So what are the most urgent things that need to be addressed

[WarTim 3,456]

41 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

You’re right, we do need some horses up front.  Is that what you mean?

Bingo. 

[ValleyTiger 2,894]

13 minutes ago, fredst said:

Center is such a problem it is killing our whole offense. The guards at least looked good at times when they pulled but they aren’t much better for the most part.

There's a lot of truth in that. I'd have to go back and rewatch, but a ton of Gus's run game hinges on the guards being able to pull (powers and counters) but Kim has shown an inability to handle a DT jumping thru the vacated gap. The tackles also need to do a better job punching on their "hinge" to help him. It's not a terribly difficult assignment. I've wondered if the guards have some kind of tell when they are about to pull (like leaning back). That sounds very simple, but something a good DT will know to look for. 

When we run zone blocking concepts we should be getting more push. The OL has to do a better job of engaging and continuing to drive their feet, quit stalemating it. Give a good strong punch to your "help" amd climb to the 2nd level on the combo blocks. 

 

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

26 minutes ago, WFE12 said:

How about special teams coverage?

This is asinine...No way around it. No excuse auburn should be that bad...None.

Well... The Oregon punt returner had 131 yards in game 1. Game 2 is over and we have given up 179? I won't complain. That's a good improvement from game 1

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

I know it's not constructive but I can't help but LoL at 95% of you who thought that all we needed was Gus back calling plays... 

Wait though.. is Chip Lindsey still on staff? I thought he was the weak link 

And the offense definitely doesn't look any different

[Eagle-1 3,821]

Gosh, didn't you guys listen to Gus's post game interview? 

The only problems were it was too hot out there, we need to run the ball better, but it was a real quality win against a very good Tulane team. I just don't understand what everyone is worried about.

Just once I would like to hear the man say " We stunk up the field out there, we have some issues to get fixed. That was not what we expect from an Auburn football team." 

Sigh, Guess we'll just have to wait until A&M throttles us in College Station first.

[cole256 17,050]

28 minutes ago, johnnyAU said:

Hasting's adjustment last night was one of those.

That was crazy

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

In all seriousness... 

Kim and Horton need to be replaced yesterday. If Oregon's DL can manhandle us for 3 quarters and we can get NO push vs TULANE, we have to swap some players out. 

Grimes should be replaced IMMEDIATELY. We need a coach who can recruit elite OL players. The product we have gotten the last two years are the product we will get with Grimes. I mean Gus pushed him out once by trying to move him to an off the field position. The problems we have now are due to Grimes not Hand. Grimes recruited these upperclassmen. This is about as good as it will get with a Grimes recruited OL

I don't really have much critique about the defense. We need a real edge rusher. It's truly surprising in years 6 and 7 Garner does not have an elite edge rusher.

We need to actually get Joiner, Worm, and DJ into the game. There is 0 excuse for Boobee and KMart to be the only RBs to get any carries. If we do not, it would be IMMENSELY SURPRISING for us to actually keep and sign Tank Bigsby

 

[Win4AU 4,052]

The running game in general is pretty lethargic and it’s not all on the Oline.  Other than the jet sweep there are zero outside runs.  The best run all night last night was Gatewood’s initial scramble.  Boobee isn’t going to cut it with 3 yds a carry.  Kmart can’t get past the Oline, Worm has disappeared and the times I’ve seen him he hasn’t executed.  Gatewood tried to hand it off to him last night and Worm didn’t take it resulting in Gatewood getting tackled for a 5 yard loss.   DJ keeps getting hurt in practice, Joiner apparently only runs the wheel route, Malik Miller must be on Gatorade duty.  This offense is on schedule for 2 years without a 1,000 yard rusher.  

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

3 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

The running game in general is pretty lethargic and it’s not all on the Oline.  Other than the jet sweep there are zero outside runs.  The best run all night last night was Gatewood’s initial scramble.  Boobee isn’t going to cut it with 3 yds a carry.  Kmart can’t get past the Oline, Worm has disappeared and the times I’ve seen him he hasn’t executed.  Gatewood tried to hand it off to him last night and Worm didn’t take it resulting in Gatewood getting tackled for a 5 yard loss.   DJ keeps getting hurt in practice, Joiner apparently only runs the wheel route, Malik Miller must be on Gatorade duty.  This offense is on schedule for 2 years without a 1,000 yard rusher.  

To be fair, if you are trying to rely on Malik Miller to get 1000 on the ground, you are going to be waiting a LONG time. 

Every one of the others should be getting 5-10 touches per game minimum

[Win4AU 4,052]

2 minutes ago, Auburn2Eugene said:

To be fair, if you are trying to rely on Malik Miller to get 1000 on the ground, you are going to be waiting a LONG time. 

Every one of the others should be getting 5-10 touches per game minimum

My point was none of the running backs seem like very good options right now with the way Auburn is trying to run the ball.

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

Just now, Win4AU said:

My point was none of the running backs seem like very good options right now with the way Auburn is trying to run the ball.

Why is that? Because we haven't seen them? 

The fact is Gus has always ridden one horse. This is no different. 

Gus better start listening to Caddy about the rotation or there won't be a Tank in the stable next season.

[tgrogan21 6,198]

In my very unprofessional opinion, I don't see the OL getting any better. If they were going to get better I think it would have already happened in the other 100+ starts they've had. At this point I would rather just let the younger guys start, get them some experience before the meat of our schedule, and let them get better for next year. 5 senior OL can't get a push against Tulane ... maybe the underclassman would have more fight and determination.

