What will be different this year?

[GwillMac6 20,607]

Just now, ToomersStreet said:

With all do respect who would be a primary?   Peterson?  Patterson?  Mullen? Cutcliff?  I'm sorry but those guys are not leaving and I do not know of anyone with their credentials out there available.   WHo do you think.   And Bob Stoopsisn't coming out of retirement?

The 2 best coaches " on the market" are Stoops and Meyer. I would make them say no 37 times before I moved on to someone else. Stoops is working in the freaking XFL in the front office.. You cannot tell me he would not come out of retirement if we gave him enough money. He has something to prove because people are seemingly forgetting about him and his legacy quickly in Norman with how well Riles has done succeeding him with back to back heisman winners and playoff appearances. 

[abw0004 10,108]

2 hours ago, ToomersStreet said:

Troy could have beat purdue by two touch downs.  Purdue in no way should be an indicator of this season, although  everyone is looking at  that game as if it is. To include Gus

What makes you say that?  Purdue beat both #3 Ohio State and #25 Iowa and lost by 3 points to Wisconsin, Missouri, and 4 points to #21 Northwestern.  

How so many people just discount Gus’ accomplishments and rail him for things out of his control so fast just boggles my mind.  Everyone needs to be fair in their criticisms.  

[WFE12 9,191]

5 hours ago, doc4aday said:

I agree with you on some of your points. However, if we go 12-0, Gus would redeem himself. Win it all, we will be happiest bunch fans this side of the Japan!  I think that Gus will coach his tail off this season and give it his absolute best. This may be enough to pump up all of the tires of the Gus Bus and get it out of the ditch. Maybe a bit too much of blind optimism, but you never know!  

I commend you for your optimism because someone has to have it. I just can't allow myself to fall down that well again.

[abw0004 10,108]

10 minutes ago, WFE12 said:

I commend you for your optimism because someone has to have it. I just can't allow myself to fall down that well again.

I believe in you!  You can do it!

 

[doc4aday 1,887]

3 hours ago, WFE12 said:

I commend you for your optimism because someone has to have it. I just can't allow myself to fall down that well again.

you never know my friend. This season is one at a serious crossroad and one that I hope Gus proves a lot of folks wrong.  I want Auburn to win and win big regardless who is coaching.

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

3 hours ago, abw0004 said:

What makes you say that?  Purdue beat both #3 Ohio State and #25 Iowa and lost by 3 points to Wisconsin, Missouri, and 4 points to #21 Northwestern.  

How so many people just discount Gus’ accomplishments and rail him for things out of his control so fast just boggles my mind.  Everyone needs to be fair in their criticisms.  

The players on the field for Purdue during that game were part of recruiting classes that averaged rankings in the mid-60s.  To give you perspective, there are only 64 teams in the Power 5 (65 if you include Notre Dame).  The school was literally being out-recruited by some MAC and AAC schools during those years.  As long as we tried, Purdue had no chance just based on pure talent.

[DAG 33,955]

15 minutes ago, Brad_ATX said:

The players on the field for Purdue during that game were part of recruiting classes that averaged rankings in the mid-60s.  To give you perspective, there are only 64 teams in the Power 5 (65 if you include Notre Dame).  The school was literally being out-recruited by some MAC and AAC schools during those years.  As long as we tried, Purdue had no chance just based on pure talent.

On paper yes. A lot of us said this but quite a few people, including me would not have been surprised if AU has loss. That’s why it was a lose - lose for Gus as far as perception from some. That’s just the truth. 

[AU64 10,122]

11 hours ago, DAG said:

On paper yes. A lot of us said this but quite a few people, including me would not have been surprised if AU has loss. That’s why it was a lose - lose for Gus as far as perception from some. That’s just the truth. 

Purdue only got to be a "bad team" after AU mopped them up.....before the game, many folks on this site were picking them to win and for their coach to be the next AU coach.....must have been some disappointments with the way AU played.   BUT a couple plays early in the game could have changed the margin.....JS threw a pick 6 when we were up by a TD and the defender just dropped the ball with a wide open path to the end zone.    And...AU went down to score and gradually broke it open.   Had that INT been made, the picture could have been different..      IMO, but AU fans should just rejoice in the big victory....and not try to minimize it....sounds kind of petty.....

