Moving Forward: A Break from the Negativity

[War Knight 514]

Yes the negativity on this board is warranted. Yes I'm upset too (I bouget four seasons tickets and I'm still a college student so that was a big financial dent). Yes I'm quite aware for the possibilities of the remainder of the season. However I am also aware that:

1)Sean White as a Freshman is a solid starter. Some may contest this but I think the kids has the physical tools. From a mentality standpoint he seems poised, confident, and has made good decisions.The number of 3rd down and long plays he has converted are reassuring. His mobility is a much needed weapon for this offense.

2)We have a wonderful backfield. Barber, Roc, Kerryon, and Jovon could all play for anyone. Chandler and Pettaway aren't slouches either.

3)The talent at receiver is there. Ray, Davis, Stevens, Louis are all solid threats when utilized for something other than a screen with no blocking. Not to mention our h-backs and roc are great targets out of the backfield.

4)Special teams remains a blessing

5)Believe it or not but I see gradual improvement from Muschamp's defense in each game. It will come. If you think Muschamp can't turn our defense around you need to be patient. There literally isn't a better man for the job. The defense that just murdered Ole Miss is his end product.

6)O-Line seems to be starting to gel. Not where they need to be but with leadership and confidence will come the agrssion.

This team is a leader away from coming together. We have the pieces. Just need the man to connect them. That man might not come but at least the pieces are there. So there is hope.

[OnthePlains 2,014]

I agree with most of what you are saying Knight and I want to be optimistic but my fear is the team is going to implode from the inside out before any leaders do emerge. The mood around the team and the play on the field are too eerily similar to 2012. Believe me I hope I am wrong.

[AU-24 3,074]

I think we see all around improvement Vs Kentucky. The extra time to prepare will help.

[War Knight 514]

I agree with most of what you are saying Knight and I want to be optimistic but my fear is the team is going to implode from the inside out before any leaders do emerge. The mood around the team and the play on the field are too eerily similar to 2012. Believe me I hope I am wrong.

I have forced myself into optimism. My internship, student loans, and potty training a puppy have made me be positive about Auburn football. Simply cannot handle the negativity.

I understand doubters and on the inside I want to be one. But if my grandma taught me anything it is to believe in Auburn and love it no matter what.

If this year doesn't pan out it won't be the first dissapointing year Auburn has had in my life. It most certainly will not be the last. However, if it does work out how nice will this year be in retrospect? Character is built through adversity. These kids are getting plenty of it. I like that Muschamp has showed the courage to start youth if the vets aren't going to man up.

[au75 75]

i also see the glass as half full not half empty.

[Win4AU 4,052]

I'll jump on this bandwagon. Auburn outplayed Miss State but made too mistakes to win. San Jose went about how I expected. I had predicted 31-21 so 35-21 was even better. I see Auburn squeaking by Kentucky 21-17 ish. Arkansas will be tougher but they haven't set the world on fire either. Auburn wins 28-24 on a defensive stand. Ole Miss at home on Halloween after back to back confidence building wins. Jovon will be 100%. Hopefully Lawson is coming around by then. 34-28 Auburn shocker! Tough game on the road at TAMU. Auburn won't be able to keep up 38-28. Back home against UGA. Auburn wins! 31-21. Idaho 45-17. I won't guess on Bama because Auburn either squeaks it out or gets blown out.

[autigeremt 6,607]

All I have to do is look outside my office window or make a drive across campus and I'm motivated to be optimistic. This place is all about promise and optimism. Bank it!

[JasonsDad 0]

You know we are probably looking at 6 and 6. That's assuming we can beat Arkansas and Ktuk. If we finish any better I'll be amazed. But I have come to terms with it. It will not ruin my life or my love for Auburn.

[AU64 10,122]

All I have to do is look outside my office window or make a drive across campus and I'm motivated to be optimistic. This place is all about promise and optimism. Bank it!

Amen.....

[wareagleguy 1,393]

Don't we have some sort of Hype vid about facing and overcoming adversity?!!!

[IronMan70 3,277]

Yes the negativity on this board is warranted. Yes I'm upset too (I bouget four seasons tickets and I'm still a college student so that was a big financial dent). Yes I'm quite aware for the possibilities of the remainder of the season. However I am also aware that:

1)Sean White as a Freshman is a solid starter. Some may contest this but I think the kids has the physical tools. From a mentality standpoint he seems poised, confident, and has made good decisions.The number of 3rd down and long plays he has converted are reassuring. His mobility is a much needed weapon for this offense.

