Consistency

[cooltigger21 0]

Give Gus & the staff some time, they will make us happy.

You are correct, but the 10-minute attention span, txt me now crowd doesn't look at things for the long haul. They want it all now or they'll move on to their newest video game.

Hopefully the cooler heads in our program will prevail. Instant gratification ain't always the best for sustained success. This current coaching staff was praised as the best in the buisness last year ~ fast forward 10-12 monts later and fans want to boot half of the coaching staff.

It's true that many want success now. Mainly, it's because AU's offense can score big right now and they want to strike for the Title while the offense is humming.

However, patience is a virtue and long-term results are important.

So Gus and Ellis must have seen this little defensive hiccup coming a long way off. Hey, they're probably neck-deep in LBs and CBs this recruiting class alone! No worries!

War Eagle!

What we need most are linemen and specifically pass rushers and we are behind on getting those in here.

[AURealist 2,185]

Give Gus & the staff some time, they will make us happy.

You are correct, but the 10-minute attention span, txt me now crowd doesn't look at things for the long haul. They want it all now or they'll move on to their newest video game.

Hopefully the cooler heads in our program will prevail. Instant gratification ain't always the best for sustained success. This current coaching staff was praised as the best in the buisness last year ~ fast forward 10-12 monts later and fans want to boot half of the coaching staff.

It's true that many want success now. Mainly, it's because AU's offense can score big right now and they want to strike for the Title while the offense is humming.

However, patience is a virtue and long-term results are important.

So Gus and Ellis must have seen this little defensive hiccup coming a long way off. Hey, they're probably neck-deep in LBs and CBs this recruiting class alone! No worries!

War Eagle!

What we need most are linemen and specifically pass rushers and we are behind on getting those in here.

Really? How can this be? Is the D like on an eight-year plan or something? Which is grrrrrrreat, btw, because now I can work on my patience! Hey, somebody text me when we get a pass rush!

[Mikey 16,625]

What we need most are linemen and specifically pass rushers and we are behind on getting those in here.

We need to sign at least three linebackers that might be able to perform up to SEC standards. The pass rushers could already be here, even aside from Lawson. Kennion and Thornton were signed with that in mind but injuries and one surgery pretty much took them both out of their true freshman year.

Right now, there is still time to put together a good class of defensive recruits. However, a snapshot "progress report" of defensive recruiting would get us a C minus at best. There are some good players committed to AU but the numbers of quality players at positions of need aren't there yet.

[cooltigger21 0]

What we need most are linemen and specifically pass rushers and we are behind on getting those in here.

We need to sign at least three linebackers that might be able to perform up to SEC standards. The pass rushers could already be here, even aside from Lawson. Kennion and Thornton were signed with that in mind but injuries and one surgery pretty much took them both out of their true freshman year.

Right now, there is still time to put together a good class of defensive recruits. However, a snapshot "progress report" of defensive recruiting would get us a C minus at best. There are some good players committed to AU but the numbers of quality players at positions of need aren't there yet.

I've seen some of that but frankly I'm not convinced these guys are going to be SEC quality pass rushers. Even if they do we still are not getting much in this years class. Quite frankly the defensive side of the ledger has not been filled up with SEC quality players and until they start getting those guys in here the defense is going to struggle. This would the be third consecutive year with an average defensive class overall, with a few quality players sprinkled in, and that puts us that much further behind. I don't look for Auburn to be a championship contender next year. I'm looking at probably another 3 loss season. I wouldn't even want to say that 2016 will be.

[Mikey 16,625]

Quote:" I don't look for Auburn to be a championship contender next year."

I didn't look for that this year. If one cares enough, one could go back to the pre-season prediction threads and see me getting scorned for predicting 9-3 this year. Now we have to beat UAT to even reach that. One could also see me getting scorned through the spring and summer for saying the defense wasn't good enough to hold up their end of the bargain and that would be the reason we'd get beat three times.

Now, I'm not writing next year off just yet. Some young guys on defense will have to meet or exceed expectations. Defensive recruiting will have to sign a few guys that are immediately SEC-ready. Those things COULD happen, but if they are going to happen we'll know it by the end of spring practice. If I had to prognosticate right now, I'd be in your camp with 8-4 or 9-3.

