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Thoughts - Week 2

Thoughts - Week 2
« on: September 12, 2010, 09:14:50 AM »
- 12 hours of football, three meals, one dog walk, and a nap.  Is that the definition of a perfect Saturday? 

Auburn...

- Well, it's been a few days, but I must throw this thought out there - our offense isn't worthy of the hype.  The stats have been thrown around by our rivals, but Malzahn's offense studders against good SEC defenses.  While it may not be complete shut down, it's not a juggernaut that can't be stopped.  It's not going to always keep us competitive in a shoot out.  It's not any different than the other offenses in the league. 

- Which is why the defense stepping up was so important.  When it comes down to the nitty gritty, our team is very similar to other SEC teams.  An offense that tries to put up at least 21 points with 350+ yards of offense and a defense that tries to limit the other team to less than 21 points with less than 350 yards of offense.  We're never going to be a team that scores so many points that it hides a poor defense or out-performs the best SEC defenses. 

- The defense stepped up on the line of scrimmage against Miss State.  I still wasn't impressed by the secondary.  Miss State had their opportunities.  A lot of drops on their part led to our victory.  We can complain about the soft coverages all day long, but soon, we're going to have to admit that our corners simply can't play man without giving up big plays. 

- I was originally expecting 10-2 with losses to LSU and Bama.  I'm now thinking 8-4 or 9-3.  We'll sneak up on a few like we did Tennessee and Ole Miss last year, but I'm not so sure we'll beat Arkansas, Clemson, or South Carolina with the state of our team right now. 

Alabama...

- Undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.  A lot of analysts (CFN.com, Herbstreit) are trying to downplay the performance against Penn State.  Did they forget that Penn State has four NFL-potential defensive linemen?  Did they watch Alabama's offensive line and freakazoid running back power through them like they were peewee runts getting their required play time? 

- Alabama's defense was suspect at times, but it won't matter in the long run as the offense is picking up the slack.  McElroy is going through his reads.  The running game is unstoppable.  They're going to be very difficult to beat, and honestly, they look like a team that can't be beat by another team.  Other teams will have to wait until they beat themselves.

- Which is possible.  Their superstar - Julio Jones - could give a game away.  Muffed punts and dropped passes are a good way to turn the ball over and give the other team momentum.  The defense is opportunistic, but sometimes, that leads to giving away big plays instead of making them. 

Florida...

- You suck. 

Michigan...

- Welcome back?  Perhaps you aren't back to the level of the olden times when you were consistently competing for the Big 10 championship and churning out NFL players.  However, I'm not sure the Big 10 has the competition to keep up with you.  Penn State looked down.  Wisconsin is still a vanilla team that relies solely on a good running back.  Iowa always has a few slip ups.  I think Ohio State is your only real obstacle.  Which, if you ask me, can be overcome.

Ohio State...

- Ohio State took advantage of Miami's mistakes.  They capitalized on good field position.  They used the legs of Pryor to move the chains.  The defense was always around the ball to make the big play. 

- But were they really challenged by a good football team?  Perhaps athletically as two of Miami's scores came on special teams.  In my opinion, Miami was poorly coached.  A few of Harris's interceptions were caused by incorrect routes.  One was a dropped pass tipped to a defender.  So how exactly do we assess the Ohio State football team from that?  You can't really.  But they won fairly easily, so I guess we have to give them their due.

Georgia...

- You can't be undisciplined off the field and expect to be disciplined on the field.  It's the end of Mark Richt.  Not because he can't win a national championship.  It's because he is losing a grip on his team and it's showing on the field. 

South Carolina...

- Your SEC East champions.  If they keep playing like this, they will most definitely win the East.  I'm not saying they're going to run the table, but Florida is surely going to lose to Alabama and possibly LSU.  Georgia will drop another.  Tennessee isn't any good.  As long as South Carolina gets by Auburn or Florida, they'll take a trip to Atlanta in December.

- Lattimore is a future NFL star.  The guy has strength, speed, and vision.  A true superstar in the making.

Final thought...

