Clemson Game Report Card

[StatTiger 3,188]

Considering the level of talent available on offense, this was perhaps one of the worst offensive performances over the past 25 years of Auburn football. Five different players took snaps at the quarterback position, preventing any chance of establishing any resemblance of an offensive identity. The constant substitutions against Clemson made last year's offense look smooth. If playing two quarterbacks means you don't have a quarterback, what does it mean when you play three? I understand Auburn doesn't have a game changer at the quarterback position, but Gus Malzahn needs to pick one and build his offense around the "starting" quarterback.

Kevin Steele's defense was as good as advertised, giving Auburn every opportunity to win the ball game. Before tonight's game, Auburn was 132-22-0 in games they held their opponent to under 20 points from 1990-2016. Deshaun Davis played like a man possessed, which is a good sign for the linebackers. Auburn's secondary was able to shut down everyone but Mike Williams, who burned Auburn on several back-shoulder passes. He caught 9 passes for 174-yards, leaving only 10 catches for 74 yards for the remaining Clemson players. As well as the defense played, they struggled to apply pressure on the quarterback without blitzing. At the end of the night, Auburn's defense held Clemson under 400-yards and only 19 points.

Gus Malzahn's trip to Baylor must have been a one-sided affair. The only new twist to the Auburn offense was a high school play taken from Chandler Cox's high school offense. The offensive line played better during the second-half, but their overall performance was lacking, to say the least. Prior to the final offensive series when Auburn was forced into passing on first down, Auburn ran the ball 87.5 percent of the time on first down. An average offensive performance would have been good enough to upset #2 Clemson, but this wasn't the case. What we witnessed was a bizarre shuffling of the quarterbacks, which won't win very many games if it continues.    

Game #1 Statistical Evaluation (Clemson Game)

Offensive Report Card

01) Avg 6-yards per play on 1^st down: [3.85] fail
02) Convert at least 40% of 3^rd downs:  [17.6%] fail
03) Avg at least 4.5 yards per rush:  [2.12] fail
04) Score on at least 1/3 of possessions:  [25.0%] fail
05) Keep 3 and out series under 33%:  [41.7%] fail
06) Average 8.0 yards per pass attempt: [5.83 yds] fail
07) Score at least 75% inside red zone:  [50.0%] fail
08) TD red zone above 60%:  [25.0%] fail
09) Avg at least 30-yards per possession:  [21.8 yds] fail
10) 40% of offensive snaps part of scoring drives:  [29.6%] fail
11) TD / Turnover ratio above 1.6:  [.5] fail
12) TD ratio of at least 1 every 17 snaps:  [71.0] fail
13) At least 8 impact plays:  [7] fail
14) At least 2 big plays:  [1] fail
15) Pass rating of at least 126.3:  [85.7] fail

Score: 0 of 15 (0.0%) FAIL

  
Defensive Report Card:

01) Avg under 6-yards per play on 1^st down: [4.83] pass
02) Convert below 35% of 3^rd downs:  [35.3%] fail
03) Avg at least 4.0 yards per rush or less:  [3.43] pass
04) Score  1/3 of possessions or below:  [33.3%] pass
05) Keep 3 and out series above 33%:  [25.0%] fail
06) Average below 7.5 yards per pass attempt: [7.29 yds] pass
07) Score below 75% inside red zone:  [66.7%] pass
08) TD red zone below 60%:  [33.3%] pass
09) Avg under 30-yards per possession:  [33.2 yds] fail
10) Less than 40% of offensive snaps part of scoring drives:  [46.1%] fail
11) TD / Turnover ratio below 1.6:  [1.0] pass
12) TD ratio of at least 1 every 30 snaps:  [39.0] pass
13) Less than 8 impact plays:  [9] fail
14) No more than 2 big plays allowed: [1] pass
15) Pass rating below 125.0:  [120.9] pass 

Score: 10 of 15 (66.7%) PASS

Special Teams Report Card:

1) Punt Average (Above 41.3):  [44.1] pass
2) Punt Return Defense (Below 7.8 YPR): [0.0] pass
3) Punt Return Offense (Above 9.8 YPR): [0.0] fail
4) Kick-Return Defense (Below 21.2 YPR): [16.0] pass
5) Kick-Return Offense (Above 22.3 YPR): [14.0] fail
6) PAT’s (100%): [1 of 1] pass
7) FG Pct (75% or above): [100.0%] pass
Score: 5 of 7 (71.4%) PASS

* 50% is a passing score.

