It's raining shit...

[Kaos]

To the tune of "It's raining Men"  

This comes from Brandon Marcello (granted he's one of the most negative out there, but this is what he say). 

I was going to save some of this for 3 things I know, 3 things I think on Wednesday, but why wait? 

Below are a few items I'm hearing from inside the locker room and others close to the program. If you don't want to hear some bad news, look away. I'm not hearing a lot of positive things inside the locker room, so click away if you'd rather go along your day without hearing what players are thinking in private. 

- There is animosity in the locker room. Some defensive players have not been fans of Jarrett Stidham for nearly a year, and while that's not affecting play, obviously, the locker room features a lot of quiet corners, if that makes sense. Some players are playing for themselves, though the defense has managed to come together unit by unit, and are held together by Deshaun Davis and Marlon Davidson. The offense isn't the only unit with issues with chemistry, so I want to make that clear, and so did one of my sources. 

- Chip Lindsey calls the plays and they're filtered through Gus Malzahn. Simple. Players know it and they think it's strange, leading to some unfavorable opinions of the head coach among players on both sides of the ball. 

- Right or wrong, some players don't like Jarrett Stidham's happy, go-lucky attitude. He was smiling wide and skipping around outside the locker room after the game, prompting some parents and players to shake their head and grumble. Stidham is disconnected from the team, save for a few close friends, and a lot of the defensive players are not happy with him, his performances and his attitude. He shows leadership on game days, but the players don't see a killer instinct and his words ring hollow to several offensive players, and it's bothering the defensive players from afar. 

- Several players are discussing departures after this season. Malzahn is being criticized privately by a handful of players inside the locker room, which isn't uncommon for any program, but the whispers are audible grumbles this season -- and have been for most of the year. 

- Several receivers are frustrated with Stidham. Several offensive linemen want to leave if they believe they can be drafted in the middle rounds of the NFL Draft, but inserting my own opinion here, who exactly is going to be drafted from that offensive line? 

- Simply put, there's dissension, albeit quiet, but it's growing and it's clouding the thoughts and actions of players at practice and on game days. There's not a player on offense everyone turns to for guidance, and while the offensive line has been an absolute mess, Stidham has done himself no favors in the eyes of the players. 

- Malzahn is unaware of these opinions in his own locker room. 

Again, that's what's happening in the locker room. I'm just sharing what I've been told by several people. I'm not taking sides and I'm certainly not altering what is being told to me. 

My thoughts: 
- I'll be surprised if Chip Lindsey doesn't look for a way out after this season. 

- Several players will leave the program if something drastic doesn't change with the atmosphere of the program. 

- Accountability is an issue. There needs to be more action rather than talk, in the locker room and in the coaches' offices. If anything, there probably actually needs to be an airing of grievances among coaches and players in a team meeting. What's happening now is not constructive and is bordering on cancerous. 

[jmar]

Mutiny on the Gus Bus- I like it!

[Kaos]

FWIW, I don't buy everything Marcello is selling.  

He's extremely negative as a rule and based on what I've read of him over the years I'm pretty sure he simply makes up events to fit the narrative he wants to spin.  

[jmar]

I can buy the plays being filtered through Gus and Stidham acting ridiculously upbeat after a loss but what's particularly hurtful to me is learning that we have offensive linemen that want to leave us for the NFL.

[The Six]

I can buy the plays being filtered through Gus and Stidham acting ridiculously upbeat after a loss but what's particularly hurtful to me is learning that we have offensive linemen that want to leave us for the NFL.

Clearly our pay standards need to change. 

[GH2001]

FWIW, I don't buy everything Marcello is selling. 

He's extremely negative as a rule and based on what I've read of him over the years I'm pretty sure he simply makes up events to fit the narrative he wants to spin. 

I actually buy every damn word. Because I see all of it in Saturdays on the field. Makes a shitload of sense to me and I like how he doesn’t sugar coat it with homer goggles. 

[Godfather]

I actually buy every damn word. Because I see all of it in Saturdays on the field. Makes a shitload of sense to me and I like how he doesn’t sugar coat it with homer goggles.

I gotta say I'm not exactly doubtful of the info either.  Sean White said the same things.  Yeah Sean White remember him, yeah sucks we don't have him now.

