Will we see JJ at QB vs. UK?

[beaumak 174]

Yes the AD is his boss but that should not give the AD the power to meddle in the program. Maybe Gus wants to play a certain player, does the AD have the authority to say no...we think this guy should play or that guy should play. Use Bama as a comparison, prior to Saban the athletic non coaching administration had their hands all over that program. Once he got there her let them know it's my way or the highway. I heard Bill Polian say that as a GM, you may want to give input regarding on-field football matters, but you had to have a very light touch when doing so it does not come off as you are telling the coach what to do or how to do his job. Not sure if this is the case but there is a way to manage a football coach and the AD should not be influencing who plays and does not play.

If Gus put the same product on the field as Saban, I highly doubt anyone would feel the need to "meddle".

Maybe the product is being influenced by meddling....

Meddling would more than likely involve one QB starting over another or pushing a coach out coughLashleecough. Meddling in the program would be highly unlikely to produce poor player development and lack of fundamental skill in EVERY position group on the team.

[alexava 6,973]

That is broad conjecture to take from such a small hearsay described as a leak only by you to and then derive that Jacobs is trying to coach the team.

Yep. Of course there are folks in the ADept questioning what's happening with the team. Thousands of people everywhere are. Undermining Gus' program? By... maybe leaking that JJ will play at QB? Call the FBI.

I like a good conspiracy story as much as anyone, but this is a total non-story and completely off the rails.

amen

[Strychnine 1,802]

Yes the AD is his boss but that should not give the AD the power to meddle in the program. Maybe Gus wants to play a certain player, does the AD have the authority to say no...we think this guy should play or that guy should play. Use Bama as a comparison, prior to Saban the athletic non coaching administration had their hands all over that program. Once he got there her let them know it's my way or the highway. I heard Bill Polian say that as a GM, you may want to give input regarding on-field football matters, but you had to have a very light touch when doing so it does not come off as you are telling the coach what to do or how to do his job. Not sure if this is the case but there is a way to manage a football coach and the AD should not be influencing who plays and does not play.

If Gus put the same product on the field as Saban, I highly doubt anyone would feel the need to "meddle".

Maybe the product is being influenced by meddling....

Yes. The meddlers watched the BCS National Championship Game appearance that Auburn went to the following year after a 3-9 season and all coaches being fired. Then they decided that they could clearly improve upon that by meddling, thus leading to where the team is now. How in the world does such logic make sense?

I can definitely envision a concerned Jay Jacobs asking Gus some questions in the second half of last year, and so far this year. I can also envision Jacobs offering Gus any assistance he needs. I can even envision Jacobs making a suggestion that Gus try Sean White out, after the disastrous way JJ had started. That's not unreasonable for the Athletic Director; a majority here were wanting to see the same thing. I can envision Jacobs suggesting that Gus seriously re-evaluate his choice as OC. The "offensive genius" and his protege OC have a seriously sputtering offense, which is the one thing they cannot afford. I would call that the kind of sensible suggestion I would expect an Athletic Director to make. That said, I cannot envision a mob of cronies under Jay Jacobs' sole direction descending upon the practice field and the football complex to meddle extensively with impunity from Gus.

[C'viewTiger 242]

It's different in football because the players need to see their leadership in charge. If there is a culture that needs to be stopped it's micromanaging "if that's what is going on." Should Gus be held accountable? Absolutely! but not at the expense of an AD coming in in a panicked state and making some type of knee jerk reaction "IF that's what is happening."

Meddling may not affect player development but it absolutely would affect player performance. Attitude reflects leadership. If the leadership is in question, it will flow down to the players.

[sevenlee36 1,654]

Ok so if JJ starts and has a great game, what makes us think that he won't revert right back to the bad JJ the next week?

I think if we don't come out looking like a whole new team firing on all cylinders, then the season is over.

[alexava 6,973]

In the last few pages here and from what little I read in the locked thread it seems something is being accused, conjured, or dreamed up that the AD is making a qb change. Is that correct? Could it be that Jeremy is getting more reps in practice than in the past three weeks and the atheletic department guy noticed it thus leaked the info? Seems juvenile to start such a rumor and less mature to believe it.

[yeaauburn 21]

Just my opinion, but who's to say that since Duke was JJ's roommate that he wasn't pressuring JJ to throw him the ball thus affecting his ability to run through his progressions. JJ was very accurate on his passes and reads in last years game against Arky. Shortly after Shawn became QB, Duke started "half-stepping". We then witnessed the Duke meltdown. I think the coaches realized this. I wish Duke all the best but let's face it he had a checkered past. I think we will get the old JJ back...IMHO.

[sevenlee36 1,654]

how many interceptions were thrown when trying to get the ball to Duke?

