Fire him now. Start the search. (updated with mea culpa)

[weagl1 1,782]

I guess since I said if Titan is off the bus I'm off too then I'm now back on.   I still think the LSU loss was the dumbest in Auburn football history but it gave this team and the coaching staff a sense of urgency that has carried them through the rest of the season.  

[McLoofus 35,182]

We are obviously fortunate that Gus is still here but anyone who was massively pissed off after all the bad losses the last few years- with LSU being the worst of them all- was completely justified in being so. People in his position deserve to be criticized harshly for failing miserably at their jobs, which he has done several times in the last couple years. We are all moving forward together but I'm not really going to get wrapped up in big apologies. Also, our players and assistant coaches deserve just as much credit for staying on mission as Gus does for getting his head out of his butt.

[johnnyAU 3,630]

Several of the issues the fans were upset about...namely the lack of using the middle of the field in the passing game, short routes when facing blitzes, less reliance on running up the middle on 1st down and a more aggressive, less predictable offensive game plan have been addressed. All have been a pleasant boost the last several games.

Now, can we take a look at our special teams kick coverage now? 

[PoetTiger 1,896]

8 hours ago, lionheartkc said:

I was the quiet one in the back.

me too ...enjoying the ride and knowing our destination was still in front of us. 

[AU64 10,122]

21 minutes ago, weagl1 said:

I guess since I said if Titan is off the bus I'm off too then I'm now back on.   I still think the LSU loss was the dumbest in Auburn football history but it gave this team and the coaching staff a sense of urgency that has carried them through the rest of the season.  

You have apparently not lived long enough to see all the dumb losses I have seen going back to Shug.  Every AU coach has a few if them...maybe more than a few.   Also have to give Gus credit for some of the most improbable wins in AU history....he keeps it interesting. ?

[Auctoritas 2,828]

9 hours ago, AU64 said:

Was it me and Mikey the last ones on the bus?...and 100% in agreement that any school out shopping for a new coach right now is in trouble.

Nah, there were a few of us left. I don't begrudge any else for figuring the LSU game was their stop, but we kept the seats warm for them. 

[AU64 10,122]

28 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

We are obviously fortunate that Gus is still here but anyone who was massively pissed off after all the bad losses the last few years- with LSU being the worst of them all- was completely justified in being so. People in his position deserve to be criticized harshly for failing miserably at their jobs, which he has done several times in the last couple years. We are all moving forward together but I'm not really going to get wrapped up in big apologies. Also, our players and assistant coaches deserve just as much credit for staying on mission as Gus does for getting his head out of his butt.

If I interpret your comment correctly no coach in Power 5....or elsewhere is successful.  I mean did AU really beat the dawgs and tide or did their coaches make some crucial mistakes resulting in their losses to AU ?

If criticism is your thing you can have a field day doing that for both sides of most game...especially close ones. Guess I accept the fallibility of mankind...though I am not happy about some of it.

[McLoofus 35,182]

2 minutes ago, AU64 said:

If I interpret your comment correctly no coach in Power 5....or elsewhere is successful.  I mean did AU really beat the dawgs and tide or did their coaches make some crucial mistakes resulting in their losses to AU ?

If criticism is your thing you can have a field day doing that for both sides of most game...especially close ones. Guess I accept the fallibility of mankind...though I am not happy about some of it.

Huh? We lost two games. Whether or not we could have beaten Clemson with better coaching is up for debate, I guess, but whether or not we should have gained far more than 116 yards of total offense is not. And there is absolutely no question that we lost to LSU because Gus did a terrible job that day. And he did a terrible job more than once in preceding seasons, and his recent successes don't change that. 

[auburntiger1987 759]

Crow tastes great today. I officially apologize for my ignorance

[ArgoEagle 1,775]

5 minutes ago, auburntiger1987 said:

Crow tastes great today. I officially apologize for my ignorance

I don't think any of us should apologize. It took almost losing his job and all this negative criticism coming from the fan base, the boosters, the tv analysts and anybody else who said if he don't learn his lesson now (after the LSU debacle), he is going to lose his job for sure. It took all of that for him to realize he needed to make some changes himself with the decisions he made, actually turning the offensive play calling completely over to CL, and just basically staying out of his own way to save his job at AU. Without that, he would be on the chopping block today. Hats off to Gus for finally seeing the light and moving forward at AU!

P.S. The only play you could tell Gus def. called in the IB Saturday was the 2 point conversion clown show. Once he called time out, I knew that play was doomed!

