Latest and greatest on Newton

[Kaos]

Imagine Tubs with Malzahn as OC, and replace a couple of offensive coaches (Grimes for OL and Taylor for WR's).

I think that's where we'd be (roughly) without Jay Jacobs. 

Tuberville understood the need to change the offensive direction, thus the hire of Franklin (which was designed to help him recruit against Saban).  Franklin just turned out to be a bad move for everybody involved.  No doubt whatsoever in my mind that he would have fixed it. 

[GH2001]

Because Tuberville did that his entire time at AU.  When people didn't work out or he was concerned about depth, he got backup.  

We didn't have a coffin Christmas tree running back in 1999 so he went and got Rudi from juco. While he was there he picked up Cobb -- who was the relative equivalent of Newton if you want to know the truth -- so Jason wouldn't be a freshman forced into a starting role.  

The slamming he's taking now comes primarily because AU is short on defense.  Tuberville didn't make Powers leave early, that was a reaction to Chizik or the situation.  He didn't force Marks to bolt early either. Another reaction to Chizik or the situation in general.  Tuberville didn't make Tray Blackmon crazy, but he did try to keep the kid playing.  Can't blame him for that. Tuberville didn't injure Mike McNeill or Aairon Savage.  

The "he lost 30 scholarship players" is really a lot of bullpoop backfill.

At least five that Chizik signed his first year didn't qualify -- that's more than all but one of Tuberville's classes if I'm not mistaken.  Six players that were signed in 2008 left the team after Chizik was hired.  Tuberville's fault?  How?

Tuberville had one bad class -- 2007 -- that for a variety of reasons looked really good on paper but didn't translate.   Eight members (22 total stars -- including three four-star players) of that signing class didn't qualify, which was a large number for a typical Tuberville class.  By comparison, only four in 2008 and three in 2006 failed to qualify.  Of the three that failed to qualify in 2006, all of them eventually made it back to AU but one, Raven Gray, never played.

Four of the 2007 class (including linebacker Bo Harris, whose absence contributed to the void at that position) left after Chizik was hired.  Tuberville's fault?  I guess he was hiding in the bushes telling them what to do.

But even in that bad class in 2007, you can't discount what worked:  Byrum, Bynes, Burns, Carter, Carr, Fairley, Freeman, Adam Herring, Mike McNeill, Slade, Ziemba.  

I'm really sick of this argument because it's nothing but spin (albeit on both sides).  Blindly throwing down the "Tuberville was a lazy ass who ate BBQ and didn't care about recruiting because he was scared of Saban" bullpoop is asinine when the realities aren't taken into consideration.  

He had one bad recruiting class -- and  on paper it looked pretty phuking awesome at the time.  In 2007 we were celebrating a Top Ten recruiting class, giddy over how we'd dominated Bama.  And if you look at their 07 class they're not getting much mileage out of it.  I'd wager we have more starters from the 07 class on our roster than they do theirs.  

But we're going to rape Tuberville for not being able to see two years into the future?  

I get that he's not coming back.  Not asking for him to come back.  But the same critical standards have to apply.

Cobb then Rudi (from Coffeyville KS). Rudi was actually just a nice coincidence who turned out real well - A lot better than Cobb. And sorry, but Cobb was not Newton in terms of pure athletic talent and upside. Stature and stars are about the only thing in common I see.

[RWS]

I think that's where we'd be (roughly) without Jay Jacobs. 

Tuberville understood the need to change the offensive direction, thus the hire of Franklin (which was designed to help him recruit against Saban).  Franklin just turned out to be a bad move for everybody involved.  No doubt whatsoever in my mind that he would have fixed it. 

Thats what I've never understood. Everybody bitched about the lack of offensive production, even though AU was winning like 9 games a season. Fine, so he went and got a balls-to-the walls offense. Fans rejoice, and all they talk about is how AU will now beat everybody's brains in. CTT is a hero, and has hired the perfect OC. However, he realized the issue halfway through the season, and tried to unfuck it by firing Franklin. Ok, so at least he realized there was a problem. Thats half of it. Then he gets rid of the problem. Thats better than alot of coaches would do. Who is to say that since the groundwork and concepts for such an offense had been laid, that he wouldn't have gone out and hired Malzahn for this season? Should UA have fired Saban for Applewhite running our offense in 2007?

CTT makes damn near literally one coaching mistake in 10 years, and they can him just because their finger is itchy, and they have a knee jerk reaction to whats going on to the West of you? Thats some shitty management of an athletic program. I think that AU realized this, and they gave him a little pocket money to go hunting with, and sent him on his way. Anybody with connected brain cells knows the man didn't just walk away from 10 years quietly. I think CTT believes in running a clean program, and I believe HE did; but I guarantee you that he knows where some bodies are buried too.

[jadennis]

Actually, he picked up Cobb first from Coffeeville JC in KS.  Cobb asked if they needed a RB, and suggested Rudi to the Auburn coaches. 

This is similar to how we got onto Newton...and it's also why I don't really think Rollison is out of the picture for the future or is not working out. 

