Will Auburn make it out of September unscathed?

[Sensi]

La. Tech has talent and ability to beat a struggling SEC team.
Mississippi State is a mess, but new coaches inspire teams to overachieve all the time.
West Virginia may not have Pat White, but they have some talent and are transitioning to a more traditional attack to utilize their strengths.
Ball State was a solid team last year.

Auburn's first string defense is good. The second string defense is not.
Auburn's offensive line and RBs are good. Weak spots/unproven spots are WR and QB. The second team offense beyond RB is unplayable in the SEC.

Throw in a new coaching staff to boot and the deck is stacked against Auburn running the table in September.

So, my question is which of these games is the most likely spot for early season loss(es)?

[AUChizad]

West Virginia is the only game that scares me, mostly due to the ass-whipping we recieved last year.

Pat White being gone, I still think we have a decent shot.

[Kaos]

West Virginia is the only game that scares me, mostly due to the ass-whipping we recieved last year.

Pat White being gone, I still think we have a decent shot.

If you look at Chizik's history the only game that doesn't cause some concern is Ball State.

[Godfather]

I will say this, I think our WR play will be vastly improved from the last 3 years.  Of course a monkey with a rubber helmet would be an improvement over our WR's from last year.

[Kaos]

I will say this, I think our WR play will be vastly improved from the last 3 years.  Of course a monkey with a rubber helmet would be an improvement over our WR's from last year.

Courtney Taylor says you can kiss his ass.

[AuburnChopper 3.0]

Courtney Taylor says you can kiss his ass.

Yeah, and Aromashudooooo, and Obamammanooo... also.

However, Godfather's right when he says that the talent on the field compared to last year is better.  I also like that we have MULTIPLE guys that are making up a core of receivers as opposed to one guy.  Of course we don't know the "core" yet, but the fact there are mulitple guys that seem to be sparking some excitement, I look for improvement this year.

I'm not sure that talent and depth is so much better at LA Tech.  Even though our second string is not as good as our first team, I still believe that beyond depth, we still out-talent them in the end.  We win that one handily I'm guessing.  However, I don't believe that Malzhan will open the total book on them.  HOPEFULLY he shouldn't have to.

Miss St?  I'm sorry, but win.  We dominate that game and win at LEAST  5-2 this year.

WV?  Bill Stewart is no big time coach IMO.  He just had a big time player in Pat White and a running back in Devine that makes Fred Talley look like Andre Smith running a forty yard dash.   If we contain Devine, we win this game. 

Ball State - Win.  Period.

Just my opinions and predictions.

In the end, this type of schedule should help our offense develope and at least learn a little bit before the LSU's, GA's and Bama's on the SEC schedule.

[Snaggletiger]

WVU is the only game that should be an unknown.  We will have more talent than La. Tech, MSU and Ball State. 

The WVU game of last year went the way it did for several reasons.  First, in giving them their due, they had a talented team with a lot of speed, senior QB and playing at home.  No biggie for anyone in the country to lose to them last year.  On Auburn's side, there were MAJOR problems.  Failed Franklin experiment, an undersized O-line, Kodi Burns having to be the entire offense, Tuberville acting like a pouty 6th grader and turning off the sideline heaters...and a defense that clearly quit by the 4th quarter.

The good thing about that game is having two very winnable games in front of it for this club to hopefully establish an identity with everyone on the same page. 

[Kaos]

Yeah, and Aromashudooooo, and Obamammanooo... also.

However, Godfather's right when he says that the talent on the field compared to last year is better.  I also like that we have MULTIPLE guys that are making up a core of receivers as opposed to one guy.  Of course we don't know the "core" yet, but the fact there are mulitple guys that seem to be sparking some excitement, I look for improvement this year.

I'm not sure that talent and depth is so much better at LA Tech.  Even though our second string is not as good as our first team, I still believe that beyond depth, we still out-talent them in the end.  We win that one handily I'm guessing.  However, I don't believe that Malzhan will open the total book on them.   HOPEFULLY he shouldn't have to.

Miss St?  I'm sorry, but win.  We dominate that game and win at LEAST  5-2 this year.

WV?  Bill Stewart is no big time coach IMO.  He just had a big time player in Pat White and a running back in Devine that makes Fred Talley look like Andre Smith running a forty yard dash.   If we contain Devine, we win this game.  

