Offensive Production & WR Use

[bigbird 60,573]

8 minutes ago, Scotty2Hotty said:

I’m not sure where lots of points are going to come from. 

[gr82b4au 5,568]

24 minutes ago, Scotty2Hotty said:

I’m not sure where lots of points are going to come from. I see the scoring similar to the UW game last year. 

I agree with you. I will be pleasantly surprised if we score more that 24 points. 

I just want the D to step up and hammer Oregon. 

[Scotty2Hotty 520]

18 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

I agree with you. I will be pleasantly surprised if we score more that 24 points. 

I just want the D to step up and hammer Oregon. 

Their OL vs. our DL is going to be THE matchup of the entire weekend.

Last time we played them, Fairley whooped their collective asses (oops, is saying ASS against forum rules?) and was the difference in the game.

 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,679]

7 hours ago, Scotty2Hotty said:

Didn’t say Marshall was a gamechanger from day one. Else we would have slaughtered WSU. Neither was Cam a gamechanger from day one. But both showed freakish ability at a few points in their first games. 

Currently, I don’t see the same with Gatewood. That can change and hope it does. I do think he’ll make a better than average zone read QB if he ever starts. But freakish talent? Yet to be determined at the college level. 

Joey played one quarter, so if your rationale is an individual showing freakish ability in their first games...maybe wait until Joey plays an entire game?

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,679]

Probably hard for a ton of QBs to show much when they're asked to run a read option with the third string team at a methodically slow pace, on top of not being allowed to score, while being up 50

[DAG 33,997]

6 hours ago, Tiger said:

Guys... Cam was a RS-Jr when he showed all those signs.

Joey will need time.. A few years of it

Thank you.

[Scotty2Hotty 520]

1 hour ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

Joey played one quarter, so if your rationale is an individual showing freakish ability in their first games...maybe wait until Joey plays an entire game?

Marshall had numerous highlights at Garden City in his first season as a college QB that were freakish. Not saying Gatewood can't have any freakish moments. Saying Gatewood pales in comparison in freakness to Marshall and Cam.

Currently, I would say Gatewood is a poor man's Tebow .. nothing freakish or flashy .. just an above average zone read QB .. a Nick Fitzgerald if you will, which the Auburn defense would say is quite a force.

[Scotty2Hotty 520]

1 hour ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

Probably hard for a ton of QBs to show much when they're asked to run a read option with the third string team at a methodically slow pace, on top of not being allowed to score, while being up 50

Would beg to differ. It was abundantly clear Gatewood was trying to score on that last drive .. which I loved. That was when he first got my attention. Of course it's an incredibly small sample against a po dunk defense that had long since given up, but was impressed by his running effort. His passing game is a complete mystery.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,679]

3 hours ago, Scotty2Hotty said:

Would beg to differ. It was abundantly clear Gatewood was trying to score on that last drive .. which I loved. That was when he first got my attention. Of course it's an incredibly small sample against a po dunk defense that had long since given up, but was impressed by his running effort. His passing game is a complete mystery.

You can try to score without being allowed to. Him being allowed to would’ve involved a game plan that allowed things other than the read option

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,679]

3 hours ago, Scotty2Hotty said:

Marshall had numerous highlights at Garden City in his first season as a college QB that were freakish. Not saying Gatewood can't have any freakish moments. Saying Gatewood pales in comparison in freakness to Marshall and Cam.

Currently, I would say Gatewood is a poor man's Tebow .. nothing freakish or flashy .. just an above average zone read QB .. a Nick Fitzgerald if you will, which the Auburn defense would say is quite a force.

So NM, in two seasons of college development, could show more than Joey? Like from a body perspective, NM would obviously be at a higher level physically. Plus, he would’ve had more than a quarter to show you these NUMEROUS highlights 

[aujeff11 6,243]

8 hours ago, Scotty2Hotty said:

Currently, I would say Gatewood is a poor man's Tebow .. nothing freakish or flashy .. just an above average zone read QB .. a Nick Fitzgerald if you will, which the Auburn defense would say is quite a force.