[The Prowler]

"These guys are getting better, I see the improvement, I like the direction we're going." - Malzahn (10/08/18)

Btw, I think a lot of people can see that on the field, except those that need to see it, of course. On offense it seems like the coaches are more buddies with the players and they can kinda do their own thing, walk all over them. Think they respect Coach Burns? No.
But on the defensive side...it's nearly the exact opposite.

Which side looks better (minus them getting worn down after the 1st game)? Which side looks stronger, tougher, meaner, nastier? The defense. The players reflect the coaches they respect.

[AUJarhead]

"These guys are getting better, I see the improvement, I like the direction we're going." - Malzahn (10/08/18)

Maybe he's talking about the AU Marching Band?

[Godfather]

Gus Responds to Marcello

AUBURN, Alabama — The head coach and then three of Auburn’s captains stood behind the podium, shouldered blame, accepted responsibility and painted the picture of a positive future and a strong locker room atmosphere.

Auburn is no stranger to criticism following a disheartening 23-9 loss at Mississippi State that ended with the No. 8 team in the country falling to No. 21 and the No. 8 rushing defense falling to No. 51.

The offense was anemic before finally waking up (but not scoring a touchdown) in the second half with 225 yards. The defense was unlike anything the Tigers had experienced under third-year coordinator Kevin Steele as it gave up 349 rushing yards.

“I know our fan base is frustrated,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “Our players are frustrated. Our coaches are. No one needs to be blaming our players. Any time a team is not playing at its potential, that's a coaching issue. That's my responsibility. And I've got to do a better job of preparing our coaches and our players moving forward.
“We're at the halfway point of our season and we're 4-2. Now that our backs are against the wall, it's a real similar feeling as it was last year. I'm very confident that we're going to finish this thing. Our team is in a good spot mentally for everything that we went through the first half of the season. And I think we're set up to improve each week. We've done that the last few seasons. I think we'll do that again this year.”

Meanwhile, junior quarterback Jarrett Stidham accepted blame for a slow start on offense that has the Tigers ranked 12th in the SEC in total offense (364.2 yards per game) and 11th in scoring offense (28.7).

“I’m the one with the ball in my hands every play,” Stidham said. “And I’ve got to play a lot better. I think that’s first and foremost. For our offense to be as successful as it’s going to be, I’ve got play a lot better. And I know that, and I’m working as hard as I can to improve every week. From everybody else’s perspective, we’ve all just got to, like you said, make plays, and we’ve all got to do our job. It all works together, it’s not about individual, we’re a team, and it all works together. I’m very confident, like I’ve said before, we’re going to continue to improve every week, and we’re going to continue to get better.”

Stidham overthrew two receivers in the loss at Mississippi State, including a wild overthrow of a wide-open Darius Slayton down the middle of the field on a trick play out of the Wildcat formation. He overthrew Slayton by 10 to 15 yards.

“I’ve got to make a throw,” Stidham said. “Just like the other night, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made that throw in practice. And for whatever reason, I just didn’t make it. Whether it’s focusing more, or whatever it needs to be, I’ve got to make those throws and that’s what it comes down to.”
As for the identity of the offense at the midpoint of the season, the Tigers have been unable to find a label. They have failed to rush for 100 yards as a team in three straight games, a first for the program since 1999.

"I'm not focused on anything other than getting better every week," Stidham said. "I've said it a bunch of times in here, but I don't even have social media. I mean, I have Instagram, but I use Instagram as a platform to put more positivity out in the world, not necessarily, you know, look at stuff that's negative. And that's just how I am and how I'm going to continue to be, so I don't really care about the criticism or negativity. At the end of the day, everybody in these walls, we've all got each other's back, and we're going to continue to get better every week."

On defense, the Tigers turn to linebacker Deshaun Davis, the tough man and the player everyone refers to as the co-defensive coordinator. Davis fought off a knee injury last week and returned to the field only minutes after suffering what appeared to be a serious ailment when he first tumbled to the turf late in the game.
Davis believes the Tigers can still have a successful season and be in the mix of the SEC race in November. The No. 21 Tigers (4-2, 1-2 SEC) hosts Tennessee (3-2, 0-2) Saturday at 11 a.m. Saturday on the SEC Network.

