What will be different this year?

[AuburnNTexas 7,127]

There are reasons to be hopeful and reasons to be afraid.  I disagree with poster who said O-line at end of year was not SEC caliber. Against two of the best teams in SEC bama and Ga. they played ok not great but ok. If you can play ok against bama and Ga. you are an SEC line. They have to make the next step and become an elite SEC line. The D-Line players returning and on a mission has to be encouraging as well as all the skill players who will have a year under their belt on O. The freshman who saw significant PT last year should follow suit and be much improved in year 2.   LB's talent level is a reason to be hopeful experience level is a reason to be afraid.  

The real questions will surround play of our new QB's and if Gus is really ready to take advantage of the speed and strength's we have in the skill positions.  To me Oregon game is the key if Gus calls a game to allow us to take advantage of our strength's and does not try to over protect our new QB or QB's.  Gus and offense needs to come out firing similar to the Purdue game if he does and it works then our only issue will be how tough our schedule is. 

We also need to be afraid about our perceived lack of depth in O-line if somebody gets hurt.  I say perceived is the backups have also had a year of Hand teaching them. We might have a gem or two among the backups.

 

[oracle79 3,569]

4 hours ago, McLoofus said:

Worm, Schwartz, Williams and Whitlow have all graduated from Gus's trust protocol.

Trust protocol...that literally made me laugh out loud.  I hope that's not an issue for him this year, because he's going to have to trust the QB or he's going to handicap the offense.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,637]

It sounds like, even though Gus is lavishing his defense with praise, he doesn't intend on just leaning on them for the entire season again. I think he played very protective over the past few seasons. 

[bigbird 60,367]

1 hour ago, AuburnNTexas said:

We also need to be afraid about our perceived lack of depth in O-line if somebody gets hurt.  I say perceived is the backups have also had a year of Hand teaching them. We might have a gem or two among the backups.

 

An injury at tackle will sink us.

[AUFriction 1,179]

17 hours ago, tigerman1186 said:

The past several days I've watched last years TA&M, LSU and Georgia games on ESPNU and wonder what is going to be different this coming season???? Stidham was running for his life a lot of times....we couldn't run the ball effectively....how we won the A&M game is still hard to understand; except for a couple of big plays (Ryan Davis catch and run), we didn't do much at all during the game except a lot of 3 and outs....LSU was one of the few games against a good team we played somewhat well offensively at times (never should have lost the past 2 years to them, but we did????)...Georgia we scored on a gadget play....

I think too many are looking at the bowl game when Gus was calling the plays and are expecting that to happen this season (please tell me it will), but Purdue (I know they beat Ohio St.) couldn't beat many teams in the SEC....

I'm just afraid there isn't going to be that much of a change from this past year...we lost our best offensive player #8 and our best defensive player #57, I just don't see it....TELL ME I'M WRONG....

War Eagle.... 

Sorry for the long post... I just had a lot on my mind with this question.

 

Comparison of 2018 to 2019-

OL-IMPROVED-I'm starting here because this is arguably the most important piece. Our OL was abysmal last year, and I still have some questions as to why. From what I've read, I believe that three things mattered here. First, Herb Hand was terrible, and failed to prepare upcoming players to start. Second, Hand and Grimes are very different philosophically. I think our players struggled to adapt to Grimes's techniques. Third, we were constantly shuffling the line due to injury and lack of success (particularly at center). Everything I'm reading suggests that the offensive line has made incredible progress in the offseason. Even just a slight improvement in OL play would make a huge impact on the rest of the offense. If the line has improved as much as I'm hearing, our offense has the potential to be much much much better this year. 

QB Play- UNCERTAIN (leaning toward improved)-  Stidham was running for his life in the first half of the year, and spent most of the second half injured. He never looked comfortable. While I expect the players to be slightly weaker (largely due to experience) this year, I expect QB to be an upgrade this year because I expect other things to improve around the QB. I'd say the most likely situation is a slight improvement in QB play in 2019.

