Barfield

[Swamp Eagle 5,131]

Old Timers, will you back me when I say not even the Barfield era produced such apathy and indifference towards the Auburn football program as much as the Gus era has?  I always was excited at the prospect of Cribbs, Brooks and Andrews-led offense taking the field. The defense wasn't much fun to watch/listen to, but I always cared...

[AURealist 2,185]

12 minutes ago, Swamp Eagle said:

Old Timers, will you back me when I say not even the Barfield era produced such apathy and indifference towards the Auburn football program as much as the Gus era has?  I always was excited at the prospect of Cribbs, Brooks and Andrews-led offense taking the field. The defense wasn't much fun to watch/listen to, but I always cared...

Do not worry and be of good cheer.  Gus will be our coach next year and has already said he's going to turn things around.  He'll do it this time for sure.  No foolin'.  Guaranteed.  100%.  He's got you covered.  Believe it.  Bank on it.  Done deal.  Honest.

The Barfield years didn't come with this "I feel like I'm taking crazy pills" feeling.

[subterranean_jack 112]

Barfield's offense kept us competitive. Always fun to watch when Auburn had the ball.

[keesler 5,924]

8 minutes ago, AURealist said:

Do not worry and be of good cheer.  Gus will be our coach next year and has already said he's going to turn things around.  He'll do it this time for sure.  No foolin'.  Guaranteed.  100%.  He's got you covered.  Believe it.  Bank on it.  Done deal.  Honest.

The Barfield years didn't come with this "I feel like I'm taking crazy pills" feeling.

He's going to turn things around when He's the one that has this bus turned in the direction it's in now.  

Is there anyone in the AU Administration that can see how stupid this sounds?  ANYONE?

 

[around4ever 4,139]

I was at Auburn for Barfield's first two years.  The only bright spots were Andrews, Brooks and Cribbs.  Although Andrews was never used the way he should have been.  That may say something about Barfield and it reminds me of Malzahn's use of RBs.  I remember sitting in the almost empty student section and looking at the half full stands.  I think the apathy towards those teams may have been greater then, but it's a close call.  

[gr82be 14,423]

The Barfield years were painful. You can thank the absence of social media for any mass lack of indifference. I don't remember hearing then the same stuff I hear now.  You really didn't know how many thousands felt the same way. And absolutely Cribbs, Brooks and Andrews helped. I was naive enough to think Barfield might turn it around. I no longer feel our present situation will get better under current coaching. 

[BJCrawford 1,568]

Brutal years for sure. Very difficult to compare. As others have indicated, social media definitely changes things. Don’t know what I feel these days. Use to think malzahn had it in him. I don’t think that anymore. I was trying to come up with a Coach to compare him to, but can’t.  I can say that having hope for basketball makes me not care as much and I really enjoyed baseball last season.  And I can honestly say there are few years I cared for either in the past (basketball, of course, during the Barkley days).  At least there is something to look forward to. I enjoy softball as well.

[Win4AU 4,052]

At least Gus has 2 wins against Lord Saban.  I don’t think Barfield beat the Bear once.  

[gr82b4au 5,568]

I know nothing about Barfield. Did he ever win the west? Did he win the SEC or lead us to the national championship game? As much as I dislike Gus now at least he has proven in the past to be a winner. I don’t have much hope but at least I have a little because I have seen as be successful under him.

[AURealist 2,185]

1 hour ago, keesler said:

He's going to turn things around when He's the one that has this bus turned in the direction it's in now.  

Is there anyone in the AU Administration that can see how stupid this sounds?  ANYONE?

 

Yep.  Enjoy the insanity.

[saminbama 740]

We had our own Bear under Barfield.  Bear Underwood was the DC.  We could score on anybody, but our defense couldn't stop a junior high team.  Barfield never beat Bear.  His time at Auburn was during the 9 game loosing streak to Bammer.  The only thing we had on defense during those years was Fast Freddie Smith, who I believe still holds the record for most solo tackles in a game with 31.  I believe it was in 1979, which was one of Bammer's 10 million NC's, that we were the only team to lead them in the 4th quarter that year.  It gave Auburn people a false hope that the following year we would be better, but UT came to town and beat us 42-0.  That was the beginning of the end for ole Dougie.  I remember Johnny Majors still had his starters playing in the 4th quarter with that huge lead.  I became a UT hater that day.  No fruit sucks like the Big Orange.  Strange how this year feels remarkably similar.

[ChltteTiger 649]

1 hour ago, BJCrawford said:

 I was trying to come up with a Coach to compare him to, but can’t. 

Gerry Faust at Notre Dame?

[ChltteTiger 649]

1 hour ago, gr82b4au said:

I know nothing about Barfield. Did he ever win the west? Did he win the SEC or lead us to the national championship game? As much as I dislike Gus now at least he has proven in the past to be a winner. I don’t have much hope but at least I have a little because I have seen as be successful under him.

