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Mississippi State Game Report Card


StatTiger

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Perhaps the best way to describe the disaster in Starkville was the Bulldogs reestablished their offensive identity and Auburn continues to search for one. MSU leaned heavily on their ground game beginning on their third possession of the game, and Auburn's defense slowly dwindled as the game progressed. Two plays that stood out during the game was the Bulldogs touchdown just before the first-half expired and Whitlows fumble going in for the score. One might argue it was a 14-point swing in favor of the Bulldogs but ugly teams rarely get the breaks. Auburn's offense is a total mess, and it has the potential to drag the team down with it. How much longer will the defense continue to fight, knowing the offense is an Albatross tied around their necks? If Gus Malzahn is not careful, he could very well see a repeat of the 2012 season, when some players quit on Coach Gene Chizik. They are not there yet, but they took a step closer tonight.


Though the offense performed better during the second half, it was far from being a recovery. The decision to take Malik Willis off the field on 3rd & two to place Kam Martin in the wildcat only adds fuel to the fire, why so many fans question the "brain trust" on offense. Jarrett Stidham was given the opportunity for an easy touchdown pass, but he failed to connect on the play. He has been hit and sacked so many times this season; he is now anticipating a pass-rush that isn't there at times. He showed glimpses of Sean White tonight, throwing and ducking at the same time. Watching Calvin Ashley being owned late in the game and no adjustment is another log on the fire for the fan base to question what is going on offense. Last week, offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey commented, "I like where we are at on offense." I do not believe for a minute he thinks this to be the case but it is a sure sign of complacency.


There is very little about the Auburn offense that is right and for any staff member to say so, is a disservice to the players and their ability to coach at this level. I realize these are harsh words, stemming from the emotions of another disappointing performance but maybe the coaches need to be honest about the product they are putting on the field. Late last season, Auburn showed their faith in Coach Gus Malzahn by rewarding him with a raise and significant contract extension. The point of the new contract was to show confidence in Malzahn and to take the pressure off Malzahn, to prevent him from continually looking over his shoulder after a poor performance. Through six games, it appears the result of this contract is complacency rather than striving to legitimize the handsome contract he was rewarded with last year. It was another ugly loss as Malzahn is now 0-7 when trailing by 10 or more points at halftime. For the sake of the players, I sincerely hope the coaching staff is honest about the performance rather than searching for words to disguise what we all saw tonight.

War Eagle!

 

Game #6 Statistical Evaluation (Mississippi State Game)

Offensive Report Card

01) Avg 6-yards per play on 1st down: [5.04] fail
02) Convert at least 40% of 3rd downs: [21.4%] fail
03) Avg at least 4.5 yards per rush: [4.28] fail
04) Score on at least 1/3 of possessions: [30.0%] fail
05) Keep 3 and out series under 33%: [30.0%] pass
06) Average 8.0 yards per pass attempt: [5.63 yds] fail
07) Score at least 75% inside red zone: [66.7%] fail
08) TD red zone above 60%: [0.0%] fail
09) Avg at least 30-yards per possession: [30.4 yds] pass
10) 40% of offensive snaps part of scoring drives: [28.8%] fail
11) TD / Turnover ratio above 1.6: [0/2] fail
12) TD ratio of at least 1 every 17 snaps: [59.0] fail
13) At least 8 impact plays: (7) fail
14) At least 2 big plays: (2) pass
15) Pass rating of at least 126.3: [97.3] fail
16) Yards to Point Ratio of 14.0 or under: [33.8] fail

Score: 3 of 16 (18.7%) Fail

Defensive Report Card:

01) Avg under 6-yards per play on 1st down: [8.36] fail
02) Convert below 35% of 3rd downs: [41.2%] fail
03) Avg at least 4.0 yards per rush or less: [6.12] fail
04) Score 1/3 of possessions or below: [41.7%] fail
05) Keep 3 and out series above 33%: [16.7%] fail
06) Average below 7.5 yards per pass attempt: [4.06 yds] pass
07) Score below 75% inside red zone: [75.0%] fail
08) TD red zone below 60%: [25.0%] pass
09) Avg under 30-yards per possession: [34.8 yds] fail
10) 40% or less of offensive snaps part of scoring drives: [55.4%] fail
11) TD / Turnover ratio below 1.6: [2/1] fail
12) TD ratio of at least 1 every 30 snaps: [37.0] pass
13) Less than 8 impact plays: (7) pass
14) No more than 2 big plays allowed: (1) pass
15) Pass rating below 125.0: [75.3] pass
16) Yards to point ratio of 18.0 or higher: [18.2] pass

Score: 7 of 16 (43.7%) Fail

Special Teams Report Card:

1) Punt Average (Above 41.3): [47.0] pass
2) Punt Return Defense (Below 7.8 YPR): [0.0] pass
3) Punt Return Offense (Above 9.8 YPR): [4.0] fail
4) Kick-Return Defense (Below 21.2 YPR): [N/A]
5) Kick-Return Offense (Above 22.3 YPR): [18.0] fail
6) PAT’s (100%): [N/A]
7) FG Pct (75% or above): [75.0%] pass

Score: 3 of 5 (60.0%) Pass

* 50% is a passing score.