Gatewood has power in his major muscle groups that can allow him to be a bull up the middle when needed. He won’t be Cam, probably won’t be as fast or elusive as Cam, but will be stronger than Cam. Cam was squatting 405 in 2011;  JG was squatting 520 in HS.  If he makes the right reads, 3rd and 2 or 3 can be automatic just like with Cam. 

JG is a far cry from being anything like Marshall. As long as he’s effective in the ZR, that’s what matters. 

 

[DAG 33,997]

9 hours ago, Scotty2Hotty said:

Marshall had numerous highlights at Garden City in his first season as a college QB that were freakish. Not saying Gatewood can't have any freakish moments. Saying Gatewood pales in comparison in freakness to Marshall and Cam.

Currently, I would say Gatewood is a poor man's Tebow .. nothing freakish or flashy .. just an above average zone read QB .. a Nick Fitzgerald if you will, which the Auburn defense would say is quite a force.

That's juco though. What do you think JG would do at the Juco ranks? Plus they pretty much gave NM the green light there lol. He had a lot of turnovers there, if I remember correctly.

[johnnyAU 3,634]

I just don't want a repeat of the Clemson game(s) where we are close but fail to muster any real clear offensive attack and end up dropping a very winnable opener against a top tier opponent, because we are either completely unprepared or too tentative on that side of the ball. 

 

[Scotty2Hotty 520]

2 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

Gatewood has power in his major muscle groups that can allow him to be a bull up the middle when needed. He won’t be Cam, probably won’t be as fast or elusive as Cam, but will be stronger than Cam. Cam was squatting 405 in 2011;  JG was squatting 520 in HS.  If he makes the right reads, 3rd and 2 or 3 can be automatic just like with Cam. 

JG is a far cry from being anything like Marshall. As long as he’s effective in the ZR, that’s what matters. 

 

The zone read won’t be an issue with Gatewood. It’s his passing game at the college level that is an unknown. When Marshall and Cam had good passing games, that’s when defenses had to respect the entire field. 

[DAG 33,997]

Honestly, I would love for Gatewood to look more like Dak Prescott. He fits that mold more than Cam, IMO

[Scotty2Hotty 520]

1 hour ago, DAG said:

That's juco though. What do you think JG would do at the Juco ranks? Plus they pretty much gave NM the green light there lol. He had a lot of turnovers there, if I remember correctly.

Good memory. He had several INTs because their defense was terrible, often forcing him to throw on most downs. 

Not sure what Gatewood would do in juco. My point was a full year of juco at QB gave Marshall much needed experience for us. Remember he played with the CB group for a full year prior at Georgia. 

[aujeff11 6,243]

20 minutes ago, Scotty2Hotty said:

The zone read won’t be an issue with Gatewood. It’s his passing game at the college level that is an unknown. When Marshall and Cam had good passing games, that’s when defenses had to respect the entire field. 

I agree that Gatewood’s consistency as a passer is an unknown. 

Saw a video yesterday and a point that stuck out to me was basically whichever QB has a secondary asset too good to take off the field will be the QB that starts. 

Within that mindset, it’s Gatewood’s arm v. Nix’s athletic ability unless the values of the primary assets are so one sided in one’s favor that it becomes ridiculous to justify taking the superior primary talent off the field (ie Stidham’s arm v Malik Willis’s running ability.)

[DAG 33,997]

15 hours ago, bigbird said:

you missed a golden opportunity right here!

 

[Scotty2Hotty 520]

12 minutes ago, DAG said:

you missed a golden opportunity right here!

 

First guy was an amateur. 

[SumterAubie 3,031]

On 7/31/2019 at 8:58 AM, bigbird said:

@DAG

Wave off! Wave off!

Now that is badass!!!

[Auburn Kev 1,653]

Quote

New Auburn wide receiver Zach Farrar is ‘twitchy.’ What does that mean?

Posted Aug 13, 10:48 AM

 

By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

Ask Auburn players about one of their newest teammates, wide receiver Zach Farrar, and they all use the same word to describe the grad transfer from Youngstown State.

Twitchy.

“He’s a real twitchy guy,” receivers Sal Cannella and Marquis McClain each said.

