Oh Gus...

[Kaos]

Oh Gus.  We never knew.  

From today's press conference: 

"Our philosophy is run the football and throw it deep."

You think?  Dive, dive, heave. Punt.  Dive, dive, heave. Punt.  

I believe we've seen that movie before. Sometimes it works (Nick, Cam).  A lot of times it doesn't.  

This really does not swell my weenus with confidence.  

[The Six]

I expected no less and was rewarded with Gus talking mass amounts of shoot at a summer press conference where half the press had already left to follow the "rock stars" out the door the day prior.

Auburn's offense will look like every other offense he's had outside of 2010 (when he was OC) and 2013 (when he was still hungry). He knows the university is in bad financial shape (thanks Presidolt Leath) and he's safe for at least a couple years. No one is going to uncover him banging two Tiger Paws on a coke binge after all. And $7 mil a year buys a lot of hash browns. Just like those, the offense and this team will mostly be smothered, covered, and diced. Defense is loaded with talent and will keep the group afloat until they run out of gas around week 8 and injuries mount. 

Take in a big whiff. That's the smell of 7-5. #JABA

[AUJarhead]

Take in a big whiff. That's the smell of 7-5. #JABA

Wish I shared your optimism. 

[The Six]

Wish I shared your optimism.

That's me hoping the defense is enough to get by seven teams.  It could be much worse but it won't matter. Auburn is broke (relatively) and Gus is safe as a Clinton from investigation. 

[GH2001]

That's me hoping the defense is enough to get by seven teams.  It could be much worse but it won't matter. Auburn is broke (relatively) and Gus is safe as a Clinton from investigation.

Teflon Gus. Minus the body count list. 

[AUJarhead]

That's me hoping the defense is enough to get by seven teams.  It could be much worse but it won't matter. Auburn is broke (relatively) and Gus is safe as a Clinton from investigation.

You’re right. In my guesses of how the season will unfold, I’ve not been giving our defense enough credit. They are good enough to keep us in every game.  I just keep going back to the QB position, and I don’t believe we have a coach capable of getting more than 6 wins out of a QB he’s recruited out of high school. 

[Buzz Killington]

But you can't hold Gus responsible for the play of a few, sick twisted individuals over the last 5 seasons. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole college football system? And if the whole system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our educational institutions in general? I put it to you, Greg - isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America. 

Gentlemen!

[Snaggletiger]

Captain Obviously, the QB and play calling are the keys.  When you consider the fact that our schedule is in the top 2 or 3 of the gawtdamn tough category, you also have to take into account that we're coming into it with zero experience at QB and this little nugget:

Oregon, LSU, Florida, Texas A&M, FUGA & Bama all have returning starters at the position.

[Kaos]

Captain Obviously, the QB and play calling are the keys.  When you consider the fact that our schedule is in the top 2 or 3 of the gawtdamn tough category, you also have to take into account that we're coming into it with zero experience at QB and this little nugget:

Oregon, LSU, Florida, Texas A&M, FUGA & Bama all have returning starters at the position.

Tupperware Tonsilitis wasn't first team All American.  

I demand an investigation. 

[Buzz Killington]

Would 5-7 be enough to make the PTB say fuck the buyout, he gone? Or would it take a replay of 2012?

[Snaggletiger]

Would 5-7 be enough to make the PTB say fuck the buyout, he gone? Or would it take a replay of 2012?

Hard to say.  It's basically the same bunch that rewarded him with the massive contract/buyout for briefly stepping out of mediocrity. 

[Kaos]

Hard to say.  It's basically the same bunch that rewarded him with the massive contract/buyout for briefly stepping out of mediocrity.

It kind of depends on who we are or think we are.  

Unless you are cheating at the level and with the impunity Alabama does it’s simply unrealistic to expect to win championships and go undefeated every year. 

I got title fever like everybody else did between 2010 and 2013.  

What should we truly expect?  This is what I think. 

1) Be competitive.  That means maintaining superiority over teams like Ole Miss, MSU, Arky, KY, SC, UT, Zoo, A&M, Vanderbilt.  It means holding your own against Bama, UGA, LSU, UF. Not win every year but keep it fairly even.  Current grade? C -  

2) Recruit well. That means winning some battles. It doesn’t mean getting constantly punked on signing day.  Current grade? B. 

3) Make better players. Part of it is taking guys and through discipline, training and practice making better players. Current grade? D 

4) Have a plan. Plan for injuries, replacements, strategy. Long term vision.  Current grade? F. 

5) Win games. Not reasonable to expect to win all. Win the ones you should and be competitive in the rest. Current grade? C. 

Should he go if AU isn’t 8-5 or better? Only if he continues to display the same maddening lack of professional growth. Sadly? That’s exactly what i expect.  I don’t think he’s ever learned anything 

[Snaggletiger]

It kind of depends on who we are or think we are. 

Unless you are cheating at the level and with the impunity Alabama does it’s simply unrealistic to expect to win championships and go undefeated every year.

I got title fever like everybody else did between 2010 and 2013. 

What should we truly expect?  This is what I think.

