Eating crow....Reflections on Saturday

[AuburnGrad97 37]

I have been an avid supporter, some would say sunshine-pumper, all season. That ended on Saturday. I am now a realist, and the reality is a difficult pill to swallow. I waited to post anything until now, to avoid letting my emotions from Saturday get the best of me. I was ready to rant and rave, and call players and coaches out, just like many threads on this board are doing right now. Sitting in my seat in the most beautiful and special stadium I have ever seen, I was shaking my head. What is happening? How are we losing to these guys? Why can't we move the ball? This is one of the worst Auburn teams I have ever seen in my lifetime. I wasn't around during the Barfield years, but I can't imagine it was much worse.

I am now convinced that we need to make some changes. Our offensive playcalling was worse than Pop Warner football. I have lost faith that Scott Loeffler is capable of being an OC in the SEC. I doubt that he had anything to do with the development of Tom Brady, Chad Henne or any other QB's on his resume. These guys are phenomenal athletes, so who is to say Loeffler made them into what they are today? Kiehl Frazier is an amazing athlete. We've all seen him on film. We've seen him in the All-Star games, and Elite 11. The kid can play. Loeffler has failed to develop him correctly. He refuses to adapt his offense to Kiehl's strengths. Shame on Chizik for hiring this guy, as Kiehl is not a pocket passer. Kiehl needs to have the ability to get out of the pocket, and use his feet to make plays. He throws a better ball when rolling out, and he sees the field much better. Loeffler also refuses to utilize Jay Prosch. On Saturday, I saw us send Prosch in, and run right behind him for 4-6 yards numerous times. Immediately after, on 2nd down, Prosch is on the sidelines, not to be seen again for several plays. What I saw Saturday was an offense that was completely lost. Several times, our WR's and RB's didn't seem to be sure where to even line up. On one series, we ran off-tackle for a few yards, then tried a pass over the middle to Stallworth, which was called back due to penalty. We lined up on 2nd and long, and ran the EXACT SAME TWO PLAYS AGAIN, BOTH FOR NO GAIN!!! This is unacceptable, and Loeffler needs to go. He needs to go NOW. Luper needs to be promoted to interim OC, and see what happens after the season.

Everyone is concerned about the recruits, and what coaching changes will do. At this point, I think that continuing to do nothing is worse than taking corrective measures immediately. I cringe at what was going through Jeremy Johnson's head Saturday (I think he was visiting). He is a fast-rising recruit that is getting attention from many major programs, and he had to be thinking hard about the way our offense has looked this season, especially Saturday. Early playing time is one thing, but these kids also need to see potential for their futures. Loeffler would not be giving me much to get excited about.

I do not think we need to have a complete coaching overhaul, however. Coach Van Gorder is a good coach, and will get the defensive woes corrected, given time. Boulware is one of the best in the business for special teams. Martinez seems to have our secondary improving. Thigpen is doing the best he can with what he has to work with, which isn't much. Still shaking my head on why Frost has yet to see significant playing time. Coach Grimes is one of the best in the business. Coach Pelton is one I am very concerned with. With the talent we have on the D-line, we should easily be winning the battle in the trenches on defense. This group, outside of the DE's, have underperformed as well. Not sure if that is coaching, but something is wrong here. We get very little push off of the ball, and teams are killing us running up the middle. Arky's dismal O-line whipped us all day long.

If Auburn decides to stay the course, and ride out the season without making any changes, then I fear that none of the coaches will be safe, because Chizik will be in serious trouble is we go 3-9. Think about that, folks. 3-9 is a distinct possibility right now. We all know that if the HC gets let go, the assistants usually lose their jobs, due to the incoming HC surrounding himself with assitants he knows/trusts.

I believe in Auburn, and love it, but I am not ashamed to admit that I left the game early on Saturday, because I just couldn't bare to see us play that way. This was the only game I am able to make it to this year, and I left early, and it was not to beat the traffic.

War Eagle!!!

[autigeremt 6,128]

Nice post....I am in the same corner as you are. I have lost faith in CSL but I don't know if Luper is a play caller. BVG is doing good things with the defense. You can see it. The offense is so bad right now that it is hard to watch.

[AUinWV 0]

Great post. I think a lot of us are eating crow right now. Earlier I looked towards Frazier, then the o-line, now i believe i shouldve looked at coaching. We recruited Frazier for a totally different offense he's amazing at. I feel really bad for him, we should definitely add some plays where he uses that advantage. And make the coaching changes you mentioned.

[Guest jrljr]

I can't argue with any of that. I don't think JJ needs to worry about having to play under Lefty however. His time on The Plains is short if you ask me. I pray that we find a way to let Kiehl use his tremendous abilities. I hope he isn't blaming himself cause he nor anyone else should fault him for this season. I'm worried though about recruiting. I know they see opporitunity but the want to see the ability to win also.

P.S. Why do we bring in JW to run the wildcat? KF is an incredible runner.

[kd4au 1,145]

If Grimes is the best,I wouldn't want to see the worst.I don't care what play is called if there is no blocking it will not work.And it is not only the O Line that can't block.Neither can the TE's or WR's.

[AuburnGrad97 37]

Nice post....I am in the same corner as you are. I have lost faith in CSL but I don't know if Luper is a play caller. BVG is doing good things with the defense. You can see it. The offense is so bad right now that it is hard to watch.

I mention Luper being interim OC due to his desire to move up in the coaching ranks, and to fire Loeffler, we would need an OC. Being mid-season, we wouldn't be able to bring in an OC, other than finding someone like Petrino, who is out of work and looking for a way back into football.

Who knows, Luper may be a good playcaller. Or maybe Trooper? I remember reading that one of them was shadowing Gus, because we figured Gus would be a short-timer at Auburn, although for a different reason than he was.

[Btiger1982 6]

It was Luper that shadowed Gus, you are correct. I was about to buy a ticket on Thursday to go to the game. I can't believe they were only 26 for lower level seats.