Which Players are Leaving?

[aujeff11 6,243]

11 minutes ago, Auburn2Eugene said:

Of course. But at the same time..  Can you agree that others who saw him at CB probably had better plans for him?

Yes I can. Slayton would probably be a good DB and a better prospect. Slayton apparently didn’t want to be a DB though. 

11 minutes ago, Auburn2Eugene said:

Also, since we have been under the Malzahn system, including his time at OC, our offensive players, save for Cam, HAVE been products of the system

That is correct although I’d argue that others have had the goods to succeed notwithstanding their college system. Braden Smith and Kerryon come to mind.

[psyfro 26]

Clemson runs basically the same offense as Auburn. Chad Morris installed the offense at Clemson and they have continued the same offense (with a few tweeks but the concepts are the same) since he left. They have WR's drafted every year into the league. You can get to the NFL in this offense. 

[AU64 10,122]

2 hours ago, McLoofus said:

 

So how do schools like bama, LSU and Clemson keep cranking out high end NFL WRs while we don't? 

JMO but they recruited better prospects.   Hoping we turned the corner on the issue with last year's class.  ...

[aujeff11 6,243]

31 minutes ago, auburnphan said:

The system they are in is not designed to develop WR's.   It is what it is.   They spend a bunch of time on blocking which is a good thing.   The system looks more for gimmick players and that is why Gus always recruited athletes and not guys that actually played WR early on.   The gimmick is not meant to be negative, but he only wanted guys who are good at one or two things to focus on.   He has never had the desire to have inner changing parts in his base offense.  His theory is that the less they learn the more they can focus on being great at what he wants them to do. 

In all honesty it really does not matter who the WR coach is, besides for recruiting, because practices are not designed to elevate them to the next level.   What we have seen is an increase in the talent and that is proven by how the freshman stepped right in and played this year, their skills were learned and got them on the field here before they got here from better coaching.  Kodi didn't teafch them in a couple months to be better than the guys he has been teaching for years.

Well said 

[abw0004 10,109]

34 minutes ago, ausburn said:

Another sure sign this staff can not evaluate and coach talent to the next level.

That doesn't make sense.  Slayton is grading out at round 3-4.  He is leaving one year of eligibility on the table to go to the NFL.  So he was coached to the next level, enough to leave early...  And during their evaluations of him in high school they liked what they saw enough to give him an offer.  Just confused on where you were getting to.

[auburnphan 6,050]

15 minutes ago, psyfro said:

Clemson runs basically the same offense as Auburn. Chad Morris installed the offense at Clemson and they have continued the same offense (with a few tweeks but the concepts are the same) since he left. They have WR's drafted every year into the league. You can get to the NFL in this offense. 

I think this is something that is not really accurate.   Morris never even coached with Malzahn.  While he brought over a spread offense installed in previous years by Gus, it quickly became their own and he never had the philosophical view of running the offense as Gus saw fit.

[abw0004 10,109]

30 minutes ago, Auburn2Eugene said:

I'm torn on the whole DCraig thing. There will always be a special place in my heart for him. He earned that with his play. 

But while you are right, DCraigs WRs never were exceptional, and had issues catching the ball, do you really think he taught them to NOT catch the ball? That's absurd. The type of players we recruited early on had much more to do with that than DCraig. The one REAL talented true WR Craig coached was Duke. And he didn't have his head in straight.

 

So I'm not sure what to make of DCraig, which is the reason I called him questionable in my comment. 

 

And your last statement, Kodi has done much better than DC did proves the point of Kodi having actual true WRs, multiple of them to work with. Something DCraig had 1 season of, with 1 true WR. 

I can see that.  It just amazes me how short of a memory people can have on here (not you).  There was a time only 2-3 years ago where we would complain and say that we have to run every play because our receivers can't catch anything.  And that what WR could ever want to come here.  Now we have a wealth of talent and people are still arguing over it.  Also something to consider regarding DC and KB, is look at when our receivers were not good to when they improved.  The turning point was almost exactly when KB took over.  Yes Kodi had more talent to work with, but he was also instrumental in lower ranked guys like Ryan Davis and getting them to where they are today.  Remember Ryan Davis was a HS QB, not a receiver.

I do like DC, even though it would appear first glance I do not.  But there had to have been a reason that after he left Auburn he was out of work for a year after LSU let him go.  He can recruit, but not develop.  That is probably why Jimbo likes him because he just needs a recruiter.  Jimbo can develop a QB like no other to where any receiver can catch what his QB throws at him.  It is like with the Saints, Drew Brees is the reason for their success in the air, not the WR's.  Drew has the ability to make the WR's job look easy.