1) Be competitive.  That means maintaining superiority over teams like Ole Miss, MSU, Arky, KY, SC, UT, Zoo, A&M, Vanderbilt.  It means holding your own against Bama, UGA, LSU, UF. Not win every year but keep it fairly even.  Current grade? C - 

2) Recruit well. That means winning some battles. It doesn’t mean getting constantly punked on signing day.  Current grade? B.

3) Make better players. Part of it is taking guys and through discipline, training and practice making better players. Current grade? D

4) Have a plan. Plan for injuries, replacements, strategy. Long term vision.  Current grade? F.

5) Win games. Not reasonable to expect to win all. Win the ones you should and be competitive in the rest. Current grade? C.

Should he go if AU isn’t 8-5 or better? Only if he continues to display the same maddening lack of professional growth. Sadly? That’s exactly what i expect.  I don’t think he’s ever learned anything

Agree with all that except I may go a little higher on the grade for recruiting.  He's always been right at the top 10 and the guys we get punked on are getting flipped by schools doing shit we apparently just aren't willing to do.  George Pickens is the most recent example.  The recruiting is fine, the development...not so much.

To expand on the last point, that's my biggest beef with Malzahn and the reason he lost me several years ago.  I honestly think the guy doesn't know what he wants to do almost from game to game.  How many times has he taken over and given up the play calling duties?  How many times has he "given it up" and then it's crystal clear that he's inserted himself right back in it?  He's the offensive guru who wrote the book, but fast forward from 2009 to 2019 and his offense looks nothing like the one that Chris Todd ran.  

I can single out two games that say it all for me.  Obviously, the 12 quarterback, double whirly-bird game against Clemson. No need to relive that.  The second is the year before last at LSU.  Up what, 19-3?  And had them totally on the ropes.  They had no idea what was coming.  Masterful play calling.  If you recall, Gus wasn't supposed to be calling the plays.  Then, he took over.  Was it 16 straight times up the middle on first down.  Even the announcers were saying you have to be a little more innovative than twice up the middle and throw long. 

Those are just a couple of prime examples to me of his lack of confidence, development or whatever you want to call it.  What I could easily see happening, as has happened before on more than one occasion, is if the season doesn't start well, he turns the offense over to Dilly Dilly.  That way, he has a scapegoat at the end of a 5-7 season.    

  

[chinook]

Gus will probably go 11-1 ...sign an extension and go 5-7, 7-5 and 6-6.  It’s a circle of hell Dante didn’t write about.  

[The Six]

Gus will probably go 11-1 ...sign an extension and go 5-7, 7-5 and 6-6.  It’s a circle of hell Dante didn’t write about. 

To be honest, what's the other option? Fire Gus, pay his buyout along with the assistants. Then, go hire Matt Campbell at Iowa State (continuing the university's whorey relationship with that school) or Josh Heupel at UCF or Pastor Hugh Freeze at Liberty. Watch that person continue to cultivate the talent Auburn usually gets, squeeze out a 10 win season in between the 6s, 7s, 8s. All the while, Clemson, Alabama, and fudgeGeorgia trade playoff titles. Saban finally retires (or spontaneously combusts) and the person who follows him Larry Cokers into another title. Also, if we hire Bro. Freeze, expect the NCAA colonoscopy straightway.

[djsimp]

Gus will probably go 11-1 ...sign an extension and go 5-7, 7-5 and 6-6.  It’s a circle of hell Dante didn’t write about. 

This^^^^^

[bottomfeeder]

He supports my opinion on the subject.

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/auburn-football/kerryon-johnson-predicts-auburn-will-win-2019-national-championship/

Kerryon Johnson predicts Auburn will win 2019 national championship
Andrew Olson | 1 hour ago


Former Auburn RB Kerryon Johnson is high on his alma mater heading into the 2019 campaign. Johnson tweeted Saturday morning that he believes the Tigers will win it all this season.

“With the start of camp yesterday i just want everyone to know @AuburnFootball will be winning the Natty this year…alright proceed with your morning,” Johnson wrote to his nearly 72,000 Twitter followers.

The former AU standout’s optimism will certainly be appreciated on the Plains, even if conventional wisdom says it’s difficult for a team with a freshman starting quarterback to win the national championship. That said, we’ve recently seen Trevor Lawrence and Jameis Winston (sorry, Tigers) accomplish the tall task, so maybe Joey Gatewood or Bo Nix will prove Johnson right and join that exclusive club.

If you agree with Johnson that Auburn is in for a special 2019, you could be in for a big payday. Las Vegas currently has Auburn at 50/1 odds to win it all, per Vegas Insider. The Tigers’ odds would probably be better if Johnson was still on the team, but Malzahn says he likes what he has seen this offseason from running backs Boobee Whitlow, Kam Martin and D.J. Williams.

[Godfather]

He supports my opinion on the subject.

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/auburn-football/kerryon-johnson-predicts-auburn-will-win-2019-national-championship/

Am I the only one that thinks 50/1 sounds high.

[Buzz Killington]

You misspelled low

[Godfather]

You misspelled low

Is it though? I was actually thinking more like 200/1 (is that higher or lower? when it comes to odds) I was thinking that those are lower odds no? ...so therefore 50/1 would be high?  Right?