Micheal Barrow Candidate to Join Staff at AU

[AEAugirl 9,632]

Just curious, but how do we know that Barrow turned us down and we are no longer pursuing him? We could have two LB coaches, one for inside and one for outside, and Barrow could coach ST like he has done in the past. Move Fountain back to off the field duty.

Also, isn't the NCAA getting ready to vote on allowing teams to add an additional coach on the field?

[cooltigger21 0]

Just curious, but how do we know that Barrow turned us down and we are no longer pursuing him? We could have two LB coaches, one for inside and one for outside, and Barrow could coach ST like he has done in the past. Move Fountain back to off the field duty.

Also, isn't the NCAA getting ready to vote on allowing teams to add an additional coach on the field?

I think the deal is that they wanted Barrow. He was their first choice. I just think the situation with his mother prevented him from taking it. I haven't heard anything about a vote to increase the number of on field coaches. If they were going to move Fountain out they would have already done so.

[AU64 10,122]

Unrelated to Barrow...but to coaching in general since you mention Fountain.

Our special teams play last season was poor....to be generous about it...I'm thinking KO returns, KO coverage, etc. etc.

So are we hearing anything about some changes there? Is it too late or what?

[cooltigger21 0]

Unrelated to Barrow...but to coaching in general since you mention Fountain.

Our special teams play last season was poor....to be generous about it...I'm thinking KO returns, KO coverage, etc. etc.

So are we hearing anything about some changes there? Is it too late or what?

If there was going to be a change there, we would have already heard about it. It was poor but we lost our punter, kicker and returner from the previous year. That will affect your special teams in a big way. I figure Fountain gets this last year as a mulligan. We'll see how he does next year.

[PowerOfDixieland 3,226]

Unrelated to Barrow...but to coaching in general since you mention Fountain.

Our special teams play last season was poor....to be generous about it...I'm thinking KO returns, KO coverage, etc. etc.

So are we hearing anything about some changes there? Is it too late or what?

If there was going to be a change there, we would have already heard about it. It was poor but we lost our punter, kicker and returner from the previous year. That will affect your special teams in a big way. I figure Fountain gets this last year as a mulligan. We'll see how he does next year.

None of those losses were surprises and none of the replacements were new on campus this year. There hasn't been any progression. The picture below sums up our ST play from '14. Blackson (yes Blackson) is tackling his primary and Fulse is watching his destroy Carlson.

And remember, that was a 10 point turnaround at the half, with A&M getting the ball to start the 2nd half. If that doesn't happen, nobody remembers the fumbles.

[AU80cruiser 1,102]

Unrelated to Barrow...but to coaching in general since you mention Fountain.

Our special teams play last season was poor....to be generous about it...I'm thinking KO returns, KO coverage, etc. etc.

So are we hearing anything about some changes there? Is it too late or what?

If there was going to be a change there, we would have already heard about it. It was poor but we lost our punter, kicker and returner from the previous year. That will affect your special teams in a big way. I figure Fountain gets this last year as a mulligan. We'll see how he does next year.

I can't tell you how many times our kickoff coverage allowed someone to get to the 35-40 yardline. It seemed aTm did it on every kickoff.

This year was the worst special teams play I've seen in a long time.

[cooltigger21 0]

Unrelated to Barrow...but to coaching in general since you mention Fountain.

Our special teams play last season was poor....to be generous about it...I'm thinking KO returns, KO coverage, etc. etc.

So are we hearing anything about some changes there? Is it too late or what?

If there was going to be a change there, we would have already heard about it. It was poor but we lost our punter, kicker and returner from the previous year. That will affect your special teams in a big way. I figure Fountain gets this last year as a mulligan. We'll see how he does next year.

None of those losses were surprises and none of the replacements were new on campus this year. There hasn't been any progression. The picture below sums up our ST play from '14. Blackson (yes Blackson) is tackling his primary and Fulse is watching his destroy Carlson.

You don't replace a senior with a freshman and expect the same results. He had to handle punting, fg and kickoffs. That's a lot to ask of a senior much less a freshman. You can sit here and wish for a new ST coach all day but it ain't happening right now.

[AUbritt 611]

Unrelated to Barrow...but to coaching in general since you mention Fountain.

Our special teams play last season was poor....to be generous about it...I'm thinking KO returns, KO coverage, etc. etc.

So are we hearing anything about some changes there? Is it too late or what?

If there was going to be a change there, we would have already heard about it. It was poor but we lost our punter, kicker and returner from the previous year. That will affect your special teams in a big way. I figure Fountain gets this last year as a mulligan. We'll see how he does next year.

