How bad of shape are we really in?

[thaitopher 807]

We are in bad shape as far as being physical. We are being manhandled on both sides of the ball. This has to improve. I think some of it has to do with the size, but most of t has to do with mindset. Our players are playing timid and have been unsure. This has a lot to do with youth, new schemes and coordinators, and I am sure with lack of team unity and motivation. Maybe we see a difference from here on out, maybe we don't. I think if you have the heart, the effort and the willingness most of the rest will take care of itself. Time will tell.

Is our team really that lost?

Almost sounds like a restatement of the OP

wasn't meant to be taken as an actual question.

Ooops

Apologies

WDE

None needed. It was just a joke executed about as well as one of JJ's passes into triple coverage. WDE!

[lost 452]

Do you think you can prove different? Been here since 2007 so I am "lost" only in name and feel I have a good grasp of our capabilities. We are not a physical team. Period.

[thaitopher 807]

Do you think you can prove different? Been here since 2007 so I am "lost" only in name and feel I have a good grasp of our capabilities. We are not a physical team. Period.

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[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

Do you think you can prove different? Been here since 2007 so I am "lost" only in name and feel I have a good grasp of our capabilities. We are not a physical team. Period.

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Question?

If so, I concur.

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[thaitopher 807]

Do you think you can prove different? Been here since 2007 so I am "lost" only in name and feel I have a good grasp of our capabilities. We are not a physical team. Period.

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Question?

If so, I concur.

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it was originally a confused smiley face from my iPad, but since this website is not compatible with iPad smiley faces, a question mark is the best I can do. Or maybe this... :/

[AUwent 3,778]

People picking Auburn to win the SEC before the season were fools. Way too many changes/youth on D and at the skill positions on O (RB, TE, and changes on OL). It shows how little these talking heads really know about football at this level. Basically you had a couple of high profile people touting Auburn as the next coming and everyone else jumped on board because they were too lazy to do a little research.

We are 4-2....as bad as we played in games 2-4 we could have won the MSU game and lost the Jax State game so we are where we are. Improvement was finally seen at UK and now we have a chance to build on that on Saturday....yawn...morning at 11am CST against the piggies. If we win again, I see this team making a bit of a march. If we lose to the bumbling hogwarts.....we set ourselves up for 5-7.

We'll see......

So if we're "young" this year, how experienced are we going to be next year? I thought we were a veteran team next year, but someone said that we weren't going to be.

Also, I've said it a thousand times, but I think people are really more frustrated with last year. If we hadn't greatly underachieved, I don't think people would be as angry about this year.

[bg5 536]

I have been wrong about this team all year. I thought we would be really good early on but now not so much. So since I have been wrong all year let me say that I think we have one sure win and two other possible wins. Since I have been wrong all year maybe that means we run the table. I think the team is a mess and the Kentucky game didn't do anything to change my mind.

[PoetTiger 1,901]

I have been wrong about this team all year. I thought we would be really good early on but now not so much. So since I have been wrong all year let me say that I think we have one sure win and two other possible wins. Since I have been wrong all year maybe that means we run the table. I think the team is a mess and the Kentucky game didn't do anything to change my mind.

Kinda harsh ...kids busted their azzes off to get a win and this is the support they get....awesome...

[leglessdan 1,934]

I have been wrong about this team all year. I thought we would be really good early on but now not so much. So since I have been wrong all year let me say that I think we have one sure win and two other possible wins. Since I have been wrong all year maybe that means we run the table. I think the team is a mess and the Kentucky game didn't do anything to change my mind.

Kinda harsh ...kids busted their azzes off to get a win and this is the support they get....awesome...

For real, the only team that looks "almost" out of reach is bammer at this point. Although I think A&m will be testy too.

[autan 754]

I have been wrong about this team all year. I thought we would be really good early on but now not so much. So since I have been wrong all year let me say that I think we have one sure win and two other possible wins. Since I have been wrong all year maybe that means we run the table. I think the team is a mess and the Kentucky game didn't do anything to change my mind.

Kinda harsh ...kids busted their azzes off to get a win and this is the support they get....awesome...

For real, the only team that looks "almost" out of reach is bammer at this point. Although I think A&m will be testy too.

We have the "Sky is falling doomsday prophets" on one side and "sunshine pumping lovefesters" on the other, then you confuse everything Dan by posting something that is realistic and makes sense. How boring.

