Disappointed with less than 9 wins

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

You'd better hope this staff is full of miracle workers. The group we fielded last year looked like a middle of the road SWAC team. If they win 9 or more the coaches salaries should be doubled.

You got that right! Certainly not saying it isn't possible but good grief. Hope those predicting 9+ wins this coming season are not the same people that said we would get 9 this past year. I think the prediction is spot on and actually generous considering all of the changes we will have gone through. Just be patient! Anything over 7 wins would be "icing on the cake." Heck..I'd be fine with 6 wins and a bowl win if we've learned how to tackle, are winning battles up front on the D & O line, our CBs learn how to cover and attack the ball and we are getting good QB play. We looked like a junior high team last year physically, mentally and any other areas you can name. Sorry but that is very hard to change in a few months. 3+ years of bad coaching is going to have to be unprogramed for several of our guys...that takes a little time.

I get that by Gus not being far removed from coaching at Auburn that the offense may be up to speed quicker but we still don't have a clear proven starting QB. The QB will be the difference btw 6 or 7 wins or 8 or 9+ wins...regardless of how well the D is able to play. Speaking of the D...yes we have really good coaches on D now but our guys up front were manhandled and we could not cover a cold. We don't know what we are going to get out of the LB position. I certainly hope and would be over the moon for a 9+ win season but I think fans must temper their expectations. The midget across town didn't even get 9 wins his first year!

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

I will wait until I see the first game before I start making guesses on how many wins we will have for the 2013 season.

If you want a reality check go back and read the threads this time last year about predictions for the 2012 season.

Exactly.

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

Wins will be determined by the play of our defense. We will score against everyone. Special teams should not fall much if any. The question is how long before we field a defense like we had under Dye.

Just curious but why is it that everyone is automatically assuming we are going to put up a ton of points? Last i checked we don't have a clear cut QB and may not have one coming out of spring. I get that many think Gus is some certified genius b/c what he did with Todd but did anybody watch our QBs last year? I give Gus some credit but this ain't PS2 or XBox...can't just plug and play and away we go. I'm concernd about both sides of the ball. Sure i think we will score more than last year in each game...which considering how bad the offense was will not be that hard to achieve but we only have 1 proven player on offense from last year and it's not a QB....1 player..yet many think we're going to be chuncking TD's all over the place against every team? Sure we will do so against the cupcake teams but can we get it done against better talent is what I'm waiting to see.

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

Since 2000, there have been 366 FBS schools to finish with a win pct of .333 or worse. Auburn was .250 in 2012. Of those 366 teams, only 20.7% won more than half their games the following season. Only 12.5% won more than 60% of their games and only 1.3% won more than 75 percent of their games the following year. This means that 79.3 percent finish with a non-winning record the following year. The best record by a team with a win pct of .333 the previous year was 10-2 the following season.

Can an undefeated season follow up behind a 3-9 season? Sure it can. The probability is extremely low and recent history dictates it won't happen. So when folks predict 6-8 wins in 2013 after going 3-9 the year before, they are being very realistic and the above odds say's they are pushing it. For Auburn to go 8-5 in 2013 would mean accomplishing something only 12.5 percent of the teams have accomplished the past decade.

There is a lot to work on for this team to improve and too many question marks to make bold predictions. This is a team that has won the "tackle for loss" battle in only 3 of their last 25 games. Two of those wins were against Utah State and Louisiana-Monroe. I do believe in hard work and the coaches pushing the team to obtain the most of the player's potential but Malzahn's staff is taking over a program with plenty of issues. Before this team can win consistently, they have to find the proper avenues to develop and practice. You can't teach a team how to win until you teach them how not to lose.

With that being said, I do believe the team will improve on their 3-9 record from last season but I believe 6-8 wins is keeping it real.

Stats don't lie people!

[TheBlueVue 177]

Gotta love the sunshine brigade.....they'll predict 9+ wins every season no matter what the extenuating circumstances are surrounding the team. Im not going to be drawn into making a prediction because Im not sold on these guys just yet. Im completely convinced we've got the right staff in place and that will mean a lot given some time to do work. Will they be miracle workers? Im hoping theywill but Im not betting on it..... time will tell! I'll be ecstatic if I see a little heart and competitive fire

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,838]

Alabama

TAMU

maybe LSU

maybe UGA

Hmm

[IronMan70 3,277]

The success of the season will come down to the success of the OL and DL, it always does. All this talk about QBs, RBs and WRs on offense and Ss, CBs and LBs on defense is just a sideshow. Their success is directly related to their respective lines. That is why the 2 most important position coach hires Gus made will be J.B. Grimes and Rodney Garner, in addition to Ryan Russell.

