Cardin Drake

I have one data point for this year. The OL did a reasonable job against a very tough front 7 in their 1st game. Am I satisfied? No, but I think the negativity at this point is unjustified. We'll have another data point after Saturday. We know they will have to up their game to beat Bama and Georgia at the end of the year. That shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Rather have our problems than those of 99% of the teams out there.

Dang this is an awesome thread!!!

Teams in high school frequently have their best athletes at RB and QB. We are somewhat thin at DB, and he has 5 guys in front of him at RB, even though I think he is a capable back. Switch to DB makes perfect sense, both for the team, and for his own future. I hope he can make the transition. And come on, even his initials are DB.

Man, this guy is fun to watch. A faster version of Joe Morris. I don't want to get too far out over my skis, but the combination of power, quickness, and speed brings to mind Barry Sanders. He may flat out be our best back. Starting to get the feeling that he is going to be something special....

I just can't get worried about RB recruiting. Martin, Joiner, and Shivers last year was a fantastic class. It's got to impact what this year's recruits are thinking. I like the guys we have on the roster, and we have good depth. I know this is probably a minority opinion, but capable running backs just aren't a scarce commodity. If we whiff this year, it just makes it more attractive next year for us to get top guys. Difference makers at running back are a very scarce commodity. If Gus thinks Cain is one, I have no problem with him going for it. Most of the time, you don't have a difference maker on your roster, but you have 3 or 4 or more very capable backs. Shoot, we wouldn't even know who Pettway is if we wouldn't have had 2 or 3 guys ahead of him wash out. You can win without a difference maker and you can always recruit capable backs. Make sure your OL pipeline is solid, and you'll always have a running game. Get Webb and a few friends, and you'll get the RB's that you need.

The best run of the night was the TD run by Whitlow. Great 2nd effort to get into the end zone. I think that's where his support is coming from. I don't think we have an RB on the roster who can run through walls, but we have a bunch of guys who will do well when the OL opens holes. Kam did just fine last night. 80 yds on 22 carries against a stout defense. So did Whitlow. We need a better push up front, but it was encouraging that we ran better late when we really needed it. Teams will have to respect our passing game, so they won't be able to stack the box. We will run well against the weaker teams. And light them up through the air. Can we run against Alabama and Georgia? Our OL will have to be better than they are now, but I believe they will be. I hope we have RB by committee. It's safer when you have injuries, and multiple guys get good game experience. I hope Gus will resist his tendency to run the one guy he trusts the most 35 times. Kam and Whitlow both bring something to the party. 40/40/20 split mentioned earlier is the right way to go.

Some random thoughts/observations on the game: Great, great win. Team showed heart and character. We got a few lucky breaks, but we made a few breaks too. Defense almost as good as advertised. We dominated the line of scrimmage. I don't understand why Washington kept running late. All their success came from throwing. Pass rush needs to get better. Some missed sacks from running by the QB, but you have to give Browning credit. Good pocket presence and elusive 1st step. Stidham needs to get more consistent. He is a 10/10 for arm strength and accuracy, but he has room to improve on throwing from the run, and making quicker decisions. He still gets rattled under pressure. Tough things for sure, but I wouldn't quite put him in the elite QB status yet. All the NFL talk misses the fact that he's still a little green. He should continue to improve with experience. Good lord, we are deep in quality receivers. Can't remember anything like it. We are going to hang A LOT of points on teams that don't have a good defense/pass rush. Whitlow is our best back. Not a knock on Kam. I think we continue RB by committee, but look for more and more of Whitlow. And look for the wildcat with him running it to become more prominent in the red zone. O-line did okay. Washington was winning the battle at the LOS, thus our running game troubles, but pass protection was decent, and I expect them to continue to improve. Isn't ending the season with Georgia, Alabama, and the SEC championship game tough enough? Love this game now that we won it, but we would have been in the playoffs last year had we scheduled a cup cake instead of Clemson for the season opener. Regardless, congrats to the players and coaches for a great win over a tough team!!

I'm pretty happy with the WR's that we have, and those on the roster. It wouldn't bother me at all to end with 2. I hope this is a big OL class. I think it is hard position to recruit from the standpoint that there are few measurables. Determination and drive have a lot to do with long-term development, and you see guys like Driscoll who was a 2 star recruit wind up being very good. It can be hard to predict who has those intangibles, and there is some safety in numbers. I'd love to see us take five every year. Winning the line of scrimmage is 90% of the battle in football.

I'm a big fan of speed. You've got to like having Worm and Schwartz on the field. Terrifying if you are a defense. Speed was expected, but Worm's incredible toughness is a surprise--not to those who already knew him, I'm sure. He's quickly turning into one of my favorite players. I'm hoping they find some ways to get the ball in his hands this year. I'm expecting big things already.

Lol, you've got a point. But I'm very happy with how this team is shaping up. I'm more optimistic than I've ever been pre-season, and I've been around for a while. The O-line is coming together, and this looks like a really good team. I don't think there are many question marks. But we'll find out the truth soon enough-- Sept. 1. As always, the schedule is brutal.

The coaches are hitting on all cylinders on the field and on the recruiting trail. Nothing but positive vibes everywhere. (knocks on wood) If we have the season that I think we are going to have, this recruiting class will be one for the ages.

Exactly. When the rivals stars don't match the offer list, go with the offer list. Great pickup! The coaches have done a good job getting a few under the radar kids who have proven themselves later to be underrated. I don't see this one in that category. Rivals just isn't on top of it. When the 2 teams with the best defensive lines in the country both want you, you aren't a secret.

I don't think it's negative at all. I think the criticism of Stidham is very valid--for last year. However, I expect him to be better this year. Stidham has a great arm, an NFL arm, and is very accurate. It's easy to forget how little experience he has. He must make better decisions this year, and learn to get rid of the ball quicker. He should improve with more game experience. A lot of the sacks last year were on Stidham because he just held on to the ball too long. I see him as a good NFL quarterback IF he improves in that area. I believe he will, but we need to see it. He must be more consistent for Auburn to contend this year.

Thanks for the post. Not a surprise. Coe is just too good not to be on the field most of the time.

I think you are right in the sense that right now this is the lineup that the coaches are hoping for, in order to get the best 5 on the field. Horton has to prove he can handle center though, and I also think Troxell will get a legit shot to beat out Driscoll. Ultimately you need a starting 5, but you also need guys you can be confident about rotating in. Feeling pretty good about the line, actually. There's some talent there.