Elephant Tipper

Yeah, we get OK instead of LSU. Even though playing LSU is tough on our schedule I would rather have them, maybe nostalgia, but beating them is good for our cred. I've heard in the media that the Jawja game might not be every year. That would be a mistake.

All hail Dye ! One thing for sure, Nostradamus may have predicted Saban, but he sure as hell didn't see Kirby. With those 2 AU has had to be on tsunami watch year round. What you say is definitely true, but bear in mind the ruthlessness of the West Division plus Jawja and that AU gets beat up by season's end because of it's unique schedule. Just one or two less difficult games for UA, LSU and Jawja makes a world of difference by season's end. AU doesn't have that same luxury, plus, AU gets a double whammy by playing UA and Jawja home and home or away and away each season and when AU isn't a good team for those home games, like 2023, then it does us no good. We get dinged just for that kink in our schedule. Unless AU has a regular schedule modification with any of those 3 teams, then we'll have to hit on ALL cylinders perfectly to elbow our way back to #1 in the SEC. Some other teams will have to take the steam out of UA's and Jawja's win/loss record. Maybe UA will have to play Texas every year and maybe OK, UT, or UF will pick it up a notch against Jawja each season, then that will make a difference in our results. UA plays Jawja regular season this year, so that will be a +1 for AU. If that were permanent, then it would be a game changer for us, but it's only every few years they play regular seasonl. WDE !!!

The 25 best college football teams from the 2010s (msn.com) Two of those years reference AU's winning the NC and being runner up. 13 teams have won the NC over the past 25 years: UA-6, LSU-3, Clemson-2, FSU-2, OSU-2, UF-2, UGA-2, AU-1, Miami-1, OK-1, Texas-1, USC-1, UT-1. Maybe the reason you think AU isn't an elite team is because we are overshadowed in the SEC which has won 15 of those 25 NCs among 6 teams, but nationally AU stands head and shoulders with every other team. It's hard to stand out when 9 of those NCs were won by just 2 of AU's competitors in the West Division, the toughest in the nation, and now we have UGA to the east of us winning 2 NCs. That's 3 schools which have dominated the NC berth with 11 of those 15 SEC NC wins. No other conference takes a pounding like the SEC and AU is in the trenches annually with the best of the best by having one of the most difficult schedules in college football, again, just because of 3 teams, UA, LSU and UGA. None of those 3 teams has to consistently fight for its life like AU does because we play numerous NC winners every year. UA, LSU and UGA each plays only 1 NC winner annually. AU plays 3. The SEC is the only conference with this kind of competition. Once AU hits all cylinders, then you'll think differently about AU being an elite school. AU has done well. AU is an elite college football team.

Some of UM's behavior (he touched a woman inappropriately, ONCE) was certainly bad, but his actions and HF's are not even in the same ballpark. HF's hooker transgressions were over a continuous 3-year period (at minimum) which eventually helped cause his program to implode and be sanctioned for 4 seasons. HF has habitual boundary and ethical issues. Even at Liberty he was reprimanded for his inappropriate contact. If a father must have his daughter be his morality overseer, then he is a weak man.

Excellent post ! I'll add one more comment, not about HF though. AU ptb and fans seem to just not think that AU is an elite program and are willing to accept these mediocre hires by searching for the next up and comer instead of hiring proven talent. My preference had been that we should have pursued Urban Meyer, not HF. Whatever fans may think of him, UM has the bona fides and would have been a major game changer for AU, instead, we hired a creepy coach that tanked his UM program which the NCAA sanctioned, who, when hired, had his daughter become his morality overseer. AU has certainly paid enormous sums of money to make bad talent go away, instead that money should have been used to retain stellar talent. AU ptb paid out over the equivalent of $10 million/year for Gus and Harsin to disappear. Maybe those paying the coaching alimony will finally decide to get a better bang for their buck next time, and with HF at the helm, that might be in the near future. Old habits die hard.

co-DC, db coach, recruiting

I thought that HF wasn't coaching the offense, just observing. lol He shouldn't try to make a non-DTQB like PT become one. That was the problem and trying to do so backfired. Coach to the player's strengths instead. Could have had a lot more passing yardage out of PT had PM done so.

Careerist, 16 years. Kliff Kingsbury ?

You'll have to do your own reading about Colorado. I don't follow them. If you're not going to read the info I provided about the specific recruits that CK and WM brought to the different schools, then I can't help you. 247 bestowed on CK their Best Recruiter of the Year, which should speak highly of him to anyone, but you either didn't read that info or have a problem with it. If you want to know the end result of all these different recruits, then you should spend the effort doing so. I'm not your researcher.

