Auburn is a contender

[Linayus 676]

I'm always cautiously optimistic regarding Auburn football. Lord knows we've crashed and burned more times than we've ever met (realistic) expectations. But this is the first time in several years where I though we actually looked GOOD during the A-Day game. Usually I can point to the position groups (like RB last year), or I'll take note of specific players who are playing particularly well (like Daniel Thomas this year), but I rarely feel like we look good as a whole unit.

This year was different though. I'm still cautiously optimistic, but I can feel the hype bubbling up within me and it feels good.

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,287]

48 minutes ago, WarTiger said:

 Nobody is forcing you to read it or comment on it.  Ill just never understand the view of some fans we have.  Bad omen?  Really.  Absolurely nothing said here has any impact on anything that happens on the field.    I wish for once Auburn fans would accept the hype and support the program rather than be all doom and gloom with this ridiculous bad omen crap. I hate fans with the defeatist attitude. 

1) sarcasm with regards to lock and delete. Come on now, it's the internet. My opinion matters not.

2) you're always pretty quick to label people. You HATE me for a defeatist attitude based on ONE post? Pay attention to the overall tone of my posts- I'm one of the most optimistic guys on here most of the time, you should back off with your quick to spew venom. Don't be short sighted.

 

I'm simply saying that for years, nay a almost 2 decades, I've heard this hype and we fall well short of it. Until we do it year in and year out, color me a skeptic with regards to the April hype train.

[Charhair 345]

On 4/9/2017 at 7:17 AM, aubiefifty said:

Take notice, Alabama: With Jarrett Stidham at QB Auburn is a contender

Oh lord, we haven't even named a starter yet.

[gr82be 14,401]

7 minutes ago, Charhair said:

Oh lord, we haven't even named a starter yet.

Read the Pettway article on the Heisman potential, sounds like he (KP) has named the starter already. 

[DAG 33,955]

15 minutes ago, Charhair said:

Oh lord, we haven't even named a starter yet.

JS is the starter unless he gets kicked out of school or injured between now and August. The team knows it, the coaches know it, the fans know it. This is just due process stuff.

[Linayus 676]

31 minutes ago, DAG said:

JS is the starter unless he gets kicked out of school or injured between now and August. The team knows it, the coaches know it, the fans know it. This is just due process stuff.

Yeah, they just don't want to name him starter because it hasn't even been a competition yet since Sean has been injured and rehabbing. It'll just be a formality until maybe the 2nd week of fall practices.

[WFE12 9,191]

4 hours ago, Linayus said:

I'm always cautiously optimistic regarding Auburn football. Lord knows we've crashed and burned more times than we've ever met (realistic) expectations. But this is the first time in several years where I though we actually looked GOOD during the A-Day game. Usually I can point to the position groups (like RB last year), or I'll take note of specific players who are playing particularly well (like Daniel Thomas this year), but I rarely feel like we look good as a whole unit.

This year was different though. I'm still cautiously optimistic, but I can feel the hype bubbling up within me and it feels good.

I'm with you man!! This is waaay past due. Our most hated rival is in contention for a national championship every friggin' year...We ain't forgot what happened about say...4 years ago!! It's time!! We deserve this!

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

39 minutes ago, WFE12 said:

I'm with you man!! This is waaay past due. Our most hated rival is in contention for a national championship every friggin' year...We ain't forgot what happened about say...4 years ago!! It's time!! We deserve this!

but I thought that any sense of entitlement was a bad thing

[TigerWar 82]

19 hours ago, oracle79 said:

Time we started embracing the hype and living up to it.

I won't lie, the Texas gunslinger we have behind center is making this Auburn fan walk around with his chest poked out just a little.

[WFE12 9,191]

55 minutes ago, TigerWar said:

I won't lie, the Texas gunslinger we have behind center is making this Auburn fan walk around with his chest poked out just a little.

I like that nickname. It should stick around here.

[Charhair 345]

5 hours ago, DAG said:

JS is the starter unless he gets kicked out of school or injured between now and August. The team knows it, the coaches know it, the fans know it. This is just due process stuff.

I wasn't saying he wasn't. Maybe I should have said "it's only April".

the kid hasn't taken a snap against a full speed defense in over a year and a half and Bama needs to watch out for him because he had a good spring game against a non-pass rush? 

Just a little too early for all that, for me anyway.

