Unbridled Optimism

[wesfau2]

Feeling something akin to post-coital glow in the wake of viewing the A-Day Game.  Let's do some way too early season predictions*:

Sept. 2–Georgia Southern at Auburn - W; Nice warmup before a vicious road test.

Sept. 9–Auburn at Clemson - W; Yes, they won the trophy...but Watson, Williams and lots of key personnel are gone.  I'm glad we're catching them early in the season before the new starters really gel.

Sept. 16–Mercer at Auburn - W; Like a shiatsu after a workout...good cool down game to rest some starters after what I presume will be a slugfest.

Sept. 23–Auburn at Missouri - W; Don't know much about Mizzou except that their student body is whiny and we kicked that ass last time they were on the field with us.  They've had coaching turmoil and this should be a relatively easy conference win.

Sept. 30–Mississippi State at Auburn - W; I was kind of shocked at the success Fitzgerald had running the Mullen offense, but they are still Miss St and we should win if we expect to be contenders.

Oct. 7–Ole Miss at Auburn - W; The wheels are off the wagon in Oxford.  I wonder what they're calling our "bowl" game with them.

Oct. 14–Auburn at LSU - W/L; We held serve against them with just our kicker last year.  We will unleash the rest of the playmakers this year.  Etling is improving and the Faux Tigahs always have the horses, so there is no certainty, but a win in Red Stick is crucial.

Oct. 21–Auburn at Arkansas - W; It may get uglier than last year.  Word on the Pig board is that they are switching to a 3-4 defense...seemingly with no regard to the personnel needed to run it.

Nov. 4–Auburn at Texas A&M - W/L; You never know what you're going to get with A&M.  Thankfully, Garrett is gone, but they have been stockpiling talent and homofield advantage (especially at the end of a brutal road march) may make the difference here.

Nov. 11–Georgia at Auburn - W/L; Kirby is building something over there and Eason is the cornerstone.  He's still a couple of years from fielding a complete team, but the Dawgs are rarely an easy out.

Nov. 18–Louisiana-Monroe at Auburn - W
 
Nov. 25–Alabama at Auburn - W/L; If things play out favorably, this will be the SECCG qualifier.  Who the fuck knows?

Somewhere between 8-4 (unacceptable, imo) and 12-0, with a lean towards a 10/11 win season based on naked optimism.

*predictions subject to change in the wake of injury or arrest of key personnel.

[Saniflush]

15-0

[Snaggletiger]

20

[wesfau2]

Important to note that this year's championship game is in...

Hotlanta.

If only we had some Xers in the metro area...

[The Prowler]

10-2 just from watching a few practice videos and the spring game. The defense will be rowdy and we finally have a QB with all of the tools, a backfield that has a tremendous 1-2 combo (Pattway & Kerryon), studs at receiver a strong OL (gonna get stronger with the addition of the FSU transfer) and we utilize the TEs more than 2 times for the entire season.

[The Six]

Bridle it. We'll be good. Anything else is icing on the cake. Refuse to go in to 2017 with high expectations only to be disappointed once again. Would much rather be surprised.

[Pell City Tiger]

One thing that still amazes me is the awesomeness of Legatron. At the end of A Day, he lines up at midfield and casually nails a 60 yard FG that would have been good from 65 yards out.

Football - from the pros down to peewee - hasn't seen that kind of power since Gus the Mule played for the California Atoms back in the 1970s.

[Godfather]

One thing that still amazes me is the awesomeness of Legatron. At the end of A Day, he lines up at midfield and casually nails a 60 yard FG that would have been good from 65 yards out.

Football - from the pros down to peewee - hasn't seen that kind of power since Gus the Mule played for the California Atoms back in the 1970s.

Woah Woah Woah....everyone knows that Andy was the brains behind that whole operation.

[CCTAU]

One thing that still amazes me is the awesomeness of Legatron. At the end of A Day, he lines up at midfield and casually nails a 60 yard FG that would have been good from 65 yards out.

Football - from the pros down to peewee - hasn't seen that kind of power since Gus the Mule played for the California Atoms back in the 1970s.

I thought I heard someone yell OYAGE Saturday!

[Jumbo]

I wish Stan Gable had another year of eligibility.

[AUChizad]

To help you bridle.

http://auburn.247sports.com/Bolt/ESPN-writers-Auburn-is-most-overrated-SEC-team-52256836

ESPN writers: Auburn is most overrated SEC team

Three out of four ESPN SEC writers agree: Auburn is overrated in the Football Power Index.

Computers are high on Auburn.

Fans are high on Auburn after watching Jarrett Stidham throw pass after pass down the field Saturday at the A-Day scrimmage.

