Staggering the uat, Georgia games

[lionheartkc 6,150]

2 hours ago, keesler said:

I wonder if there is some notion or a train of thought within the staff where they feel like they have to boost up certain players stats in order to recruit well and draw attention to that specific position group? 

I really have no idea here, just throwing darts.

I've just never been able to understand running the wheels off a RB against the cupcakes on the schedule vs spreading the wealth and building up the backups at every possible opportunity.  Then if and when the workhorse gets nicked up or suffers fatigue at the end of the season the backups are ready for their shot on the track.  

I think I have a good understanding of WHY it happens... I'm just not sure why they don't fix it or why they are having so much trouble fixing it. Horton gave us a huge clue in his interview where he talked about the importance of our running backs protecting our QB and the fact that, in many of our games, we are under the gun through most of the game, not allowing us to play anyone but the best option to get the job done.

What that tells me is that our back-ups aren't showing, in practice, that they are up to one or more tasks.

That, of course, begs the question of why they aren't getting the where they need to be and what can be changed to make sure they are. I mean, all of our backs got plenty of work in trash time during the games last year, but none of them apparently stepped up and showed that they were ready to carry the load, at least in the coach's eyes. Is it because we spend too much practice time focused on our first team? Is it because the kids aren't buying into our offense and it's focus on protection? Is it because our #1s are so good that they make our #3s and #4s look insufficient (you know, since #2 spent the bulk of the season injured or in trouble)? Part of me thinks, last year, Kerryon got so much focus because he was the one back who could make up for deficiencies in the line. 

I know some people think the answer is to throw them into the deep end and make them swim, but I guarantee you that if they did, and the results weren't positive, many of those same people would be upset about that. I'm of the old-school camp where you earn play time in practice. What that tells me is that we need to get better and preparing them in practice, whether it's instilling more drive to be the best, instilling more focus on precision, or just finding a way to rep them more.

[McLoofus 35,182]

10 minutes ago, Tiger said:

I hope you're right about the learning a lesson after being burned twice. I also hope his huge extension didn't lessen the gravity of learning this lesson. There's only one way to find out though. Hopefully we lean a little more on Stidham's arms and the WR talent we have been stacking up to where we don't have to worry about trotting a ghost of our RB out there

My dime store psychoanalysis suggests to me that Gus has a direct pressure-to-pucker relationship. To frame it in a glass half full way, I believe that his coaching improves as he relaxes. 

As for that ghost of an RB, that's where not having an obvious bell cow RB might actually be a positive for us. KJ was the chosen one from the jump. Gus and Horton were comparing him to Darren McFadden in their recruiting breakdowns in 2015. Without looking, I'd venture a guess that he got more touches as a true freshman than any guy we have returning did last year- and taking them away from Peyton Barber, Jovon Robinson and Roc Thomas. Imagine how far he'd separated himself from the pack by his junior year. I don't see another guy pulling that off this season. And, to give KJ his due, he was a 2nd round draft pick. He truly was head and shoulders above most backs in the country, much less on his own roster. We don't have a complete back like that who can do everything better than anyone else can, and Horton has at least publicly addressed the distribution of carries, so I think we'll see something different. 

But this is Auburn so LOL suck it, logic. 

[corchjay 5,311]

I actually like the home -home away - away we currently have.  

Just make sure you do a home big OOC game the year both are away to keep from having an uninteresting schedule. 

If the last 30-40 years tells us anything we are more then likely gonna be around 50 percent wins against the Dogs and the Tide so having both at home during a season sets that season up to be championship material type.  I’ll take a 9-3 record on the away years for an 11-1 the home years.  We are clearly starting to cement ourselves in the Top 3 in the conference in recruiting.  We are passing LSU and UGA appears to be passing us which we are/were very very close.  Probably goes bama, UGA, AU, LSU, UF, aTm, Utk/USce right now with 2-4 very close 

[LKEEL75 2,566]

Personally I either want them to stagger the rivalry, move UGa to earlier in season or drop them.  I know it is huge rivalry and all but so what.  Play some new people.  Mix in UT, Vandy, Missooo, whomever.  Bottom line is that playing UGa and UA on the rd within 14 days of each other is a monster of a disadvantage.  I get that the scheduling is complicated.  I have tried to work with scheduling for little league baseball and that was hard enough for me.  But it is not impossible to figure something out.

