MaxCohen216

Yeah, I dread a scenario where we offer Coach A, he turns us down, then we offer coach B, who is offended we offered Coach A first, etc. And on down the line of preferred coaches. It would be the major miss-out on our part because of JABA. I hope the new AD gets it right.

When considering all potential coaching hires, Freeze (to me) is the clear winner. IF we could exclude decency and morality, which we can't these days. Freeze has the proven SEC head coaching experience, is a good recruiter, is a good QB developer, is an offensive genius, and would jump at the chance to coach at AU and stay for the long haul. He hung 50+ points on Alabama back when Bama had a good defense. If he just wasn't a sleeze...which he seems to be. Honest question: at what point would he be "rehabilitated" enough to be accepted at AU? Never?

I've seen enough also, and he doesn't have the talent to start in the SEC. Maybe not anywhere in D1. I love his heart and effort, but he just can't get it done, even when his receivers are wide open. Why hasn't Geriner been given an opportunity? Probably because he isn't ready yet, which I could understand. How many passes did we complete yesterday? Less than 10? For less than 100 yards? I can't remember for sure.

OK, then let's fish sometime and talk AU sports.

No one. It's just my personal guess, and I don't have any inside (or outside) sources. This is a message board for discussion, and I like to discuss. I don't claim to have any inside or expert knowledge, unlike multiple moderators have here in the past, while claiming to have "knowledge" that proved to be wrong. Can you imagine a scenario otherwise than Deion being hired? I can't. But the AU boosters and the Rane Man may have other plans. I'm just a casual fan and graduate. There is no chance that AU will ever consult me on any coaching hire, so my opinion matters exactly 0%. It's just an opinion.

Cole, I don't know what you mean. I'm just a casual fan, on a casual forum. But I'm damn proud to be an Auburn graduate. Class of 1985, when Bo Jackson set the standard for all college running backs. Other than that, I don't know anything about sports. I just to love to watch AU play. On the other hand, I claim, like you and many here, to know what I'm talking about. But in reality, I don't. No more than I claim to know about fishing. But I still fish. And occasionally catch something.

Not entirely accurate Cole...at least I don't think so. Look, Deion is going to be our next head coach. No doubt, if he takes the offer, and it will be a heavy offer. We have to get this hire right, and he is as "right" as any coaching candidate we have. And we have good candidates. We are all anxious, but we have a few weeks to wait yet. It's gonna be a tough and sometimes argumentative period on this board. Hopefully, we can all kiss and make up after Deion is hired.

Caddy is a good story in the short term. I loved him as a player and he was a good choice to interim-lead the team (based upon the other half being fired), but he has no chance (nor should he) of becoming the next head coach. In 10 years, with the proper experience, I could see it. Deion will be our next head coach, and I sure hope he retains Caddy as our RB coach.

Not at all. Let's discuss. No hard feelings here. Thanks.

I understand your disagreement. We're splitting hairs here between 3 great coaches who would bring us back to CFP reality. I would love it if Deion was the coach chosen... Just trying to chime in and discuss...

To me, questioning is "wondering", while doubting is "I don't think so". It's just semantics. I wonder about his toughness. That's all. And I think that makes sense.

Hi Cole, I've thought a lot about what I'm saying. And I've followed Deion throughout his career, including seeing him make a game-clinching heartbreak interception of an AU pass in the end zone as time expired in a game against Florida State when I was a student at AU - we lost because of him. And then I was a huge fan of his while he was playing for the Atlanta Braves - minus the one childish and stupid incident where he vindictively poured cold water over an old man (Tim McCarver) in the locker room after a playoff win. But overall, Deion is great. And I'd be fine with him as AU head coach. I'm just trying to chime in and discuss a few concerns. I don't really doubt his ability to be tough on players, but I honestly question it. And yes, both Saban and Smart get to the point of questioning players' man cards in order to motivate them. I was invited long ago to watch football practices at Alabama A&M University (because I coached the DC's son in baseball), and was shocked at the level of "man card challenging" done by the coaches there during every-day practices. It was eye-opening. It was almost like watching the movie "Full Metal Jacket" all over again. Have you ever witnessed college football coaching at the field level so you could see and hear everything that went on? I have. I realize that no DB wants to tackle Bo Jackson, Derrick Henry, Earl Campbell, or John Riggins. But at this point we are splitting hairs between candidates and many criticisms are valid, because none of the potential coaches check every box. In the end, I fully expect Deion to be our next head coach. I'd bet on it, and I'd welcome that.

