July 1, 2009

Olin Buchanan
Rivals.com College Football Senior Writer

Even guys who love their jobs need an escape.

Coaches are no different. South Carolina's Steve Spurrier plays golf. Texas Tech's Mike Leach studies pirates. Legendary Ohio State coach Woody Hayes was a war-history buff. Former Illinois, Texas and Arizona coach John Mackovic is a wine connoisseur. Former Georgia coach Vince Dooley is a gardener.

Tony Franklin has put the frustration of his stint at Auburn behind him.

(AP Photo / Anthony Hall)

"I'm happy and content going to work," said Franklin, who was fired midway through last season and has resurfaced as offensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee. "I don't have hobbies. This is what my life is."

Unlike Dooley, gardening never appealed to Franklin. But like a green-thumbed gardener, he surely understands what flourishes in one environment won't necessarily flourish in another. In fact, he's counting on that.

After Middle Tennessee struggled to score points last season, MTSU coach Rick Stockstill brought in Franklin to rev up the offense. Franklin is confident his pass-oriented system can flourish there just as it did in 2006 and '07 when he was at Troy, MTSU's Sun Belt Conference rival.

At Troy, Franklin took over an offense that averaged fewer than 16 points per game in '05 and quickly turned it around. The Trojans averaged 22.8 points per game in '06 and improved to 34 points in '07.

The transformation never occurred at Auburn, which averaged just 18.7 points in the six games Franklin coached last season ? and that included defensive scores.

But Franklin is optimistic his offense again will take root because the environment at Middle Tennessee is similar to what he had at Troy and vastly different than Auburn. He feels he has the necessary components for success ? enthusiastic players, support from the rest of the coaching staff and a commitment to his system.

"Everybody has to be on the same page," Franklin said. "Rick has signs up everywhere saying, 'Everybody all in.' He made it clear privately and publicly. The players are all in. The coaches are all in. The office people are all in. The fans are all in. Everybody is into the system and the way we do stuff."

That wasn't the case at Auburn.

Former coach Tommy Tuberville built a successful career on a foundation of solid defense, a powerful running game and sound special teams. But Auburn had developed a tendency to get involved in low-scoring struggles. The Tigers beat LSU 7-3 and Alabama 22-15 in '06 and defeated Florida 20-17, Arkansas 9-7 and Alabama 17-10 in '07. They'd also lost some close games. They scored 24 or fewer points in 10 games in '07, and Auburn ranked 84th in the nation in scoring offense that season.

Rick Stockstill hired Tony Franklin to remake Middle Tennessee's offense.

(AP Photo / Mark Humphrey)

"We're always good on defense and in the kicking game," Tuberville said last spring. "We're going to try to get away from the one- or two-point games we've had the last few years and are trying to find some way to match the offense with a defense that's been pretty good."

Tuberville hired Franklin just weeks before the '07 Chick-fil-A Bowl. After rushing to install the offense, Auburn made an encouraging showing in a 23-20 overtime victory over Clemson.

But that offense peaked in that game; the offense never clicked in '08. Auburn managed three points in a win over Mississippi State, scored just two offensive touchdowns in a 26-21 loss to LSU and only one in a 14-12 win over Tennessee.

Franklin was booed as he left the field. There was dissension on the coaching staff. Then, after a 14-13 loss to Vanderbilt dropped Auburn to 4-2, Tuberville fired Franklin.

A 37-20 victory over Football Championship Subdivision member Tennessee-Martin was the only victory Auburn managed the rest of the season as the Tigers endured their first losing record since 1999. Tuberville subsequently was fired after a 36-0 loss to Alabama.

Perhaps Auburn's staff never was truly committed to Franklin's offense. Or perhaps Tuberville expected too much too soon. The Tigers' offensive depth chart was filled with players recruited for what had been a run-oriented, pro-set offense. If Tuberville truly was committed to change, he should have anticipated growing pains.

Last season, Michigan's offense was among the most anemic in the nation as it transitioned from Lloyd Carr's pro set to coach Rich Rodriguez's version of the spread. Nebraska was among the nation's most turnover-prone teams in 2004 when changing from a power option to the West Coast offense.

Instead of giving Franklin time and cooperation, he was made a scapegoat. So, who could blame him if he was bitter, especially when the Tigers continued to struggle after his departure? And who could blame him if he had a deep-seeded desire to prove something to those Auburn fans that booed him so unmercifully.

"There are a lot of things you can do when things don't happen the way you want them to," Franklin said. "I'm extremely thankful for everything that happened. I'm thankful I got fired. I'm thankful I was booed out of the stadium. I'm thankful for all of that because it gives you opportunity to improve every aspect of your life.

"It did wonders for me and I'm thankful for it. I couldn't care less about proving anything to the Auburn community. The only person I want to prove anything to is myself ? that I can compete, get better, be a better teacher, be a better coach and learn from the positives and negatives. I'm thankful for another opportunity to do it."

And despite falling out of the national limelight in the SEC and moving to the obscurity of the Sun Belt Conference ? and having the $280,000 salary he reportedly was paid at Auburn more than cut in half ? Franklin is thankful to be at Middle Tennessee, which has managed just one winning season (7-6 in '06) since 2002. And Stockstill, who is 17-20 in three seasons at MTSU, is thankful to have Franklin.

"I've known Tony for a while. I know what a good coach he is and I thought he would be a good fit here. I'm excited about it."

MTSU already runs the spread, so there will be no misunderstandings, no changing of minds. The players were recruited for the system and believe in it, especially the linemen. That wasn't the case at Auburn.

"I think the offensive linemen have to buy in and believe in something different than they've normally done," Franklin said. "They play in a two-point stance most of the time rather than a three-point stance. Coaches say you can't be tough if you're in a two-point stance, but people will believe in what you have proven to be right. They want to be successful.

"Offensive linemen are probably the biggest ones that have to buy into it because the technique is drastically different. The offensive line coach has to be sold on it."

That's not an issue at Middle Tennessee. Franklin and line coach Jimmy Ray Stephens have a good rapport, and Franklin doesn't sense any tension on the staff. That wasn't necessarily the case at Auburn.

"I don't see agendas going in different directions. Everybody is pulling as one," Franklin said. "But we haven't played any games yet. A lot of times you see different character traits when things aren't going well. But you can normally tell how people feel about each other and if they get along.

"I like coming to work and I enjoy the people I'm around. I'm not looking to go anywhere. I just want to have fun and enjoy the game."

If Franklin can do that, perhaps he doesn't need a hobby.

The Edge

This week, it's Ole Miss vs. Syracuse

Each week, we'll match two teams to determine which has the edge in various categories. Got a matchup you want to see? Send it to olin@rivals.com and we'll work on it.

Olin Buchanan is the senior college football writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at olin@rivals.com.