- Boise State is finished.  The media hype is crushed.  Virginia Tech let out a big fart (perhaps on purpose) that stunk up Boise State's chances of an NC.  What did Virginia Tech have to lose?  Nothing to James Madison.  Wouldn't that be a great payback to the Broncos? 
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The Prowler

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Re: Thoughts - Week 2
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2010, 04:52:30 PM »
This upcoming weekend is the key to Auburn's season...does Auburn step up or do they get stepped on?  I say Auburn steps up to the plate and sinks the easy threes for the win in the 2nd Qtr....Plus, it'll be a HUGE Recruiting weekend as most, if not all, of our committed prospects will be on campus to recruit most of our remaining top targets....On top of Gameday being oncampus.

Has Gameday ever been on any campus for two weekends in a row?
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RWS

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Re: Thoughts - Week 2
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2010, 08:35:51 PM »
Alabama...

- Undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.  A lot of analysts (CFN.com, Herbstreit) are trying to downplay the performance against Penn State.  Did they forget that Penn State has four NFL-potential defensive linemen?  Did they watch Alabama's offensive line and freakazoid running back power through them like they were peewee runts getting their required play time? 

- Alabama's defense was suspect at times, but it won't matter in the long run as the offense is picking up the slack.  McElroy is going through his reads.  The running game is unstoppable.  They're going to be very difficult to beat, and honestly, they look like a team that can't be beat by another team.  Other teams will have to wait until they beat themselves.

- Which is possible.  Their superstar - Julio Jones - could give a game away.  Muffed punts and dropped passes are a good way to turn the ball over and give the other team momentum.  The defense is opportunistic, but sometimes, that leads to giving away big plays instead of making them. 
Thoughts from the resident  :bamahomer:

As an Alabama fan, I'm pretty happy at this point. Alabama just beat a legit top 25 team by 3 TDs. I don't think PSU is the best team in the world, but they're a pretty good team. The scary thought? We won in a fairly convincing fashion without the reigning Heisman winner, without a 1st round draft DL, without two starting LBs, basically an entirely new defense from last year. When Dareus is plugged back in the line, it's going to be a hard choice for opposing OLs. Who do we block? Dareus or Hightower?

We also lost our starting LT and starting WR Marquis Maze around halfway through the game. I know we were going against a true freshman QB, so our defense's performance should be judged appropriately. However, things like communications between the line and secondary seemed good. Need a little more work tackling, and a little more polish. But so far I'm happy with the way the secondary is responding.

Even though the secondary is responding well, as stated above, they need some polish. Game experience will help that. I still think the real test will be when we see Arkansas/Mallett. However, they have no OL or other supporting cast, and we have been able to assrape them over the past few years (most notably in the trenches), so who knows. That may not be the best test, since Mallett spends most of the day on his ass, or running for his life against Alabama.

Running game will get utterly ridiculous when Ingram gets back. The whole point of the 1-2 punch we use is to keep fresh legs on the field at RB. Richardson put on a fucking clinic carrying 22 times, so we know he's durable and can carry the load if need be. He will be a little fresher when Ingram comes back and gets some carries. If Lacy keeps the fumblitis away, he will be a nice addition to that 1-2 punch. While he's not close to the level Ingram and Richardson are, he does have the same mentality as far as running style. He's going to need to get better on blitz pickup as well if he wants to become a bigger part of the offense. I think alot of people overlook that, but in alot of offenses, it determines how quickly a young back sees PT.

Menzie moves pretty damn well for a CB that tore his achilles a few months ago.

Kirkpatrick still needs a little polish, but I think has done an outstanding job.

Mark Barron keeps getting better and better. And he will fuck you up, too.
« Last Edit: September 12, 2010, 08:37:59 PM by RWS »
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AUChizad

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Re: Thoughts - Week 2
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2010, 10:10:24 PM »
- 12 hours of football, three meals, one dog walk, and a nap.  Is that the definition of a perfect Saturday? 

Auburn...

- Well, it's been a few days, but I must throw this thought out there - our offense isn't worthy of the hype.  The stats have been thrown around by our rivals, but Malzahn's offense studders against good SEC defenses.  While it may not be complete shut down, it's not a juggernaut that can't be stopped.  It's not going to always keep us competitive in a shoot out.  It's not any different than the other offenses in the league. 

