It just wasn't meant to be this year. We are a young, inexperienced, chaotic football team that creates its own declivities and stifles its own progress. The coaching staff may have done its best to find the right players, or they may have done a piss-poor job distinguishing between who can compete in the SEC and who cannot.
Either way, this Auburn season is pretty much a wash.
If you love college football, there is still much to watch and enjoy as numerous top teams compete for the BCS championships.
As for Auburn, if you want to put yourself through the pain and agony of death, stay awake for our remaining games; however, I think the best course of action may be to just sleep this one through.
"Aye, there's the rub."
Auburn...
- Zero productivity from the quarterback. This is the only area that truly concerns me. This is the only area that makes me frustrated. This is the only area that makes me want to slam an ax into the hood of my car. This is the only area that makes me want to kick a hole in a window. This is the only area that makes me want to punch my neighbor in the face.
- The running game? Good. The defense? Much improved. Special teams? Good. The passing game? Putrid.
- I don't have to tell you too much about it. The numbers speak for themselves.
- Trotter was 8/19 for 81 yards and an interception. 44 of his yards came on one play to Stallworth. I'm going to take that away because I think it was an anomaly not indicative of Trotter's true ability. (Try and stop me!) Trotter was 7 of 18 for 37 yards and one interception.
- And as a fan, I know this is entirely selfish. I know I'm owed nothing, and that I should watch the games, trust the coaches, and give my opinion at the end of the year. But I am glad that Chizik proved to me that Kiehl Frazier is not the answer this year.
- Frazier was finally allowed to throw. And he went 2/4 for 18 yards and 2 interceptions.
- So what it boils down to (cough Clint) is that we don't have a (Moseley cough) quarterback.
- Did Moseley do something to piss off the coaches? I wouldn't be surprised. I know he pretty much threw a fit when Trotter got the nod, so maybe that solidified his position as the scout team quarterback.
- But where is he? I wish I knew as much about football as Malzahn and Chizik. I really do. But I don't. So all I see and all I know is that Trotter is AWFUL. Capital letters awful. Frazier can run, but his throwing is AWFUL. Capital letters awful.
- So if Moseley and Trotter were neck and neck in the quarterback competition, why is Moseley not getting a chance to play? If Trotter and Moseley were essentially tied at the beginning of the season and Trotter performed very well at the beginning of the season, why is Moseley not getting a chance now that Trotter is dispensing green, odorous fart clouds every game?
- Because what I see on the field is a team that is progressing. It's a frustrating season because we're young. But our defense is stepping it up. Our defense may not be perfect, but if that busted play doesn't happen, the 2nd half is 21-14 up until the end of the 4th quarter when our offense started giving away points. Of course the busted play did happen. But it may not have been so bad if our offense was doing something besides giving the ball away.
- Our defense may have struggled stopping Tyler Wilson, but unless you're named Alabama, who isn't struggling stopping Tyler Wilson?
- This is potentially 2008 all over again. I don't think this team gives up. But who out there honestly thinks that we have a better shot at scoring points against LSU and Bama than getting shut out?
- What about next week? "Oh well, Florida's struggling too so we could win." We could. But what are their strengths? Running the ball with fast, speedy backs (with whom we struggle). Stopping the run on defense (our only hope is our running game). Playing man-to-man coverage (our receivers can't get open and even if they did, who's going to throw the ball to them? And would they catch it?). And hitting a big play downfield every now and then (See Joe Adams and his 92 yard run).
- So we're hoping to beat Ole Miss and Samford. Maybe squeeze one out against Georgia in Athens.
- Of course, the defense looked absolutely hopeless at one point too. So maybe Trotter will steadily improve, but I'm not putting my shitty moustache on it.
Alabama...
- It's like a formula. In big games, absolutely destroy the competition by being physical, running the ball, dominating on defense, and playing it safe with the quarterback. Then have the ball bounce your way. Boom. 38-14. In not-so-big games, play slow, lose interest, aggravate fans, but come away with a 34-0 win that some people complain about.
- Fuck you.
LSU...
- This is still to me the #1 team in the nation. LSU matches up perfectly with Alabama. Strong, bruising run game. Safe quarterback play. A few big play receivers. A solid defense. Good special teams.
- But LSU gets the nod because of that Honey Badger kid. #7 is a terror in cleats. He's the fastest guy on the field and has a knack for finding the football. Then he takes it.
- That big play ability from Tyrann Mathieu makes me think LSU's defense is unbeatable. Unless Lee starts throwing interceptions for touchdowns, I don't see this team losing to anybody.
Oklahoma...
- Very impressive. But very overrated.
- The team isn't overrated. Oklahoma definitely deserves to be #2 at year's end. But I saw more Texas buffoonery than Oklahoma dominance.
- Texas had terrible quarterbacks. Oklahoma capitalized. Which is good. That's what good teams do.
- Texas had a decent running game but relied too heavily upon it. Oklahoma capitalized. Which is good. That's what good teams do.
- Texas had a terrible pass defense. Oklahoma capitalized. Which is good. That's what good teams do.
- However, to rank Oklahoma #1 after this game is ludicrous. It would show that the voters don't watch anything but their own rankings. Oklahoma was impressive, but were they as impressive as Alabama vs. Arkansas/Florida? As impressive as LSU vs. Oregon/WVU/Florida?
- Nope. Oklahoma is the #3 team in the nation.
Texas...
- Time to get rid of Mack Brown. Oklahoma doesn't need rebuilding years like Texas does. Now, Brown is going on his second straight rebuilding year which includes a blowout to his arch-rival
- Texas could do better. Like Nick Saban. Yeah. Offer Saban 8 million per year. That would do it.
Miss St...
- Aaaannnndddd now Dan Mullen realizes he should have looked for another job in the offseason. This team is toast. More than toast. They're now rivaling Ole MIss for worst team in the SEC West. Down 3-0 to UAB at halftime? I mean, what kind of a good coach struggles against UAB?
- God forbid you lose to UAB. Surely no coach worth his salt would do that. That would definitely ruin your career and make you the laughing stock of the NCAA. You could never recover. It would be like the tragedy of 9-11. So tragic that the rebuilding process would take years. As a college football coach, you'd be knocked into oblivion.
- How embarrassing for Dan Mullen.
Final Thoughts...
- It could happen.
- Oklahoma. LSU/Alabama. Stanford. Wisconsin. Boise St. Georgia Tech.
- Five of the six BCS conferences could produce an undefeated team, and Boise St - the BCS buster - could be undefeated as well.
- Oklahoma has looked dominant. The SEC will always get in. But what about Stanford? Their closest game was a 45-19 blowout against UCLA. What about Wisconsin? Their closest game was a 48-17 blowout against then top ten ranked Nebraska.
- We could argue strength of schedule and conference prowess all day long, but it doesn't change the fact that we're using subjective means to determine the championship game. Wisconsin and Stanford are both blowing out the competition. It'd be one thing if they were struggling to get by their Pac 12 and Big 10 Plus foes, but they aren't. They're doing what we'd expect Alabama or LSU to do against those teams. They're doing what Oklahoma should do against those teams.
- So how can we leave them out?
- Of course, as all seasons go except 2004, these teams will start slipping up. Some pissant will upset a top 3 team when we all least expect it.
- But the scenario is still alive for now.
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