Things I Think I Saw: AU vs Miss State....

[JMR 2,118]

Big win for Auburn.  The "Joe Moorhead vs Kevin Steele" promo turned out to be empty hype.  State made it easier than anyone expected and Auburn cashed in every opportunity right out of the gate. Lots of positives and superlatives available in looking back at this one and very little to put in the "needs to improve" category.  In any event, here are some of the Things I Think I Saw.....
 

• Christian Tutt is fearless as a punt returner.  He is not at all intimidated by the immense responsibility he has in fielding a punt; he actually wants the ball in his hands so he can make something happen.  Tutt's aggressive style has been absolutely huge in establishing field position for AU.
   
• Gus continues to go against what conventional wisdom says he will do.  Instead of opening the game with a simple inside zone, the way so many offensive guys do, he opened the first possession by pulling both Tega and Harrell from the backside, and surprised everyone.  Both pulling linemen did their jobs perfectly, resulting in an easy score.
   
• H-back Spencer Nigh had a huge game, with some crushing blocks at critical junctures.  I don't know what Nigh ate at the pregame meal but I'd be happy to cook up a couple barrels of it for the entire offense before the next game.  For anyone who hasn't noticed, Gus has been trending away from 11 personnel (1 running back, 1 tight end/H-back) in order to reduce the number of defensive players in the box.  This week he went back to his old staple and Nigh made it a great move.
   
• Bo Nix is improving/maturing faster than anyone could reasonably have expected.  He was accurate and on time with his throws this week, and made countless good decisions in the heat of battle.  He really is going to be special.
   
• I know it has nothing to do with Auburn but the freshman QB State used for most of the game is one who will bear watching.  Kid is an exceptional athlete and a great competitor.
   
• Roger McCreary played well again.  He missed a possible interception but did make a great play on the ball.
   
• Kudos to Prince Tega Wanogho for playing hurt. With Bailey Sharp out, AU can not afford not to have Tega in the lineup.  He is not himself physically but he is in there battling.
   
• Derrick Brown is being held on almost every play in every game and I haven't seen it called once.  I guess the officials figure Brown is so much better than everyone he faces that holding should be allowed.
   
• Marlon Davidson said prior to the start of the season that he wanted to go all out this season.  He is doing it, play after play, game after game.  Nobody hustles harder than Davidson, from snap to whistle.
   
• The fumble credited to Seth Williams was clearly NOT a fumble.  Leo Lewis pulled the ball away from Williams after both players were on the ground.  How the replay crew or the "command center in Bamaham" upheld that call is beyond belief.
   
• Bo Nix finished 16-of-21 passing.  I counted three drops among his incompletions.  Was great to see him find his touch on some deep balls.
   
• I thought the AU offensive line continued their improvement this week.  Pass protection was very good, and Bo seems to be learning to trust his guys.  That really helps the timing of pass plays.
   
• Great to see 6-5, 230 Sal Cannella snatch a 50-50 ball.
   
• Seth Williams seems to be getting back to full health.  8 catches for 161 yards and two TD's is pretty impressive.
   
• Gus needs to get busy coaching up Coach Cadillac.  Our running backs have been uncharacteristically sloppy with ball security for a couple of weeks now.
   
• Finally got a little bit of a look at D.J. Williams.  Got to keep in mind, he has been struggling with injuries since fall camp, and is not in shape.  Probably wont get there this season.  Looks to have potential, but we won't know until he is fully healthy and in good physical condition.
   
• Best game I've seen Chandler Wooten play.  The linebacker group is getting better every week.
   
• Kevin Steele played a ton of backups, as early as the first quarter.  Doesn't help the stat line but it's necessary to build depth. Great to see the young guys get a chance to learn and grow.
   
• The folks who worried last year about Anders Carlson being over-used should be encouraged.  If memory serves, Carlson has hardly been used for field goals at all.
   
• Was really happy to see Gus "running the offense" despite being up 49-16.  In the past, AU would have never thrown the ball in that situation.
   
• Joey Gatewood looked pretty good throwing the ball.  Got to keep in mind, he was mostly behind the second offensive line, rather than getting a chance with the ones.  All he needs is experience, and the more, the better.
   
• Saw T.D. Moultry get another offsides penalty guessing at the snap count.  When a defensive lineman has more penalties than tackles, it's probably time for some of Rodney Garner's "special love."
   

Another tough one coming this week.  Never easy to play at Florida Field but Auburn's done it successfully before.  Florida's defense will make this tough but UF has not faced a defense as good as Auburn this season.  I have been really happy to see the team improve from week to week in pretty much every area.  Got to keep that up.  If we can, we have a chance to be a heck of a football team before the season ends.
 

WAR EAGLE!!

 

[Barnacle 9,064]

Interesting point about Carlson. Hope we won't have to lean on him for some big kicks on the road this week, given how "cold" he will be going into that game. 

[saminbama 740]

Thanks Coach.  Maybe Bo can copy his dad with a win at Florida Field.

[MrMC 3]

20 minutes ago, Barnacle said:

Interesting point about Carlson. Hope we won't have to lean on him for some big kicks on the road this week, given how "cold" he will be going into that game. 

