Coming for your ass...

[Kaos]

Miller Safrit, Scout's National Media Editor, who has seen a lot of top prospects come and go, has some notable picks: the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner will be quarterback Kiehl Frazier, who signed with Auburn; and the top defensive back in the country will be Jonathan Rose, another Tiger signee. He says Auburn and Texas will play for the national title.

[AWK]

Miller Safrit, Scout's National Media Editor, who has seen a lot of top prospects come and go, has some notable picks: the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner will be quarterback Kiehl Frazier, who signed with Auburn; and the top defensive back in the country will be Jonathan Rose, another Tiger signee. He says Auburn and Texas will play for the national title.

Prowler says the same thing every year...hmmm...

[Kaos]

Prowler says the same thing every year...hmmm...

Maybe his dumb ass will be right again in 2014. 

[The Prowler]

Go find where I say that.  You won't, because I don't.  FSU vs Oregon NC Game.  I don't see Auburn anywhere in my predictions.  I'm tired of trying to defend myself.  Everyone that thinks I just predict Championships for Auburn evey year doesn't know a fucking thing.  And yes kaos, that's mainly directed at you.

[djsimp]

Go find where I say that.  You won't, because I don't.  FSU vs Oregon NC Game.  I don't see Auburn anywhere in my predictions.  I'm tired of trying to defend myself.  Everyone that thinks I just predict Championships for Auburn evey year doesn't know a fucking thing.  And yes kaos, that's mainly directed at you.

This was a perfect time for you to play along.

[JR4AU]

Miller Safrit, Scout's National Media Editor, who has seen a lot of top prospects come and go, has some notable picks: the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner will be quarterback Kiehl Frazier, who signed with Auburn; and the top defensive back in the country will be Jonathan Rose, another Tiger signee. He says Auburn and Texas will play for the national title.

I hope he's right or even close to it. 

Mark this down though:  Auburn won't be as good next year.  I don't think that will surprise anyone.  What will happen is that some of the standard issue idiots will be talking about how Gene is a one hit wonder, and how Malzahn missed his window, and now everyone has caught up to his "gimmicky HS offense".   Whether that talk is just a murmur or a loud roar will depend on how they look in the games they lose.  The first loss, unless it's very early, will begin the talk of how we're headed for a "2009 type stretch run collapse".    An early loss will bring predictions of 5-7 or worse. 

Also, sometime between now and 2014, Malzahn will depart.  As we know, Malzahn went from gimmicky HS coach, to being the only OC in the country worth a fuck in 2010, and completely irreplaceable to the point that Auburn football will have to shut down once he departs. 

[The Prowler]

I hope he's right or even close to it. 

Mark this down though:  Auburn won't be as good next year.  I don't think that will surprise anyone.  What will happen is that some of the standard issue idiots will be talking about how Gene is a one hit wonder, and how Malzahn missed his window, and now everyone has caught up to his "gimmicky HS offense".   Whether that talk is just a murmur or a loud roar will depend on how they look in the games they lose.  The first loss, unless it's very early, will begin the talk of how we're headed for a "2009 type stretch run collapse".    An early loss will bring predictions of 5-7 or worse. 

Also, sometime between now and 2014, Malzahn will depart.  As we know, Malzahn went from gimmicky HS coach, to being the only OC in the country worth a fuck in 2010, and completely irreplaceable to the point that Auburn football will have to shut down once he departs. 

7-5/8-4, I'm leaning more towards 8-4.  I want to see what they look like in the first two games.  I want to see how the new OL, DL, LBs, WRs, & QB do, basically the entire team is new.

[Kaos]

I hope he's right or even close to it. 

Mark this down though:  Auburn won't be as good next year.  I don't think that will surprise anyone.  What will happen is that some of the standard issue idiots will be talking about how Gene is a one hit wonder, and how Malzahn missed his window, and now everyone has caught up to his "gimmicky HS offense".   Whether that talk is just a murmur or a loud roar will depend on how they look in the games they lose.  The first loss, unless it's very early, will begin the talk of how we're headed for a "2009 type stretch run collapse".    An early loss will bring predictions of 5-7 or worse. 

