Week 3 Notes - Tuesday Update (9/09/14)

[RunInRed 16,380]

OC Rhett Lashlee met the media tonight ...

Phillip Marshall/247Sports (via YouTube)

Lashlee on Nick Marshall's "off" night against SJSU: "I think we were a little off on our passing game as a whole."

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Lashlee on Marshall's first-drive fumble: "He broke the tackle at the five and relaxed. I don't think he thought anyone else was there."

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Lashlee on the bye week: "We're telling the guys we've got to win these three days."

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Lashlee said he thought the offensive line did well against San Jose State, but it's still "lightyears" away from where he wants it.

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Lashlee said Roc Thomas is kind of between an every-down back and more of a speed type role. "But he's still a true freshman in the SEC."

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Lashlee ends with saying that WR Sammie Coates is "doing good," and that he expects him to be back for next week's game against KSU.

@JFegusonAU

Rhett Lashlee says the offense as a whole has to be cleaner, wasn't just passing game

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Lashlee says he thinks the offensive line progressed from week one to week two

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Lashlee says Kansas State plays as hard on defense as any team since he has been at Auburn

@ITATJason

Auburn offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee on QB Nick Marshall: "I have a ton of belief in him." On his passing: "I'm not concerned at all."

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Auburn offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee on freshman tailback Roc Thomas: "He definitely has good speed and great quickness."

@AUGoldMine

Lashlee on Marshall: "Nick graded out OK, obviously the fumble was by far the most disappointing thing."

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More Lashlee on Marshall: "I think the decisions were really good, he made really good decisions."

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Lashlee on OL progress vs. SJSU: "They really made us earn everything they made us grind out drives." Praised the way the unit handled it.

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Lashlee on Slade & Young: "I don't think it's so much an issue of where they're at, they just have to get used to working with the guys."

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Lashlee on #KSU: "All I've heard that Manhattan's the toughest place to play in the Big 12. I think it'll be a good measuring stick."

@AUBlog

Lashlee, still on Marshall: "He knows he's going to have to play better against Kansas State (than he did Saturday)."

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Lashlee on Corey Grant: "He's finishing downhill. He's not dancing around." Said it's easy to see his development into an all-around RB.

@wareagleextra

Lashlee: Corey Grant is finishing down hill, CAP is "quicker" than the past

@JamesCrepea

[RunInRed 16,380]

Here's a Nick Marshall recruiting story from Rhett Lashlee's talk earlier...

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Lashlee: "(Nick) started getting the offers from all the KSUs and the UTs...we were out of luck at Ark. St., so we had to change locations."

@JFergusonAU

[RunInRed 16,380]

Very impressed w/K-State Wildcats! So much respect for Coach Snyder & staff. Our best effort and execution will be needed to win! #WarEagle

@CoachTimHorton

[ShocksMyBrain 9,362]

I like NM but his passing accuracy will not improve much unless he has a hand transplant, his hands are small and he struggles with getting his hands on the laces. He is as good a passer as he's gunna get. We can improve his completion % by having him throw more short passes.

We get it. You don't have confidence in Marshall. You don't need to mention it in every thread.

[C'viewTiger 242]

He seemed to connect on the long passes last year more so than the short passes. Seemed like the short passes were the ones that were dropped more often. He'll come around IMO. If not, we'll keep pounding the run.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,362]

He hasn't even played a full game yet.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

Drew Brees has small hands. So does Alex Smith. Those guys are pretty accurate.

[stoic-one 1,543]

Drew Brees has small hands. So does Alex Smith. Those guys are pretty accurate.

are you sure?... so your saying there is no excuse for his poor accuracy

What he's saying is that your initial premise is wrong.

[stoic-one 1,543]

Oh, mkay, opinion noted.

Anything else we need to take note of regarding the week 3 notes??

[bo122002 0]

I like NM but his passing accuracy will not improve much unless he has a hand transplant, his hands are small and he struggles with getting his hands on the laces. He is as good a passer as he's gunna get. We can improve his completion % by having him throw more short passes.

LoL this guy.....

[Auburn4Winners 0]

Oh, mkay, opinion noted.

Anything else we need to take note of regarding the week 3 notes??

What's your opinion then since mine is wrong, and this is a forum that fans use to post opinions?

Opinion: If Gus and Rhett say they have confidence in his passing game and improvement, I have confidence in it as well.

[stoic-one 1,543]

I'm not giving mine, Nick has played less than a game and a half, I'm going to wait and see if he shows me something.

You're however certainly entitled to your opinion, if you'd like to start a different thread specifically addressing this topic feel free.

[leglessdan 1,934]

It only takes common sense to understand that if Nicks hands were too small, there would be no way in hell he could throw it as far or as hard as he does. His "footwork" has everything in the world to do with his accuracy. That combined with nerves. Go back and watch some film and you'll see he CAN in fact make phenomenal throws WHEN his body position is correct.WDE.

