Top 10 Most Frustrating Losses of the Malzahn Era

[CameronCrazy 1,059]

Where does this past week’s game rank on your list?

1.  2018 Tennessee - maybe one of the worst losses in Auburn history. Tennessee’s had been 0-11 in their previous 11 SEC games. Jeremy Pruitt’s first signature win came against Gus Malzahn.

2.  2014 Texas A&M - this loss took away the largest amount of Gus’ mojo. Two inexcusable 4th quarter fumbles stopped potential game winning drives. We spiraled out of control to end the year, and Gus hasn’t been the same since.

3.  2016 Georgia - Gus decided to go with an injured Sean White. We scored on the opening drive, and then let Georgia beat us without the leg-jumpers having to even score an offensive touchdown thanks to a Sean White Pick 6. Total offensive ineptitude after the opening drive. 164 yards of total offense. Kirby Smart gets his first victory over Gus Malzahn in the rivalry.

4.  Florida -Yes, we were playing a top 10 opponent in the Swamp with a true freshman QB, but we had EVERY opportunity to win this game. 3 forced fumbles in the 1st quarter only turned into 6 points. We tripped over our own feet twice when there was no one between us and the end zone which resulted in 0 points on both drives. Just when you think Gus has turned the corner, he delivers a terrible game-planning / play-calling performance while showing no ability to make in-game adjustments. He just can’t seem to win the “ugly” games that he needs to win.

5.  2017 LSU - Up 20-0 in Baton Rouge, we allow a pedestrian LSU offense come back and beat us when we were dominating that game. This was a prime example of Gus taking his foot off the gas. He continued to run Kerryon Johnson up the middle on 1st down with no 2nd half adjustments.

6.  2017 Clemson - Stidham was sacked 11 times and Auburn had 117 yards of total offense. Another example of Gus’ inability to adjust in-game. We had every opportunity to defeat the defending national champs on their home field, but Gus has yet to defeat Dabo as a head coach.

7.  2015 Georgia - Mark Richt’s last year.  His coaches had been fighting internally all week. Auburn had just dominated Texas A&M the week before in College Station and now had UGA at home. Another example of zero halftime adjustments as Jeremy Pruitt locked down his offense in the 2nd half. Gus tried to play an injured Sean White in the 2nd half to no avail.

8.  2016 Clemson - Total cluster on offense with a QB carousel that would have made Spurrier scratch his head. Another lost opportunity for Gus to defeat Dabo and get a signature win against the eventual national champions. 

9.  2018 Mississippi State - Allowed MSU to run it right up the middle for 350+ yards when we knew that’s what they were going to do. Fitzgerald passed for 69 yards and they still beat us by double digits.

10.  Central Florida - After defeating #1 Georgia, #1 Alabama and signing our coach to a 7 year, 49 million dollar deal, Gus lays an egg against a far inferior opponent. Auburn fans are forced to watch in anger, humiliation, and frustration as our two biggest rivals play for the National Championship.

Honorable mention 

2018 LSU

2013 National Championship Game vs FSU

2017 SEC Championship Game vs UGA

2015 Mississippi State

2014 Bowl Game vs Wisconsin

[nixtosanders94 2,180]

All of em...

[Lambo J 2]

We could be a powerhouse if we win all these games that not if for some of worst offensive performances  in Auburn history so many games we couldn’t get 10yrds on 3 plays. I kinda like Gus I like the players he recruits besides all the offensive misses ie Justin Ross, George Pickens, Wyane Morris, Jwuan Pass that’s just off top of my head I like his defensive staff and I like the ideal of his offense in theory the problem with him is he like his offense more than winning very film he watch he see offensive staff working around a great defense cause Auburn always have 1 why his ego so big he can’t steal some of their concepts for dealing with a tough defensive line u just can’t  run on

[gr82be 14,423]

2013 NC game is by far #1. Nothing else comes close for me. Had it, lost it, had it, lost it. 

[PUB78 1,358]

How about the 2nd half collapse against Alabama last year for a total butt whipping?

[jAUSon 2,836]

1 minute ago, PUB78 said:

How about the 2nd half collapse against Alabama last year for a total butt whipping?

Nah. We were dogs in that one. Just a routine loss. 

[PUB78 1,358]

Just now, jAUSon said:

Nah. We were dogs in that one. Just a routine loss. 

