Pro-Style

[DyeHardAllTheWay 0]

Tonight, I give you Exhibit A of how to beat Bama. You win by a ball control offense, teams that put themselves in manageable 3rd down situations, and can dominate on defense. That's how you beat them, and that's how you become the best. I don't want a bag of tricks offense. I can go to a high school game to watch that. I want old man style offense thats physical and has big, bruising backs and a strong offensive line. Don't put too much pressure on the QB to make plays because in the end, Cam Newtons are hard to come by. We won't regret going pro-style as long as someone else is running it.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,389]

If only LSU didn't have les miles as their coach.

[jj3jordan 2,083]

Pro style works if you have pro style players. Do we have those?

[Barney 10]

Same players that LSU and Alabama recruited. Although, they would have developed them much, much better than Auburn.

[AubTiger14 0]

I don't think you have to run a pro-style to beat Bama. We ran a spread against them in 2010, and that wasn't really one of those games where Cam was Superman. Number 1 you have to be balanced. LSU had success tonight because even down by two scores they didn't abandon the running game and kept Bama honest. If you can make Bama respect the run, then they will play a lot of 1-1 coverages in the passing game and that can be exploited. Bama had been averaging only giving up 57 yards of rushing coming into tonight and LSU went well over 100. If you can run the ball and keep the chains in your favor then you can beat them. In 2010 we struggled early to run, but we hit a few long bombs and all of sudden the running lanes opened up. If you can stay balanced and make them respect everything (run and pass) then you can beat them like you can any defense. If you do this from a fast-paced spread or traditional pro-style, I don't think it really matters. Where Bama succeeds and completely shuts teams down offensively is their ability to control the line. They can out physical almost anybody, and completely discourage teams from running the ball and make them one-dimensional.

[aubfaninga 16]

Top 5 "must haves" to win championships

1) Solid Defense

2) Good offensive line

3) Commitment to the Running Game

4) A QB that can make smart decisions and also has a descent arm

5) Experienced Talent

Any style offense will do

[milehighfan 1,240]

If LSU kicks those three field goals insted of trying pull something out of a bag of tricks, they win the game. Bit they didn't and they didn't.

[AU64 10,122]

Top 5 "must haves" to win championships

1) Solid Defense

2) Good offensive line

3) Commitment to the Running Game

4) A QB that can make smart decisions and also has a descent arm

5) Experienced Talent

Any style offense will do

I think you have it. LSU was in the game because their passing game kept the UAT defense honest....and their OL gave the QB time to find some receivers.

Pro-style is usually successful when you have physical dominance which few schools have against UAT at the moment.

[Strychnine 1,804]

That bag of tricks LSU was pulling from is the same thing that got Tuberville anointed as "Riverboat Gambler". When they work, you're a genius. When they don't, you're an idiot. Miles made some gutsy calls, hoping to break the game open. Unfortunately, none of them worked.

The secret to beating Alabama is not any particular form of offense. It's the same recipe a successful team uses to beat anyone else. You need lines that can stand up to them, a quarterback that limits mistakes and makes good decisions/tight throws, few turnovers, and good team discipline on both sides of the ball.

[AU64 10,122]

It does make you wonder however that AU was not that far from beating LSU.

It probably depends a lot on match-ups and on game day at least, we matched up pretty well against LSU. What we don't match up well against are spread offenses.

[Strychnine 1,804]

And LSU was struggling on offense when we played them. They certainly didn't look like they did last night. If we had an offense, we certainly were in a great position to beat them that early in the year.

[Mikey 16,777]

Nobody matches up well against spread offenses. Given equal talent the spread is much harder to defend.

Yes, if you have overpowering talent pro style is the way to go. What you're doing when you choose pro style is saying that you'll out-recruit the Alabamas, Floridas, Georgias and LSUs of the world. Throughout history there have been brief time periods when we equaled those guys in recruiting but there has never been a time when we ranked above them in recruiting year after year.

Auburn has always had to find, and fortunately frequently does find, a way to beat those guys without merely putting more talent on the field. If we want to win big in the next few years we need a solid defense and some version of Gus Malzahn's run-heavy spread.

PS: When we've lost to the above mentioned teams it's not because we were running the spread and they were running pro-style. It's because they have more experienced players and better depth. This year you can throw better coaching in there too.

[TitanTiger 20,542]

PS: When we've lost to the above mentioned teams it's not because we were running the spread and they were running pro-style. It's because they have more experienced players and better depth. This year you can throw better coaching in there too.

I'd say the same thing when we were running pro-style. He won our share running pro-style as well, when it was paired with a strong defense.

[AUBourne 425]

Nobody matches up well against spread offenses. Given equal talent the spread is much harder to defend.

