One missing piece on defense

[abw0004 10,104]

Geez.  Maxwell did not have a good week on this forum. 

[aumrb86 4]

On 1/17/2019 at 7:29 PM, Rednilla said:

Auburn has had a pretty stout defense since Kevin Steele took over, and, yet again, we won 10 games in 2017. You are the definition of a debbie downer: any negative light that can be shined on the team, you make sure to crank it up full blast, whether warranted or not.

By the way, since you obviously can't do math, Gus is averaging a little less than 9 wins and 4.5 losses per year. No, it's not where we want to be, but the sky is not falling, chicken little.

Muschamp was the catalyst for our improvement on D under Gus.  Unfortunately, the guys Muschamp brought in have left.  Our D really struggled last year given their talent which was overshadowed by the poor play from the O.  

[McLoofus 35,182]

On 1/19/2019 at 4:21 PM, aumrb86 said:

Muschamp was the catalyst for our improvement on D under Gus. 

Yay!

Quote

Unfortunately, the guys Muschamp brought in have left.  Our D really struggled last year given their talent which was overshadowed by the poor play from the O.  

Boo. 

If our offense decides to participate this season, Steele will magically look smart again. 

[Mikey 16,550]

On 1/19/2019 at 3:21 PM, aumrb86 said:

Our D really struggled last year given their talent which was overshadowed by the poor play from the O.  

What was termed, pre season, as "Arguably the best front seven in college football" under performed badly. The defense had the talent, depth and experience and it should have been the strongest point of the team by far. A unit with all that going for it can't sit around griping and whining "but the offense". They gave up 30 points to Tennessee, a team that managed 14 points against Charleston and 13 against Vandy. The MSU front rammed the ball down our throats for 350 yards rushing and controlled the ball for around 42 minutes. That wasn't the offense's fault. If a defense wants to get off the field, they have to get stops.

The offense should have been better, but there was an entire new line and new RB's to break in on offense. The defense had it all coming back and simply failed to play up to their potential.

[Rednilla 5,383]

On 1/19/2019 at 3:21 PM, aumrb86 said:

Muschamp was the catalyst for our improvement on D under Gus.  Unfortunately, the guys Muschamp brought in have left.  Our D really struggled last year given their talent which was overshadowed by the poor play from the O.  

Muschamp was here for one season before bolting for another head coaching job. Kevin Steele has done more for Auburn than Will Muschamp did. 

The defense was underwhelming, yes, but they played better earlier in the season when they felt the offense would hold up their end. Kinda difficult to stay motivated when the other side of the ball plays as poorly as our offense did. That obviously doesn't excuse the defense for giving up what they did, but it does factor in psychologically.

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

2 hours ago, Rednilla said:

Muschamp was here for one season before bolting for another head coaching job. Kevin Steele has done more for Auburn than Will Muschamp did. 

The defense was underwhelming, yes, but they played better earlier in the season when they felt the offense would hold up their end. Kinda difficult to stay motivated when the other side of the ball plays as poorly as our offense did. That obviously doesn't excuse the defense for giving up what they did, but it does factor in psychologically.

I was stoked when we hired WM as DC. I was not as stoked about Kevin Steele. However, KS has done way more than WM did for our defense in both performance and recruiting. WM had an impact yes...but i dont think a better turnaround couldve been done with WM staying as Kevin has done

[PUB78 1,354]

8 hours ago, Mikey said:

What was termed, pre season, as "Arguably the best front seven in college football" under performed badly. The defense had the talent, depth and experience and it should have been the strongest point of the team by far. A unit with all that going for it can't sit around griping and whining "but the offense". They gave up 30 points to Tennessee, a team that managed 14 points against Charleston and 13 against Vandy. The MSU front rammed the ball down our throats for 350 yards rushing and controlled the ball for around 42 minutes. That wasn't the offense's fault. If a defense wants to get off the field, they have to get stops.

The offense should have been better, but there was an entire new line and new RB's to break in on offense. The defense had it all coming back and simply failed to play up to their potential.

And the total meltdown in the 2nd half of the Iron Bowl.

[McLoofus 35,182]

14 hours ago, Tigerpro2a said:

I was stoked when we hired WM as DC. I was not as stoked about Kevin Steele. However, KS has done way more than WM did for our defense in both performance and recruiting. WM had an impact yes...but i dont think a better turnaround couldve been done with WM staying as Kevin has done

Hard to say one way or the other. 

Steele doesn't have the success he's having if Muschamp doesn't come here first and get things turned around. I'm convinced of that. Muschamp (and TRob) triaged the hell out of that unit and made Steele's job much easier, or possible at all. Could Muschamp have sustained it? I think yes if he was motivated. I think he would have this defense playing as well as any in the country. But he was never meant to stay here long so it's a moot point IMO.

Muschamp was the guy we needed at the time and we probably couldn't hope for much better than Steele now. 

