Hardest job in America

[Mikey 16,649]

Just now, AUDevil said:

We'll always be trailer trash...guess we should settle for a GED and get those silly notions of going to college out of heads.

I have a GED, former high school dropout. Also a degree from Auburn University. People and teams can improve themselves and that's what we want for Auburn. Denying the truth of the past, claiming past accomplishments that didn't exist, does not aid in progress in the present.

[McLoofus 35,182]

2 minutes ago, Zeek said:

That being said, I understand we might not have the history but why should that prevent us from expecting better from the present? 2004, 2010, 2013, 2017 were all extremely solid years we'd just like to see some consistency. Yes, 2017 didn't end the way we would have liked but I think we should aim for that season to become close to our "floor" and 2010/04 to be our ceiling.

2017 really is Gus in a nutshell to me. Yeah, we had some big wins and put up some big numbers. We also had 2 of the worst, dumbest regular season losses I've ever seen. The SECCG was a little more forgivable but it was still a pretty huge letdown. 

Our floor should be looking like we scouted our opponent and game planned accordingly each week. We haven't even sniffed that under Gus. 

 

[Zeek 16,657]

Some dude at CBS has us winning 10 games though 🤷‍♂️

I think Oregon, Alabama, and Georgia are game we should lose (though having both at home doesn't hurt)

Texas A&M, Mississippi State, LSU (not sure this is the year we win in Death Valley), and Florida are games we might lose

Ole Miss, Arkansas, Tulane, Kent State, and Samford are games we shouldn't lose

Odds say if we make a bowl game we will likely lose it unless we get a vastly inferior opponent

Just don't see 10 wins this season. The defense should be phenomenal. The offense should have the tools to be successful barring injuries.

[bigbird 60,574]

31 minutes ago, Mikey said:

I didn't blame the fans entirely, but the negativism is a factor. Who puts a coach on the hot seat and makes recruiting more difficult? Partially the coach through a less than desirable record, and the fans who bellyache incessantly. Coaches on the hot seat have a tough sell when recruiting.

No, coaches that inexplicably lose games, fail to develop players, or evolve to the game have tough times recruiting. Blaming the fans, even partially, for wanting better and holding coaches accountable is just dumb.

[AUApostle 7,651]

20 minutes ago, Mikey said:

I have a GED, former high school dropout. Also a degree from Auburn University. People and teams can improve themselves and that's what we want for Auburn. Denying the truth of the past, claiming past accomplishments that didn't exist, does not aid in progress in the present.

That's not what you were saying though...you're presenting our situation as though our past dictates our future.

[auburnphan 6,050]

OK,  so if something is difficult don’t try to get better at it.  If there I any risk in a decision don’t make one because it might turn out bad.  Got it.  The Gus pumpers Creed

[WarDamnEagleWDE 12,737]

42 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Yes, I said that already. In the very post you quoted.

You said partially. Then went derp saying that it's fans bellyaching. Gus is where he is because of Gus. Not because of ONE bellyaching fan. Not one.

[BigWhiskey91 632]

To get back on frame, my god what I would do to just have back to back 10 win seasons. 

Ultimately, I think the OL recruiting will be Malzahns death. Unless we make some massive moves to sign some grad transfers/juco bodies for the OL, it’s going to be scary this year and abysmal in 2020. 

Im hoping this 2019 squad can put on a show and be successful. So much potential in both the offense and defense. Offense has a ton of returning production at the skill positions. An improved OL and a new face at QB could be the fix we need. Hoping to see continued aggressive play calling. I’ve tried not to get myself all hyped up, but I’m all in. Im at 21+ win over Oregon levels of hype right now. Working on getting my tickets for @ UF now.