[keesler 5,924]

1 hour ago, auburnphan said:

The system they are in is not designed to develop WR's.   It is what it is.   They spend a bunch of time on blocking which is a good thing.   The system looks more for gimmick players and that is why Gus always recruited athletes and not guys that actually played WR early on.   The gimmick is not meant to be negative, but he only wanted guys who are good at one or two things to focus on.   He has never had the desire to have inner changing parts in his base offense.  His theory is that the less they learn the more they can focus on being great at what he wants them to do. 

In all honesty it really does not matter who the WR coach is, besides for recruiting, because practices are not designed to elevate them to the next level.   What we have seen is an increase in the talent and that is proven by how the freshman stepped right in and played this year, their skills were learned and got them on the field here before they got here from better coaching.  Kodi didn't teafch them in a couple months to be better than the guys he has been teaching for years.

COLD

HARD

TRUTH

[auburnphan 6,050]

9 minutes ago, abw0004 said:

t.  Also something to consider regarding DC and KB, is look at when our receivers were not good to when they improved.  The turning point was almost exactly when KB took over.  Yes Kodi had more talent to work with, but he was also instrumental in lower ranked guys like Ryan Davis and getting them to where they are today.  Remember Ryan Davis was a HS QB, not a receiver.

  But there had to have been a reason that after he left Auburn he was out of work for a year after LSU let him go. 

Ryan Davis had natural catching ability.  That was shown his sophomore year, he just did not have the opportunity.    He was a composite 4* at .9235 and the 21 st WR in the country so he was not a lower ranked player either.

The pissing match that went public between DC and Gus is what kept him out for a year.   There are some things in the coaching world you just do not do.

[PoetTiger 1,896]

I can see Slayton having a killer workout...he has some wheels on him. Good luck to him.

[abw0004 10,109]

11 minutes ago, auburnphan said:

Ryan Davis had natural catching ability.  That was shown his sophomore year, he just did not have the opportunity.    He was a composite 4* at .9235 and the 21 st WR in the country so he was not a lower ranked player either.

The pissing match that went public between DC and Gus is what kept him out for a year.   There are some things in the coaching world you just do not do.

I think this is a fair statement.  No rebuttal from me.

[keesler 5,924]

On 1/4/2019 at 8:48 AM, aujeff11 said:

We might as well get used to our offense not being pro football factories.

We have had our QBs, OL, RBs, and WRs criticized for being products in tbe system.

Some of us (ME) have a hard time settling and an even more difficult time "getting used to" certain aspects of this system.

I have a difficult time settling for an average 4 losses a season, and I don't know that I'll ever find a way of "getting used to" this offense's lack of producing even one single offensive player in the 1st rnd of the draft since Cam Newton was here - it's been nearly a freakin decade for crying out loud.  (I'm editing this post because Greg Robinson was drafted 1st rnd in '14 - my mistake.  I should've stated that AU has had no offensive "skill" position players drafted in the 1st rnd since Cam....no QB/RB/WR/TE)

When the system can't produce at a level equal to the salary level, then criticism will ensue.  I'm not asking for a pro football factory (it would be nice) but when it can't produce a 1st rounder after years of recruiting top 10 level talent, then the system needs upgrading. 

This is freakin AUBURN - formerly known as RBU - there's a historical sense of pride that is slowly diminishing the longer this operating system functions.

 

 

[McLoofus 35,182]

19 minutes ago, auburnphan said:

Ryan Davis had natural catching ability.  That was shown his sophomore year, he just did not have the opportunity.    He was a composite 4* at .9235 and the 21 st WR in the country so he was not a lower ranked player either.

The pissing match that went public between DC and Gus is what kept him out for a year.   There are some things in the coaching world you just do not do.

Catching ability and the ability to make guys miss. He's the perfect athlete for the limited role he was given. He epitomizes the whole conversation. Like you said, go back 2 years and he was the exact same guy he is now. 

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

29 minutes ago, PoetTiger said:

I can see Slayton having a killer workout...he has some wheels on him. Good luck to him.

My thought exactly.  He's 6-2 with great speed and has shown flashes of being able to go up and get the ball in traffic.  Make him the 3rd WR on an NFL team and he's a matchup nightmare coming out of the slot.

[Tiger 8,818]

I'm pulling for Slay. He has made some INCREDIBLE catches in his career -- and yes we all know about the drops.

There is one catch I remember him making vs LSU in the "Hot Seat Bowl" where he was running across the field and SW was inaccurate with the throw. Mid-stride he adjusted almost turning completely around, while running, to snag the ball out of the air and get a nice sized gain out of it.

