Thoughts Week XVIIXVI

[Snaggletiger]

Can't believe they pulled out a win.  There were at least 3 times in the second half that I was ready to head to the F-150 and drive south.  But the D kept getting enough stops for me to say okay, let's see what happens here. 

As for that defense, I'm really surprised at how badly they've been gashed in the run game on several occasions this season. That one back for A&M just punished them yesterday, similar to what Fitzjimmy did for State.  The reality was that whether it was running or receiving, he was 85% or 372/454ths of their offense.  Mond is a good athlete and decent runner, but he has no arm to speak of.  In the end, the D did just enough to give us a chance.

I said several times that if Boobs was out, we had no chance.  While he played a little and contributed even less, he was essentially out.  I'm guessing they've decided Kam Martin isn't an SEC back and have no faith in Asa.  And Cinder Blocks Miller is horrible.  We had no running game at all and it damn near got us beat.  But that brings up a huge positive.

I've also said many times in the past that if we're down a couple of scores late and have to rely on our passing game to bring us back, we're toast. Not just referring to this squad, I mean any year under Malzahn.  For 3 1/2 quarters yesterday, that was the case.  But those guys hooked it up when they needed to.  Slayton, Williams and Man-Love Davis (DON'T FIELD THE PUNT ON THE ONE YARD LINE, DUMBASS) got Justin Timberlake in sync with Stidham.  Saved our bacon.  And Stidham did a nice job overall yesterday.  Hard to do when during those 3 1/2 quarters, you have a negative rushing total.

If the Boober is healthy next week, I think we have enough to stay competitive with Fuck Georgia.  Not sure we can even score on Bama.   

[GH2001]

There is a chance with uga. Chance. Prob still won’t happen. Right now uga has a strength of a good passing game. Jake Fromm State Farm has caught fire the last two games.  

Bama will Butt rape us dry. As they will to uga in Atlanta too. They’ve made cfb not fun. You know the result. And it doesn’t matter what happens week to week anymore. 

As you said above, I’m not sure why we haven’t just sold out to a fun n gun shootout type O ala West Virginia. It’s the O strength right now. Send 4 wrs out and a safety valve and let it rip. Pretty much what we did the last 7 mins. Not saying it’s perfect but it plays to the strengths we have at moment. 

[Snaggletiger]

There is a chance with uga. Chance. Prob still won’t happen. Right now uga has a strength of a good passing game. Jake Fromm State Farm has caught fire the last two games. 

Bama will Butt rape us dry. As they will to uga in Atlanta too. They’ve made cfb not fun. You know the result. And it doesn’t matter what happens week to week anymore.

As you said above, I’m not sure why we haven’t just sold out to a fun n gun shootout type O ala West Virginia. It’s the O strength right now. Send 4 wrs out and a safety valve and let it rip. Pretty much what we did the last 7 mins. Not saying it’s perfect but it plays to the strengths we have at moment.

Yeah, if Boobee ain't healthy, it's pretty much all we've got.

[The Six]

fun n gun shootout type O ala West Virginia. It’s the O strength right now.

WVU runs the ball really well behind that o-line of theirs. They are quite balanced.

Washington State does more of what you are talking about and I agree, that's what Auburn should have done this season. Too bad the season is over now -----> http://www.tigersx.com/forum/index.php?topic=31164.0

[GH2001]

WVU runs the ball really well behind that o-line of theirs. They are quite balanced.

Washington State does more of what you are talking about and I agree, that's what Auburn should have done this season. Too bad the season is over now -----> http://www.tigersx.com/forum/index.php?topic=31164.0

You get my drift though. I’m as much of a fan of the read option as anyone. But we have neither the qb or rbs to execute it. Until then , we have a qb with a laser arm (when his head is straight) and some really good/fast wrs. Play to that. 

[ssgaufan]

I'm impressed with Dana Holgerson having the balls to go for two at the end.  We need a coach with a set of balls.  Unless it doesn't work, then he's just another dumbass that should've played for overtime.

[Snaggletiger]

As usual, the refs were pathetic.  The phantom interference call that set them up at the one, and then the TD call right after that.  I'm going by the replays on the Megatron 6,000 Super Tranformers Scoreboard.  They showed numerous different angles and it never once looked like the RB got further than the 1 yard line.  Was it different on the home TV's?