[Win4AU 4,054]

I agree with a lot of what the guy says.  I always like to take a 10k foot view and am a big believer in how good your team is this year is comparative to how it was 3-4 years ago due to recruiting.  2013-2014 Gus overachieved and had the help of the 2009-2010 recruits.  2015 could best be described as a transition year with Gus’s recruits starting to move up the depth chart along with recruits from the disastrous 2012 campaign.  2016 probably should have been a 9-10 win season if not for Sean’s arm falling off and all the RBs going down against UGA.  2017 great season.  Rebuild of the defense is complete and once again should have been 9-10 win season without injuries and a bad half in Red Stick.  2018 underachieved but could also be traced back to 2015 recruiting following a blah year?  Things going in Gus’s favor the emergence of UT and Florida in the East will hopefully slow UGA’s roll.  Texas, TaMu, and LSU all fighting for the same recruits will hopefully keep them in check.  Saban is getting old.  I think that Clemson game was the first domino.  If Gus can get Auburn to 9-10 win seasons instead of 8 with the CFP being in play every year I think Gus will coach out his contract.  He has the QBs to be here at least 3-4 more years.

[McLoofus 35,182]

7 minutes ago, auburnphan said:

OK,  so if something is difficult don’t try to get better at it.  If there I any risk in a decision don’t make one because it might turn out bad.  Got it.  The Gus pumpers Creed

And this from the same people who keep bringing up the past and "what Auburn's always been". Welp, for the last 40 years and last 5 hires, Auburn has been a team that immediately gets a lot better when we hire a new coach. 

-From 3-9 to national championship game in year 1
-From 5-7 to national championship won in year 2
-From 3-8 to 9-4 by year 2
-From 5-5-1 to undefeated in year 1
-From 5-6 to 9-3 by year 2

These are how our last five hires started their tenures at Auburn. So yeah, we have shown time and time again how bad coaching changes are. 

Good gravy, folks. If y'all are going to talk about the past, at least get it right. 

[ellitor 33,111]

56 minutes ago, WarDamnEagleWDE said:

You said partially. Then went derp saying that it's fans bellyaching. Gus is where he is because of Gus. Not because of ONE bellyaching fan. Not one.

True but per Keith FWIW many times the way our fans have bellyached wherever it may be has created an additional challenge our staff has to deal with on the trail. I/m not saying don't bellyache or call for better just that we collectively are being heard. And yes it's up to our HC to win & do better so the bellyaches drops down.

[Win4AU 4,054]

1 minute ago, McLoofus said:

And this from the same people who keep bringing up the past and "what Auburn's always been". Welp, for the last 40 years and last 5 hires, Auburn has been a team that immediately gets a lot better when we hire a new coach. 

-From 3-9 to national championship game in year 1
-From 5-7 to national championship won in year 2
-From 3-8 to 9-4 by year 2
-From 5-5-1 to undefeated in year 1
-From 5-6 to 9-3 by year 2

These are how our last five hires started their tenures at Auburn. So yeah, we have shown time and time again how bad coaching changes are. 

Good gravy, folks. If y'all are going to talk about the past, at least get it right. 

That Terry Bowden run was something special.

[abw0004 10,125]

Man all the hate this week is extra.

 

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 minute ago, Win4AU said:

That Terry Bowden run was something special.

Man. Every Auburn coach's career is special. Eric Ramsey, some PTB's daughter, Tony Franklin, 3-9. It's better to burn out than to fade away! 

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 minute ago, abw0004 said:

Man all the hate this week is extra.

Gotta fess up here. I do hate terrible logic. 

[fredst 9,064]

Man,to me, as a member of The Pack, this thread is an absolutely sublime mix of the right-on-target assessments/completely-ridiculous-excuse-making that I've come to love from this board. WOOOOO!!!!!! LET'S GO!!!!!!