[chimesAU 89]

It's different in football because the players need to see their leadership in charge. If there is a culture that needs to be stopped it's micromanaging "if that's what is going on." Should Gus be held accountable? Absolutely! but not at the expense of an AD coming in in a panicked state and making some type of knee jerk reaction "IF that's what is happening."

Meddling may not affect player development but it absolutely would affect player performance. Attitude reflects leadership. If the leadership is in question, it will flow down to the players.

Quite the jump to conclusions that any "meddling" would be panicked and knee-jerk. And I ABSOLUTELY agree that attitude reflects leadership. Funny that the Gus supporters have said that (and I'm paraphrasing) Attitude is solely up to the players on game day AND attitude reflects leadership -but apparently only when that leadership is being undermined. Which is it? If Gus is, in fact, being " undermined" I assure you it's in closed door meetings and not in full view of the players. I highly doubt Jacobs is out on the field with a whistle.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Why do so many think Kentucky should be a pushover? Last two times we've played them:

2009, lost to Kentucky 21-14 at home.

2010, won 37-34 in Lexington by way of a last possession, 19 play drive. One mistake on that drive and our national championship team gets beat.

There is no reason for us to think we should walk over Kentucky.

Before the season, I called this a trap game. Thursday night road game- like, waaaaay up the road- against a team that isn't supposed to be very good, right before a 3 week run of legit SECW opponents... yikes. Now it's our whole season.

Football... sheesh.

[AUIH1 1,515]

Yes the AD is his boss but that should not give the AD the power to meddle in the program. Maybe Gus wants to play a certain player, does the AD have the authority to say no...we think this guy should play or that guy should play. Use Bama as a comparison, prior to Saban the athletic non coaching administration had their hands all over that program. Once he got there her let them know it's my way or the highway. I heard Bill Polian say that as a GM, you may want to give input regarding on-field football matters, but you had to have a very light touch when doing so it does not come off as you are telling the coach what to do or how to do his job. Not sure if this is the case but there is a way to manage a football coach and the AD should not be influencing who plays and does not play.

If Gus put the same product on the field as Saban, I highly doubt anyone would feel the need to "meddle".

I am no fan of Jay Jacobs and I have made that clear in the past. But for anyone to suggest that JJ (or anyone in the AD) meddling with Gus is the cause for the dung show we have watched Gus put on the field since the Texas A&M game last year and has continued throughout this season is not living in reality. Gus and his staff are the reason for the football team's problems, not Jay Jacobs.

wde

[McLoofus 35,182]

It's different in football because the players need to see their leadership in charge. If there is a culture that needs to be stopped it's micromanaging "if that's what is going on." Should Gus be held accountable? Absolutely! but not at the expense of an AD coming in in a panicked state and making some type of knee jerk reaction "IF that's what is happening."

Meddling may not affect player development but it absolutely would affect player performance. Attitude reflects leadership. If the leadership is in question, it will flow down to the players.

Quite the jump to conclusions that any "meddling" would be panicked and knee-jerk. And I ABSOLUTELY agree that attitude reflects leadership. Funny that the Gus supporters have said that (and I'm paraphrasing) Attitude is solely up to the players on game day AND attitude reflects leadership -but apparently only when that leadership is being undermined. Which is it? If Gus is, in fact, being " undermined" I assure you it's in closed door meetings and not in full view of the players. I highly doubt Jacobs is out on the field with a whistle.

Not sure if this is a contradiction or not, but trusted folks did report that there were off field staff in defensive meetings every year after Tubs left. Wayne Bolt, maybe? And I think I remember folks saying that Tim Jackson overstepped his bounds a lot, too, but I might be wrong.

[cole256 17,066]

Why do so many think Kentucky should be a pushover? Last two times we've played them:

2009, lost to Kentucky 21-14 at home.

2010, won 37-34 in Lexington by way of a last possession, 19 play drive. One mistake on that drive and our national championship team gets beat.

There is no reason for us to think we should walk over Kentucky.

Before the season, I called this a trap game. Thursday night road game- like, waaaaay up the road- against a team that isn't supposed to be very good, right before a 3 week run of legit SECW opponents... yikes. Now it's our whole season.

Football... sheesh.

This game was nothing to me last year, I laughed at it, now....let's see golf cry about this post....

[C'viewTiger 242]

my reasoning from the knee jerk would be the if this is happening so close to a huge contract extension. Seems like I just read an article or maybe talk on this board that his contract was extended with a $14M buy out (maybe I missed that one). I'm definitely not in the camp that thinks "Attitude is solely up to the players and only on game day" These guys are playing with the attitude they practice with.

