I will be the one to say it....

[Strychnine 1,802]

#32 Dacori Johnson killed us all night and blew up our inside running game. Give him credit. But we need to block him. LSU will have a guy like him, as will uat and aTm and uga.

I am guilty of being under the lights, BUT is it just me??? Does our read look WAYYYY slower than it did last year?

What is missing thus far is the "chemistry" Marshall and Mason had on selling the fake. In the latter half of the 2013 season, it was frequently very difficult to tell which of them had the ball as they sold the handoff fake and running so well. I've seen glimpses of it this year, but I think that was a key component in getting defenses as out of sorts as the offense did last year. That said, it looked much like the entire offense had an off night in Manhattan.

I agree, but let us not discount KState. Historically, teams do not go into Manhattan and play well. That was one very well disciplined Snyder defense and no one should have expected less.

I think Kansas State did the same thing as Arkansas in spending a decent portion of their offseason preparing for us. They had an FCS school, the Big 12 equivalent of Vanderbilt, and a bye week leading up to us. They definitely deserve credit for their performance.

[Mikey 16,578]

Ever since Gus came here in 2009 this offense has had dead spots during games and even entire "dead games". Sometimes it simply doesn't work. We lost to Kentucky in '09 because the offense sputtered all game. We didn't do anything except 3-and-outs for almost all of the second half of last year's BCS game. There are plenty more examples in between those two.

I've some to accept it as part of the deal, we've just got to take the bitter with the sweet. There's plenty of sweet to go along with it.

Conspiracy theories are not needed, this has been going on since Gus and his offense got here and it is likely to continue. We still score more than most people in most games.

[Strychnine 1,802]

Ever since Gus came here in 2009 this offense has had dead spots during games and even entire "dead games". Sometimes it simply doesn't work. We lost to Kentucky in '09 because the offense sputtered all game. We didn't do anything except 3-and-outs for almost all of the second half of last year's BCS game. There are plenty more examples in between those two.

I've some to accept it as part of the deal, we've just got to take the bitter with the sweet. There's plenty of sweet to go along with it.

Conspiracy theories are not needed, this has been going on since Gus and his offense got here and it is likely to continue. We still score more than most people in most games.

Indeed. I think that is true of any offense though, as far as the tendency to have dead spots and entire dead games goes. There are too many good defenses and defensive coordinators in this conference for any offense to make them look foolish 100% of the time. If there was one, everyone would run it.

[AUsince72 11,084]

Ever since Gus came here in 2009 this offense has had dead spots during games and even entire "dead games". Sometimes it simply doesn't work. We lost to Kentucky in '09 because the offense sputtered all game. We didn't do anything except 3-and-outs for almost all of the second half of last year's BCS game. There are plenty more examples in between those two.

I've some to accept it as part of the deal, we've just got to take the bitter with the sweet. There's plenty of sweet to go along with it.

Conspiracy theories are not needed, this has been going on since Gus and his offense got here and it is likely to continue. We still score more than most people in most games.

Indeed. I think that is true of any offense though, as far as the tendency to have dead spots and entire dead games goes. There are too many good defenses and defensive coordinators in this conference for any offense to make them look foolish 100% of the time. If there was one, everyone would run it.

It's the nature of football. One team tries to run through the other team and that team tries to stop them. Sometimes the factors come together and it's just the defense's night. If we, as fans, knew the outcome of every game then why would we watch it? That's what makes the game so great, is the uncertainty. I am with those who believes that nobody really stops Gus' offense except for Gus' offense. Gus' offense clearly stopped itself tonight. With that said, they made the plays when they had to and that shows leadership and talent. Unless KSU just magically found the golden formula, I expect the offense will roll right along once they make the necessary corrections and play with some passion (which oddly seems to be missing these last two games).

[AuburnNTexas 7,140]

Let's accept this for what it was a badly played game that we won. Yes the Outside Linebackers from KS did run Blitz from outside and nobody picked them up all night. I am not sure if tackle should have picked them up or Blocking back. That has to be addressed and we have an extra couple of days to work on it. Slade's man beat him inside a few times on running plays. O-Line did a much better job on pass protection. Very little penetration but have to figure out how to keep players who don't penetrate from Blocking quick passes part of that on Short QB part on not keeping contact with D-Linemen to push him when he starts to jump. NM is inconsistent as an example on first pass it was complete for 10 yards but if hit man in stride could have picked up another 5-10 yards next two passes were to low. Coates beat his man badly twice on long balls that were overthrown. Those are hard throws but need to hit at least one of them. Receivers dropped catchable passes multiple times. NM dropped a beautiful pass in for a TD it was a work of art.