[GH2001]

As usual, the refs were pathetic.  The phantom interference call that set them up at the one, and then the TD call right after that.  I'm going by the replays on the Megatron 6,000 Super Tranformers Scoreboard.  They showed numerous different angles and it never once looked like the RB got further than the 1 yard line.  Was it different on the home TV's?

The PI in end zone was as bad as I’ve ever seen.  Not only did the ball go out of bounds. But it was caught out of bounds. And there was 2 feet of space between defender and receiver. Unreal. 

[Kaos]

I did what I said.  Almost. 

Watched a drive or two. Recognized that even with a week off to prepare, the dis-GUS-ting offense was still in place.  The defense is tired and I don't think it's giving the same kind of effort it used to.  I don't blame them. 

So I turned it off.  Later on, just for kicks, I turned it on for a few minutes.  We were down 10 and looked like absolute stumblebums.  I turned it off again.  I knew then that even if some miracle were to happen, our mule-headed coach hasn't learned a single thing since he got there.  We all said at the beginning that he was going to be learning on the job because he didn't have the resume or experience.  But?  He. Has. Not. Learned. A. Motherfucking. Thing.

We're hanging on to the anomalies (because they were pretty good) and ignoring the constants.  Even if we came back to win that game it would -- as wes once said -- be fool's gold. 

So we came back.  As my phone was blowing up telling me to turn it back on, I just said no ($1 to Nancy Reagan). 

I've said it many times.  Losing doesn't bother me.  Teams lose games. But looking like a monkey on mescaline trying to shove a football up its dick hole does.  Five minutes of desperation football doesn't erase that ineptitude. It magnifies it.  And it only makes me angrier.  

Our passing routes are DOG shit.  Because Gus makes eleventy billion a year, I guess, we have glorified GA's running all the other facets of the offense.  We don't have a half-decent receivers coach. We don't have a quality quarterbacks coach.  It's like a 3A high school staff. 

Example:  Third and two.  Stidham drops back to pass. Every single route but one is to the outside and at least 20 yards deep.  Every one.  Why?  We need two yards. The safety valve (I suppose) drags across the middle (still 20 yards out) and nobody really picks it up. It's open, but so slowly developing, it's never recognized.  Stidham throws to a guy on the left side who's completely covered up. No chance.  It's infuriating. 

I love Auburn. I'm glad to have a win in the league and because I hate Jimbo Fisher.  But unless we learned something and somehow can use that to get better (we didn't and we won't) the value is very limited.  We gained nothing. 

On top of that, watching Alabama (the best team money can buy) last night (because I had to) made me physically ill.  They have completely ruined the game for me and many others.

[wesfau2]

The complete lack of a running game is astounding.  In what universe do we rush for 19 motherfucking yards?  The OL is a clusterfuck of talent and skill deficiencies.

Running Boobie out as a hobbled decoy behind that sieve?  Cruel and unusual.

The officiating was, again, garbage.  The phantom PI and ensuing phantom touchdown left me speechless for a solid 22 seconds.  Then I promptly returned to explaining to the ref exactly how he could remove and consume his own shriveled manhood.

Ryan Davis is too experienced to field that fucking ball on the two...but Imma let that slide given his electric receptions and touchdown throw.  Fuck it, let's Nick Marshall the offense with RD. 

It was shocking, at first, to see the ball thrown accurately...to a receiver who caught the ball with his hands, often over/around coverage.  I'm not sure what happened towards the end of the 3rd quarter, but something shifted from a concentration/focus perspective.  The execution improved dramatically and there finally seemed to be a sense of urgency on the offensive side of the ball.

The defense deserves kudos for playing at a high level despite getting zero assistance from the other half of their team.  They played hard and I noticed a lot of underclassmen playing.  Some of them may have played some previously, but today was the first day that I consistently saw guys like Miller, Tutt, and Wooten.  They struggled with Williams, but nearly everyone does. 

