Tigers X - Number one Source to Talk Auburn Tigers Sports
Pat Dye Field => War Damn Eagle => Topic started by: Snaggletiger on July 25, 2019, 02:32:17 PM
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Pretty cool piece from Brandon Marcello. I mean cool, bro.
Meet Gus Malzahn, a Swole Football Dad Listening to Kodak Black
Gus Malzahn (https://247sports.com/Coach/Gus-Malzahn-17) is not sitting around on his hot seat.
The seventh-year Auburn coach knows his job is on the line this season. He's also not shy talking about it. He's also not sitting still, allowing the world to dictate his next moves, whether it is taking over play-calling on offense, lifting weights and cardiovascular workouts, or listening to rap music.
Oh, yes, this Auburn coach is trying to redefine his tenure at Auburn, and not just his legacy among the fans. He told players, eye to eye, he wants to be more open with them. He wants to share his feelings, his past and listen to some rap music along the way.
"He’s been in the weight room when we're down there for player-run practices," senior defensive end Marlon Davidson (https://247sports.com/Player/Marlon-Davidson-29926) said. "He’s doing curls and stuff, and I’m like ‘Man? Am I seeing this?’ He’s just different, he’s a different person now. Like, coach Malzahn in 2016 to 2019 is totally different."
Malzahn began a new workout routine in April, just as the Auburn basketball team was making its run to the Final Four and his football team was wrapping up spring practices. Video of him performing a core workout surfaced via Auburn's official social media accounts. He joked he didn't know the camera was there, and openly blushed and wished he could wipe the images from the Internet.
"I’m trying to get in shape," Malzahn said at the SEC's spring meetings in May. "I hadn’t worked out in about two years."
Malzahn could be seen on a treadmill or riding a stationery bike early in his head-coaching tenure at Auburn. One wouldn't confuse him for an out-of-shape, 50-something has-been, but the man accustomed to being an athlete his entire career, and playing basketball with coaches and players in the past wanted to change his most recent unhealthy habits.
That means no more Taco Bell runs during the day or night to grab a cheese-covered burrito, but his routine of drinking up to 10 cups of coffee remains. There are cheat days, however. The super fan of Mexican food admitted last week he was headed to a famous Mexican restaurant in his hometown of Fort Smith, Arkansas after wrapping up SEC Media Days.
Oh, and his expanding palette for music? Malzahn is not afraid to crank up the music in the weight room or on the practice field. It started during Auburn's preparations for the Music City Bowl in December. Rap music blares across the speakers before, during and after practices.
Yes, the man whose favorite musical group is The Cars, a relic of 1980s pop, is trying to connect more with his players. Like a man trying to be hip for his teenage son, Malzahn realizes he has to be more like a father to his players.
"This old head coach, I'm going to start sharing my heart," he told the team in the spring. "You're going to know me better than you've known me before. I'm going to put everything out there. That's what you deserve."
He might also be the goofiest dad in the SEC. Every dance move or silly moment of the coach caught on tape goes viral. Video surfaced in 2014 of the high school coach dancing at an amusement park to MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This." It was a family moment, an attempt to entertain his daughters in the mid-1990s (https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2014/11/gus_malzahn_opens_up_on_his_pr.html), but the video shared at a high school function at Shiloh Christian in Springdale, Arkansas more than 20 years ago re-surfaced on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFvqdQnWu9I).
And apparently that side of him is popping up more often in the Auburn Athletics Complex. He's comfortable being who he is around the Tigers, but he's also trying to broaden his tastes.
"We were in a team meeting right before practice and we always play music right before to get our mind ready," Davidson said. "And we were listening to it and he was like, ‘Ain’t that Kodak Black?’ He said, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve listened to that before.’ It was funny."
The most important season of Malzahn's tenure begin Aug. 31 against Oregon in Arlington, Texas. With him solely running the show on offense for the first time since early 2016 and a revitalized connection to his players, he hopes it produces a winning formula.