[alexava 6,973]

8 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Huh? We lost two games. Whether or not we could have beaten Clemson with better coaching is up for debate, I guess, but whether or not we should have gained far more than 116 yards of total offense is not. And there is absolutely no question that we lost to LSU because Gus did a terrible job that day. And he did a terrible job more than once in preceding seasons, and his recent successes don't change that. 

I disagree with most of this. His last two seasons had more to do with injuries and personnel. The clempson game was a strategy that was to give yourself a chance to win an ugly game vs try to run an offense you are not ready to execute and let it get out of hand. Lsu there is no excuse. I was not going to defend him because I was in the maybe 10% who didn’t want him fired. However you slice it, the offensive numbers since he has been our oc and or hc have been better than any other time in our history. 2 sec West titles in 5 years is pretty damn good for anyone. My main argument in favor of Gus is that there is not another Saban out there just waiting to coach at Auburn. Gus is holding his own in a tough league. 

[AU64 10,122]

24 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

 Huh? We lost two games. Whether or not we could have beaten Clemson with better coaching is up for debate, I guess, but whether or not we should have gained far more than 116 yards of total offense is not. And there is absolutely no question that we lost to LSU because Gus did a terrible job that day. And he did a terrible job more than once in preceding seasons, and his recent successes don't change that. 

No disputing that...just wondering where that coach is that does not outsmart him self or make bad strategic decisions during any football season?    And whether all in all, is Gus among the better coaches in Div 1 and if not, who is likely to be better. 

I watch lots of college football and I expect you do too....if not, then you miss dozens of head shaking situations and even lost games every weekend by coaches who one would think should know better.  BUT.... I'm afraid that's the human condition and ditching a pretty good coach in hopes that we might do better is not how I see things anyway.  Granted if a coach makes too many of them, he's gonna lose his job.

Take TAMU for example.....I'm thinking they are making a big mistake getting rid of Sumlin instead of Chavis....but the deal is done and it will be interesting to see what results....will they be the next Tennessee or ??? 

[Mikey 16,578]

12 minutes ago, alexava said:

I disagree with most of this. His last two seasons had more to do with injuries and personnel. The clempson game was a strategy that was to give yourself a chance to win an ugly game vs try to run an offense you are not ready to execute and let it get out of hand. Lsu there is no excuse. I was not going to defend him because I was in the maybe 10% who didn’t want him fired. However you slice it, the offensive numbers since he has been our oc and or hc have been better than any other time in our history. 2 sec West titles in 5 years is pretty damn good for anyone. My main argument in favor of Gus is that there is not another Saban out there just waiting to coach at Auburn. Gus is holding his own in a tough league. 

Well said!

[WDE0007 166]

I do admit I was an active member of the "fire Gus" club, and I will admit I'm not in that club anymore. But I do think it was justified for me to feel that way after the LSU debacle. But looking back at it, the LSU loss was a blessing in disguise, because it was the wake up call the team and coaches needed.

[McLoofus 35,182]

17 minutes ago, alexava said:

I disagree with most of this. His last two seasons had more to do with injuries and personnel. The clempson game was a strategy that was to give yourself a chance to win an ugly game vs try to run an offense you are not ready to execute and let it get out of hand. Lsu there is no excuse. I was not going to defend him because I was in the maybe 10% who didn’t want him fired. However you slice it, the offensive numbers since he has been our oc and or hc have been better than any other time in our history. 2 sec West titles in 5 years is pretty damn good for anyone. My main argument in favor of Gus is that there is not another Saban out there just waiting to coach at Auburn. Gus is holding his own in a tough league. 

Gus is also responsible for some historically bad offensive performances, including the Clemson game each of the last two seasons. And calling it "a strategy" almost makes it worse. Even murderers claim temporary insanity because that doesn't look as bad as premeditation. 116 total yards of offense. That is abject failure by your head coach. By the way, he can't pin last year's Clemson game on injuries, either. That clown show was also 100% on him. 

Look, I already said it's good that he stayed. That much is obvious. All I'm saying is that I'm not apologizing for prior criticisms just because he took a long time to figure some things out.

By the way, I and several others who have harshly criticized him for his failures have also loudly and consistently praised him for his successes. It's not a "hate" or "agenda" thing as his apologists tend to suggest.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Just now, WDE0007 said:

I do admit I was an active member of the "fire Gus" club, and I will admit I'm not in that club anymore. But I do think it was justified for me to feel that way after the LSU debacle. But looking back at it, the LSU loss was a blessing in disguise, because it was the wake up call the team and coaches needed.

True, but that should have been last year's Clemson game. Oh well. Moving on.

[McLoofus 35,182]

15 minutes ago, AU64 said:

No disputing that...just wondering where that coach is that does not outsmart him self or make bad strategic decisions during any football season?    And whether all in all, is Gus among the better coaches in Div 1 and if not, who is likely to be better. 