[abw0004 10,108]

11 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

The players on the field for Purdue during that game were part of recruiting classes that averaged rankings in the mid-60s.  To give you perspective, there are only 64 teams in the Power 5 (65 if you include Notre Dame).  The school was literally being out-recruited by some MAC and AAC schools during those years.  As long as we tried, Purdue had no chance just based on pure talent.

But that doesn’t have to do with their outcome of that season and my post.  If anything, that just says they have an outstanding coach to beat the teams he did during the season.  Wins over 2 top ranked teams and loses with 4 or less points to 3 other teams is pretty darn good.  Saying something like they would lose to Troy is laughable and disrespectful to that team in how good they actually were.  

[I_M4_AU 7,773]

15 hours ago, AUsince72 said:

4 things will be different from last season....

1. One fewer win.

2. One additional loss.

3. Everything will say 2019 instead of 2018.

4. Gus will actually be fired.

I expect to see this in the “Mark My Words” thread later this year.  You may have a winner.

[aujeff11 6,243]

DAG is right that the bowl game was a lose lose situation for Gus. The 60 point effort was great, but expected against a team of scrubs that already knocked off more than one good team that year. 

[ToomersStreet 795]

On 7/18/2019 at 7:19 AM, abw0004 said:

• Much improved OL with a full year learning off of Coach Grimes.  Last year they only had 6 months with him.
• All juniors on the defense returned with the exception of Dean
  • Javaris Davis is going back to his normal position
  • Linebackers should be better this year as time goes on
• All running backs and WR's return
  • Will Hastings and Eli Stove return
  • Addition of MAR and DJ Williams are big time
• Last year, all of those freshmen come back with real-time experience
• Gus is officially calling the plays
  • Dillingham being his spotter on the field like Lashee was in 2013 and 2014
  • Dillingham will also give Gus 3-4 plays to choose from and Gus will take it from there
• We have two very capable QB's that have stepped up and truly fit our system
• Good recruiting class that has arrived

I personally do not think we lost our best player on either side of the ball.  I love Deshaun Davis, but Derrick Brown is the best guy on defense.  On offense, I am actually going to say Seth Williams is our best guy.  I also think either Gatewood or Nix can become a better QB than Stidham, at least in this offense.

If none of this excites you, than the mere fact that we get to go back to Auburn for gamedays!  Love that feeling every time.

They are so capable that Gus put everything he had into  convincing Kelly Bryant to transfer!

[abw0004 10,108]

42 minutes ago, ToomersStreet said:

They are so capable that Gus put everything he had into  convincing Kelly Bryant to transfer!

Why not have more competition for the QB position?  As it sits, we only have 3 quarterbacks on the roster.  Do you really believe JG or Nix are not capable in this system?  Even with all of the raving reports coming in?

[ToomersStreet 795]

3 minutes ago, abw0004 said:

Why not have more competition for the QB position?  As it sits, we only have 3 quarterbacks on the roster.  Do you really believe JG or Nix are not capable in this system?  Even with all of the raving reports coming in?

Honestly, let's assume Gus has been winning 10+ games a year as our HC.  He has never had high school QB development issues and has never had boneheaded games like 2017 LSU, 2016 UGA, 2016 Clemson.  Bo Nix has an amazing arm.  It will be terribly under utilized in malzahns offense. Also Jeremy johnson had rave reviews in the spring.

[ToomersStreet 795]

18 hours ago, GwillMac6 said:

The 2 best coaches " on the market" are Stoops and Meyer. I would make them say no 37 times before I moved on to someone else. Stoops is working in the freaking XFL in the front office.. You cannot tell me he would not come out of retirement if we gave him enough money. He has something to prove because people are seemingly forgetting about him and his legacy quickly in Norman with how well Riles has done succeeding him with back to back heisman winners and playoff appearances. 