Getting humiliated by your arch rival is never just a routine loss.

[jAUSon 2,836]

2 minutes ago, PUB78 said:

Getting humiliated by your arch rival is never just a routine loss.

ok

[Eagle-1 3,821]

Notice a pattern? Most of those losses involved the offense, a product of a perceived guru, that couldn't get out of its own way. 

[ChltteTiger 649]

10 hours ago, Lambo J said:

We could be a powerhouse if win all these games that not if for some of worst offensive performances  in Auburn history so many games we couldn’t get 10yrds on 3 plays. I kinda like Gus I like the players he recruits besides all the offensive misses ie Justin Ross, George Pickens, Wyane Morris, Jwuan Pass that’s just off top of my head I like his defensive staff and I like the ideal of his offense in theory the problem with him is he like his offense more than winning very film he watch he see offensive staff working around a great defense cause Auburn always have 1 why his ego so big he can’t steal some of their concepts for dealing with a tough defensive line u just can’t  run on

Can somebody please translate this for the rest of us? Thanks

[jAUSon 2,836]

16 minutes ago, ChltteTiger said:

Can somebody please translate this for the rest of us? Thanks

It's a big run-on sentence where he likes most of who we are and what we're doing. He's also citing that pretty definitive list off losses that would've been wins if we had a  basic offensive coordinator. He has a great point too about just how nearly we miss powerhouse status most of those seasons. 

[dyehardfanAU 2,117]

2014 aTm was the game that showed me Gus was in over his head.

[TigerOne 1,140]

Those are spot on and painful to revisit.

which is exactly what Gus should be told to do this week.

get all the coaches and watch these games together.

make a list of what was done wrong, ignore any good things in the games.

Then make changes required to never do them again. 

[oracle79 3,569]

2 hours ago, ChltteTiger said:

Can somebody please translate this for the rest of us? Thanks

When Gus run ball good we good. Gus recruit much great players offense but no get them all.  Gus like offense more than win. Auburn have good defense long time.

[Zeek 16,650]

14 hours ago, CameronCrazy said:

5.  2017 LSU - Up 20-0 in Baton Rouge, we allow a pedestrian LSU offense come back and beat us when we were dominating that game. This was a prime example of Gus taking his foot off the gas. He continued to run Kerryon Johnson up the middle on 1st down with no 2nd half adjustments.

This one still irks me. We haven't won there in so long and I can't fathom how we dropped this one. Gus' conservative shell is infuriating in games like these.

[gr82be 14,423]

1 hour ago, oracle79 said:

When Gus run ball good we good. Gus recruit much great players offense but no get them all.  Gus like offense more than win. Auburn have good defense long time.

So he's saying Gus's offense is so easy a caveman can figure it out. Nice. 

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

1 hour ago, oracle79 said:

When Gus run ball good we good. Gus recruit much great players offense but no get them all.  Gus like offense more than win. Auburn have good defense long time.

Can I nominate this for post of the season!!!!! LMAO I just busted out laughing while at work!!!!

 

 

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

15 hours ago, Lambo J said:

We could be a powerhouse if win all these games that not if for some of worst offensive performances  in Auburn history so many games we couldn’t get 10yrds on 3 plays. I kinda like Gus I like the players he recruits besides all the offensive misses ie Justin Ross, George Pickens, Wyane Morris, Jwuan Pass that’s just off top of my head I like his defensive staff and I like the ideal of his offense in theory the problem with him is he like his offense more than winning very film he watch he see offensive staff working around a great defense cause Auburn always have 1 why his ego so big he can’t steal some of their concepts for dealing with a tough defensive line u just can’t  run on

Can you teach me to football?

[Lambo J 2]

13 minutes ago, Tigerpro2a said:

Can you teach me to football?

 It just have to be in u

[WalkingCarpet 1,379]

1) UT last season. Worst loss of the decade by far.

2) Clemson '16. You have nine months to plan for the game and THAT was the result?

3) UGA '16. Not a single first down in the second half. Sean White could have lost his arm and they never once pulled him for Johnson. 

The rest all suck but those three are really the worst. 

[Zeek 16,650]

4 hours ago, dyehardfanAU said:

2014 aTm was the game that showed me Gus was in over his head.