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14 minutes ago, StatTiger said:

Offensive Report Card

01) Avg 6-yards per play on 1st down: [5.04] fail
02) Convert at least 40% of 3rd downs: [21.4%] fail
03) Avg at least 4.5 yards per rush: [4.28] fail
04) Score on at least 1/3 of possessions: [30.0%] fail
05) Keep 3 and out series under 33%: [30.0%] pass
06) Average 8.0 yards per pass attempt: [5.63 yds] fail
07) Score at least 75% inside red zone: [66.7%] fail
08) TD red zone above 60%: [0.0%] fail
09) Avg at least 30-yards per possession: [30.4 yds] pass
10) 40% of offensive snaps part of scoring drives: [28.8%] fail
11) TD / Turnover ratio above 1.6: [0/2] fail
12) TD ratio of at least 1 every 17 snaps: [59.0] fail
13) At least 8 impact plays: (7) fail
14) At least 2 big plays: (2) pass
15) Pass rating of at least 126.3: [97.3] fail
16) Yards to Point Ratio of 14.0 or under: [33.8] fail

Score: 3 of 16 (18.7%) Fail

We are literally one or two plays away from having a score of 0 of 16. I'm very, very glad that I was only able to watch the first 3 drives that all resulted in "3 and outs". 

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I doubt complacency.  I doubt it because this is about what I would expect public comments to be.  Very few coaches are going to make derogatory public comments about their players, other coaches or their area of responsibility.  I expect that there is some fire in the locker room and in workouts.

You are of course correct on Stidham.  I was a Sean White fan and I recognize the "chuck it and cover" syndrome.  Reminds me a little of what happened to Barrett Trotter and then Clint Moseley.

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Accountability is what we are looking for. Not blame. Big difference. I have seen plenty of coaches take accountability and lay it on their own shoulders for failed product.

Edited by DAG
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Amen Dag!   Step up to the microphone and say this is on me.    I failed to get the team ready.   We need to re-evaluate the offense.   Just think,  if the offensive line is this bad, how bad must the backups be??   The answer was obvious last night 

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  • RunInRed pinned and featured this topic

The complacency stars with the head coach. When I listen to Malzahn, I almost never hear him get PROACTIVELY excited. Look Mr Sweatervest, Fred Rogers was a great man, but he was not coaching football in the SEC for a Top Tier SEC Program that we think is a Top 10 Program. Your lackadaisical recruiting has given us an OL that is not SEC Calibre from left to right tackle. I am not sure any one of your OLinemen would start anywhere else playing for one of the Top 6 Teams SEC, except for maybe Tennessee. Your QB is effectively a pinata. Even my kid sees your play calling as openly admitting you do not trust your OL. Not recruiting an OL, that is a HC thang. That one is on you. Now maybe you can sign every decent OL in JUCO next season, but we still have 6 games to play and we will be favored in only 2-3. Congrats, You are making $7M for a 6-6 or 7-5 team...

Edited by DKW 86
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5 hours ago, CleCoTiger said:

I doubt complacency.  I doubt it because this is about what I would expect public comments to be.  Very few coaches are going to make derogatory public comments about their players, other coaches or their area of responsibility.  I expect that there is some fire in the locker room and in workouts.

You are of course correct on Stidham.  I was a Sean White fan and I recognize the "chuck it and cover" syndrome.  Reminds me a little of what happened to Barrett Trotter and then Clint Moseley.

Good coaches will. Heck Saben will after the beat the crap out of some team. He will say “ well there was plenty of things that we didn’t do right”. Gus comes to the mike after this terrible excuse for a football team get thru and says “ I think we are getting better” that is the difference in a winner and a loser . Gus is definitely a loser.

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Malzahn effectively chummed the waters for every other team on the schedule last night. Can we stop the complacency that is likely to be overtaking that locker room and put up a decent fight the rest of the way out? We'll just have to see. Every team smells blood and now has multiple game films on exactly what to do to stop this anemic offense. 

Malzahn has lost 4 of his last 8 games now (and I believe Auburn was the higher ranked team in each of those losses) and trending downward? 

