4 star OG/OT Braden Smith

[berrytgr 0]

He could win a spot at tackle. Lee Ziemba did as a true freshman.

Ziemba won a spot because there was a clear opening for him to do so. Generally a raw a kid from a small Kansas school who wasn't even playing Tackle isn't going to beat out entrenched starters who contributed on one of the best lines in the country.

What was the deal that season? You say there was a clear opening but we had King Dunlap (a SR I think) on the team. Dunlap has developed into a NFL starter and Ziemba is not playing football. Just something I have wondered as Dunlap has developed in the NFL the last few years.

[metafour 4,969]

Dunlap was an underachiever. Clear NFL size and talent, but he never put it together at Auburn despite him always carrying a lot of hype. I cant tell you whether or not the coaching failed him or whether he just didn't have the drive himself, but it isn't a surprise that he made the NFL and is playing.

[alexava 6,973]

Dunlap was not only beaten by zeimba, Ryan Pugh who was a center played tackle opposite zeimba as a true freshman ahead of Dunlap. Dunlap either was lazy, in the doghouse, or totally mismanaged by the tuberville regime. He was drafted from auburns' bench.

[1TexasTiger 55]

Dunlap was not only beaten by zeimba, Ryan Pugh who was a center played tackle opposite zeimba as a true freshman ahead of Dunlap. Dunlap either was lazy, in the doghouse, or totally mismanaged by the tuberville regime. He was drafted from auburns' bench.

I wouldn't call a guy lazy who has made himself long whole career in the NFL. Just the standard of NFL is anything but lazy.

[bwillaub 0]

Maybe a better word than "lazy" would be "entitled"? Dunlap certainly lacked PT for some reason at AUBURN.

[Dixie1860 27]

Auburn, it seems, has always had a player ot two in the NFL that either wasn't a star in college or maybe didn't even start at Auburn. Yet they manage to make a roster and hang on for a long career in the pros.

[alexava 6,973]

Dunlap was not only beaten by zeimba, Ryan Pugh who was a center played tackle opposite zeimba as a true freshman ahead of Dunlap. Dunlap either was lazy, in the doghouse, or totally mismanaged by the tuberville regime. He was drafted from auburns' bench.

I wouldn't call a guy lazy who has made himself long whole career in the NFL. Just the standard of NFL is anything but lazy.

he is obviously not lazy now. That experience might have been his awakening. There is some reason he was benched on a weak oline by three 18year olds. May or may not be lazy,maybe unmotivated,entitled, bad attitude. He is a better talent than anyone else on that o-line and sat.

[cole256 17,084]

Or maybe the coaches were making a mistake

[Mikey 16,624]

Or maybe the coaches were making a mistake

The mistakes made by O-Line coach Hugh Nall were far and few between when he stuck to, well, the O-line. "Hugh Nall is the best offensive line coach in the country. I mean that, bar none." ~~~Pat Dye.

Also, I seem to recall Dunlap complaining of a mysterious back problem from time to time. One thing is very clear and that's when Ol' King and two others were benched and the three freshmen were inserted into the starting lineup, the o-line improved greatly as soon as the first game.

[berrytgr 0]

Or maybe the coaches were making a mistake

The mistakes made by O-Line coach Hugh Nall were far and few between when he stuck to, well, the O-line. "Hugh Nall is the best offensive line coach in the country. I mean that, bar none." ~~~Pat Dye.

Also, I seem to recall Dunlap complaining of a mysterious back problem from time to time. One thing is very clear and that's when Ol' King and two others were benched and the three freshmen were inserted into the starting lineup, the o-line improved greatly as soon as the first game.

I certainly don't recall that improvement. When I think of that season I think of poor Brandon Cox being stuck as a SR playing behind 3 true freshman blocking for him. There was no reason at that point in our program to be stuck playing 3 true freshman up front. I had always stuck up for Hugh Nall until that season. If you have a player as talented as King and he doesn't want to perform for you then something is wrong. If King had some bad attitude problems he would not have stayed in the league this long nor developed into a starting LT on a playoff team. Meanwhile, Nall has been out of football for years.

[cole256 17,084]

Or maybe the coaches were making a mistake

The mistakes made by O-Line coach Hugh Nall were far and few between when he stuck to, well, the O-line. "Hugh Nall is the best offensive line coach in the country. I mean that, bar none." ~~~Pat Dye.

Also, I seem to recall Dunlap complaining of a mysterious back problem from time to time. One thing is very clear and that's when Ol' King and two others were benched and the three freshmen were inserted into the starting lineup, the o-line improved greatly as soon as the first game.

I don't know one way or the other I'm just throwing all possibilities out there

[Mikey 16,624]

Or maybe the coaches were making a mistake

The mistakes made by O-Line coach Hugh Nall were far and few between when he stuck to, well, the O-line. "Hugh Nall is the best offensive line coach in the country. I mean that, bar none." ~~~Pat Dye.