"At the end of the day, coach Malzahn, he’s there for us, and he knows that his players have his back, regardless," defensive tackle Derrick Brown said. "So I mean, we’ll go in Week 1, and hot seat talk, it is what it is. We’re going to play for each other, we’re going to play for coach, and we’re going to do what we do.â€
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Glad his cardio will be top notch when he gets run outta town
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I was married to somebody who completely changed her look and personality every year or two. She was insane.
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I was married to somebody who completely changed her look and personality every year or two. She was insane.
I think you're being too harsh. He's been the same, loveable, shitty coach for years.
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That's great for you Gus, how about winning games and developing players.
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I was married to somebody who completely changed her look and personality every year or two. She was insane.
Meet the new Gus...
Same as the old Gus.
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Meet the new Gus...
Same as the old Gus.
How cliche, but appropriate. I believe we are all going to shit our pants when they win it all this year. "Mark my words".
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Do you even lift, bro?
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Do you even lift, bro?
(http://www.quickmeme.com/img/19/1994e9ae7106f434f5fccc5853e00d59bcfd2643288b7a10d831bf94767aed18.jpg) (http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjMoOf7g9HjAhXRxlkKHWh1C5kQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.quickmeme.com%2Fmeme%2F3rmm10&psig=AOvVaw0uVQ-nQhuvTvoqzmDLJEF6&ust=1564177029103901)
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Do you even lift, bro?
No, but this guy does.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EANLyu6XoAA5fiJ?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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No, but this guy does.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EANLyu6XoAA5fiJ?format=jpg&name=900x900)
Does the twatter king know that you stockpile photos of him?
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Does the twatter king know that you stockpile photos of him?
Battle!
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I wonder if by the middle of October Gus will have someone lifting weights for him?
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I wonder if by the middle of October Gus will have someone lifting weights for him?
There will be but early November Gus will have him returning to the weight room himself.
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I wonder if by the middle of October Gus will have someone lifting weights for him?
"I've decided to let Joe Smith make my workout plans from this point forward"
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No, but this guy does.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EANLyu6XoAA5fiJ?format=jpg&name=900x900)
Wow again
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There will be but early November Gus will have him returning to the weight room himself.
:aoop:
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Whenever I think of the Guster in the weight room this video comes to mind.
https://youtu.be/UxV7GTbqC10
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Whenever I think of the Guster in the weight room this video comes to mind.
(https://i.imgur.com/4myGBpR.png)
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(https://i.imgur.com/4myGBpR.png)
Glorious.
Speaking of the Priest, when I was at Auburn, my roommate and I drove over to see my favorite rock band at the time, UFO. They were playing at the Fox. Didn't know who was opening up for them, but it happened to be Judas Priest. We came back without faces because they rocked em' off.
I made that up just now.
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Glorious.
Speaking of the Priest, when I was at Auburn, my roommate and I drove over to see my favorite rock band at the time, UFO. They were playing at the Fox. Didn't know who was opening up for them, but it happened to be Judas Priest. We came back without faces because they rocked em' off.
I made that up just now.
In Rock Our Faces Off 222, we listen to the music and lyrical angst of a lost generation...and we rock our faces off.
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Woke up early and saw the replay of the AU-A&M game from last season on as one of the top games of 2018.
Able to watch it dispassionately I was able to clearly see just how inept and mule-headed our coaching staff truly is. A&M came into that game with a proven inability to cover receivers in space. Did AU attack that weakness? No.
FIRST HALF
First drive: Run (-3), Run (-8), Inc
Second drive (down 3-0): Sack (-3), Inc, Pass (16 yds FD), Run (0), Run (0), Inc
Third drive: (after TAMU fumble) Pass 28 yards TD
Fourth drive (down 10-7): Run (+3), Run (+3), Inc
Fifth drive: Inc, Run (+3), Inc
Sixth drive: Run (+5), Pass (+7), Run (-2), Pass (+34 FD), Run (+2), Run (+15 FD), Run (+8), Pass (+11 TD)
Seventh drive (Down 17-14): Sack (-6), Run (+6)
-- HALF --
So in the first half, the first play of five of seven drives was a run or a sack. The average yards gained on those plays was NEGATIVE 0.6 yards per play. Further, if you also count the first play after a first down, this is what it looks like: Run (-3), Sack (-3), Run (0), Run (+5), Run (-2), Run (+2), Pass (+11), Sack (-6). That's a TOTAL of four yards gained on drive starting or post-first down plays. Only three total rushes of more than five yards, one of those coming on a draw on the final play of the half. Zero passes over the middle.
