Chizik's first season

[Ogre]

With Spring Practice here and football talk starting up again, I figured it was as good a time as any to get a feel for what everyone is expecting of Chizik's first season.  What say you?

[Aubie16]

I'm expecting 8 wins and am hoping for 9.

[Snaggletiger]

I said 7-9 but when you think about it, that range leaves a lot open to interpretation about whether a season was good or not. A 9 win season after last year would be awesome by any stretch of the imagination.  7-5 eeehh..not so much.  

Several things have to happen, the two that are biggest in my mind are establishing a QB and finding 2-3 bona fide playmakers.  Honestly, a QB competition between Kodi Burns, Neil Caudle and Barrett Trotter does very little to excite me about 2009.  A lot of "If"s "Maybe"s and "Could be"s there but absolutely zero past results to hang your hat on.  Still holding out a glimmer of hope that one of the freshmen will come in and say, "Gimme the damn ball".

Finding 2-3 guys that actually have the potential to take it to the house on any given play is something we totally lacked last year. Mario Fannin stepped up the last few games and did some highlite reel shit but he was about it.  Will he be the man this year?  Will Jean Claude Pierre Van Dam St. Louis III come back and be a threat?  One of the new guys...Onterrio..Benton?

[wesfau2]

I voted 7-9 simply because of the coaching transition.

The talent was in place to have won 7-9 games last year, but the coaching fiasco fucked that up.  I think Chizik can hit that mark and I'm optimistic that with some actual coaching of the QBs and WRs that we might even win 9+.

It's just naked speculation at this point, but I feel pretty good about our team.  Must be spring...

EDIT NOTE:

Here's the schedule (with my prediction):

Sept. 5--Louisiana Tech (W)

Sept. 12--Mississippi State (W)

Sept. 19--West Virginia (W)

Sept. 26--Ball State (W)

Oct. 3--Auburn at Tennessee (W)

Oct. 10--Auburn at Arkansas (L...possible W)

Oct. 17--Kentucky at Auburn (W)

Oct. 24--Auburn at LSU (L...possible W)

Oct. 31--Ole Miss at Auburn (W)

Nov. 7--Furman at Auburn (HC) (W)

Nov. 14--Auburn at Georgia (L)

Nov. 28--Alabama at Auburn (W)

[Greaseyweasel]

Sept. 5--Louisiana Tech (W)

Sept. 12--Mississippi State (Toss Up)

Sept. 19--West Virginia (L)

Sept. 26--Ball State (W)

Oct. 3--Auburn at Tennessee (L)

Oct. 10--Auburn at Arkansas (L)

Oct. 17--Kentucky at Auburn (L)

Oct. 24--Auburn at LSU (L)

Oct. 31--Ole Miss at Auburn (L)

Nov. 7--Furman at Auburn (HC) (W)

Nov. 14--Auburn at Georgia (L)

Nov. 28--Alabama at Auburn (L)


Lets be realistic if you can't coach a winner against the cream puffs in the big 12 north then how in the hell are you going to compete in the SEC West?
He's head coaching against real football teams now. We are fucked.

[stewiegriffin]

Sept. 5--Louisiana Tech (W)

Sept. 12--Mississippi State (Toss Up)

Sept. 19--West Virginia (L)

Sept. 26--Ball State (W)

Oct. 3--Auburn at Tennessee (L)

Oct. 10--Auburn at Arkansas (L)

Oct. 17--Kentucky at Auburn (L)

Oct. 24--Auburn at LSU (L)

Oct. 31--Ole Miss at Auburn (L)

Nov. 7--Furman at Auburn (HC) (W)

Nov. 14--Auburn at Georgia (L)

Nov. 28--Alabama at Auburn (L)


Lets be realistic if you can't coach a winner against the cream puffs in the big 12 north then how in the hell are you going to compete in the SEC West?
He's head coaching against real football teams now. We are fucked.

what year did you graduate from bama? just wondering

[Jumbo]

what year did you graduate from bama drop put of high school? just wondering

Fixed.

[Townhallsavoy]

It's way WAY way WAY too early to be doing this...but:  

Sept. 5--Louisiana Tech (W) Athletic cupcake

Sept. 12--Mississippi State (W) They're still Miss. St.  New head coach installing a system opposite of Croom.

