AU_Canoe

I would imagine a fairly new head coach, i.e., Harsin, is trying to establish his own path/culture and might steer clear of Mullen, who was a big factor in UF program's toxicity.

Thank you for the post. Excellent feedback and I appreciate your view, experiences, and memories.

B1G has a higher tolerance with their coaches vs. SEC. People talk about the big time money dished out by the B1G; however, I went to an Ohio State game this year and I was surprised by the state of disrepair Ohio Stadium was in. I initially assumed it was their seasonal weather or the budget deficit from 2020. I mentioned this to the group I was with and they were in agreement that many of the B1G members generate a lot of revenue; however, B1G members are required to field so many non-revenue generating teams that funds diminish quickly and as a result facilities suffer. I am not really surprised by college football coaching contracts anymore. 2020 financial hit proved that college athletic programs are not financially sustainable. It's an addiction we all enable. Like what was stated above, contracts are a formality that typically end up with haggling coach and university lawyers. Franklin put in a proposal last year for an upgrade to their outdated indoor football facilities and received board approval but it was a fight and a drop in the bucket to what Auburn and many SEC schools have/are spending.

AU is spending MEGA dollars on a facility that is focused on player development, strength/conditioning, and recruiting. I would imagine in the future, once the facility is completed, if our HC does not excel in these areas then there is something truly wrong and the individual is gone. Done deal. Excuses can be made in the current environment but when the ribbon is cut, the expectations are sky high.

With Bama level of talent it's much easier for an Assistant to look like a super star. I find it fascinating when you take these same coaches and put them in a different talent-level scenario. Did they have mad coaching skills or was it a distorted view due to Bama's depth?

I didn't catch the "if" in the original posting but yeah. I would make a call to Beamer if I was VA Tech. Unsure how that would look on Beamer bolting SC so quick but maybe he wants to make his own path vs. being in his Dad's shadow at Va Tech.

That is actually a really good point.

We have so many issues on this rollercoaster. If I was Beamer, at SC, I am definitely smiling.

I have a few OU friends and they were all in agreement that Riley has a high likelihood of jumping ship before the university joins the SEC. One friend in particular goes to many of their donor activities and the talk is that Riley likes the elevation in status the SEC will provide OU but worries about the grind of the schedule. Heck, that is the love/hate relationship of every member of the SEC. Welcome to our conference! From their perspective, Lincoln always had a tendency to stay in his comfort zones which often translates to lopsided teams which makes them frustratingly vulnerable, i.e., offense heavy and defense lacking. However, in my opinion that's the case with a lot of coaches. Kirby Smart, for example, will most likely always be a defensive minded coach vs. offense but that's why good HCs hire top assistants to create balance, if they can get out of their own way. I have no clue if Riley is going to LSU but what is for certain is that both OU and LSU will be in the SEC in 2025 and I wouldn't blame the guy for wanting to position himself in the best scenario to win. OU has a pipeline to TX and donors and so does LSU but with a multiplier. Norman is truly meh and Baton Rouge is well Baton Rouge. Whether OU will do well in the SEC is based on a lot of variables. Timing is everything, therefore, their entrance impact would depend on how their new SEC peers are doing. Getting a jump start by joining LSU is understandable.

I always enjoy reading your posts. Thank you!

these type of games are full of "should have" moments

I agree.

When we were up 28-3 we somehow went into "don't lose the game" vs. "trying to win the game" mode. Miss State definitely switched into the latter. 2nd half was an ugly collapse.

Thank you for sharing. I appreciate the detailed description and pictures. Made me feel like I was there. I can imagine there is nothing like experiencing it in person.

Enjoy the experience. I will always remember the first time my dad took me to an Auburn game. Absorb it all because I am sure it will be memorable for you and your kiddos.

I think many are echoing Bo's "consistency" and I agree. There are a lot of variables, outside of one individual, to each football game; however, I am still unsure what type of QB is going to show up for each game. OM will be a meaningful gauge on whether our team is experiencing a season of flashes that will keep us connecting the dots or an example of how we are consistently improving and developing. I am hoping for the latter.