Part of your question RuninRed answered on the first page and I answered 5 posts above about Colorado. CK was named the 2023 Recruiter of the Year by 247: Charles Kelly is the 247Sports National Recruiter of the Year thanks to his Alabama and Colorado efforts List of CK's "All time recruits", 247: Charles Kelly All Time Recruits (247sports.com) Here's WM's list of recruits: Wesley McGriff All Time Recruits (247sports.com)

Interesting. Could be exactly that. I have a bit of a different take on PT's performance at AU. At MSU during his last two seasons he averaged 31 passes/game and 3,000 yds per season with an average of about 100 yards in running for the entire season. At MSU he had about 61.5% completion rate and, until yesterday, he exceeded that at AU, but it dropped to 61% because of the loss to MD. His previous 2 seasons he averaged 388 passes/season, but this season he had only 265 passes (20 passes/game), even though his completion % was basically the same, yet PM increased his runs per game by double, to around 10/game at AU. I think that they should have had him pass more, not less. He's more productive as a passer. His total yardage at AU was just under 2,300 yds. Having PT run more cost us yardage production, around 700 yds for the year. Besides, he's been our only consistent qb, why risk him with runs ? HF has stated that he wants up tempo, but he has to work to his qb's strength, which for PT is passing, not running. On occasion PT can make some excellent straight line runs, but I think PM had PT run too much. My 2 cents. Payton Thorne College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits | College Football at Sports-Reference.com Passing Year School Conf Class Pos G Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A AY/A TD Int Rate 2020 Michigan State Big Ten FR QB 4 48 85 56.5 582 6.8 6.0 3 3 118.6 *2021 Michigan State Big Ten SO QB 13 235 389 60.4 3240 8.3 8.6 27 10 148.1 2022 Michigan State Big Ten SR 12 242 387 62.5 2679 6.9 6.6 19 11 131.2 *2023 Auburn SEC JR QB 13 162 265 61.1 1755 6.6 6.1 16 10 129.1 Career Overall 687 1126 61.0 8256 7.3 7.1 65 34 135.6 Michigan State 525 861 61.0 6501 7.6 7.4 49 24 137.6 Auburn 162 265 61.1 1755 6.6 6.1 16 10 129.1

Only in the same fashion as Saban and Fisher recruited the 5* players that were credited to CK. Of course the players are committing to those schools where the hc is successful and well known, but there is a point man who actually does the recruiting, namely CK. The hc helps close the deal or do you think that these insecure/waffling recruits are being held by the hand by the likes of Saban and Fisher and Sanders until they actually sign ? No, they aren't. That's been CK's job. Btw, 247 credits CK for having recruited 5* Cormani McClain to Colorado, not DS. Charles Kelly, Defensive Coordinator (FB), Colorado Buffaloes (247sports.com)

I'm curious as to where you come up with that statement, because UM under DC McGriff was horrible. 2017-#110, 2018-#114 (compare with CK's D 2014-#49, 2015-#9, 2016-#45, 2017-#29). His D didn't improve at UM. WM is a great db coach, but that's it. NOT a good DC at all. 2 seasons at UM as DC and then he split for AU as a db coach. WM wanders from program to program. McGriff in the past 2 decades has never stayed at any one school for more than 2 1/2 seasons which is disruptive to a team. CK on the other hand had 7 seasons at Georgia Tech, 5 at FSU, 4 at UA. He promotes stability, which AU desperately needs. He's returning to his alma mater where he has staked his career.

FSU's D production under CK ranked: 2014-#49, 2015-#9, 2016-#45, 2017-#29. 2015 College Football Team Defense | College Football at Sports-Reference.com 7 seasons at Georgia Tech, 5 at FSU, 4 at UA. Lots of other stops along the way, but he's had solid tenure at these 3 major universities. His bio: Charles Kelly (American football) - Wikipedia As a DC he is a solid hire. As a recruiter, he's off the charts good.

CK is an excellent hire for AU. You're right, Colorado is not a major attraction for elite talent, although CK recruited UCO's first 5* player. Would have never expected such a result at UCO, even for Kelly.

Reports | Texas A&M expected to hire Auburn defensive secondary coach Wesley McGriff - al.com

I've always been a big dreamer, even delusional.

I'm wondering just how long the position is "co-DC", instead of just DC Kelly. It could be a segue move by HF. You're right though, co-jobs aren't a good thing. I wasn't a fan of the 2 qb system either. At least AU now has an inside man who I believe will make a positive impact on the program. He might even segue all the way to become head coach.😉

HF has always been a mediocre hc, but those who supported him did so because why ? He beat Saban twice ? Chadwell basically had the same team as Freeze last year, dumped the 2 qb system and then took 8-5 Liberty to a 13-0 season. Chadwell even beat NM State 49-35. HF lost to NM St last year 49-14 and 31-10 this year. HF is not a good hc, great recruiter, not a good hc.

Plus, PT isn't a scrambler. He's a pocket passer. Montgomery and Freeze have misused PT all season.

Get rid of Montgomery too

HAPPY FESTIVUS EVERYONE ! WAR DAMN KELLY !!!

WAR DAMN KELLY !!!

Not really, because CK applied for the DC position before Roberts was hired.