Sept. 19--West Virginia (W) This puts Chizik and Auburn on the national map.  However, it's isn't just.  WVU will take a turn for the worst.  All they'll have is Devine.  We stop him, we win a close, low scoring game.

Sept. 26--Ball State (W) Athletic cupcake.  

Oct. 3--Auburn at Tennessee (Toss-up, but I'm going with a loss)  Same QB troubles, but they'll have a talented, young running game.  The defense will be much better.  It's in Knoxville, so I think we lose a close, crappy game.  

Oct. 10--Auburn at Arkansas (L) Arkansas is a mystery to me right now, but Mallett has talent. They also return that running back.  If their defense can mesh, I think Arkansas will be us in their home stadium on an ESPN2 night game.  I can even predict the TV schedule, bitches.  

Oct. 17--Kentucky at Auburn (W) I think Kentucky has benefited from a few playmakers like Tony Dixon.  Those guys are gone.  We win at home.  

Oct. 24--Auburn at LSU (L) Bad loss here IYAM.  

Oct. 31--Ole Miss at Auburn (W) Big upset game.  Ole Miss will be good next year, but Nutt is a nut.  We'll win.  

Nov. 7--Furman at Auburn (HC) (W)

Nov. 14--Auburn at Georgia (W) Fuck Georgia.  I'm tired of them.  New QB will struggle all year, and Richt will be under fire from the fans.  Despite what a few analysts are saying, Caleb King will not just step into Moreno's shoes.  Defensively, they're really good, but I trust that our offense will get it done.  

Nov. 28--Alabama at Auburn (toss up, but I'm saying win because I hate Bama)  I don't know how good Bama will be.  The o-line is a mystery right now.  I don't think they have a QB ready to step in and be a leader.  He's going to need the running game to do most of the work for him.  If the o-line doesn't come together, expect Bama to be an 8-9 win team.  It's at home, so I'll give us the nod.

It all depends on two things for us - offensive line and secondary.  If Grimes can't fix what Franklin and Nall broke, we're going to be in BIG trouble.  We have very talented running backs.  I still remember overhearing Eddie Gran tell a high school coach that he was just as excited about Ben Tate as he was Ronnie Brown.  Tate has the chance to have a break out year, but it all depends on the offensive line.  I think we've already seen Mario Fannin's ability to be a playmaker.  

On defense, the secondary needs some help.  They're young, but I truly believe Chizik will work his magic with them.  

[AUChizad]

Sept. 5--Louisiana Tech (W)

Sept. 12--Mississippi State (Toss Up)

Sept. 19--West Virginia (L)

Sept. 26--Ball State (W)

Oct. 3--Auburn at Tennessee (L)

Oct. 10--Auburn at Arkansas (L)

Oct. 17--Kentucky at Auburn (L)

Oct. 24--Auburn at LSU (L)

Oct. 31--Ole Miss at Auburn (L)

Nov. 7--Furman at Auburn (HC) (W)

Nov. 14--Auburn at Georgia (L)

Nov. 28--Alabama at Auburn (L)


Lets be realistic if you can't coach a winner against the cream puffs in the big 12 north then how in the hell are you going to compete in the SEC West?
He's head coaching against real football teams now. We are fucked.

So any more than 3 wins and he exceeded expectations, right?

Oh yeah, you've already said he could win the NC next year and you'd still hate him and think he was the wrong choice.

You're a joke...that isn't funny.

[Greaseyweasel]

So any more than 3 wins and he exceeded expectations, right?

Oh yeah, you've already said he could win the NC next year and you'd still hate him and think he was the wrong choice.

You're a joke...that isn't funny.

Yep more than 3 wins and he will have beat his record ANYWHERE. Even when he was coaching against schools from the ladies league.
He can win 14 and still be a complete fuckhole.

[boartitz]

Yep more than 3 wins and he will have beat his record ANYWHERE. Even when he was coaching against schools from the ladies league.
He can win 14 and still be a complete fuckhole.

What in the fuck do you want? A coach that went to Sunday School with you as a child?
I'll admit that I don't know a lot about Chizik, but he has put a good bunch of guys to help him that I am somewhat familiar with.
Auburn will be fun to watch this year. On offense anyways. Yall will like Gus's play calling, if Chizik lets him call plays.