New Gus Theory

[Beaker 2,457]

This year seems a little different.   Last year, Gus had every excuse built in why faltered down the stretch.

Theory:  Gus is trying to prove he is "right and smarter" than his critics each chance and still win the current game.

 

The set up:  In the winter, he had to find Lashlee a new job and hire a new OC.  After some drama and time, he hired "his man".  In the Spring after much deliberation, he announces he will be a HC without controlling the O or calling the plays.   We all feel that "killed" him inside.  

1.  What we saw at Clemson was him with play sheets and talking like a crazyman on the headset.  The play selection reminded us all that was "his O" with some slow developing deep passing routes.  He wanted to win "his way."

2.  Mercer:  "Chip is calling the plays, it's his O,"  Gus said.   We never dominated Mercer in that game and there are plenty of reasons, but they were all on the O.  And the O gameplan resembled the first two games with a few more passing routes.

3.  Mizzou and Miss St:  I don't think Gus had a playsheet in this game, but regardless, we played a more balanced attack (attacked the whole field like Chip did as So Miss).  We dominate and put the SEC "on notice".

4.  Ole Miss: 1st half was wide open and the HC shut it down in the second half or did he?   After the half he said something about "continuing to play football as we did in the 1st half."  We scored 9 points in the second half.   Malik W never threw a pass.   Didn't Chip say he wanted his back-ups ready to go in case they were needed?  Yes, but Malik gets no developmental plays. Why not?  Gus had an agenda. 

5.  LSU:  1st half was wide open until about 8:00 minutes left in the 2nd Qtr.   At that point, the style of plays looks like we started to shut things down.  

 

I am convinced Gus was not shutting things down.  I think Gus wanted to run "his plays" and sure Chip called them, but his reason:  he wanted to have Auburn run his O, score points and win the games.  Then he could pound his chest and declare his O is effective and serves a purpose in these wins.   Look at all the run plays on 1st down after the 1st QTR at LSU.  See how the TE came from slot back to block at the line?  Classic Gus.  Chip throws to the TE.  I think we threw to the TE once in the second half (the very last drive).   Too little, too late.....

I honestly think pride is killing our program.   I joined the family after Barfield,  but I can't believe he was this bad against our rivals.   There isn't a CEO in this country who thinks we are getting value for what we are paying.   I can't endure a 6th year of this mess.   Different year, same exact results.   We beat who we are supposed to, lose to our rivals and the coach declares, "this is not the end of the world."  What a loser!

I agree with GWill - give us a traditional football coach who will grab a player by the facemask at practice or kick a fumbled ball and scream a little.  As we choked on Saturday, I didn't see any player getting excited or showing passion...but the TV only shows so much.  

[ToomersStreet 795]

I will propose it again.  Is Gus a narcissist?

[musicitytiger 281]

Chip Kelly or bust

[doverstutts 1,643]

1 hour ago, ToomersStreet said:

I will propose it again.  Is Gus a narcissist?

I don't think so, not in the accepted definition of a narcissist.    I do think he is arrogant and thinks hes smarter than anyone else.....so, narcissist, maybe

[AUApostle 7,651]

Gus is great when he can focus.  Gus is also a control freak.  Gus cannot focus on being the head coach of a major university program AND control an offense.  He's not built for the multitasking required of a successful HC.  After Auburn, he'll get another opportunity at another college.  He needs to decide what he's going to focus on...and it should probably be an OC job...b/c that's where his passion is.

[auskull 239]

12 minutes ago, AUDevil said:

Gus is great when he can focus.  Gus is also a control freak.  Gus cannot focus on being the head coach of a major university program AND control an offense.  He's not built for the multitasking required of a successful HC.  After Auburn, he'll get another opportunity at another college.  He needs to decide what he's going to focus on...and it should probably be an OC job...b/c that's where his passion is.

Agreed. I don't think Gus is deceitful or any of the extreme insinuations mentioned in the first few posts. I do believe he has had success with his offense and believes it offers the best path to winning. He is the HC and is accountable for the processes, win or lose. I will offer that I believe he is slow to adapt his offense even in the toughest conference in football. I also believe that HC coaches sometimes don't want to embarrass the opposing HC, especially if they are having a tough year.  This may or may not have played into his rational. But this is becoming a trend, starting with the Florida State BCS championship game. Enough offense has to be generated in these 2nd halfs to keep the defense from exhaustion and neutralize the other teams momentum . Special teams must also keep the opposing teams starting deep in their side of the field. We are not good enough to just rely on defense.

[ChltteTiger 649]

What would be wrong with Muschamp after we run Gus off. Doesn't he appear to be a better HC with several years of experience behind him?

[Tiger 8,827]

Muschamp flamed out at UF where it is probably the easiest place in the SEC to win at -- in a weak East.

That being said, Muschamp is probably a better HC than Gus. 

[around4ever 4,139]

31 minutes ago, ChltteTiger said:

What would be wrong with Muschamp after we run Gus off. Doesn't he appear to be a better HC with several years of experience behind him?

How long would it take Will to stop laughing after his agent asks him? 

[Au1961 5]

Just wanted to say hello to everyone, and War Eagle !! I just joined today, but have been an Auburn fan since the 60s. It would be nice to win out, but I am like most, very fed up with Gus, that said , Saturday I will be pulling for our Tigers, as probably most on here, will be also. There is a ton of things I could say about Gus, but to make it short, the Guy just coaches scared, even the way he reacts on the sideline, makes me feel like he is hoping and wishing. Just think he is out of his league as a head coach in the SEC. 

