WR Coates calls out teammates, says Tigers lack leadership

Auburn’s Sammie Coates made a big play last week. / ADVERTISER

Wide receiver Sammie Coates  did not have many kind words for his quarterbacks, older teammates or leaders on the team this morning.

“Some of the older guys, they want it but they don’t want it bad enough,” Coates said. “We ain’t got enough leadership on the team. The leadership got to come from somebody; the quarterbacks, the running backs, somebody has to step up (…) that’s the only way we’re going to get through this. We ain’t got enough leadership. Everybody want to talk about how they want to win but nobody is showing how they want to win.

“The older guys, they put a lot on the older guys but they ain’t showing much. The coaches always talking about leadership but ain’t nobody really trying to be a leader. They talk about it all the time but you don’t see it. We talk about how we want to be a better man, better football players and all that but nobody ain’t stepping up to the plate to take advantage of that.”

Coates’ comments came in response to remarks by seniors Philip Lutzenkirchen and T’Sharvan Bell on Sunday.

Bell said there are younger players who he called “borderline” and aren’t “all-in” and they need to get all-in of “just need to get gone.” Said Lutzenkirchen, “We made it pretty clear today that if you’re not going to fight with us, we don’t want you out there are all with us.”

Coates spoke specifically about Bell, who had a tackle and fumble recovery in limited action Saturday, and Lutzenkirchen, who had a season-low two receiving yards on one reception.

Auburn tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen (43) hopes the Tigers can begin the month strong. / DAVE MARTIN/AP

“We’ve got a couple guys, like T-Bell (T’Sharvan Bell), Lutz (Philip Lutzenkirchen), but they’re kind of down themselves. It’s got to come from one of the young guys or one of the quarterbacks, somebody like that, because it takes one of those guys with a main role in the situation.”

On Auburn’s quarterbacks Kiehl Frazier and Clint Moseley, Coates said they are similar in the huddle and feels both need to do more by way of leading the receivers and the offense.

“They talk, but they don’t talk enough. They explain, but they don’t explain enough. They want us to be good, but they’ve got to show some leadership themselves. They know that. If they want us to come behind them, they’ve got to show us how it is. We need somebody to tell us what they want us to do. The coaches try to motivate us, but it’s got to be a player. Coaches aren’t out there with us. Somebody’s got to step up to the plate and take over.”

Coates said Auburn should have defeated Clemson and the season-opening loss was the start of Auburn’s struggles. He said the Tigers have not played to their ability yet.

“This year we ain’t played to the top of our ability yet,” he said. “I think it’s time for us to do that. I think it’s time to go out and show everybody what we got because we just keep falling in the hole, everybody just keeps doubting us like we ain’t good.”