Why We Lost—According to the Defense

[Potatooooooes!! 1,375]

Having not seen much of the game, I thought this was an interesting and frankly candid read. It’s a short article from 247,  but I’d like some insight from some of the coaches on here on this as well.

 

https://247sports.com/college/auburn/Article/Marlon-Davidson-Minnesota-confuses-Auburn-in-embarrassing-defensive-performance-at-Outback-Bowl-141460120/

[ToraGirl 5,498]

2 minutes ago, Potatooooooes!! said:

Having not seen much of the game, I thought this was an interesting and frankly candid read. It’s a short article from 247,  but I’d like some insight from some of the coaches on here on this as well.

 

https://247sports.com/college/auburn/Article/Marlon-Davidson-Minnesota-confuses-Auburn-in-embarrassing-defensive-performance-at-Outback-Bowl-141460120/

Can this be translated simply into one-dimensional coaching not preparing our players for multi-dimensional games? Who watched game film? Why was this such a mystery, with ample time to prepare? 

This is why, though I love our players and their loyalty, I keep saying that kids are resilient when it comes to potential change.  They aren't and can't be the carriers of the long term vision. 

Thanks for the article, Potatoooooes! 

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

We lost for several reasons, but the primary reason is that we got our ass kicked in the trenches.  It's really that simple.

The weird thing is that if Tutt doesn't drop the punt and Gus doesn't completely flip the field against us with the fake punt call, I still think we win that game.

[ToraGirl 5,498]

3 minutes ago, Brad_ATX said:

We lost for several reasons, but the primary reason is that we got our ass kicked in the trenches.  It's really that simple.

The weird thing is that if Tutt doesn't drop the punt and Gus doesn't completely flip the field against us with the fake punt call, I still think we win that game.

Help me with this, because the announcers were all over that flop move through the game, and it WAS bad. Yet, what kind of team cannot recover from a mistake made in the first quarter?

🤔🙄😢

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

1 minute ago, ToraGirl said:

Help me with this, because the announcers were all over that flop move through the game, and it WAS bad. Yet, what kind of team cannot recover from a mistake made in the first quarter?

🤔🙄😢

Oh we had ample opportunity to win after the 1st quarter.  My greater point is that with as bad as we played, we still could have easily won if not for some dumb coaching.  The fake punt irritates me far more than the Tutt muffed punt.

However, you can't deny the impact that muff had on the game either.  If he just cleanly fields it, there's a decent shot of going up two scores early.  Instead we gifted Minnesota a short field and 7 points.  Changed the game early.

Make no mistake, yesterday was the definition of a total team loss.  Offense was bad.  Defense was bad. Special teams had one big play, but otherwise weren't good.  And coaching/game plan was atrocious.

[keesler 5,924]

DB makes it sound like the Golden Gophers (lol) successfully implemented an offensive game plan that our staff has done in the past.

Operate side line to side line confusing the defense and taking the "Big Guys" completely out of the equation while effectively executing a good run/pass game while watching the defense get irritated, confused, tired and frustrated.  DB said big guys don't like to run sideline to sideline, they like downhill - well PJ Fleck musta known that and schemed accordingly because he took out Auburn's two biggest threats.

 

[auburnphan 6,050]

5 minutes ago, Brad_ATX said:

Oh we had ample opportunity to win after the 1st quarter.  My greater point is that with as bad as we played, we still could have easily won if not for some dumb coaching.  The fake punt irritates me far more than the Tutt muffed punt.

However, you can't deny the impact that muff had on the game either.  If he just cleanly fields it, there's a decent shot of going up two scores early.  Instead we gifted Minnesota a short field and 7 points.  Changed the game early.

Make no mistake, yesterday was the definition of a total team loss.  Offense was bad.  Defense was bad. Special teams had one big play, but otherwise weren't good.  And coaching/game plan was atrocious.

I honestly believe that this team should have been undefeated this year and that coaching and play calling were the only things that stopped it from happening.

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

1 minute ago, auburnphan said:

I honestly believe that this team should have been undefeated this year and that coaching and play calling were the only things that stopped it from happening.

I don't necessarily disagree with you at all.  Reminds me a lot of 2006.  Great roster and potential championship season squandered by a few terrible game plans.

But just like 2006, people won't get too worked up because we beat Bama this year.  In 06, it was all about "we beat Florida".  

[aubcali 433]

2003 season was a head-scratcher also.

[doverstutts 1,643]

1 hour ago, Potatooooooes!! said:

Having not seen much of the game, I thought this was an interesting and frankly candid read. It’s a short article from 247,  but I’d like some insight from some of the coaches on here on this as well.

