3 Improvements AU needs for another championship run.

[ReidMcLain 75]

1. Secondary. This one is obvious. We let up a big passing play in a crucial moment in our last 3 games against all Top 5 opponents. We can't have 10-15 play drives on offense be matched by 1 big play by the opponent.

2. Special teams. I will say special teams was hit or miss last year. Against Alabama and Tennessee our special teams turned the tide with kick returns and blocked field goals. But our special teams were forgettable vs Lsu, Florida state, and Arkansas, the latter two we let up BIG kick returns.

3. Ball security. This one might surprise some of you but Auburn fumbled the ball A LOT last year. We were very fortunate to recover a high percentage of them. We mustn't put the ball on the ground a lot and expect to win the SEC.

If we can do those things: Prevent big plays, play sound special teams and hold on to the rock, there's no reason Auburn can't make another championship run in the inaugural playoffs.

[McLoofus 35,182]

3. Ball security. This one might surprise some of you but Auburn fumbled the ball A LOT last year. We were very fortunate to recover a high percentage of them. We mustn't put the ball on the ground a lot and expect to win the SEC.

Yes sir.

[lemonade_drinker 1]

I also referenced Nick Marshall and said it is "NOT" logic

[aucanucktiger 1,791]

There is no comparison to Ellis Johnson. none.

I've been hard on him sure (and I know that keeps him up at night), but the jury is still very much out on how to fairly view Ellis Johnson's stint at Auburn.

Add to your list of (probably) necessary improvements that over the course of the season (e.g. we were very good in this area against FSU except during the final drive), we need to give up way, way fiewer "big plays" on D.

[McLoofus 35,182]

we need to give up way, way fiewer "big plays" on D.

I think we can all agree about that. We laugh about it now, but that big one that bama hit on us was a very, very bad thing.

[lemonade_drinker 1]

again with the biased bs cole, quit worrying about my opinions and say something regarding Au football or get off the site.

[Plaric 4]

You are acting like a child....at least that is my outside opinion from watching you guys babble back and forth.

With that said, Trovon was recruited as a DB by pretty much every team that wanted him...he refused to jump over because he, per his own words, "couldn't turn down the opportunity to play in Gus Malzahn's offense".

Now, after years of being in the offense and playing that side of the ball only to see limited playing time and most likely watching his chances dwindle at a future of pro football he has made a transition to the defensive side of the ball. In an effort to see more playing time and maybe make the next level.

We don't know if past coaches made an attempt to move him to defense and he just didn't agree to...thinking that possibly he could improve enough to see offensive playing time..

What I do know is that there is no reason to really write him off immediately because of his ability to play a spot that none of us have actually witnessed.

[Plaric 4]

BTW, if you guys are hating on Ellis Johnson......I got news for you. He is an incredible defensive mind. Our offense is always going to make our defense look weaker than it really is. That comes with us scoring immediately and pushing them back on the field.

Our defense improved last year...even if stats don't show it...mainly because the stats are skewed. We went from time of possession offense in 2012 to speed and break neck speed.

You can't run the offense we run AND at the same time have a 2004 style defense stat wise...

[lemonade_drinker 1]

scroll through at your free will, never said anything about Ellis or Ben Grubbs.

[AUbritt 611]

we need to give up way, way fiewer "big plays" on D.

I think we can all agree about that. We laugh about it now, but that big one that bama hit on us was a very, very bad thing.

Yep. It's one of Ellis Johnson's talking points that we need to give up fewer big plays.

[lemonade_drinker 1]

That 99 yard td was necessary for the fates to set up the 109 yard return.

[AUbritt 611]

That 99 yard td was necessary for the fates to set up the 109 yard return.

I can get into amor fati.

[lemonade_drinker 1]

had to google it; yes

[lemonade_drinker 1]

wth I'll give what I think are three improvements Auburn must have for another championship run.

