Time For Gus To Nut Up

[Snaggletiger]

This morning, I heard a caller to our local sports talk show that I haven't heard in a couple of years.  When Gus Malzahn was hired, he called several times to say that without a doubt, Auburn would be searching for a new coach in 3-4 short years. Hated the hire.  Couldn't find enough words to describe how bad this hire was.  I was wondering how Malzahn had poured so much sand in this guy's vaj.  Anyway, the guy calls in and the gloating was nauseating.  Now, while I thought the guy was just being a big turd with ears, I couldn't think of anything to counter what he was saying.

First off, this is not a run the Gus Bus out of town thread.  I really want the guy to be successful.  I really want to see him as Auburn's head coach 10 years from now.  Unfortunately, he finds himself in a position where that seat is about to go from luke warm to 3rd degree burns on that ass.  K posted the numbers in the Thoughts thread.  You simply cannot argue that since the Texas A&M game last year, his program has been in a spiral.  Mind boggling as to why.  But, I'll leave the speculation on that to others. 

As extreme as this sounds, my feeling is that Gus Malzahn's coaching career, at least at this level, is squarely on the line.  Right now, everyone is trying to figure out the problem.  But if this spiral continues, I can see JJ & Co. getting ready to do what they do so well.  Load the Gus Bus with lots and lots of $$$$ and wave bye bye.  Think about where we are. For obvious reasons, no one is happy about the way things have gone.  Fast forward a couple of weeks and think how your mood is going to be if this team loses to Kentucky.  How much faith will you have if they fall to the Fat Ass?

That all sounds like gloom and doom but I truly believe the torches and pitch forks will be out in a few weeks if this doesn't get turned around. Let me say again, that's the LAST thing I want.  So, it's time for Gus to grow a pair and prove that caller and others like him wrong.  (I'm speaking on a subject I'm well familiar with...nuts)  Here's the thing.  The preseason hype was there for a reason, warranted or not.  It was there because he's taken them to the mountain before.  It was there because he's had a top 10 recruiting class every year.  And it was there because he surrounded himself with some of the best coaches in the business.  Proven coaches. 

The bottom line is despite how they've looked to this point in the season...despite last year's collapse...the tools are there.  The players, coaches, facilities and fan support.  Now it's up to the head man to get this thing pointed in the right direction.  Because if it keeps going like this, it's going to get ugly in a hurry and everyone is going to wonder if Gus is really in over his head.     

[Townhallsavoy]

And how do you propose he nut up?

Sean White is better than Jeremy Johnson. Hopefully he can become a reliable QB that scores touchdowns. But the only thing we can take away from the Miss State game is that our running game is tough as nails for getting 4-5 yards a carry. It's not going to break away for a long score though. If White doesn't improve, this offense stays dormant.

The defense is better with the offense eating clock on the ground. But they still gave up 17 points. Miss State still looked like they were doing whatever they wanted with the short passing game. And Miss State sucks. What is this defense going to do against a potent offense in Texas A&M? How will this defense handle the balanced offense with Georgia? Can the defense actually tackle a big strong running back like we'll see with Arkansas and Alabama?

If I had to make a suggestion for Gus, it would be to take a few deep shots early. Jason Smith is fast. Do we have anyone else that can go deep? Tell White to overthrow it or throw it out of bounds if there's triple coverage. But the main issue I see with the offense now is that it's contained at the line of scrimmage. Short pass plays (screens, little outs and curls). These brings the safeties up and makes it really difficult for the running game to break out.

[dallaswareagle]

Here's a problem, lets say we flame out again, another 4-8.


How bad does it get if next weekend we struggle to beat SJS or lose to them?

If we get rid of Gus, where do we go? who do we go after?

This coaching carousel we have needs to stop. We need a long term fix, others schools have shown it can be done.

[CCTAU]

Short pass plays (screens, little outs and curls). These brings the safeties up and makes it really difficult for the running game to break out.

Yes, but done correctly, these things allow you to get deep. Saturday we had a young QB and an OC that got played by a DC that could see what was coming. Its hard to go deep with two safeties playing back.

I did see a couple of outstanding throws deep across the middle to Duke. That is the type of pass we need. But if the line cannot hold up, no QB can get it down field.

[Godfather]

I'll say it I hated the hire.  There were several here that hated the hire.  Off the top of my head Kaos and AUJarhead. 

Problem is
1. We have no say.
B. Doesn't matter now.