Ball State - Win.  Period.

Just my opinions and predictions.

In the end, this type of schedule should help our offense develope and at least learn a little bit before the LSU's, GA's and Bama's on the SEC schedule.

Two things.  GF didn't say the talent was better, only that the WRs will be improved.  I don't think we actually know if we'll have an ounce of better skill on the field this season. All we have there is speculation. Or hope in Prowler's parlance.

I do agree that the receivers should be better if only because they will be running better routes.  That, again, is merely speculation on my part but it is based on the fact that the guys who came out under Knox have all said they were not well-coached in that respect. That Knox didn't do a good job of making them better by teaching precision. I would hope (there's that word again) that whoever took over the WRs would do better than what we had. Talent wise, though? Not able to answer at this point.  

Second? I will take a shovel to the face of anybody in the face who mentions the word "vanilla" in reference to Auburn's offensive effort.  I don't want to hear that "we only showed so much" or that we "kept the playbook closed" or that we "held back."  I always thought that was a bullshiitake excuse when we didn't execute well. It generally turned out NOT to be true because we'd vanilla our ass to a loss later in the season. or two losses. Or three.

If you want to talk about vanilla, you can do so only in reference to Absolut.  

As an aside?  Why did Tuberville insist on calling Ben ObaMaNANU on his post-game shows?  It was either that or he'd call him Obanamoo. That always irked me about Tuberville. Get the name right. You're not Bear Bryant.

[Kaos]

WVU is the only game that should be an unknown.  We will have more talent than La. Tech, MSU and Ball State. 

The WVU game of last year went the way it did for several reasons.  First, in giving them their due, they had a talented team with a lot of speed, senior QB and playing at home.  No biggie for anyone in the country to lose to them last year.  On Auburn's side, there were MAJOR problems.  Failed Franklin experiment, an undersized O-line, Kodi Burns having to be the entire offense, Tuberville acting like a pouty 6th grader and turning off the sideline heaters...and a defense that clearly quit by the 4th quarter.

The good thing about that game is having two very winnable games in front of it for this club to hopefully establish an identity with everyone on the same page. 

There is the crux.  Should. Be.

[Saniflush]

Flavored vodka is for pussys.

[Kaos]

Flavored vodka is for poons.

Then I am one because I like vanilla vodka with coke. 
I also like plain vodka in orange milkshakes. And in mountain dew. And in dr. pepper.  And marshmallows and chocolate.

I've never understood people drinking things that tasted like pure ass water -- scotch on the rocks? tonic? -- just because they think it makes them look all growed up or whatever.  Why would you mix kerosene with alka seltzer and try to pretend it's good?

If I'm going to drink, I want to like the taste.

[AuburnChopper 3.0]

Two things.  GF didn't say the talent was better, only that the WRs will be improved.  I don't think we actually know if we'll have an ounce of better skill on the field this season. All we have there is speculation. Or hope in Prowler's parlance.

Correct.  However, the fact that that whole paragraph was in context to the WR's, I figured most would know I was talking only about the WR's in this case.  As far as speculation, I acknowledge that when I said, "I look for improvement".  I don't think this puts me in a "they WILL be better" catagory.

  

Second? I will take a shovel to the face of anybody in the face who mentions the word "vanilla" in reference to Auburn's offensive effort.  I don't want to hear that "we only showed so much" or that we "kept the playbook closed" or that we "held back."  I always thought that was a bullshit excuse when we didn't execute well. It generally turned out NOT to be true because we'd vanilla our ass to a loss later in the season. or two losses. Or three.

If you want to talk about vanilla, you can do so only in reference to Absolut.  

Agreed, but I think it could easily be argued that a lot of coaches will "hold something back" as in not to give competition down the road more to work with.   With that said, I'd like to see us open it up against everyone for the reasons you stated.  I just don't think that's how it works early in the season.  Especially against questionably weaker opponents.

[Kaos]

Correct.  However, the fact that that whole paragraph was in context to the WR's, I figured most would know I was talking only about the WR's in this case.  As far as speculation, I acknowledge that when I said, "I look for improvement".  I don't think this puts me in a "they WILL be better" catagory.

