Starting running back today per Horton

[Scotty2Hotty 520]

On 4/20/2018 at 10:07 AM, Tiger said:

Also surprised at how many people are down on Kam Martin. I think he can be really good if he improves his pass protection.

Has he broken a tackle yet?

[kd4au 1,145]

My two cents is that if we would have had the Pettway from the 2016 season to go with KJ we may have won it all and not be having this discussion.

[bigbird 60,523]

2 minutes ago, Scotty2Hotty said:

Has he broken a tackle yet?

What a dumb statement

[Scotty2Hotty 520]

2 minutes ago, bigbird said:

What a dumb statement

We’re in trouble

[Tiger 8,824]

7 minutes ago, Scotty2Hotty said:

Has he broken a tackle yet?

 

 

 

[bigbird 60,523]

1 minute ago, Scotty2Hotty said:

We’re in trouble

[AU64 10,122]

1 hour ago, Tiger said:

Can you elaborate on how we have better options this year? We literally have the same options we had last year minus KJ but add in some freshman who's top experience is high school football. And apparently those options who were available to us last year were not good enough to see the field when the game was still in the balance, according to the staff, so I have a hard time thinking they're feeling like there are better options to put out there than we had last season.

Well, consider that this year, Kam has another season of experience and supposedly has learned how to block.....and we have three or four really good young RBs, a couple with some good size on them.  Last year it was pretty much KJ and Kam and Miller (who was far behind).....and reportedly Kam was not a reliable blocker.  Those were not great options....especially when some coaches decided that an 80% KJ was still the best RB in most circumstances..    

If all we hear about the young guys is close to true, and Kam has improved all the way around...which should be expected... and none of the group is clearly superior ....as was KJ did last season......I would say, as a  group, the options look pretty good at the moment. .  

Well they look good as long as any or all of them are able to protect JS ....which is near the top of the list of things that are important when deciding who should be playing....JMO. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

3 minutes ago, AU64 said:

Well, consider that this year, Kam has another season of experience and supposedly has learned how to block.....and we have three or four really good young RBs, a couple with some good size on them.  Last year it was pretty much KJ and Kam and Miller (who was far behind).....and reportedly Kam was not a reliable blocker.  Those were not great options....especially when some coaches decided that an 80% KJ was still the best RB in most circumstances..    

If all we hear about the young guys is close to true, and Kam has improved all the way around...which should be expected... and none of the group is clearly superior ....as was KJ did last season......I would say, as a  group, the options look pretty good at the moment. .  

Well they look good as long as any or all of them are able to protect JS ....which is near the top of the list of things that are important when deciding who should be playing....JMO. 

By December, Kam Martin had already been here 2 full seasons. He couldn't block then but he can block 4 months later? After one spring session? That just doesn't add up.

And it was still ridiculous to not play him in the SECCG. There seems to be this narrative forming that any play he would have been in on would have been an automatic sack.

We had no plays to run when we had an ace QB, one of the most talented groups of receivers we've ever assembled, Chandler Cox, nothing *but* blocking tight ends and a guy who, while not great in pass pro, is a demon running the ball?

Big time fails from the staff. Glad they're acknowledging it and hopefully addressing it. 

[AU64 10,122]

2 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

...By December, Kam Martin had already been here 2 full seasons. He couldn't block then but he can block 4 months later? After one spring session? That just doesn't add up.

I agree....and still don't know if he can block well enough to protect JS.....but I don't expect anything but positives about him from the coaches.  On the other hand I don't recall him doing much in the ADay game.... probably by design....so guess we will have to wait and see. 

And that was a pretty luke-warm endorsement from Horton...."if the game were played today he would start"....and so on..  We will know a lot more in late August. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 minute ago, AU64 said:

I agree....and still don't know if he can block well enough to protect JS.....but I don't expect anything but positives about him from the coaches.  On the other hand I don't recall him doing much in the ADay game.... probably by design....so guess we will have to wait and see. 

And that was a pretty luke-warm endorsement from Horton...."if the game were played today he would start"....and so on..  We will know a lot more in late August. 

Can't argue with any of that.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

19 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

By December, Kam Martin had already been here 2 full seasons. He couldn't block then but he can block 4 months later? After one spring session? That just doesn't add up.

And it was still ridiculous to not play him in the SECCG. There seems to be this narrative forming that any play he would have been in on would have been an automatic sack.

We had no plays to run when we had an ace QB, one of the most talented groups of receivers we've ever assembled, Chandler Cox, nothing *but* blocking tight ends and a guy who, while not great in pass pro, is a demon running the ball?

Big time fails from the staff. Glad they're acknowledging it and hopefully addressing it. 

For the record, the comment about Kam blocking seemed about as off hand as the starting comment. The one he really was high on regarding his improvement as a blocker was your boy Miller. The thing he said about Kam that stood out to me is that he's put on more weight, which to me means he's gained strength. That's never a bad thing as a runner or a blocker.