[Cooper 10]

I will be honest I have thought about it all week.  Im beginning to wonder if there may be some points shaving going on and it went bad at LSU and the NC game

[Beaker 2,457]

1 hour ago, Au1961 said:

Just wanted to say hello to everyone, and War Eagle !! I just joined today, but have been an Auburn fan since the 60s. It would be nice to win out, but I am like most, very fed up with Gus, that said , Saturday I will be pulling for our Tigers, as probably most on here, will be also. There is a ton of things I could say about Gus, but to make it short, the Guy just coaches scared, even the way he reacts on the sideline, makes me feel like he is hoping and wishing. Just think he is out of his league as a head coach in the SEC. 

Welcome 1961....wish you had joined under better conditions.   War Eagle, anyways!  

 

12 minutes ago, Cooper said:

I will be honest I have thought about it all week.  Im beginning to wonder if there may be some points shaving going on and it went bad at LSU and the NC game

Coach makes $5 mil/yr and you think he may shave points?   Not a chance.  Too much ego in the room for such.  Bad strategy?  yes and has proven to be more the case.  

 

8 hours ago, auskull said:

I also believe that HC coaches sometimes don't want to embarrass the opposing HC, especially if they are having a tough year.  This may or may not have played into his rational. But this is becoming a trend, starting with the Florida State BCS championship game

This sounds very realistic.  Dumb, but realistic.  Go back and read what StatTiger put together:  we average about 7 points a game in the second half over some stretch.  We get up big, opponents adjust.  We think we are grinding out the clock, then we can't make counter-adjustments and we get trapped.   

The other team is playing to win.  "You play to win the game."  If you are up by 40 in the 4th, call off the dogs.   Simple.  

I think it is very simple:  we get out-coached at halftime.   Occams razor.  https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Occam's razor  

[Cooper 10]

There has been points shaving withna whole lot more money on the line than Gus' salary.  I will be honest sometimes I also feel like it happens for TV ratings especially when its an ABC game.  Whatever the reason was I think its common knowledge Auburn let up.

[milehighfan 1,240]

10 hours ago, auskull said:

Agreed. I don't think Gus is deceitful or any of the extreme insinuations mentioned in the first few posts. I do believe he has had success with his offense and believes it offers the best path to winning. He is the HC and is accountable for the processes, win or lose. I will offer that I believe he is slow to adapt his offense even in the toughest conference in football. I also believe that HC coaches sometimes don't want to embarrass the opposing HC, especially if they are having a tough year.  This may or may not have played into his rational. But this is becoming a trend, starting with the Florida State BCS championship game. Enough offense has to be generated in these 2nd halfs to keep the defense from exhaustion and neutralize the other teams momentum . Special teams must also keep the opposing teams starting deep in their side of the field. We are not good enough to just rely on defense.

Gus is not going to change. I read earlier this week he is not worried about his job security. That tells me he has already made a boatload of money while at Auburn, so he's thinking, go ahead, fire me. He can ride off into the sunset  with a sack full of money singing "I screwed em my way.

[Aucater 150]

It all goes back to the definition of insanity. If he hasn't learned anything since he became HC nearly 5 years ago it isn't likely he's going to change. The game is similar to chess to me, if you aren't attacking you are going to get your arse handed to you eventually. 

[CullmanTiger 52]

Don't make the Gus theory more difficult than it is....Gus can't coach 

[milehighfan 1,240]

6 minutes ago, CullmanTiger said:

Don't make the Gus theory more difficult than it is....Gus can't coach 

Ya think?

[lutzcammed 469]

I think he would be just as successful calling plays if he took a pair of dice  and assigned a play for numbers two through twelve.  roll the dice and call what ever number pops up.

[Aucater 150]

16 minutes ago, lutzcammed said:

I think he would be just as successful calling plays if he took a pair of dice  and assigned a play for numbers two through twelve.  roll the dice and call what ever number pops up.

that would work, or assign the plays numbers and use a random number generator to call the plays

[ToomersStreet 795]

8 hours ago, Tiger said:

Muschamp flamed out at UF where it is probably the easiest place in the SEC to win at -- in a weak East.

That being said, Muschamp is probably a better HC than Gus. 

Although never stated publicly, Muschamp has said that hiring Charlie Weis was his first and biggest mistake at Florida.  It put him in a hole he wasn't able to get out of. 

[auskull 239]

Muschamp is at a tough school to win now. Lets see how this 2nd run at HC plays out. I suspect Gus might even do some things differently with his 2nd chance.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

The clock is ticking on Malzahn and Jacobs.

[Beaker 2,457]

1 hour ago, auskull said:

Muschamp is at a tough school to win now. Lets see how this 2nd run at HC plays out. I suspect Gus might even do some things differently with his 2nd chance.

Not being a nit-pick, but this is Gus' second chance.  Ark St

[auskull 239]

8 hours ago, Beaker said:

Not being a nit-pick, but this is Gus' second chance.  Ark St

Stand corrected....how could I forget.

[AUFlyer99 647]

19 hours ago, around4ever said:

How long would it take Will to stop laughing after his agent asks him? 

I doubt he'd laugh at all.  AU>USCe.  It would be his agent laughing at the call from Auburn.  "You want who?!?!?!???????????".