I might be going out on the a limb but I would imagine if this trends continues, for non-Auburn events, then the University/City might take an official stance. As far as I can remember the post-rolling's clean up, costs, and damage has always been a sticking point, and that was only for Auburn wins. Plus, I believe the young trees are still in a precarious state. Adding those same factors chronically into non-Auburn events will eventually cause a stir-up because the increase in maintenance/damage is viewed as avoidable and not sustainable to the area. I love the tradition and my initial gut reaction is to roll for Braves wins but looking at the bigger picture I can appreciate the challenges it brings to the area.

I agree, if you can't stop your forward momentum you might literally hit a wall or run into the side of a building.

I was actually wondering this same question on Arch and AU after reading an article about him this morning. The good thing about Manning quarterbacks, besides talent: they tend to stay at the same university for four years and their post graduation star power and influence is priceless for their alma mater, i.e. what Eli and Peyton do for UM and UT. In 2023, Auburn would be in a great position for a new quarterback to enter and Harsin, being a quarterback styled coach, seems like a great equation. However, I am unsure if we have the recruiting relationships established that Tex or UGA has with the Manning family.

I love that AU coaches support their colleague's teams. That culture doesn't occur at every university. UT fans still talk about their desire to see him come back and to me, that is impact. Recently, I came across an article on UGA basketball's desire to find a "Bruce Pearl-like personality". Per the article, a Coach who can fire up the recruits, fan base, and donors. Bruce is definitely a one-man PR machine and not only for AU Basketball but for AU athletics, and AU. One of my nieces, who is an undergrad at Auburn, has stated many times that Bruce comes out to the student entrance and thanks them for their support. One game in particular he was making his way down the line of students, shaking their hands and posing for pictures, and his administrative assistant kept nudging him to not be late for a meeting and he told her "these people are more important, they make us who we are". I have no doubt that Bruce can be a polarizing individual but I am grateful for what he has done for AU Basketball. Over the years, each sport the SEC hosts has been getting more competitive and I am glad we have him. Remember when SEC basketball was all UK and maybe a little blip from UF and then in the far far far distance was everyone else? UGA sees the need to upgrade their basketball game to keep up with peers, I am glad he is on our sideline, even shirtless and dancing, and not the competition.

Faking injuries was discussed pre-season and theoretical ways to address it. I am unsure if it's still being debated by the higher-ups or if it was put on the back burner for further discussion either at the conference or national level. As we all know, college football is notorious for this tactic but I believe one of the examples being used as part of the debate was in 2020 when Kiffin, on national TV, very blatantly pointed to a player and then to the ground and the player drops with a proposed injury. Kiffin is gifted-smart in a cut-throat industry, sometimes through his intelligence he misses common sense nuances. However, few doubt his impact to college football including the notion that he is one a one-man marketing machine and that is free PR, whether a curse or a blessing is probably debatable. I agree, I wish faking injuries was cleaned up. To me, it's a tarnish and teaches young adults and the public that you can advance through cheating.

I am still confused with all the NIL requirements and exceptions. I respect AU's compliance office having to navigate these new waters. Maybe it's more common sense than I am giving it credit.

For a first year coaching change, this team is impressive. Admittingly, AU football is like watching the news, at times, the experience can be painful and exhausting but I am proud of this team and they have surpassed my early-on expectations. I agree, Ole Miss will be a good measuring stick. After the UT/Ole Miss debacle, golf ball counts will be strictly monitored. 🏌️‍♂️

I have found that Greg McElroy has matured well in his role. I remember he was a guest on a podcast and chatted about his first season announcing for SEC Network/ESPN and he admitted that he got himself into some verbal confrontations with co-hosts and had to "grow up" quickly. I can't remember which game but he was reprimanded by ESPN for how he talked to a cohost on-air who disagreed with him. LOL. I respect that he is self and situation aware and knew he had to change moving forward. Not everyone is like that. To me, it has to be challenging switching into a more neutral role as a sports broadcaster, not to mention there is an art to it. I think David Pollack also had done a great job transitioning. David has mentioned multiple times that your gut wants your to cheer for your alma mater but you truly have to put yourself in an analytical and "centered" professional mindset. I agree, Greg does a great job of viewing "the bigger" picture of college football and the industry. He is not 100% but I have found his feedback insightful and meaningful.

I apologize if this question is common sense. I am unsure of NCAA transfer rules. Can a team pick up players mid-season from the transfer portal? Or, is the portal only to be utilized between seasons for full season play? Therefore, would there be potential for Auburn to pick up experienced players mid-season?