Malzahn Interview (5/05/16)

[AUinMS 0]

Unless he is putting on one heck of an act for the season tickets holders and donors; he sure looks and sounds very positive and upbeat about the state of the program.

I noticed that also. He seems to have quiet confidence this year that is much different than last year. He just always seemed very uncomfortable last year like he didn't have much good to say.

[War Knight 514]

If we have an adequate quarterback we will give Clemson all they can handle. Our defensive line will not be a fun one to play against.

I have been burned thinking this same thing in previous seasons. Waiting until after the first game at least to make any statements. We could win this or we could lose by 100 and anything inbwtween will not surprise me.

[AU80cruiser 1,102]

Unless he is putting on one heck of an act for the season tickets holders and donors; he sure looks and sounds very positive and upbeat about the state of the program.

I noticed that also. He seems to have quiet confidence this year that is much different than last year. He just always seemed very uncomfortable last year like he didn't have much good to say.

He was very upbeat last year and appeared very confident coming into SEC media days. The video of Malzahn going play by play talking about how good his players are had me super excited for the season to start last year. This is the reason I don't trust him anymore. I don't trust that he knows what he's doing as a head coach right now. However, if he comes out and has a great season this year then all is forgiven but not necessarily forgotten.

[ScottsboroAuburnFan 462]

Did Clemson lose much on the Oline? That is the key... I know they have like 10 defensive guys in NFL of last years team, but can't remember about the Oline..

[JamesG 0]

I know Clemson has lost a lot, but they have the best player in America at QB. Our team in 2010 was pretty average outside of Cam Newton. Like a previous poster said, if we have adequate quarterback play we will have a chance. The problem is right now I fear we won't get adequate quarterback play, atleast not early in the season.

[WarTiger 3,896]

I know Clemson has lost a lot, but they have the best player in America at QB. Our team in 2010 was pretty average outside of Cam Newton. Like a previous poster said, if we have adequate quarterback play we will have a chance. The problem is right now I fear we won't get adequate quarterback play, atleast not early in the season.

That statement sounds to me like you slept the entire 2010 season if you really believe that. Cam Newton was terrific but to say we were pretty average without him just isn't true. A lot of his success can be attributed to a veteran offensive line good running backs and great receivers. Without them, we don't win a title. It was very far from a one man team like so many seem to parrot over and over again. Defense may have been average, but even they made major plays helping us win the title. Particularly their performance in the title game vs. Oregon. Nobody thought we would shut that offense down and we did. Newton didn't have anything to do with that.

[AUwent 3,747]

^Yeah it was definitely more than Cam. The importance of the OL is so often overlooked (I know it's not the most reliable source but a recent BR ranking of the OLs ranked ours 3rd). Looking back it's amazing how many seniors we had and how we arrived at that point.

[Charhair 345]

It's not like we had the Lombardi award winner on the 2010 team either

[keesler 5,924]

Agree,,,despite a good game against bama, I've just never come to the conclusion that Clemson is really a true national power on a consistent basis.

Very few teams are really national power teams on a consistent basis. Clemson's on the up swing ~ Auburn's on the down swing. Maybe we both meet in the middle and make a game of it in 4 months?

[War Knight 514]

Agree,,,despite a good game against bama, I've just never come to the conclusion that Clemson is really a true national power on a consistent basis.

Very few teams are really national power teams on a consistent basis. Clemson's on the up swing ~ Auburn's on the down swing. Maybe we both meet in the middle and make a game of it in 4 months?

I don't think we have any room to judge any program on their 'consistency'

[keesler 5,924]

Agree,,,despite a good game against bama, I've just never come to the conclusion that Clemson is really a true national power on a consistent basis.

Very few teams are really national power teams on a consistent basis. Clemson's on the up swing ~ Auburn's on the down swing. Maybe we both meet in the middle and make a game of it in 4 months?

I don't think we have any room to judge any program on their 'consistency'

No we don't, nor should we judge a "true national power" notion either.

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

If we have an adequate quarterback we will give Clemson all they can handle. Our defensive line will not be a fun one to play against.

I have been burned thinking this same thing in previous seasons. Waiting until after the first game at least to make any statements. We could win this or we could lose by 100 and anything inbwtween will not surprise me.

Agree. Clemson lost a lot for sure but i think they'll still be very solid on defense though. We better find a QB fast and start getting our offense going. Despite if there defense is just ok....i feel like we're still are going to have to keep up with them scoring. They may not drop 50 on us but i they're going to score and FGs are not going to get it done.

[Tiger 8,818]

We are going to have to put up 35 to beat Clemson on opening night IMO. Hopefully we can get a special teams TD and force a turnover close to our end zone because I don't think our O will be ready to put that many points/yards on any power 5 school straight out of the gate like that.

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

We are going to have to put up 35 to beat Clemson on opening night IMO. Hopefully we can get a special teams TD and force a turnover close to our end zone because I don't think our O will be ready to put that many points/yards on any power 5 school straight out of the gate like that.

Sadly..i agree

[AUBwins 10,064]

We did last year against Louisville with JJ throwing interceptions.

Edit: We actually only scored 31, so my point does not hold true to.

I do think we can score if we stick to our identity we enter with.

[Tiger 8,818]

UL and Clemson are not in the same stratosphere, though.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

We are going to have to put up 35 to beat Clemson on opening night IMO. Hopefully we can get a special teams TD and force a turnover close to our end zone because I don't think our O will be ready to put that many points/yards on any power 5 school straight out of the gate like that.