[auburnphan 6,050]

Nick will get better with more reps, he lost a bunch do to JJ starting the first game. Only gonna get better, as his fundamentals have improved, now it is just timing with receivers

[war eagle6 0]

I like NM but his passing accuracy will not improve much unless he has a hand transplant, his hands are small and he struggles with getting his hands on the laces. He is as good a passer as he's gunna get. We can improve his completion % by having him throw more short passes.

We get it. You don't have confidence in Marshall. You don't need to mention it in every thread.

It's what he does, that's Sevenlee for ya

[FHeal 4]

He's two games into 2014, the 1st a half game and the second against a powder puff (hint: show the world nothing) easy as you go win.

What ya naysayers think.... that you've see it all ??? a whole off season of prep-work and planning, as well as the entire playbook ???

[stoic-one 1,543]

Sigh...

[hutchids 227]

Last game would have been a disappointing passing game for nick last year, much less this year when I he is supposed to better. So I'm not worried with nick for the Kst game. I'm confident he'll throw better even if he hasn't progressed as a passer. I do feel he will get better and surpass last year as a passer as the year progresses. Also, as long as the running game is solid, he'll make at least one good run. If Nick gets 250 total yards, I say we win running away. You gotta remember, with nick in the offense we can't judge him as a traditional qb. We designed the offense to work with him being different (It's something I'm learning to do to lol)

[wareagleguy 1,393]

I think NM's footwork has been much improved on several of his throws. I was at the SJS game and have since watched it on TV. Off the top of my head, there was the pass to CJ that could have been caught. There was the hot route to Duke, when the two guys blitzed off the left side of AU's line that Duke did not cut his route off to account for. Then there were at least two other passes that were a bit behind the receiver, but could have been caught. He also threw one or two nice balls that ended up getting penalties against the D, which were smart plays too.

Also, in UA game, he threw a good pass to Coates in the end zone that should have been caught.

I think the KSU game will go a long way in telling us where NM is on his passing game. I expect them to load up and force NM to make some throws early. I wouldn't be surprised if we, much like against UT last year, came out throwing a bit more.

I'm glad we have NM and JJ on our team and look forward to a great year! WDE!!!

[Eagle Eye 7 2,535]

Let me make one thing clear, there is probably not a better passer on the run than Nick Marshall, that is a fact. That is the way Nick learned to pass. Most every QB that comes into the power 5 has to work on shedding habits that he has from high school coaches. That said and this is what both coach Gus and Rhet have said over and over, combined with all his strong points (i.e. running, zone reads, and leadership) he is one of the best overall QBs in college football. Just the facts. WDE

[war eagle6 0]

Whatever Gus and rhette says about Nick is really what matters! Anything else is just..........

[ValleyTiger 2,894]

Not enough has been said about Sammie missing the SJSU game and thus the receivers being shuffled around. Different guys in different positions running different routes messes up that timing relationship between QB & WR.

Nick has worked his tail off improve, and if you can't see the difference then shame on you. Maybe you aren't "qualified" to complain... not publicly at least.

War Damn Eagle!

[80Tiger 899]

I think like most that NM is a very good QB. But also like most I was somewhat dissappointed in his performnce this past week. I believe he made some wrong reads running and passing was average at best. This was after a general feeling that his passing was much better. I don't think anyone can truly say he looked better than last year. The question is will he get better. I don't know but my feeling is after a full year and a couple of games this year, it is what it is. And that could be good enough.

What gets me are the excuses: receivers ran wrong routes, receivers dropped passes, it is only the 2nd game he is rusty I just don't buy. Every QB every game faces those issues. I watched the Notre Dame QB look like gangbusters after sitting out last year. He didn't have any rust. The point is NM accuracy is what it is. He may be a 50% to 55% completion guy and that may be just fine.

[AUsince72 11,084]

I don't really feel that I can take anything "real" away from the first two weeks yet re: NM. Afterall, we only get a 1/2 out of him in week 1 (but he seemed to absolutely pick up where he left off from '13) and frankly last week, I think the team as a whole seemed a little "off". Typically a SJSU game would be week 1 type of game so to go from opening with Arky to the proverbial "let down" game... I just don't feel like we really know just how good this team, or any one player, is yet.

What we DO know is that JJ is the real deal. NM is a true team leader. And this team is good enough to adjust at half-time to whup up on a conference opponent and sleep-walk to a dominating victory over a MWC opponent. Now, after next Thursday? I feel that by late Thurs night we'll have a better idea of the true pulse of this team. Now, my 2 cents have been added to the pot.

[TheBlueVue 177]

"The point is NM accuracy is what it is. He may be a 50% to 55% completion guy and that may be just fine."

He may and he may not. Too soon to make definitive statements about his completion percentage, after all, at least 10 games remain to be played. What is not being considered is how coming off the bench n game 1 and then making the critical fumble in game 2 could have affected him. Having a bad game is not an uncommon phenomenon for QBs. We'll see but my bet is, when its all said and done there wont be many left criticizing him.