Yes, if you have overpowering talent pro style is the way to go. What you're doing when you choose pro style is saying that you'll out-recruit the Alabamas, Floridas, Georgias and LSUs of the world. Throughout history there have been brief time periods when we equaled those guys in recruiting but there has never been a time when we ranked above them in recruiting year after year.

Auburn has always had to find, and fortunately frequently does find, a way to beat those guys without merely putting more talent on the field. If we want to win big in the next few years we need a solid defense and some version of Gus Malzahn's run-heavy spread.

PS: When we've lost to the above mentioned teams it's not because we were running the spread and they were running pro-style. It's because they have more experienced players and better depth. This year you can throw better coaching in there too.

I agree with this.

[AU64 10,122]

Nobody matches up well against spread offenses. Given equal talent the spread is much harder to defend.

Yes, if you have overpowering talent pro style is the way to go. What you're doing when you choose pro style is saying that you'll out-recruit the Alabamas, Floridas, Georgias and LSUs of the world. Throughout history there have been brief time periods when we equaled those guys in recruiting but there has never been a time when we ranked above them in recruiting year after year.

Auburn has always had to find, and fortunately frequently does find, a way to beat those guys without merely putting more talent on the field. If we want to win big in the next few years we need a solid defense and some version of Gus Malzahn's run-heavy spread.

PS: When we've lost to the above mentioned teams it's not because we were running the spread and they were running pro-style. It's because they have more experienced players and better depth. This year you can throw better coaching in there too.

Well stated...I was trying to dance around the argument that some people want to make that we have to run pro-style 'cause some other folks do. IMO, the spread is a great talent-equalizer.

[TastesLikeChicken 0]

LSU has the better team, Alabama has the better coach.

[tsande07 271]

Top 5 "must haves" to win championships

1) Solid Defense

2) Good offensive line

3) Commitment to the Running Game

4) A QB that can make smart decisions and also has a descent arm

5) Experienced Talent

Any style offense will do

Agreed pretty much 100%. We are 2-7 this year, but we could easily be 7-2 if we were still running a spread-based offense. Our personnel, particularly our most experienced RB, are better suited to the spread. Our players are more familiar with spread systems. Getting the ball to out play-makers quickly would allow us to take the pressure off of our QBs.

Also, recruiting to the spread gives us somewhat of an advantage in the area, because UAT and UGA are both recruiting to the pro-style. Similarly, recuiting to the 4-3 while UAT and UGA recruit to the 3-4 gives us certain advantages. If the pro-style offense and the 3-4 defense were just fundamentally better, everyone would be using them. Guess what? If you have the correct personnel, running the spread or the 4-3 is just as effective.

I don't usually go out of my way to be confrontational, but I do feel like I need to point out a few facts to the "pro-style or bust" people on this board.

1. The point of an offense is to score points and help win football games, not to look a certain way. Please, please come to terms with this.

2. You got what you wanted, remember? Didn't you? You were all screaming about how we need to go to the pro-style offense or the world will come to an end, blah, blah, blah... Guess what - you got your way! We DID go to a pro-style offense, just as you wanted! How is that working out for you! How low do you have to see Auburn football before you admit that maybe, just maybe, sticking with the spread would have been better than what we got? /end rant, lol

[Bathel 50]

I don't think you have to run a pro-style to beat Bama. We ran a spread against them in 2010, and that wasn't really one of those games where Cam was Superman. Number 1 you have to be balanced. LSU had success tonight because even down by two scores they didn't abandon the running game and kept Bama honest. If you can make Bama respect the run, then they will play a lot of 1-1 coverages in the passing game and that can be exploited. Bama had been averaging only giving up 57 yards of rushing coming into tonight and LSU went well over 100. If you can run the ball and keep the chains in your favor then you can beat them. In 2010 we struggled early to run, but we hit a few long bombs and all of sudden the running lanes opened up. If you can stay balanced and make them respect everything (run and pass) then you can beat them like you can any defense. If you do this from a fast-paced spread or traditional pro-style, I don't think it really matters. Where Bama succeeds and completely shuts teams down offensively is their ability to control the line. They can out physical almost anybody, and completely discourage teams from running the ball and make them one-dimensional.

When you say way over 100, you mean 139 yards on 49 attempts averaging 2.9 yards per carry? That's about what they've been averaging giving up all year long (2.8ish yard per carry). So from a run point of view, Alabama did exactly what it was supposed to do and has been doing all year... dominating. LSU did so well because their QB converted on 3rd down in the face of the blitz. He made perfect passes to the proper receiver and the receivers made great catches. Our QB's don't read the defense, don't pick the right receiver to throw to and don't make good passes... on top of that our Oline doesn't pickup the blitz well... How do you beat Alabama... you play sound, good football on offense and defense. We don't do either... BTW, LSU had 3rd and more than 5 many many times and converted. It's not like they were having to convert 3rd and 1 and 2. They won that game, but their coach gave it away with a few poor play calls... typical Les.