I watch lots of college football and I expect you do too....if not, then you miss dozens of head shaking situations and even lost games every weekend by coaches who one would think should know better.  BUT.... I'm afraid that's the human condition and ditching a pretty good coach in hopes that we might do better is not how I see things anyway.  Granted if a coach makes too many of them, he's gonna lose his job.

Take TAMU for example.....I'm thinking they are making a big mistake getting rid of Sumlin instead of Chavis....but the deal is done and it will be interesting to see what results....will they be the next Tennessee or ??? 

Yes. Watch a dozen games and you'll see a dozen head scratching decisions. Watch one game and see a dozen head scratching decisions from one sideline, and usually you're watching a coaching change in progress.

As for the "who else is out there" defense, I certainly hope that's never the best endorsement for my continued employment.

By the way, I'm not arguing for Gus's termination, then or now. I'm just arguing.

[auskull 239]

1 hour ago, ArgoEagle said:

I don't think any of us should apologize. It took almost losing his job and all this negative criticism coming from the fan base, the boosters, the tv analysts and anybody else who said if he don't learn his lesson now (after the LSU debacle), he is going to lose his job for sure. It took all of that for him to realize he needed to make some changes himself with the decisions he made, actually turning the offensive play calling completely over to CL, and just basically staying out of his own way to save his job at AU. Without that, he would be on the chopping block today. Hats off to Gus for finally seeing the light and moving forward at AU!

P.S. The only play you could tell Gus def. called in the IB Saturday was the 2 point conversion clown show. Once he called time out, I knew that play was doomed!

Nothing we have seen the past 3 years has prepared us for what we have seen in the last 5 games. I don't think anyone could have seen this coming after the LSU game. And yes, that lose does add an element of suspense that shouldn't be there. Going forward, who would not want to continue winning 10+ games as the new normal. I still say after 5 years this is what we should be expecting. Remember we live in the State where the best program in football resides. Playing second fiddle is not pleasant. Competing and winning routinely is. Hats of to Gus and the entire coaching staff. This is what we all deserve and expect.

[JBiGGiE 2,488]

I was certainly one who lost confidence in Gus and thought he was doomed to blow the games against our rivals. I am happy to have been proven wrong and given that we are on our way to being only the second two-loss National Champs since the start of the BCS, I'm willing to forgive the boneheaded loss to LSU

[jtauburntiger 119]

1 hour ago, ArgoEagle said:

I don't think any of us should apologize. It took almost losing his job and all this negative criticism coming from the fan base, the boosters, the tv analysts and anybody else who said if he don't learn his lesson now (after the LSU debacle), he is going to lose his job for sure. It took all of that for him to realize he needed to make some changes himself with the decisions he made, actually turning the offensive play calling completely over to CL, and just basically staying out of his own way to save his job at AU. Without that, he would be on the chopping block today. Hats off to Gus for finally seeing the light and moving forward at AU!

P.S. The only play you could tell Gus def. called in the IB Saturday was the 2 point conversion clown show. Once he called time out, I knew that play was doomed!

This makes me crazy about our fan base.  If there is a good play call -  Gus turned it over to the OC (even the last 4 years when we had a sub-par OC - we gave him credit for good games but blamed Gus when things went bad).  we hear it so much from people that have no source of truth / evidence -  that I think people just accept this garbage as fact.   The reality is that OC's make bad play calls.  The reality is that Gus has the ability to make good play calls - that is how he got this job.  Do i think that Gus sets expectations during the week for what the O should look like and plays that he wants to see incorporated - while working with his OC (YES... this is what good Head Coaches do, at least the offensive minded ones).  But do I think that every week CL stands on the sideline waiting for Gus to cut in and force a play down his throat - NO... CL would not be at Auburn if that is what was going on.   The reality is that our HC and our OC have both said that the OC calls the plays - so why on earth do we spout this EVERY TIME we don't like a play call, that Gus called that one play, or that quarter of the game, or whatever.   No OC worth anything would come work for a HC that does that crap - as we went out and got one of the hottest OCs in the nation.  He did not come here to fill a void and let Gus call plays when he feels like it.  We as a fan base need to accept (unless you have proof) that Lindsey is calling the plays and PLEASE stop this  

If you have proof that Gus takes play calling away from Lindsey - please explain your proof.  But the fact that you don't like a play call and you don't like Gus - does not equal proof.  True ... true... and unrelated!

 

end rant, War Eagle - 3 more to go... 