None of those losses were surprises and none of the replacements were new on campus this year. There hasn't been any progression. The picture below sums up our ST play from '14. Blackson (yes Blackson) is tackling his primary and Fulse is watching his destroy Carlson.

You don't replace a senior with a freshman and expect the same results. He had to handle punting, fg and kickoffs. That's a lot to ask of a senior much less a freshman. You can sit here and wish for a new ST coach all day but it ain't happening right now.

I took POD's point to be directed squarely at the coaching and not at all at Carlson. What the photo shows certainly isn't anything bad about Carlson; just showing how our players are not protecting Carlson. But that's a coaching issue.

None of this means that you're not right, tigger, that nothing will happen this year with regard to our ST coach.

[AU80cruiser 1,102]

Unrelated to Barrow...but to coaching in general since you mention Fountain.

Our special teams play last season was poor....to be generous about it...I'm thinking KO returns, KO coverage, etc. etc.

So are we hearing anything about some changes there? Is it too late or what?

If there was going to be a change there, we would have already heard about it. It was poor but we lost our punter, kicker and returner from the previous year. That will affect your special teams in a big way. I figure Fountain gets this last year as a mulligan. We'll see how he does next year.

None of those losses were surprises and none of the replacements were new on campus this year. There hasn't been any progression. The picture below sums up our ST play from '14. Blackson (yes Blackson) is tackling his primary and Fulse is watching his destroy Carlson.

You don't replace a senior with a freshman and expect the same results. He had to handle punting, fg and kickoffs. That's a lot to ask of a senior much less a freshman. You can sit here and wish for a new ST coach all day but it ain't happening right now.

Its not the kicker that's the problem. He had a few issues but he was/is a freshman and I think he did a good job all year.

[PowerOfDixieland 3,226]

You don't replace a senior with a freshman and expect the same results. He had to handle punting, fg and kickoffs. That's a lot to ask of a senior much less a freshman. You can sit here and wish for a new ST coach all day but it ain't happening right now.

I really don't have a problem with Carlson, it's the other punter I have concerns with. That block certainly wasn't his fault, and as pointed out, there probably should have been a flag thrown for roughing on that play. It's the line and assignment execution that is clearly screwed up.

As for "ain't happening right now", you sure about that?

[AU64 10,122]

I'm not blaming the kicker...I talking blocking, tackling and coverage....The picture above is a painful summary of the issues.

Maybe the team got used to Parkey putting most of his KOs into the end zone and just forgot how to cover....starting back in the BCS game...and never got the hang of it.

As noted, we gave up much better field position than we got on KOs during the season.

[cooltigger21 0]

I'm not blaming the kicker...I talking blocking, tackling and coverage....The picture above is a painful summary of the issues.

Maybe the team got used to Parkey putting most of his KOs into the end zone and just forgot how to cover....starting back in the BCS game...and never got the hang of it.

As noted, we gave up much better field position than we got on KOs during the season.

I get all that and I never meant to imply you were blaming the kicker. It was just one change that I was pointing out. I'm guessing we had several other new people on ST as well. Fountain may well end up being replaced at some point but it isn't happening now. We'll just have to see how it all plays out this next year.

[metafour 4,969]

If there was going to be a change there, we would have already heard about it.

This isn't true. Unlike the defense which needed a makeover immediately for recruiting purposes; replacing Fountain before signing day would just be a negative. He is the primary recruiter for Martez Ivey and other potential targets. While we aren't really too likely to land Ivey, I'd guess that canning Fountain today would pretty much eliminate any possibility we had there. Think about it logically: why would we need to replace Fountain before signing day? The season is over, we have no more games to play.

I'm not stating that Fountain is going to be replaced, but the fact that it "hasn't happened yet" actually holds zero significance. If he was going to get replaced it was always going to happen AFTER signing day.

[AUbritt 611]

If there was going to be a change there, we would have already heard about it.

This isn't true. Unlike the defense which needed a makeover immediately for recruiting purposes; replacing Fountain before signing day would just be a negative. He is the primary recruiter for Martez Ivey and other potential targets. While we aren't really too likely to land Ivey, I'd guess that canning Fountain today would pretty much eliminate any possibility we had there. Think about it logically: why would we need to replace Fountain before signing day? The season is over, we have no more games to play.

I'm not stating that Fountain is going to be replaced, but the fact that it "hasn't happened yet" actually holds zero significance. If he was going to get replaced it was always going to happen AFTER signing day.

Good argument, metafour.

[AU64 10,122]

I'm not blaming the kicker...I talking blocking, tackling and coverage....The picture above is a painful summary of the issues.

Maybe the team got used to Parkey putting most of his KOs into the end zone and just forgot how to cover....starting back in the BCS game...and never got the hang of it.

As noted, we gave up much better field position than we got on KOs during the season.

