The difference elite players make

[tigermac 11]

Football is the ultimate team game, and with 22 players on the field at all times it is imperative that each man do his job. With that being said, in college football and especially a league like the SEC, your elite players make all the difference. Of course injuries and discipline issues affect every team but this year's AU team was without its best player on both sides of the ball for most of the season. A healthy Carl Lawson and a focused Duke Williams would've made this team 2 and maybe 3 wins better. We could've been a 9-3 team without a doubt - even with the QB issues.

Imagine Bama minus Henry and Ragland, Ole Miss without Treadwell and R. Nkemdiche, LSU without Fournette and Jalen Mills, or Florida without Grier and Hargreaves. Those teams would not be the same. Quality depth is very important but having the most talented impact players on the field swings games, especially when the margin of error in the SEC is so small. A few plays here and there are really the difference between winning and losing. Your great players have to be great and then if you win enough of the smaller battles with your other guys, you can be successful.

Regardless of who we had at QB Duke Williams would have been a threat on 3rd downs/red zone situations. Would have made the run game better and we saw an improved Ricardo Louis on the other side. And it sure would have been nice to see a healthy Carl Lawson rushing opposing QBs for more than a handful of games.

[Shift 350]

But, I thought it was coaching?

On a serious note, you make an excellent point and one that I have been shouting from the mountain tops, that is: The bulk of our problems this year was........................players and lack of execution.

[tigermac 11]

I thought the coaching could've been better, especially offensively. But its often more about the Jimmies and Joes than it is the X's and O's.

[AUwent 3,778]

Football is the ultimate team game, and with 22 players on the field at all times it is imperative that each man do his job. With that being said, in college football and especially a league like the SEC, your elite players make all the difference. Of course injuries and discipline issues affect every team but this year's AU team was without its best player on both sides of the ball for most of the season. A healthy Carl Lawson and a focused Duke Williams would've made this team 2 and maybe 3 wins better. We could've been a 9-3 team without a doubt - even with the QB issues.

Imagine Bama minus Henry and Ragland, Ole Miss without Treadwell and R. Nkemdiche, LSU without Fournette and Jalen Mills, or Florida without Grier and Hargreaves. Those teams would not be the same. Quality depth is very important but having the most talented impact players on the field swings games, especially when the margin of error in the SEC is so small. A few plays here and there are really the difference between winning and losing. Your great players have to be great and then if you win enough of the smaller battles with your other guys, you can be successful.

Regardless of who we had at QB Duke Williams would have been a threat on 3rd downs/red zone situations. Would have made the run game better and we saw an improved Ricardo Louis on the other side. And it sure would have been nice to see a healthy Carl Lawson rushing opposing QBs for more than a handful of games.

Other teams have injuries too. Heck, Georgia won 9 games and possibly 10 without Chubb.

Next year doesn't have to be a championship run, but after two straight blown #6 rankings, it'd better be a good season. If this year was truly just bad luck, there's no excuse for another five-loss campaign. Regardless, I think he has (and should get) two years to right the ship.

[aublaise 199]

It was Duke's fault for failing to keep Duke in order. Nobody else.

[NewDay22 0]

But, I thought it was coaching? :gofig:/>

On a serious note, you make an excellent point and one that I have been shouting from the mountain tops, that is: The bulk of our problems this year was........................players and lack of execution.

I've never seen the job discription for head coach but I am pretty sure this falls under it.

[DAG 34,055]

Football is the ultimate team game, and with 22 players on the field at all times it is imperative that each man do his job. With that being said, in college football and especially a league like the SEC, your elite players make all the difference. Of course injuries and discipline issues affect every team but this year's AU team was without its best player on both sides of the ball for most of the season. A healthy Carl Lawson and a focused Duke Williams would've made this team 2 and maybe 3 wins better. We could've been a 9-3 team without a doubt - even with the QB issues.

Imagine Bama minus Henry and Ragland, Ole Miss without Treadwell and R. Nkemdiche, LSU without Fournette and Jalen Mills, or Florida without Grier and Hargreaves. Those teams would not be the same. Quality depth is very important but having the most talented impact players on the field swings games, especially when the margin of error in the SEC is so small. A few plays here and there are really the difference between winning and losing. Your great players have to be great and then if you win enough of the smaller battles with your other guys, you can be successful.