[mcgufcm 4,096]

Agree on both. Two very good hires at DC. Steele’s consistency and personality fit with his guys. Muschamp is a vagabond and has a, um, different personality. Both guys were needed. Both have done well. We took a step back defensively last year, but they rallied and are in position to be very good again this year. 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,641]

The defensive backfield needs (and should) get better, and hopefully their schemes get a bit of renovation too. Even with the DL did perform decently, they were food against a respectable QB-WR duo.

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

39 minutes ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

The defensive backfield needs (and should) get better, and hopefully their schemes get a bit of renovation too. Even with the DL did perform decently, they were food against a respectable QB-WR duo.

I agree......I think we will be much better on the backend this year though.....Two vet safeties and two good backups with experience.....then J davis/Tutt/Iggy all coming back ........and lots of young talent....i think it may be a strength this year

[bigbird 60,368]

55 minutes ago, Tigerpro2a said:

I agree......I think we will be much better on the backend this year though.....Two vet safeties and two good backups with experience.....then J davis/Tutt/Iggy all coming back ........and lots of young talent....i think it may be a strength this year

S:  Smoke and Sherwood

CB: J. Davis and Tutt

NB: J. Dinson

 

This is how I'd line them up.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

I like that, but I’m very interested to see Iggy after another off-season. He’s long armed and fast. To me, he’s the CB with the highest ceiling. I’d rather have Tutt or JD at NB if Iggy takes a step forward on the outside. 

But I’m dying to see Sherwood/Monday take another step. Those cats can ball. 

[doc4aday 1,887]

No worries here. I think our defense will be vastly improved over last year. The men coming back have a chip on their shoulders from the games that got away from us and will be on a mission to finish the job before the NFL comes calling. The D will win some games for us this season and will lock down the loose pieces from games such as MSU, LSU, UT, UGA & bammer.

The Doc has been pretty good with predictions as of late, and this is one that is easy to predict.  We will be in the top 4 in defense in the SEC when the stats are all said and done at the end of the 2019 season.

[The Plainsman 948]

Smoke and Sherwood make knock some dudes out next year.   If we can get any pressure on the QB like I thought we should have LY,  we will be adequate at corner at minimum.  

Dinson I predict will have a stellar year.  

[Randman5000 4,223]

I did love the tall corners between Carlton Davis and Dean. A huge change from Nix and Davis. The tall corners who can run is definitely something I'm missing from Muschamp and Trob. 

My.big beef is wasting talent like TD Moultry on a hybrid position that is an outside linebacker position in the NFL and not producing at all. At the same time he was supposed to be so talented he could have been an inside LB as well. Missed piece IMO. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

On 2/9/2019 at 3:40 AM, Randman5000 said:

My.big beef is wasting talent like TD Moultry on a hybrid position that is an outside linebacker position in the NFL and not producing at all. At the same time he was supposed to be so talented he could have been an inside LB as well. Missed piece IMO. 

Not sure that Moultry's lack of production is on the coaches.

[doc4aday 1,887]

I believe Pappoe will be on the field a great deal in 2019. Not sure he will start, but could very well as the season progresses and he becomes more and more comfortable in his position.  I went back and watched Brothers film and was blown away with his tackling ability.  I would pick him as the sleeper of the 2019 class.

Derrick Brown's little brother could really surprise some folks next season as well. I know he was the lowest rated recruit in the class, but he was nothing short of a tackling machine at his school. Anytime someone can amass over 200 tackles a season, they should get folks attention right away. The Saints back in the day had a LB who was of similar size who was all pro and a demon on the field. I remember his first name was Vaughn.  I think our 2 lowest rated recruits are going to be special down the road.

[Auburn Kev 1,653]

1 hour ago, doc4aday said:

The Saints back in the day had a LB who was of similar size who was all pro and a demon on the field. I remember his first name was Vaughn.  I think our 2 lowest rated recruits are going to be special down the road.

I believe you are thinking of Sam Mills who was 5'9".

Played in the Pro Bowl several times and made All-Pro once.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Mills

[doc4aday 1,887]

13 hours ago, Auburn Kev said:

I believe you are thinking of Sam Mills who was 5'9".

Played in the Pro Bowl several times and made All-Pro once.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Mills

Thanks!  I remember him well. Goes to show a LB with lesser height can be special and make an impact. Kam Brown is a few inches taller of which should help him. I hope makes us all proud during his career following big brother's steps. I remember brothers who played Auburn football that did well. David & Kenny Irons,  Tracy & David Rocker. There are others I cannot recall, but those 2 stand out in my mind.

[doc4aday 1,887]

2 minutes ago, doc4aday said:

Thanks!  I remember him well. Goes to show a LB with lesser height can be special and make an impact. Kam Brown is a few inches taller of which should help him. I hope makes us all proud during his career following big brother's steps. I remember brothers who played Auburn football that did well. David & Kenny Irons,  Tracy & David Rocker. There are others I cannot recall, but those 2 stand out in my mind.

I was thinking of Vaughan Johnson that played for the Saints, but he was 6 ft.-3.  It was sad about Sam Mills losing his battle to cancer. He was a heck of a football player in his day.