[WarTim 3,457]

IMO, we are in trouble. I don't think we will win too many conference games moving forward but my biggest concern is the lack of player development. We have plenty of talent to be in this situation. even more, I'm questioning player evaluation. Westry was in but we decided we didn't want him. Now he is a major play for UK. While I believe our DB recruiting was a bright spot last year, WM said when he got here our target recruit board on D was terrible. This year the elite recruits are choosing UAT, UGA, and UT over AU. With UF's turnaround, we are going to have trouble pulling in Florida recruits. So far our recruiting is weak compared to our SEC competitors. I'm very concerned after a poor year the last 2 yrs on DL and LB that we are in for continued issues on D. Personally I wasn't a fan of GM when he got hired because I preferred a proven div 1 coach. Now there are questions about his offense and his leadership of a major program. It's been an embarrassing year and I for one am tired of the yo-yo that has been AU football.

I agree we should shut the program down. Tear down the stadium, maybe sell that scoreboard to someone for half price and get some of that back. Funnel the money into the women's soccer and softball programs for example where the student athletes earn degrees at a significantly higher rate. Then use the rest of the money as well as that space to build a new academic learning center to replace the Haley Center. This will also help the actual student body as we won't have to worry about pressure from the Athletic Department to raise the "cost of attendance" to compete with the UA, UGA, UT, and UF's and the impact that will have on loans and financial aid for those that need it. Then maybe some will start taking pride in what Auburn really is versus just being embarrassed by Auburn cause it's 18-20 somethings in pads didn't beat your neighbor's 18-20 something in pads, didn't meet some sportswriters predictions, or give a damn what Finbaum has to say.

So while you were sitting around Sunday on a message board and talking about being embarrassed, apparently those individuals that embarrassed you have decided they are not ready to quit and spent their Sunday afternoon working to improve.

I don't care if we win another game this season as long as they give 100% in each game. I'm embarrassed by many Auburn fans when arrogance comes out about our football program. Years like this do many of us a favor and send quite a few of those elsewhere. My biggest dilemma this football season is now that I will be doing graduate work there do I Geaux Tigers as well as Go Tigers???

Wow!! To quote Bill Murray..."Nice Shootin' Tex!!!" 100% correct.

[BJ17 0]

I was impressed by how a&m's dB's attacked Henry myself. It was the first time I saw db's knock him back and tackle him alone. Now their linebacker play was non existent and their db's making all the tackles isn't good. It actually sound like our defense but their D line play was actually ok

Yep; Evan's took Henry on 1:1 and knocked him backwards....two plays in a row...one of those was just a thing of beauty...you could hear the hit in the stands. What's initially played like Rudy and Williams and looked like he was trying to jump in a coaches arms for protection. Things you see at the game and not on TV; when Watts got to the sideline; he got absolutely ripped. After that attitude adjustment, he was a different player and finished the game with 10 tackles and actually looked like an SEC DB. The Aggie backers are an improvement over last year; and their 2nd half play was decent yesterday...but that is still their defensive weak link.

A&M lost because their offense couldn't score...well, actually they could; just for the Bammers. Their D played well enough for them to win.

Agree on the last paragraph. A&Ms offense scored 23. Bamas scored 20. If their qb doesn't throw any pick 6s they win the game. Really not too much to ask from a qb in his 12th start.

Actually no. A&M's offense scored 1 offensive TD. Their other TD was on a punt return. The rest was 3 FG's. Turdville was the best D the Aggies had faced so far and it showed.

Ok. Point being that A&M scored 23 points that were not on bama mistakes. If you take away the 3 pick 6s, which should have never been thrown, then bama doesn't win. Our starting qb this year was benched for much less than the sh.. show Allen put on Saturday. INTs are one thing, but the first and last ones he threw should have never even been thrown, let alone to the spot the were thrown to. If SW had done that there would be protesting at the AD office today. The main point being that A&M gave the game in a gift wrapper to bama and their offense scored more for bama than themselves.

A&M got a TD off of a UAT fumble on special teams alongside a PR that went for a TD. Then of course the blocked punt granted A&M missed a FG... Take away spuat's erratic special teams play and A&M only scores 9 points. No matter how you spin it, A&M may have spotted UAT 21 points off pick 6's but UAT did almost as much to keep A&M in the game.

[bg5 536]

So because we beat Kentucky (In Football) are we saying that we have turned the corner and might beat everyone left on our schedule except Alabama? Trust me I was all in at the start of the season but I have fallen off a little each week. We should have lost to JSU and SJS and with a little help Kentucky could have beaten us as well. We have not looked good against anyone. If we pull it together against a bad Arky team I might be able to see a glimmer of hope but seriously I don't see where any part of his team is playing even avg.. I guess I need to get my orange and blue glasses adjusted.