I don't think the guy was ready, I think he is still learning.  Which is why I said after 2013 we had nowhere to go but down.  When you have a season like that, and follow it up with 8-5 and now where we are the expectations are enormous.  I too hope he figures it out and continues to be our coach.  I however think he also might be Terry Bowden redux. Minus the sleeping with boosters daughters.

The reason that I want to see him succeed isn't just because I want our football program to succeed, but also because what getting rid of him may do.  Like I have stated before firing coaches does not make a successful program.  The money we are paying to failed coaches is getting ridiculous.  I have no faith in the leadership of our Athletic director, he is and continues to be a dickwad of epic proportions.  He has only saved himself with the hirings of Clint Myers and Bruce Pearl.  However, I believe the Pearl hiring to be more of a he is the best out there we have to get him type chance that no one else was offering.  Who would we even get at this point? 

I fear you are right Snags, and god help us if your worse case scenario plays out.

[dallaswareagle]

Yes, but done correctly, these things allow you to get deep. Saturday we had a young QB and an OC that got played by a DC that could see what was coming. Its hard to go deep with two safeties playing back.

I did see a couple of outstanding throws deep across the middle to Duke. That is the type of pass we need. But if the line cannot hold up, no QB can get it down field.

I would say its been done all season so far.

[Snaggletiger]

And how do you propose he nut up?

Sean White is better than Jeremy Johnson. Hopefully he can become a reliable QB that scores touchdowns. But the only thing we can take away from the Miss State game is that our running game is tough as nails for getting 4-5 yards a carry. It's not going to break away for a long score though. If White doesn't improve, this offense stays dormant.

The defense is better with the offense eating clock on the ground. But they still gave up 17 points. Miss State still looked like they were doing whatever they wanted with the short passing game. And Miss State sucks. What is this defense going to do against a potent offense in Texas A&M? How will this defense handle the balanced offense with Georgia? Can the defense actually tackle a big strong running back like we'll see with Arkansas and Alabama?

If I had to make a suggestion for Gus, it would be to take a few deep shots early. Jason Smith is fast. Do we have anyone else that can go deep? Tell White to overthrow it or throw it out of bounds if there's triple coverage. But the main issue I see with the offense now is that it's contained at the line of scrimmage. Short pass plays (screens, little outs and curls). These brings the safeties up and makes it really difficult for the running game to break out.

How do I propose he nut up?  Doesn't matter.  He's not listening to me, nor is he reading your posts to take suggestions on what to do.  The point is, he's put himself in a position to where if he runs off a string of losses to UK, Arky, A&M etc... the fans/boosters will lose faith and patience.  JJ will start reviewing the buyout clause and lawyering up.  It's become a vicious cycle at Auburn.  We can all break down what we think is wrong and speculate out our collective asses.  But, whatever the reasons might be, it's simply up to the man making millions to figure it out or it won't be long before....he gone. 

[GH2001]

And how do you propose he nut up?

Sean White is better than Jeremy Johnson. Hopefully he can become a reliable QB that scores touchdowns. But the only thing we can take away from the Miss State game is that our running game is tough as nails for getting 4-5 yards a carry. It's not going to break away for a long score though. If White doesn't improve, this offense stays dormant.

The defense is better with the offense eating clock on the ground. But they still gave up 17 points. Miss State still looked like they were doing whatever they wanted with the short passing game. And Miss State sucks. What is this defense going to do against a potent offense in Texas A&M? How will this defense handle the balanced offense with Georgia? Can the defense actually tackle a big strong running back like we'll see with Arkansas and Alabama?

If I had to make a suggestion for Gus, it would be to take a few deep shots early. Jason Smith is fast. Do we have anyone else that can go deep? Tell White to overthrow it or throw it out of bounds if there's triple coverage. But the main issue I see with the offense now is that it's contained at the line of scrimmage. Short pass plays (screens, little outs and curls). These brings the safeties up and makes it really difficult for the running game to break out.

To answer your question more big picture?

Just coach.

Coaching without regard to:

feelings
promises
egos
hypotheticals
what game you have in 3 weeks
what you think the other coach may or may not be thinking
what time the waffle house closes

Just coach! I know this dude can do it. I think other factors play into Gus' psyche. And he needs to rid of those and just coach. Overthinks.

[WiregrassTiger]

Here's a problem, lets say we flame out again, another 4-8.


How bad does it get if next weekend we struggle to beat SJS or lose to them?

If we get rid of Gus, where do we go? who do we go after?

This coaching carousel we have needs to stop. We need a long term fix, others schools have shown it can be done.

