Last season was in my opinion the most magical college football season a fan could ever experience. Just a quick rundown for you in case you have forgotten:
- We won the national and SEC championship.
- Our star player won the Heisman trophy, and our star player is considered by many to be one of if not the best player of all time.
- We had a superstar playmaker on defense.
- We went undefeated.
- We had a miraculous comeback against our arch-rival in their stadium.
- We got revenge on every team that took advantage of us during our down years in 2008 and 2009.
- We overcame the worst off-the-field adversity I've ever witnessed.
- Our coach handled the mudslinging with class.
- And that's just what happened in the spotlight. I didn't mention the smaller, less known accomplishments like Cam reading to elementary school children each week during the season or the unknown-but-now-known story of our team spending time with that Evan Thomason kid.
This is something to keep in mind over the next few months.
Auburn....
- Gene Chizik can't be this bad. Maybe he can. But I can't consider him to be this bad yet for the reasons listed above. This is a coach that pulled us out of darkness. He has to receive that kind of praise and admiration in the same way Pat Dye did. It may not be long-lasting, but we had been obliterated by Alabama 36-0 and recruiting was tanked. The state had given up on us, and we were the laughing stock of college football by hiring Chizik.
And in two years, he bitch slapped every Joe out there that had something to say about Auburn.
He not only put us back on the map, he started taking over countries. He stole Boardwalk and Park Place.
He unconventionally overcame the juggernaut of Alabama, the consistency of the SEC, and the arrogance of the Pac 10 to assert himself as one of 13 head coaches to claim a BCS crystal trophy.
But with that said:
- This team is bad. This team is so bad that I just typed a few paragraphs on how great last year was in order to prevent myself from lambasting Chizik back to Aimes.
This team is unorganized, unmotivated, unwilling, unable, and un-fun.
This team is as bad as 2008 except it's using a mirror. Our offense is adequate for the time being. Our defense is putrid.
This team lacks identity. This team lacks fundamentals. This team lacks heart.
It's just lackluster.
And if Jay Jacobs wants to write me a letter, he can address it to my downstairs toilet.
- Where is Michael Dyer? Ok. I'll let this one slide. Dyer is our best player, and I have a feeling he could handle a Lattimore-type game. 35 carries. 250 yards. 3 touchdowns. 30 minutes of clock eaten up.
I understand saving him, so I can't fault the coaches too much right now.
- But Dyer's disappearance isn't the problem.
- The problem is Trotter throwing an interception on the first play of the game.
- Trotter being 16 of 28 for 176 yards against a patsy led by an old man in a glass booth.
- Trotter not being entirely to blame because the receivers drop the ball.
- The fact that our 30 points weren't easy to get against one of the worst teams in college football.
- Seven from a pick 6. 9 points from special teams (field goals). So our offense scored 15 points against, again, one of the worst teams in college football.
- The defensive effort was a mirage. 14 points and not many yards. That is an improvement, but we were playing the worst offense in football.
- 20 first downs. Their QB was 21 of 32. They still held the ball longer than us by 8 minutes.
- Some may say, "What's your beef? That's improvement, right?"
- FAU scored 3 points in two games. Had one first down against Michigan State. Had 48 TOTAL yards against Michigan State. Held the ball for 17 minutes. Converted 2 third downs TOTAL against Michigan State and Florida (6 against us).
- The defense struggled enough that this line was written in the ESPN write up: " seemed set for more struggles throughout the first half. The Owls moved the ball at will at times, managing 153 yards and six first downs, both significantly more than they managed all game in a 44-0 loss at Michigan State two weeks ago."
- I've heard of teams being this bad due to talent. I've heard of teams being this bad due to poor coaching. I've never seen or heard of a team being this bad due to youth and inexperience.
- Youth and inexperience means you have two horribly stupid mistakes for every 15 good plays. It means you have a few more penalties than you would like. It means you forget to get out on the field for the punt team. It means you line up incorrectly once in a game. It means you make a bad throw. It means you hit the wrong hole.
- It never means you are unable to make the tackle. Unable to make the block. Unable to hit.
- This team was bound to struggle, and we were all expecting that. But four games in and this team looks like it's having a horrible day at practice.
Alabama....
- This is Nick Saban's fifth year, and for four years in a row, Saban's teams are dominating the football field.