[NWALTIGER 1]

Have we really committed to running pro style? I didn't get to watch NMS game but in the games I have watched it seems AU runs a fair amount of spread based plays. Jet sweeps, read options with wildcat, lots of shotgun. Its understandable you don't just do a 180 immediately but the main difference to me seems no HUNH and we do run out of the I some. More of a mish mash between styles. Football is still football blocking, tackling, and making throws and catches no matter the formation or philosophy.

[Strychnine 1,804]

When you say way over 100, you mean 139 yards on 49 attempts averaging 2.9 yards per carry? That's about what they've been averaging giving up all year long (2.8ish yard per carry). So from a run point of view, Alabama did exactly what it was supposed to do and has been doing all year... dominating. LSU did so well because their QB converted on 3rd down in the face of the blitz. He made perfect passes to the proper receiver and the receivers made great catches. Our QB's don't read the defense, don't pick the right receiver to throw to and don't make good passes... on top of that our Oline doesn't pickup the blitz well... How do you beat Alabama... you play sound, good football on offense and defense. We don't do either... BTW, LSU had 3rd and more than 5 many many times and converted. They were not converting 3rd and 1 and 2.

Exactly. While everyone has their opinion on what offense they would rather see Auburn run, none of them translate into being necessary to beat Alabama or anyone else. If Alabama is blowing you off the line of scrimmage, your offense will not be successful against them. That is the position they want to be in, and they don't really care what style the opposing offense is, they are going to attack it. They can be beaten with a spread, just as they can be beaten by pro-style. Whatever offense is used, it HAS to be executed well, behind a line they're not constantly overpowering.

That they shut down Ole Miss, MSU, and Missouri isn't an indictment against the spread, or even HUNH. Alabama outmans all 3 of those teams at every position, they should shut them down. What is more interesting would be seeing them against teams that run up-tempo spreads, and run them very well: Texas A&M and Oregon.

[Mikey 16,777]

Agreed pretty much 100%. We are 2-7 this year, but we could easily be 7-2 if we were still running a spread-based offense. Our personnel, particularly our most experienced RB, are better suited to the spread. Our players are more familiar with spread systems. Getting the ball to out play-makers quickly would allow us to take the pressure off of our QBs.

Also, recruiting to the spread gives us somewhat of an advantage in the area, because UAT and UGA are both recruiting to the pro-style. Similarly, recuiting to the 4-3 while UAT and UGA recruit to the 3-4 gives us certain advantages. If the pro-style offense and the 3-4 defense were just fundamentally better, everyone would be using them. Guess what? If you have the correct personnel, running the spread or the 4-3 is just as effective.

I don't usually go out of my way to be confrontational, but I do feel like I need to point out a few facts to the "pro-style or bust" people on this board.

1. The point of an offense is to score points and help win football games, not to look a certain way. Please, please come to terms with this.

2. You got what you wanted, remember? Didn't you? You were all screaming about how we need to go to the pro-style offense or the world will come to an end, blah, blah, blah... Guess what - you got your way! We DID go to a pro-style offense, just as you wanted! How is that working out for you! How low do you have to see Auburn football before you admit that maybe, just maybe, sticking with the spread would have been better than what we got? /end rant, lol

\

Outstanding post. Kudos!

[TitanTiger 20,542]

Agreed pretty much 100%. We are 2-7 this year, but we could easily be 7-2 if we were still running a spread-based offense. Our personnel, particularly our most experienced RB, are better suited to the spread. Our players are more familiar with spread systems. Getting the ball to out play-makers quickly would allow us to take the pressure off of our QBs.

Also, recruiting to the spread gives us somewhat of an advantage in the area, because UAT and UGA are both recruiting to the pro-style. Similarly, recuiting to the 4-3 while UAT and UGA recruit to the 3-4 gives us certain advantages. If the pro-style offense and the 3-4 defense were just fundamentally better, everyone would be using them. Guess what? If you have the correct personnel, running the spread or the 4-3 is just as effective.

I don't usually go out of my way to be confrontational, but I do feel like I need to point out a few facts to the "pro-style or bust" people on this board.

1. The point of an offense is to score points and help win football games, not to look a certain way. Please, please come to terms with this.