RB Play- IMPROVED- We return everyone that mattered. I do think it will be 3 pronged, although I think we have 4 or even more running backs that are good enough to play in the SEC. I think Martin is getting a little underappreciated. His issue seems to be impatience. He's got great vertical acceleration, but that's useless when the OL isn't holding its own. With better OL play, he'll have more room. That said, Shivers and Whitlow are also underrated, and will do better with improved blocking. Additionally, I think having Eli Stove back at receiver for the jet sweeps will help to open more of the inside runs. There is no way that running back is anything other than an improvement this year. 

WR Play- IMPROVED- While we lose 2 incredible players here in Davis and Slayton, I'm more excited by what is returning. We had several good freshman last year unseat more senior players, and it wasn't because the experienced players were bad. The freshman were just that good. With an extra year under their belt, these sophomores will be something really special. In addition, two key players from 2017 are finally slated to come back. Regardless of loss, most people seem to expect improvement here. 

TE/HB- IMPROVED- Cox was great at what he did well, but he wasn't versatile. I like what I'm hearing about this position, especially with regard to Joiner. This position will be much more dynamic this year, and that will have an impact on other parts of the offense.

OFFENSIVE COACHING-UNCERTAIN- Everything now falls on Gus. On paper, I like the new coordinator hire. The fact that he moved up to a coordinator so fast might mean that he is incredibly smart and incredibly talented as a coach, or it might mean that he's in over his head. Gus having a clean role in play calling should improve the tempo. (One of the issues that I thought we had last year on offense was the slow pace we were operating at despise allegedly being HUNH.) But having the OC make the game plans and play suggestions puts a screen on Gus's sometimes ??? decision making. I'd put myself cautiously optimistic, but I'd say "very cautious" would describe it better... so much so that I am just going to straight up call this a wash between 2018 and 2019. 

DL Play- IMPROVED- I don't think I need to say anything here. Multiple guys that could have been drafted easily came back. This position will be a major strength this year.

LB- DIMINISHED- I say diminished, but I don't think it will be that bad. We play in a nickel most of the time anyway. The first few challenges of the year mostly play in spread sets with a lot of 3 and 4 wide formations, so we will probably see a lot of dime packages as well. I believe this group to be physically superior to what we've had the last few years, but they need some more time to grow into the college game. I do expect them to be in full bloom by the time we hit Amen Corner though, which will be huge.

DB Play- IMPROVED- I'm excited to say this with confidence. I'd gotten used to this being the eyesore of our team, and it feels like we started turning a corner on DB play over the last 2 years. I like this group better than last year's.

Defensive Coaching- WASH- Honestly, aside from the MSU game, I think Steele did a great job. He's an incredible coach. Most coaches are either too aggressive with players to the point where it's surprising any players respect them (e.g., Saban, McElwain), and others are too soft, allowing players to push them around (e.g. Trooper Taylor). I think Steele strikes the perfect balance. He knows how to push the guys the "right way." He uses aggressive punishment when he needs to, but also shows very much that he cares about his players. He holds high standards, but also enforces those standards very fairly. In terms of leader styles, he's very authentic, transformational, and understands the importance of individual player needs. This is a wash because I don't really see much room for him to grow at this point. 

Special Teams- IMPROVEMENT- The key players here all come back with more experience.