  
Agreed, but I think it could easily be argued that a lot of coaches will "hold something back" as in not to give competition down the road more to work with.   With that said, I'd like to see us open it up against everyone for the reasons you stated.  I just don't think that's how it works early in the season.  Especially against questionably weaker opponents.

Not saying they don't "hold back" or whatever.  But I just don't want to hear it again. 

When we fucking suck on offense -- as we did several times in 07 and 08 -- I don't want to see it pooh-poohed away as "we were holding back" 

I remember the Buffalo game.  I was there on the field for that one.  I saw what was going down on the sidelines and I saw how the players reacted afterward.  People attributed that to "holding back"   and keeping it "vanilla"

Bullshipes.  We were holding on for dear life.  Had to battle our ass off.  Maybe there was some culpability in an offensive gameplan that didn't pay close attention to Buffalo because we thought we could just show up in the blue jerseys and out-talent them. 

Don't want to make that same mistake again.

If our offensive effort or gameplan sucks, we need to be willing to say so and not excuse garbage play with the standard "vanilla" justification. 

[Sensi]

I am tired of Auburn's offense being known for taking its foot off the gas when it has a lead.

[AuburnChopper 3.0]

I am tired of Auburn's offense being known for taking its foot off the gas when it has a lead.

This.

[Snaggletiger]

As for the "Holding back" I probably differ in my armchair QB philosophy.  I think most teams find what works for them regardless, and they run it and run it and run it.  You always hold out a few trick plays or surprises, which doesn't constitute holding back.  Of course, the corches are normally installing audibles and changes based on defensive alignments of the opponent that week.  But overall, I say you put your package in at the start and run what you've got.  I don't think DC's are game planning based on what you haven't done or might pull out of the hat.  The bigger headache (I would assume) is watching film and seeing a team run 5 different plays out of the same formation.

[CCTAU]

Then I am one because I like vanilla vodka with coke. 
I also like plain vodka in orange milkshakes. And in mountain dew. And in dr. pepper.  And marshmallows and chocolate.

I've never understood people drinking things that tasted like pure ass water -- scotch on the rocks? tonic? -- just because they think it makes them look all growed up or whatever.  Why would you mix kerosene with alka seltzer and try to pretend it's good?

If I'm going to drink, I want to like the taste.

Ah. A Zima man. Every crowd has one.

[Tiger Wench]

I am tired of Auburn's offense being known for taking its foot off the gas when it has a lead.

Just ONCE, I want to hear the fans of a respectable, legitimate opposing team (not the Furmans of the world) call our coach a dick for running up the score in the 4th, for keeping a hobnailed boot on their necks until late in the game, for proving to the world that we are not afraid to pound the fucking ball down someone's throat over and over until they surrender.

I know that is not and never has been the Auburn way.  Too much class.  And maybe we don't need to take it to the level I see every freaking Saturday in the Big XII - 70 to 3 comes immediately to mind.  But we could still pile it on a little more without being a total asshole about it - we need  - and I WANT, nay, DEMAND - a STATEMENT.

Bitches.

[AuburnChopper 3.0]

Just ONCE, I want to hear the fans of a respectable, legitimate opposing team (not the Furmans of the world) call our coach a dick for running up the score in the 4th, for keeping a hobnailed boot on their necks until late in the game, for proving to the world that we are not afraid to pound the fucking ball down someone's throat over and over until they surrender.

I know that is not and never has been the Auburn way.  Too much class.  And maybe we don't need to take it to the level I see every freaking Saturday in the Big XII - 70 to 3 comes immediately to mind.  But we could still pile it on a little more without being a total asshole about it - we need  - and I WANT, nay, DEMAND - a STATEMENT.

Bitches.

...that's our little lady right there. 

[Sensi]

Just ONCE, I want to hear the fans of a respectable, legitimate opposing team (not the Furmans of the world) call our coach a richard for running up the score in the 4th, for keeping a hobnailed boot on their necks until late in the game, for proving to the world that we are not afraid to pound the effing ball down someone's throat over and over until they surrender.

I know that is not and never has been the Auburn way.  Too much class.  And maybe we don't need to take it to the level I see every freaking Saturday in the Big XII - 70 to 3 comes immediately to mind.  But we could still pile it on a little more without being a total asshole about it - we need  - and I WANT, nay, DEMAND - a STATEMENT.

Bitches.

Here here.