[DAG 33,955]

1 hour ago, Charhair said:

I wasn't saying he wasn't. Maybe I should have said "it's only April".

the kid hasn't taken a snap against a full speed defense in over a year and a half and Bama needs to watch out for him because he had a good spring game against a non-pass rush? 

Just a little too early for all that, for me anyway.

 

 

It's the media. Who cares? I wish our fans would quit getting wrapped up on the media taglines. They do it to get a reaction. Although, I would rather have this, than the one we had a couple of years ago when we were an after thought. It almost seems like people would rather us be predicted dead last. Not necessarily saying you are like this. You have had some rational responses. 

[Charhair 345]

40 minutes ago, DAG said:

It's the media. Who cares? I wish our fans would quit getting wrapped up on the media taglines. They do it to get a reaction. Although, I would rather have this, than the one we had a couple of years ago when we were an after thought. It almost seems like people would rather us be predicted dead last. Not necessarily saying you are like this. You have had some rational responses. 

I agree. But for each of those negative fans there's a positive one who's willing to nominate a player for the heisman and say we should be top 5 and beat Bama before we take a real snap. 

Im not saying people shouldn't be like that, whatever floats your boat imo. I guess I was more just wondering why people are so quick to jump on this hype train of Stidham is the second coming type thing. 

I think he looked great. But so did JJ in nearly every snap he took pre-2015. To me, this staff needs to prove they can make it work because its been a while since they have and it's not like it's come in a time of a lack of talent. This isn't their first high profile QB either and we've seen multiple not pan out. Not that that fact is unique to our coaches at all.

I guess it is as much the media trying to get views as anything else but the fact I see so much of the fanbase chiming in is strange to me. I feel as though many already think he's great when he hasn't proved too much yet, to me anyway. 

Dont get me wrong either, I'm rooting for Stidham. He threw some pretty passes out there, made some great decisions and looked like a good QB. I feel it's unfair to my expectations and the player to judge a QB off of a non-contact scrimmage. Especially after we've seen how much better our last great hope performed under the same circumstances, compared to how he started his junior year. 

[Texas 14]

The scrimmage wasn't his first time to play football y'all know. He's been playing like that for years. 

[Strychnine 1,802]

9 hours ago, Charhair said:

I agree. But for each of those negative fans there's a positive one who's willing to nominate a player for the heisman and say we should be top 5 and beat Bama before we take a real snap. 

Im not saying people shouldn't be like that, whatever floats your boat imo. I guess I was more just wondering why people are so quick to jump on this hype train of Stidham is the second coming type thing. 

I think he looked great. But so did JJ in nearly every snap he took pre-2015. To me, this staff needs to prove they can make it work because its been a while since they have and it's not like it's come in a time of a lack of talent. This isn't their first high profile QB either and we've seen multiple not pan out. Not that that fact is unique to our coaches at all.

I guess it is as much the media trying to get views as anything else but the fact I see so much of the fanbase chiming in is strange to me. I feel as though many already think he's great when he hasn't proved too much yet, to me anyway. 

Dont get me wrong either, I'm rooting for Stidham. He threw some pretty passes out there, made some great decisions and looked like a good QB. I feel it's unfair to my expectations and the player to judge a QB off of a non-contact scrimmage. Especially after we've seen how much better our last great hope performed under the same circumstances, compared to how he started his junior year. 

 

The big difference between Stidham and JJ is that Stidham has already started games in his career, and looked like the QB we saw at A-Day.  Personally, I am not ready to anoint Stidham as the second-coming or anything, but I have seen enough to conclude that he can stretch the field in a way that White cannot and he has good instincts.  If White can somehow beat Stidham and keep the starting job when the season starts, then that means White will have improved quite a bit.  I am fine with that too.

[DAG 33,955]

9 hours ago, Charhair said:

I agree. But for each of those negative fans there's a positive one who's willing to nominate a player for the heisman and say we should be top 5 and beat Bama before we take a real snap. 

Im not saying people shouldn't be like that, whatever floats your boat imo. I guess I was more just wondering why people are so quick to jump on this hype train of Stidham is the second coming type thing. 

I think he looked great. But so did JJ in nearly every snap he took pre-2015. To me, this staff needs to prove they can make it work because its been a while since they have and it's not like it's come in a time of a lack of talent. This isn't their first high profile QB either and we've seen multiple not pan out. Not that that fact is unique to our coaches at all.