 

https://247sports.com/college/auburn/Article/Marlon-Davidson-Minnesota-confuses-Auburn-in-embarrassing-defensive-performance-at-Outback-Bowl-141460120/

I absolutely love Marlon and Derrick to death. I will miss those two so much next year. Just great guys

[1auburn1 1,110]

494 yds to 232 yds was a butt-kicking of massive proportions.   AU is lucky this didn't get out of hand.   If not for the KO return, this would have been a 3 TD blowout.     Total lack of preparation and adjustments.     A REAL head-scratcher on the Defensive side.     Gus doesn't meddle with Steele....that was all on him.      CKS seems to dial up a couple of stink bombs every year himself.    Of course, there's not enough offense to bail us out of those situations because stink bombs are aplenty with the Offense.

[AUFriction 1,179]

6 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

We lost for several reasons, but the primary reason is that we got our ass kicked in the trenches.  It's really that simple.

The weird thing is that if Tutt doesn't drop the punt and Gus doesn't completely flip the field against us with the fake punt call, I still think we win that game.

For the record, the fake punt call worked. The other team was completely caught off guard, and Minnesota had to interfere to stop the ball from being caught. That play should have drawn a flag, which would have put us 1st and 10 in field goal range. Instead, they got the ball at the 50. 

 

That said, I stand by what I said elsewhere. We lost the game because the team didn't give any effort. Blame whomever you want (I attach some to the bowl committees for putting us in such a terrible bowl), but Bo, Marlon, and Derrick were the only ones that appeared to be playing like they wanted to win. 

[Auburnfan91 1,407]

10 minutes ago, AUFriction said:

For the record, the fake punt call worked. The other team was completely caught off guard, and Minnesota had to interfere to stop the ball from being caught. That play should have drawn a flag, which would have put us 1st and 10 in field goal range. Instead, they got the ball at the 50. 

Incorrect. It's not pass interference on a fake punt when the kicker simulates a scrimmage kick by throwing the ball high and deep.

Quote

RULE 7 / SNAPPING AND PASSING THE BALL FR-79

It is not defensive pass interference (A.R. 7-3-8-III and 7-3-9-III):

1. When, after the snap, opposing players immediately charge and establish contact with opponents at a point that is within one yard beyond the neutral zone.

2. When two or more eligible players are making a simultaneous and bona fide attempt to reach, catch or bat the pass. Eligible players of either team have equal rights to the ball (A.R. 7-3-8-IX).

3. When a Team B player legally contacts an opponent before the pass is thrown (A.R. 7-3-8-III and X).

4. When there is contact by a Team B player that otherwise would be pass interference during a down in which a Team A potential kicker, from a scrimmage kick formation, simulates a scrimmage kick by throwing the ball high and deep.

https://www.sdcfoa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018-NCAA-Rules.pdf

[aubaseball 2,595]

7 minutes ago, Auburnfan91 said:

Incorrect. It's not pass interference on a fake punt when the kicker simulates a scrimmage kick by throwing the ball high and deep.

https://www.sdcfoa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018-NCAA-Rules.pdf

Thank you for finding this.   Now hopefully people will stop saying the refs screwed Auburn. It was terrible execution of a fake punt plus poorly designed.  Let’s repeat this again, Auburn was out coached and outplayed 

[jj3jordan 2,051]

I questioned it too. It was my understanding that you can't have PI on a GUNNER since they are being hit all the way down the field. I thought it might have been different against a back running out of the backfield.  Rule sounds stupid as nobody was "simulating" a punt.  I've wanted Siposs to run from punt formation all year. He is an Aussie rules football player but they don't pass do they?

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

1 hour ago, AUFriction said:

For the record, the fake punt call worked. The other team was completely caught off guard, and Minnesota had to interfere to stop the ball from being caught. That play should have drawn a flag, which would have put us 1st and 10 in field goal range. Instead, they got the ball at the 50. 

 

That said, I stand by what I said elsewhere. We lost the game because the team didn't give any effort. Blame whomever you want (I attach some to the bowl committees for putting us in such a terrible bowl), but Bo, Marlon, and Derrick were the only ones that appeared to be playing like they wanted to win. 

The fake punt sure didn't look like PI on replay at all.  The defender didn't impede progress at all.  Either way, calling that play in that situation is incredibly stupid.  It was a tie game.  Punt it, pin them deep, and play D.  Get a quick stop and then get good field position.

As for the bowl, you get what you earn.  We were a 3 loss team.  We earned nothing more than the Outback.

[TigerCatcher 182]

7 hours ago, ToraGirl said:

Can this be translated simply into one-dimensional coaching not preparing our players for multi-dimensional games? Who watched game film? Why was this such a mystery, with ample time to prepare? 