[auskull 239]

2 minutes ago, jtauburntiger said:

This makes me crazy about our fan base.  If there is a good play call -  Gus turned it over to the OC (even the last 4 years when we had a sub-par OC - we gave him credit for good games but blamed Gus when things went bad).  we hear it so much from people that have no source of truth / evidence -  that I think people just accept this garbage as fact.   The reality is that OC's make bad play calls.  The reality is that Gus has the ability to make good play calls - that is how he got this job.  Do i think that Gus sets expectations during the week for what the O should look like and plays that he wants to see incorporated - while working with his OC (YES... this is what good Head Coaches do, at least the offensive minded ones).  But do I think that every week CL stands on the sideline waiting for Gus to cut in and force a play down his throat - NO... CL would not be at Auburn if that is what was going on.   The reality is that our HC and our OC have both said that the OC calls the plays - so why on earth do we spout this EVERY TIME we don't like a play call, that Gus called that one play, or that quarter of the game, or whatever.   No OC worth anything would come work for a HC that does that crap - as we went out and got one of the hottest OCs in the nation.  He did not come here to fill a void and let Gus call plays when he feels like it.  We as a fan base need to accept (unless you have proof) that Lindsey is calling the plays and PLEASE stop this  

If you have proof that Gus takes play calling away from Lindsey - please explain your proof.  But the fact that you don't like a play call and you don't like Gus - does not equal proof.  True ... true... and unrelated!

 

end rant, War Eagle - 3 more to go... 

There probably have been some growing pains also. I don't think it is either one way or the other. I suspect Gus is involved at times and intervenes when his instincts dictate. I do think he has gained more confidence in Lindsey as the season went on. The Mercer game, from the rumors, may have been a turning point. Gus is still the head coach and previously called plays. This has been a season of change for him. The LSU game may have been a jolt to his confidence, as it was to mine. Something definitely is more in sync since that game. Gus may have graduated from OC to HC. It certainly is time. As to your point though, I don't think the transition was immediate regradless of what was said.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

1 hour ago, WDE0007 said:

I do admit I was an active member of the "fire Gus" club, and I will admit I'm not in that club anymore. But I do think it was justified for me to feel that way after the LSU debacle. But looking back at it, the LSU loss was a blessing in disguise, because it was the wake up call the team and coaches needed.

The funny thing is that I think it was a different wake-up call than many people here think it was. I think it was a wake-up call to Gus and company that the D wasn't quite as invincible as they thought it was. I think it was also a wake-up call to the conference that Guice was back (had he been healthy a week earlier, I think we would have had a different defensive game plan).  Many people, however, think Gus suddenly had an epiphany that he needed to change his evil ways or he would lose his job. To me, that's a prime example of people developing a narrative to support their existing beliefs.  

[casatiger 513]

If Auburn beats Georgia Saturday this is what the Sec championship list will look like over the last 10 years when coaching against perhaps(arguably) the greatest coach in college football history.   Say what you will about 2010 but Cam and Gus had a lot to do with that.  Not sure what more we can ask.  RESULTS!   If we lose this Saturday I still like the results. 

 

Alabama 5 championships 

Auburn.  3 championships

LSU.         1 championship 

Florida.   1 championship 

[jtauburntiger 119]

4 minutes ago, lionheartkc said:

The funny thing is that I think it was a different wake-up call than many people here think it was. I think it was a wake-up call to Gus and company that the D wasn't quite as invincible as they thought it was. I think it was also a wake-up call to the conference that Guice was back (had he been healthy a week earlier, I think we would have had a different defensive game plan).  Many people, however, think Gus suddenly had an epiphany that he needed to change his evil ways or he would lose his job. To me, that's a prime example of people developing a narrative to support their existing beliefs.  

amen, 

it is the editorialization of team and coaching events by our fan base to  fit their preconceived notions, wishes or agenda that makes me crazy.  That turns forum this into a gossip session at the knitting circle and not a place to have reasonable discussions.  I understand discussions on topics that we don't have all of the information.  But spouting theories that support your opinion like they are facts just discredits the intelligence of us all. 

[I_M4_AU 7,801]

10 minutes ago, lionheartkc said:

The funny thing is that I think it was a different wake-up call than many people here think it was. I think it was a wake-up call to Gus and company that the D wasn't quite as invincible as they thought it was. I think it was also a wake-up call to the conference that Guice was back (had he been healthy a week earlier, I think we would have had a different defensive game plan).  Many people, however, think Gus suddenly had an epiphany that he needed to change his evil ways or he would lose his job. To me, that's a prime example of people developing a narrative to support their existing beliefs.  

Ah, isn’t believing the D wasn’t quite as invincible as they thought actually developing a narrative to support your exiting beliefs?