Here's the thing about the Championship game... there had to be a reason that he didn't play any more than he did. The "Gus is stubborn" excuse doesn't make any sense when the game is on the line and winning the game not only is a HUGE deal but also pads his personal pockets substantially. The one that makes the most sense is that they weren't comfortable that he could protect Stidham when the need arose, because we all know and have seen that he can get yards on the ground.

 

[Scotty2Hotty 520]

26 minutes ago, bigbird said:

2017 FSU:

32 sacks given up, resulting in a season-ending patella tendon to their starting QB

Best rusher gained 78.8 yards/game

Why? Inexperienced O-Line and departure of their best RB

[McLoofus 35,182]

6 minutes ago, lionheartkc said:

The "Gus is stubborn" excuse doesn't make any sense when the game is on the line and winning the game not only is a HUGE deal but also pads his personal pockets substantially. 

With the exception of the big November games this past season, Gus has been at his worst in that scenario. 

[lionheartkc 6,150]

4 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

With the exception of the big November games this past season, Gus has been at his worst in that scenario. 

Or, Gus has been at his worst when he's missing a key part of his offense (or multiple keys some years) and he doesn't have a back-up plan. The two seem to coincide.

Something we never discuss... Gus's 2 best years at Auburn... 2010 and 2013... we never lost a key player to injury. Gus didn't have to change the plan mid-season. We always fall apart when the guy that he built the offense around goes down.

[bigbird 60,523]

1 minute ago, lionheartkc said:

We always fall apart when the guy that he built the offense around goes down.

That's a HUGE problem!

[McLoofus 35,182]

Just now, lionheartkc said:

Or, Gus has been at his worst when he's missing a key part of his offense (or multiple keys some years) and he doesn't have a back-up plan. The two seem to coincide.

Something we never discuss... Gus's 2 best years at Auburn... 2010 and 2013... we never lost a key player to injury. Gus didn't have to change the plan mid-season. We always fall apart when the guy that he built the offense around goes down.

Except the Clemson games. 

As for the other issue... yeah... he's got to do better. Horton's on board. 

[bigbird 60,523]

10 minutes ago, Scotty2Hotty said:

2017 FSU:

32 sacks given up, resulting in a season-ending patella tendon to their starting QB

Best rusher gained 78.8 yards/game

Why? Inexperienced O-Line and departure of their best RB

 

[Scotty2Hotty 520]

2 minutes ago, bigbird said:

 

Gave a valid comparison. Except we don’t have the #1 rated RB recruit starting for us this season. 

But that’s ok. You keep pumpin, Sunshine. 

[bigbird 60,523]

4 minutes ago, Scotty2Hotty said:

Gave a valid comparison. Except we don’t have the #1 rated RB recruit starting for us this season. 

But that’s ok. You keep pumpin, Sunshine. 

That's the problem.  No one asked for a comparison, we asked if you could expound your position on us being in trouble because you think, inaccurately,  that Kam Martin hasn't broken any tackles.  

Still waiting...

[keesler 5,924]

28 minutes ago, lionheartkc said:

Or, Gus has been at his worst when he's missing a key part of his offense (or multiple keys some years) and he doesn't have a back-up plan. The two seem to coincide.

Something we never discuss... Gus's 2 best years at Auburn... 2010 and 2013... we never lost a key player to injury. Gus didn't have to change the plan mid-season. We always fall apart when the guy that he built the offense around goes down.

That's an enormous problem, and it has retarded AU's success.  He's pulling elite level salary now, he damn sure better have learned to change the plan at any point in the season and get his very talented players ready to step in when needed.  

[toddc 13,194]

1 hour ago, Scotty2Hotty said:

Has he broken a tackle yet?

Have you watched his film yet?

[keesler 5,924]

48 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

With the exception of the big November games this past season, Gus has been at his worst in that scenario. 

Those big November wins set him up for the greatest heist in AU history.  He padded his pockets to the tune of $49mm pretty much guaranteed, then proceeded to.......well we know how it all ended.

[Scotty2Hotty 520]

7 minutes ago, bigbird said:

That's the problem.  No one asked for a comparison, we asked if you could expound your position on us being in trouble because you think, inaccurately,  that Kam Martin hasn't broken any tackles.  

Still waiting...

We’re in trouble because of inexperience at OL and RB. 

Martin’s small size, which increases chances of injury, esp based on how many touches Gus’ bellcow gets, and decreases pass-blocking ability, plus his inability to break many tackles only thickens our problems on offense. 

You asked to tell you more. I gave you more. And then some. We will encounter many of the same offensive problems as 2017 FSU did. 

Oh wait. This isn’t a positive prediction. Queue the condescending gif/video in 3, 2, 1...

[Scotty2Hotty 520]

17 minutes ago, toddc said:

Have you watched his film yet?

I watched the 2017 season. 

[lionheartkc 6,150]

49 minutes ago, keesler said:

That's an enormous problem, and it has retarded AU's success.  He's pulling elite level salary now, he damn sure better have learned to change the plan at any point in the season and get his very talented players ready to step in when needed.  

Agreed.