D-Line got no pass rush if we didn't blitz part of that was because they were trying to contain a running QB which they did. Line Backers played one of their best games. Yes there were some slants where Line Backers were not in position to stop but that is because they were blitzing QB to both try to get to him and to contain him. Trovon Reed really stepped up in coverage, Ruffin for his first real action looked good and Ford got better at Safety as the game went on. The D did not give up the big play. D has improved but is still a work in progress.

Special teams were anemic they were not special teams. Lockett had something to do with it. Players blocked in the back and call not made had something to do with it. But not containing returner had more to do with it.

Now after all this analyses I go back to what I said in my first statement we WON and that is the bottom line. Learn from it and get better everything we did wrong can be corrected and things we did right can be done on a more consistent basis. Hopefully this is the game all good teams go through where they play bad but find a way to win. Every team competing for the NC has a game like this if you find a way to win you are still in the hunt for the NC.

[AwesomeDave 1]

What I saw was KS selling out on the run, a few bad passes, two or three batted down passes, and four or five key dropped passes. That's not any coach's fault.

I also saw a bunch of holding that wasn't called and dudes slipping and sliding all over the turf.

We still won. We have LSU at home in a couple of weeks and we should win.

[bg5 536]

I don't know who was calling plays last night but whoever it was had some guts and confidence to call a pass on 3rd down with just a couple of minutes to play. If that play doesn't work the clock stops and they have just over two minutes to make a drive for the winning score.

[mattarcara 0]

Remember: Discipline and good tackling slows down Gus's offense. This is not the best team we will play this year, but it probably is the best disciplined team

[tgr4lfe 220]

If our receivers hang on to a few deep balls, we stretch the field and hopefully open up the running game. Teams are going to do exactly what Kansas St did...stop the zone-read at all costs. If we can consistently hurt teams in the passing game, then we'll be fine.

If that's the case, we need to sit NM and play JJ...

Then there is really no threat of the zone read...i.e. they sit back in coverage. I think JJ can run it, but it has not been shown or proven that he can effectively run it. NM is still the best overall option at QB. Yes, NM had some passes that were off target, but there were at least 4 drops (WRs fault) and 3 batted down passes (OL fault). NM finished 17/31 for 231 yards. If the just the drops are completed, he finishes 21/31 for over 300 yards with an extra TD (the drop by Duke) and this thread doesn't exist.

That was obviously a well coached KSU team that even i had underestimated and yes AU played bad, mainly on at OL, imo. The D played pretty well, except for the lack of pass rush with just 4 DL. Good game to build on and AU still won it!!

[AUbritt 611]

Let's accept this for what it was a badly played game that we won. Yes the Outside Linebackers from KS did run Blitz from outside and nobody picked them up all night. I am not sure if tackle should have picked them up or Blocking back. That has to be addressed and we have an extra couple of days to work on it. Slade's man beat him inside a few times on running plays. O-Line did a much better job on pass protection. Very little penetration but have to figure out how to keep players who don't penetrate from Blocking quick passes part of that on Short QB part on not keeping contact with D-Linemen to push him when he starts to jump. NM is inconsistent as an example on first pass it was complete for 10 yards but if hit man in stride could have picked up another 5-10 yards next two passes were to low. Coates beat his man badly twice on long balls that were overthrown. Those are hard throws but need to hit at least one of them. Receivers dropped catchable passes multiple times. NM dropped a beautiful pass in for a TD it was a work of art.

D-Line got no pass rush if we didn't blitz part of that was because they were trying to contain a running QB which they did. Line Backers played one of their best games. Yes there were some slants where Line Backers were not in position to stop but that is because they were blitzing QB to both try to get to him and to contain him. Trovon Reed really stepped up in coverage, Ruffin for his first real action looked good and Ford got better at Safety as the game went on. The D did not give up the big play. D has improved but is still a work in progress.

Special teams were anemic they were not special teams. Lockett had something to do with it. Players blocked in the back and call not made had something to do with it. But not containing returner had more to do with it.

Now after all this analyses I go back to what I said in my first statement we WON and that is the bottom line. Learn from it and get better everything we did wrong can be corrected and things we did right can be done on a more consistent basis. Hopefully this is the game all good teams go through where they play bad but find a way to win. Every team competing for the NC has a game like this if you find a way to win you are still in the hunt for the NC.

I basically agree with this. I'd add that the WRs didn't do a good job blocking for the run game last night, either.

[aucanucktiger 1,791]

Let's accept this for what it was a badly played game that we won. Yes the Outside Linebackers from KS did run Blitz from outside and nobody picked them up all night. I am not sure if tackle should have picked them up or Blocking back. That has to be addressed and we have an extra couple of days to work on it. Slade's man beat him inside a few times on running plays. O-Line did a much better job on pass protection. Very little penetration but have to figure out how to keep players who don't penetrate from Blocking quick passes part of that on Short QB part on not keeping contact with D-Linemen to push him when he starts to jump. NM is inconsistent as an example on first pass it was complete for 10 yards but if hit man in stride could have picked up another 5-10 yards next two passes were to low. Coates beat his man badly twice on long balls that were overthrown. Those are hard throws but need to hit at least one of them. Receivers dropped catchable passes multiple times. NM dropped a beautiful pass in for a TD it was a work of art.