That's why barring a complete implosion and losing every game left by a large margin, I can't see making a change. Yeah, he's gotta get more wins but I don't know we put a number on it.

We're in a bad stretch that has continued from last season. We were way over-hyped. Muschamp needs some time and getting the D shored up and QB experience will go a LONG way toward fixing problems.

I heard two local "experts"--a yankee and a bammer-- on Mobile radio sports talk this a.m. talking. Yankee says he thinks the other coaches have figured Gus' offense out and Bammer says he doesn't know why Gus was using the zone read so much with Jeremy Johnson. Said Gus had been known to design his O around his player's strengths. First of all, these statements seem to conflict. Did they even watch the games? I feel very confident in saying JJ didn't run anywhere near the number of zone reads that we ran last year with Nick in the first 3 games.

Gus tried to adapt his O for JJ and JJ still threw it to the other team. That's pretty much the problem, imo.

He's still a great offensive coach and I think it's o.k. to talk about whens and ifs but ludicrous to actually consider making a change at the end of the season right now. But, get back with me next week.

[GH2001]

That's why barring a complete implosion and losing every game left by a large margin, I can't see making a change. Yeah, he's gotta get more wins but I don't know we put a number on it.

We're in a bad stretch that has continued from last season. We were way over-hyped. Muschamp needs some time and getting the D shored up and QB experience will go a LONG way toward fixing problems.

I heard two local "experts"--a yankee and a bammer-- on Mobile radio sports talk this a.m. talking. Yankee says he thinks the other coaches have figured Gus' offense out and Bammer says he doesn't know why Gus was using the zone read so much with Jeremy Johnson. Said Gus had been known to design his O around his player's strengths. First of all, these statements seem to conflict. Did they even watch the games? I feel very confident in saying JJ didn't run anywhere near the number of zone reads that we ran last year with Nick in the first 3 games.

Gus tried to adapt his O for JJ and JJ still threw it to the other team. That's pretty much the problem, imo.

He's still a great offensive coach and I think it's o.k. to talk about whens and ifs but ludicrous to actually consider making a change at the end of the season right now. But, get back with me next week.

And Im making no excuse for Gus here but I do believe Richt went through two similar stretches. One big one back when AJ Green got suspended, they lost to Colorado, and only won 6 games. It happens. I give any coach a "one full season of games" mulligan. Its when it happens beyond this year that its a habit or an endless cycle.

[dallaswareagle]

How do I propose he nut up?  Doesn't matter.  He's not listening to me, nor is he reading your posts to take suggestions on what to do.  The point is, he's put himself in a position to where if he runs off a string of losses to UK, Arky, A&M etc... the fans/boosters will lose faith and patience.  JJ will start reviewing the buyout clause and lawyering up.  It's become a vicious cycle at Auburn.  We can all break down what we think is wrong and speculate out our collective asses.  But, whatever the reasons might be, it's simply up to the man making millions to figure it out or it won't be long before....he gone.

He doesn't, but butts in stands do. Game tickets and hotel cost are coming down cause folks are thinking about spending that kind of money for the product he is putting out there. Who did we play GC last year before the turd pounding we took? Alabama state or A&M, if memory serves only about 35,000 showed up for that game.

Sitting at 3-7, how many folks show up for the Idaho game?

[AWK]

I didn't like the hire.   I don't know, I have just become apathetic...  It is kind of sad.   I will just enjoy the tailgating and drinking. 

[AUJarhead]

Here's a problem, lets say we flame out again, another 4-8.


How bad does it get if next weekend we struggle to beat SJS or lose to them?

If we get rid of Gus, where do we go? who do we go after?

This coaching carousel we have needs to stop. We need a long term fix, others schools have shown it can be done.

Nothing will be done this year, no matter if we go 2-10.  We can't afford it.  Jacobs knows his ass is on the line, along with Gus.  Fire Gus, and I don't see how he would keep his job.

Like it or not, we are stuck with Gus for at least 3 years.

[Kaos]

I wonder if part of the reason things flame out as they do is BECAUSE there's no patience. 

Bowden was a year off playing in the SEC-CG and very nearly denying Peyton with ONE player on offense.  Just one. 

Until Finebaum and JGT pulled the covers back on the plot to castrate Tuberville after 2003 we were going to jettison him after four years.  Instead he felt like he was untouchable, wasn't coaching to save his ass every single game and went on a pretty good five or six year run. 

Chizik was never secure.  Not even after 2010.  "Better not fuck up."  Ego, hubris, some crazy shit. He gone. 