Also, sometime between now and 2014, Malzahn will depart.  As we know, Malzahn went from gimmicky HS coach, to being the only OC in the country worth a fuck in 2010, and completely irreplaceable to the point that Auburn football will have to shut down once he departs.

I'm going to use your own words against you this time.  And contradict the total bejesus out of myself.

Malzahn had an average quarterback at Tulsa and turned him into a stat machine.  Malzahn took Chris Todd, his noodle shoulder and concrete feet and set Auburn records.  With every day that passes I'm more convinced that Cam's meteoric rise was as much the right person in the right situation as it was his talent alone.  Don't get me wrong, he was an amazing talent, but hold that thought for a second. 

As little as I know about Trotter, he's got to be at least as good as Todd.  Dyer isn't a major dropoff from Tate.  McCalebb adds another wrinkle.  If the new offensive line can bring it together and if one or two receivers step up just a little, I think Auburn can surprise some people on offense. 

The real question comes on defense for me.  I'm not convinced we have anybody in the middle who can carry Josh Byne's water.  He wasn't fast, he wasn't super big but that guy was a real leader. He got them where they needed to be.  Not as worried about the line as most seem to be because Fairley was a tubby nobody before this season.  Couldn't have picked him out of a lineup before the MSU game.  There are people there now who can pull that load.  Convinced of it.

Now back to Cam.  I've thought a lot, lot, lot about it.  I've had people at Mississippi State tell me they would have won the NC and Cam the Heisman if he were there.  I disagree. He would have been successful, but not a star.  He would not have thrived at Alabama. Or LSU. Or Tennessee. Or Georgia. Or Michigan, OSU, USC or Arkansas.  Meyer might have known how to use him.  Stoops might have.  Mack Brown would have.  But the opportunity for him to be successful at the level he achieved was essentially unique to Auburn. Cam would not have been Cam anywhere else.  Of that I'm also completely convinced.

I don't know what that means, really.  It just is. 

7-5 would be a disappointment to me. 

[GH2001]

I'm going to use your own words against you this time.  And contradict the total bejesus out of myself.

Malzahn had an average quarterback at Tulsa and turned him into a stat machine.  Malzahn took Chris Todd, his noodle shoulder and concrete feet and set Auburn records.  With every day that passes I'm more convinced that Cam's meteoric rise was as much the right person in the right situation as it was his talent alone.  Don't get me wrong, he was an amazing talent, but hold that thought for a second. 

As little as I know about Trotter, he's got to be at least as good as Todd.  Dyer isn't a major dropoff from Tate.  McCalebb adds another wrinkle.  If the new offensive line can bring it together and if one or two receivers step up just a little, I think Auburn can surprise some people on offense. 

The real question comes on defense for me.  I'm not convinced we have anybody in the middle who can carry Josh Byne's water.  He wasn't fast, he wasn't super big but that guy was a real leader. He got them where they needed to be.  Not as worried about the line as most seem to be because Fairley was a tubby nobody before this season.  Couldn't have picked him out of a lineup before the MSU game.  There are people there now who can pull that load.  Convinced of it.

Now back to Cam.  I've thought a lot, lot, lot about it. I've had people at Mississippi State tell me they would have won the NC and Cam the Heisman if he were there.  I disagree. He would have been successful, but not a star.  He would not have thrived at Alabama. Or LSU. Or Tennessee. Or Georgia. Or Michigan, OSU, USC or Arkansas.  Meyer might have known how to use him.  Stoops might have.  Mack Brown would have.  But the opportunity for him to be successful at the level he achieved was essentially unique to Auburn. Cam would not have been Cam anywhere else.  Of that I'm also completely convinced.

I don't know what that means, really.  It just is. 

7-5 would be a disappointment to me.

Did you remind them who they are?

Oh, and thats funny. The bolded that is. The rest is spot on.

[JR4AU]

I'm going to use your own words against you this time.  And contradict the total bejesus out of myself.

Malzahn had an average quarterback at Tulsa and turned him into a stat machine.  Malzahn took Chris Todd, his noodle shoulder and concrete feet and set Auburn records.  With every day that passes I'm more convinced that Cam's meteoric rise was as much the right person in the right situation as it was his talent alone.  Don't get me wrong, he was an amazing talent, but hold that thought for a second. 

