Midway Point of the Season. Auburn is at a Crossroads

[Amwest20 139]

2 minutes ago, AUAlumnTN said:

Saban was 51 years old during his 9th season as a head coach. It would help your argument to point out their relative ages at the same point in their coaching careers. 

I don't think there's anything inherently wrong in your argument however I do think context is important. In those first eight years, Nick Saban twice took over programs that had been wandering the proverbial wilderness for years in LSU and Michigan State. In both cases, he brought them to respectability (in MSU's case) and prominence (LSU). Gus took over a program at the bottom of a roller coaster and, aside from 2013, has mostly treaded water. He's been a consistent top 25-ish coach. 

There are two things working against him. 1. He's being paid top 10 money and has delivered less than top 10 results, to put it charitably and 2. I struggle to think of a coach that has significantly altered their team's trajectory after eight years on the job at a particular school. The Auburn version of Gus Malzahn is who he is at this point. If the trajectory of his coaching career is going to change, I believe it will have to happen somewhere that isn't here. 

That had some extra juice in it there.  Totally respect that stance.  Trajectory is a funny thing though.  Has the ups and downs with steep angles both ways....  would it be fair to assume Gus could/should perhaps in time getting older/wiser find what he’s been missing to stabilize the trajectory to a slow upward trend?

[AUAlumnTN 25]

Just now, Amwest20 said:

That had some extra juice in it there.  Totally respect that stance.  Trajectory is a funny thing though.  Has the ups and downs with steep angles both ways....  would it be fair to assume Gus could/should perhaps in time getting older/wiser find what he’s been missing to stabilize the trajectory to a slow upward trend?

It's entirely possible but I don't think it'll be at Auburn. The recent (last two decade) history of Power 5 college football suggests that a coach more or less establishes who they're going to be at a school within the first 5 years or so. 

[Amwest20 139]

3 minutes ago, AUAlumnTN said:

It's entirely possible but I don't think it'll be at Auburn. The recent (last two decade) history of Power 5 college football suggests that a coach more or less establishes who they're going to be at a school within the first 5 years or so. 

Fair.  I must say I’m coming from a standpoint of “I don’t want things to get worse than they are” .Thanks for the discussion instead of insult.  

Edited October 28, 2020 by Amwest20

[AUAlumnTN 25]

11 minutes ago, Amwest20 said:

Fair.  I must say I’m coming from a standpoint of “I don’t want things to get worse than they are” .Thanks for the discussion instead of insult.  

College football works (as you might imagine) quite similarly to NFL football in a key respect with regards to winning championships. Namely, there's one thing in each that separates the contenders from the pretenders: In the NFL, it's a superstar QB. In college, it's a superstar coach. If you have one, you're made. If you don't, it's better to gamble trying to get one than plod along without. There are the "lightning-in-a-bottle" exceptions (the Joe Flacco Ravens, Nick Foles' Eagles, 2010 Auburn, 2001 Miami, maybe 2019 LSU) but this rule generally holds. FYI the last SEC coach to win a national title after his first four years at a school was Philip Fulmer. 

[nixtosanders94 2,172]

39 minutes ago, AUAlumnTN said:

College football works (as you might imagine) quite similarly to NFL football in a key respect with regards to winning championships. Namely, there's one thing in each that separates the contenders from the pretenders: In the NFL, it's a superstar QB. In college, it's a superstar coach. If you have one, you're made. If you don't, it's better to gamble trying to get one than plod along without. There are the "lightning-in-a-bottle" exceptions (the Joe Flacco Ravens, Nick Foles' Eagles, 2010 Auburn, 2001 Miami, maybe 2019 LSU) but this rule generally holds. FYI the last SEC coach to win a national title after his first four years at a school was Philip Fulmer. 

I think Gus could be our Kirk Ferentz.  Rarely horrible, mostly average, never awesome, occasionally good...

 

 

[Amwest20 139]

15 minutes ago, nixtosanders94 said:

I think Gus could be our Kirk Ferentz.  Rarely horrible, mostly average, never awesome, occasionally good...

 

 

Ouch!!!!! The old thumbs down on every post I have until you run out trick.... classic bro...You got me....I don’t know wtf I’m gonna do now?  Prolly just continue evaluating your post the same as I would with anybody else with a low IQ.  

[AUAlumnTN 25]

18 minutes ago, nixtosanders94 said:

I think Gus could be our Kirk Ferentz.  Rarely horrible, mostly average, never awesome, occasionally good...

I don't disagree with the comparison. The only problem is that Auburn is a top 20 program all time and Iowa isn't and Auburn's paying Gus about $2 million American dollars a year more for the trouble. 

[nixtosanders94 2,172]

5 minutes ago, AUAlumnTN said:

I don't disagree with the comparison. The only problem is that Auburn is a top 20 program all time and Iowa isn't and Auburn's paying Gus about $2 million American dollars a year more for the trouble. 

Yep agreed.  My comparison is mainly like you said, Gus is what he is and not likely to change after 8 years.

[wde1968 229]

Crossroad or ran head first into a brick wall??????

[AUAlumnTN 25]

29 minutes ago, nixtosanders94 said:

Yep agreed.  My comparison is mainly like you said, Gus is what he is and not likely to change after 8 years.

Not at Auburn, anyway. 

[Amwest20 139]

Looks like we chose the right road.