History lesson: East and West divisions did not happen until 1992 when S Carolina an independent and Arkansas from the old Southwest conference joined the SEC, making it a 10 team league which under NCAA rules allowed us to have a conference championship game. 

If there had been a conference championship from 1976- 1980 Doug Barfield's AU teams would not have been eligible mainly because we could not beat Bama at all during those years. Barfield's best team went 8-3 and lost to mighty Wake Forest.

 

[eagle63 14]

Gus > Barfield by slight margin.  Running backs at the time were great.  James Brooks my all-time favorite.

 

[AUsince72 11,084]

Plus Barfield spent his final 2 years on probation with a bowl ban IIRC. 

So even that 8-3 team couldn't go to a bowl.

[kd4au 1,145]

Been saying for a while now that Gus reminds me way to much of Barfield. He may be slightly better but not by much.

[AURealist 2,185]

36 minutes ago, ChltteTiger said:

Gerry Faust at Notre Dame?

Bill Curry at GT.  The excuses are spot on.

[aubaseball 2,592]

34 minutes ago, ChltteTiger said:

History lesson: East and West divisions did not happen until 1992 when S Carolina an independent and Arkansas from the old Southwest conference joined the SEC, making it a 10 team league which under NCAA rules allowed us to have a conference championship game. 

If there had been a conference championship from 1976- 1980 Doug Barfield's AU teams would not have been eligible mainly because we could not beat Bama at all during those years. Barfield's best team went 8-3 and lost to mighty Wake Forest.

 

With the addition, the SEC became a 12 team league.    This enable the championship game. Foust would be a great comparison except Gus actually had more college experience 

[BJCrawford 1,568]

7 minutes ago, AURealist said:

Bill Curry at GT.  The excuses are spot on.

I’m not an expert but a great number of people have indicated that defensive coaches have figured him out. The only thing is I did not think Auburn 2013 looked like the Tulsa team that passed like crazy.  If he wasn’t the head coach and only was offensive coordinator again, could he make us successful? Is he simply not cut out to be a head coach?

[ChltteTiger 649]

7 minutes ago, BJCrawford said:

I’m not an expert but a great number of people have indicated that defensive coaches have figured him out. The only thing is I did not think Auburn 2013 looked like the Tulsa team that passed like crazy.  If he wasn’t the head coach and only was offensive coordinator again, could he make us successful? Is he simply not cut out to be a head coach?

He frankly seems lost right now. Maybe needs a long break to recharge and try and figure out what he can still be good at.

[ChltteTiger 649]

13 minutes ago, aubaseball said:

With the addition, the SEC became a 12 team league.    This enable the championship game. Foust would be a great comparison except Gus actually had more college experience 

your right 12 teams I should have checked that before posting.

[weagl1 1,782]

27 minutes ago, kd4au said:

Been saying for a while now that Gus reminds me way to much of Barfield. He may be slightly better but not by much.

Doug was a much nicer guy.  He didn’t sulk and I don’t think he ever thought he was a genius like Gus.  He was very plain spoken and took time to interact with us students who thought we knew who the QB should be.  

[SaltyTiger 7,789]

4 hours ago, Swamp Eagle said:

Old Timers, will you back me when I say not even the Barfield era produced such apathy and indifference towards the Auburn football program as much as the Gus era has?  I always was excited at the prospect of Cribbs, Brooks and Andrews-led offense taking the field. The defense wasn't much fun to watch/listen to, but I always cared...

Never been apathy IMO. Many venues today to vent and express gotta win attitudes.

Different world than the DB era. The biggest difference I note. We all enjoyed football and fall Saturdays in those days.

[AURealist 2,185]

1 hour ago, BJCrawford said:

I’m not an expert but a great number of people have indicated that defensive coaches have figured him out. The only thing is I did not think Auburn 2013 looked like the Tulsa team that passed like crazy.  If he wasn’t the head coach and only was offensive coordinator again, could he make us successful? Is he simply not cut out to be a head coach?

Personally, I don't think Gus will be successful again as an OC because his mind lacks the flexibility required.  His method has been to read the opposing defense and call a play to exploit weaknesses he saw.  Good defenses today switch things up so they're unreadable or they lure Gus into traps.  Gus doesn't seem to appreciate this new reality at all and his dogged insistence on remaining ignorant of these facts is going to be his undoing.  Match that with his unrealistic belief that his plays are 'good by design' and will be successful if only executed correctly and you've got an offense that can't move down field against worthy opponents.  

Tulsa.  Don't get me started on Tulsa...

[BJCrawford 1,568]

1 hour ago, weagl1 said:

Doug was a much nicer guy.  He didn’t sulk and I don’t think he ever thought he was a genius like Gus.  He was very plain spoken and took time to interact with us students who thought we knew who the QB should be.  

Let’s face it though, at the time we thought he was more like Gomer Pyle. And I’m not sure I think Malzahn is A bad guy. In fact I think he’s a really nice guy who is just in over his head.