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What happened Saturday? Persepctive (LSU)


StatTiger

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Four offensive possessions into the LSU game, Auburn was up 20-0 with 232-yards in the book. Where did it go south?

  • On the opening possession Auburn attempted passes on their first two 1st down plays of the game. From that point, Auburn would try only three more first down passes the remainder of the game.
     
  • By possession four, Auburn attempted a first down pass to begin the possession. From that point, Auburn would call 17 consecutive run plays, which did not stop until after LSU took their initial lead of the game.
     
  • With the threat of a passing game, Auburn averaged 5.2 yards per rush during the first-half. During the second-half, Auburn averaged 3.4 yards per rush, when it was more than obvious Auburn intended to run on every first down snap. Gus Malzahn admitted during his postgame press conference, LSU was rolling up a safety to stop the run during the second-half, yet allowed the continuation of all runs on first down. What happened to the philosophy of taking what the opponent gives you? 
     
  • Gus Malzahn said it himself during his post-game press conference. "We couldn’t hang on, and the punt return really broke our back,” he said of D.J. Chark’s 75-yard touchdown play in the fourth quarter. “We were in pretty good shape up until that point.” After building a 20-0 lead, Malzahn was content with watching the lead evaporate to 23-14 at halftime.
     
  • Making a change at quarterback is not the answer. The problem isn't the quarterback or whether or not the starter is a pocket passer or a dual-threat quarterback. The problem is the play-calling and the use of personnel.
     
  • Coming into the LSU game, Auburn had averaged 142.2 yards passing on first down during their previous four games. This included an average of 17.8 yards per attempt on first down and 19.6 yards per attempt. Not only was Auburn throwing more on first down, but they were also throwing vertically and having great success. This all changed against LSU when Auburn attempted five passes on first down for 10-yards.
     
  • Auburn threw the ball deep against LSU, more so than any other game this season. The problem was the majority of the deep throws came on third down when LSU was expecting the pass. During the previous four games, Auburn was throwing deep on early downs when the defense was anticipating the run.
     
  • After the Mississippi State game, I was concerned about the lack of the intermediate passing game and the trend of throwing short and deep becoming Auburn's signature in passing. This fear subsided when Auburn attempted six intermediate passes against Ole Miss, completing five for a total of 103-yards.
     
  • What we witnessed in the passing game against LSU was nowhere close to what Auburn had accomplished during the proceeding four games. It appeared Gus Malzahn was content with the 17-0 lead and would rely heavily on the running game on early downs, sprinkled in with a few deep shots downfield on obvious passing downs.
     
  • Jarrett Stidham started off on what looked to be a career out, completing 6 of 8 passes for 146-yards and 1 TD. Once the offense went into a shell, Stidham completed only 3 of his next 18 passes for 19-yards.
     
  • During this conservative mode, Auburn basically conceded two possessions by allowing Kamryn Pettway to play, which included a sweep, where he was tackled for a loss. An injured Pettway gained 7-yards on four carries. The failure to play Kam Martin or Devan Barrett in the running game was another tactical mistake.
     
  • Another personnel decision was the lack of attention given to Nate Craig-Myers with Kyle Davis out of the lineup. Not one pass was directed towards NCM. During the four games leading into the LSU game, NCM was the second most targeted WR with 13 balls thrown his way. Eli Stove was No. 3 with 11 balls thrown his way, followed by Will Hastings being targeted ten times. Ryan Davis was the leader of the group with 24 passes thrown his way. By the end of the LSU game, Darius Slayton was the most targeted receiver against LSU, followed by Hastings. Sal Cannella was the third most targeted receiver against LSU. What happened to Ryan Davis and Nate Craig-Myers?
     
  • Putting Malik Willis in just to run the read-option would not solve the problems needed to be addressed. In fact, the pass-offense under Willis would be even more conservative under Gus Malzahn. We have seen this in the past when Malzahn is starting an inexperienced quarterback.
     
