So, I'm watching....

[Snaggletiger]

Auburn Everyday the other night.  A couple of comments are made by players about how things are different now, the most telling of which was Eltoro showing his helmet to the camera and the marks all over it.  He says something to the effect of, "See this?  This is how practices are different than they were before."  Obviously, referencing the way things were under Roof.

I noticed a definite difference in our D against UVA.  Yes, they gave up a good chunk of yardage..as usual, but it wasn't because of missing tackles, trying to knock someone off their feet or just not giving the effort.  They were having trouble getting off blocks early on in that game and as a consequence, a very average QB was able to set his feet and throw while the WR's had time to run their routes.  But, the D kept playing hard and adjusting and eventually take control of the game.  The biggest difference I saw was tackling and overall, being much more physical.

So, this begs the question..well several questions.  How involved is Chizik with how his team prepares?  Ultimately, it's his baby and he's responsible for the product on the field.  Did he let Roof/Malzahn do their own things and stay out of the way?  Does he let his corches corch without interference?  This is just uneducated, armchair QB guess...which is yes...I think the evidence points to Chizik letting his staff do what they were hired to do and hoping he made the right hires. Saturday night and the players comments about practice seem to point to that IMO.  So...if that's how Co Chiz works, how important are the new hires for OC/DC?     

[Kaos]

Auburn Everyday the other night.  A couple of comments are made by players about how things are different now, the most telling of which was Eltoro showing his helmet to the camera and the marks all over it.  He says something to the effect of, "See this?  This is how practices are different than they were before."  Obviously, referencing the way things were under Roof.

I noticed a definite difference in our D against UVA.  Yes, they gave up a good chunk of yardage..as usual, but it wasn't because of missing tackles, trying to knock someone off their feet or just not giving the effort.  They were having trouble getting off blocks early on in that game and as a consequence, a very average QB was able to set his feet and throw while the WR's had time to run their routes.  But, the D kept playing hard and adjusting and eventually take control of the game.  The biggest difference I saw was tackling and overall, being much more physical.

So, this begs the question..well several questions.  How involved is Chizik with how his team prepares?  Ultimately, it's his baby and he's responsible for the product on the field.  Did he let Roof/Malzahn do their own things and stay out of the way?  Does he let his corches corch without interference?  This is just uneducated, armchair QB guess...which is yes...I think the evidence points to Chizik letting his staff do what they were hired to do and hoping he made the right hires. Saturday night and the players comments about practice seem to point to that IMO.  So...if that's how Co Chiz works, how important are the new hires for OC/DC?   

I've heard that what you thought you saw was a mirage. 

It was the same game as the rest of the year, UVA was just outmanned.  No diff. 

[Snaggletiger]

I've heard that what you thought you saw was a mirage. 

It was the same game as the rest of the year, UVA was just outmanned.  No diff.

I wish those uni's of Virginia were a mirage.  Good gawd, those were hideous.  Why do teams in the ACC feel the need to look like circus clowns.  I totally get a one game Nike or Under Armour thing like UGA did to play as Power Rangers for mucho $$$.  UVA screwed the pooch Saturday.  Climpsum constantly breaks some awful version of all orange from head to toe, just like UNC sometimes goes all baby powder blue.  And Maryland?  What the hell were you thinking?   

[CCTAU]

May be misleading in what we think we know. We were young and inexperienced. Maybe the decision was made not to hit as much in practice in order to keep healthy. For the bowl game, they will have all offseason to heal. So maybe Chiz made the decision to go all out and see what he had.
We won't know for sure until we get a new DC.

[The Prowler]

I think Auburn should go All In All Orange or All Blue next year against Clemson for the Kickoff Classic.

[JR4AU]

I've heard that what you thought you saw was a mirage. 

It was the same game as the rest of the year, UVA was just outmanned.  No diff.

I'm not sure who you think said that.  I know I didn't.  Auburn played better in the bowl game.  Better defense, inconsistent at times, but overall better.  QB play was better.  Not stellar, but better.  OL play was better.  The only glaring weakness I saw in the Chicken Bowl was the DL.  If you think we didn't have them outmanned, then go look at their rivals player rankings, and note the 2* players that they recruit.  Their Sr. class (2008 class) had but 18 signees, and 10 were 2 star players)

It shows what you can get done when you work on yourself, instead of just game planning.  It shows that "player development" and "player tutelage" happens most when you're not game planning, IE the off season, and Spring Training, and in this case bowl practice.  They probably spent 10 of 15 Bowl practices simply working on fundamentals.

To answer snaggie...and this is simply IMHO, I think Chiz is an absolute CEO of a coach. He doesn't coach a position, and he let Roof run the Def, and Malzahn run the Off.  During the week, he'd set the game plan, then have the OC/DC implement it.  On Saturdays, he'll let them call the plays, and his input might be "get more aggressive on D, take some chances" or to Malzahn "Ok, you got 3rd and 8 on their 38, you got 2 plays to get the 1st".  He makes decision on the big picture.  He's the captain of the ship.  He hires people to carry out his overall strategy, but lets them use their tactics, within a framework that he, through the interview process, has vetted to match his own philosophy.   IOW, he'll hire an OC that will be a run first, to set up play action type guy.  Hopefully, he'll hire a more aggressive DC.   

I think they're important hires, they always are. 

[jmar]

I'm not sure who you think said that.  I know I didn't.  Auburn played better in the bowl game.  Better defense, inconsistent at times, but overall better.  QB play was better.  Not stellar, but better.  OL play was better.  The only glaring weakness I saw in the Chicken Bowl was the DL.  If you think we didn't have them outmanned, then go look at their rivals player rankings, and note the 2* players that they recruit.  Their Sr. class (2008 class) had but 18 signees, and 10 were 2 star players)

It shows what you can get done when you work on yourself, instead of just game planning.  It shows that "player development" and "player tutelage" happens most when you're not game planning, IE the off season, and Spring Training, and in this case bowl practice.  They probably spent 10 of 15 Bowl practices simply working on fundamentals.

To answer snaggie...and this is simply IMHO, I think Chiz is an absolute CEO of a coach. He doesn't coach a position, and he let Roof run the Def, and Malzahn run the Off.  During the week, he'd set the game plan, then have the OC/DC implement it.  On Saturdays, he'll let them call the plays, and his input might be "get more aggressive on D, take some chances" or to Malzahn "Ok, you got 3rd and 8 on their 38, you got 2 plays to get the 1st".  He makes decision on the big picture.  He's the captain of the ship.  He hires people to carry out his overall strategy, but lets them use their tactics, within a framework that he, through the interview process, has vetted to match his own philosophy.   IOW, he'll hire an OC that will be a run first, to set up play action type guy.  Hopefully, he'll hire a more aggressive DC.   

I think they're important hires, they always are.

Malzahn has gone and stunted our development. I wonder if he threw in some tutorial videos before he left town?