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7 minutes ago, Eagle Eye 7 said:

Good coaches will. Heck Saben will after the beat the crap out of some team. He will say “ well there was plenty of things that we didn’t do right”. Gus comes to the mike after this terrible excuse for a football team get thru and says “ I think we are getting better” that is the difference in a winner and a loser . Gus is definitely a loser.

His demeanor speaks volumes. Both on the sideline and on the podium. So many times the camera has cut to him and he's just standing there with his arms crossed with a dumb look on his face. Times when he should have been FIRED UP laying into someone and nothing.....Times on the podium where he should show at least a LITTLE emotion and passion......nothing. He doesn't have the fire.

Edited by WeaglWeaglWDE
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9 hours ago, StatTiger said:

Auburn's offense is a total mess, and it has the potential to drag the team down with it. How much longer will the defense continue to fight, knowing the offense is an Albatross tied around their necks?

Here's the key.

This is exactly what happened last night and though CKS may be at AU for the "long haul" due to family and retirement plans, HE is the one being driven to complacency due to Gus' stubborn butt.

UT is now going to be a fight.  Liberty is the only W left on the schedule.

Edited by AUsince72
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Thank u Stat.   Couple comments - Agree on Stidham as he stood in there better but I still don’t believe he is really prepared. Do they do a good job preparing him for the game plan?

We long for someone to call it like it is (Saban) but  he knows what he wants and demands it.  We are 5 years in with Gus and still searching for an identity!   

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2 hours ago, AUsince72 said:

Here's the key.

This is exactly what happened last night and though CKS may be at AU for the "long haul" due to family and retirement plans, HE is the one being driven to complacency due to Gus' stubborn butt.

UT is now going to be a fight.  Liberty is the only W left on the schedule.

Are you sure Liberty is a win?

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44 minutes ago, screamingeagle said:

Are you sure Liberty is a win?

Oh, the irony if Turner Gill were to defeat Auburn....

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11 hours ago, DAG said:

Accountability is what we are looking for. Not blame. Big difference. I have seen plenty of coaches take accountability and lay it on their own shoulders for failed product.

Gus did step up to the mic and say the issues are on him and he has to get them fixed.   He did however also said as a team we can’t go on the road and make the mistakes we made and get out with a win.  He was visibly pissed but he will never throw a player under the bus.  And also commented he was proud of how hard the guys played but can’t continue to make mistakes 

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20 minutes ago, corchjay said:

Gus did step up to the mic and say the issues are on him and he has to get them fixed.   He did however also said as a team we can’t go on the road and make the mistakes we made and get out with a win.  He was visibly pissed but he will never throw a player under the bus.  And also commented he was proud of how hard the guys played but can’t continue to make mistakes 

Finally. Now let’s actually see some change. I don’t understand why things have to hit the fan for some serious redirection to occur. The writing was on the wall since the Arkansas game.

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Just now, DAG said:

Finally. Now let’s actually see some change. I don’t understand why things have to hit the fan for some serious redirection to occur. The writing was on the wall since the Arkansas game.

Schematically there were big changes in play design and play calls.  Broke tendencies and tried to give Stidham easy throws to get comfortable I think he started out 0 for 4 or 0 for 6...  the changes were there.   However we still can’t run on the interior so we got a away from it a lot and put the ball mostly in the hands of the QB.  He failed to deliver not saying it’s all his fault but if you put the game in the QBs hands and he plays horrible I’m not sure what more you can do.  There were many new route combinations to try to work with the “pass first” philosophy and multiple times they worked and players running open all over the place but just couldn’t hit them with the pass

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18 minutes ago, corchjay said:

Schematically there were big changes in play design and play calls.  Broke tendencies and tried to give Stidham easy throws to get comfortable I think he started out 0 for 4 or 0 for 6...  the changes were there.   However we still can’t run on the interior so we got a away from it a lot and put the ball mostly in the hands of the QB.  He failed to deliver not saying it’s all his fault but if you put the game in the QBs hands and he plays horrible I’m not sure what more you can do.  There were many new route combinations to try to work with the “pass first” philosophy and multiple times they worked and players running open all over the place but just couldn’t hit them with the pass

And if the QB isn’t making the simple plays, then what do you think the next step should be as a coach? Blame can be placed all around. But the bottom line is we knew we had issues since the Arkansas game and it has only gotten worse. This was blatantly pointed out. The response was we are a top ten team. The team we are losing to are more talented than us.

Now, both of those are no longer in play. Statistically, the offense is one of the worst in the nation and on the lower end of the SEC. Ultimatelt, this responsibility falls on the man running the show. I don’t know he plans on fixing it, but he needs to fix it and very quickly. He wanted his top tier money, he has his top tier money. Now, he needs to find a way to produce a top tier product.

Edited by DAG
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