Tell me how well those 3 guys do and I can get a good feel for the season. I am optimistic that all 3 are quality coaches but we won't know where we stand until we see their results. There is plenty of talent at the skill positions but the lines come first. If we get 2 good lines we will have a good season.

[TheBlueVue 177]

The success of the season will come down to the success of the OL and DL, it always does. All this talk about QBs, RBs and WRs on offense and Ss, CBs and LBs on defense is just a sideshow. Their success is directly related to their respective lines. That is why the 2 most important position coach hires Gus made will be J.B. Grimes and Rodney Garner, in addition to Ryan Russell.

Tell me how well those 3 guys do and I can get a good feel for the season. I am optimistic that all 3 are quality coaches but we won't know where we stand until we see their results. There is plenty of talent at the skill positions but the lines come first. If we get 2 good lines we will have a good season.

I wish I was as convinced as you seem to be about the talent level at the skill posiitons. Hope you're right!

[aubinvnam 29]

The success of the season will come down to the success of the OL and DL, it always does. All this talk about QBs, RBs and WRs on offense and Ss, CBs and LBs on defense is just a sideshow. Their success is directly related to their respective lines. That is why the 2 most important position coach hires Gus made will be J.B. Grimes and Rodney Garner, in addition to Ryan Russell.

Tell me how well those 3 guys do and I can get a good feel for the season. I am optimistic that all 3 are quality coaches but we won't know where we stand until we see their results. There is plenty of talent at the skill positions but the lines come first. If we get 2 good lines we will have a good season.

I wish I was as convinced as you seem to be about the talent level at the skill posiitons. Hope you're right!

The OL and DL will be crucial for sure but I think you have to be stout everywhere if you want to win in the SEC these days. After last year it is hard to feel good about any segment of the team except for Tre and maybe the special teams. I am looking for big improvement all around though. Last year was a once in a lifetime (hopefully) aberration. WDE

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

LSU at LSU - Nope

A&M at College Station - Nope

Georgia at Auburn - Nope

Alabama at Auburn - Nope

That leaves 8.

Ole Miss - 50/50

Miss State - 50/50

Arkansas - 50/50

Tennessee - 50/50

That leaves 4 "should wins" however after last year, and until these kids show they want to be a team, there are no sure wins. La Monroe would have beat us last year had they gone for 2. We look way, way behind other teams physically and I do not know that that can be closed in a year. I have great anticipation of the long term (3-year) outlook for the staff Gus has put together but right now I'm happy with bowl eligibility.

I don't know about the Georgia game, I'd call that more of a toss up than some think; UGA isn't exactly a world beater and with a decent team at one if the hardest places to play in the country, we may surprise the dawgs

[AUIH1 1,515]

LSU at LSU - Nope

A&M at College Station - Nope

Georgia at Auburn - Nope

Alabama at Auburn - Nope

That leaves 8.

Ole Miss - 50/50

Miss State - 50/50

Arkansas - 50/50

Tennessee - 50/50

That leaves 4 "should wins" however after last year, and until these kids show they want to be a team, there are no sure wins. La Monroe would have beat us last year had they gone for 2. We look way, way behind other teams physically and I do not know that that can be closed in a year. I have great anticipation of the long term (3-year) outlook for the staff Gus has put together but right now I'm happy with bowl eligibility.

I don't know about the Georgia game, I'd call that more of a toss up than some think; UGA isn't exactly a world beater and with a decent team at one if the hardest places to play in the country, we may surprise the dawgs

LOL, we have been less competitive against uga than we have against spuat for the past 7 years. The question is not whether uga is a "world beater". The question is whether we can be competitive against them after the past two consecutive, humiliating beat downs administered by uga (who have administered humiliating beat downs on us at home in 2006 and 2012). To try to suggest the uga might be a "toss up" on March 24, 2013, after what has transpired the past two seasons against them is pure delusion and fantasy.

wde

[IronMan70 3,277]

The success of the season will come down to the success of the OL and DL, it always does. All this talk about QBs, RBs and WRs on offense and Ss, CBs and LBs on defense is just a sideshow. Their success is directly related to their respective lines. That is why the 2 most important position coach hires Gus made will be J.B. Grimes and Rodney Garner, in addition to Ryan Russell.