I guess it is as much the media trying to get views as anything else but the fact I see so much of the fanbase chiming in is strange to me. I feel as though many already think he's great when he hasn't proved too much yet, to me anyway. 

Dont get me wrong either, I'm rooting for Stidham. He threw some pretty passes out there, made some great decisions and looked like a good QB. I feel it's unfair to my expectations and the player to judge a QB off of a non-contact scrimmage. Especially after we've seen how much better our last great hope performed under the same circumstances, compared to how he started his junior year. 

 

 

 

 

Ok, I am just going to unravel the JJ myth. JJ played lights out against a mid-tier Arkansas opponent for 1 HALF. Mind you, Arkansas barely knew anything about JJ, Their whole summer was prepping for NM, who was a wizard at the QB read. Their defense was completely shocked at JJ ability to throw the ball and it showed. However, by the second quarter, they adjusted and it was tied at the half. People never talk about that. We scored three quick TDs in the first like 17 minutes of the game and then none after that. IMO, if NM wouldn't have played in the second half, we probably would have lost. Fast forward to 2015, where teams actually could prep for this kid and we see the results.    

He never in his life faced a playoff participant, nor did he ever face a rank opponent as a starter, PRE- 2015. JS did it has a true freshman. I absolutely hate the JJ - JS comparison, as it is completely not the same at freaking all. Now was he hyped? Sure. The media hyped him, we hyped him. But it was truly hype because JJ never ever was a starter against legitimate teams. Heck, he was never a starter for multiple games privy to 2015. Again, not the same as JS. Now, I can't say I have seen fans on here saying JS is going to win the Heisman. In fact, I have seen way more negative comments about him than anything close to blind Homerism on this forum. Part of it is because some of the fanbase gravitate toward the underdog story, which is why a lot of the fanbase has extreme love and loyalty for SW & Will Hastings.  True underdogs. That is totally fine. But in real life, rarely does the underdog come up on top. When it does, you will know because typically they make a movie out of it.

Now, the media is a different story, but you can't control what the media prints. The media is going to talk about things like this. Holy crap, if JS would've signed with LSU or Texas A&M that is all they would've talked about. If Lincoln Riley would have somehow been the OC for corndog nation, there would be non-stop chatter about it. Now, JS signed with us and did decently well at the A-Day. Of course, the media is going to talk about it. Everybody and their mom knew AU was a QB away.  I will just flat out say it. Top to bottom we have more talent than Clemson. Last year, with consistent QB play, we beat Clemson. It doesn't take the media to realize that. So, now we get the QB. We get the pub and people are fearful of it. WHY? The problem is, AU has severely not played up to expectations. That is an AU problem. It is not a media problem and it is not a fan problem. It is legitimately an AU problem. The 2015 team, top to bottom was a good team. The offense was horrendous and it failed us. The 2014 team was a good team. The defense in the second half was horrendous and it hurt us.  In 2016, with decent QB play, we were back to where we needed to be. 

To end my rant, you have more than enough choices. You can either accept the expectations and pressure that comes with them or you can ignore them, as well. You can do neither and just enjoy the ride, but don't come on this site (Not necessarily you) and complain about the expectations set by the media. That comes with the territory. You said something enlightening. You talked about homerism. Quite frankly, in the preseason, I would love to see more homerism around here. When the tone starts to set to reality and we actually see what other teams have that is different. I tell you what, I go to other teams websites just to see what they are thinking. You go to LSU, they are excited as hell. Heck, you go to hogville and those fans are rabid with homerism. Predicting 9 and 10 win seasons, ready to go. Now, reality will probably set in once the season starts, things will be a little different, but as of now, they are freaking excited. You can have some swagger, without being cocky. You can also have excitement in the preseason. 

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,287]

I'm not alone in my assessment. Lots of the media thinks we're being over hyped.

Link to more talking heads

[LKEEL75 2,566]

2 minutes ago, WDE_OxPx_2010 said:

I'm not alone in my assessment. Lots of the media thinks we're being over hyped.

Link to more talking heads

Wow those guys REALLY are not buying the hype.  Hopefully we can use that as motivation over the hype.

[DAG 33,955]

20 minutes ago, lkeel75 said:

Wow those guys REALLY are not buying the hype.  Hopefully we can use that as motivation over the hype.

Don't fall into this guy media trap game . Three guys from ESPN say auburn is overrated based on the FPI and then next week this same website will have an article stating 5 reasons why AU will win the SEC West. If this one fan doesn't feel we are that good then let him feel justified .