I will ask, and I'm not close to the program, what makes you sure that if there is meddling, it is behind closed doors? Again, I'm not there nor am I familiar with the politics behind the scenes.

[chimesAU 89]

my reasoning from the knee jerk would be the if this is happening this close to a huge contract extension. Seems like I just read an article that his contract was extended with a $14M buy out (maybe I missed that one). I'm definitely not in the camp that thinks "Attitude is... only on game day" These guys are playing with the attitude they practice with. I will ask, and I'm not close to the program, what makes you sure that if there is meddling, it is behind closed doors? Again, I'm not there nor am I familiar with the politics behind the scenes.

Usually -but not always- that's the way these things go down. I've had athletic directors and club managers try to steer me in certain directions before( so and so donates a LOT of $ and their kid rarely plays...anything we can do about that?) and it has ALWAYS been in a closed door meeting. To answer your question though, I'm not sure of any of this. This is all just hypothetical conjecture. I'm simply trying to use common sense and logic to paint a "most likely" picture.

[AU64 10,122]

This idea of "meddling" IMO is just a cop out used by people to cover for Gus's failures....every success is because of his genius and every failure is because someone is meddling? Hard to believe that adults on this board could be so self-delusional about things like that.

[Strychnine 1,802]

This idea of "meddling" IMO is just a cop out used by people to cover for Gus's failures....every success is because of his genius and every failure is because someone is meddling? Hard to believe that adults on this board could be so self-delusional about things like that.

I've been reading posts here since 2002. Do not ever doubt the capacity for delusion that some posters here have.

[Mike4AU 1,739]

Gus has a diamond-encrusted, golden parachute from Auburn (I have seen ranges from $11 mil to $14 mil). Why anyone thinks that he has to tolerate meddling is just not believable.

I am not particularly a fan of JJ, but he is not the reason why this football team is inept. Gus is the man at the top and deserves the criticism.

Edit: if Gus is a failure, then JJ should be criticized for hiring him.

[chimesAU 89]

This idea of "meddling" IMO is just a cop out used by people to cover for Gus's failures....every success is because of his genius and every failure is because someone is meddling? Hard to believe that adults on this board could be so self-delusional about things like that.

I've been reading posts here since 2002. Do not ever doubt the capacity for delusion that some posters here have.

Both of these posts are spot on, imo. I have a hard time believing some of the people who post here are actually functional in the "real world".

[McLoofus 35,182]

This idea of "meddling" IMO is just a cop out used by people to cover for Gus's failures....every success is because of his genius and every failure is because someone is meddling? Hard to believe that adults on this board could be so self-delusional about things like that.

Would you agree that every DC since Tubs left was better everywhere else they worked than they were here, despite having consistent top-10 recruiting classes to work with? That's the thing that sticks with me.

Roof was good before, and he's good after. BVG was good before, and... well, he's doing way better now than he did at Auburn. Ellis Johnson was turning the defense around first half of '14 and then pretty much quit midseason. (I refuse to believe that Jermaine Whitehead > Ellis Johnson, and I have a hard time believing that Ellis Johnson single covered Amari Cooper for the entire Iron Bowl because one of the SEC's most experienced defensive coaches really thought it was the best tactical maneuver.)

We've had championship caliber offenses 3 of Gus's 6 years at Auburn (as OC and HC). One of the other years, 2009, he turned a trainwreck into a pretty good offense with Chris Todd setting passing records and Ben Tate going pretty high in the draft. I'm wiling to give the offense passes on 2011 and this year. Very little experience at key positions both years.

But the defense? How do you explain it? Year after year after year. Bad to worse to even worse, at a program that prides itself on playing good defense. Players that lots of other schools tried very hard to sign. Coaches with good-to-great resumes. Awful product every year. I don't think we've had the <75th worst defensive personnel in college football every year since 2008.

FWIW Cole Cubelic's take is that Auburn has had a problem for about 35 years, and until that problem is gone, this cycle of inconsistency will continue. Read into that what you will.

[AubTiger14 0]

This idea of "meddling" IMO is just a cop out used by people to cover for Gus's failures....every success is because of his genius and every failure is because someone is meddling? Hard to believe that adults on this board could be so self-delusional about things like that.

Would you agree that every DC since Tubs left was better everywhere else they worked than they were here, despite having consistent top-10 recruiting classes to work with? That's the thing that sticks with me.

Roof was good before, and he's good after. BVG was good before, and... well, he's doing way better now than he did at Auburn. Ellis Johnson was turning the defense around first half of '14 and then pretty much quit midseason. (I refuse to believe that Jermaine Whitehead > Ellis Johnson, and I have a hard time believing that Ellis Johnson single covered Amari Cooper for the entire Iron Bowl because one of the SEC's most experienced defensive coaches really thought it was the best tactical maneuver.)