[cole256 17,084]

Why the doubt with the d ends we signed last year? Are there reports that they aren't doing well or something?

[cooltigger21 0]

Why the doubt with the d ends we signed last year? Are there reports that they aren't doing well or something?

Well until I see it on the field, I'll hold off on judging them. One of them seems to hold promise but was hurt. They are going to have to hit the weightroom hard. We do have a few guys sprinkled in but, just like this year without Lawson, we don't have any depth. Depth, especially along the defensive front, is crucial.

[cole256 17,084]

I think they all hold some promise they just needed to get stronger though but we knew that when we signed them. But yeah I refrain to seeing production on the field too but as a collective whole as a fan base we don't usually

[alexava 6,973]

I think they all hold some promise they just needed to get stronger though but we knew that when we signed them. But yeah I refrain to seeing production on the field too but as a collective whole as a fan base we don't usually

the ends already signed might do very well as dee Ford did. We are desperate for some immediate help ala Lawson. They are few and far between that contribute early but we must shoot for it.

[cooltigger21 0]

I think they all hold some promise they just needed to get stronger though but we knew that when we signed them. But yeah I refrain to seeing production on the field too but as a collective whole as a fan base we don't usually

the ends already signed might do very well as dee Ford did. We are desperate for some immediate help ala Lawson. They are few and far between that contribute early but we must shoot for it.

That's why you have to have grab some in every class. You have to have someone in the pipeline at all times.

[AUcivE09 582]

The ONLY problem I have with our team is at the D-end position and ONLY that we cannot get a pass rush. IMO - the rest of the team looks good. Unfortunately, we play in a mini-NFL division. UGA kicked our behinds on third and long thanks to a pocket you could fit bama's ego into.

[cole256 17,084]

Secondary looks good to you?!?

[AUcivE09 582]

Yes. Much better and improved. Hard to hold them accountable when the QB has all day to pick them apart. I really like what I am seeing in Rudy and Jones.

[cooltigger21 0]

Yes. Much better and improved. Hard to hold them accountable when the QB has all day to pick them apart. I really like what I am seeing in Rudy and Jones.

Oh I find it easy to hold them accountable. It's not like they have coverage and the quarterback sits there for an eternity looking for an open man. The quarterback has only to take his drop and throw the slant right over the middle to a wide open receiver. Nobody in the secondary is within 10 yards of the receiver. They aren't jamming the receivers at the line. They take horrible angles and never try to tackle but try to blow up the receiver. How many times have they gotten a PF penalty for late hits?

[cole256 17,084]

I can't recall seeing our corners winning a one on one match up with a wr more than 5 or 6 times. Our corner play has been horrible. I can excuse the all day to throw passes but our corners can't get off blocks don't react quick and don't trust themselves. I don't see our corners starting for anybody else's team in the SEC. I like what I see out of Ford as well though. He's done well for his first year at safety.

[alexava 6,973]

Secondary looks good to you?!?

if we had j clowney, nick fairley, LT and ndomikan suh it would look good.

[mattarcara 0]

Secondary looks good to you?!?

They're awful. Jonathan Jones has been decent, but Mincy has fallen apart and our safeties have zero fundamentals. We need Tray Matthews to be the #1 safety that he was when recruited and for someone to step up opposite Jones.

[AUcivE09 582]

I know I am in the vast minority of AU fans. Just a quick glance over this site sickens me a little. I realize our pride has been stomped out the past 2 weeks, but this is still a VERY good team. I stand by my statements on the defense. Sure it could be better, and that starts with a pass rush. Mincy has not been the guy this season and Jermaine did whatever allowing 2 young talented guys to step up. Combine them with Ruffin, Tray, and Bassent - I am not all that worried about the secondary. My questions are (1) will Lawson still be a stud given the injury and a year out of football, (2) who steps up to help him. Monty is the only guy returning next season that has had am impact on the line this season.

[cooltigger21 0]

I know I am in the vast minority of AU fans. Just a quick glance over this site sickens me a little. I realize our pride has been stomped out the past 2 weeks, but this is still a VERY good team. I stand by my statements on the defense. Sure it could be better, and that starts with a pass rush. Mincy has not been the guy this season and Jermaine did whatever allowing 2 young talented guys to step up. Combine them with Ruffin, Tray, and Bassent - I am not all that worried about the secondary. My questions are (1) will Lawson still be a stud given the injury and a year out of football, (2) who steps up to help him. Monty is the only guy returning next season that has had am impact on the line this season.