As little as I know about Trotter, he's got to be at least as good as Todd.  Dyer isn't a major dropoff from Tate.  McCalebb adds another wrinkle.  If the new offensive line can bring it together and if one or two receivers step up just a little, I think Auburn can surprise some people on offense. 

The real question comes on defense for me.  I'm not convinced we have anybody in the middle who can carry Josh Byne's water.  He wasn't fast, he wasn't super big but that guy was a real leader. He got them where they needed to be.  Not as worried about the line as most seem to be because Fairley was a tubby nobody before this season.  Couldn't have picked him out of a lineup before the MSU game.  There are people there now who can pull that load.  Convinced of it.

Now back to Cam.  I've thought a lot, lot, lot about it.  I've had people at Mississippi State tell me they would have won the NC and Cam the Heisman if he were there.  I disagree. He would have been successful, but not a star.  He would not have thrived at Alabama. Or LSU. Or Tennessee. Or Georgia. Or Michigan, OSU, USC or Arkansas.  Meyer might have known how to use him.  Stoops might have.  Mack Brown would have.  But the opportunity for him to be successful at the level he achieved was essentially unique to Auburn. Cam would not have been Cam anywhere else.  Of that I'm also completely convinced.

I don't know what that means, really.  It just is. 

7-5 would be a disappointment to me.

I'm a Malzahn fan, and you know that, but I'm a realist, he's not the only OC worth a shit.  The spread is everywhere, and Malzahn (what he does) is in demand all over.  Hell they'll be installing a lot of what Malzahn does at Clemson for this next season.  The OC there has known Malzahn a long time, and they talk regularly.   I agree that Cam had to be coached, and he had to fit in, and he had to be used right...same with all talent, and like all the other things you described in another post, it was the perfect alignment of the stars. 

In end, here is why Cam was AS GOOD as he was:



Coaching up an OL like that won't happen in 6 weeks of spring and summer camp.   The skill guys, and QB will be ok, but the OL won't provide them near the blocking they had this past year.  And not a bit of that was a fluke or luck.

The defense will take a step back, but then again, I wrote about the defense in the pre-season this year, and wrote that I didn't think we had an SEC caliber player in the DT rotation.  Last year we didn't.  Fairley took a man pill in the off season.  Maybe they have a good source for those now.

[The Prowler]

I knew who Nick Fairley was.  Nick Fairleys don't come around everyday.  Put Nick Fairley in any Conference, coached by Rocker, he'd set every NCAA defensive records, except for Ints.  You're not going to replace a Nick Fairley.

[GH2001]

I knew who Nick Fairley was.  Nick Fairleys don't come around everyday.  Put Nick Fairley in any Conference, coached by Rocker, he'd set every NCAA defensive records, except for Ints.  You're not going to replace a Nick Fairley.

Blocked FGs too?

[Snaggletiger]

In 09', Fairley did some great things..in spurts.  If you paid attention to what the coaches said about him, it all centered around focus and effort every play he was in there.  Apparently, he got the message in 010'.  The D will be better in 2011' as long as 1-2 out of the 27 DB phenoms we signed steps up.  NOBODY ran it down our throat.  The success came when teams simply looked for #15, Neiko Torched, and said we're coming after you.  Hell, I could have scored 2 TD's in a game throwing to my grandmother this year and she's been dead at least 12 years.

Despite how many we lose, we played a ton of guys on D. Lemonier, Carter, Whittaker, Ford, Evans, Holland (He has a fro) McNeil, Davis, Lanier and on and on...

Exactly as said earlier, find an O-line to gel and this team will put up sick numbers again.  The skill position talent is present and accounted for. Dyer, O'Mac, E. Smith, Lutzenfruchensomething...Blake, Goodwin, and on and on.  Look out SEC. It ain't over.

[wesfau2]

Malzahn had an average quarterback at Tulsa and turned him into a stat machine.  Malzahn took Chris Todd, his noodle shoulder and concrete feet and set Auburn records.  With every day that passes I'm more convinced that Cam's meteoric rise was as much the right person in the right situation as it was his talent alone.  Don't get me wrong, he was an amazing talent, but hold that thought for a second. 