Coaching Overall- UNCERTAIN- It is my literal job to evaluate work performance. I saw elsewhere on this forum that someone described Gus as a good but terribly inconsistent coach. I 100% agree with this description. I was not a huge fan when we hired him back in 2013. I felt that his indecision and sometimes baffling decision making stifled our offense in 2011. I felt that a big problem in 2012 was a lack of quarterback development in the preceding years. I also feel that the hurry up offense has a really negative affect on the defensive players of your OWN team, and that it takes incredible depth to field a great defense with a hurry up offense. I felt that Chizik's hiring decisions between 2011 and 2012 were to remedy some of the limitations created by Gus's offense. So, when we hired him, I felt like we were replacing a  part of the problem in 2012 with an even bigger part of the problem from 2012. When most of the fans were in favor of him coming back in 2012, I was in opposition. Now most of the fans have done a 180 on Gus. Ironically, I have also done a 180. Gus has done some truly frustrating things, and, at times, he's been slow to adapt. However, I've seen more adaptation out of Gus in the last few years than I'd seen in the first few. Lately, when something isn't working, he's tried something else. Forget the score in the bowl game for a second. It was this premise that got me excited about 2019. During the 2018 season, we had a lot of things go against us, including locker room drama and coaches not seeing eye to eye. So, at the end of the season, he nudged our offensive coordinator out the door and tried something different. It isn't just that plays were more successful in the bowl game. Play calling was faster. Plays were called more to our players strengths compared to Gus's "typical" style. In the bowl game, Gus adapted, and did so more than he had previously. It is a sign of a potential change in him. Maybe stubborn Gus is becoming a thing of the past. THAT SAID, it is also possible that we just slide back to how we looked at the end of the Lashlee years. I've spent the better part of Gus's tenure not liking him as our head coach. I've now taken a step back and reevaluated, and I think there's still a decent chance he pans out as a great coach. But, until I see it happen, I'll remain a skeptic. For now, I'll call this a completely uncertain dimension.

 

Summary- We should be better on both sides of the ball in 2019. On offense, it comes down to play calling, QB play, and OL development from this year to last. On defense, it comes down to LB development. Overall, I still have major questions about Gus's coaching. Here's the deal... With the exception of QB, this team is extremely loaded, and QB is only off that list because we honestly just don't know yet how that position will pan out this year. Our schedule is brutal, but the talent is there to be right in the mix. If we lose more than 3 games and lose to BOTH rivals at the end of the year, there's no more excuses for Gus. The evidence will be overwhelming that he will never get over the hump. If we lose 2-3 games, just remember how crazy our schedule is. That said, however unlikely due to the schedule, this team has the talent to compete with every team we play this year. So Gus, OWN UP or GET OUT!

[AuburnNTexas 7,127]

1 hour ago, bigbird said:

An injury at tackle will sink us.

You are probably right but I am hoping that with a year of working with Hand somebody like Stutts or Hamm has improved enough to be serviceable.

[Carnell 592]

3 hours ago, AuburnNTexas said:

There are reasons to be hopeful and reasons to be afraid.  I disagree with poster who said O-line at end of year was not SEC caliber. Against two of the best teams in SEC bama and Ga. they played ok not great but ok. If you can play ok against bama and Ga. you are an SEC line. They have to make the next step and become an elite SEC line. The D-Line players returning and on a mission has to be encouraging as well as all the skill players who will have a year under their belt on O. The freshman who saw significant PT last year should follow suit and be much improved in year 2.   LB's talent level is a reason to be hopeful experience level is a reason to be afraid.  

The real questions will surround play of our new QB's and if Gus is really ready to take advantage of the speed and strength's we have in the skill positions.  To me Oregon game is the key if Gus calls a game to allow us to take advantage of our strength's and does not try to over protect our new QB or QB's.  Gus and offense needs to come out firing similar to the Purdue game if he does and it works then our only issue will be how tough our schedule is. 

We also need to be afraid about our perceived lack of depth in O-line if somebody gets hurt.  I say perceived is the backups have also had a year of Hand teaching them. We might have a gem or two among the backups.

 

I do not believe that line is capable of upper echelon play in the SEC.  In both the Bama and jawja games Whitlow could not manage much of anything.  While some yardage was made it was by our receivers like shivers and Schwartz.  This  is not indicative of how well the OL is playing but mistakes made by the defense.  To gage how well OL is playing look at the inside running which will be Whitlow and to some degree Martin.  The inside running game was abysmal in both.  Even against Perdue there was not total domination like it should be by our OL there were a few nice runs inside but not domination.  Even against Tenn and Ark, two 2nd tierd defenses in the Sec showed the ability to shut our inside run game down.

