Losing at South Carolina

[AUght2win 6,855]

Let me preface this by saying I still don't believe we are a tier 1 football team this year. UGA beat us too soundly while exposing too many fundamental deficiencies for us to think we are capable of a championship.

That said, and despite all the close calls and officiating miracles needed, we are 4-2. One of those 2 is to a putrid South Carolina. It really stings when you consider that without this inexcusable loss, we would still control our own destiny, and likely be 6-1 going into T-Town.

My question is, though, WOULD we have won our last 2 without the gut check in Columbia? It seemed like after Arkansas our players and coaches were a bit in denial about where we were as a team. USC was an ugly mirror they couldn't turn away from. 

I'm not convinced that we beat Ole Miss, maybe not even LSU, without that season resetting moment. 

In short, should the USC loss be viewed as a necessary evil that this team needed, or simply a season wrecking loss with no upside?

[AUght2win 6,855]

My opinion on it is that we aren't a 6-1 quality football team. Had we not lost to USC, we would have lost to someone else just as inexcusably. The loss to the Gamecocks was an inevitability for this team, and it makes it a bit easier to cope with. 

Note: I am NOT saying it's acceptable. The fact is Gus shouldn't have us in this type of disarray in year 8. Period. 

[Sizzle 3,917]

That loss is obviously inexcusable but it seems like it woke them up. Wish it didn’t take an embarrassing loss to wake them up

[russnagel1 26]

I haven't thought of it that way before. Yes, I think you are right.

[Mikey 16,638]

8 hours ago, AUght2win said:

Let me preface this by saying I still don't believe we are a tier 1 football team this year. UGA beat us too soundly while exposing too many fundamental deficiencies for us to think we are capable of a championship.

That said, and despite all the close calls and officiating miracles needed, we are 4-2. One of those 2 is to a putrid South Carolina. It really stings when you consider that without this inexcusable loss, we would still control our own destiny, and likely be 6-1 going into T-Town.

My question is, though, WOULD we have won our last 2 without the gut check in Columbia? It seemed like after Arkansas our players and coaches were a bit in denial about where we were as a team. USC was an ugly mirror they couldn't turn away from. 

I'm not convinced that we beat Ole Miss, maybe not even LSU, without that season resetting moment. 

In short, should the USC loss be viewed as a necessary evil that this team needed, or simply a season wrecking loss with no upside?

Your point is not entirely off base, the logic isn't bad. However, I'm of the opinion that little to no good ever comes from a loss. Texas coach Darryl Royal after his team's 30 game winning streak was broken: " Something good may happen to a team from losing a game. I just haven't figured out what that is."

[shabby 1,958]

That goes irks me as South Carolina is a whole new level of bad. If we 0layed them.againnwe would beat them by 30 plus points. Im not sure its all a motivation issue. We had a lot of new pieces and a new coordinator. Also a new offensive line coach.. It was naive to think everything would be ready day one. Im happy with the direction. I thinknit bodes well for the future. The offensive line coming together is huge. 

[woodford 3,660]

8 hours ago, Sizzle said:

That loss is obviously inexcusable but it seems like it woke them up. Wish it didn’t take an embarrassing loss to wake them up

Seems to be a trend with Gus. Better coached teams do not require "wake up calls" they just win or compete like hell.

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

 

1 hour ago, woodford said:

Seems to be a trend with Gus. Better coached teams do not require "wake up calls" they just win or compete like hell.

How many teams have ever gone completely unbeaten in the SEC?  How many times has Alabama lost a game and went on to win a Natty? I know, I know. Alabama never lost to an unranked USC team or unranked team period, but the premise of the argument is still intact. To say that teams need or do not need a wake up call is purely anecdotal. The fact is...it is extremely hard for any team to go through the SEC without an L. 

The frustrating thing about AU under Gus is that it more times than not that L comes from a team we should throttle. 

[woodford 3,660]

2 hours ago, Tigerpro2a said:

 

How many teams have ever gone completely unbeaten in the SEC?  How many times has Alabama lost a game and went on to win a Natty? I know, I know. Alabama never lost to an unranked USC team or unranked team period, but the premise of the argument is still intact. To say that teams need or do not need a wake up call is purely anecdotal. The fact is...it is extremely hard for any team to go through the SEC without an L. 

The frustrating thing about AU under Gus is that it more times than not that L comes from a team we should throttle. 

You just said it. This Saban/Bama dynasty is the greatest ever not only because of the championships, but because because they don't ever lose games to teams that severely lack talent or are poorly coached. Every single Alabama loss since 2010 has been to a team that has NFL talent.

My point is, when Alabama would lose a regular season game like to LSU, Auburn, or Ole Miss they were already a favorite to win the national title. They were already the most talented and best coached team in the country. They didn't rally around the loss and that's what propelled them to a championship. That's just my opinion. I understand and acknowledge that some teams need this, but elite ones do not.

 

[Sizzle 3,917]

3 hours ago, woodford said:

Seems to be a trend with Gus. Better coached teams do not require "wake up calls" they just win or compete like hell.