I honestly think the key to winning is going to resemble the Superbowl and not a shootout. If we can do to Watson what Denver did to Cam, we can walk away with the W. The key is for Carl and whoever is playing opposite him to wreak havoc on their backfield.

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

I think we'll wreak havoc inside as our DL should go pretty deep. My major concern is outside containment when it comes to Watson. Even Carl struggled some in this area.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

I think we'll wreak havoc inside as our DL should go pretty deep. My major concern is outside containment when it comes to Watson. Even Carl struggled some in this area.

Yea... that strategy hinges on everyone getting better. I think Carl will. He's one of the most focused players I've ever seen in the college ranks. As to whoever plays opposite him, hopefully they are provided ample motivation to follow suit.

[Tiger 8,818]

I haven't seen us wreak havoc on a power 5 opponent in a decade. I just don't think we will show that against the national runner up with an offense as potent as Clemson's. I hope your outcome is what actually happens because it gives us a way better chance to win. And as 1983 said, even if we get to Watson we can just look at what Coker did to our athletes on the DL last season in 1 on 1 situations. And Watson is 10x the athlete that Coker is. JMO

[keesler 5,924]

I haven't seen us wreak havoc on a power 5 opponent in a decade. I just don't think we will show that against the national runner up with an offense as potent as Clemson's. I hope your outcome is what actually happens because it gives us a way better chance to win. And as 1983 said, even if we get to Watson we can just look at what Coker did to our athletes on the DL last season in 1 on 1 situations. And Watson is 10x the athlete that Coker is. JMO

This^^^

And the "whoever" plays opposite Carl is still a huge "?".....Clemson/Watson will be primed and ready to tee off when they hit the Plains. I watched their spring game, and that offense hasn't missed a beat.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

I haven't seen us wreak havoc on a power 5 opponent in a decade. I just don't think we will show that against the national runner up with an offense as potent as Clemson's. I hope your outcome is what actually happens because it gives us a way better chance to win. And as 1983 said, even if we get to Watson we can just look at what Coker did to our athletes on the DL last season in 1 on 1 situations. And Watson is 10x the athlete that Coker is. JMO

If there's not improvement, we won't. That being said, our D-Line isn't the D-Line from last year. Carl is 100% now and several players have had the lights come on who weren't at full potential yet at the end of last season. It's certainly not a given... heck... at this point I'd give it a 30% chance, but I think it's a better shot for winning than a shoot-out.

I just think the motivation is there for Carl and he has the raw talent to pull it of. Watson is no Cam Newton, yet Vonn Miller was able to have his way with Cam. Who's to say that Carl isn't to Watson what Vonn was to Cam?

[mcgufcm 4,096]

The whole "we haven't played defense in a decade" thing is true on a macro level and very untrue on a micro level. Haven't seen us wreak havoc on a Power 5 school in a decade? Missed the Oregon game did you? Missed the A&M game last year? Missed the 2014 LSU game? I mean, we can keep going. In almost every season, the defense has had some great games against very good teams.

The problem for Auburn football is a lack of consistency. The defense has been all over the map week-to-week. Look back at the 2014 season for the best example. Re-watch the KSU and LSU games. Then, watch the UGA, Bama, and Wisconsin games. It's difficult to convince yourself the same players are on the field.

Still, there is no question that our A-game, even in bad seasons, is quite high.

[Tiger 8,818]

The whole "we haven't played defense in a decade" thing is true on a macro level and very untrue on a micro level. Haven't seen us wreak havoc on a Power 5 school in a decade? Missed the Oregon game did you? Missed the A&M game last year? Missed the 2014 LSU game? I mean, we can keep going. In almost every season, the defense has had some great games against very good teams.

The problem for Auburn football is a lack of consistency. The defense has been all over the map week-to-week. Look back at the 2014 season for the best example. Re-watch the KSU and LSU games. Then, watch the UGA, Bama, and Wisconsin games. It's difficult to convince yourself the same players are on the field.

Still, there is no question that our A-game, even in bad seasons, is quite high.

You're right it might be a bit of an exaggeration but as a whole I don't think anyone would think we have played good defense very often since Tubs left us. The point I tried to make was it has been so rare -- you listed 3 games out of like 100 or so -- that to expect a top effort day 1 vs that offense will be tough to pull off. And we can probably add 3-4 more games that you didn't mention over that time span, which is still batting at a pretty terrible percentage. I think we have been closer to "consistently bad" than "inconsistently productive" I mean just look at our defensive rankings over the time span.

[Tiger 8,818]

I haven't seen us wreak havoc on a power 5 opponent in a decade. I just don't think we will show that against the national runner up with an offense as potent as Clemson's. I hope your outcome is what actually happens because it gives us a way better chance to win. And as 1983 said, even if we get to Watson we can just look at what Coker did to our athletes on the DL last season in 1 on 1 situations. And Watson is 10x the athlete that Coker is. JMO

If there's not improvement, we won't. That being said, our D-Line isn't the D-Line from last year. Carl is 100% now and several players have had the lights come on who weren't at full potential yet at the end of last season. It's certainly not a given... heck... at this point I'd give it a 30% chance, but I think it's a better shot for winning than a shoot-out.

I just think the motivation is there for Carl and he has the raw talent to pull it of. Watson is no Cam Newton, yet Vonn Miller was able to have his way with Cam. Who's to say that Carl isn't to Watson what Vonn was to Cam?

Gotcha. I hope Carl Lawson becomes the player Von Miller was just in college. That will be a huge step in the right direction.