[AUIH1 1,515]

Gus is an emperor with no clothes in terms of being an O guru.

 

wde

[doug3020 842]

0% on offense. #BOOM!

[CR 2,442]

Stat, you're a reasonable person on these matters. Did you ever imagine we would see such  a jumbled mess after an entire offseason of Gus stressing being more hands-on and involved with the offense? I don't think I've ever seen anything like last night.

[doug3020 842]

Stat- just out of curiosity, how many defensive offsides have we forced since CGM has been involved either as OC or HC? Seems to me that every cadence is exactly the same (ready, ready go) or a timed clap. If I were a DL, I'd eat that up. Thanks in advance. 

[AU64 10,122]

1 minute ago, CR said:

Stat, you're a reasonable person on these matters. Did you ever imagine we would see such  a jumbled mess after an entire offseason of Gus stressing being more hands-on and involved with the offense? I don't think I've ever seen anything like last night.

Hard to see where that did any good last night except to take some pressure off RL since it does not appear that he was designing the offense or calling the plays.  Maybe we were better off with him more involved? 

[EagleFlight34 101]

9 minutes ago, AUIH1 said:

Gus is an emperor with no clothes in terms of being an O guru.

 

wde

I think you spelled Idiot wrong.

[rexbo 104]

11 minutes ago, AUIH1 said:

Gus is an emperor with no clothes in terms of being an O guru.

 

wde

It's like he thinks he's playing a video game and he can just shuttle in a player based strictly on what they are 'programmed' to do.  It seems he's more interested in being in complete control, the success of every play should be his and not a single player's leading the offense.

But, they are human beings, and they should be coached to take take advantage of their skills and abilities, and the skills and abilities of the other players around them.  After they are coached and prepared to do their jobs, he should put them in the game and let them play.  When it comes down to playing the game, and leading the offense, it should be the responsibility of the best QB; and not about him...

[tombigbeetiger 223]

  .    

 

Game #1 Statistical Evaluation (Clemson Game)

Offensive Report Card

01) Avg 6-yards per play on 1^st down: [3.85] fail
02) Convert at least 40% of 3^rd downs:  [17.6%] fail
03) Avg at least 4.5 yards per rush:  [2.12] fail
04) Score on at least 1/3 of possessions:  [25.0%] fail
05) Keep 3 and out series under 33%:  [41.7%] fail 
06) Average 8.0 yards per pass attempt: [5.83 yds] fail
07) Score at least 75% inside red zone:  [50.0%] fail
08) TD red zone above 60%:  [25.0%] fail 
09) Avg at least 30-yards per possession:  [21.8 yds] fail
10) 40% of offensive snaps part of scoring drives:  [29.6%] fail
11) TD / Turnover ratio above 1.6:  [.5] fail
12) TD ratio of at least 1 every 17 snaps:  [71.0] fail
13) At least 8 impact plays:  [7] fail
14) At least 2 big plays:  [1] fail
15) Pass rating of at least 126.3:  [85.7] fail

 

read em' and weep

Edited September 4, 2016 by tombigbeetiger

[StatTiger 3,188]

41 minutes ago, doug3020 said:

Stat- just out of curiosity, how many defensive offsides have we forced since CGM has been involved either as OC or HC? Seems to me that every cadence is exactly the same (ready, ready go) or a timed clap. If I were a DL, I'd eat that up. Thanks in advance. 

I don't have the data you requested but your observations from last night is very accurate. Clemson did a great job of timing the snap count, getting a jump on the OL.

[EagleFlight34 101]

If we had not seen what Gus is actually capable of in regards to offensive game planning and situational play calling, what we are witnessing would not be quite so bad.