Tell me how well those 3 guys do and I can get a good feel for the season. I am optimistic that all 3 are quality coaches but we won't know where we stand until we see their results. There is plenty of talent at the skill positions but the lines come first. If we get 2 good lines we will have a good season.

I wish I was as convinced as you seem to be about the talent level at the skill posiitons. Hope you're right!

The OL and DL will be crucial for sure but I think you have to be stout everywhere if you want to win in the SEC these days. After last year it is hard to feel good about any segment of the team except for Tre and maybe the special teams. I am looking for big improvement all around though. Last year was a once in a lifetime (hopefully) aberration. WDE

It doesn't hurt to be "stout" everywhere, that's for sure. The point though, was that you can have 5*s running all over the field at the skill positions but if you don't have good O and D lines, it won't matter over the long haul. Sure, you will have a play here and there but over the course of the season those 5* skill players will look more like 2*s and 3*s. Conversely, if you have a great OL, a 3* RB can look like an All American while a great DL can do the same for LBs, Ss and CBs.

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

Gotta love the sunshine brigade.....they'll predict 9+ wins every season no matter what the extenuating circumstances are surrounding the team. Im not going to be drawn into making a prediction because Im not sold on these guys just yet. Im completely convinced we've got the right staff in place and that will mean a lot given some time to do work. Will they be miracle workers? Im hoping theywill but Im not betting on it..... time will tell! I'll be ecstatic if I see a little heart and competitive fire

I guess so. I sure hope we do win 9+ but if thinking with your head and not heart....having expectations of 9+ wins is a big expectation as fans. Of course we cheer for our guys to go 14 - 0 but a strong comment expecting 9+ wins or it will be a let down is a strong and tough statement. Will those who expect 9+ wins start questioning Gus if we don't acheive that? and to what degree?

Gus wasn't my 1st, 2nd, or 3rd choice as HC but goodness...those who did like the choice are certainly setting expectations very high for him for the 1st year...wow...if the man can get our players to look faster, stronger, motivated, and playing sound fundamental football this season i'll be happy! Doing that should get us at least 6 wins which i wouldn't gripe about one bit considering the mess we had with Chiz and company. Everyone is entitled to their opinon and to pump sunshine to no end. I'd be curious to hear from those who "expect" 9+ and if we don't achieve it...what will they think of him then.

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

LSU at LSU - Nope

A&M at College Station - Nope

Georgia at Auburn - Nope

Alabama at Auburn - Nope

That leaves 8.

Ole Miss - 50/50

Miss State - 50/50

Arkansas - 50/50

Tennessee - 50/50

That leaves 4 "should wins" however after last year, and until these kids show they want to be a team, there are no sure wins. La Monroe would have beat us last year had they gone for 2. We look way, way behind other teams physically and I do not know that that can be closed in a year. I have great anticipation of the long term (3-year) outlook for the staff Gus has put together but right now I'm happy with bowl eligibility.

I don't know about the Georgia game, I'd call that more of a toss up than some think; UGA isn't exactly a world beater and with a decent team at one if the hardest places to play in the country, we may surprise the dawgs

LOL, we have been less competitive against uga than we have against spuat for the past 7 years. The question is not whether uga is a "world beater". The question is whether we can be competitive against them after the past two consecutive, humiliating beat downs administered by uga (who have administered humiliating beat downs on us at home in 2006 and 2012). To try to suggest the uga might be a "toss up" on March 24, 2013, after what has transpired the past two seasons against them is pure delusion and fantasy.

wde

+1. Seems to be a lot of that going around.

[TigerPaw1 0]

I think some get confused about predictions. I predeict auburn to go 8-5 however I am cheering for them to go 14-0. Most of all I want to see a team with some fight and heart. We have to reestablish ourselves as a physical, confident team. We do that this year then look out 2014 and 2015

[AUIH1 1,515]

I think some get confused about predictions. I predeict auburn to go 8-5 however I am cheering for them to go 14-0. Most of all I want to see a team with some fight and heart. We have to reestablish ourselves as a physical, confident team. We do that this year then look out 2014 and 2015

Exactly. I want us to win every game/competition in every sport AU competes in. I can separate what I want with what I predict fairly easily (common sense and logic usually helps a lot).

wde

[NCTiger 0]

7 wins should be our goal. Anything over we should all be thankful after last season

12 wins should always be the goal...for the regular season. Anything less is just giving up before you start.