2)We have a wonderful backfield. Barber, Roc, Kerryon, and Jovon could all play for anyone. Chandler and Pettaway aren't slouches either.

3)The talent at receiver is there. Ray, Davis, Stevens, Louis are all solid threats when utilized for something other than a screen with no blocking. Not to mention our h-backs and roc are great targets out of the backfield.

4)Special teams remains a blessing

5)Believe it or not but I see gradual improvement from Muschamp's defense in each game. It will come. If you think Muschamp can't turn our defense around you need to be patient. There literally isn't a better man for the job. The defense that just murdered Ole Miss is his end product.

6)O-Line seems to be starting to gel. Not where they need to be but with leadership and confidence will come the agrssion.

This team is a leader away from coming together. We have the pieces. Just need the man to connect them. That man might not come but at least the pieces are there. So there is hope.

Very good post and thanks for this thread. You are concentrating on the right things too and it's very good insight for a student still at Auburn. The people in these threads with the negativity are just making themselves miserable. If you are going to make yourself miserable, why even bother. There is plenty of time in the off season to pick this thing apart if a fan wants to do that.

This is my view on it. I want to enjoy as much about the AU football season as I can. You can enjoy watching the improvement individual players make or the improvement the OL unit is making or how well a Freshman DB is playing or how a RB runs over a tackler or the game day atmosphere. There is a lot to enjoy during the season about Auburn football. Again thanks for the thread, good job and War Eagle.

[IronMan70 3,277]

I think we see all around improvement Vs Kentucky. The extra time to prepare will help.

Yes, I think it comes at just the right time. The team can get some injuries healed, get better and get ready for some SEC games. Another thing that is good is that we will be playing teams on the lower rung in the SEC, first Kentucky then Arkansas. So we get teams that are still beatable but better each week while we are trying to get better ourselves. I have seen improvement in the defense in the last 2 weeks, in certain areas, so that is encouraging.

[SCTiger2011 1,277]

Don't we have some sort of Hype vid about facing and overcoming adversity?!!!

If we don't, they'll make one. And then make some clever saying on a shirt for next season...eventually maybe they'll make it to playing hard-nosed, assignment football, but until then, the gimmicks can soothe our pain.

[cole256 17,059]

I don't see how you start this thread but you're super negative about jj. What if the rumor is true and he starts? Do you just delete the thread and say sike!

[AUbritt 611]

I don't see how you start this thread but you're super negative about jj. What if the rumor is true and he starts? Do you just delete the thread and say sike!

The thread is about taking a break from negativity. Auburn Knight could've been negative about lots of things; can't he get a break?

[AUjewel 0]

I too see steady improvement in all phases, and we really need to encourage our coaches and our student athletes. I believe in Auburn and I love it.

[cole256 17,059]

I don't see how you start this thread but you're super negative about jj. What if the rumor is true and he starts? Do you just delete the thread and say sike!

The thread is about taking a break from negativity. Auburn Knight could've been negative about lots of things; can't he get a break?

Yeah I didn't look at it that way I guess. I read one of his posts and he really doesn't like jj at qb and if that happens....

[AubTiger14 0]

I agree we have talent and we are young. We have a lot returning next year. I think we over hyped how quickly Muschamp could turn things around, and we definitely overlooked the lack of talent and depth we have on the D-Line. Those things will hopefully improve next year.

My biggest concern is that we don't seem to have any direction on offense. Gus is supposed to be the X's and O's guru who can field an unstoppable offense no matter the type of personnel he has... and the offense looks lost. We're trying to run the 2013 offense without the 2013 players. It seems to me like Gus built a sports car, but he's still trying to take it off-roading like a truck....as a result we are getting stuck. If Gus can wake up and realize that teams have adapted to the schemes we ran in 2013 and adjust, I think we can be good again. He needs to turn on some tape of his time at Tulsa and remember throwing the ball can win games too. You have a kid under center who won Elite 11 MVP and Under Armour MVP. He can sling the rock so let him do that!

I also worry about what's going on inside the program in the locker room. Duke was a mess. Roc may or may not be snapping his displeasure. Byron Cowart may be having signing day remorse. Gus needs to rally the troops, and some leaders need to step up on the team and do this as well.

[Win4AU 4,052]

I'm already looking at 2017 national championship tickets. Isn't it in Tampa next year? JJ rises from the ashes. Throws for 2000 runs for 1500. Peyton, roc, and Jovon all go for 1000. We send 4 guys to the heisman ceremony. Top rated defense in the country with a nasty Dline of cowart, Lawson, and Adams.