D-Line got no pass rush if we didn't blitz part of that was because they were trying to contain a running QB which they did. Line Backers played one of their best games. Yes there were some slants where Line Backers were not in position to stop but that is because they were blitzing QB to both try to get to him and to contain him. Trovon Reed really stepped up in coverage, Ruffin for his first real action looked good and Ford got better at Safety as the game went on. The D did not give up the big play. D has improved but is still a work in progress.

Special teams were anemic they were not special teams. Lockett had something to do with it. Players blocked in the back and call not made had something to do with it. But not containing returner had more to do with it.

Now after all this analyses I go back to what I said in my first statement we WON and that is the bottom line. Learn from it and get better everything we did wrong can be corrected and things we did right can be done on a more consistent basis. Hopefully this is the game all good teams go through where they play bad but find a way to win. Every team competing for the NC has a game like this if you find a way to win you are still in the hunt for the NC.

I basically agree with this. I'd add that the WRs didn't do a good job blocking for the run game last night, either.

Yes, and that's HUGE in the Gus Malzahn running game.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

Even though our defense played a great game, Ellis Johnson's 4-2-5 is still giving up way too many big plays against the run and pass.

[Strychnine 1,802]

Even though our defense played a great game, Ellis Johnson's 4-2-5 is still giving up way too many big plays against the run and pass.

You should offer him a clinic on how to field a better defense.

[aujeff11 6,243]

Let's accept this for what it was a badly played game that we won. Yes the Outside Linebackers from KS did run Blitz from outside and nobody picked them up all night. I am not sure if tackle should have picked them up or Blocking back. That has to be addressed and we have an extra couple of days to work on it. Slade's man beat him inside a few times on running plays. O-Line did a much better job on pass protection. Very little penetration but have to figure out how to keep players who don't penetrate from Blocking quick passes part of that on Short QB part on not keeping contact with D-Linemen to push him when he starts to jump. NM is inconsistent as an example on first pass it was complete for 10 yards but if hit man in stride could have picked up another 5-10 yards next two passes were to low. Coates beat his man badly twice on long balls that were overthrown. Those are hard throws but need to hit at least one of them. Receivers dropped catchable passes multiple times. NM dropped a beautiful pass in for a TD it was a work of art.

D-Line got no pass rush if we didn't blitz part of that was because they were trying to contain a running QB which they did. Line Backers played one of their best games. Yes there were some slants where Line Backers were not in position to stop but that is because they were blitzing QB to both try to get to him and to contain him. Trovon Reed really stepped up in coverage, Ruffin for his first real action looked good and Ford got better at Safety as the game went on. The D did not give up the big play. D has improved but is still a work in progress.

Special teams were anemic they were not special teams. Lockett had something to do with it. Players blocked in the back and call not made had something to do with it. But not containing returner had more to do with it.

Now after all this analyses I go back to what I said in my first statement we WON and that is the bottom line. Learn from it and get better everything we did wrong can be corrected and things we did right can be done on a more consistent basis. Hopefully this is the game all good teams go through where they play bad but find a way to win. Every team competing for the NC has a game like this if you find a way to win you are still in the hunt for the NC.

I basically agree with this. I'd add that the WRs didn't do a good job blocking for the run game last night, either.

Yes, and that's HUGE in the Gus Malzahn running game.

Our best blocker is Jaylon Denson and I've yet to see him on the field

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

A random thought from an earlier comment that I cannot seem to find now but I think Rudy Ford is really coming into his own at safety. He had a couple of great open field tackles, not once got beat deep, and outran a couple guys to the sideline to stop them for a loss on what could have been an easy 7-8 yard gain if they get around Ford. He also had a couple great plays on the ball, especially the fade route to Lockett in the 4th quarter that he broke up to save a touchdown, consequently forcing K state to take more time off the clock. Again, I know a very random thought, I remember seeing something on Ford earlier in the thread, but if he keeps it up, he will turn into one of our best defenders very quickly.

[countoff 331]

Without a doubt the offense was not itself. Too many times they had trouble getting the play called. Dropped passes. Etc.

But I want to point out the following:

1. The DEFENSE won the game for us. How long has it been since we could say that? It's a good time of year for them to be gaining confidence. And not be living in shadow of the offense.

2. It's a good time of year for the offense (both players and coaches) to realize that if they don't focus and execute, they will get manhandled by the SEC teams. Gus is going to have some special drills for them next week.