  • What happened Saturday in Baton-Rouge was mind-boggling, to say the least. Auburn's offensive staff elected to go away from what had been so successful during the four previous games. Compounding the problem was that Auburn had enormous success during the first quarter of the LSU game. It wasn't like the offense laid an egg from the opening kickoff. The Auburn offense had LSU on the brink of quitting, but the coaches decided to coast after building a 17-0 lead. It was a decision that cost Auburn the victory and could be even more detrimental down the road for those involved.
     

War Eagle!

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now I'm mad all over again

Auburn deserves answers to these facts why nothing was done.

Coast to win, what coach besides Gus does this. He thought the game was over at halftime.

How can he look these players in the eye and honestly feel like he is coaching them to win.

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I just can't understand what Malzahn is thinking over the course of a game.  He's been around long enough to know that you can never have enough points.   Totally abandoning everything that was clearly working is just inexcusable.   It's becoming clear we just don't have a head coach that wants to put teams away when we have a chance.   The 4th and less than 1 from midfield is a prime example.  We need a head coach that doesn't worry about people's feelings or whatever other reason he has for shutting the offense down.  We need one that will go for the throat when its presented.   It was presented last night in spades and we went into a shell.   Unbelievable and Inexcusable.

Most coaches go into the profession to WIN games.  Clearly Malzahn doesn't.  His approach just boggles the mind to any rational fan out there.  

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I was CGM supporter up until the second half of the LSU game. I'm done with the shananagans. We have way too much talent on this team. These kids who believed in him enough to commit to Auburn and this is the reward they get?! These kids, the former pkayers, the assistant coaches, alum and the fans deserve much better than this. 

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That Avatar needs to be changed. LOL  I am not loving this at all. Something enjoyable has been rendered almost intolerable by this nutcase. I have never liked Malzahn. He did dumb things under Chizik. Cam and Nick are his saviors. People are laughing at this incompetence. Every game, the announcers say stuff about it.

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33 minutes ago, tbone4jc said:

I was CGM supporter up until the second half of the LSU game. I'm done with the shananagans. We have way too much talent on this team. These kids who believed in him enough to commit to Auburn and this is the reward they get?! These kids, the former pkayers, the assistant coaches, alum and the fans deserve much better than this. 

Damn, dude, I’m impressed with your resilience and tenacity if nothing else, lol. Truly one of the last off of the flaming bus

572BD848-8FCC-439D-8341-926BF8A80506.jpeg

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54 minutes ago, TigerOne said:

now I'm mad all over again

Auburn deserves answers to these facts why nothing was done.

Coast to win, what coach besides Gus does this. He thought the game was over at halftime.

How can he look these players in the eye and honestly feel like he is coaching them to win.

I'm with ya.  Was hoping sleeping on it would somehow fix it but I woke up with more questions to day than I had yesterday. 

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the death knoll for me was when it was like 3rd and 4 and we essentially drew up a double bubble screens that featured Chandler Cox and someone else as the recipients. Of course it was clogged up and Stidham was forced to run it up the middle and was stopped. Either that play was a fake screen and a QB draw for JARRETT STIDHAM or it was a screen play with the one read being Chandler Cox and if that wasn't there...its still basically a QB draw

 

Gus is just horrible 

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What I don't get is how we, as the untrained observers, can see all these glaring issues and the stupidity of some of the coaching decisions, but he (CGM), as the "professional" can't.

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So is it clear now that the Gus system replaces the intermediate passing game with the QB scrambling for those intermediate number of yards? If the bomb isn't there the QB doesn't have many options, he's pretty much gotta tuck it and run.

If you have a Nick Marshall or a Cam Newton who can turn 3rd and 8s into 1st downs on the ground, great. If not...well we've been looking at it.

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19 hours ago, musicitytiger said:

Chip Kelly or bust

Heyul naw!  Another arrogant ^%%$^% who only knows his system and that is it.  We need a football coach.  We don't need a system coach or a HUNH coach.  We need a coach that knows how to take the players he has and go play football while scheming and gameplanning around their strengths.  We do not need another this is all I know so this is what we are doing coach that does not even understand a route tree.