BUT....it appears the man has done nothing but regress. You can look at these very threads that Stat posts after every game and see the negative trend. Gus has refused to make changes that need to be made or to adapt to the current team he has. I honestly believe Cam and Nick broke Gus. He had success with that particular offense, and promptly forgot everything else he ever knew.

That, or he is a double agent plant brought in to destroy us from the inside out.

War Eagle, Anyway!

[Win4AU 4,052]

20 minutes ago, StatTiger said:

I don't have the data you requested but your observations from last night is very accurate. Clemson did a great job of timing the snap count, getting a jump on the OL.

If you know the other team snaps it on the clap of the qbs hands then it's easy

[WarTiger 3,901]

1 hour ago, AUIH1 said:

Gus is an emperor with no clothes in terms of being an O guru.

 

wde

We get it. You hate Malzahn. Do you have to come in and pollute every thread with the same crap?  Time to grow up.

[WeagleAU 594]

I observed a couple of where encroachment wasn't called.  It was an ACC officiating crew after all

[WeagleAU 594]

1 minute ago, WarTiger said:

We get it. You hate Malzahn. Do you have to come in and pollute every thread with the same crap?  Time to grow up.

I agree, I don't believe in bashing the coach.  However, I will question his mindset after last nights debacle.  I hope he proves us all wrong and turns this thing around 

[EagleFlight34 101]

5 minutes ago, WeagleAU said:

I observed a couple of where encroachment wasn't called.  It was an ACC officiating crew after all

Yep, I saw at least two that were obvious, but weren't called. I agree.....we have to change up the snap count, especially with a porous offensive line. Clemson's DL was camped out in the backfield all night, even without the blitz. When they did blitz, it was like opening the floodgates. Seemed that we did nothing to slow the rush down.

[channonc 466]

I was hoping that I was overreacting to the offense and that my eyes were deceiving me. I was waiting (read: hoping) for Stat's report card to show me some positive points on the offense. Guess my initial reaction was right-- looks like the makings of another offensive dumpster fire set by the coaching staff. 

[AUIH1 1,515]

42 minutes ago, WarTiger said:

We get it. You hate Malzahn. Do you have to come in and pollute every thread with the same crap?  Time to grow up.

You have an over inflated opinion of yourself and your opinions.  It is OK that you disagree with me.  I do not hate Gus and was driving the Gus Bus until uga 2014.  I would suggest that you should grow up. How old are you and when did you graduate from AU.  I am 53, graduated from AU in 1986 and put one daughter through school at AU.

Edited to add:  I understand that you do not like me because I challenge your fantasy world. That is OK because the feeling is mutual.  You don't respect me and I don't respect you.    Let Golf, Titan, etc moderate me.

wde

Edited September 4, 2016 by AUIH1

[japantiger 4,051]

I am sure we've had a 0 offensive performance before, but I can't remember a 0....not a single category passed.... well, I'd say it can't get worse, but that is what I said at the end of last year and, hey, look how wrong I was.

[AU-24 3,096]

3 hours ago, CR said:

Stat, you're a reasonable person on these matters. Did you ever imagine we would see such  a jumbled mess after an entire offseason of Gus stressing being more hands-on and involved with the offense? I don't think I've ever seen anything like last night.

If Stat doesn't mind, I will answer for him.  No, he never imagined we would see such a jumbled mess. (and who would)

 

 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,671]

2 hours ago, WarTiger said:

We get it. You hate Malzahn. Do you have to come in and pollute every thread with the same crap?  Time to grow up.

This thread is 95% about the failures of Gus, there wouldn't be a more pertinent thread to post those emotions in.

[NoALtiger 3,862]

So the offense is crap, mental note.

[DivisionN 102]

I have narrowed down my reasoning to two conclusions: Either Gus has a tumor in his brain which has caused him to forget everything he learned about offense, or he has an evil twin who has swapped places with him. Weird. 

[EagleFlight34 101]

I'm still on the double agent paid to destroy AU football from the inside out theory. Now, we just need to figure out who is behind it!

[Sully to Beasley 643]

Stat, do you have a grade lower than "fail" that you can assign to our head coach & offensive coordinator?

Edited September 4, 2016 by Sully to Beasley