#1 A few more of the linemen on both sides of he ball learning the playbook NOW BRADEN SMITH

#2 minimize fumbles and int.s while spreading the ball around A LOT

#3 keep a few good plays in your back pocket for late in the season while still winning our way through the schedule

[aucanucktiger 1,791]

Jury still out isn't exactly hating. Drooling over him at this point is basically sniffing his boxers however.

[cole256 17,043]

say something with football knowledge so I can confirm you have any.

Lol you are trying to base a corners play on how many td's he scored as a wr and question a person football knowledge? LMAO

[Micah511 0]

I like that the #1 is secondary, I feel the same, particularly concerning Trovon Reed. I feel like him getting playing time means these young guys are behind. No hard feelings toward reed, I just hope my team scores more than the other team does.

You have spent the entire day whining about our 4th best corner according to the depth chart. You know what? Maybe reed doesn't see the field. But you seem a lot like BERT, you looked around, found someone on our team you don't like for some reason, and are attacking him out of the blue.

[WarTiger 3,901]

mod edit: some here need to refresh themselves on the rules here. We DO NOT call out players here.

4) Leave the Players Alone. They are 18-22 year old kids. If they sometime act like kids, hey, that's what they do. If they have an off day, give them some grace. Saying that "the WRs underperformed" or "Joe Smith had a bad game" is very different from saying "Joe Smith sucks!"

[WarTiger 3,901]

again with the biased bs cole, quit worrying about my opinions and say something regarding Au football or get off the site.

mod note: see above post referencing players.

You aren't in any position of authority here to tell people what to do. Leave the players alone and dial it back a notch or three.

[AURex 1,993]

Our defense improved last year...even if stats don't show it...mainly because the stats are skewed. We went from time of possession offense in 2012 to speed and break neck speed.

I guess you are looking at different team than I was. Auburn was not scoring quickly last year. Auburn was driving for distances much of the time. And CEJ was rotating defensive players a lot to keep them fresh. Auburn averaged 73 plays from scrimmage per game last year, which was 13 more per game on average in 2012, 7 more per game than 2011, and 3 more per game than in 2010. 73 plays per game is right at the national average. So I don't think you can blame the crappy defense on the offense.

The numbers tell the story. Last year, Auburn was 109th in pass defense, 99th in total defenses. It was the worst overall defense in many years, even worse than the year before (the 3-9 season) when Auburn was 88th in total defense, 73rd in scoring defense. So, no, the defense did not improve last year.

IMO, the verdict is still out on CEJ. If the defense is not better this year, if Auburn cannot stop giving up big plays, now that a lot of players have been in his system for a season, I think there are going to be concerns.

[lemonade_drinker 1]

mod edit: what part of LEAVE THE PLAYERS ALONE do you not understand??

[NoALtiger 3,850]

mod edit

You actually just asked for us to admit TR isn't a good football player? I mean, I really don't know what to say. You've ragged him all day and now it's to the point where he's not even a good player? Wow. He may not pan out as an NFL CB, but at a minimum, no one can say the kid isn't a good player.

[CleCoTiger 1,957]

mod edit

How many times do the mods need to call you out before you get it?

[Eagle Eye 7 2,535]

Question to the OP. Why do you think it is imperative for us to improve on last year, when we in fact won the SEC last year ? Every major opponent is either as good or worse than last year ( uat, LSU, Ga and ole miss all being worse). Don't get me wrong, I hope that we improve across the board and feel very confident that this team is indeed better on both sides than they were last year, even with the loss of several stars. That said I think that it is a given by logical thinkers ( that does not include mullets or media experts) that AU returns in better shape than any SEC team. One thing to pay close attention to is TAM's whipping of USCe had a lot to do with them returning a senior OL with 107 starts among them. That said AU is a close second in the SEC with a senior line with 91 Starts. That I think will pave the way for this offense to be unstoppable. WDE. Bring on the pigs.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

There's no question. Our defense MUST be meaner and STOP giving up the big plays and lots of points. Just because our offense can score 59, that doesn't mean it's ok if our defense gives up 41 or 42.