As little as I know about Trotter, he's got to be at least as good as Todd.  Dyer isn't a major dropoff from Tate.  McCalebb adds another wrinkle.  If the new offensive line can bring it together and if one or two receivers step up just a little, I think Auburn can surprise some people on offense. 

No disagreement here from me.  I think, because of the forced diversity, you might actually see addition by subtraction on offense.  Cam is/was great, and he forced you to keep the ball in his hands.  I think without him, you are going to see more production from the WR/TE/RB...while Trotter still runs for a deceptive amount of yards.

The real question comes on defense for me.  I'm not convinced we have anybody in the middle who can carry Josh Byne's water.  He wasn't fast, he wasn't super big but that guy was a real leader .  He got them where they needed to be.

Totally agree.  Bynes is the guy you want leading a defense.  He will be sorely missed.

Not as worried about the line as most seem to be because Fairley was a tubby nobody before this season.  Couldn't have picked him out of a lineup before the MSU game.  There are people there now who can pull that load.  Convinced of it.

Agree with the first two sentences.  However, after he got his shit together, Fairley became a special player.  There are some potential studs on this DL, and with Rock coaching them up I think we're in great shape, but I think that Fairley will be one of those guys that we're always saying "remember when" about.

Now back to Cam.  I've thought a lot, lot, lot about it.  I've had people at Mississippi State tell me they would have won the NC and Cam the Heisman if he were there.  I disagree. He would have been successful, but not a star.  He would not have thrived at Alabama. Or LSU. Or Tennessee. Or Georgia. Or Michigan, OSU, USC or Arkansas.  Meyer might have known how to use him.  Stoops might have.  Mack Brown would have.  But the opportunity for him to be successful at the level he achieved was essentially unique to Auburn. Cam would not have been Cam anywhere else.  Of that I'm also completely convinced.

I agree wholeheartedly with this.  For some reason, it was the perfect storm on the Plains.  The right coaches with the right personnel with the right attitude.  I've only seen one team as unified (Auburn '04) and the common denominator, apart from Aairon "Grandpa" Savage, was Chizik.

7-5 would be a disappointment to me.

Agreed.  But I think we're 8-4 at the very least.

[Kaos]

I knew who Nick Fairley was.  Nick Fairleys don't come around everyday.  Put Nick Fairley in any Conference, coached by Rocker, he'd set every NCAA defensive records, except for Ints.  You're not going to replace a Nick Fairley.

You're such a girl. 

[Jumbo]

You're such a girl.

He's actually a big guy.....just sayin'

[The Prowler]

You're such a girl. 

You're such a little Bitch.  After the '09 season, I told Jumbo to watch out for Fairley.  Everyone has to remember, he only played ONE Year in JUCO after redshirted in his first season at Co-Lin.  BTW, Nick Fairley was an 3 Star Offensive Lineman coming outta HS (6'4" 257lbs) in '07.

[Kaos]

You're such a little Bitch.  After the '09 season, I told Jumbo to watch out for Fairley.  Everyone has to remember, he only played ONE Year in JUCO after redshirted in his first season at Co-Lin.  BTW, Nick Fairley was an 3 Star Offensive Lineman coming outta HS (6'4" 257lbs) in '07.

So a diamond in the rough......   Hmm.

Yes, Prowler, everybody knows his story now.  It made all the papers. 

[JR4AU]

Prowly,

While I'm certain you KNEW, and TOLD everyone, I did not.  I made a point to watch Fairley on Def. when I went to games in 2009 (only made a couple in 2009), and I saw NOTHING.  I watched him through my binocular often.  I saw nothing that would lead me to believe that, at best, he would be part of a no-name, nondescript rotation at DT.  AND, I put it in writing here on this forum's front page too before the season started.  Moreover, I'm happy as hell to be as wrong as I was in writing that.

[War Eagle!!!]

Prowly,

While I'm certain you KNEW, and TOLD everyone, I did not.  I made a point to watch Fairley on Def. when I went to games in 2008 (only made a couple in 2008), and I saw NOTHING.  I watched him through my binocular often.  I saw nothing that would lead me to believe that, at best, he would be part of a no-name, nondescript rotation at DT.  AND, I put it in writing here on this forum's front page too before the season started.  Moreover, I'm happy as hell to be as wrong as I was in writing that.

You mean 2009?