Positives Arkansas '14

[PCBAuburnaFan 1]

Well I've been doing this post since the 2011-12 season win or lose! Don't know if anyone cares for them but I'll go for it anyways!

Everyone feel free to add positives you saw as well!

1)The Eagle didn't hit the glass

2)Minus one missed field goal special teams was awesome as always

3)We have two of the best qb's in the SEC

4)Our rb by committee looks beyond promising (I think we take for granted how impressive a 300 yard rushing performance really is)

5)Duke. Williams.

6)Melvin Ray

7)No interceptions or even close to one for our offense

8)defense pitches a shutout in the second half

9)Defense was laying the wood all game

10)Aubie is still the best mascot in all of college football

*bonus: I love seeing j Wallace get some playing time

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

Robinson Therezie is picking up where he left off

[weagl1 1,781]

Great adjustments by the defense in the second half. Duke, Ray and Coates all stud receivers and I don't know how a defense could possibly stop all those guys when we put all 3 in at the same time.

[cole256 17,039]

I like that the game went the way it did. We had some adversity and we didn't fold we fought and we have so much room to improve and get better

[Dom1ni0n 51]

1) This game confirms Jeremy Johnson is capable of commanding this offense in league play, if necessary.

2) Aerial attack is legit and deadly....so many options at WR, one can only hope they receive plenty of targets throughout the season.

3) Defensive fundamentals have dramatically improved, especially in the tackling department. Even in the first half when things weren't going its way, the guys weren't whiffing and the secondary is wrapping people up.

[AubTiger14 0]

Nick Marshall looking through his reads and staying in the pocket with his eyes down-field. Throw to Coates in the end-zone was a rope that should have been caught.

[AURex 1,984]

3) Defensive fundamentals have dramatically improved, especially in the tackling department. Even in the first half when things weren't going its way, the guys weren't whiffing and the secondary is wrapping people up.

Huh? Auburn defensive players were bouncing off of Ark RBs that entire first half. I clearly remember McKensie filling a huge hole and hitting Collins in the backfield, then just falling to the ground with Collins then rumbling for a good gain, because McKensie did not wrap up. And how many times did we see Auburn secondary bouncing off of Ark RBs in the first half. It was just plain embarrassing.

Thankfully, the Auburn D decided to play ball the second half. And Arky switching to a passing game, rather than running the ball, helped a lot too. Because their receivers can't catch. How many balls did they drop? A bunch. Made Auburn's job a lot easier.

Auburn's DL did play a lot better in the second half, and tackling improved. But I'm still worried about Kansas State. They will unleash a real passing game. It's gonna be a tough out.

[SumterAubie 3,031]

CAP is pretty good at starting in one direction then changing over to a different direction.

[TheBlueVue 177]

The hawgs had been pointing to this game since their spring training. Bert said as much, that, they began preparing for Auburn during the spring. They put everything they had into beating Auburn and showed some unexpected wrinkles offensively in the 1st half. Not unexpectedly, they had some success but, once our far superior coaching staff saw what they were doing, Auburn shut them down and pitched a shut out in the 2nd half.

I feel really good about this team. Our offense is going to be better and so is our defense!

[aucanucktiger 1,789]

We're set at QB for a while.

The first half D was alarming for nuanced reasons IMO. Finger pointing. And everybody on the planet knew what Arky was going to run offensively & how they would run it. Yet our D plan was utterly unprepared. the signature D of our DC was essentially scrapped at halftime for a straight forward approach to deal with...Arkansas? Granted we wont see that O again unless we play Wisco in a bowl but Bamas running combo of huge O line and bruiser RBs is similar. Back to the positives, we have great, great athletes with speed all over the field. Daniel's kickoffs and punts were wonderful. FGs, 3 inches from perfection. KState will show a lot more IMO. Arky will go to a bowl this year.

[akillshot 294]

Quan Bray was much better on his two punt returns than in the past.

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,287]

Two things that I take away from the game-

1) Arkansas will not win an SEC game this year. The first half was the direct result of 4 months of prep to beat us. The rest of the game after that, they look mediocre, at best.

2) Our defense will be a problem again this year. I have faith in EJ to scheme appropriately, but he can't hit and tackle and we're still not a good defense... yet.

[looney 794]

I have faith in EJ to scheme appropriately, but he can't hit and tackle ...

I think it would be a penalty if he did.

[AubTiger14 0]

Two things that I take away from the game-

1) Arkansas will not win an SEC game this year. The first half was the direct result of 4 months of prep to beat us. The rest of the game after that, they look mediocre, at best.