We've had championship caliber offenses 3 of Gus's 6 years at Auburn (as OC and HC). One of the other years, 2009, he turned a trainwreck into a pretty good offense with Chris Todd setting passing records and Ben Tate going pretty high in the draft. I'm wiling to give the offense passes on 2011 and this year. Very little experience at key positions both years.

But the defense? How do you explain it? Year after year after year. Bad to worse to even worse, at a program that prides itself on playing good defense. Players that lots of other schools tried very hard to sign. Coaches with good-to-great resumes. Awful product every year. I don't think we've had the <75th worst defensive personnel in college football every year since 2008.

FWIW Cole Cubelic's take is that Auburn has had a problem for about 35 years, and until that problem is gone, this cycle of inconsistency will continue. Read into that what you will.

What is Cole inferring that this problem is?

[FoundationEagle 637]

This idea of "meddling" IMO is just a cop out used by people to cover for Gus's failures....every success is because of his genius and every failure is because someone is meddling? Hard to believe that adults on this board could be so self-delusional about things like that.

Would you agree that every DC since Tubs left was better everywhere else they worked than they were here, despite having consistent top-10 recruiting classes to work with? That's the thing that sticks with me.

Roof was good before, and he's good after. BVG was good before, and... well, he's doing way better now than he did at Auburn. Ellis Johnson was turning the defense around first half of '14 and then pretty much quit midseason. (I refuse to believe that Jermaine Whitehead > Ellis Johnson, and I have a hard time believing that Ellis Johnson single covered Amari Cooper for the entire Iron Bowl because one of the SEC's most experienced defensive coaches really thought it was the best tactical maneuver.)

We've had championship caliber offenses 3 of Gus's 6 years at Auburn (as OC and HC). One of the other years, 2009, he turned a trainwreck into a pretty good offense with Chris Todd setting passing records and Ben Tate going pretty high in the draft. I'm wiling to give the offense passes on 2011 and this year. Very little experience at key positions both years.

But the defense? How do you explain it? Year after year after year. Bad to worse to even worse, at a program that prides itself on playing good defense. Players that lots of other schools tried very hard to sign. Coaches with good-to-great resumes. Awful product every year. I don't think we've had the <75th worst defensive personnel in college football every year since 2008.

FWIW Cole Cubelic's take is that Auburn has had a problem for about 35 years, and until that problem is gone, this cycle of inconsistency will continue. Read into that what you will.

First, do you really believe that Gus MADE Johnson single cover Amari??? Prime example of delusion.

Second, Cubelic has barely been alive for 35 years, yet he knows what was going on 35 years ago? I highly doubt it. Cole is quickly becoming the new Finebaum solely intent on stirring the pot to make a name for himself. I stopped listening to anything he has to say about anything ever.

[I_M4_AU 7,823]

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And if Gus isn't doing his job? Then what? You talk about "assisting" the manager and "helping" Gus... What does that mean, exactly? Just because Gus' boss(es) is/are exerting influence doesn't make it micromanaging. I wholeheartedly disagree with the notion that just because you hire someone to do a job, you're then unable to influence or guide how that job is done in any way. This "micromanaging" happens every single day in workplaces all over the world. Why is football any different? Especially when the product being put out on the field is absolute garbage.

If Gus is not doing the job Jacobs should fire Gus, just like he did with Chizic. No question. As to assisting, the owner should not tell the manager what to do, but ask him what he needs to do his job. This opens a dialog between the two and gives the manager a sense that the owner believes in him and that they are in this together. As the dialog continues the owner can interject ideas that he would like implemented, but the final decision is the managers. If that manager make a bad decision, he and only he, is responsible. I have no idea if this has happened in this case, but never should any of the content discussed be leaked out to anyone. And that is where I have a problem. Gus' credibility would be damaged with the coaches and the team. I'm not even sure 101's source is correct, I guess we'll see tonight.

You're correct again, micro managing happens everyday, doesn't mean it's a good thing. I worked for a micro manager and I had to put out "fires" all day, to the point I could not do my job. I believe the more pressure there is on the boss the more he micro manages, I guess that is human nature. Football is no different, everybody thinks they have the solution to our problem, just look at the comments on this board. Ultimately, it's Gus' decision and he will be held responsible for that decision.

To borrow from another thread, if the active runway is 51 (by the way, there can not be a runway 51) and the pilot decides to land on runway 15, which is 100 feet shorter, and runs off the end, who's fault is it? It's always pilot error, because the pilot has the final decision.

[jacksrc 4]

1980? about the time a new coach was hired.

[FoundationEagle 637]

not more plane references....cue the crappy music inuendos