Four Days Left - Four Pivotal Pieces

[Zeek 16,660]

I’ll keep it short and sweet. Give us four players you think are the most important to watch. One on offense, one on defense, one on special teams, and a bonus pick can be a coach or a player of any position.

Offense - Kam Stutts. I feel really comfortable with our other four starters across the line. Maybe he really turned it on in his final year but having a weak link in the interior of the line can be deadly to an offense.

Defense - Jayson Jones. We’ve heard about concerns stopping the run and that starts with the anchor up front. Jones is a huge human but was often put on skates with double blocks last year. He has to drop his anchor and hold the line for us to succeed.

Special Teams - Alex McPherson. Anders playing with a nagging injury showed us just how important field goals are; something we’ve taken for granted of over the years. Even more important is kicking that mother flipping ball out of the end zone for a touchback.  Our new offense is going to stall out at times so we’ll need AM early and often.

Bonus - Ron Roberts. I know what we’re getting in Phillip Montgomery; I watched the dude plenty against my UCF Knights. Roberts however I’m not completely sold on yet. The defense has recruited well but there’s a player or two in the secondary where I just can’t believe we don’t have (or couldn’t find) a better option.

I don’t mean any of this in a negative way. These are just four key pieces I’ll be watching closely because they can drastically dictate how our season will turn out. Who are four you’re excited about or that you think are pivotal players?

[80Tiger 904]

Zeek, you nailed the 4 IMO. I am very concerned about the Dline and Jones especially. Pad level always seemed to be high and to be as big as he was, he got pushed around a lot and never seemed to make much of a push himself. Inside run D could be our weak point.

[Mikey 16,778]

I'll play:

Offense, QB Thorne. Needs no explanation.

Defense, Senior LB Cam Riley. This guy with worlds of potential has yet to have a solid season. It's now or never and the team needs him to step up.

Special teams, returner Brian Battie. Can he do against SEC teams what he did to earn AA honors against lesser competition?

Wild card, Whole O-line. Are they really better or have we simply swapped names?

[Zeek 16,660]

29 minutes ago, Mikey said:

I'll play:

Offense, QB Thorne. Needs no explanation.

Defense, Senior LB Cam Riley. This guy with worlds of potential has yet to have a solid season. It's now or never and the team needs him to step up.

Special teams, returner Brian Battie. Can he do against SEC teams what he did to earn AA honors against lesser competition?

Wild card, Whole O-line. Are they really better or have we simply swapped names?

Good list! I’m hoping we finally have an OL that can blow inferior competition off the line of scrimmage.

[Auctoritas 2,828]

O - Robbie Ashford. I think that, after so many years of hearing about 2 QB systems, we actually have a coach in place with proven results. I want to see how he's used, and I want to see how he celebrates when Thorne scores (and how Thorne celebrates when RA scores).

D - Powell Gordon. Yes, I know, weird pick. But if he's seeing the field something really bad has happened probably. Or maybe something good on offense. I dunno.

ST - Agree with Alex M. What do you MEAN our kicker isn't named Carlson?

Wild Card - Cadillac. That's an incredibly deep room, and the strength of the team. I want to see how they keep everyone fed.

Edited August 29, 2023 by Auctoritas

[Zeek 16,660]

1 hour ago, Auctoritas said:

O - Robbie Ashford. I think that, after so many years of hearing about 2 QB systems, we actually have a coach in place with proven results. I want to see how he's used, and I want to see how he celebrates when Thorne scores (and how Thorne celebrates when RA scores).

D - Powell Gordon. Yes, I know, weird pick. But if he's seeing the field something really bad has happened probably. Or maybe something good on offense. I dunno.

ST - Agree with Alex M. What do you MEAN our kicker isn't named Carlson?

Wild Card - Cadillac. That's an incredibly deep room, and the strength of the team. I want to see how they keep everyone fed.

Really hoping Alston gets a respectable number of carries. Think Battie should be interesting to watch. Hoping Cobb can utilize his 4 game redshirt. 

[W.E.D 11,070]

Offense -- Thorne.  Can he look like he did in 2021 and push the ball downfield vs just dinks and dunks

Defense -- Justin Rodgers.  How out of shape is he really?