Amen Warbird82 !

You are spot on and until more of our fan base including the BOT and Prez (he is a problem) starts to expect championships and commit themselves to them we will underachieve. This year I can't imagine us not showing significant improvement on D even with some new starters. Dye showed significant improvement his first year on D and he had far less talent. On O you know Gus will show improvement even with a satisfactory QB performance. I don't know where we will wind up, but I am already tired of the excuses being made for this season.

War Eagle !

[StatTiger 3,188]

I think some get confused about predictions. I predeict auburn to go 8-5 however I am cheering for them to go 14-0. Most of all I want to see a team with some fight and heart. We have to reestablish ourselves as a physical, confident team. We do that this year then look out 2014 and 2015

I agree. What I think they can accomplish and what I hope they will accomplish is two different stories.

[WarDamnEagle#1 0]

Mr Jeremy Johnson would like to be our QB this yr.

@MRSUPER6A

I want the startin position at quarterback for the auburn tigers

[Dixie1860 27]

I think some get confused about predictions. I predeict auburn to go 8-5 however I am cheering for them to go 14-0. Most of all I want to see a team with some fight and heart. We have to reestablish ourselves as a physical, confident team. We do that this year then look out 2014 and 2015

I agree. What I think they can accomplish and what I hope they will accomplish is two different stories.

Exactly, I want us to win 14 games this year and I believe we are capable of it if a few guys really step up. That doesn't mean that it's wrong for me to make an honest

assesment of what our record will be at seasons end.

Mr Jeremy Johnson would like to be our QB this yr.

@MRSUPER6A

I want the startin position at quarterback for the auburn tigers

Hey, that is exactly the attitude he should have. It could happen but I would place $ on him being redshirted. His time will come though. I love his desire. Now he needs to be relentless in his effort to get SDH to Auburn.

[IronMan70 3,277]

Mr Jeremy Johnson would like to be our QB this yr.

@MRSUPER6A

I want the startin position at quarterback for the auburn tigers

That is exactly the kind of attitude a QB should have too. None of this wishy washy reserved stuff, but, a QB has to walk the walk too.

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

Mr Jeremy Johnson would like to be our QB this yr.

@MRSUPER6A

I want the startin position at quarterback for the auburn tigers

That is exactly the kind of attitude a QB should have too. None of this wishy washy reserved stuff, but, a QB has to walk the walk too.

Def. think he has what it takes. He will no doubt be the starter in 14' IMO. He played a similar style at Carver so don't see why he wouldn't have a shot at the starting position. JJ is similar to JW in that he seems to show good leadership skills and has a very good work ethic. They both also have no fear. It wouldn't be a shock to me if JJ came in and started or was the starter by the end of the season.

[Weegle777 78]

Mr Jeremy Johnson would like to be our QB this yr.

@MRSUPER6A

I want the startin position at quarterback for the auburn tigers

Now that's the kind of attitude we need at QB.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,838]

What if Jeremy started 4 years and won the NC every year

[TheBlueVue 177]

7 wins should be our goal. Anything over we should all be thankful after last season

12 wins should always be the goal...for the regular season. Anything less is just giving up before you start.

Amen Warbird82 !

You are spot on and until more of our fan base including the BOT and Prez (he is a problem) starts to expect championships and commit themselves to them we will underachieve. This year I can't imagine us not showing significant improvement on D even with some new starters. Dye showed significant improvement his first year on D and he had far less talent. On O you know Gus will show improvement even with a satisfactory QB performance. I don't know where we will wind up, but I am already tired of the excuses being made for this season.

War Eagle !

I haven't seen or heard of any excuses but am certainly not convinced Auburn has the players to put a championship caliber team on the field in 2013.Thats not an excuse, thats a fact. There are serious question marks across the board on both sides of the ball. Administrators can expect a CS..even demand one all they want but, unless Auburn gets a level of play they have not been getting the last couple years its not going to happen.