Regardless of who we had at QB Duke Williams would have been a threat on 3rd downs/red zone situations. Would have made the run game better and we saw an improved Ricardo Louis on the other side. And it sure would have been nice to see a healthy Carl Lawson rushing opposing QBs for more than a handful of games.

Arkansas lost their #1 RB and #1 WR to injuries. They also do not come close to recruiting at the level that we do and yet they remained competitive in SEC play. It is a good mix of coaching and execution.

[johnnyAU 3,668]

Football is the ultimate team game, and with 22 players on the field at all times it is imperative that each man do his job. With that being said, in college football and especially a league like the SEC, your elite players make all the difference. Of course injuries and discipline issues affect every team but this year's AU team was without its best player on both sides of the ball for most of the season. A healthy Carl Lawson and a focused Duke Williams would've made this team 2 and maybe 3 wins better. We could've been a 9-3 team without a doubt - even with the QB issues.

Imagine Bama minus Henry and Ragland, Ole Miss without Treadwell and R. Nkemdiche, LSU without Fournette and Jalen Mills, or Florida without Grier and Hargreaves. Those teams would not be the same. Quality depth is very important but having the most talented impact players on the field swings games, especially when the margin of error in the SEC is so small. A few plays here and there are really the difference between winning and losing. Your great players have to be great and then if you win enough of the smaller battles with your other guys, you can be successful.

Regardless of who we had at QB Duke Williams would have been a threat on 3rd downs/red zone situations. Would have made the run game better and we saw an improved Ricardo Louis on the other side. And it sure would have been nice to see a healthy Carl Lawson rushing opposing QBs for more than a handful of games.

Arkansas lost their #1 RB and #1 WR to injuries. They also do not come close to recruiting at the level that we do and yet they remained competitive in SEC play. It is a good mix of coaching and execution.

Sometimes it isn't the elite level of the players, but who steps in and becomes the leaders on both sides. Arkansas weathered that storm because Allen stepped in and grew into the SEC's best QB. He would hardly have been considered an elite talent. Lawson showed that on D before getting injured. Without him, I didn't see someone step in and take over on either offense or defense for Auburn.

[AUwent 3,778]

^And that's part of our problem. When our D is that dependent on one player, it does not indicate good coaching. The difference between us and Arky and Georgia is that they were able to find leaders to step up in the absence of those players (Sony Michel). What if Lawson leaves? Do we give the coaches a pass if Cowart and Davidson can't step up and become leaders?

[DAG 34,055]

Football is the ultimate team game, and with 22 players on the field at all times it is imperative that each man do his job. With that being said, in college football and especially a league like the SEC, your elite players make all the difference. Of course injuries and discipline issues affect every team but this year's AU team was without its best player on both sides of the ball for most of the season. A healthy Carl Lawson and a focused Duke Williams would've made this team 2 and maybe 3 wins better. We could've been a 9-3 team without a doubt - even with the QB issues.

Imagine Bama minus Henry and Ragland, Ole Miss without Treadwell and R. Nkemdiche, LSU without Fournette and Jalen Mills, or Florida without Grier and Hargreaves. Those teams would not be the same. Quality depth is very important but having the most talented impact players on the field swings games, especially when the margin of error in the SEC is so small. A few plays here and there are really the difference between winning and losing. Your great players have to be great and then if you win enough of the smaller battles with your other guys, you can be successful.

Regardless of who we had at QB Duke Williams would have been a threat on 3rd downs/red zone situations. Would have made the run game better and we saw an improved Ricardo Louis on the other side. And it sure would have been nice to see a healthy Carl Lawson rushing opposing QBs for more than a handful of games.

Arkansas lost their #1 RB and #1 WR to injuries. They also do not come close to recruiting at the level that we do and yet they remained competitive in SEC play. It is a good mix of coaching and execution.

Sometimes it isn't the elite level of the players, but who steps in and becomes the leaders on both sides. Arkansas weathered that storm because Allen stepped in and grew into the SEC's best QB. He would hardly have been considered an elite talent. Lawson showed that on D before getting injured. Without him, I didn't see someone step in and take over on either offense or defense for Auburn.

