[Tuck4Bama]

Coach Hal Mumme is on the other end of the telephone with a towel draped around his neck and the persona of 1960s cool.

Not that there's any visual proof of that, but the mind's eye can see it - the same way all the photos of Mumme today look like those from the era when he tried to flip the Southeastern Conference on its ear with his wide-open passing attack.

Now, seven years removed from the University of Kentucky, Mumme brings his Air Raid passing game back to the SEC disguised as the New Mexico State Aggies.



Mumme will hit the ground throwing when he challenges Auburn at 6 p.m. Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Auburn fans should prepare for at least 50 passes, a defense that is suspect (but it's not paying the bills anyway), and Mumme and his laid-back style:

Mumme on his team's big win over archrival Texas-El Paso last week: "Athletically and character-wise, we overcame our ability to choke."

Mumme on the chances of beat ing Auburn: "We're going to try to make a game of it. I mean, they're paying us to come over there. I'm sure they had to look at a map just to figure out where we were."

Mumme on throwing 73 passes in a game last year and making defensive coordinators hate him: "That's our job - to make them miserable. Whether they hate us, you'll have to ask them."

al.com: Auburn Football