Also, I seem to recall Dunlap complaining of a mysterious back problem from time to time. One thing is very clear and that's when Ol' King and two others were benched and the three freshmen were inserted into the starting lineup, the o-line improved greatly as soon as the first game.

I certainly don't recall that improvement. When I think of that season I think of poor Brandon Cox being stuck as a SR playing behind 3 true freshman blocking for him. There was no reason at that point in our program to be stuck playing 3 true freshman up front. I had always stuck up for Hugh Nall until that season. If you have a player as talented as King and he doesn't want to perform for you then something is wrong. If King had some bad attitude problems he would not have stayed in the league this long nor developed into a starting LT on a playoff team. Meanwhile, Nall has been out of football for years.

Sometimes it's amazing how either getting or not getting a paycheck can change a guy's attitude. I give you Charles Barkley as another example of a guy that got a whole lot more interested in the process when the Big Bucks came into play. Barkley played at 290 lbs his last year at Auburn. By his second year in the NBA he was down to 235. I suspect Dunlop was like Barkley, all it took to motivate him was a couple million bucks.

[auadmin 20]

I think if you had witnessed Barkley score 25 points and grab 17 rebounds against Kentucky in '84, you wouldn't consider him as a having gone through the motions while he played at AU. HE GOT THOSE NUMBERS AGAINST THE TWIN TOWERS!!! Charles was tubby at AU and when he got a paycheck, he did get serious about his health. Agreed. But it's ridiculous to equate his play with that of a person who rode the pines. Damn fortunate to have seen him play back in the day.

[Root 0]

somebody remind me how all this relates to Braden Smith?

[mustache eagle 2,406]

Or maybe the coaches were making a mistake

The mistakes made by O-Line coach Hugh Nall were far and few between when he stuck to, well, the O-line. "Hugh Nall is the best offensive line coach in the country. I mean that, bar none." ~~~Pat Dye.

Also, I seem to recall Dunlap complaining of a mysterious back problem from time to time. One thing is very clear and that's when Ol' King and two others were benched and the three freshmen were inserted into the starting lineup, the o-line improved greatly as soon as the first game.

I certainly don't recall that improvement. When I think of that season I think of poor Brandon Cox being stuck as a SR playing behind 3 true freshman blocking for him. There was no reason at that point in our program to be stuck playing 3 true freshman up front. I had always stuck up for Hugh Nall until that season. If you have a player as talented as King and he doesn't want to perform for you then something is wrong. If King had some bad attitude problems he would not have stayed in the league this long nor developed into a starting LT on a playoff team. Meanwhile, Nall has been out of football for years.

not trying to be smart I promise ...

Didn't cox get hurt against lsu that year behind the 3 upper class men? Was that an additional reason for the change to the youngsters? Cox was less effective (I applaud how well he did however) the remainder of the year

[Mikey 16,624]

I think if you had witnessed Barkley score 25 points and grab 17 rebounds against Kentucky in '84, you wouldn't consider him as a having gone through the motions while he played at AU. HE GOT THOSE NUMBERS AGAINST THE TWIN TOWERS!!! Charles was tubby at AU and when he got a paycheck, he did get serious about his health. Agreed. But it's ridiculous to equate his play with that of a person who rode the pines. Damn fortunate to have seen him play back in the day.

I saw that. I also saw him single-handedly take over the game and beat Georgia and that performance was even more impressive than the Ky game to me. In fact, I saw nearly every home game Barkley played at AU and a few away games. Thing is he could have played at that level every game had he been serious about getting into shape.

The point was that Barkley slacked at Auburn and when the question was asked how could Dunlop be mediocre at AU and great in the NFL the comparison to Sir Charles immediately came to mind and it's a valid one.

[alexava 6,973]

somebody remind me how all this relates to Braden Smith?

we'll get back around to that,maybe.

[AUbritt 611]

somebody remind me how all this relates to Braden Smith?

we'll get back around to that,maybe.

Talking about whether Smith will start or play as a freshman got folks onto this other stuff.

[auadmin 20]

Shouldn't this thread have made its way to the football forum by now ?

[auburn4ever 1,266]

Yes.

[Root 0]

Braden sez he will kick some azz if anyone hijacks his thread again!

[Auctoritas 2,828]

Braden sez he will kick some azz if anyone hijacks his thread again!

So...you're saying he's going to Shanghai the Hijackers?

[Root 0]

Sumpin like dat

[JDUBB4AU 5,121]

Smith is a manimal

[chimesAU 89]

The fact that this thread is still on the front page this long after signing day is pretty funny. Seems like we have a Rashaan Evans size hole in our hearts that we're trying to plug with Braden Smith. Carry on guys...