[McLoofus 35,182]

21 minutes ago, corchjay said:

I’ll take a 9-3 record on the away years for an 11-1 the home years.  

This is in line with something I was attempting to say. It benefits us as much as it hurts us.

19 minutes ago, LKEEL75 said:

Personally I either want them to stagger the rivalry, move UGa to earlier in season or drop them.  I know it is huge rivalry and all but so what.

It's not fun anymore. And not just because we've mostly lost lately. A lot of people have actually said the same thing about the IB in the conference restructuring discussions. 

[Tiger 8,818]

25 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

My dime store psychoanalysis suggests to me that Gus has a direct pressure-to-pucker relationship. To frame it in a glass half full way, I believe that his coaching improves as he relaxes. 

As for that ghost of an RB, that's where not having an obvious bell cow RB might actually be a positive for us. KJ was the chosen one from the jump. Gus and Horton were comparing him to Darren McFadden in their recruiting breakdowns in 2015. Without looking, I'd venture a guess that he got more touches as a true freshman than any guy we have returning did last year- and taking them away from Peyton Barber, Jovon Robinson and Roc Thomas. Imagine how far he'd separated himself from the pack by his junior year. I don't see another guy pulling that off this season. And, to give KJ his due, he was a 2nd round draft pick. He truly was head and shoulders above most backs in the country, much less on his own roster. We don't have a complete back like that who can do everything better than anyone else can, and Horton has at least publicly addressed the distribution of carries, so I think we'll see something different. 

But this is Auburn so LOL suck it, logic. 

I hope you're right in that allowing him to relax will not cloud his judgement. It makes sense really, but the pessimist in me feels he may see this as an opportunity to double down on the stubborn runs up the gut, etc. And to your point,  logic and AU don't mix so I'm not sure what to think of what will happen haha.

Agree on KJ's special talent but he could've been given a breather here and there, as I know we agree on that as we've been internet screaming it for months. And Gus has to know it now too after the season going off the rails after 2 years in a row of RB1 getting hurt. Good point about really spreading the wealth this year due to a more balanced RB stable. I wouldn't be mad at not having a 1000 yard rusher but a handful of 300-600 yard rushers. Sure our string of X number of years in a row with a 1k rusher would end, but we'd still average one 1k yard rusher per season over that time period as Cam and Dyer both had 1000+ in 2010. Not that this stat should ever take precedent over trying to win more games or eat into the development of other players...but I somehow wandered here lol.

[corchjay 5,311]

Just now, McLoofus said:

This is in line with something I was attempting to say. It benefits us as much as it hurts us.

It's not fun anymore. And not just because we've mostly lost lately. A lot of people have actually said the same thing about the IB in the conference restructuring discussions. 

I Agree moving UGA up.  We both have bigger rivals just a couple weeks later.  Maybe play UGA second or third game of the season and move some of the West games later.  

I’m with you completely I don’t care if we ever play Bammer or UGA.  However I love the big games and the intensity it brings but when it’s to serious it’s a problem and the AU/bammer game is toxic.

[steeleagle 2,945]

1 hour ago, McLoofus said:

My gut tells me that a lot of what happened last season was a "reward" for KJ, or Heisman campaign-related, or something of that nature. 

It bit us 2 seasons in a row. Gus sometimes has to endure a tough lesson twice before it sinks in. No clear-cut bell cow this season. I have measured optimism. 

PS- So far, having both of these games at home has helped us tremendously twice, and I can't blame them both being on the road for any of the 0-fers. We've mostly lost to great bama teams we wouldn't have beaten anyways and bad uga teams that we should've beaten on any field. 

Most of those was due to poor QB play. GA always has good defenses, and once they shut our running game down, our one dimension relying on a hurt QB or poor QB play doomed us. 

[lionheartkc 6,150]

1 hour ago, McLoofus said:

Without looking, I'd venture a guess that he got more touches as a true freshman than any guy we have returning did last year

Just because you made me look....