[dyehardfanAU 2,117]

3 hours ago, AuburnNTexas said:

There are reasons to be hopeful and reasons to be afraid.  I disagree with poster who said O-line at end of year was not SEC caliber. Against two of the best teams in SEC bama and Ga. they played ok not great but ok. If you can play ok against bama and Ga. you are an SEC line. They have to make the next step and become an elite SEC line. The D-Line players returning and on a mission has to be encouraging as well as all the skill players who will have a year under their belt on O. The freshman who saw significant PT last year should follow suit and be much improved in year 2.   LB's talent level is a reason to be hopeful experience level is a reason to be afraid.  

The real questions will surround play of our new QB's and if Gus is really ready to take advantage of the speed and strength's we have in the skill positions.  To me Oregon game is the key if Gus calls a game to allow us to take advantage of our strength's and does not try to over protect our new QB or QB's.  Gus and offense needs to come out firing similar to the Purdue game if he does and it works then our only issue will be how tough our schedule is. 

We also need to be afraid about our perceived lack of depth in O-line if somebody gets hurt.  I say perceived is the backups have also had a year of Hand teaching them. We might have a gem or two among the backups.

 

Rushed for 3ypc against UA,

[dyehardfanAU 2,117]

6 minutes ago, Carnell said:

I do not believe that line is capable of upper echelon play in the SEC.  In both the Bama and jawja games Whitlow could not manage much of anything.  While some yardage was made it was by our receivers like shivers and Schwartz.  This  is not indicative of how well the OL is playing but mistakes made by the defense.  To gage how well OL is playing look at the inside running which will be Whitlow and to some degree Martin.  The inside running game was abysmal in both.  Even against Perdue there was not total domination like it should be by our OL there were a few nice runs inside but not domination.  Even against Tenn and Ark, two 2nd tierd defenses in the Sec showed the ability to shut our inside run game down.

Combine that with giving up 23 sacks and 67 TFL over the course of the season and it's not hard to see why many aren't excited over the returning OL.  Hopefully grandpappy Grimes has corched them up in the offseason.

[aujeff11 6,243]

10 minutes ago, dyehardfanAU said:

Rushed for 3ypc against UA,

We were giving them fits in the first half before the game got away from us. Also had a 70+ yard TD run taken off the board, and I never spotted the penalty...

[dyehardfanAU 2,117]

2 minutes ago, aujeff11 said:

We were giving them fits in the first half before the game got away from us. Also had a 70+ yard TD run taken off the board, and I never spotted the penalty...

Granted a 70+ yard run would've been helpful it doesn't really take away from the fact we were getting next to nothing on all of the other plays.

[Carnell 592]

10 minutes ago, dyehardfanAU said:

Granted a 70+ yard run would've been helpful it doesn't really take away from the fact we were getting next to nothing on all of the other plays.

Those end runs are not indicative of how well the line is blocking.  It usually indicative of a mistake made by linebacker or a safety.  The inside game represented by Whitlow is indicative of how well the line is blocking.

[aujeff11 6,243]

2 minutes ago, Carnell said:

Those end runs are not indicative of how well the line is blocking.  It usually indicative of a mistake made by linebacker or a safety.  The inside game represented by Whitlow is indicative of how well the line is blocking.

Ok. our line did well on one series the whole game. The third one. I take back the first half. The TD getting called back plus the Gus penalty hurt. 

[WarDamnEagleWDE 12,737]

6 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

Some people here have way too much free time. 

 

😝

Adderall 

[aujeff11 6,243]

Just now, WarDamnEagleWDE said:

Adderall 

COD plus adderal is beastmode before beastmode. 

[WarDamnEagleWDE 12,737]

1 minute ago, aujeff11 said:

COD plus adderal is beastmode before beastmode. 

Noted. Good to know. 

[oracle79 3,569]

2 hours ago, bigbird said:

An injury at tackle will sink us.

I'm assuming Troxell won't be back this season from injury.  Is Kim the defacto center, or is Brahms still in the mix?  Any chance of a GT at tackle for depth?

[tigerman1186 537]

Probably too late to add a graduate transfer at OT or any position.... 

[McLoofus 35,182]

15 hours ago, oracle79 said:

I'm assuming Troxell won't be back this season from injury.  Is Kim the defacto center, or is Brahms still in the mix?  Any chance of a GT at tackle for depth?