A few ESPN writers, however, are not completely sold on Gus Malzahn's Tigers being a top 5 team heading into the 2017 season.

In response to the ESPN's own Football Power Index ratings placing Auburn at No. 5 in the country heading into the offseason, ESPN's SEC writers were asked to name the most overrated team in the SEC.

That team was, by most accounts (three out of four), Auburn.

"Auburn is the easy choice here," writes ESPN's Edward Aschoff. "Count me as one of the folks who thinks these Tigers will be better than they were last year, but No. 5 good? No. Trying to get to 9.5 wins with a new offensive coordinator and some major defensive line losses seems awfully optimistic."

David Ching chimes in: "I think Auburn has a chance to be great, but the flop risk is awfully high for a program that is just 23-16 (11-13 SEC) since playing for the national title in 2013."

Alex Scarborough makes a comparison to the Jeremy Johnson hype.

"With apologies to all the Auburn fans coming down from the euphoria of the Jarrett Stidham Show, I have to say I'm surprised with the Tigers checking in at No. 5 in the FPI," writes Scarborough. "There's a lot to like about Malzahn's squad this year, but let's hold our horses a little bit. With a new offensive coordinator, a new quarterback and no Carl Lawson or Montravious Adams on defense, I want to see a couple of games before I jump aboard the hype train. I don't want another Jeremy Johnson 2015 situation to play out again."

[Godfather]

To help you bridle.

http://auburn.247sports.com/Bolt/ESPN-writers-Auburn-is-most-overrated-SEC-team-52256836

Don't disagree with them.  I think we have the talent to be great, but...

I want to see us play a team's *starters* who aren't playing in a base defense.

[Snaggletiger]

Honestly, I can't disagree with much of that.  I've said it multiple times.  We have as good a collection of talent as pretty much anyone in the country.  If you're top 10 in recruiting every single year, the numbers speak for themselves.  And I'm of the belief that if we have a QB not named Jeremy Johnson that stays healthy, we can be really good.  And that goes for Jarrett Stidham or Sean White.  But then, isn't that true for a ton of teams? 

I think the obvious problem for these writers, and for me as well, is putting Auburn in the top 5.  They have their reasons for questioning it.  My one and only reason is Gus Malzahn.  I've supported the guy since day 1. (Even though he was 3rd on my list of potential hires) I never believed the "gimmicky offense", "High school Coach" crap.  Until last year.  That did it for me.  He has one chance in my book.  If he let's Lindsey and Steele do day thang, we can be really good.  Top 5?  Meh, if the football gods smile down on us.  But damn good, just the same.  If he interferes, we screwed.

I'm hoping but I'll believe it when I see it.  CGM said he was taking everything over again.  No more CEO.  Do what I do best.  A few games in and "Yeah, I'm gonna' let Rhett take over and step away."  A few games later, "Yeah, I'm taking back over.  Rhett, you're fired." A few weeks later, "Yeah, we're hiring Chip Lindsey.  It's his offense."

Yeeeaah!

[wesfau2]

Nope.  Enthusiasm not dulled.

[Buzz Killington]

Nope.  Enthusiasm not dulled.

What if I told you Duke Williams punched Stidham in the throwing arm at Sky Bar?

[djsimp]

Nope.  Enthusiasm not dulled.

It is always necessary to ask oneself, "who wrote this article".

For me, I watch the  A-Day videos and create my own opinion. Add that to last year when SW was healthy, you have a bad ass football team. The throws that Stidham made would be those made on any #1 defense. His passes were on point, period. I don't care what the opposing D looks like. If hevmakes those kinds of throws this season, we are looking at a bad ass offense.....and a bad ass team. My 2 cents.

[Snaggletiger]

These two quotes below are the keys.  Why would you look at that overall and SEC record and believe AU is a legit #5 in the country? 


In response to the ESPN's own Football Power Index ratings placing Auburn at No. 5 in the country heading into the offseason, ESPN's SEC writers were asked to name the most overrated team in the SEC.

David Ching chimes in: "I think Auburn has a chance to be great, but the flop risk is awfully high for a program that is just 23-16 (11-13 SEC) since playing for the national title in 2013."


As I said, I don't think there's any question this club has top 5 talent from top to bottom.  But, if the fuckuppery that Gus Malzahn bestowed upon this program last year doesn't give you pause....

[wesfau2]

What if I told you Duke Williams punched Stidham in the throwing arm at Sky Bar?

I'd say "We Gucci."

[WiregrassTiger]

Top 5 is overrated because of last year. If we had won a couple of more, it would look ok to put us there.

We've proven zilch on offense. We won't really know until the halfway point of the season.

[Godfather]

We've proven zilch on offense. We won't really know until the halfway point of the season.

Unless we do