Is 2004 ahead of us?

[tigerrules 517]

With the recruiting staff preparing to wrap up yet another consecutive top 10 class, the new OC and DC hires, and the young talent that will mature this year, I think I see 2004 style football team shaping up at Auburn. I feel it was maybe the most well rounded teams ever at Auburn. Whether it was the best can be debated.  I see Lefty and BVG creating a very similar team, but with potentially a more potent offense.  Aggresive and tough on defense, solid and well rounded offense with playmakers.  It may not be this year, but Its coming.

[AUFightingSoldiers 685]

With the recruiting staff preparing to wrap up yet another consecutive top 10 class, the new OC and DC hires, and the young talent that will mature this year, I think I see 2004 style football team shaping up at Auburn. I feel it was maybe the most well rounded teams ever at Auburn. Whether it was the best can be debated.  I see Lefty and BVG creating a very similar team, but with potentially a more potent offense.  It may not be this year, but Its coming.

If we have the same caliber defense and a more potent offense than we did that year, that will be the single greatest team to ever play college football.

[jl2426 1]

Yes, plus Cam.

[crackerjack 0]

2004 being ahead of us is impossible unless someone has figured out a cool trick.

[TheDob06 443]

2004 being ahead of us is impossible unless someone has figured out a cool trick.

Or unless someone knows Doc Brown.

[tigerrules 517]

2004 being ahead of us is impossible unless someone has figured out a cool trick.

 Just call me Marty McFly.  Gotta go, I have to get to the clock tower!!!!  

[matt138 0]

I thought you were going to ask if we would get shafted again if we were in a position to win it all next year.  If this state has the ability to win it all again, I am sure there would be major influences to try and keep that from happening again.  Let's just remove all doubt and kick some...

WDE!  

[autiger221345162924 0]

Does that mean we are all going to be 8 years younger?

[aubcali 436]

2004 being ahead of us is impossible unless someone has figured out a cool trick.

 Just call me Marty McFly.  Gotta go, I have to get to the clock tower!!!!  

Make sure to tell 2004 that Reggie Bush is not eligible! 

[TigerTaz 109]

We went from 8-5 to 14-0 from 2009 to 2010.  Auburn very well could do it again if Loeffler can mold Frazier into a great one.

[matt138 0]

2004 being ahead of us is impossible unless someone has figured out a cool trick.

 Just call me Marty McFly.  Gotta go, I have to get to the clock tower!!!!  

Make sure to tell 2004 that Reggie Bush is not eligible! 

[El_Cid2001 0]

2004 being ahead of us is impossible unless someone has figured out a cool trick.

 Just call me Marty McFly.  Gotta go, I have to get to the clock tower!!!!  

Please, just don't make out with your mom, dude!

[bwillaub 0]

I wish!  Wishful thinking, I'm afraid.  We will be much improved over last year but I still think 3 losses is not out of the question.

[forcera 0]

Does that mean we are all going to be 8 years younger?

I'd be finishing up by senior year of high school and about to get my acceptance letter to Auburn.

[lca4081345162963 0]

I'm really starting to think that 2013 is our year, regardless of the schedule. By 2013, LSU and Georgia will be without a good chunk of their big time players - ex: Aaron Murray at UGA, Mathieu at LSU, etc. We will have a seasoned junior or senior quarterback at the helm of an offense in its second year with Mason as a junior, and Robinson, Blakely, and Grant with plenty of experience behind what should be an excellent offensive line featuring 1 or 2 sophomores and prob 3 juniors. Blake and Lutz will be gone but our young receivers like Coates, Denson, Uzomah, Bray, and hopefully Williams and/or Louis and Diggs will be talented AND experienced AND big enough to play in the SEC, along with Fulse, Parks, and Hutcherson at TE and Prosch still at FB.

The defense is where I think things will be very exciting. Provided that Van Gorder doesn't leave after 1 year, the unit should be running like a well-oiled machine with 4 seniors on the defensive line, a host of talented juniors and sophomores behind them, 1 senior and probably 2 juniors at linebacker, and a defensive backfield that will feature seniors Chris Davis and Demetruce McNeal, juniors Jermaine Whitehead, Robinson Therezie, Erique Florence, and Jonathan Mincy, and probably a couple of talented sophomores like Josh Holsey, TJ Davis, Jon Jones, and maybe Jordan Moore. That is an experienced AND talented unit capable of punishing opponents like Alabama's and LSU's defenses have done this season.

I think the only question mark is the schedule, considering we would supposedly play Georgia, LSU, Arkansas, and I'm assuming Texas A&M on the road. But like I said earlier, I think both Georgia and LSU will be slightly weaker, and Alabama, while good, will be at home. In 2013 for the first time since 2007, we would field a superior or equal Auburn team against Alabama at Jordan-Hare. I like our chances in that situation.

