Early 2023 predictions

[gr82b4au 5,568]

Read it if you want. Of course, we are predicted last in the SEC. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb/early-sec-football-predictions-for-2023/ar-AA16u1j4?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=c6d4f18eb03c4091842f60a50ca16c6e

[AUINSY 2,228]

10 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

Read it if you want. Of course, we are predicted last in the SEC. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb/early-sec-football-predictions-for-2023/ar-AA16u1j4?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=c6d4f18eb03c4091842f60a50ca16c6e

The author says "The Tigers rank No. 7 here but look for this to be a much-improved team under new coach Hugh Freeze. A standout group of transfers is on its way from the portal, and Freeze has surrounded himself with a good staff, including former Tulsa head coach Philip Montgomery as offensive play-caller." 

If we're much improved, have standout transfers coming in, and a much better staff, it's not too logical for the author to say we'll be dead last in the West...🤷‍♂️

Personally, I think we'll be in the upper-middle of the pack and more competitive than we've been the last 5 years.

[AUinMS9528 1,086]

They said basically what everyone else is saying.   In the West, it’s bama and LSU 1a and 1b and then the other 5 are too close to call right now.  Obviously I would put AU higher among those 5, but the basic premise seems accurate.

After the Spring IF we get a good portal QB, and I’m still hoping for a very good Edge, although that seems less likely after the Spring, I can be confident in picking us #3 behind only bama and LSU.  

[AUINSY 2,228]

Yeah it took Ole Miss an onside kick and Miss State a miracle in OT to beat the worst Auburn team and coaching staff in modern history. Same said team put up record-breaking rushing numbers against the bammers. I think we'll be just fine. Glad to know we're flying under the radar. 

[AUwent 3,747]

Get a legit QB and we'll be ranked higher, guaranteed. 

Maybe if I have more time and energy later, I'll post an archive of how every team picked last in the SECW ended up doing.

Edited January 18, 2023 by AUwent

[ScotsAU 1,311]

I’m also interested to see what a healthy Ashford looks like. He was playing through a pretty bad shoulder injury since the first game he started. Not saying he’s a heisman contender or anything. But I think everyone, even our own fans, are underestimating how much that injury further hurt his consistency issues. 
I’d bet Ashford is one of the reasons people have us ranked so low, and it may not even be a legitimate reason. 

Edited January 19, 2023 by ScotsAU

[W.E.D 11,070]

By the time we get Spring practice Robby will have played with a completely broken arm all season

[AUinMS9528 1,086]

9 hours ago, W.E.D said:

By the time we get Spring practice Robby will have played with a completely broken arm all season

I heard his throwing arm was a prosthetic.  It will take some time to adjust from the amputation.   By fall he should be a front runner for the Heisman! 

[Quietmaninthecorner 1,945]

4 minutes ago, AUinMS9528 said:

I heard his throwing arm was a prosthetic.  It will take some time to adjust from the amputation.   By fall he should be a front runner for the Heisman! 

I heard it will just be Robby's Arm out there playing QB with no body.

 

[W.E.D 11,070]

18 hours ago, AUinMS9528 said:

In the West, it’s bama and LSU 1a and 1b and then the other 5 are too close to call right now.  

Pretty much.  Who knows how we'll gel, how we'll pick up the new offense, how coordinators work.

Hard to really put us above 7th right now, but wouldn't be shocked to see us finish anywhere between 3 & 7

[Old fan 47 765]

3 hours ago, W.E.D said:

Pretty much.  Who knows how we'll gel, how we'll pick up the new offense, how coordinators work.

Hard to really put us above 7th right now, but wouldn't be shocked to see us finish anywhere between 3 & 7

I could see maybe 4th with an OL that gels quickly and blocks better. Then again, to me, the jury is still way out on RA. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Holden overtake him with better coaching, but I really don’t know what HF is looking for in a QB, because we missed out on some decent transfers already. 

[W.E.D 11,070]

10 minutes ago, Old fan 47 said:

I could see maybe 4th with an OL that gels quickly and blocks better. Then again, to me, the jury is still way out on RA. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Holden overtake him with better coaching, but I really don’t know what HF is looking for in a QB, because we missed out on some decent transfers already. 

We still have 0 pass rushers on our team, but pretty solid corners.  Safeties are a bit sketchy & young.  I'd guess Puckett slides down closer to a hybrid LB/S/Star whatever. 

Basically missing the most important/impactful player on both sides of the ball.  I think the talent outside of those guys definitely got elevated...still missing pieces.  Hard to say what year 1 will look like.  I imagine some ups and downs & growing pains 

[Old fan 47 765]

32 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

We still have 0 pass rushers on our team, but pretty solid corners.  Safeties are a bit sketchy & young.  I'd guess Puckett slides down closer to a hybrid LB/S/Star whatever. 