Johnson 2015 - 52 attempts

Kam Martin 2017 - 74 attempts
Malik Miller 2017 - 34 attempts
Devon Barrett 2017 - 14 attempts

 

[McLoofus 35,182]

3 minutes ago, Tiger said:

I wouldn't be mad at not having a 1000 yard rusher but a handful of 300-600 yard rushers. Sure our string of X number of years in a row with a 1k rusher would end, but we'd still average one 1k yard rusher per season over that time period as Cam and Dyer both had 1000+ in 2010. Not that this stat should ever take precedent over trying to win more games or eat into the development of other players...but I somehow wandered here lol.

Dude... I actually think about that a lot. That streak is not particularly useful and yet I don't want it to end. 

 

[McLoofus 35,182]

27 minutes ago, lionheartkc said:

Just because you made me look....

Johnson 2015 - 52 attempts

Kam Martin 2017 - 74 attempts
Malik Miller 2017 - 34 attempts
Devon Barrett 2017 - 14 attempts

So I was wrong, but I feel like this is one of those times where my point sorta stands, lol. Seriously, thanks for looking it up. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

43 minutes ago, steeleagle said:

Most of those was due to poor QB play. GA always has good defenses, and once they shut our running game down, our one dimension relying on a hurt QB or poor QB play doomed us. 

If true, that would still hammer home the point that we didn't lose any/many DSORs or IBs due to both of them being away games. 

[NolaAuTiger 3,295]

I’d be fine with swapping LSU and thUGA on the schedule. When bammer is an away game, LSU is a home game... and vice versa. 

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

I’d rather keep it in November but I’d play UGA twice in Athens to keep us from having to play both of them away.

[AUwent 3,747]

I also made a 3-5/5 alternate schedule format starting in 2014, which would've meant we still get both away on even years. Using the same permanent rivalries, I moved MSU to a home game on even years. So starting in 2014, this would've meant for us:
                         
2014, 18, 22:
Home--LSU, MSU, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Away--Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi

2015, 19, 23:
Home--Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi
Away--LSU, MSU, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

2016, 20, 24:
Home--Arkansas, Florida, MSU, TAMU
Away--Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, USC

2017, 21, 25:
Home--Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, USC
Away--Arkansas, Florida, MSU, TAMU

So barring a loss in Starkville, 2017 would've been a playoff berth under this format. Also, since I have Alabama playing at Georgia in 2017, the NC From Hell(TM) would have definitely been prevented. Win/win.

[keesler 5,924]

This whole idea is to ease AU's schedule burdens.  To get it passed, it would take a vote from the entire conference and a reciprocal agreement from the opponent who's schedule it directly affects.  (UGA/LSU)

Someone please tell me why UGA (specifically) would agree to change the status quo and at the same time ease AU's burdens & possibly make AU a stronger team down the stretch capable of making the CFP?  Why would any other program try to help AU stay strong and avoid the injuries & fatigue that always sets in as the season progresses?

Sorry, I don't think the conference gives a rats ass about helping Auburn in any way.  They hated AU so much that they carried it over to the dang basketball program and chose to snub our HC & players after the best season our program has had in over a decade.  Bruce & his team smacked everybody in the face this season and won the conference and our SEC brethren turned a cold shoulder out of pure hatred.

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

On 5/10/2018 at 2:36 PM, Tiger said:

Let's just scrap the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry and make a new one with Vanderbilt and call it the Deep South's Youngest Rivalry. Any takers???? I can live with playing Vandy and Bama away 2 weeks in a row.

Lol like the first version of divisions where Auburn kept Georgia and Florida and Alabama took Tenn and Vandy as permanents.

[gr82be 14,422]

3 hours ago, keesler said:

This whole idea is to ease AU's schedule burdens.  To get it passed, it would take a vote from the entire conference and a reciprocal agreement from the opponent who's schedule it directly affects.  (UGA/LSU)

Someone please tell me why UGA (specifically) would agree to change the status quo and at the same time ease AU's burdens & possibly make AU a stronger team down the stretch capable of making the CFP?  Why would any other program try to help AU stay strong and avoid the injuries & fatigue that always sets in as the season progresses?