Every team has wake up calls. You can win and the game still be a wake up call. Just hate we had to lose to wake up 

[AUght2win 6,855]

1 hour ago, Sizzle said:

Every team has wake up calls. You can win and the game still be a wake up call. Just hate we had to lose to wake up 

But Gus is a coach who seems to be in denial about his teams. One of the things you havs to give Saban credit for is he calls out BS and demands improvement even when they are up 40. Gus was thrilled about limping out of JHS with a win against Arkansas. 

Only a loss will wake up a Gus team. 

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

5 minutes ago, AUght2win said:

But Gus is a coach who seems to be in denial about his teams. One of the things you havs to give Saban credit for is he calls out BS and demands improvement even when they are up 40. Gus was thrilled about limping out of JHS with a win against Arkansas. 

 

My biggest quarrel with Gus ^^^^^^^^^

It drives me nuts that we hear the same crap year over year. We are a work in progress. We are a young team. Experience will make us better. I think if Gus had come out in some of those pressers after USCe loss, UT loss , etc. and said "You know...we got out coached. We failed miserably and it starts with me as the HC. I failed. We are not a good team. We got our ass kicked. Whatever it looks like. I would love to see him say that sometimes.

[GwillMac6 20,689]

People kill Chad for the game plan. 47 passes. But the game plan was sound. The execution of it was not. South Carolina is abysmal vs the pass. Ole Miss and Matt Corrall passed for 513 yards on only 31 attempts with 27 completions on them. Ole Miss hung 59 on them.  That is freaking nuts. The LSU QB who we made look absolutely terrible against us and got benched made his first career start vs South Carolina had 275 yards passing and 3 touchdowns. LSU hung 52 on them. TAMU and Kellen mond carved up that secondary again to the tune of 48-3. South Carolina may be the worst SEC team. Them or Vandy. Still leaning Vandy but South Carolina is close behind. One of the worst losses of the Malzahn era. This is right up there with losing at home to one of the worst all time Rocky Top teams in 2018.

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,305]

35 minutes ago, GwillMac6 said:

One of the worst losses of the Malzahn era.

I claim it THE worst loss.

[EastAl_Tiger 228]

2 hours ago, GwillMac6 said:

People kill Chad for the game plan. 47 passes. But the game plan was sound. The execution of it was not. South Carolina is abysmal vs the pass. Ole Miss and Matt Corrall passed for 513 yards on only 31 attempts with 27 completions on them. Ole Miss hung 59 on them.  That is freaking nuts. The LSU QB who we made look absolutely terrible against us and got benched made his first career start vs South Carolina had 275 yards passing and 3 touchdowns. LSU hung 52 on them. TAMU and Kellen mond carved up that secondary again to the tune of 48-3. South Carolina may be the worst SEC team. Them or Vandy. Still leaning Vandy but South Carolina is close behind. One of the worst losses of the Malzahn era. This is right up there with losing at home to one of the worst all time Rocky Top teams in 2018.

if you don't have the talent to execute a particular game plan does that mean the plan is still sound?  I don't know.

[AUwent 3,756]

Random, but y'all are gonna love who Mark Schlabach has us playing in a bowl.

Hint

[GwillMac6 20,689]

7 minutes ago, EastAl_Tiger said:

if you don't have the talent to execute a particular game plan does that mean the plan is still sound?  I don't know.

I say we do. We showed that vs LSU in the passing game. 

[GwillMac6 20,689]

1 minute ago, AUwent said:

Random, but y'all are gonna love who Mark Schlabach has us playing in a bowl.

Please not wiscy again....

[AUwent 3,756]

1 minute ago, GwillMac6 said:

Please not wiscy again....

Still better than doing a home and home with Clemson.

[DAG 33,997]

6 minutes ago, AUwent said:

Random, but y'all are gonna love who Mark Schlabach has us playing in a bowl.

Hint

I saw that earlier and trust me my Wisconsin brethren does not want to play Auburn, again. Also, We don’t want to see Wisconsin. Although , it would be good for me since the ole ball and chain is from there. 

[gr82b4au 5,568]

usc beat vandy... and us. They just fired their coach. 
terrible terrible loss. Like TN a few years ago. Just awful no matter how you slice it. 

[Zeek 16,657]

We lost to a team that just fired their coach mid-season.

[DAG 33,997]

22 minutes ago, Zeek said:

We lost to a team that just fired their coach mid-season.

Damn he really got fired? And we were his only victory? I guess Covid and finances can’t always be an excuse 

[Zeek 16,657]

19 minutes ago, DAG said:

Damn he really got fired? And we were his only victory? I guess Covid and finances can’t always be an excuse 

I think he beat Vanderbilt too. Yup, they just gave him $19m not to work anymore.

[abw0004 10,125]

I wonder if Muschamp would like to be an analyst at Auburn for the remainder of the season and maybe one day take over for Steele when he retires?  Pipe dream I know, but one can speculate.