ST --  Nothing, just don't be awful in general

Bonus -- We haven't seen an OL create drive or push against awful opponents since about 2017.  I'd love to see that happen in conjunction with a balanced attack 

[LPTiger 5,204]

Zeek I'm going to tweek a little and instead of most important, I'm going to do most excited to watch and sorry I can't do just one 

O -- Hooks and Shorter - I am dying for a big receiver that can take games over and make defenses play honest

D-- Mcleod, Faulk -- I hope Big Mac he can go.   I believe we will be fine in rush D,   I'm ready for someone who can disrupt a passing attack

ST-- Battie -- returners are so important.   if we don't give up the ko td, we have another Natty.

Option -- Thorne/oline -- I'm ready for a steady dose of drop backs where the QB is running around like a chicken with a missing noggin. 

[Auctoritas 2,828]

23 minutes ago, Zeek said:

Really hoping Alston gets a respectable number of carries. Think Battie should be interesting to watch. Hoping Cobb can utilize his 4 game redshirt. 

Re Cobb - trying to decide which 4 games I would like to see him in. I would hate to just use him in mop up duties (unless one of those mop up is in the iron bowl!). I figure save one game for NMSU to rest up the rest of the room for Bama. One early in the season to give him a taste. That leaves 2 for him to be some sort of secret weapon. 

[LPTiger 5,204]

30 minutes ago, Zeek said:

Really hoping Alston gets a respectable number of carries. Think Battie should be interesting to watch. Hoping Cobb can utilize his 4 game redshirt. 

Zeek are you hearing a RS is for certain for Cobb.   My mind is fuzzy...   Is a RS sophomore eligible for the draft?   If he is, I wouldn't RS a running back.   They are the most likely to go early just because of how short their career likely will be. 

[CR 2,448]

Offense- Thorne. Can he be SEC average or better? Things will go downhill quick if not.                                                   
Defense- Mcleod on the edge. We havnt had speed off the edge in years. Is he the answer?

ST- McPherson

Bonus- Hugh Freeze. Hes waited for years to return to the big time. Can he make the much needed new pieces fit? Can he scheme around the deficiencies that remain? Can he bring the AU offense into the 21st century and show QBs and WRs this is the school to come to now?

[WFE12 9,191]

Offense-Thorne. Judging by CHF’s comments especially in the presser yesterday about hoping Thorne can translate the off the field studying to on the field play he seems a bit nervous about him. I don’t want him to be another Bo…always in the film room saying the right things but making boneheaded decisions on the field. We need it to translate.

Defense- Edit: chose Mcleod but I’m changing to Jayson Jones. Rush defense is making me extremely nervous.

ST- McPherson- Early season might spell some trouble at times on offense especially against A$M where we will need consistent kicking

 Bonus- Zion Puckett we need him not to be burnt toast out there

Edited August 29, 2023 by WFE12

[W.E.D 11,070]

39 minutes ago, LPTiger said:

Zeek are you hearing a RS is for certain for Cobb.   My mind is fuzzy...   Is a RS sophomore eligible for the draft?   If he is, I wouldn't RS a running back.   They are the most likely to go early just because of how short their career likely will be. 

If he's as good as people claim he is, there is no reason to RS him.  He'll leave after his RS Soph year or RS Jr Year at worst

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

Trying to not repeat here.....

Offense- Damari Alston. I am looking forward to seeing if he is what I think he can be. If so....opposing Defenses are going to have a hard time stopping the one two punch of Hunter and Alston.

Defense- Pritchett. James was by far our best DB last year. Pritchett played well at times and then at times looked like he regressed. If he can play to the potential I think he has then we will have 2 lock down corners that we can leave on an island and RR can go crazy with the blitz packages and pressures.

ST- Whoever the liong snapper is. Need those balls being accurate!

Bonus- P. Monty- curious as to how he is going to call the offense.

[Hank2020 3,227]

2 hours ago, CR said:

Offense- Thorne. Can he be SEC average or better? Things will go downhill quick if not.                                                   
Defense- Mcleod on the edge. We havnt had speed off the edge in years. Is he the answer?

ST- McPherson

Bonus- Hugh Freeze. Hes waited for years to return to the big time. Can he make the much needed new pieces fit? Can he scheme around the deficiencies that remain? Can he bring the AU offense into the 21st century and show QBs and WRs this is the school to come to now?

Agree about Freeze. Definitely need a HC that adds excitement on the sidelines during a game. Harsin was a mannequin.

[PoetTiger 1,901]

In SEC you gotta run when u need to and stop it when you have to, and not give the ball away.

1. offensive line - Wade

2. defensive line - Rogers 

3. Thorne - manage game, no turnovers.

4. Running back - need a 2 back combo of any sort.

 

Running game will make the RPO more effective and if AU can’t stop the run it can make for a long season.