Did Auburn's offensive masterminds adjust? It looks like they tried, but were still clearly befuddled.
SECOND HALF
First drive (down 24-14): Pass (+4), Pass (+18 FD), Run (+1), Run (+1), Inc
Second drive: Run (-1) Inc, Inc
Third drive: Pass (+8), Inc, Inc
Fourth drive: Inc, Pass (-6), Sack (-9)
Fifth drive (down 24-14 and after an AU interception): Pass (+9), Pass (+15), Pass (+8), Inc, Run (+3 FD), Pass (+14), Pass (+21), Run (+1 TD) This was the first drive all game where Stidham took a step up in the pocket instead of cowering like a frightened armadillo. Was also the first drive where he had potential receivers running routes in the middle of the field instead of deep outs as the only option.
Sixth drive: Pass (+47) -- again to the middle of the field and let the receiver work in space, Pass (+11 TD).
--END GAME --
In the first nine drives of the game, Auburn gained less than two yards on first down EIGHT times. That strategy was not abandoned until 14:49 of the fourth quarter, down ten at home.
It took Gus and company 11 drives to figure out that A&M was bringing pressure and Stidham needed a quick release safety valve and shorter routes over the middle to be successful. It took them an entire half and two drives in the second half to figure out that diving into the line was not a successful strategy on first down. It wasn't until A&M missed a field goal and then turned it over on their next possession before the coaching staff pulled its head out of its collective anusi.
A&M was not a great team. It was not a good team. It was an average SEC team that AU should have handled with some difficulty, but handled decisively. Something like 35-13 or so.
Watching Gus stumble and bumble through this game and given the ability to view it through the lens of time doesn't fill me with hope for the future. There is a lot of offensive talent on that team. What I saw was a coaching staff squander it with a poorly-designed game plan, timid execution and playcalling and a baffling lack of understanding in regard to player abilities.
Maybe Gus' nuts were drawn all the way up into his sternum after three galling, humiliating and inexplicable losses. But why -- when you've tried to be conservative and humped the proverbial goat against LSU and UT for sure -- why not TRUST the guys to make things happen against an A&M team that was proven susceptible to an aggressive attack?
One of the most frustrating wins I've ever experienced and a microcosm of the can't-get-out-of-my-own-way-Gus dilemma. Wish I hadn't watched that.
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Watch the first game of any season and you'll see what Auburn is going to do all year. Oh, they'll throw in a different personnel package around mid season, but barring injury/defection/suspension, the groupings you see and the plays you see in game one are the ones you will see all year.
Fake double reverse playaction deep post on 2!
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Watch the first game of any season and you'll see what Auburn is going to do all year. Oh, they'll throw in a different personnel package around mid season, but barring injury/defection/suspension, the groupings you see and the plays you see in game one are the ones you will see all year.
Fake double reverse playaction deep post on 2!
Depending on where the safety lines up, they might audible to the twirly-bird!
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Watch the first game of any season and you'll see what Auburn is going to do all year. Oh, they'll throw in a different personnel package around mid season, but barring injury/defection/suspension, the groupings you see and the plays you see in game one are the ones you will see all year.
Fake double reverse playaction deep post on 2!
We don’t run trick plays Moxon. You understand?
(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1118767870/image_400x400.jpg)
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We don’t run trick plays Moxon. You understand?
(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1118767870/image_400x400.jpg)
In the Gus version of VB or FNL, the lines would be:
Mox (in the huddle): Alright we start out all spread across the field 3 by 2. I will yell "Powerman 5000!" a couple times and you guys line up in the I formation, twins right. Ready? Break! (claps hands)
The offense makes the adjustments only to be interrupted by Coach Gus' whistle.
Gus: You got to be the dumbest smart kid I know. What is with this I formation crap? We are a spread team, son. Now you will line up in the Oopty Ooop and run what I call!