I was not aware.  If that is the case then Stoops it is

[gr82be 14,403]

7 minutes ago, ToomersStreet said:

Honestly, let's assume Gus has been winning 10+ games a year as our HC.  He has never had high school QB development issues and has never had boneheaded games like 2017 LSU, 2016 UGA, 2016 Clemson.  Bo Nix has an amazing arm.  It will be terribly under utilized in malzahns offense. Also Jeremy johnson had rave reviews in the spring.

I had the same thought. 

[abw0004 10,108]

13 minutes ago, ToomersStreet said:

Honestly, let's assume Gus has been winning 10+ games a year as our HC.  He has never had high school QB development issues and has never had boneheaded games like 2017 LSU, 2016 UGA, 2016 Clemson.  Bo Nix has an amazing arm.  It will be terribly under utilized in malzahns offense. Also Jeremy johnson had rave reviews in the spring.

Not from guys like WDE he didn’t.  

[Auburn Kev 1,653]

5 minutes ago, ToomersStreet said:

I was not aware.  If that is the case then Stoops it is

Head Coach and General Manager

[gr82b4au 5,568]

1) qb- I thought stidham had a terrible year. He was timid, because the OL was bad and he held the ball too long. He was no threat to run at all. 

Will the freshmen be an improvement? Who knows. But adding a running QB helps. 

2) experience at OL and DL- stronger, older, and hopefully wiser on both sides. I thought the DL underperformed last year and the OL was dreadful  I just want the DL to live up to the hype and the OL to be better  I think they will.  

3) play calling- I think it will improve and so will the pace. There won’t be a coach overruling another coach on plays. This is the Gus offense and he will either sink or swim  I think he is actually a very good OC. 

We will be a better team overall but the schedule is the toughest I can remember since the 80s. Brutal. Oregon will tell us a ton. 

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

3 hours ago, abw0004 said:

But that doesn’t have to do with their outcome of that season and my post.  If anything, that just says they have an outstanding coach to beat the teams he did during the season.  Wins over 2 top ranked teams and loses with 4 or less points to 3 other teams is pretty darn good.  Saying something like they would lose to Troy is laughable and disrespectful to that team in how good they actually were.  

I feel like you didn't watch much Purdue football last year.  I saw them play at least six times.  They weren't very good.

Beating #25 Iowa isn't a top ranked team.  It's a fringe ranked team.  The only real win of note they had was vs Ohio State and to their credit, Purdue played great that evening.

But you also conveniently left off the fact that Purdue lost to Eastern Michigan and got their doors blown off by a middling Minnesota team.  Good teams don't let that happen.

Do I think Troy beats them?  Quite possibly yes.  And it's not "laughable or disrespectful" to say because there is evidence that Purdue can and did lose to a worse than Troy caliber team last season.  

[auburnphan 6,050]

3 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

DAG is right that the bowl game was a lose lose situation for Gus. The 60 point effort was great, but expected against a team of scrubs that already knocked off more than one good team that year. 

Agree.  But he needed to win it how he did.  So in a weird way it was a lose, lose, win kinda game.

[AuburnNTexas 7,128]

On 7/20/2019 at 7:13 AM, Auburn2Eugene said:

First let me make it clear that im not taking anything away from Nix. Nix is quite possibly the best pure passing QB we have ever signed. But that doesnt miraculously make him a true running threat. Thats my point. Nix may be the best QB to ever play in Auburn, but that doesnt mean me will be considered the best DTQB we have ever had. Of course playing like Johnny Football and Mayfield would be amazing and anyone would be an idiot to criticize his play assuming he plays like Johnny Football and Mayfield.  My point is that people are assuming left and right that Nix presents as much a running threat as Gatewood. And that simply is not true. 