Said fellow cornerback Noah Igbinoghene: “He’s very twitchy with it.”

It’s an interesting adjective for the 6-foot-4, 210-pounder, with wide receivers coach Kodi Burns apparently being the first to use the adjective when talking about Farrar. While it has caught on among other Auburn players, what exactly does it mean when it comes to the Tigers’ newest wide receivers?

“It’s really just — being off the line, he’s fast, but he’s not like Anthony (Schwartz) fast,” Igbinoghene said. “But he’s more twitchy than Anthony, if that makes sense. He’s got a little bit of jiggle with them, a little bit…. Zach has got a little bit of speed, but he’s very twitchy with it.”

Igbinoghene, the Tigers’ top cornerback, likened Farrar’s skillset to those of McClain and sophomore receiver Shedrick Jackson. The former is fitting, since Farrar is spending most of his time in preseason camp working at split end along with McClain.

That position is one that needs to be filled for Auburn’s offense following the departure of Darius Slayton, who declared early for the NFL Draft after catching 35 passes for 670 yards and five touchdowns last season. With Slayton gone, Auburn needs to find a new downfield threat on the outside — someone who has the speed to blow by defensive backs and the length to go up and make contested receptions on deep balls.

While McClain was a spring breakout for Auburn following three seasons of relative obscurity, Farrar presents the receiving corps with an intriguing option in that split end role after arriving from Youngstown State. A former three-star receiver who originally signed with Oklahoma, Farrar spent the 2017 season at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College before playing at FCS Youngstown State in 2018.

At MGCCCC, Farrar caught 11 passes for 226 yards and four touchdowns, and then last season for the Penguins he had 20 catches for 307 yards and a touchdown in just six games.

“I wouldn’t say he brings something that’s missing; I think he just adds into a room full of a big arsenal,” Cannella said. “He brings his own tools to the tool box, you know what I’m saying? Like I said, he’s an explosive dude, he’s going to go make plays, and he’s real aggressive too. It’s just coming out each and every day and getting better.”

Auburn has had some success with grad transfers over the years — defensive back Blake Countess in 2015, center Casey Dunn in 2017 and current right tackle Jack Driscoll, to name a few — but the program has never really had one make an impact at an offensive skill position. The Tigers hope the addition of Farrar can buck that trend this fall.

“I really like Zach,” McClain said. “I think the can help us, honestly.”

Farrar received a “couple of opportunities” during Auburn’s first fall scrimmage last week, but Gus Malzahn said that he plans to get more targets for him—as well as grad transfer H-back Jay Jay Wilson—when the team holds its second scrimmage Wednesday morning. In the opportunities he has had, however, Farrar has “really flashed out,” according to Igbinoghene. McClain, meanwhile, added that he believes Farrar can emerge as a deep-play threat for Auburn’s passing game this season.

But first, he needs to fully acclimate himself to the Tigers’ offense and digest the playbook — and the formations, routes and terminology that comes with it — as Malzahn continues to install things at an expedited pace. It’s a work in progress, but it has been Farrar’s main focus through the first couple weeks of camp, and McClain said the former Youngstown State wideout is “coming along.”

While Auburn is eager to see what Farrar can do once he adapts to the playbook, he and his twitchiness have already been a welcome addition to the Tigers’ receiving corps.

“We love Zach in our room,” Cannella said. “He’s a real twitchy guy. He’s got a lot of natural instincts about him. He’s fast. He’s real — he’s aggressive, and that’s a good thing. There’s just a few things he’s got to get used to in the offense, and that’s normal for anyone coming in from a different school, whatever the case may be. You got to adjust — different routes, different concepts, scheme and whatnot. It’s just getting a feel for things.

“He’s doing real well. We’ve been impressed. He’s explosive too.”

 

[toddc 13,194]

New Auburn wide receiver Zach Farrar is ‘twitchy.’ What does that mean?

Posted Aug 13, 10:48 AM

Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics

Graduate transfer wide receiver Zach Farrar catches a pass during fall camp.

47

127 shares

By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

Ask Auburn players about one of their newest teammates, wide receiver Zach Farrar, and they all use the same word to describe the grad transfer from Youngstown State.