I get all that and I never meant to imply you were blaming the kicker. It was just one change that I was pointing out. I'm guessing we had several other new people on ST as well. Fountain may well end up being replaced at some point but it isn't happening now. We'll just have to see how it all plays out this next year.

I understand...was just trying not to put the onus on him...cause all in all, he did fine for a freshman IMO...and as noted, I was more concerned about the KO situation at both ends where we had fully experienced players involved.

JMO, but the mulligan was the year Parkey was still doing the kicking when the KO defense and KO return teams had no real work to to...last season was when we needed better coaching...

[DyeHardAllTheWay 0]

Make Barrow turn down an off the field position if he's not ready to return to the field. Now that theres a position available, his recruiting ability would really help us.

[cooltigger21 0]

Where did this idea of him taking an off field position come from? Off field spots are not for guys like him. They're for newer guys who don't have much experience, at least at the college level. It gives them a chance to learn and get prepared for going on the field.

[Tiger 8,827]

We got spoiled on special teams over the past 8 years. I was concerned about special teams losing us a game due, prior to the season, to the turnover and unfortunately that happened in the aTm game.

Carlson will be good though, he's only a freshman and had to do literally everything because nobody else could step up to hold one of the 3 positions.

SUCKS how there was so much offensive talent on the team and it only gave us 8 wins. Ugh.

[DyeHardAllTheWay 0]

Where did this idea of him taking an off field position come from? Off field spots are not for guys like him. They're for newer guys who don't have much experience, at least at the college level. It gives them a chance to learn and get prepared for going on the field.

Kevin Steele, Billy Napier, Joe Pannunzio, Phillip Lolley, and Scott Fountain all say hello.

[CameronCrazy 1,062]

Where did this idea of him taking an off field position come from? Off field spots are not for guys like him. They're for newer guys who don't have much experience, at least at the college level. It gives them a chance to learn and get prepared for going on the field.

Kevin Steele, Billy Napier, Joe Pannunzio, Phillip Lolley, and Scott Fountain all say hello.

Add Tosh Lupoi and Brick Haley to that list. Tosh is one of the best recruiters in football and Haley is a well-respected DL coach. Both are currently "interns" for SEC schools.

[cooltigger21 0]

Where did this idea of him taking an off field position come from? Off field spots are not for guys like him. They're for newer guys who don't have much experience, at least at the college level. It gives them a chance to learn and get prepared for going on the field.

Kevin Steele, Billy Napier, Joe Pannunzio, Phillip Lolley, and Scott Fountain all say hello.

If you believe he's going to take that then I want to sell you a certain bridge.

[DyeHardAllTheWay 0]

Where did this idea of him taking an off field position come from? Off field spots are not for guys like him. They're for newer guys who don't have much experience, at least at the college level. It gives them a chance to learn and get prepared for going on the field.

Kevin Steele, Billy Napier, Joe Pannunzio, Phillip Lolley, and Scott Fountain all say hello.

If you believe he's going to take that then I want to sell you a certain bridge.

I never said I believed he would. I said make him turn it down. If, as some have led the board to believe, that because of his mother's sickness, he doesn't want to coach, why not offer him a position off the field where he can make a lot of money and still take some time off? You've already been wrong once, so maybe you should just keep this bridge that you've been selling to pretty much everyone on this board.

[metafour 4,969]

Its possible that he could take an off-field role at a major school; he wouldn't be the first as there have been several high profile coaches that have done it. As mentioned LSU just took Brick Haley off the field, and Alabama has had a few as well...most notably Tosh Lupoi.

Those off-field guys can still make a ton of money at schools like Auburn/Alabama/etc. The reason why Scott Fountain was never "hired away" from us to actually coach somewhere was because he was making something like $250,000 per year in his off-field position under Chizik. That is more than what most non-elite schools pay for an on-field position coach.

[cooltigger21 0]

He's already turned down the LB coach job so why would they offer him an off field job. If he felt like he could commit to anything that has to do with coaching period right now he would have already done it. As for me being wrong, well big fat hairy deal. If I was as smart as some of the rest of you ( DHATW ) I would be a genius and wouldn't be here. As for the few times when I am right I don't come on here thumping my chest about it either.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

He's already turned down the LB coach job so why would they offer him an off field job. If he felt like he could commit to anything that has to do with coaching period right now he would have already done it. As for me being wrong, well big fat hairy deal. If I was as smart as some of the rest of you ( DHATW ) I would be a genius and wouldn't be here. As for the few times when I am right I don't come on here thumping my chest about it either.

Well, because those off the field roles usually don't have the same time requirements that an on-field coach has. It might be a little more flexible for him if he needs to tend to his mom.