[chimesAU 89]

We've reached "our pet's heads are falling off" status.

[PoetTiger 1,901]

How does one say AU should have lost? If so they would have...basically saying the team should be 1-4? Why because they have not played up to someone's expectations?

[bg5 536]

How does one say AU should have lost? If so they would have...basically saying the team should be 1-4? Why because they have not played up to someone's expectations?

I say they should have lost because those teams out played us. It's not what I want it's just reality. I can't believe so many people on this board have their head in the sand. At the start of the season we were ranked in the top 10 and now we will be lucky to make it to the Birmingham Bowl. I don't get any pleasure out of saying that we are not good but when you barely beat JSU, SJS and Kentucky guess what you are not very good. I would love to be wrong but just because we looked a little better last week doesn't mean we have turned the corner. You turn the corner when you turn the corner. If we come out and play good off. and good def. against Arky then we can say that but we had potenial at the beginning of the year and that is still all we have. We have to show it on the field before we can say that it is so. I'm not trying to be a jerk I just don't see how we can barley beat Kentucky and all the sudden we think we will win all but one of the rest of our games. I want it to happen but I had my hopes up pretty high to start the year and I have been very disappointed. I am 50 years old and sadly it still ruins my day when we lose so I want things to turn around as much as anyone. What the old saying fool me once shame on you fool me twice shame on me. I was fooled once at the start of the year now they have to prove it before I believe it. Again I'm not trying to be a jerk I just don't see it yet.

[FoundationEagle 637]

How does one say AU should have lost? If so they would have...basically saying the team should be 1-4? Why because they have not played up to someone's expectations?

I say they should have lost because those teams out played us. It's not what I want it's just reality. I can't believe so many people on this board have their head in the sand. At the start of the season we were ranked in the top 10 and now we will be lucky to make it to the Birmingham Bowl. I don't get any pleasure out of saying that we are not good but when you barely beat JSU, SJS and Kentucky guess what you are not very good. I would love to be wrong but just because we looked a little better last week doesn't mean we have turned the corner. You turn the corner when you turn the corner. If we come out and play good off. and good def. against Arky then we can say that but we had potenial at the beginning of the year and that is still all we have. We have to show it on the field before we can say that it is so. I'm not trying to be a jerk I just don't see how we can barley beat Kentucky and all the sudden we think we will win all but one of the rest of our games. I want it to happen but I had my hopes up pretty high to start the year and I have been very disappointed. I am 50 years old and sadly it still ruins my day when we lose so I want things to turn around as much as anyone. What the old saying fool me once shame on you fool me twice shame on me. I was fooled once at the start of the year now they have to prove it before I believe it. Again I'm not trying to be a jerk I just don't see it yet.

Well, by your logic, KY should have beat Florida as well. If that's the case, KY SHOULD be undefeated and ranked in the top 5 had they beat us and FL. Too bad they are no good....

EDIT: To back this up, FLs 1st TD was on a 19 yard drive set up by an INT return. FL only had 245 yards of total offense in the game. It is easily fair to assume that given the full field, FL wouuld NOT have scored that TD. It was a 5 point game 14-9. Take away the easy TD and its 14-7. KY must be terrible to keep FL to 245 yards and 14 points...

[keesler 5,932]

Ok. Point being that A&M scored 23 points that were not on bama mistakes. If you take away the 3 pick 6s, which should have never been thrown, then bama doesn't win. Our starting qb this year was benched for much less than the sh.. show Allen put on Saturday. INTs are one thing, but the first and last ones he threw should have never even been thrown, let alone to the spot the were thrown to. If SW had done that there would be protesting at the AD office today. The main point being that A&M gave the game in a gift wrapper to bama and their offense scored more for bama than themselves.

WTF? Did you watch the game Fountain?

Bama special teams sucked it up. aTm scored a TD off a bama special teams fumble, they blocked a bama punt, and returned a punt for a freaking TD. How were those aTm scores NOT on bama mistakes?

[FoundationEagle 637]

Ok. Point being that A&M scored 23 points that were not on bama mistakes. If you take away the 3 pick 6s, which should have never been thrown, then bama doesn't win. Our starting qb this year was benched for much less than the sh.. show Allen put on Saturday. INTs are one thing, but the first and last ones he threw should have never even been thrown, let alone to the spot the were thrown to. If SW had done that there would be protesting at the AD office today. The main point being that A&M gave the game in a gift wrapper to bama and their offense scored more for bama than themselves.

