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Finding success in the details


StatTiger

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Great write-up Stat. After 6 years it's hard to believe there are big changes that Gus is willing to make. He is what he is and the decision makers will have to determine if they can live with that or make a change. I think the majority of the fanbase has seen enough. 

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Gus isn't going to fundamentally change which sounds like what is needed. Its time for the PTB to make a change. Delaying another year will make it even harder to get back to being relevant and having even a chance against our biggest rivals.

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Best I’ve seen on here in some time....thanks! I agree 100% with this assessment. Maybe the light comes on for him or not, I am hoping it does.

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Good comments Stat...

Another major issue to me to add to your is how we recruit and coach those players in the trenches. It is always said that it starts with those players on each side of the ball. We cannot meet our goals of championships or competing for them, if we do not recruit and develop those players on the OL and the DL.

While we have done an excellent job on the defensive side, there are holes, especially this year that have made us weaker on D. As you said, and I have seen this more often than not, is disciplined ends that know to protect the outside and not be suckered always into crashing inside or speed rushing without taking care of his area on running plays. 

On offensive line, I have noticed over the years since Gus took over, that we constantly seem to have to bring in transfers or JUCOS to solidify the OL. I can remember a few names, and maybe there are others I forgot about (Gholson, Dunn, DRiscoll, James, DAmpeer, Danzey). And next year we HAVE to do the same, bc this group, besides being inexperienced in some areas, is just not as talented as is needed to compete against the DLs to Alabama, GA, MSU, etc). Our recruiting the last couple of years has been abysmal. 

In those 2 areas alone, along with what Stat has said about our coaching is adding up to inconsistent seasons, and in the near future, loses to the best in the SEC ...

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The whole scheme is wrong.  Sec dcs are have caught and now scheme successfully.  It used to be the zone read had one read.  The defensive was unblocked and option of him.  He went for rb quarterback kept the ball if end went for quarterback hand off to running back.  However dcs today flip linebackers, run a safety down, blitz or attack the mesh point.  They are making the quarterback make more than one read and thus the effectiveness of the zone read is gone.

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Great read. The good news is that all we need to do is get the head coach to completely change how he thinks, runs practices, installs game plans, coaches on the field during the games, hires other coaches, and recruits. 2019 SEC Championship here we come. 

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1 hour ago, PoetTiger said:

Best I’ve seen on here in some time....thanks! I agree 100% with this assessment. Maybe the light comes on for him or not, I am hoping it does.

Yea lets give Gus a few more years for the light to come on. Meanwhile losing seasons become the norm.

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3 minutes ago, RunInRed said:

Very well articulated.

Agreed. 

This is been my primary concern about Malzahn since he has arrived at Auburn. I've always wondered what his over-arching philosophy/approach is to coaching a football team. I'm not talking about Xs and Os, I'm talking about the philosophy players have to buy into before they ever practice tackling, or blocking, or throwing. There is a difference between drawing up football plays, and coaching. Coaching means doing the things that @StatTiger explained above, and they transcend the sport itself. People like to talk about great coaches, and whether they would still be successful if suddenly thrown into another sport. In my opinion, the truly great coaches are the ones whose core coaching philosophies are adaptable to any form of competition. Malzahn may (or may have been) a great "football mind", but I've never been convinced that he's a great coach.

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Excellent points all. As painful as it is to acknowledge, Saban and his “process” clearly produces a superior on-field product made completely dominant by the level of talent he brings in(above board or not). If AU aspires to consistent success we need to find someone that has a similar plan and the drive to execute it. If we can’t recognize that Gus isn’t that guy now 6 years in, well.....

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Great post Stat. You said many things I have been thinking, but was not able to articulate in such a concise manner. Undisciplined football has long been my major concern when it comes to Gus. His entire coaching philosophy, at least on the offensive side is predicated more on smoke, and mirrors, and less on sound fundamental football. 

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If CGM hasn’t changed his ways in 6 years is it realistic to think he will change now? Year after year I have hoped he has learned from the previous years only to see the product on the field hasn’t changed much.. need I bring up the Clemson game where he trotted out all the different QBs .. after that game I thought someone should have met him on the field and relieved him of his job. It will not get better. @StatTiger as always, is spot on. Does anyone truly believe that Gus will make the changes needed to take this program to another level? I don’t believe it is about the players.. we have good solid players who are missing the coaching that stat mentioned.. the pieces are there.. we need a head coach to bring it all together. 