2. You got what you wanted, remember? Didn't you? You were all screaming about how we need to go to the pro-style offense or the world will come to an end, blah, blah, blah... Guess what - you got your way! We DID go to a pro-style offense, just as you wanted! How is that working out for you! How low do you have to see Auburn football before you admit that maybe, just maybe, sticking with the spread would have been better than what we got? /end rant, lol

\

Outstanding post. Kudos!

I disagree. We ran the spread last year and got worse on offense as we went along. The mistakes that Frazier made would get you beat in any system. The sporadic blocking we've seen won't allow any QB to be effective in any system. The problems on this team go much deeper that an offensive scheme. We have a defensive-minded head coach that fancies himself an offensive expert and inserts himself into the offense far too much. He did it last year and mucked up that offense and he's doing it this year.

[leglessdan 1,934]

Agreed pretty much 100%. We are 2-7 this year, but we could easily be 7-2 if we were still running a spread-based offense. Our personnel, particularly our most experienced RB, are better suited to the spread. Our players are more familiar with spread systems. Getting the ball to out play-makers quickly would allow us to take the pressure off of our QBs.

Also, recruiting to the spread gives us somewhat of an advantage in the area, because UAT and UGA are both recruiting to the pro-style. Similarly, recuiting to the 4-3 while UAT and UGA recruit to the 3-4 gives us certain advantages. If the pro-style offense and the 3-4 defense were just fundamentally better, everyone would be using them. Guess what? If you have the correct personnel, running the spread or the 4-3 is just as effective.

I don't usually go out of my way to be confrontational, but I do feel like I need to point out a few facts to the "pro-style or bust" people on this board.

1. The point of an offense is to score points and help win football games, not to look a certain way. Please, please come to terms with this.

2. You got what you wanted, remember? Didn't you? You were all screaming about how we need to go to the pro-style offense or the world will come to an end, blah, blah, blah... Guess what - you got your way! We DID go to a pro-style offense, just as you wanted! How is that working out for you! How low do you have to see Auburn football before you admit that maybe, just maybe, sticking with the spread would have been better than what we got? /end rant, lol

\

Outstanding post. Kudos!

I disagree. We ran the spread last year and got worse on offense as we went along. The mistakes that Frazier made would get you beat in any system. The sporadic blocking we've seen won't allow any QB to be effective in any system. The problems on this team go much deeper that an offensive scheme. We have a defensive-minded head coach that fancies himself an offensive expert and inserts himself into the offense far too much. He did it last year and mucked up that offense and he's doing it this year.

The scheme is irrelevant, its the basics that are important. I prefer a punishing running game with big bruiser backs and pass off of playaction. You can run a hurry up offense out of this if conditioning is where it needs to be and steamroll ANY defense. But......you HAVE to stay committed to the run and wear the D down.

[Gibbon7 0]

Tonight, I give you Exhibit A of how to beat Bama. You win by a ball control offense, teams that put themselves in manageable 3rd down situations, and can dominate on defense. That's how you beat them, and that's how you become the best. I don't want a bag of tricks offense. I can go to a high school game to watch that. I want old man style offense thats physical and has big, bruising backs and a strong offensive line. Don't put too much pressure on the QB to make plays because in the end, Cam Newtons are hard to come by. We won't regret going pro-style as long as someone else is running it.

I hate to sound negative, but I am not sure our Oline can do what LSU's was able to do and our backs are not big enough to do what LSU's backs did. There were many 3-4 yard runs last night (or more) where I think Auburn gets negative yardage trying to do the same thing. We would need a few big plays, a few turnovers and a flawlessly executed game to beat bama or UGA.

[DyeHardAllTheWay 0]

Tonight, I give you Exhibit A of how to beat Bama. You win by a ball control offense, teams that put themselves in manageable 3rd down situations, and can dominate on defense. That's how you beat them, and that's how you become the best. I don't want a bag of tricks offense. I can go to a high school game to watch that. I want old man style offense thats physical and has big, bruising backs and a strong offensive line. Don't put too much pressure on the QB to make plays because in the end, Cam Newtons are hard to come by. We won't regret going pro-style as long as someone else is running it.

I hate to sound negative, but I am not sure our Oline can do what LSU's was able to do and our backs are not big enough to do what LSU's backs did. There were many 3-4 yard runs last night (or more) where I think Auburn gets negative yardage trying to do the same thing. We would need a few big plays, a few turnovers and a flawlessly executed game to beat bama or UGA.

I agree with you. Most of our o-line were recruited to play in the spread offense and so it will take time for them to get used to this new offense and for our coaches to recruit this offense. And CSL reminds me of Major Applewhite at Alabama in 2007. He's just in over his head trying to run an offense in the SEC right now. When they brought in Jim McElwain, their offense immediately improved. We just need someone more experienced running the pro-style.