The story (from the Auburn coaches) is that Luper was there (at Blinn) watching a wide receiver (Dexter Ransom, offers to Arizona, Cal, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, etc) and within about 5 minutes was on the phone with Malzahn and Chizik talking about Newton (who was throwing to Ransom).

It could be complete BS, but that's the story.  They weren't necessarily looking for a Rollison replacement because Rollison "wasn't working out".  One of our coaches was sitting there watching Newton with his own two eyes and thought "we'd be stupid not to bring this kid in for a shot". 

No matter what coaches may think they have at any one position....until the season gets going, you just simply don't know.  That's why Florida signed Newton and Brantley (and a 3rd QB) the year after they signed Tebow.  You simply don't know. 

It only makes sense to have Newton or Rollison starting and Newton or Rollison backing up.  Isn't that most likely better than Rollison with Caudle backing up?

Best case scenario?  Newton starts for two years, then Rollison comes in and starts his junior and senior years.  That could be four years of having an upperclassman start at QB.  Check history...traditionally teams are far better with upperclassman QBs than youngsters. 

[AUTiger1]

The story (from the Auburn coaches) is that Luper was there (at Blinn) watching a wide receiver (Dexter Ransom, offers to Arizona, Cal, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, etc) and within about 5 minutes was on the phone with Malzahn and Chizik talking about Newton (who was throwing to Ransom).

Straight from Luper, correct?

[jadennis]

Straight from Luper, correct?

I was walking down Rivals Sk. (that's short for Skreet) and this is Luper's quote in the middle of the story...

"I called back and talked to (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach) Gus Malzahn and talked to coach Gene Chizik about it," .... "From there, we started looking into Cameron, doing research on him".

"We liked what we saw. We liked what we found."

[AUTiger1]

I was walking down Rivals Sk. (that's short for Skreet) and this is Luper's quote in the middle of the story...

"I called back and talked to (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach) Gus Malzahn and talked to coach Gene Chizik about it," .... "From there, we started looking into Cameron, doing research on him".

"We liked what we saw. We liked what we found."

I thought I had walked down that skreet a couple of days ago and heard the same thing.  It took me a minute to remember.

[wesfau2]

Then you have to judge Tuberville on his career and not the 2007 class. So the "lazy ass" and "BBQ" arguments are all failures of an epic scale.

I don't think you can find anyone....I'll say it again: anyone....judging Tuberville on the '07 class solely.  The "46% attrition rate" is calculated on the last three, if not the last four (I can't recall exactly), of his recruiting classes.  To reiterate: of the last three/four recruiting classes of the Tuberville regime, 46% of those kids never played any meaningful time at Auburn.

Spin that however you like, but the HC is where the buck fucking stops.  No one on this site hates Tuberville.  To a man (or woman) we all acknowledge his impressive run and great character while bringing our school out of the dark Terry Bowden pit.  That does not, however, preclude one from pointing out a GLARING shortcoming.

Remember how I told you before that mischaracterizing others' positions/arguments weakens your own (sometimes very valid) argument?  Well, you're doing it again.

[wesfau2]

Thats what I've never understood. Everybody bitched about the lack of offensive production, even though AU was winning like 9 games a season. Fine, so he went and got a balls-to-the walls offense. Fans rejoice, and all they talk about is how AU will now beat everybody's brains in. CTT is a hero, and has hired the perfect OC. However, he realized the issue halfway through the season, and tried to unfuck it by firing Franklin. Ok, so at least he realized there was a problem. Thats half of it. Then he gets rid of the problem. Thats better than alot of coaches would do. Who is to say that since the groundwork and concepts for such an offense had been laid, that he wouldn't have gone out and hired Malzahn for this season? Should UA have fired Saban for Applewhite running our offense in 2007?

CTT makes damn near literally one coaching mistake in 10 years, and they can him just because their finger is itchy, and they have a knee jerk reaction to whats going on to the West of you? Thats some shitty management of an athletic program. I think that AU realized this, and they gave him a little pocket money to go hunting with, and sent him on his way. Anybody with connected brain cells knows the man didn't just walk away from 10 years quietly. I think CTT believes in running a clean program, and I believe HE did; but I guarantee you that he knows where some bodies are buried too.

You're confusing the reasons for the firing with the fan frustration with the '08 season.

Tuberville was fired because for one reason or another he pissed off the wrong people with the right pull.  They tried in '03 to fire him and were exposed.  He went on a heroic run the next year and bought mountains of goodwill.  He continued to win enough and, more importantly, beat bama every year thereafter.  He was untouchable from a PR standpoint. 

Then he flubbed with Franklin.  There was chaos (of the non-snarky sort) on the sidelines and....most devastatingly to his position...he lost to bama.  There was the opening for those that cared not for the man.  He was out.

There is plenty of hindsight angst over depth and the causes for it, but every Auburn fan I know still thinks Tuberville was dealt a raw hand.

