Comparing 2010 to 2013

[Kaos]

Were 10-0 in 2010 but 9-1 this season. 

Despite the fondness with which we look back, every game was a battle in 2010.  State went down to the wire. Overtime with Clemson. Carolina was up for grabs. 

Not so different here.

We've progressively gotten better this season.  We're starting to bludgeon teams. 

I'm not sure that we aren't a better team now than we were in 2010.  We don't have the same dynamic individuals, but across the board it's a better mix. 

Mason is every bit as good as Dyer.
Marshall isn't Cam, but he knows the neighborhood.
We don't have a Nick, but the constant rotation on defensive line has us in good shape at the end.

[wesfau2]

Agree on all points.  Shit, Kentucky was a nail-biter in 2010.

Now consider the following senior losses:

Offense
Jake Lembke (LS)
Joshua Parker (OL)
Jay Prosch(FB)
Chandler Shakespeare (RB)

Defense
Jeff Whitaker (DT)
Ryan White (DB)
Ken Carter (DT)
Chris Davis (DB)
Nosa Eguae (DE)
Dee Ford (DE)
Jake Holland (LB)
Blake Poole (DB)
Craig Sanders (DE)
Ryan Smith (DB)

Special Teams
Steven Clark (P)
Cody Parkey (K)

The highlighted players are high contributors, obviously and will be missed.  It will be important to build up the back 7 of the defense, but the underclassmen are getting some great PT right now.

A strong finish in 2013 (while conceding nothing, a BCSNC is pretty unlikely) will equal a high pre-season rank next year when this team really comes into its own.  The Auburn Tigers will be the first College Football Playoff Champion.

[chinook]

Funny, I thought about this through the weekend.  How much of 2010 was Chizik holding Malazhan's hand? ...no doubt our defense was better then than now.  Plus we spent 180k on Cam...prolly 80k on Marshall. 

[Townhallsavoy]

Were 10-0 in 2010 but 9-1 this season. 

Despite the fondness with which we look back, every game was a battle in 2010.  State went down to the wire. Overtime with Clemson. Carolina was up for grabs. 

Not so different here.

We've progressively gotten better this season.  We're starting to bludgeon teams. 

I'm not sure that we aren't a better team now than we were in 2010.  We don't have the same dynamic individuals, but across the board it's a better mix. 

Mason is every bit as good as Dyer.
Marshall isn't Cam, but he knows the neighborhood.
We don't have a Nick, but the constant rotation on defensive line has us in good shape at the end.

How is it a better mix? 

I too would take our 2013 backs over 2010.  But that's it.

Adams, Zachary, Blake, and Lutz were a better receiving unit. 

Maybe the offensive lines are equal.  But 2010 had a good bit of experience with four seniors starting. 

While this year's defensive line has gotten after the quarterback, they are by no means on the level of Fairley, Blanc, and Carter. 

Holland/Frost on the field at the same time both playing MLB would not be as good as Bynes.

Would Cass beat out Freeman, Stevens, or Bates?  Probably not.

The secondaries are both equally awful with 2013 ranking 81st and 2010 ranking 108th. 

And finally, Cam finished the season with a strong argument as the GOAT out of every position of every team of every conference in the history of college football.  You think Marshall knows that neighborhood?

[jmar]

Were 10-0 in 2010 but 9-1 this season. 

Despite the fondness with which we look back, every game was a battle in 2010.  State went down to the wire. Overtime with Clemson. Carolina was up for grabs. 

Not so different here.

We've progressively gotten better this season.  We're starting to bludgeon teams. 

I'm not sure that we aren't a better team now than we were in 2010.  We don't have the same dynamic individuals, but across the board it's a better mix. 

Mason is every bit as good as Dyer.
Marshall isn't Cam, but he knows the neighborhood.
We don't have a Nick, but the constant rotation on defensive line has us in good shape at the end.

To me this started to feel more like 2009 1/2 after the drive against Mississippi State. But it wasn't until about two weeks ago that I began looking into those graduating and returning along with two that probably earn medical redshirts. We have everything in place moving forward and in a sense we have recaptured that 2010 energy for a very strong run going into 2014.

To your point though, we can go back to an individual highlight of the 2010 team and we now have two or more players from this team that can run the same play effectively. We had signature plays in 2010 and anticipated that particular play from that guy ie. TZak around end. Only now we might get Grant or Louis. Same thing on a wheel route, different personnel. We had designed QB runs then only now we have that and a true read option. I really miss knowing I could count on Darvin Adams grabbing that all important first down or the presence of Josh Bynes in the middle but we just seem to overcome what we lack by other means.
It must be terrific coaching.

And for old times sake:


 

 

[The Prowler]

IMO, this year's offense is more diverse than the '10 offense, like what jmar pointed out, we have multiple players that can run different parts of this offense.

[WiregrassTiger]

I'm not sure that we aren't a better team now than we were in 2010.  We don't have the same dynamic individuals, but across the board it's a better mix. 

I don't know if 13 is necessarily better talent top to bottom but it's very close. The only 2 names that may make '10 better talent wise are Cam and Nick. Agree with what you say and I think the amazing thing about this comparison is that '13 has so many underclassmen playing.

[bottomfeeder]

And for old times sake:

This year, bama is cheating and disguising the blitz. i hope Malzahn is able to have Marshall check off on this when he comes to the line.

[CCTAU]

  You think Marshall knows that neighborhood?

Marshall is running this offense like most Malzhan QBs of the past. NM is definitely a bet read option QB. But he does not have the size and strength to make something out of nothing, so he better be good at reading it.

I'm not sure the WRs were that much better in 2010, they just had a better delivery system. We have yet to see a guy throw the ball consistently enough that we can overcome a dropped pass. We had plenty of dropped passes in 2010.

I think in 2010 we saw the team pretty much at its best. This season, we have no idea how good we can be. We are a fairly one dimensional team and good at it. If/when the passing game matures, this might be a more talented group overall on offense.


Defense is missing a solid LB. We all bitched about Bynes while he was here. Always a step slow. But damn that dude did more with less than any LB ever at AU. He never quit and he is still in the NFL. He was/is solid. We have not had a solid MLB since. And I think that is even more important in this type of defense.

We are on an upswing and it looks good. IF this team could win a MNC, then we could truly debate, but until then, 2010 has to be given the nod in pretty much every category.

Buckle up fans.