Iron Bowl 2019

[Snaggletiger]

As K alluded to in the orange round ballz forum, the SEC Network was all Auburn yesterday. Last night was my first time to watch that incredible game in its entirety since attending.  A few observations:

* Damn, I'm going to miss Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson.  Okay, maybe that's one of the most Captain Obvious statements evah.  But, interior D-lineman of that caliber just don't come around that often. 

* I think Nix came of age, or at least showed his progression throughout the season, on one drive I had almost forgotten about.  Dropped one in over Seth William's shoulder for a one-handed grab.  Flicked one out to Hastings just before going out of bounds.  Then threw a back shoulder strike to Salad Canola for the one-toe-in touchdown grab.  He probably doesn't make those throws 3 games into the season.

* Being able to see them on numerous replays was eye opening.  Who?  Alabama's receivers.  Yeah, they were fast as hell in person, but last night, I really understood how Two-er or Mack Jones or any QB could look good with a group of guys who can go by you every single time, and there ain't a damn thing you can do about it.

* On that note, I saw something I hadn't seen in person on one of the two pick 6 plays.  Jones clearly overthrew a wide open receiver when Smoke took it to the house.  The second that went off Harris' back in the end zone was caused by Big Kat.  I thought he just misfired and threw it behind him, but saw on replay that he had a Kat in his grill.

* Saban is a bitch.

* Call it orange and blue glasses all you want, but there is no better rivalry or setting in sports, period.  And it's made all that much better when it's the prime time CBS game, complete with blimp and err'thang.  Storied rivalry.  Usually (Not always) perceived as the David vs. Goliath match up.  A venue and atmosphere that embodies what college football is all about at its highest level.  You can hate on Brad-Vern/Gary all you want.  That's fine.  But their voices, the CBS coverage and that intro music have always meant this is the marquee match up. I kept thinking that I don't care what team you're a fan of, this is a must watch.       

[AUJarhead]

* Call it orange and blue glasses all you want, but there is no better rivalry or setting in sports, period. 

He's not wrong, folks.

[GH2001]

What about that Minnesota game on New Years though? Man, that sucked. Pj Flickabooger really rowed our boat. 

[Kaos]

What about that Minnesota game on New Years though? Man, that sucked. Pj Flickabooger really rowed our boat.

In one of their many, numerous, bountiful anti-Auburn screeds, our beatwriter said "everyone" believes that no coach does less with more than Gus Malzahn.  

I wanted to be mad, but maybe he's not wrong.  

[Snaggletiger]

In one of their many, numerous, bountiful anti-Auburn screeds, our beatwriter said "everyone" believes that no coach does less with more than Gus Malzahn. 

I wanted to be mad, but maybe he's not wrong. 

Another thing that I was thinking last night was Chad Morris coaching Nix can't be a bad thing.  Well, it can't be any worse.  I wish he had a Spring to work with him.  Gonna' take a while to get the Gus out of him.

[Buzz Killington]

* Saban is a bitch.

   

Uh huh

[wesfau2]

Another thing that I was thinking last night was Chad Morris coaching Nix can't be a bad thing.  Well, it can't be any worse.

Yes.  It absolutely can be a bad thing.

[Kaos]

Yes.  It absolutely can be a bad thing.

[Snaggletiger]

Yes.  It absolutely can be a bad thing.

In what way?

[wesfau2]

In what way?

Morris is fucking clueless. 
I've made the case here before.
I'm just going to sit back and watch the slow moving catastrophe.

[Snaggletiger]

Morris is fucking clueless.
I've made the case here before.
I'm just going to sit back and watch the slow moving catastrophe.

Let me say this about the Morris hire.  I'm totally indifferent to it.  I have long since resigned myself to the fact that it wouldn't matter if we hired Chad Morris or Lincoln Riley or Joe Brady or the most successful OC in the history of college football.  Unless Gus Malzahn does anything more than hand over the laminated sheet of genius and say, "Here, you run these plays", it's all a moot point.  Don't give a shit if Morris is his buddy or not.  He's just a guy with a head set on doing Malzahn's bidding as far as I'm concerned.  And you want to talk about clueless. 

I have no idea why Morris failed so miserably at Arky.  Was he resting on his laurels and gave a half assed effort?  Did he not relate to his players?  Was he simply in over his head when it came to running a program that size in the toughest conference/division in football?  Did Bulemia leave him a dumpster fire with a bunch of cancers and bad seeds?  I couldn't tell you.  I only followed them when we played the Hawgs or when ESPN was showing another loss.  No sugarcoating the suckage of Arkansas under Morris.

But prior to that, Morris had a very nice run as OC at Clemson and turned a flailing SMU program around, improving their record 3 years in a row. He had some QB's put up some pretty skippy numbers under his watch, including Ben Hicks while at SMU.  He was talked about as that next up and coming young coach and most thought a good hire.  Again, no clue why it went straight in the shitter.  But you can't say that in less than 2 years, he became brain dead.

Here's the thing.  One common theme on this board during the Gus era has been his total lack of ability to develop a QB.  While I think Bo Nix matured very bigly as a player, even my untrained eye can see his fundamentals are F'd to the core, consistently missing even the simplest 7 yard swing passes.  Combine that with the elementary level passing scheme of his head coach and the fact that yes, the QB's are taught one read and sprint to the sideline....I can't see how Morris can fuck it up worse.

The one and only possibility I can see in Chad Morris being a positive hire, is if Gus Malzahn actually leaves him alone to work with the quarterbacks. Gus is not going to let Morris change the offense.  He's not going to change the passing routes.  He's still going to carry 7 tight ends on the roster and never use them.  And even though Morris may be holding the LSG and calling the plays from it, Gus will still be in his ear going:

Run Boobie up the middle...oh...Boobie's not here.  Oh....uuhh...then run the little guy....uh Shivers....yeah....run Shivers up the middle.  Damn it Chad, I told you I wanted 6 back shoulder throws to Seth per quarter.  And what is Schwartz doing in the game?    

[WiregrassTiger]

Morris is fucking clueless.
I've made the case here before.
I'm just going to sit back and watch the slow moving catastrophe.

Normally, I would never agree with you. And I still don’t. Morris is one of the few coaches that I believe Gus is POSSIBLY willing to relinquish most of the play calling to.

If it doesn’t work with Morris, it won’t work with anyone.

[GH2001]

In one of their many, numerous, bountiful anti-Auburn screeds, our beatwriter said "everyone" believes that no coach does less with more than Gus Malzahn. 

I wanted to be mad, but maybe he's not wrong. 

He is no doubt - not wrong.