2) Our defense will be a problem again this year. I have faith in EJ to scheme appropriately, but he can't hit and tackle and we're still not a good defense... yet.

What if it just took our defense a half to shake off the rust? Those are pretty big statements to make after the first game. Your not going to give the defense any credit for the second half? Maybe our defense made Arkansas look mediocre.

That's like everyone who's penciling Texas A&M into the playoff already. It's only been one week. The defense definitely needs to improve, but don't write them off because of a bad first half in the first game of the season.

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,287]

Two things that I take away from the game-

1) Arkansas will not win an SEC game this year. The first half was the direct result of 4 months of prep to beat us. The rest of the game after that, they look mediocre, at best.

2) Our defense will be a problem again this year. I have faith in EJ to scheme appropriately, but he can't hit and tackle and we're still not a good defense... yet.

What if it just took our defense a half to shake off the rust? Those are pretty big statements to make after the first game. Your not going to give the defense any credit for the second half? Maybe our defense made Arkansas look mediocre.

That's like everyone who's penciling Texas A&M into the playoff already. It's only been one week. The defense definitely needs to improve, but don't write them off because of a bad first half in the first game of the season.

I stand by the prediction, that's what I saw.

[WarEagle84 0]

Two things that I take away from the game-

1) Arkansas will not win an SEC game this year. The first half was the direct result of 4 months of prep to beat us. The rest of the game after that, they look mediocre, at best.

2) Our defense will be a problem again this year. I have faith in EJ to scheme appropriately, but he can't hit and tackle and we're still not a good defense... yet.

What if it just took our defense a half to shake off the rust? Those are pretty big statements to make after the first game. Your not going to give the defense any credit for the second half? Maybe our defense made Arkansas look mediocre.

That's like everyone who's penciling Texas A&M into the playoff already. It's only been one week. The defense definitely needs to improve, but don't write them off because of a bad first half in the first game of the season.

I stand by the prediction, that's what I saw.

What was it you saw after 1 week last year that led you to believe we had a shot at winning the SEC? Definitely too soon to make definitive statements.

[AUTUmike 79]

My positives: -McKinzy looked great as a 3rd down pass rusher. In addition to his sack, on one 3rd down he bull rushed two Arkansas players and knocked em down.

-Marshall looked better throwing the ball and checking down

-Carlson as a punter was outstanding

[lemonade_drinker 1]

AU didn't have the play for the first td this time last year. I first saw that play in the iron bowl. That was JJ throwing it too after making the proper read. It's gonna be tough to stop the rb, qb run, and pass off the same play with that O line.

[AU64 10,122]

As noted and stated for a few months now:'

1. Arky had circled the AU game long ago and all their spring and fall preparation was aimed at beating AU. Things like that work for a while but in the end, talent and a good game plan usually work out. It's a 60 minute game.

2. Arky hired a defensive specialist, former NFL coach, etc...Shiano (?) who spent a week with them to help structure a scheme..just to stop Auburn. Wonder if the Hawgs will get their money back now?

Great Win.....AU leading the SEC West and should stay there for a while..

[Tigermike 3,008]

They won. If I remember correctly no one was injured.

[GBAU83 212]

Glad to JWallace and a lot of the 2nd and 3rd string offense get in and run some plays. Was hoping PBarber was ggoing to score - wanted a few more points on the hogs. But I guess has more character than running up the score (like mad dog sports spoke of urban meyer and mark richt).

[cole256 17,039]

Biggest positive we beat arky pretty bad and we could have scored again and we're not even close to what we can be....we find a consistent pass rusher and we stop the run to 3 yards a carry we are one of the scariest teams in the nation.

[3rdgeneration 6,469]

Positives:

1. We are way ahead of where we were last year at this time. QB, WR and RB positions are solid.

2. Our D is so aggressive that they were in the backfield too soon. They were more patient in the 2nd half. CEJ makes awesome adjustments.

3. We still have the best game day experience in all of college football, despite heat, lightning and rain.

[McLoofus 35,182]

3) Defensive fundamentals have dramatically improved, especially in the tackling department. Even in the first half when things weren't going its way, the guys weren't whiffing and the secondary is wrapping people up.

Thought the same thing. To respond to some who have expressed different feelings, yes, there is still room for improvement. But we are unquestionably much better in that department. And spare me any commentary about the first half. It took CEJ one halftime in the locker room to fix just about every single thing that was wrong on defense in the first half.

EDIT: Meant to add that this thread is awesome. We deserve to celebrate the positives in that game.

[JDUBB4AU 5,102]

Defense was great as a whole. The first game is tough. Only giving up 21. We can win a lot with that. All we need is a top 30 defense and we will be very hard to beat