The secondary is starting to develop an attitude with Thomas and Dinson forming a fucking nasty duo.  It looked like they heard the entire A&M WR corps had been talking shit about their grandmas.  I'm positively shocked that neither caught a targeting call yesterday.  Not because I believe they were targeting, but the enforcement of that rule has come to mean that it's called when "the hit looks aggressive and the crowd roars."

All in all, a lucky win.  Without the early turnover and short-field touchdown, the offense might not have had enough time to find its groove and post the comeback.  This shit will obviously not be successful against UGA or Bama and, if they fiddle-fuck around too long, might not not beat Liberty.

[GH2001]

The complete lack of a running game is astounding.  In what universe do we rush for 19 motherfucking yards?  The OL is a clusterfuck of talent and skill deficiencies.

Running Boobie out as a hobbled decoy behind that sieve?  Cruel and unusual.

The officiating was, again, garbage.  The phantom PI and ensuing phantom touchdown left me speechless for a solid 22 seconds.  Then I promptly returned to explaining to the ref exactly how he could remove and consume his own shriveled manhood.

Ryan Davis is too experienced to field that fucking ball on the two...but Imma let that slide given his electric receptions and touchdown throw.  Fuck it, let's Nick Marshall the offense with RD. 

It was shocking, at first, to see the ball thrown accurately...to a receiver who caught the ball with his hands, often over/around coverage.  I'm not sure what happened towards the end of the 3rd quarter, but something shifted from a concentration/focus perspective.  The execution improved dramatically and there finally seemed to be a sense of urgency on the offensive side of the ball.

The defense deserves kudos for playing at a high level despite getting zero assistance from the other half of their team.  They played hard and I noticed a lot of underclassmen playing.  Some of them may have played some previously, but today was the first day that I consistently saw guys like Miller, Tutt, and Wooten.  They struggled with Williams, but nearly everyone does. 

The secondary is starting to develop an attitude with Thomas and Dinson forming a fucking nasty duo.  It looked like they heard the entire A&M WR corps had been talking shit about their grandmas.  I'm positively shocked that neither caught a targeting call yesterday.  Not because I believe they were targeting, but the enforcement of that rule has come to mean that it's called when "the hit looks aggressive and the crowd roars."

All in all, a lucky win.  Without the early turnover and short-field touchdown, the offense might not have had enough time to find its groove and post the comeback.  This shit will obviously not be successful against UGA or Bama and, if they fiddle-fuck around too long, might not not beat Liberty.

Dead on dude. 

We either need to go back to the nick offense with the right personnel. Or use our strengths of what’s on the field which is qb/wrs - that’s what we saw the last half quarter. 

[Snaggletiger]

It has become apparent that the Boobs is the only "legit" running back we have.  I have to admit, he has impressed me.  But, he's already showing Kerryon-esque injury issues.  The difference is that once Malzahn or whoever makes these decision on who plays, Boobee has not been handled like Kerryon, Pettway, Tre etc.  He's averaging 12 carries a game, so no excuses about running a back into the ground.  Hell, your horse should get 20-25 totes a game.  Not a damn thing wrong with that. 

But, we have nothing behind him.  Like I said, it's obvious they have no faith in Kam.  Cinder Blocks Miller is just plain slow as hell.  And I have no clue what the deal is with Asa Martin.  Not good enough?  Attitude?  Just spit balling here.  Why Cinder Blocks would be playing ahead of him is head scratching....but then, I haven't exactly been at practice and the coaches haven't asked for my opinion. 

Let's just narrow it down to one thing.  In Boobee, we've got a pretty good back and a competitive running game.  Without Boobs, we have what we saw yesterday.  It finally clicked and saved our ass.

[Kaos]

It has become apparent that the Boobs is the only "legit" running back we have.  I have to admit, he has impressed me.  But, he's already showing Kerryon-esque injury issues.  The difference is that once Malzahn or whoever makes these decision on who plays, Boobee has not been handled like Kerryon, Pettway, Tre etc.  He's averaging 12 carries a game, so no excuses about running a back into the ground.  Hell, your horse should get 20-25 totes a game.  Not a damn thing wrong with that.

But, we have nothing behind him.  Like I said, it's obvious they have no faith in Kam.  Cinder Blocks Miller is just plain slow as hell.  And I have no clue what the deal is with Asa Martin.  Not good enough?  Attitude?  Just spit balling here.  Why Cinder Blocks would be playing ahead of him is head scratching....but then, I haven't exactly been at practice and the coaches haven't asked for my opinion.