 

And Gus absolutely did lose his mojo after the A&M game in 2014. Saying othrtwise suggests you havent paid attention. Perhaps you forgot what it was like going 8-5 with Nick Marshall at QB. Or maybe you forgot about going 7-6 and playing our bowl game in Birmingham? I mean if you are blaming it on the defense, our defense was just as terrible in 2013. Yet we made it to the national championship game. The fact is prior to the 2014 A&M game we found ways to win the majority of every game we played (we had lost a total of 3 games under Gus before 2014 A&M.) After that game, we found ways NOT to win. You cant just blame the defense. 

Its also interesting you chose to talk about points scored... After the 2014 season, until Lashlee was pushed out, we only scored 40 points aginst non Sun-Belt and worse teams 3 times... 2 vs Arkansas and 1 vs Ole Miss. Gone were the days of 40 every game. That all changed after 2014... And gone were the days of dynamic Gus. That also ended in 2014...against A&M. He lost his mojo in that game and hasnt been near the same since. 

You brought up 2014 when we had Nick Marshall and said Gus had lost his Offensive Mojo and I showed you that in 2014 with true dual threat QB Nick Marshall Gus and the O scored a lot of points. against A&M, against bama, against Wisconsin. so you were wrong in saying Gus lost his Offense Mojo with a true dual threat QB. In 2015 we had JJ and SW nether true DT QB's.  I blame Gus for 2014 as head coach he has to be sure we have both a strong D and a strong O.  Since then the D has improved so he gets credit for that but the O has only had one good year since 2014 so Gus gets blamed for that.  

I conceded Nix is not what you would call a true DT QB what I said was he is much closer to a true DT QB than Stidham who never should have been rated a true DT QB.  You yourself said the Nix reminded you more of a Baker Mayfield or a Johnny Football both ran some but used their legs to keep the play alive and then found open receivers.  The fact that Bo might actually keep the ball rather than give it to RB makes the D have to make a decision which they did not have to do with Stidham. It doesn't matter if he keeps the ball to run or pass it matters he puts the defensive player in the position of having to make a choice.

What I am saying is both Gatewood and Bo fit the Gus type offense better than Stidham. The real issue I had with Gus last year whether he was calling the plays or letting his OC. do it is he did not adjust the play calling to the type of talent we had last year. This year we all think we will have two passible talented QB and I think they fit the type of plays Gus called before but we also have better receivers then we have had in years and RB's who catching the ball out of the backfield would be a DC's nightmare. My judging of Gus this year won't just be a successful O but an O that has adjusted to our talent and will be even more successful. 

 

 

[tbone1430 1,346]

Few things I think will be different this year:

1. O-line play will be better, all 5 are seniors and hopefully will be a good cohesive unit. Don't think it can be worse than last year. 

2. Way more QB runs. Obvious of course if its JG and even if it is BN. 

3. More trick plays. Even though they are gadget plays I do enjoy a few good ones when they are effective. 

4. Pace will pick up to 2013-2014 pace. 

5. We win at Baton Rouge. Just think we finally break the curse. 

[GwillMac6 20,607]

1 hour ago, tbone1430 said:

Few things I think will be different this year:

1. O-line play will be better, all 5 are seniors and hopefully will be a good cohesive unit. Don't think it can be worse than last year. 

2. Way more QB runs. Obvious of course if its JG and even if it is BN. 

3. More trick plays. Even though they are gadget plays I do enjoy a few good ones when they are effective. 

4. Pace will pick up to 2013-2014 pace. 

5. We win at Baton Rouge. Just think we finally break the curse. 

Why on earth would you think that? What in the last 20 years gives you hope that we break the curse with either a RS Freshmen or a True Freshmen at QB?

[tbone1430 1,346]

1 hour ago, GwillMac6 said:

Why on earth would you think that? What in the last 20 years gives you hope that we break the curse with either a RS Freshmen or a True Freshmen at QB?

Because our defense will be arguably the best one we’ve had in the last 10 if not 15 years, I really think QB will be a strength this year and by the time we play there we will have already played at Kyle Field and the swamp so whoever is QB will be familiar with loud opposing sec stadiums. The past 3 years all the games have been decided by a td or less, JMO we finally get it done there.