[autigeremt 6,607]

I'm already looking at 2017 national championship tickets. Isn't it in Tampa next year? JJ rises from the ashes. Throws for 2000 runs for 1500. Peyton, roc, and Jovon all go for 1000. We send 4 guys to the heisman ceremony. Top rated defense in the country with a nasty Dline of cowart, Lawson, and Adams.

[War Knight 514]

I don't see how you start this thread but you're super negative about jj. What if the rumor is true and he starts? Do you just delete the thread and say sike!

The thread is about taking a break from negativity. Auburn Knight could've been negative about lots of things; can't he get a break?

Yeah I didn't look at it that way I guess. I read one of his posts and he really doesn't like jj at qb and if that happens....

I'll be upset, but I will pull for him regardless and hope he proves me wrong. I don't see how Sean White has lost his job and I am not sure how JJ could have earned it back.

If he does and lights it up then great! I like the kid and I think he has the physical skills to be special. It's a question of if his head is right. Thanks for keeping me honest though cole! War Eagle.

[Auburnguy101 325]

I don't see how you start this thread but you're super negative about jj. What if the rumor is true and he starts? Do you just delete the thread and say sike!

The thread is about taking a break from negativity. Auburn Knight could've been negative about lots of things; can't he get a break?

Yeah I didn't look at it that way I guess. I read one of his posts and he really doesn't like jj at qb and if that happens....

I'll be upset, but I will pull for him regardless and hope he proves me wrong. I don't see how Sean White has lost his job and I am not sure how JJ could have earned it back.

If he does and lights it up then great! I like the kid and I think he has the physical skills to be special. It's a question of if his head is right. Thanks for keeping me honest though cole! War Eagle.

Just wanted to chime in. You're right, Sean hasn't done anything to lose it, but neither has he done anything to win the job. Question, and answer it honestly. Do you go with the guy who is dependable, but limited within the offense you want to run, and do you believe that QB will give you a chance to compete with the middle-to-upper echelon of the SEC, or do you go with the guy, who albeit the mistakes, has unlimited potential, and can make big plays with his potential? That's what the coaches are thinking right now. JJ has more potential, nothing to debate there. What's going to hurt having him start vs Kentucky? Let him come back, see if he got his head straight, and see what happens. If no, bring in SW. I would go with the greater risks, greater rewards line-of-thinking than the game-manager type of QB myself. But, it is what it is. I realize everyone here has their per-determined preference with the QB, so it is what it is. Like I've been saying, JJ, as of right now, seems like he will be starting against Kentucky...

[AUwent 3,748]

I'll jump on this bandwagon. Auburn outplayed Miss State but made too mistakes to win. San Jose went about how I expected. I had predicted 31-21 so 35-21 was even better. I see Auburn squeaking by Kentucky 21-17 ish. Arkansas will be tougher but they haven't set the world on fire either. Auburn wins 28-24 on a defensive stand. Ole Miss at home on Halloween after back to back confidence building wins. Jovon will be 100%. Hopefully Lawson is coming around by then. 34-28 Auburn shocker! Tough game on the road at TAMU. Auburn won't be able to keep up 38-28. Back home against UGA. Auburn wins! 31-21. Idaho 45-17. I won't guess on Bama because Auburn either squeaks it out or gets blown out.

If this happened would you see Lawson going pro? Just wondering.

[Win4AU 4,052]

I'll jump on this bandwagon. Auburn outplayed Miss State but made too mistakes to win. San Jose went about how I expected. I had predicted 31-21 so 35-21 was even better. I see Auburn squeaking by Kentucky 21-17 ish. Arkansas will be tougher but they haven't set the world on fire either. Auburn wins 28-24 on a defensive stand. Ole Miss at home on Halloween after back to back confidence building wins. Jovon will be 100%. Hopefully Lawson is coming around by then. 34-28 Auburn shocker! Tough game on the road at TAMU. Auburn won't be able to keep up 38-28. Back home against UGA. Auburn wins! 31-21. Idaho 45-17. I won't guess on Bama because Auburn either squeaks it out or gets blown out.

If this happened would you see Lawson going pro? Just wondering.

[Win4AU 4,052]

Will Lawson be eligible for the Draft next year? I know it's his 3rd year but he'll only be a junior next season due to medical redshirt last season right? I'm not sure he's done enough to get drafted. NFL teams are a little wary of constantly injured players. He needs one complete season in my opinion but I sell insurance so what do I know?