[dyehardfanAU 2,117]

1 hour ago, AUFriction said:

I admittedly didn't read the other posts, so I'm sure that this has been said already. There's only one thing to correct. The OL needs to find its killer instinct. That's it. Defense played well last night. OL protected the QB mostly well. Run blocking was very very weak, and it looked like the line was playing uninspired football. The talent is there. Last night, they just looked like they weren't really trying. Gus needs to go the way of Chizik in 2010 and challenge the line to run block better. If that happens, everything else on offense opens up and this is a very good team.

It's not a matter of intensity with the OL, it's a matter of talent.  We've got Sun Belt talent on the OL.

[Win4AU 4,052]

6 minutes ago, Auburn2Eugene said:

Why is that? Because we haven't seen them? 

The fact is Gus has always ridden one horse. This is no different. 

Gus better start listening to Caddy about the rotation or there won't be a Tank in the stable next season.

A lot of it is not getting to see them.  A lot of it’s running right into the line instead of trying to bounce it to the outside to greener pastures.  I appreciate Kmart staying but he should not be the 2nd back up.  

Tank told Jeffrey Lee he’s completely shutting down his recruitment and 100% committed last night.

[cole256 17,050]

7 minutes ago, dyehardfanAU said:

It's not a matter of intensity with the OL, it's a matter of talent.  We've got Sun Belt talent on the OL.

I've been trying not to wrap my head around this as I literally don't see how that could be possible.....becoming an anchor to our o line should sell like handing out a ticket to playing in the NFL......we should have a back log of uber athletes wanting to play for us....without selling it mind you

[ValleyTiger 2,894]

7 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

Tank told Jeffrey Lee he’s completely shutting down his recruitment and 100% committed last night.

Someone watched JGT post game, lol.

[AUGunsmith 666]

Only 1 change is needed and it is a replacement of the HC. 

Fire gus. Period. Paragraph. 

[dyehardfanAU 2,117]

4 minutes ago, cole256 said:

I've been trying not to wrap my head around this as I literally don't see how that could be possible.....becoming an anchor to our o line should sell like handing out a ticket to playing in the NFL......we should have a back log of uber athletes wanting to play for us....without selling it mind you

Grimes should have never coached at AU and I honestly think Gus is a pitiful evaluator of OL talent.  OL recruiting has never been good under Gus, not one single class.  I am honestly shocked by the people pumping the 2020 OL class.  It looks like bodies and a couple of hail-mary's on JUCOs.

[Momma Worm 2,844]

30 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

The running game in general is pretty lethargic and it’s not all on the Oline.  Other than the jet sweep there are zero outside runs.  The best run all night last night was Gatewood’s initial scramble.  Boobee isn’t going to cut it with 3 yds a carry.  Kmart can’t get past the Oline, Worm has disappeared and the times I’ve seen him he hasn’t executed.  Gatewood tried to hand it off to him last night and Worm didn’t take it resulting in Gatewood getting tackled for a 5 yard loss.   DJ keeps getting hurt in practice, Joiner apparently only runs the wheel route, Malik Miller must be on Gatorade duty.  This offense is on schedule for 2 years without a 1,000 yard rusher.  

Worm wouldnt take it or it was a quarterback keeper & the goal was to look like he took? It was designed to be one of those trick plays Smh

[aubaseball 2,595]

25 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

My point was none of the running backs seem like very good options right now with the way Auburn is trying to run the ball.

Just a word of advice....you need to watch the game to give an opinion.   Obviously, you aren’t because no one else gets a chance.   

[fasttimes 356]

Also, when Gatewood plays, is Gus ever going to let him throw the ball?

[I_M4_AU 7,801]

7 minutes ago, Momma Worm said:

Worm wouldnt take it or it was a quarterback keeper & the goal was to look like he took? It was designed to be one of those trick plays Smh

If it was the play I’m thinking of, Gatewood put the ball on Worm’s upper shoulder and had no intention of handing it off.  The defense saw this from the beginning (like so many other plays) and made the stop.

[wcware 1,365]

8 minutes ago, Momma Worm said:

Worm wouldnt take it or it was a quarterback keeper & the goal was to look like he took? It was designed to be one of those trick plays Smh

Momma, I think you just said a mouthful there. Plays this whole time we thought were read option plays are really predetermined from the sideline no matter what the defense does!!! This is absolutely sad. Give worm the rock.

[Dan-0 479]

I think our defense is good and capable of keeping us pretty much any game this year if they don´t get worn out by an offense that can´t at least generate some first downs and give them some rest. Our biggest weakness, IMO, is in both run blocking and pass protection, on the O-line. And to compound the problem are coaches are not spreading the field with enough jet sweeps, slants, screens, etc. to keep the opponents´ defenses honest. With the limitations of our O-line, the play-calling on offense HAS to get better or we are not going to be competitive with our SEC opponents this year. Just my take.

[Sully to Beasley 643]

1 hour ago, aubaseball said:

It’s not an argument.   Let’s agree that at the end of the year, let’s revisit this topic about the defense and see who was more right.   

The defense will be the only reason this team will win any of the games that it should win, ole miss, Arkansas and the like.   But make no mistake,  currently there is no chance of beating GA or Bama with this team.   And isn’t that the true measurement of a good Auburn team?

Why play the games then? Heck lets just skip to the SEC Championship between the criminal tide and the leg humpers! You would think that AU is Tennessee who has dropped 2 home games to inferior opponents. Last time I checked we beat an Oregon team at a neutral site that just dropped a whopping amount of points on their last opponent and we held a Tulane team to no touchdowns that has been a scoring machine. I guess facts don't matter.