Yeah, you're right. All candidates have upsides and downsides. If only Hugh wasn't a womanizer...he would be hands down the best choice. But I'll bet both Saban and Kirby have had their share on the side too. They just had better security and NDA forms signed.

Yes, they all have risks. I wish there was a 100% sure fire winner out there, like Saban was for Bama, and like Kirby was for UGA...ugh, we really missed out on Kirby. They are the only sure-fire D1 coaching prospects in the past 20 years...and we have to play them twice per year forever... We chose Gus over Kirby? Oh well, we did. And we are paying for it every year.

I love Deion too. Such a fresh face for college football and the (potentially) undisputed greatest recruiter ever. Such a positive upside, but not a total sure success...

On the other hand... - He has no D1 coaching experience, whatsoever. - I'm afraid he might not have the capacity to be a truly tough coach, instead of pushing players beyond their perceived limits, to the point of questioning their manhood (like Nick Saban and Kirby Smart have learned to do). - As a player, as great as he was (and he was great), the very last thing he wanted to do was tackle anyone. He wanted to break up passes, make interceptions, and return punts. But he was not very interested in tackling big backs with a running head start. That speaks to toughness, or lack thereof. Can he be tough and cultivate toughness when he was content to rely on his unworldy talent as a player and shun the toughness of tackling? I don't know, and neither do you. As great as his upside is (and it is great), he's as much of a gamble as either Lane Brain or Freeze.

I dunno.... Our bag of top coaching prospects is froth with potential failures: - Deion has no D1 coaching experience, even as a coordinator - Lane has recruiting problems and is sort of a loose cannon with his mouth - Hugh wants your daughter's phone number Deion would be the best recruiter, Lane would be the best offensive coach, and Hugh would be the best overall (he's more proven than the other two at the D1 level), if he just didn't want your daughter's phone number...

Two concerns: 1. We look to take long-range shots like we're a good long-range shooting team. We're not. I'm afraid Pearl is too much of a "player's coach" in this regard to put a stop to it. Our strength this year is in the low post, but Pearl much prefers an offense that relies on athletic guard play, which promotes outside shooting. 2. Flan. Or rather, the absence thereof. I'm surprised he didn't start, and I think he must be a pivotal player for us to have a great season. We're a good team. If we can work to our strong inside game and get Flan back to his potential, we can be better than good. It's gonna be a fun season, but I don't see a Final Four run this year.

Bruce Pearl has rarely, if ever, reigned in an over-zealous shooting team. I'm afraid he's not gonna do it this year either. I think he's a bit too much of a "player's coach" in that regard. "Let 'em shoot and have fun" seems to be his calling card.

OK, thanks. I'm just a casual fan, but I think he's the key to our season.

Away from TV tonight, just looked at the box score. How is Flan doing? Doesn't look like he's had much of an impact on stats. Did he start? How does he look?

No.

Oh my goodness. Caddy hasn't even been a coordinator at any level. He does NOT deserve a SEC HC interview at this point. What a waste of time that would be for him and all concerned. His worth (which is much as a RB coach) is being undermined by elevated hero worship on this board.

A very emotional response at a very emotional time. But you are wrong. A HC (even an interim) must be articulate. He wasn't.

It was very awkward. I listened to it on Auburn radio. The only sentence from the whole interview that I could fully understand was when he YELLED "We gotta run the damn ball!". Ugh. Not very becoming... The rest of his interview was unintelligible. His speech was difficult to understand. I know he was excited, but if he wants a HC job one day, he has to be articulate and understandable. Especially when he has to pass interviews in a room full of people with MBA degrees. I'm sorry if I'm offending any of you who were wearing Caddy's jersey last night. I looked for mine but couldn't find it...