3. Nick was forced to win a game by passing. Some may see this as a bad thing. I see it as a good thing.

4. For goodness sake! WE WON! AGAINST THE 20th RANKED TEAM IN THE COUNTRY! IN THEIR STADIUM! Does anyone remember how bad it was just two years ago?

When we won the NC with Cam, we barely beat Clemson, SC, and Miss St.during the season. A football season is a journey through ups and downs. You just need to survive the downs.

And we survived

[McLoofus 35,182]

Our best blocker is Jaylon Denson and I've yet to see him on the field

And the next best one from last season is now playing CB.

[lutzcammed 469]

If i said I was happy, I would be lying. I'm glad we won, and feel like we had luck on our side .

I'm not even gona go into specifics, we all saw the game. I do feel guilty, because I found my self more and more wishing they would put in JJ.

[lemonade_drinker 1]

After a good 1st down, when AU rushes back to the line and gets set quickly the play is ALWAYS a dive for no gain.

[Mikey 16,578]

After a good 1st down, when AU rushes back to the line and gets set quickly the play is ALWAYS a dive for no gain.

It's almost always a dive up the middle. Sometimes for a nice gain, sometimes for little or no gain.

[kingfish 73]

I disagree with the point in the OP that Gus has given over the offensive play calling to RL. Gus, pretty much before the season started, said he was involved in play calling. It was just a down night for the offense which might prove to be beneficial in the long run.

[Newbomb 193]

I disagree with the point in the OP that Gus has given over the offensive play calling to RL. Gus, pretty much before the season started, said he was involved in play calling. It was just a down night for the offense which might prove to be beneficial in the long run.

I either read or listened to a quote from CGM on this board that CRL gives him about three choices and that Gus makes the final decision on what play is called.

[Tigerbelle 5,299]

Without a doubt the offense was not itself. Too many times they had trouble getting the play called. Dropped passes. Etc.

But I want to point out the following:

1. The DEFENSE won the game for us. How long has it been since we could say that? It's a good time of year for them to be gaining confidence. And not be living in shadow of the offense.

2. It's a good time of year for the offense (both players and coaches) to realize that if they don't focus and execute, they will get manhandled by the SEC teams. Gus is going to have some special drills for them next week.

3. Nick was forced to win a game by passing. Some may see this as a bad thing. I see it as a good thing.

4. For goodness sake! WE WON! AGAINST THE 20th RANKED TEAM IN THE COUNTRY! IN THEIR STADIUM! Does anyone remember how bad it was just two years ago?

When we won the NC with Cam, we barely beat Clemson, SC, and Miss St.during the season. A football season is a journey through ups and downs. You just need to survive the downs.

And we survived

Great post!!!

[ToraGirl 5,498]

Without a doubt the offense was not itself. Too many times they had trouble getting the play called. Dropped passes. Etc.

But I want to point out the following:

1. The DEFENSE won the game for us. How long has it been since we could say that? It's a good time of year for them to be gaining confidence. And not be living in shadow of the offense.

2. It's a good time of year for the offense (both players and coaches) to realize that if they don't focus and execute, they will get manhandled by the SEC teams. Gus is going to have some special drills for them next week.

3. Nick was forced to win a game by passing. Some may see this as a bad thing. I see it as a good thing.

4. For goodness sake! WE WON! AGAINST THE 20th RANKED TEAM IN THE COUNTRY! IN THEIR STADIUM! Does anyone remember how bad it was just two years ago?

When we won the NC with Cam, we barely beat Clemson, SC, and Miss St.during the season. A football season is a journey through ups and downs. You just need to survive the downs.

And we survived

Love it, Countoff! Perfect summation!

[Rednilla 5,390]

Remember: Discipline and good tackling slows down Gus's offense. This is not the best team we will play this year, but it probably is the best disciplined team

This is a pretty fair point: Kansas State HAS to be disciplined because of the way Snyder recruits (which is about the only way to win football games at K-State), so it is a consistent point of emphasis for their coaches.

Another thing to consider is that it gives the coaches game film to tear apart about how to utilize the talent on this team to exploit any future opponent that shows similar discipline. That, coupled with the way the team was able to fight through adversity and make the plays when needed (remember, that beautiful fade route to Duke in the 4th is what put us up by two scores) in order to come out on top, is why I think Malzahn is happy with the way the game went.

At the end of the day, it took K-State scoring a touchdown with less than 4 minutes to play in order to make the final close. If this is the parallel to the Mississippi State game last year, when it took a last minute drive for Auburn to take the lead for good, then I'd say we're making progress, because we were in control throughout the second half, and the challenge on the final drive was getting a first down and then taking to the victory formation. The fact that it was against a top 20 team at their place is just a sweetener.