Then of course that long TD catch he had in double coverage vs UGA part 1 last season

[abw0004 10,109]

3 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

We have had our QBs, OL, RBs, and WRs criticized for being products in tbe system.

I haven't heard of our RB's getting criticized for our system.  If anything it would help them as it is a run-first scheme.  Or do you mean how Gus in the past has leaned on one RB?  Which that doesn't have to do with the scheme, but more on Gus' preference.  Although I will say Gus did use more of a committee approach this year than he has in the past.  Maybe not all even reps as Whitlow was the main back, but Martin, Shivers and Miller got in on the action every game.

[aujeff11 6,243]

8 minutes ago, abw0004 said:

I haven't heard of our RB's getting criticized for our system.  If anything it would help them as it is a run-first scheme

They said it about Tre Mason. 

[aujeff11 6,243]

4 hours ago, keesler said:

I have a difficult time settling for an average 4 losses a season

I’ll never ask you to unless it costs 40 million to let go of a coach and his scheme...

[aujeff11 6,243]

12 minutes ago, abw0004 said:

Although I will say Gus did use more of a committee approach this year than he has in the past.  Maybe not all even reps as Whitlow was the main back, but Martin, Shivers and Miller got in on the action every game.

I agree

[ausburn 159]

4 hours ago, WarDamnEagleWDE said:

FWIW........ Told Slayton does have his degree and will test and perform off the charts in workouts. Will be drafted pretty high, in the 3 or 4th round. Good move by Slayton if true. 

 

2 hours ago, ausburn said:

Another sure sign this staff can not evaluate and coach talent to the next level.

 

2 hours ago, abw0004 said:

That doesn't make sense.  Slayton is grading out at round 3-4.  He is leaving one year of eligibility on the table to go to the NFL.  So he was coached to the next level, enough to leave early...  And during their evaluations of him in high school they liked what they saw enough to give him an offer.  Just confused on where you were getting to.

Sarcastic remark.  Not at WDE but to a pervasive belief AU staff cannot evaluate or develop players. 

[cole256 17,042]

I know this is going to drive me up a wall.....the infamous coaching catching that doesn't exist. But losing Slayton will sting but DEFINITELY now is the best time for him to come out

[AU64 10,122]

2 minutes ago, ausburn said:

4 hours ago, WarDamnEagleWDE said:

FWIW........ Told Slayton does have his degree and will test and perform off the charts in workouts. Will be drafted pretty high, in the 3 or 4th round. Good move by Slayton if true. 

I think that is the issue.....was browsing a mock draft site and did not see his name...might be a late arrival to the mock draft discussion...but more times than I can count or remember over the years we've been told someone will be an early round choice and then ...nothing happens for a while. 

On the other hand as noted, with an unknown QB situation, this might be his best year for passing yardage stats but there must be a hundred WRs getting out of college every year so getting drafted early in that position is very iffy. 

[AuburnNTexas 7,133]

4 hours ago, WarDamnEagleWDE said:

FWIW........ Told Slayton does have his degree and will test and perform off the charts in workouts. Will be drafted pretty high, in the 3 or 4th round. Good move by Slayton if true. 

Has his degree so has a backup plan if Pro Football does not workout.  Has the speed and size NFL wants.  Has had issues with his hands throughout his career one more year in college at either Auburn or another school won't fix hands issue. As for learning routes they have great coaches in NFL if taken in a later round or as Free Agent he will not initially be a starter so will have a chance to learn under NFL coaches.   He made the right choice for himself and it probably won't hurt Auburn that much either with the quality of our returning freshman,  injured players returning, and incoming freshman.  

This year will be about if O-Line is solid  (not great just solid) and if one of the QB's Gatewood, Willis, Sandberg, or Nix steps up and becomes a solid SEC QB.  

[AuburnNTexas 7,133]

4 hours ago, McLoofus said:

@Auburn2Eugene, I'm not sure of the specifics, but it was a bit of a rhetorical question. Whether it's the position coaches or the offense itself, it seems that other schools prepare their WRs and we don't. Could be wrong, but when you look around, it sure seems like there are a couple schools who know something we don't. 

A lot of that is the quality or the WR's they signed.  Until recently we have not signed elite WR's so lets see if the ones we have now make it to NFL and excel. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 minute ago, AuburnNTexas said:

A lot of that is the quality or the WR's they signed.  Until recently we have not signed elite WR's so lets see if the ones we have now make it to NFL and excel. 

Guess it depends on how you define recently.