Kim's the starter at center. 

[dyehardfanAU 2,117]

14 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Kim's the starter at center. 

Hopefully he's improved his strength and ability to make a push after the snap.

[McLoofus 35,182]

7 minutes ago, dyehardfanAU said:

Hopefully he's improved his strength and ability to make a push after the snap.

My guess is that he has but it won't be as much as we wish. 

[AuburnNTexas 7,127]

16 hours ago, Carnell said:

I do not believe that line is capable of upper echelon play in the SEC.  In both the Bama and jawja games Whitlow could not manage much of anything.  While some yardage was made it was by our receivers like shivers and Schwartz.  This  is not indicative of how well the OL is playing but mistakes made by the defense.  To gage how well OL is playing look at the inside running which will be Whitlow and to some degree Martin.  The inside running game was abysmal in both.  Even against Perdue there was not total domination like it should be by our OL there were a few nice runs inside but not domination.  Even against Tenn and Ark, two 2nd tierd defenses in the Sec showed the ability to shut our inside run game down.

As somebody already mentioned a long run taken back on a very questionable call. Plus adding a more mobile QB this year so DE actually has to make a decision on who to tackle. By end of year pass blocking had improved tremendously. Play calling also has a lot to do with how good an O-Line looks. If we continue our unimaginative everybody knows what play will be called next this O-Line is not good enough if we help the O-Line and make defense have to react they can be good enough. 

Teams were playing our inside run to stop it because they knew when it was coming again I think the coaches play calling has a lot to do with how good the O-Line is and the O as a whole.

[Carnell 592]

1 hour ago, AuburnNTexas said:

As somebody already mentioned a long run taken back on a very questionable call. Plus adding a more mobile QB this year so DE actually has to make a decision on who to tackle. By end of year pass blocking had improved tremendously. Play calling also has a lot to do with how good an O-Line looks. If we continue our unimaginative everybody knows what play will be called next this O-Line is not good enough if we help the O-Line and make defense have to react they can be good enough. 

Teams were playing our inside run to stop it because they knew when it was coming again I think the coaches play calling has a lot to do with how good the O-Line is and the O as a whole.

The weaknesses you cited above such as unimaginative playcalling and defenses knowing the plays is exactly the same criticism leveled at Gus when he gave up the playcalling duties in 2015 or 2016 forget which.  And when Lashlee took over the criticism did not stop.  Now you talking the sam weaknesses and you did not specifically say who you were addressing those weaknesses about.  Since Lindsey was our OC last year I will assume that is who you are talking about.  Well Gus is the head coach why didnt he address the problem probably because he did not know what to do.

In addition, you state he now has a quarterback that will now force DEs to attack both the quarterback and running back.  That is an indictment on Gus because he should not be running an offense that he does not have the personnel to run.  Good coaches fit the scheme to match players abilities not try to match players abilities to their scheme. 

In other words,  gus is not implementing anything new just going back to what did not work in the past.

 

I

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 hour ago, Carnell said:

The weaknesses you cited above such as unimaginative playcalling and defenses knowing the plays is exactly the same criticism leveled at Gus when he gave up the playcalling duties in 2015 or 2016 forget which.  And when Lashlee took over the criticism did not stop.  Now you talking the sam weaknesses and you did not specifically say who you were addressing those weaknesses about.  Since Lindsey was our OC last year I will assume that is who you are talking about.  Well Gus is the head coach why didnt he address the problem probably because he did not know what to do.

In addition, you state he now has a quarterback that will now force DEs to attack both the quarterback and running back.  That is an indictment on Gus because he should not be running an offense that he does not have the personnel to run.  Good coaches fit the scheme to match players abilities not try to match players abilities to their scheme. 

In other words,  gus is not implementing anything new just going back to what did not work in the past.

Your understanding of what has transpired the last 6-7 years is very different than mine. 

[Carnell 592]

2 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Your understanding of what has transpired the last 6-7 years is very different than man. 

How