Monday Musings: At the Crossroads

[The Six]

A day early for platinum subscribers...

Auburn
Can't state it any clearer than this. I did not expect much this year. I hoped that week to week would show signs of improvement, a plan forming, growth at key fortifiable positions, and a direction for all the recruiting buzz. What do we know for sure?

The defense has some legit juice. They aren't complete. They aren't deep. But they would wade through hell to go 12 rounds with a circle saw if given the chance. Rob Roberts is doing work. His staff is doing work. They are far from perfect, but they look like they have a plan every time they are on the field. They are on the field A LOT.

The offense has zero juice. The OL, cobbled together from spare parts all around, has not come together. Therefore, the RBs are barely doing anything. In fact, if you break down the rushing numbers all nerdy and such, you'll find Auburn's padded those with some big runs gained from clever misdirection (a hallmark of Hugh's scheme). The passing game is beyond dreadful. Besides the very obvious QB issues, I'm not convinced that the best pass catcher Auburn's had in the past 4 years wasn't John Samuel Jedediah Moses Shenker IV and he is long gone. None of these "pass catchers" seem to have any idea what they are supposed to should a wounded duck float their way. That's not all on them. The offensive staff writ large is not getting it done. Full stop. That can't be fixed in season. That's a fundamental miscalculation in the  offensive implementation. All that can be done is leaning into what good can be done with this bunch. We saw this last year. It's not perfect but there is a way. JUST DO IT ALREADY!

Special Teams are actually decent. Not much of a return game, but at least the punting and kicking is steady.

The Coming Playoff Fraud
We are heading 100 mph towards one of the most fraudulent group of playoff rankings as we've ever seen. I fear what that will mean. We already know the TV networks (and, specifically, ESPN) run the playoffs. It's their WWE Main Event FootballMania Daytona 6000 SUX (I'd buy that for a dollar!). And they are going to SPIN SPIN SPIN about how "strong" Georgia and Michigan are. How "pesky" Florida State is. What a story Washington is in the dying days of the PAC12. Or how Oklahoma is the Phoenix we thought Texas was (until Texas beats them in the BIGXII14 CG). Then, it'll turn. Pretenders Oregon get their second shot, too. Believe none of it.

Every one of those teams is seriously flawed.
Georgia is not special on offense. Defense is deep but not what they were. Their schedule is pants. Best team money can buy (eat dirt, Jimbo).

Michigan has somehow played a weaker schedule than fUGA. Their QB is slow as molasses in January and their players will get blown off the field against a team with any speed.

Florida State plays in the worst league in the P5. They should have lost to a very mid Clemson team. They will falter and it will be spectacular in that stripper trainwreck kind of way.

Oklahoma and Texas are shells of what they once were. However, it's funny that they are going to split that conference title, more or less, on their way out. Sankey should show up at the conference title ceremony just to troll. When they go, look at what's left? Shite. Neither of these teams is remotely special and they are both coached by incredible dickheads.

Washington and Oregon are in similar positions at the Big12 twins and are both just as counterfeit. They can play video game offense and garbage defense against each other and their death rattle league. Against speed and size, they'll fold like a cheap umbrella at PCB in a high wind.

As for Ohio State (Pfffffffttttttt) and Pedo State (double Pffffffftttttt) - 

2007 was a wacky season. No one wanted to be on top. No one could hold it. In the end, it was kinda fun. This year is nothing like that. This year is warmed over garbage; like Taylor Swift remastering her own music. It sucked bad enough the first time. The redux is not going to be good.

And we still have the dumbest idea next to realignment coming next year. MOAR PLAYOFF TEAMS!

Someone should treat this sport like the gimpy, wounded horse it is and make a beeline to the glue factor.

[jmar]

Our defense has to manufacture pressure which leaves us with a soft underbelly just under our secondary who are busy in coverage. It's a shame to see so much effort combined with the ability to create turnovers go to waste because we have a shitty offense.