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22 hours ago, TigerOne said:

now I'm mad all over again

Auburn deserves answers to these facts why nothing was done.

Coast to win, what coach besides Gus does this. He thought the game was over at halftime.

How can he look these players in the eye and honestly feel like he is coaching them to win.

Ralph Hensley East Bank High School, East Bank WV. Coach use to say,"3 scores boys, 3 scores and we can't be beat." We would score 3 touchdowns and tighten up like a turtle in a rain storm. 3 yards and a cloud of dust. Hate the mentality, and was benched because of my attitude many times. This philosophy works with 15-18 year olds, but not in the SEC. I prefer the Steve Spurrier, " if you don't like us running up the score, play better defense." 

Edited by DVSWDE
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On 10/15/2017 at 3:19 PM, StatTiger said:

Putting Malik Willis in just to run the read-option would not solve the problems needed to be addressed. In fact, the pass-offense under Willis would be even more conservative under Gus Malzahn. We have seen this in the past when Malzahn is starting an inexperienced quarterback.

Thanks for your work Stat.  Top notch, as always.  I'm not advocating a QB change, but I do wish we would come up with a package for Willis.  Especially in the red zone.  While I agree it wouldn't solve our other problems, it would give defenses something to think about, and would basically be a wildcat with a true RPO.  Plus it would give him some vital game experience.   If the offense doesn't score 6, we can always do what we're doing now.  Kick a FG.  I will finish by saying this.  I really look forward to seeing the black smoke curling up around the tail-lights on the Gus Bus as it goes over the hill and totally out of Auburn.  In the words of the old Roy Clark song "Thank God and Greyhound, Your're Gone".  It won't be too soon.

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Actually a change at qb might be the answer. Of course JS is an awesome qb that in the right system may win a Heisman. However, when we force run the ball 3/4 of every game, we should probably have a running qb to atleast freeze the D a little. Man just saying that makes me wanna face palm my own post. We need a new coach yesterday

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I am beginning to lend some credence to Gus having a plan to leave, stick it to the man on the way out then cash a big buyout check. How else can you explain what is happening? No coach is this clueless right?

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How on God's green earth can a D1 level HC think "going conservative" in the 2nd quarter  is an effective strategy? Malzahn's thinking defies all logic.

Edited by tigereye78
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13 hours ago, tigereye78 said:

How on God's green earth can a D1 level HC think "going conservative" in the 2nd quarter  is an effective strategy? Malzahn's thinking defies all logic.

That's just it, he doesn't coach like a D1 coach; more like a H.S coach. :dunno:

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You know, I would not be surprised if Ole Miss wins this weekend with Lsu. Seriously guys.  Lsu will lose to the turds, TAMU, Ole Miss with their other SEC win Arky. A 7-5 record will keep their village idiot around for another season. Coach O is an idiot no doubt and should have 3 more loses on his watch.

We will go 7-5 or 6-6 no doubt. If we go 8-4 and beat TAMU and lose to Uga & bammer, who knows with Gus.  I hope we win out as should any Auburn fan.  If Gus pulls that off, then yes he deserves another season.  I do think 8-4 is on the fence and 7-5 or 6-6 will send him on his way into the announcer booth or the HC at Arkansas. Butthead is gone after this season and that is pretty much a given.  We need to promote "Send Gus to the Porkers for 2018" They would hire him in a flash IMHO.

 

There are some good coaches out there that would come with the right $$$$$$.

1. PJ Fleck ($5 million gets him)

2. Mark Richt ($5 million gets him plus he would love to get back to the SEC and do an number on the mutts)

3. Gundy OSU

4. Jeff Brohm (Purdue great offensive mind )

5. Les Miles (who knows he might come but worry about his conservative tendencies)

6. Dino Babers (Syracuse great offensive mind and put it to Clemson)

7. Peterson (Washington enough $$$$$ would work)

8. Brent Venables (Could be a great HC given the chance)

9. Dan Mullen (could be a great hire and with the caliber of talent at Auburn vs MSU could be huge )

10. ???????? leave this one open

Edited by doc4aday
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