[toddc 13,194]

We always seem to be a bubble team. We recruit pretty well 10-12 nationally,  and we have maybe 4-5th level facilities in the sec. I’m not sure we’re gonna get up higher than 6-7 nationally recruiting wise, but have the money to improve facilities wise to top 2-3 in sec. So for us to rise above being right on the edge of being national title contenders or 10 wins a year average, everything has to line up perfectly. Our schedule and having to compete for recruits against bams and pups, others in sec, and now Clemson makes it extremely hard to win 10 games a year consistently. All the stars must line up for that to happen. Just look back at 2010(qb of the generation and some really miraculous wins) and then 2013 we had two really, really, really, really miraculous wins and then lost partly because a guy pulls up lame on I think a fake punt(ran out of miracles). I’m not saying that we can’t be better, nor am I saying we should settle for anything less than being the best program out there. But in reality, and I think the op shows this, everything has to align perfectly to achieve what we all want for Auburn University football. Now I hope and pray that it’s God’s will for that to happen! Amen 

[McLoofus 35,182]

10 minutes ago, fredst said:

Man,to me, as a member of The Pack, this thread is an absolutely sublime mix of the right-on-target assessments/completely-ridiculous-excuse-making that I've come to love from this board. WOOOOO!!!!!! LET'S GO!!!!!!

Hah! Yes. In fact, I didn't have any reactions left to love, laugh at or even just regular ol' like this post.

[AUGoo 2,664]

3 hours ago, Zeek said:

 

My biggest complaint about Gus is that we hired him to be a mastermind of offense. Yet the dude has never solved the red zone and recently the O has been nothing but a hindrance. The hurry up aspect of Gus’ O was critical as was the mobile QB. The league has caught up and moved past his concepts unfortunately.

 

 

Honestly, I'm not convinced they have.  I more saw Gus move away from his Offense.  We lost the HUNH part with substitutions.  He quit with the motion and multiple misdirection on every play and became predictable.  All this happened with him running the O through someone else-the OC.  I am encouraged by the Purdue game in which he went back to this philosophy and calling the plays himself.  At least I have some hope.  I am at the end of my optimism rope and quickly becoming disinterested.  More of the Purdue philosophy should reel me back in.

[dyehardfanAU 2,117]

1 minute ago, AUGoo said:

Honestly, I'm not convinced they have.  I more saw Gus move away from his Offense.  We lost the HUNH part with substitutions.  He quit with the motion and multiple misdirection on every play and became predictable.  All this happened with him running the O through someone else-the OC.  I am encouraged by the Purdue game in which he went back to this philosophy and calling the plays himself.  At least I have some hope.  I am at the end of my optimism rope and quickly becoming disinterested.  More of the Purdue philosophy should reel me back in.

Wait a minute, you think any OC under Gus had something to do with play calling?

[The Freak 2,528]

1 hour ago, auburnphan said:

OK,  so if something is difficult don’t try to get better at it.  If there I any risk in a decision don’t make one because it might turn out bad.  Got it.  The Gus pumpers Creed

Here's to hoping that the term "Gus pumpers" catches on.

 

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 minute ago, The Freak said:

Here's to hoping that the term "Gus pumpers" catches on.

Glad I'm not the only one.

 

[AUGoo 2,664]

7 minutes ago, dyehardfanAU said:

Wait a minute, you think any OC under Gus had something to do with play calling?

At the very least it caused some confusion.  

If not just for fodder for discussions as this.

[oracle79 3,569]

51 minutes ago, abw0004 said:

Man all the hate this week is extra.

If you're a fan of analytics, you can determine the amount of hate in a thread by determining the ratio of Mikey's and 64's posts to the total # of posts in the thread. The higher the ratio, the greater the hate.  Now chicken or egg? I dunno...

[McLoofus 35,182]

9 minutes ago, oracle79 said:

If you're a fan of analytics, you can determine the amount of hate in a thread by determining the ratio of Mikey's and 64's posts to the total # of posts in the thread. The higher the ratio, the greater the hate.  Now chicken or egg? I dunno...

Ain't it something?

Group A: "..."

Group B: "Group A are a bunch of delusional whiners with unreasonable expectations!"

Group A: "Actually, what we are advocating for..."

Group B: "GOD WHY DO YOU HATERS RUIN EVERY THREAD, DON'T YOU EVER SHUT UP???"