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Really good read and comments here.  I wish Gus could course correct, because as a fan, I want to pull for our coaches.  Doesn’t feel good.  I fear it gets worse before it gets better.  At the beginning of the season, I had the feeling we had a team, coaching staff, and even recruits that were all on the same page.  Things that contribute to a great team.  Concerned for the future.  

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So, from what I'm reading, after players make major mistakes they simply practice "to correct it".  There's no Bull in the Ring or Up & Downs or Stadium Steps.

...in other words there's no Fear.  No wonder Stids smiles like a Cheshire Cat all the time.

Consequences help ensure future improvement.

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7 minutes ago, AUsince72 said:

So, from what I'm reading, after players make major mistakes they simply practice "to correct it".  There's no Bull in the Ring or Up & Downs or Stadium Steps.

...in other words there's no Fear.  No wonder Stids smiles like a Cheshire Cat all the time.

Consequences help ensure future improvement.

No kidding, I think players have to respect the head coach and know there are consequences to failure to "Do Your Job". It takes a little bit of an SOB'ness  to be a winner as a head coach.  

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2 hours ago, Barnacle said:

Agreed. 

This is been my primary concern about Malzahn since he has arrived at Auburn. I've always wondered what his over-arching philosophy/approach is to coaching a football team. I'm not talking about Xs and Os, I'm talking about the philosophy players have to buy into before they ever practice tackling, or blocking, or throwing. There is a difference between drawing up football plays, and coaching. Coaching means doing the things that @StatTiger explained above, and they transcend the sport itself. People like to talk about great coaches, and whether they would still be successful if suddenly thrown into another sport. In my opinion, the truly great coaches are the ones whose core coaching philosophies are adaptable to any form of competition. Malzahn may (or may have been) a great "football mind", but I've never been convinced that he's a great coach.

Which is exactly why, after the LSU meltdown 2017, I said that he was a football scientist and not a coach.

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6 hours ago, ChltteTiger said:

Yea lets give Gus a few more years for the light to come on. Meanwhile losing seasons become the norm.

I say that cause I highly doubt he goes anywhere after this season - I don’t think that implied years at all...

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4 hours ago, AUsince72 said:

So, from what I'm reading, after players make major mistakes they simply practice "to correct it".  There's no Bull in the Ring or Up & Downs or Stadium Steps.

...in other words there's no Fear.  No wonder Stids smiles like a Cheshire Cat all the time.

Consequences help ensure future improvement.

Yes and the really good coaches take the so called starting qb off the field and put in the backup to finish the game.   Yep 

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12 hours ago, AUsince72 said:

So, from what I'm reading, after players make major mistakes they simply practice "to correct it".  There's no Bull in the Ring or Up & Downs or Stadium Steps.

...in other words there's no Fear.  No wonder Stids smiles like a Cheshire Cat all the time.

Consequences help ensure future improvement.

I saw the same thing 72, Stidham was yucking it up like WE were ahead 27-10. That told me he did not have his head in the game. I saw absolutely nothing to smile about. It was like he didn't care about being behind 17 points. His attitude sort of shocked me to be honest. I think all NFL and Heisman talk  along with the praise he got from his first year went to his head. He is definitely not the same QB now that he was his first year at AU. I recall my watching our 1957 team practice. We had coaches that would not put up with anything less than total effort. Coaches Shot Senn and  Gene Lorendo come to mind. If  they caught him laughing and cutting up with what the situation was,  Stidham would still be running the stadium steps. with maybe a bull in the ring session for good measure. Times have changed. JMO

WDE

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As always, thank you for your well-constructed posts.  The only thing I will say is I believe we are developing our talent well on the defensive side of the ball.  The mistakes we are seeing is just to a run down defensive that is always on the field.  Being tired leads to mental mistakes.  The development is showing in our ability to throw true freshmen out there and have them play like veterans.  And when they are not, the staff pulls them out of the game instead of being stubborn about it.

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Best (and most honest) writeup I've seen to describe what's happening.    It's goes way beyond X's and O's and who gets to do this or that on the field.    It's a fundamental lack of understanding of how to drive men to excellence and that applies to the players and coaches.     It's not Gus' fault that he got promoted WAY above his abilites but he is at fault for not recognizing his shortcomings, finding peers to learn from, and evolve as a coach.    Now, either this year or next, he is going to be asked to move on, and he will be one of the most financialy fortunate people around.    Let's hope that AU looks hard and the coaching tree of the next prospect and that there is plenty of branches and fruit on it.

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