- Which is why the defense stepping up was so important.  When it comes down to the nitty gritty, our team is very similar to other SEC teams.  An offense that tries to put up at least 21 points with 350+ yards of offense and a defense that tries to limit the other team to less than 21 points with less than 350 yards of offense.  We're never going to be a team that scores so many points that it hides a poor defense or out-performs the best SEC defenses. 

- The defense stepped up on the line of scrimmage against Miss State.  I still wasn't impressed by the secondary.  Miss State had their opportunities.  A lot of drops on their part led to our victory.  We can complain about the soft coverages all day long, but soon, we're going to have to admit that our corners simply can't play man without giving up big plays. 

- I was originally expecting 10-2 with losses to LSU and Bama.  I'm now thinking 8-4 or 9-3.  We'll sneak up on a few like we did Tennessee and Ole Miss last year, but I'm not so sure we'll beat Arkansas, Clemson, or South Carolina with the state of our team right now. 

Alabama...

- Undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.  A lot of analysts (CFN.com, Herbstreit) are trying to downplay the performance against Penn State.  Did they forget that Penn State has four NFL-potential defensive linemen?  Did they watch Alabama's offensive line and freakazoid running back power through them like they were peewee runts getting their required play time? 

- Alabama's defense was suspect at times, but it won't matter in the long run as the offense is picking up the slack.  McElroy is going through his reads.  The running game is unstoppable.  They're going to be very difficult to beat, and honestly, they look like a team that can't be beat by another team.  Other teams will have to wait until they beat themselves.

- Which is possible.  Their superstar - Julio Jones - could give a game away.  Muffed punts and dropped passes are a good way to turn the ball over and give the other team momentum.  The defense is opportunistic, but sometimes, that leads to giving away big plays instead of making them. 

Florida...

- You suck. 

Michigan...

- Welcome back?  Perhaps you aren't back to the level of the olden times when you were consistently competing for the Big 10 championship and churning out NFL players.  However, I'm not sure the Big 10 has the competition to keep up with you.  Penn State looked down.  Wisconsin is still a vanilla team that relies solely on a good running back.  Iowa always has a few slip ups.  I think Ohio State is your only real obstacle.  Which, if you ask me, can be overcome.

Ohio State...

- Ohio State took advantage of Miami's mistakes.  They capitalized on good field position.  They used the legs of Pryor to move the chains.  The defense was always around the ball to make the big play. 

- But were they really challenged by a good football team?  Perhaps athletically as two of Miami's scores came on special teams.  In my opinion, Miami was poorly coached.  A few of Harris's interceptions were caused by incorrect routes.  One was a dropped pass tipped to a defender.  So how exactly do we assess the Ohio State football team from that?  You can't really.  But they won fairly easily, so I guess we have to give them their due.

Georgia...

- You can't be undisciplined off the field and expect to be disciplined on the field.  It's the end of Mark Richt.  Not because he can't win a national championship.  It's because he is losing a grip on his team and it's showing on the field. 

South Carolina...

- Your SEC East champions.  If they keep playing like this, they will most definitely win the East.  I'm not saying they're going to run the table, but Florida is surely going to lose to Alabama and possibly LSU.  Georgia will drop another.  Tennessee isn't any good.  As long as South Carolina gets by Auburn or Florida, they'll take a trip to Atlanta in December.

- Lattimore is a future NFL star.  The guy has strength, speed, and vision.  A true superstar in the making.

Final thought...

- Boise State is finished.  The media hype is crushed.  Virginia Tech let out a big fart (perhaps on purpose) that stunk up Boise State's chances of an NC.  What did Virginia Tech have to lose?  Nothing to James Madison.  Wouldn't that be a great payback to the Broncos?
All good observations, except your assessment that LSU is a world beater. I think they get beat this weekend at home by MSU.
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Jumbo

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Re: Thoughts - Week 2
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2010, 10:21:22 PM »
All good observations, except your assessment that LSU is a world beater. I think they get beat this weekend at home by MSU.
Nice pick.
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Re: Thoughts - Week 2
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2010, 10:28:03 PM »
All good observations, except your assessment that LSU is a world beater. I think they get beat this weekend at home by MSU.

If MSU loses it will kill our BCS chances.
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jmar

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Re: Thoughts - Week 2
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2010, 12:36:35 AM »
If MSU loses it will kill our BCS chances.
Yes, but if State takes down Les in Baton Rouge we should soar above Boise to at least second or tied with Alabama for the next 10 weeks. Gentlemen, the stars are aligning! That's the way this works and I'm starting to like it. Prior to the innerwebs it was one game at a time. I have a model for how everything will play out right down to Pasadena but I'll never tell.