I think Malzahn currently feels the pressure and he's not relaxing.  His butthole is puckering because there's the sense that he's not going to have time to build the program or whatever.  Yeah, we should be better than this in his third season.  His fourth TOTAL season as a head coach.  He probably is learning on the fly.  Learning about discipline. Learning about managing the program.  Learning about dividing responsibilities.

So we have to decide (and by we, I mean the AU administration which does NOT give me great hope) whether or not we believe in him as a coach, him as a person and in his overall mission.  Is it right for AU or not? 

This is a fuck up of epic proportions.  The only thing that truly concerns me is that we're floundering against everybody over the last four years, that we're letting one really great season guide both our expectations and our patience and our self-view.  My question is whether Gus knows how to fix the problems that face him.  From what I see, I can't answer that.  The stuff with D. Williams is troubling.  Driving the Johnson hype train makes me question what he sees.  How could we be THIS inept and he's not aware.  That's surreal. 

[Kaos]

I didn't like the hire.   I don't know, I have just become apathetic...  It is kind of sad.   I will just enjoy the tailgating and drinking.

^^
THIS.

I want to care.  Just don't have it. 

And the older I get the less it seems to matter. 

[Snaggletiger]

I didn't like the hire.   I don't know, I have just become apathetic...  It is kind of sad.   I will just enjoy the tailgating and drinking.

I didn't hate it.  He was #3 on my wish list. But coming out of 2012, my thoughts were that at least I know we'll put points on the board. I just wanted to see that he took the defensive side of the ball seriously and we weren't going to try and go all TCU/Texas Tech every game.  The odd thing is I haven't had a problem with one hire...one move he's made.  He's seemingly done everything right from the players he's signed to the corches he's surrounded himself with.   

[dallaswareagle]

^^
THIS.

I want to care.  Just don't have it. 

And the older I get the less it seems to matter.

    Tee times are abundant on Sat's. 

[Townhallsavoy]

I wonder if part of the reason things flame out as they do is BECAUSE there's no patience. 

Bowden was a year off playing in the SEC-CG and very nearly denying Peyton with ONE player on offense.  Just one. 

Until Finebaum and JGT pulled the covers back on the plot to castrate Tuberville after 2003 we were going to jettison him after four years.  Instead he felt like he was untouchable, wasn't coaching to save his ass every single game and went on a pretty good five or six year run. 

Chizik was never secure.  Not even after 2010.  "Better not fuck up."  Ego, hubris, some crazy shit. He gone. 

I think Malzahn currently feels the pressure and he's not relaxing.  His butthole is puckering because there's the sense that he's not going to have time to build the program or whatever.  Yeah, we should be better than this in his third season.  His fourth TOTAL season as a head coach.  He probably is learning on the fly.  Learning about discipline. Learning about managing the program.  Learning about dividing responsibilities.

So we have to decide (and by we, I mean the AU administration which does NOT give me great hope) whether or not we believe in him as a coach, him as a person and in his overall mission.  Is it right for AU or not? 

I think if we had beaten Miss State, Texas A&M, or Alabama last season, we wouldn't be that upset right now. Probably still be pissed, but we'd be waiting for Gus to straighten things out instead of wondering if 2013 really was just a fluke season.

The impatience here is not focused only on the 2015 season.

This goes back further than Texas A&M of 2014 and even further the Miss State loss.

After the LSU blowout, we have experienced the following:

- A loss to Miss State

- A shootout with a very overmatched South Carolina team (not a bad win per se, but it was worrisome)

- A win that should have been a loss against Ole Miss - If Treadwell's ankle doesn't break, that's a loss.

- Losses to Texas A&M, Georgia (blowout), and Alabama

- A struggle with Samford that led to one resident poster blowing a gasket and subsequently taking a break from the board for a while

- A loss to Wisconsin in the bowl game

- A damn-near loss to Jacksonville State

- A blowout loss to LSU

- A boring loss to Miss State

Outside of the 1st half against Louisville, nothing about Auburn football has felt good since early October of 2014.

I'm with you. Gus needs more time. He needs the fanbase off his back, and he needs to be able to have his own 2003 season like Tuberville did.

But I also can't forget that we aren't just having a bad four game streak.

[Buzz Killington]

I however think he also might be Terry Bowden redux. Minus the sleeping with boosters daughters.

Wait...Gus is really Joey Freshwater?

[AUJarhead]

Wait...Gus is really Joey Freshwater?

William Finrush