WTF? Did you watch the game Fountain?

Bama special teams sucked it up. aTm scored a TD off a bama special teams fumble, they blocked a bama punt, and returned a punt for a freaking TD. How were those aTm scores NOT on bama mistakes?

Dont remember the special teams fumble, but fumbles are usually forced. INTs can be forced, but the A&M INTs were NOT forced by the D, just mistakes.

Blocking a punt is making a play, not a mistake by the other team. Returning a punt is making a play, not a mistake by the other team. How are those bama mistakes? Simply because the weren't plays by the offense? I completely and whole heartedly disagree.

[AuburnNTexas 7,198]

Bama was the better team on that day. Some of A&M mistakes were because of good bama defense and some were because of bad throws and bad decisions. When you intercept a long pass at the 7 yard line and return it 93 yards you have to at least give the defender credit for the 93 yard return. As others have said Bama showed weakness on special teams and the offense was ok not great except for their running back who was great.

When people like me say Auburn has turned the corner that does not mean I think they are a great team but that they have started to play a good bit better. When I say they can beat Arky or Ole Miss I always say that they can beat them if they improve from last game and keep on improving. By the way I am sure there are people on other teams boards saying the same thing about their teams. Those who are saying we could be 2-4 or 1-4 instead of 4-2 are correct but we could also have been 5-1 as Miss State also could have gone either way. LSU we got beat and beat bad. The reality is we are 4-2 not 1-4 or 5-1. Right now there is not a huge difference between Arky and Auburn so that game can go either way I just think that now the O is showing some signs of life we can beat Arky. Then it is one game at a time.

[bg5 536]

Is a good bit better than really bad on Off., good or just not as bad? The Def. is still really bad.

[McLoofus 35,182]

When people like me say Auburn has turned the corner that does not mean I think they are a great team but that they have started to play a good bit better.

I'm with Tex.

Is a good bit better than really bad on Off., good or just not as bad? The Def. is still really bad.

I agree with "a good bit better" on offense. Special teams were very good. Agreed about defense.

[chimesAU 89]

When people like me say Auburn has turned the corner that does not mean I think they are a great team but that they have started to play a good bit better.

I'm with Tex.

Is a good bit better than really bad on Off., good or just not as bad? The Def. is still really bad.

I agree with "a good bit better" on offense. Special teams were very good. Agreed about defense.

I think we need to sustain this level of play through Ole Miss in order to declare a "turning of the corner". I agree that it looked like we might've woken up during the UK game but that's only 1 game.

If we do sustain this "turnaround" I'll be thrilled but also frustrated. We should've figured out whatever was holding us back and addressed it during fall camp. The first 5 games of the season aren't practice games.

[McLoofus 35,182]

When people like me say Auburn has turned the corner that does not mean I think they are a great team but that they have started to play a good bit better.

I'm with Tex.

Is a good bit better than really bad on Off., good or just not as bad? The Def. is still really bad.

I agree with "a good bit better" on offense. Special teams were very good. Agreed about defense.

I think we need to sustain this level of play through Ole Miss in order to declare a "turning of the corner". I agree that it looked like we might've woken up during the UK game but that's only 1 game.

If we do sustain this "turnaround" I'll be thrilled but also frustrated. We should've figured out whatever was holding us back and addressed it during fall camp. The first 5 games of the season aren't practice games.

Totally fair. No excuses next season, that's for sure.

[FoundationEagle 637]

Is a good bit better than really bad on Off., good or just not as bad? The Def. is still really bad.

KY defense stats vs SEC opponents:

FL....125 passing, 120 rushing, 245 total

SC....222 passing, 195 rushing, 417 total

MO...227 passing, 111 rushing, 338 total

AU...255 passing, 152 rushing, 407 total

AU had the most passing yards compared to other SEC opponents, 2cnd most rushing and 2cnd most total yards. If we can just receivers to catch the ball, we'd be the best offense their defense has faced. We aren't world beaters yet, but considering wherer we were, we have improved a ton to be a few dropped balls from being #1 in anything. The point here is that KY is not a weak defense. They held 2 SEC opponents under 350 yards and one under 300. Thats tough no matter who you are playing. I'd say we are "good"...not "not as bad"...but not great either. I think we get better each week and become close to great by the end of the year.