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Godfather

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Re: Thoughts - Week 2
« Reply #7 on: September 14, 2010, 09:37:11 AM »
Congrats THS you made the front page....with your own logo, no less. 
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AUChizad

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Re: Thoughts - Week 2
« Reply #8 on: September 14, 2010, 01:16:16 PM »
with your own logo, no less.
This should be his avatar. Beats the lack thereof.
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Godfather

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Re: Thoughts - Week 2
« Reply #9 on: September 14, 2010, 01:40:28 PM »
BTW

RWS - No doubt your offense looks to be in midseason form, but I am not 100% sold on your defense yet.  Your test starts with at Arkansas, vs. UF, and then at USCe. you get through those 3 games unscathed and I think we are the only team that has a chance to stop y'all.

oh and it has been said before but, Richardson is head and shoulders above Ingram.  HEAD & SHOULDERS!  (and that isn't a cut against Ingram)
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Re: Thoughts - Week 2
« Reply #10 on: September 14, 2010, 01:47:27 PM »
BTW

RWS - No doubt your offense looks to be in midseason form, but I am not 100% sold on your defense yet.  Your test starts with at Arkansas, vs. UF, and then at USCe. you get through those 3 games unscathed and I think we are the only team that has a chance to stop y'all.

oh and it has been said before but, Richardson is head and shoulders above Ingram.  HEAD & SHOULDERS!  (and that isn't a cut against Ingram)

Why do hate dandruff?

Agreed on the D.  I have no illusions that PSU would have won that game; however, they had several spurts where they moved the ball up and down the field with relative ease, only to shoot themselves in the foot with turnovers.  Mark Barron is a bad boy, though.  Damn.

Now Arky....I watched them struggle for 3 quarters against LMAO.  Maybe they weren't up for that game but I saw a team that Bama would handle pretty easily.  Same with LSU.  They suxed.
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Re: Thoughts - Week 2
« Reply #11 on: September 14, 2010, 06:04:12 PM »
This should be his avatar. Beats the lack thereof.

Awesome.  I used to have a guitar as my avatar.  It didn't make the updated website.
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RWS

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Re: Thoughts - Week 2
« Reply #12 on: September 14, 2010, 06:14:50 PM »
Why do hate dandruff?

Agreed on the D.  I have no illusions that PSU would have won that game; however, they had several spurts where they moved the ball up and down the field with relative ease, only to shoot themselves in the foot with turnovers.  Mark Barron is a bad boy, though.  Damn.

Now Arky....I watched them struggle for 3 quarters against LMAO.  Maybe they weren't up for that game but I saw a team that Bama would handle pretty easily.  Same with LSU.  They suxed.
I also agree with you and Godfather. Our secondary needs to see plenty of PT and get polished. They are making some mistakes, and it is only a matter of time until we find an opponent to make us pay for these mistakes.

I don't think DL is an issue, and that is without Dareus. We get him back this week.

Still a small question mark about 2 of 3 LBs, but 2 of those 3 were injured and didn't even play against PSU. Upshaw played like 2 plays and couldn't go still because of the ankle injury from last week, and Chris Jordan was out as well due to shoulder injury. Less of a question mark than the secondary, but not even perfect.

Offense is going to be tough for opposing defenses. We return 8 starters, and only 2 games into the season, it looks like we've added some new toys and wrinkles. We ran 5 wide for nearly an entire drive, and that was fun to watch.

I also agree in regards to Arkansas. The only problem is I'm not sure if the front 7 is going to give the Hawgs enough of a chance to test our secondary. But, that's part of their job. You want to get pressure on the QB to force him into a mistake, and not leave your DBs on an island all day with a WR giving him more of a chance of getting beat on a play. If Arky's OL holds up, and I don't think it will, this will be a good test. But, we have beaten their brains in the past two meetings, and I don't see any reason why that might change this season. Saban has Paterno's number, bottom line. Our defensive scheme just plain works against them.
« Last Edit: September 14, 2010, 06:16:40 PM by RWS »
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