Ryan

[auinthechase 0]

I would have to agree with 2013 (even though it means a road schedule). I think we will stumble a bit next year with the change up in offensive philosophy, and we're still about a year out with recruiting from where we need to be with depth and talent. Give Frazier one year under Loeffler, and I think we'll flourish in 2013. We'll be the team to beat. Still, early predictions...I think 9-10 wins is not unreasonable with the home schedule next year. Could get into a BCS game.

[AuburnNTexas 7,215]

I am usually very pragmatic. last year I was one of the ones who predicted a season similar to what we ended with. I predicted it because of the huge number of players we lost.  Next year has the potential to be a surprisingly good AU football team. 

Arkansas will have best QB in West but with our improved D-line and Arky's less than stellar O-line we can beat them. LSU and Bama will be loosing some key players but will still be strong but if our O-line develops quickly an a couple of LB

s emerge they are beatable. Clemson game could be the key if our young but talented team can beat them we could take off and maybe be a 1 loss or even a 0 loss team.

I think the Talent will be there question is can they win early while developing and then carry mo into the big games and pull off a few minor upsets.

Some of my confidence is based on a pragmatic evaluation of our talent and some may be that I put on my Orange and Blue glasses.

[auburnbass 0]

I think we are one more year away from being that competitive, although I would not be shocked. One thing to remember is ten players are no longer at AU that was in that '10 class. However we have picked up a few ie. Blakely, Prosch, etc. Also I still feel BIG things are ahead for Shon Coleman.

[Rednilla 5,401]

Two years ago, many people were pointing at 2012 as "the year", because after 2010 we would lose so much, and they didn't think we were quite there yet for that year. Personally, I see absolutely no reason why we couldn't make a run at it in 2012, but I think we're going to be in the NC discussion from here on, indefinitely. We're getting to the point where we're fully stocked and will be reloading instead of rebuilding.

[benjazz 0]

Remember that 2004 was Borges first year.  I was very impressed that Lefty said that he would find ways to get the ball in our playmakers hands which is what Borges said when came.  If our new DC can do anything approaching what Chiz did in 04 we have a shot but I think it will depend on the O Line.  If they can do what they did in 04 there isn't a team we can't beat but that's an awful lots of ifs.  Plus in 04 like 10 we were very injury free.  That's tough in the SEC and we don't have a lot of experienced depth.

[Rednilla 5,401]

Remember that 2004 was Borges first year.  I was very impressed that Lefty said that he would find ways to get the ball in our playmakers hands which is what Borges said when came.  If our new DC can do anything approaching what Chiz did in 04 we have a shot but I think it will depend on the O Line.  If they can do what they did in 04 there isn't a team we can't beat but that's an awful lots of ifs.  Plus in 04 like 10 we were very injury free.  That's tough in the SEC and we don't have a lot of experienced depth.

A big part of the injury free part is that the starters didn't have to play every play. They were able to conserve their energy, thereby diluting the chance that fatigue would cause them to put themselves in an exposed position and increase the likelihood of getting hurt.

That having been said, it does take a certain element of luck to win them all. It's just too difficult otherwise.

[jvilletiger 0]

Remember that 2004 was Borges first year.  I was very impressed that Lefty said that he would find ways to get the ball in our playmakers hands which is what Borges said when came.  If our new DC can do anything approaching what Chiz did in 04 we have a shot but I think it will depend on the O Line.  If they can do what they did in 04 there isn't a team we can't beat but that's an awful lots of ifs.  Plus in 04 like 10 we were very injury free.  That's tough in the SEC and we don't have a lot of experienced depth.

A big part of the injury free part is that the starters didn't have to play every play. They were able to conserve their energy, thereby diluting the chance that fatigue would cause them to put themselves in an exposed position and increase the likelihood of getting hurt.

That having been said, it does take a certain element of luck to win them all. It's just too difficult otherwise.

But AU goes undefeated more than anyone else!

[tigerrules 517]

Just to clarify.  I do not think the 2012 team will mirror the 2004 team as far as W-L, I do not think next year is the year.  But I am mainly referring to our offensive and defensive playing style and game plans.  Too much unproven talent to predict a 14-0 year.....but it would be nice.  

[criscomilk 0]

2004 being ahead of us is impossible unless someone has figured out a cool trick.

 Just call me Marty McFly.  Gotta go, I have to get to the clock tower!!!!  

Please, just don't make out with your mom, dude!

I wish!  Wishful thinking, I'm afraid.  

Sorry I had to do it! 

[gAUlf 1]

Remember that 2004 was Borges first year.  I was very impressed that Lefty said that he would find ways to get the ball in our playmakers hands which is what Borges said when came.  If our new DC can do anything approaching what Chiz did in 04 we have a shot but I think it will depend on the O Line.  If they can do what they did in 04 there isn't a team we can't beat but that's an awful lots of ifs.  Plus in 04 like 10 we were very injury free.  That's tough in the SEC and we don't have a lot of experienced depth.

You also have to keep in mind that we weren't drastically changing offenses from 03-04 like we will be doing for this season.