It wasn't THE game for me but I remember driving a long ways to watch us play a pretty awful South Carolina team at home. Spurrier was still coaching and went for it on almost every single 4th down that game. If I recall correctly they literally punted once. That game has always stuck with me as an insult and an embarrassment on just how often our defense gave up those 4th downs.

That, and the Mississippi State game last year were mind boggling examples of simply unprepared teams.

Random note: this team sorely needs a pure pass rusher. A better pass rush against Florida would have really helped. Not that the defense played poorly but we got caught on a lot of down the middle plays because we had to blitz to get to Trask efficiently. 

[AUFriction 1,179]

16 hours ago, CameronCrazy said:

Where does this past week’s game rank on your list?

1.  2018 Tennessee - maybe one of the worst losses in Auburn history. Tennessee’s had been 0-11 in their previous 11 SEC games. Jeremy Pruitt’s first signature win came against Gus Malzahn.

2.  2014 Texas A&M - this loss took away the largest amount of Gus’ mojo. Two inexcusable 4th quarter fumbles stopped potential game winning drives. We spiraled out of control to end the year, and Gus hasn’t been the same since.

3.  2016 Georgia - Gus decided to go with an injured Sean White. We scored on the opening drive, and then let Georgia beat us without the leg-jumpers having to even score an offensive touchdown thanks to a Sean White Pick 6. Total offensive ineptitude after the opening drive. 164 yards of total offense. Kirby Smart gets his first victory over Gus Malzahn in the rivalry.

4.  Florida -Yes, we were playing a top 10 opponent in the Swamp with a true freshman QB, but we had EVERY opportunity to win this game. 3 forced fumbles in the 1st quarter only turned into 6 points. We tripped over our own feet twice when there was no one between us and the end zone which resulted in 0 points on both drives. Just when you think Gus has turned the corner, he delivers a terrible game-planning / play-calling performance while showing no ability to make in-game adjustments. He just can’t seem to win the “ugly” games that he needs to win.

5.  2017 LSU - Up 20-0 in Baton Rouge, we allow a pedestrian LSU offense come back and beat us when we were dominating that game. This was a prime example of Gus taking his foot off the gas. He continued to run Kerryon Johnson up the middle on 1st down with no 2nd half adjustments.

6.  2017 Clemson - Stidham was sacked 11 times and Auburn had 117 yards of total offense. Another example of Gus’ inability to adjust in-game. We had every opportunity to defeat the defending national champs on their home field, but Gus has yet to defeat Dabo as a head coach.

7.  2015 Georgia - Mark Richt’s last year.  His coaches had been fighting internally all week. Auburn had just dominated Texas A&M the week before in College Station and now had UGA at home. Another example of zero halftime adjustments as Jeremy Pruitt locked down his offense in the 2nd half. Gus tried to play an injured Sean White in the 2nd half to no avail.

8.  2016 Clemson - Total cluster on offense with a QB carousel that would have made Spurrier scratch his head. Another lost opportunity for Gus to defeat Dabo and get a signature win against the eventual national champions. 

9.  2018 Mississippi State - Allowed MSU to run it right up the middle for 350+ yards when we knew that’s what they were going to do. Fitzgerald passed for 69 yards and they still beat us by double digits.

10.  Central Florida - After defeating #1 Georgia, #1 Alabama and signing our coach to a 7 year, 49 million dollar deal, Gus lays an egg against a far inferior opponent. Auburn fans are forced to watch in anger, humiliation, and frustration as our two biggest rivals play for the National Championship.

Honorable mention 

2018 LSU

2013 National Championship Game vs FSU

2017 SEC Championship Game vs UGA

2015 Mississippi State

2014 Bowl Game vs Wisconsin

Two of your honorable mentions belong higher on the list. We had two opportunities for NCs (one in the NC and one in the SECCG) that we let get away.

Take the central Florida loss off. Nobody cared about that game. That’s why we lost it. 

[doverstutts 1,643]

its hard to pick just 10, there have been so many to choose from

[ChltteTiger 649]

Would 10 worst loss lists for Dye, Bowden and Tubberville be anywhere near as depressing? For Pat Dye at least I am thinking NO WAY!!

[ChltteTiger 649]

10 hours ago, dyehardfanAU said:

2014 aTm was the game that showed me Gus was in over his head.

I believe it has been said that Gus was not quite the same after that game. The only person who should have been fired for that game was Ellis J- and he was fired after the Alabama game.