veiled shot at Alabama? Gus Malzahn notes kickoff time vs. Kent Statehttps://t.co/jIHZtU0rfp
— SEC Football News (@SECfootball) September 11, 2019
“Personally, I wish it was at noon, so we’d have more time to prepare for our next opponent,” Malzahn said at his weekly press conference.
Essentially, Malzahn was knocking Saban for complaining about the idea of noon kickoffs, which the Bama coach claimed would hurt attendance and would force his players to deal with brutal temperatures. As if Alabama players aren't used to the sweltering heat.
Gus Malzahn opens his press conference by saying, the team is hosting a 'very solid' Kent State team. The game has a 6 p.m. kickoff.
— Justin Lee (@ByJustinLee) September 10, 2019
He says: "I wish it were a noon kickoff. We'd have more time to get ready for our next opponent."
?
Shots have definitely been fired here.
No. 2 ranked Alabama faces off against the South Carolina Gamecocks on September 14th, while No. 8 ranked Auburn plays Kent State on the same day. Safe to say this is a calculated shot by Malzahn, however, as Auburn should demolish Kent State on Saturday.
The two teams will play each other on Nov. 30 in one of college football's most storied rivalries, the Iron Bowl.