[djsimp]

Even though this was a thread about Newton, and yes i have seen many many threads get hijacked, I only have one comment to say. I really respect Tubs as a coach and a person but his latter years he shown he was tired. Combining his personal matters with the crunch of being a coach caught up to him. This was apparent in his recruiting, his coaching and his willingness to give in when the powers to be put him under fire. I dont fault him for that but I do fault him for leaving the program in a position of such recruiting shambles as he did. Will I hold it against? No, I say phuk it and move on because it doesnt really matter anymore because it aint gonna change nothing. He was a good coach and really he still is. The guy is in a transition.....period.

[jmar]

Ain't nuthin good happenin' on dem skreets ya hea!
Dey lead ta ruination I tell ya!
Jus looky what dey did to "THIS MAN" Orenthal James Simpson
See, he done got caut on dem skreets tryin' to elude da po-po.


Auburn hasn't had good luck with an overloaded roster of quarterbacks in the past. No I'm not talking about Ralph Deiter Brock but I am speaking of the Dye days where 5-7 scholarship QBs were shuffled before games with usually a couple of them moving on. Will this happen for 2010? I say it will very soon if not by the spring game. And whom it might be is anyone's guess but I think it will be two or more.

[GH2001]

I Franklin just turned out to be a bad move for everybody involved.  No doubt whatsoever in my mind that he would have fixed it. 

And why was Franklin a failure? Humor me here K. You know where I am going.

[Kaos]

And why was Franklin a failure? Humor me here K. You know where I am going.

Because he was a disheveled, disorganized, erratic, eccentric, undisciplined, shit eating, indecisive, unprepared hack.

Period.

[Buzz Killington]

Because he was a disheveled, disorganized, erratic, eccentric, undisciplined, shit eating, indecisive, unprepared hack.

Period.

I agree 100%.


Co-signed,

Rick Stockstill and Larry Blakeney

[djsimp]

Kaos has a point about Franklin. The guy admitted to all media that he doesnt go in with a real game plan. He likes the "fly by the seat of my pants" method. That is freakin BS. How in your right mind can an OC think that would work in the SEC, with the type coaches that are in this league. Besides that, your own OL coach didnt like you because you were making his boys loose weight all the way down to 265. You would have to have some sort of a plan going into to a game. Sure Franklin had success at Troy and MTS, but look at the teams their playing.

[GH2001]

Because he was a disheveled, disorganized, erratic, eccentric, undisciplined, poop eating, indecisive, unprepared hack.

Period.

Yes - he IS who he IS.

So why wasn't he vetted and interiewed so that we could flush these things out some place OTHER than the playing field in September? What I am saying is that this all falls at the feet of the HC. Yes, Franklin was kinda weird and he did NOT fit in at Auburn (although he seems to fit in at MTSU and Troy). Thats fine. But he didn't hire himself. He was not looked at closely enough. He wasnt even interviewed. We could have seen these things before we hired him.

[Buzz Killington]

Yes - he IS who he IS.

So why wasn't he vetted and interiewed so that we could flush these things out some place OTHER than the playing field in September? What I am saying is that this all falls at the feet of the HC. Yes, Franklin was kinda weird and he did NOT fit in at Auburn (although he seems to fit in at MTSU and Troy). Thats fine. But he didn't hire himself. He was not looked at closely enough. He wasnt even interviewed. We could have seen these things before we hired him.

As Kaos would remind us...Tubs didn't hire Franklin.  The assclown did.

[Saniflush]

Yes - he IS who he IS.

So why wasn't he vetted and interiewed so that we could flush these things out some place OTHER than the playing field in September? What I am saying is that this all falls at the feet of the HC. Yes, Franklin was kinda weird and he did NOT fit in at Auburn (although he seems to fit in at MTSU and Troy). Thats fine. But he didn't hire himself. He was not looked at closely enough. He wasnt even interviewed. We could have seen these things before we hired him.

There is the major issue.  "We" are not given that option and we should not be given that option.  That is why there is a head coach, which brings us back to the point that the responsibility for the actions good and bad lay at the feet of Tuberville or any other head corch.

[The Prowler]

There is the major issue.  "We" are not given that option and we should not be given that option.  That is why there is a head coach, which brings us back to the point that the responsibility for the actions good and bad lay at the feet of Tuberville or any other head corch.

That just makes too much sense for kaos' pitchfork and dildo parade.

[Kaos]

That just makes too much sense for kaos' pitchfork and dildo parade.

Double dumbass on you. 

It was a mistake for Tuberville to hire Franklin.  I know that, you know that.  Tuberville realized it pretty quickly, too. He even took action.

Why is Franklin better at Musty Technical College or whereever he went?  Maybe he learned something from how royally he fucked up things at Auburn. Maybe he's not having to compete against SEC-caliber athletes. Maybe he has the capacity to judge the capability of second-tier athletes, but he can't do it at a higher level. 

Tuberville hired the guy because he was convinced it would help Auburn in recruiting and because he'd done a good job at Troy in making them competitive on a larger scale.  The reasoning was right, but the fit was a fail. 

He would have fixed it.