That quick out or slant is wide open every time. I don't care how good for pass rush is you can't get to the qb quick enough to stop that if it's wide open. We had a good pass rush last year but still the secondary was burned many times. They are worse this year. Quite frankly I look for Blake Sims to have a field day with our defense. It will depend on the offense playing near perfect.

[keesler 5,924]

Lack of effort pisses me off more than anything. There was on play in the UGA game at the end of the 3rd where UGA was on our 40 with 3rd and 8. They throw a middle screen to Chubb and he takes it to the house basically untouched for 40 freaking yards.

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

Give Gus & the staff some time, they will make us happy.

You are correct, but the 10-minute attention span, txt me now crowd doesn't look at things for the long haul. They want it all now or they'll move on to their newest video game.

Mikey this is one of the best things I've ever read that you've posted.

[Mikey 16,625]

The ONLY problem I have with our team is at the D-end position and ONLY that we cannot get a pass rush. IMO - the rest of the team looks good. Unfortunately, we play in a mini-NFL division. UGA kicked our behinds on third and long thanks to a pocket you could fit bama's ego into.

The linebackers look solid to you? Re-watch the Georgia game. If that doesn't show you enough, re-watch the MSU game. Anybody that wants to cram it down our middle can do so at will.

[AUcivE09 582]

The ONLY problem I have with our team is at the D-end position and ONLY that we cannot get a pass rush. IMO - the rest of the team looks good. Unfortunately, we play in a mini-NFL division. UGA kicked our behinds on third and long thanks to a pocket you could fit bama's ego into.

The linebackers look solid to you? Re-watch the Georgia game. If that doesn't show you enough, re-watch the MSU game. Anybody that wants to cram it down our middle can do so at will.

=) A LB argument with Mikey......this should be fun. I did not say solid. I said good. They are leaps and bounds better than last season. MSU did not cram it down our throats. All but 1 drive came from our side of the field in that game.

With UGA, what can I say. Both backs went over 120 yrds with about 30 carries each. Even with such a horrendous outcome, we held them in check better than anyone else they played. Given the fact UGA was playing downhill with a good cushion for the entire game, I think we did pretty darn good against that duo. Watching Mason toss passes for 30yrds on 3rd down multiple times during that game, from a squeaky clean pocket, is what kept me coughing up buffalo chicken dip all night. Imagine if they actually had to punt even half the time they were 3rd and long. Gurly and Chubb each were stuffed in the backfield - by linebackers - on multiple occasions bringing up those 3rd downs.

[cole256 17,084]

Well if you're satisfied with the secondary play then you have a strong stomach and the defense probably doesn't look that bad to you at all

[StatTiger 3,188]

As time passes, we tend to reflect upon the past more fondly. This is not a knock on Pat Dye but simply making a general statement. As for Pat Dye, he certainly did many wonderful things for Auburn University and he was a great football coach. Yes, we did have better defenses back then but defending offenses back then was far easier than today. It was rare for Auburn to face an opponent back then that averaged over 400-yards in offense. Most teams within the conference back then leaned heavily on run-offense and run-defense so you had to be physical. That's why Spurrier took the conference by storm early on, which changed how everyone recruited and schemed offensively as well as defensively. The competition is greater now. Dye is credited with 4 SEC titles but only 2 were outright. Auburn faced a top-20 opponent 32% of the time back then and almost 40% from 2008-2014. The competition is greater now making it more difficult to dominate and to be consistent.

During the Dye era, Auburn lost 11 games by at least 14 points. There was an additional 13 games AU failed to win despite having a better record than the opponent. In a nutshell that means AU was not ready for action 1 out of every 5.9 games or twice per season on an average. Again, we fondly recall the great defenses, and 4 SEC titles and overlook some of the loafs they pinched on the field. ALL FANS of ALL TEAMS do this. Heck...even Tommy Tuberville is more respected now compared to what folks thought of him back in 2008.

Again... I say all this to widen your perspective just a tad and not as a critical attack on Coach Dye. I would not trade the Dye era at Auburn for anything.