Basically missing the most important/impactful player on both sides of the ball.  I think the talent outside of those guys definitely got elevated...still missing pieces.  Hard to say what year 1 will look like.  I imagine some ups and downs & growing pains 

I agree. Unless the edge from Vandy shows out and maybe Dylan Brooks and at least one of the linebackers put it together. That can always happen in a new scheme under new coaching. I will say this though, HF wasted no time replenishing the needs we had. I expect our OL to be a lot better and I think our interior D line will be strong. Like you said, we need a couple of edge guys to break out and a portal QB after Spring comes and goes. I like RA, but I’m just not all over the band wagon right now. 

[WarEagle1982 447]

I know we’ve seen this before, but I just don’t see Bama being that great with all of their losses (including 2 new coordinators most likely).  I think they lose at least 2 again and one of those may be very likely at JHS.

[WarEagle1982 447]

On 1/19/2023 at 7:18 AM, Quietmaninthecorner said:

I heard it will just be Robby's Arm out there playing QB with no body.

[JBiGGiE 2,488]

5th at best. We'll 2 of 3 between Arkansas, Texas A&M, and Mississippi State. We have no proven pass rush, an okay LB corps, two turnover prone QBs, and the best OLine one could poach from the Group of 5 ranks. See y'all at the Music City Bowl.

[W.E.D 11,070]

15 minutes ago, JBiGGiE said:

two turnover prone QBs

We have two QBs?

[AU-24 3,063]

On 1/19/2023 at 6:23 AM, AUINSY said:

Yeah it took Ole Miss an onside kick and Miss State a miracle in OT to beat the worst Auburn team and coaching staff in modern history. Same said team put up record-breaking rushing numbers against the bammers. I think we'll be just fine. Glad to know we're flying under the radar. 

Good points! 

[AU-24 3,063]

6 hours ago, WarEagle1982 said:

I know we’ve seen this before, but I just don’t see Bama being that great with all of their losses (including 2 new coordinators most likely).  I think they lose at least 2 again and one of those may be very likely at JHS.

Amen! 

[Win4AU 4,052]

I think unfortunately Miss State is going to be awful with the loss of Leach.  He did them no favors in recruiting since he’s got there.  
I think LSU will take a step back

I could see Bama stumble and rumbles about Saban beginning 

Texas A&M is the real wild card.  

Auburn will be in the hunt in the West but probably finishes 3rd and pulls a top 5 recruiting class and another strong transfer class.

Georgia has zero problems in the East.  
Mizzou could surprise and challenge for 2nd.

Edited January 21, 2023 by Win4AU

[AUwent 3,747]

16 hours ago, JBiGGiE said:

5th at best. We'll 2 of 3 between Arkansas, Texas A&M, and Mississippi State. We have no proven pass rush, an okay LB corps, two turnover prone QBs, and the best OLine one could poach from the Group of 5 ranks. See y'all at the Music City Bowl.

If what we have right now at QB is what we have come August, I agree with you. But if we snag someone good out of the TP, 3rd in the west is extremely doable. You’re not giving enough credit to the O-line transfers…several high profile schools were after them (we beat out Lincoln Riley for Dillon Wade for example).

Edited January 21, 2023 by AUwent

[Hank2020 3,195]

3 hours ago, Win4AU said:

I think unfortunately Miss State is going to be awful with the loss of Leach.  He did them no favors in recruiting since he’s got there.  
I think LSU will take a step back

I could see Bama stumble and rumbles about Saban beginning 

Texas A&M is the real wild card.  

Auburn will be in the hunt in the West but probably finishes 3rd and pulls a top 5 recruiting class and another strong transfer class.

Georgia has zero problems in the East.  
Mizzou could surprise and challenge for 2nd.

I don’t think LSU steps back. If anything they move up from what they were in 22. #1in transfer now i believe.

[JBiGGiE 2,488]

On 1/20/2023 at 8:47 PM, W.E.D said:

We have two QBs?

TJ Finley. Everyone is saying he's staying until he graduates in the spring, but until then he's still on the roster.

[AUinMS9528 1,086]

On 1/21/2023 at 11:28 AM, Win4AU said:

Auburn will be in the hunt in the West but probably finishes 3rd and pulls a top 5 recruiting class and another strong transfer class.

I would 100% take that right now and be giddy about it!!!!!

[W.E.D 11,070]

Right now we're probably a 7-5 team.  Maybe beat some mediocre team in the B12 in Tampa to get to 8-5