Great point coach, definitely wasn't a fumble. its amazing on some of the calls the referee made in this game.

and the holding is just is just crazy!!

[WarTim 3,456]

Thanks Coach!!!

[RunInRed 16,360]

Thanks Coach.  It amazes me to see Spencer Nigh in these columns week after week.  Who would have thought?

[Sizzle 3,909]

I’m glad I’m not the only noticing Marlon’s hustle. Look at the big hit he put on the QB after that first down run. He came from the back side and hustled all the way around to still make the tackle.

I also noticed how there were a few backups playing as early as the first series on the DL. I wonder was that for Mississippi state specifically or are we going to keep rotating early for now on

[jluvah 663]

This is the honest-to- God- truth. The head referee last night(James) was the referee at my son’s rec-center basketball games in Helena 3 years ago. My wife would chew him a new one almost every game. He was clueless then. How he got to be an SEC head referee is beyond me.

[CleCoTiger 1,957]

3 hours ago, JMR said:

Bo Nix is improving/maturing faster than anyone could reasonably have expected.  He was accurate and on time with his throws this week, and made countless good decisions in the heat of battle.  He really is going to be special.

Coach, I can't tell you how glad I was to see Bo get it dialed in on some of those long, wide open passes.  I was nearly to the point prior to this game to where I was beginning to wonder if maybe Bo should sit and the staff should give Gatewood a chance at starting. (Please don't laugh at or otherwise ridicule me.  )

With Bo finding the range, the ground game gets better. And with the ground game benefiting from an improved passing game (because opposing defenses can't count on those long misses), all kinds of things get better...including oddly enough the AU defense.

Before this season is done, these Tigers are likely to be pretty good.  

War Eagle!

[MrMC 3]

12 hours ago, JMR said:

Big win for Auburn.  The "Joe Moorhead vs Kevin Steele" promo turned out to be empty hype.  State made it easier than anyone expected and Auburn cashed in every opportunity right out of the gate. Lots of positives and superlatives available in looking back at this one and very little to put in the "needs to improve" category.  In any event, here are some of the Things I Think I Saw.....
 

• Christian Tutt is fearless as a punt returner.  He is not at all intimidated by the immense responsibility he has in fielding a punt; he actually wants the ball in his hands so he can make something happen.  Tutt's aggressive style has been absolutely huge in establishing field position for AU.
   
• Gus continues to go against what conventional wisdom says he will do.  Instead of opening the game with a simple inside zone, the way so many offensive guys do, he opened the first possession by pulling both Tega and Harrell from the backside, and surprised everyone.  Both pulling linemen did their jobs perfectly, resulting in an easy score.
   
• H-back Spencer Nigh had a huge game, with some crushing blocks at critical junctures.  I don't know what Nigh ate at the pregame meal but I'd be happy to cook up a couple barrels of it for the entire offense before the next game.  For anyone who hasn't noticed, Gus has been trending away from 11 personnel (1 running back, 1 tight end/H-back) in order to reduce the number of defensive players in the box.  This week he went back to his old staple and Nigh made it a great move.
   
• Bo Nix is improving/maturing faster than anyone could reasonably have expected.  He was accurate and on time with his throws this week, and made countless good decisions in the heat of battle.  He really is going to be special.
   
• I know it has nothing to do with Auburn but the freshman QB State used for most of the game is one who will bear watching.  Kid is an exceptional athlete and a great competitor.
   
• Roger McCreary played well again.  He missed a possible interception but did make a great play on the ball.
   
• Kudos to Prince Tega Wanogho for playing hurt. With Bailey Sharp out, AU can not afford not to have Tega in the lineup.  He is not himself physically but he is in there battling.
   
• Derrick Brown is being held on almost every play in every game and I haven't seen it called once.  I guess the officials figure Brown is so much better than everyone he faces that holding should be allowed.
   
• Marlon Davidson said prior to the start of the season that he wanted to go all out this season.  He is doing it, play after play, game after game.  Nobody hustles harder than Davidson, from snap to whistle.
   
• The fumble credited to Seth Williams was clearly NOT a fumble.  Leo Lewis pulled the ball away from Williams after both players were on the ground.  How the replay crew or the "command center in Bamaham" upheld that call is beyond belief.
   
• Bo Nix finished 16-of-21 passing.  I counted three drops among his incompletions.  Was great to see him find his touch on some deep balls.
   
• I thought the AU offensive line continued their improvement this week.  Pass protection was very good, and Bo seems to be learning to trust his guys.  That really helps the timing of pass plays.
   
• Great to see 6-5, 230 Sal Cannella snatch a 50-50 ball.
   
• Seth Williams seems to be getting back to full health.  8 catches for 161 yards and two TD's is pretty impressive.
   
• Gus needs to get busy coaching up Coach Cadillac.  Our running backs have been uncharacteristically sloppy with ball security for a couple of weeks now.
   
• Finally got a little bit of a look at D.J. Williams.  Got to keep in mind, he has been struggling with injuries since fall camp, and is not in shape.  Probably wont get there this season.  Looks to have potential, but we won't know until he is fully healthy and in good physical condition.
   