- If Alabama played Auburn right now, what would the score be?
- Alabama isn't unbeatable, but it's going to take a gargantuan effort to take them down. Their defense is a terror against the run. Someone has to be able to pass down field consistently to win. Anyone on their schedule that can do that?
- Florida? Possibly. They have the team speed to get it done, but Brantley is a liability. His accuracy will kill him if he tries to throw downfield on Bama's defensive backs.
- Tennessee? Possibly. Tyler Bray has the ability to shred Bama's D, but will his offensive line hold up? And will the Tennessee defense have the ability to slow down Richardson and Lacy?
- LSU? Nope. Their receivers drop the ball. Jarrett Lee is a game manager, and the offense relies heavily on the run. Unless LSU's defense scores points, count them as a loss to Alabama.
- Auburn? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
- I always get upset watching Alabama because it seems like luck is always on their side. But it isn't luck. It's ability. The ball bounces in their hands because they're in position. The other teams give up because Alabama's defense knocks the stars out of their heads. Alabama has a big party because their running game wins, their defense wins, and their special teams wins.
- The one weakness on this team is AJ McCarron, but who cares? In 2008, we said they were great except for Sarah Jessica Parker. In 2009, we said they were great except for McElroy. Same in 2010.
- McCarron will be the golden boy without doing anything. And once again, if someone really wants to beat Alabama, they'll have to expose this quarterback for what he is - a pansy.
Arkansas...
- Wow, nice job showing up on Saturday.
- Did you not see last year's Iron Bowl? 24-7 in Bryant-Denny ain't shit. Did you catch the West Virginia-LSU game? LSU was up 27-7, and WVU pulled it within 3 points before an incredible kickoff return by LSU's Claiborne.
- Maybe you did see all of that and just didn't care. Bama's up 24-7? Let's give up and go home.
- Wilson looks like the real deal. That one drive was incredible. That, um, ONE drive. Need more than that to compete with the big boys.
LSU...
- You got soft in the 3rd quarter, but other than that, a huge victory.
- So far, LSU has beaten Oregon in Dallas, Miss St in Starkville, WVU in Morgantown, and a patsy at home. This is the #1 team in the country, and they deserve some rest next weekend.
- Matthieu for Heisman.
Vanderbilt...
- I really liked their new head coach's enthusiasm at media days, and I thought he'd provide a spark for Vandy. But I wasn't expecting an actual competitive Vanderbilt team.
- I know, I know. 21-3. Seems like a blowout, but it wasn't as bad as you think. Vandy's offense couldn't capitalize on much, but the defense played decently.
- This is a moral victory for Vandy. 3-1 going into October with Army, Kentucky, and @Wake Forest being (hopeful) victories.
- Going bowling after being considered a candidate for worst team in the country? Success.
Clemson...
- How far can Clemson go?
- Well, if they stay mistake free, they may go undefeated.
- They have playmakers on offense to score points. They just need more consistency on defense.
- If they can upset Virginia Tech on Saturday night, the only possible loss on their schedule should be @South Carolina the last week of the season.
- But you know what you get with an overly emotional head coach? Let downs. Because the gas runs out when the emotions don't show up to the stadium.
Robert Griffin....
- Cam Newton-lite? The commentators just love comparisons, and they're usually off by a hundred miles.
- But this Griffin kid can play.
- What's more impressive - 13 passing touchdowns in three games? Or only 12 incompletions in 3 games?
- 5 passing touchdowns against Rice with one rushing touchdown on top.
- He's completing 85% of his passes, averaging 12 yards per completion, and has zero interceptions.
- 167 yards rushing, averaging 7.3 yards per carry, and one touchdown.
- The competition has been weak, but this kid seems like the real deal. Should be exciting to watch for the rest of the season.
Final Thought...
- Is this season finished? Not really. We're still playing South Carolina this weekend. The same South Carolina that threw four interceptions to Vanderbilt. The same Gamecock team that sometimes relies solely on Lattimore to get a victory. The same team that has an inconsistent defense.
- It's still college football. Could Florida flub the game in Jordan-Hare? Sure. They're coming to Auburn the week after @LSU, which is the week after Alabama.
- Arkansas has a motivation problem. Georgia has a coaching problem.
- We should beat Samford.
- The season isn't finished. But the offseason preparation for this season has already been deemed a failure.
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