Game film serves two very significant purposes, individual player tendencies (or "tells") and general offensive philosophy/tendencies based on personell groups and down,distance and field position circumstances.  Player tendencies obviously are unique to each player.  Offensive scheme tendencies are unique to......? 

Connect the dots, it's really no mystery.

Auburn safety Jeremiah Dinson simplified it: “They out-schemed us.”

“They ran some damn good plays,” he coSenior ntinued. “I’m talking about some plays that I hadn’t even seen while playing college football. And, you know, it hurts. It hurts, man. It always hurts when you lose. But, man, you’ve got to give your hats off for Minnesota.”

[ChltteTiger 649]

7 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

I don't necessarily disagree with you at all.  Reminds me a lot of 2006.  Great roster and potential championship season squandered by a few terrible game plans.

But just like 2006, people won't get too worked up because we beat Bama this year.  In 06, it was all about "we beat Florida".  

Lets hope the parallels to 2006 continue and we are looking for a new coach 2 years later. 2020 woud be nice but we would probably have to suffer through a miserble season for it to happen that soon.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,662]

8 hours ago, keesler said:

DB makes it sound like the Golden Gophers (lol) successfully implemented an offensive game plan that our staff has done in the past.

Operate side line to side line confusing the defense and taking the "Big Guys" completely out of the equation while effectively executing a good run/pass game while watching the defense get irritated, confused, tired and frustrated.  DB said big guys don't like to run sideline to sideline, they like downhill - well PJ Fleck musta known that and schemed accordingly because he took out Auburn's two biggest threats.

 

They kinda coerced us into running the extra DBs and less LBs, and somehow still killed us in the passing game. I feel like Steele has got outcoached quite a few times the past couple seasons, but that 3-1-7 vs LSU makes his reputation unflappable for some.

[aubaseball 2,595]

19 minutes ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

They kinda coerced us into running the extra DBs and less LBs, and somehow still killed us in the passing game. I feel like Steele has got outcoached quite a few times the past couple seasons, but that 3-1-7 vs LSU makes his reputation unflappable for some.

But LSU still put over 500 yards on him.  If not for several 4th down stops, they would have had more points with just field goals.   

[Tigger1985 806]

Had the fake punt been run one series earlier, it would have gone for a long gain as there was none one even close to our two guys running down the field. So we are day late dollar short on this one. What to me was dumb was when we run two up the gut for little to no gain then we pass to no one. We had just moved the ball passing on first down. Oline was still terrible.

[AURex 1,994]

10 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

We lost for several reasons, but the primary reason is that we got our ass kicked in the trenches.  It's really that simple.

The weird thing is that if Tutt doesn't drop the punt and Gus doesn't completely flip the field against us with the fake punt call, I still think we win that game.

Not only that -- the Minnesota catch in the back of the end zone where he was juggling the ball going out of bounds, but they gave him the TD catch anyway even after the review.

But ya know, those things DID happen. Auburn was not good enough, on that field that day, to overcome those things.

Yep! It sucks huge donkey kongs.

We be livin' in the era of "Four Loss Gus."

 

[GwillMac6 20,666]

5 hours ago, AUFriction said:

For the record, the fake punt call worked. The other team was completely caught off guard, and Minnesota had to interfere to stop the ball from being caught. That play should have drawn a flag, which would have put us 1st and 10 in field goal range. Instead, they got the ball at the 50. 

 

That said, I stand by what I said elsewhere. We lost the game because the team didn't give any effort. Blame whomever you want (I attach some to the bowl committees for putting us in such a terrible bowl), but Bo, Marlon, and Derrick were the only ones that appeared to be playing like they wanted to win. 

lol boy they sure were caught off guard. SO much so they had 3 guys all around shenker and we threw in to triple coverage. BOY WE TOTALLY FOOLED THEM!!! haha.

[johnnyAU 3,630]

Because our "Guru" HC is tragically stubborn, insanely predictable, can't prepare for big games and has no freaking clue how to develop a passing attack?

[jw 4 au 526]

6 hours ago, Auburnfan91 said:

Incorrect. It's not pass interference on a fake punt when the kicker simulates a scrimmage kick by throwing the ball high and deep.

https://www.sdcfoa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018-NCAA-Rules.pdf

Well, you can’t hold the guy running downfield either, whether going to tackle or catch a fake punt. He had him around the waste With two hands. Just looking at it you knew it was a penalty. Refs were too stupid to make several calls correctly that day. Ironically, they were god awful in several games. The UT game tonight had a few mouth-breathers that couldn’t get much right either.