Sorry, I don't think the conference gives a rats ass about helping Auburn in any way.  They hated AU so much that they carried it over to the dang basketball program and chose to snub our HC & players after the best season our program has had in over a decade.  Bruce & his team smacked everybody in the face this season and won the conference and our SEC brethren turned a cold shoulder out of pure hatred.

From Crepea's article- Both Auburn and Georgia, which is in a similar predicament of playing the Tigers and rival Georgia Tech both at home or on the road each season, previously expressed to the SEC desire to either reverse what was done in 2013 or move the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry up on the calendar, which was decided against.  (I'm not disagreeing with your point because you made it once before in another thread in response to my post. Just thought it was good to see UGA has given it thought too.)

[Tiger 8,818]

What if we moved the UGA game to the same weekend Bama plays Tennessee every year and make that a nationally hyped up SEC weekend?? CBS takes one game, ESPN the amped up night game. Could be one hell of a day. Especially if Pruitt turns things around for UT

[Mikey 16,566]

11 hours ago, gr82be said:

From Crepea's article- Both Auburn and Georgia, which is in a similar predicament of playing the Tigers and rival Georgia Tech both at home or on the road each season, previously expressed to the SEC desire to either reverse what was done in 2013 or move the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry up on the calendar, which was decided against. (I'm not disagreeing with your point because you made it once before in another thread in response to my post. Just thought it was good to see UGA has given it thought too.)

Moving this game up on the calendar seems like a great solution. Since both AU and UGA wanted this move, why was it 'decided against' and who did the deciding? bammer? What have we become, minions of the SEC office? I think the PTB at both schools should bring this back around, perhaps more forcefully this time.

[auskull 239]

On 5/11/2018 at 11:12 AM, LKEEL75 said:

Personally I either want them to stagger the rivalry, move UGa to earlier in season or drop them.  I know it is huge rivalry and all but so what.  Play some new people.  Mix in UT, Vandy, Missooo, whomever.  Bottom line is that playing UGa and UA on the rd within 14 days of each other is a monster of a disadvantage.  I get that the scheduling is complicated.  I have tried to work with scheduling for little league baseball and that was hard enough for me.  But it is not impossible to figure something out.

If I were King of the SEC for a day, I would move AU to the East and Mizzou to the West. Put Bama in the West rotation. Maybe put Mizzou on the permanent schedule from the WEST.  Just saying.....

[gr82be 14,422]

On 5/12/2018 at 7:20 AM, Mikey said:

Moving this game up on the calendar seems like a great solution. Since both AU and UGA wanted this move, why was it 'decided against' and who did the deciding? bammer? What have we become, minions of the SEC office? I think the PTB at both schools should bring this back around, perhaps more forcefully this time.

I prefer to keep it in November if it could be switched back to the way it was. If not then move it up earlier in season. Maybe I am thinking too simply in terms of what Auburn and Georgia can do by themselves but let's say they just made the decision to switch it back the way it was. Obviously someone has an extra home game and the other an extra road game. If it's budget concerns then just agree to split the gate revenue for each year until the change is made by the SEC when the current schedules are exhausted and that's not an issue any longer. Just seems like it's being made harder than it has to be. 

[homersapien 11,357]

On 5/10/2018 at 7:27 PM, AUBwins said:

I would be fine just moving the Georgia game to the first half of the year.  It is only truly noticeable because we essentially play them back to back to possible back again like last year. 

I'd like to move to the Eastern division, play the Bama game earlier in the year, and finish with Georgia.

[NolaAuTiger 3,295]

24 minutes ago, homersapien said:

I'd like to move to the Eastern division, play the Bama game to earlier in the year and finish with Georgia.

Part of what makes the iron bowl the iron bowl is when it’s played

[Grumps 3,704]

I am obviously biased, but I think that at the end of the season, Auburn was the best team in the country. BUT, we could not beat UGA/cupcake/UAT/UGA in consecutive weeks. UAT couldnt have done it and they won the Natty. UGA couldn't do it and they played for the Natty. I don't think ANY TEAM IN NCAA HISTORY could have won those four games in consecutive weeks. We can be MUCH better this season and we still can't win those four games, especially with UGA and UAT on the road. THAT is why the schedule needs to change. NO team should have to play that schedule. There is a very reasonable chance that we can be the best team in the country again this season and not make the playoff (again).