[oracle79 3,569]

5 minutes ago, DAG said:

Don't fall into this guy media trap game . Three guys from ESPN say auburn is overrated based on the FPI and then next week this same website will have an article stating 5 reasons why AU will win the SEC West. If this one fan doesn't feel we are that good then let him feel justified .

It's the Finebaum method to increase clicks, listeners, viewers, etc.  Most sports reporters are low functioning morons that are allowed to hang around athletes because you feel bad telling the (fat, slow, little, misfit, uncoordinated, etc) kid that never played sports to beat it.

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,287]

I hope to be pleasantly surprised and see us be in contention come the UGA game- there is definitely potential for an amazing season. 

Either way, I'll be in Death Valley, SC screaming my ass off in September. Because I'm a fan.

[Charhair 345]

6 hours ago, DAG said:

Ok, I am just going to unravel the JJ myth. JJ played lights out against a mid-tier Arkansas opponent for 1 HALF. Mind you, Arkansas barely knew anything about JJ, Their whole summer was prepping for NM, who was a wizard at the QB read. Their defense was completely shocked at JJ ability to throw the ball and it showed. However, by the second quarter, they adjusted and it was tied at the half. People never talk about that. We scored three quick TDs in the first like 17 minutes of the game and then none after that. IMO, if NM wouldn't have played in the second half, we probably would have lost. Fast forward to 2015, where teams actually could prep for this kid and we see the results.    

He never in his life faced a playoff participant, nor did he ever face a rank opponent as a starter, PRE- 2015. JS did it has a true freshman. I absolutely hate the JJ - JS comparison, as it is completely not the same at freaking all. Now was he hyped? Sure. The media hyped him, we hyped him. But it was truly hype because JJ never ever was a starter against legitimate teams. Heck, he was never a starter for multiple games privy to 2015. Again, not the same as JS. Now, I can't say I have seen fans on here saying JS is going to win the Heisman. In fact, I have seen way more negative comments about him than anything close to blind Homerism on this forum. Part of it is because some of the fanbase gravitate toward the underdog story, which is why a lot of the fanbase has extreme love and loyalty for SW & Will Hastings.  True underdogs. That is totally fine. But in real life, rarely does the underdog come up on top. When it does, you will know because typically they make a movie out of it.

Now, the media is a different story, but you can't control what the media prints. The media is going to talk about things like this. Holy crap, if JS would've signed with LSU or Texas A&M that is all they would've talked about. If Lincoln Riley would have somehow been the OC for corndog nation, there would be non-stop chatter about it. Now, JS signed with us and did decently well at the A-Day. Of course, the media is going to talk about it. Everybody and their mom knew AU was a QB away.  I will just flat out say it. Top to bottom we have more talent than Clemson. Last year, with consistent QB play, we beat Clemson. It doesn't take the media to realize that. So, now we get the QB. We get the pub and people are fearful of it. WHY? The problem is, AU has severely not played up to expectations. That is an AU problem. It is not a media problem and it is not a fan problem. It is legitimately an AU problem. The 2015 team, top to bottom was a good team. The offense was horrendous and it failed us. The 2014 team was a good team. The defense in the second half was horrendous and it hurt us.  In 2016, with decent QB play, we were back to where we needed to be. 

To end my rant, you have more than enough choices. You can either accept the expectations and pressure that comes with them or you can ignore them, as well. You can do neither and just enjoy the ride, but don't come on this site (Not necessarily you) and complain about the expectations set by the media. That comes with the territory. You said something enlightening. You talked about homerism. Quite frankly, in the preseason, I would love to see more homerism around here. When the tone starts to set to reality and we actually see what other teams have that is different. I tell you what, I go to other teams websites just to see what they are thinking. You go to LSU, they are excited as hell. Heck, you go to hogville and those fans are rabid with homerism. Predicting 9 and 10 win seasons, ready to go. Now, reality will probably set in once the season starts, things will be a little different, but as of now, they are freaking excited. You can have some swagger, without being cocky. You can also have excitement in the preseason. 

Stidham only started against Oklahoma (loss by 10) k-state and ok-state. Not necessarily SEC tier. And lost to the biggest opponent he's ever faced in OU. And it's not like those teams had anymore film on him than they did JJ. Add on that Stidham ended 2015 with an injury and hasn't taken a "real" snap since.