Let's just narrow it down to one thing.  In Boobee, we've got a pretty good back and a competitive running game.  Without Boobs, we have what we saw yesterday.  It finally clicked and saved our ass.

I'm telling you, the man has no idea how to evaluate, develop and utilize talent.  He just doesn't.  

[Snaggletiger]

I'm telling you, the man has no idea how to evaluate, develop and utilize talent.  He just doesn't. 

Not disagreeing at all.  I've been outspoken on wanting him gone 2-3 years ago.  Hell, I've even been the lone voice in calling out Bruce Pearl for what I consider the shitty job he did the first few years on the Planes.  Looks like it's turned around somewhat now, but gawt damn.  With Gus, it is what it is until he's gone.  Like I've said many times before, I don't blame the man anymore.

The PTB had way more than enough sample size to know what he is as a coach.  You know what you're getting.  You know what you're paying for.  They paid for exactly what we're getting.  Don't blame him.  He's doing the best he can.  Just turns out that the best he can is high school suckage. But, they thought high school suckage was worth $49 Million Dollars.  Don't blame Gus.  The man got his money.  Just like every single one of us would do.

[CCTAU]

My sources say Asa is a RS.
The one game he went in for a play, we called TO and avoided burning his RS.

[wesfau2]

My sources say Asa is a RS.
The one game he went in for a play, we called TO and avoided burning his RS.

That's not the rule anymore.

Random thought: Something undefinable happened against A&M in '14 and broke Gus's mojo...perhaps the same voodoo was in play Saturday as something undefinable happened late in the game and sparked some offensive efficacy.

Would be poetic if this win bookends Gus's A&M curse and he finds his manhood again before he faces Coach Beaulieu again.

[Godfather]

It has become apparent that the Boobs is the only "legit" running back we have.  I have to admit, he has impressed me.  But, he's already showing Kerryon-esque injury issues.  The difference is that once Malzahn or whoever makes these decision on who plays, Boobee has not been handled like Kerryon, Pettway, Tre etc.  He's averaging 12 carries a game, so no excuses about running a back into the ground.  Hell, your horse should get 20-25 totes a game.  Not a damn thing wrong with that.

But, we have nothing behind him.  Like I said, it's obvious they have no faith in Kam.  Cinder Blocks Miller is just plain slow as hell.  And I have no clue what the deal is with Asa Martin.  Not good enough?  Attitude?  Just spit balling here.  Why Cinder Blocks would be playing ahead of him is head scratching....but then, I haven't exactly been at practice and the coaches haven't asked for my opinion.

Let's just narrow it down to one thing.  In Boobee, we've got a pretty good back and a competitive running game.  Without Boobs, we have what we saw yesterday.  It finally clicked and saved our ass.

You know who is a great fucking runner we never use....Chandler "Motherfucking" Cox.  Gus is an idiot.

Those that think we have a chance against FUGA I snicker, because we are going to be ass raped by them and bama.  We should beat Liberty.  I'm happy we won, but we shouldn't have.

[wesfau2]

You know who is a great fucking runner we never use....Chandler "Motherfucking" Cox.  Gus is an idiot.

He scored a rushing TD Saturday.

[The Six]

Auburn's "offensive" offense in decline (by the numbers)
RUSHING
2013: 328.3 ypg
2014: 255.5 ypg
2015: 196.4 ypg
2016: 271.3 ypg
2017: 218.3 ypg
2018: 155.2 ypg

PASSING
2013: 173.0 ypg
2014: 229.5 ypg
2015: 173.6 ypg
2016: 169.5 ypg
2017: 233.4 ypg
2018: 222.0 ypg




Yeah, I'm done drinking the Flavor-Aid. If we can't get more on the ground and air with the alleged talent we are bringing in, change must come. 

[The Six]

And the sunshine pumpers response is so obvious it hurts. 

"Well if you don't support the team and enjoy the win, you don't love Auburn!"
"Don't criticize the team or the coaches then celebrate this victory. You don't deserve to."
"Why don't you just go root for Bammer?!?"