Twitchy.

“He’s a real twitchy guy,” receivers Sal Cannella and Marquis McClain each said.

Said fellow cornerback Noah Igbinoghene: “He’s very twitchy with it.”

It’s an interesting adjective for the 6-foot-4, 210-pounder, with wide receivers coach Kodi Burns apparently being the first to use the adjective when talking about Farrar. While it has caught on among other Auburn players, what exactly does it mean when it comes to the Tigers’ newest wide receivers?

“It’s really just — being off the line, he’s fast, but he’s not like Anthony (Schwartz) fast,” Igbinoghene said. “But he’s more twitchy than Anthony, if that makes sense. He’s got a little bit of jiggle with them, a little bit…. Zach has got a little bit of speed, but he’s very twitchy with it.”

Igbinoghene, the Tigers’ top cornerback, likened Farrar’s skillset to those of McClain and sophomore receiver Shedrick Jackson. The former is fitting, since Farrar is spending most of his time in preseason camp working at split end along with McClain.

That position is one that needs to be filled for Auburn’s offense following the departure of Darius Slayton, who declared early for the NFL Draft after catching 35 passes for 670 yards and five touchdowns last season. With Slayton gone, Auburn needs to find a new downfield threat on the outside — someone who has the speed to blow by defensive backs and the length to go up and make contested receptions on deep balls.

While McClain was a spring breakout for Auburn following three seasons of relative obscurity, Farrar presents the receiving corps with an intriguing option in that split end role after arriving from Youngstown State. A former three-star receiver who originally signed with Oklahoma, Farrar spent the 2017 season at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College before playing at FCS Youngstown State in 2018.

Auburn's early fall camp impressions of grad transfer receiver Zach Farrar

At MGCCCC, Farrar caught 11 passes for 226 yards and four touchdowns, and then last season for the Penguins he had 20 catches for 307 yards and a touchdown in just six games.

“I wouldn’t say he brings something that’s missing; I think he just adds into a room full of a big arsenal,” Cannella said. “He brings his own tools to the tool box, you know what I’m saying? Like I said, he’s an explosive dude, he’s going to go make plays, and he’s real aggressive too. It’s just coming out each and every day and getting better.”

Auburn has had some success with grad transfers over the years — defensive back Blake Countess in 2015, center Casey Dunn in 2017 and current right tackle Jack Driscoll, to name a few — but the program has never really had one make an impact at an offensive skill position. The Tigers hope the addition of Farrar can buck that trend this fall.

“I really like Zach,” McClain said. “I think the can help us, honestly.”

Farrar received a “couple of opportunities” during Auburn’s first fall scrimmage last week, but Gus Malzahn said that he plans to get more targets for him—as well as grad transfer H-back Jay Jay Wilson—when the team holds its second scrimmage Wednesday morning. In the opportunities he has had, however, Farrar has “really flashed out,” according to Igbinoghene. McClain, meanwhile, added that he believes Farrar can emerge as a deep-play threat for Auburn’s passing game this season.

But first, he needs to fully acclimate himself to the Tigers’ offense and digest the playbook — and the formations, routes and terminology that comes with it — as Malzahn continues to install things at an expedited pace. It’s a work in progress, but it has been Farrar’s main focus through the first couple weeks of camp, and McClain said the former Youngstown State wideout is “coming along.”

While Auburn is eager to see what Farrar can do once he adapts to the playbook, he and his twitchiness have already been a welcome addition to the Tigers’ receiving corps.

“We love Zach in our room,” Cannella said. “He’s a real twitchy guy. He’s got a lot of natural instincts about him. He’s fast. He’s real — he’s aggressive, and that’s a good thing. There’s just a few things he’s got to get used to in the offense, and that’s normal for anyone coming in from a different school, whatever the case may be. You got to adjust — different routes, different concepts, scheme and whatnot. It’s just getting a feel for things.

“He’s doing real well. We’ve been impressed. He’s explosive too.”

Hey Kev if you’ll post as plain text it’s more readable. It’s an option at the end. @Auburn Kev