While that is more impressive than WCU/Arky/FAU (I think that's who else JJ played, can't quite remember that third game) it's not like throwing for 950/3 against some big 12 teams is enough to know that he can beat bama.

it is a media problem, I've agreed to that already. But the fans pumping themselves up with it and then being ready to clean house by the first or second loss of the season is why I think the crazy preseason expectations are ridiculous. If we played to our potential year in and year out, I'd say it is completely rational. But we've now had fans and media talking about the amount of QB talent we've had for 3 years now where it's ended up being our Achilles heal in the last two seasons. 

Im just voicing my opinion on it, just like the fans who are hyping him and our team up are doing. If you accept and enjoy the homerism than you've gotta be open to the negative nancies too. 

[WarDamnEagleWDE 12,737]

3 hours ago, WDE_OxPx_2010 said:

I'm not alone in my assessment. Lots of the media thinks we're being over hyped.

Link to more talking heads

The ESPN FPI is pretty dang accurate. Believe it or not. 

[DAG 33,955]

48 minutes ago, Charhair said:

Stidham only started against Oklahoma (loss by 10) k-state and ok-state. Not necessarily SEC tier. And lost to the biggest opponent he's ever faced in OU. And it's not like those teams had anymore film on him than they did JJ. Add on that Stidham ended 2015 with an injury and hasn't taken a "real" snap since.

While that is more impressive than WCU/Arky/FAU (I think that's who else JJ played, can't quite remember that third game) it's not like throwing for 950/3 against some big 12 teams is enough to know that he can beat bama.

it is a media problem, I've agreed to that already. But the fans pumping themselves up with it and then being ready to clean house by the first or second loss of the season is why I think the crazy preseason expectations are ridiculous. If we played to our potential year in and year out, I'd say it is completely rational. But we've now had fans and media talking about the amount of QB talent we've had for 3 years now where it's ended up being our Achilles heal in the last two seasons. 

Im just voicing my opinion on it, just like the fans who are hyping him and our team up are doing. If you accept and enjoy the homerism than you've gotta be open to the negative nancies too. 

 

 

 

Besides Alabama and Maybe LSU, OU would beat every single team in the SEC. This is SEC hype is baffling more than anything. A loss is a team thing, not a player thing. BTW, how many victories did any QBs on our roster have against any team who has made the playoffs, the last two years?

You are so caught up on this Bama tag line. There isn't a Single poster on this thread who has said we will beat Alabama this year.  In fact, the only thing this article states is Alabama take notice: we are a CONTENDER. It doesn't say anywhere in that article that we are beating Alabama. I believe he gives us a much better chance than anyone else on the roster. I am not foolish to say he will go into Tuscalooser and definitely lead our team to victory 

But here is my issue. It isn't about the negative comments. People going to bitch anyway. My issue is the constant amount of people who come on threads geared toward promoting JS and the offense and throw out silly and slighted comments. For instance, if someone were to create a thread titled "pump your brake on the JS hype." I am not going to go on that thread and ask the freaking moderators to delete it. That is silly. Another thing is the slight comments such as "well he played in the Big 12." , like that takes away that he was successful as a true freshman and has the look of a starting SEC QB. Comments like that are just hating comments. Just my opinion.

BTW, seeing as he played lights out against Kansas State in his very first game, I am pretty sure Oklahoma State and OU had that game film on him. Kansas state? No.

 

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

Any other year i'd have the wait and see mentality about having strong opinions of our team. Not this year! It's time to put up or shut up! We have far too much talent not to be a contender this year. All the excuses are over. We have our starter in JS and a viable backup QB in SW to lead us to the playoffs. The defense isn't going to have much drop off and even though we play in the toughest conference and SEC division in CFB it should certainly come down to the winner of the Iron Bowl goes to Atlanta.

We've recruited far too much talent at this point not to have the mentality of being a championship contender if managed right. Of course players will have to execute but a lot of the upcoming season is on Gus. He's got all he needs and now it's time to get it done!

I'm fully convinced this is a playoff team as long as: 1. Gus let's Chip do what he needs to do with the offense and isn't calling ANY of the plays. I'm not naive in understanding Gus will still be involved in the offense. However, Cox better not have a passing attempt all year! 2. Players stay focused and don't get into any trouble throughout the season. This team should most certainly have at least 10 wins when it's all said and done.