And whose fault is that? Why are Arkansas subpar players outperforming our players? Why is a Drew Morgan making more plays than our receivers? How are their defenders making the necessary plays to stop to LSU run game and we aren't? Stuff like that is mind boggling.

[johnnyAU 3,668]

^And that's part of our problem. When our D is that dependent on one player, it does not indicate good coaching. The difference between us and Arky and Georgia is that they were able to find leaders to step up in the absence of those players (Sony Michel). What if Lawson leaves? Do we give the coaches a pass if Cowart and Davidson can't step up and become leaders?

I know I liked what I saw from several young/new players like Kerryon Johnson, Pettway, White, Jason Smith, Tre Williams, Carlton Davis, etc....Hopefully we have more guys to step up than just relying on one player. Kind of reminded me of Sammie Coates and Lawson when they arrived.

[cole256 17,084]

I mean come on grew into the SEC best qb. He's the best by default.

[johnnyAU 3,668]

"And whose fault is that? Why are Arkansas subpar players outperforming our players? Why is a Drew Morgan making more plays than our receivers? How are their defenders making the necessary plays to stop to LSU run game and we aren't? Stuff like that is mind boggling."

Brandon is a multi-year starter and a Senior. He is hardly a first year QB or a RS Freshman.

Remember, Jason Campbell didn't exactly light it up his first 3 years either.

[DAG 34,055]

"And whose fault is that? Why are Arkansas subpar players outperforming our players? Why is a Drew Morgan making more plays than our receivers? How are their defenders making the necessary plays to stop to LSU run game and we aren't? Stuff like that is mind boggling."

Brandon is a multi-year starter and a Senior. He is hardly a first year QB or a RS Freshman.

Why are Arkansas WRs E.G. Drew Morgan and their defensive players making more plays than our athletes? I know who Brandon Allen is. I watched the kid play at Fayetteville Highschool. He cannot win games by himself. Drew Morgan is an underclassman, two star from Greenwood and stepped up in the absence of Keon Hatcher. Arkansas Lost a good bit of talent from their defensive line the previous year. How is it possible that their players are stepping up, but ours aren't?

[AUwent 3,778]

^And that's part of our problem. When our D is that dependent on one player, it does not indicate good coaching. The difference between us and Arky and Georgia is that they were able to find leaders to step up in the absence of those players (Sony Michel). What if Lawson leaves? Do we give the coaches a pass if Cowart and Davidson can't step up and become leaders?

I know I liked what I saw from several young/new players like Kerryon Johnson, Pettway, White, Jason Smith, Tre Williams, Carlton Davis, etc....Hopefully we have more guys to step up than just relying on one player. Kind of reminded me of Sammie Coates and Lawson when they arrived.

I agree that Davis is going to do some good things. I think he could be our best corner since Carlos Rogers.

[Farmer Brown 2,391]

I thought the coaching could've been better, especially offensively. But its often more about the Jimmies and Joes than it is the X's and O's.

If the Jimmie named Robinson would have had the opportunity to get two or three yards for a first down, instead of attempting a 40 yard bomb, we might have scored more often. Instead, we put the defense right back on the field. The Jimmies and Joes have to be put in a position to be successful. The X's and O's were baffling at times.

[EagleReedle 14]

It was Duke's fault for failing to keep Duke in order. Nobody else.

did we ever find out what Duke's sin was? attitude issues?

[FoundationEagle 637]

^And that's part of our problem. When our D is that dependent on one player, it does not indicate good coaching. The difference between us and Arky and Georgia is that they were able to find leaders to step up in the absence of those players (Sony Michel). What if Lawson leaves? Do we give the coaches a pass if Cowart and Davidson can't step up and become leaders?

Look up stats post on returning players with game experience and it may add a bit of depth to the discussion on how other teams handled injuries this year better than we did.

[cole256 17,084]

Fact is nobody cares about excuses. How many posts have you seen on this board about a team and their fourth problems after we beat them? None. When we win we're the greatest thing walking, when we lose we're a team that's going through some adversity that no other team has overcome before