“I’m extremely confident,” he said. “Like I just said, first and foremost, it starts with the leadership. Guys like myself, Jarrett, (receiver) Ryan Davis, who you’re going to hear from (at the press conference). We have to come out, we have to bring energy, we have to be on our p’s and q’s and set a standard and say we’re not going up, we’re not throwing in the towel, we’re going to continue to fight. The rest of those guys are going to follow us. So the rest of this season, I really feel like is on our shoulders. So how we handle this adversity with all the naysayers and negative energy, how we tune that out is how the team is going to turn that out. If we let it come in the locker room, then everyone else is going to let it come in the locker room. So how the guys who are the leaders, who the other guys look up to, how they handle it is how the team is going to handle it.”

Said Davis: “We've just got to move forward. Our mindset is just to continue to get better. We've got to put everything in the past and leave it behind us. We know what we have to fix, what we have to work on. We've just got to stay positive. Our mindset right now is sticking together and get through this tough time. We'll continue to do that.”

TLDR; We've got keep moving forward, we will get better we just need to execute.

[The Six]

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made that throw (against air in a 7-on-7) in practice.”

Bull. shoot. fudge that noise. 

[Snaggletiger]

Auburn fans be like, "Why Stidham overthrow all dem balls?"

[CCTAU]

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made that throw (against air in a 7-on-7) in practice.”

Bull. shoot. fudge that noise.

You ever watch a QB stand in the pocket and make a throw as he got hit, then on the way down his eyes were still trying to focus on .the catch? 
You ever see Stidham do that? It's hard to make throws when you are not fosussing and stepping into the throw!

[RottenBottom]

Y’all think Stidhams girlfriend is re-thinking that marriage thing?

[jmar]

You ever watch a QB stand in the pocket and make a throw as he got hit, then on the way down his eyes were still trying to focus on .the catch?
You ever see Stidham do that? It's hard to make throws when you are not fosussing and stepping into the throw!

I only want intermediate throws with maybe one or two deep balls every quarter.
Anything else should be a called or improvised short checkdown to the fullback, a tight end or Stidham keeping it.
We have the right personnel for all of this.
And screw the wide receiver screens.
Hate that shit!

[jmar]

Y’all think Stidhams girlfriend is re-thinking that marriage thing?

Meh. Only a handful of the top twenty drafted are hanging around a roster by their second year anyway. He only looked like a really good college QB last year, never an NFL type to me. 
Hard to gauge the types that make it from XL Rothlisberger to Brees and so much in-between. Then you have to have the "right" coach and the "right" offense and the right gir...you know what? She fucked up!

[jmar]

You ever watch a QB stand in the pocket and make a throw as he got hit, then on the way down his eyes were still trying to focus on .the catch?
You ever see Stidham do that? It's hard to make throws when you are not fosussing and stepping into the throw!

Ran across a pro football reference where some nobody claimed Stidham was a 68% thrower when he got rid of the ball in 2.5 seconds as opposed to 3.5 seconds when he was far less efficient. Don't know how anyone is supposed to believe such an erroneous claim as if there is a timing system in place to measure each attempt but there is an article like this that exists.
Such bullshit!

[CCTAU]

Ran across a pro football reference where some nobody claimed Stidham was a 68% thrower when he got rid of the ball in 2.5 seconds as opposed to 3.5 seconds when he was far less efficient. Don't know how anyone is supposed to believe such an erroneous claim as if there is a timing system in place to measure each attempt but there is an article like this that exists.
Such bullshit!

I believe they are correct. He is a single read QB. 

[jmar]

I believe they are correct. He is a single read QB.

Obvious to us and our opponents , why is it so hard for Gus...a guy dedicated to the coachspeak phase of putting players in a position to succeed?
Know thy limitations. Adapt and overcome.
Square peg...



Also:
https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2015/7/29/9060755/auburns-receivers-and-the-routes-they-run-route-tree-gus-malzahn

What happened to this? (if ever there was such a tree reduced to a twig to begin with)

[jmar]

I believe they are correct. He is a single read QB.

Yes he is a single read QB but I went back and watched a replay and have much more respect for him after seeing the pressure State brought in the 3rd qtr. and some of the difficult throws very few could make in the 4th with bodies hanging on him or extremely crowded prior to contact. He's pretty tough. He needs to be with what's up front. These guys have to run block much better to keep our defense off the field.
Fact is:
Stidham missed horribly on the toss back (flea flicker) another time out of reach IN DOUBLE COVERAGE, one slightly high to Shenker and an ill-advised throw that should have been a pick but everything else was damn tight, no puckering, cringing, squatting, shuddering or trembling.