• Best game I've seen Chandler Wooten play.  The linebacker group is getting better every week.
   
• Kevin Steele played a ton of backups, as early as the first quarter.  Doesn't help the stat line but it's necessary to build depth. Great to see the young guys get a chance to learn and grow.
   
• The folks who worried last year about Anders Carlson being over-used should be encouraged.  If memory serves, Carlson has hardly been used for field goals at all.
   
• Was really happy to see Gus "running the offense" despite being up 49-16.  In the past, AU would have never thrown the ball in that situation.
   
• Joey Gatewood looked pretty good throwing the ball.  Got to keep in mind, he was mostly behind the second offensive line, rather than getting a chance with the ones.  All he needs is experience, and the more, the better.
   
• Saw T.D. Moultry get another offsides penalty guessing at the snap count.  When a defensive lineman has more penalties than tackles, it's probably time for some of Rodney Garner's "special love."
   

Another tough one coming this week.  Never easy to play at Florida Field but Auburn's done it successfully before.  Florida's defense will make this tough but UF has not faced a defense as good as Auburn this season.  I have been really happy to see the team improve from week to week in pretty much every area.  Got to keep that up.  If we can, we have a chance to be a heck of a football team before the season ends.
 

WAR EAGLE!!

 

Hey Coach

How are referees assign to games ?

also what happen in the booth on sat to rule that a fumble when replay clearly showed that he was down ?

[WaynesAUworld 179]

it's probably time for some of Rodney Garner's "special love."

Yesssssss. love it when CRG gives the line that Special Love.

[Linayus 676]

15 hours ago, JMR said:

• Gus needs to get busy coaching up Coach Cadillac.  Our running backs have been uncharacteristically sloppy with ball security for a couple of weeks now.

100% this. There looked to be ZERO adjustment after all these fumbles. Still running with the ball out away from the body, etc... it's infuriating!

[Zeek 16,617]

Siposs only having one punt is heartwarming 

[around4ever 4,139]

Excellent post, Coach.  Of course we expect nothing short of excellence. 

War Eagle!!

[meh130 1,043]

Marlon Davidson!

I saw him in the 3rd quarter come from the DL's right side into the backfield on a blitz, the play was an RB run up the middle (I think a draw), and then Davidson was in on the tackle along with the safeties after about an 8 year gain by the RB.

That is just freakish for a 280lb defensive end. He has an incredible motor.

I also love how Steel is moving his three interior DLs around. I saw Nick Coe at nose tackle and Derrick Brown at a 5-Tech DE position one snap. That has to make things challenging for opposing offensive linemen.

[kd4au 1,145]

17 hours ago, JMR said:

The linebacker group is getting better every week

Do you think these linebackers could turn out to be some the best we had in a long time? I love the way Britt is playing, he brings that linebacker mentality with him when he hits someone.

[AU-24 3,063]

 When will something be done about the below?

Derrick Brown is being held on almost every play in every game and I haven't seen it called once.  I guess the officials figure Brown is so much better than everyone he faces that holding should be allowed.

The fumble credited to Seth Williams was clearly NOT a fumble.  Leo Lewis pulled the ball away from Williams after both players were on the ground.  How the replay crew or the "command center in Bamaham" upheld that call is beyond belief.

[JMR 2,118]

15 minutes ago, kd4au said:

Do you think these linebackers could turn out to be some the best we had in a long time? I love the way Britt is playing, he brings that linebacker mentality with him when he hits someone.

Absolutely.  They are nearly there already. 

[Eagle Eye 7 2,535]

I read Britts interview after the game. I  am amazed that we are practicing as physical as we play. I noticed the patch across Brit’s nose. He said it came from practice not the game 😊

[JwgreDeux 1,279]

Where is Coe. Has he grown into a tweener? To big for buck/end but too small for DT? I just don't recall him making plays this season as we expected. 

Saw Gus continue to spread the carries around, which seemed to work well. 

Saw Gus have this team up and ready to play and had a great game plan ready.

Have to feel good about where this team is at right now. 

[fishepa 1,900]

There needs to be some explanation on the Seth William's "fumble" call.  Doesn't even matter if the game is/was out of hand or not, it's their responsiblity to get the calls correct.  As already pointed out, the call was ATROCIOUS, and there needs to be an explanation or an admission they got it wrong.

[CCTAU 3,287]

As an aside, how many of our first downs were due to a MSU penalty.?

 

They definitely had some timely ones.

 

 

 

[tigeraddikt 1,590]

This x1000000.

• Derrick Brown is being held on almost every play in every game and I haven't seen it called once.  I guess the officials figure Brown is so much better than everyone he faces that holding should be allowed

[WarNole 138]

Thanks for a great review Coach.  Look forward to this post each week.

[Win4AU 4,052]

That Miss State Qb is going to be a pain in the butt the next couple seasons.  The kid is fearless and made some big time plays last night.  He made a mistake on that goal line fumble but he was basically carrying that offense.  Loved seeing the defense shut down the leading back in the SEC.