The QB Situation

[woodford 3,682]

Jason Caldwell said it best in a recent article. Pick one and stick with him. I don't know the data of success rate and finishing drives when they switch up QB's outside the red zone but I doubt it's any good. He mentions Battie and Camden needing more opportunities as well. He talks about Freeze and Mont getting away from their bread and butter which is RPO. 

 

I went and pulled the overall, passing, and rushing PPA (predicted points added) How many points were predicted for each play. The higher the better (obvs). This excludes garbage time. 

Robby has higher Avg PPA overall, but one of those opponents was FCS and the other is Umass. Robby performed well when he played against LSU and UGA but was dreadful against Cal. Red flag is that -1.2 PPA passing against Umass. He had a the highest PPA in passing against LSU but he only threw 4 passes. I didn't put a threshold on passing or rushing attempts on this FYI.

 

Thorne is the better passer but couldn't really do anything against TAMU, UGA, or LSU.

 

As for rushing, RA is not head and shoulders above PT like we might assume. They both had success against Georgia. PT had the long run that for sure boosts his number.

 

PT is better on paper and has much more experience. I think there are multiple reasons why he's not getting the job done. I'm pulling team stats and will have a post dedicated to that. There are no simple answers to Auburn's offensive failures.

[fishepa 1,912]

All I know is when I watch our passing plays versus literally any other team's passing plays - other teams WRs can actually get separation from a defender.  I can't even remember a passing play where our WR's actually had separation from a defender and caught a pass on the run.  There is ALWAYS a defender right on them breaking up the pass.  

[e808 3,028]

1 hour ago, fishepa said:

All I know is when I watch our passing plays versus literally any other team's passing plays - other teams WRs can actually get separation from a defender.  I can't even remember a passing play where our WR's actually had separation from a defender and caught a pass on the run.  There is ALWAYS a defender right on them breaking up the pass.  

There haven’t been many but they have had  separation and were badly missed. Plenty of posters have stated that guys are open when watching the game. It might not happen continuously.

*For example the ball to Koy Moore double covered . Who expects him to win that battle 

Edited October 17, 2023 by e808

[Randman5000 4,235]

On 10/15/2023 at 6:53 PM, SaltyTiger said:

How and why?

They trust Robbie less than Thorne 

[fishepa 1,912]

17 minutes ago, e808 said:

There haven’t been many but they have had  separation and were badly missed. Plenty of posters have stated that guys are open when watching the game. It might not happen continuously.

*For example the ball to Koy Moore double covered . Who expects him to win that battle 

You're right, I do recall plays where receivers have been open but either Thorne is not even looking in their direction or the WR's are not supposed to be an option on the play for some reason.

[e808 3,028]

6 minutes ago, fishepa said:

You're right, I do recall plays where receivers have been open but either Thorne is not even looking in their direction or the WR's are not supposed to be an option on the play for some reason.

Even the slants were working . Then all of a sudden stopped calling them. I swear it seems like self sabotage.

[AUY2K 272]

The only thing I can think of is that CHF is using this as a "learning" year in order to provide a foundation to build on for next year and years to come.  He has an entire roster who has never run his system.  

He might now be frustrated enough to go to a more traditional approach and just call set plays from the sideline like Gus did, but I think he really wants to weather this storm now so his complete system will become more functional with better players and current players for next year. 

Hopefully by year 3 we will have a complete functional offense while just utilizing the portal to fill in a spot here and there.  

Look at his OM tenure:

Year 1: 7-6

Year 2: 8-5

Year 3: 9-4

Year 4: 10-3

Year 5: Vacated 

[Gowebb11 9,491]

1 hour ago, Randman5000 said:

They trust Robbie less than Thorne 

And that puzzles me. If we were playing for a potential spot in Atlanta I could understand. But at this point I don’t see either one giving us a better or worse chance vs Bama/OM and can see both capable of beating our other opponents. It’s maddening how wishy washy this whole thing has been all season, now half way in. 

[tigerrules 517]

Maybe We need Winston Wolf to resolve the the QB Situation. 

[auburnatl1 5,447]

We’re totally out matched on offense against OM without a change. RA for entire game. If it fails, nothing lost, we now know, and try to grind out 3 wins rest of season with PT.

[woodford 3,682]

2 hours ago, tigerrules said:

Maybe We need Winston Wolf to resolve the the QB Situation. 

"Did you see a sign in my yard that says 'bad QB development?"

[Win4AU 4,055]

Just for fun

2012 passing yards through 6 games 972

2023 passing yards through 6 games 935

 

[keesler 5,934]

33 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

Just for fun

2012 passing yards through 6 games 972

2023 passing yards through 6 games 935

 

🤮

[woodford 3,682]

55 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

Just for fun

2012 passing yards through 6 games 972

2023 passing yards through 6 games 935

 

I'd take Jonathan Wallace over some of the PT or RA I've seen this year. He gave Auburn everything he had.

[meh130 1,056]

Give Ashford a shot.

[Win4AU 4,055]

8 minutes ago, woodford said:

I'd take Jonathan Wallace over some of the PT or RA I've seen this year. He gave Auburn everything he had.

We’re still in the Kiehl/Clint phase

[SaltyTiger 8,002]

Report from Dan Peck of The Drive on the practice viewing window: 

“ RA missing on some passes. Receivers having problems.”
 

 

[HabitualChiller 110]

On 10/16/2023 at 7:16 AM, icanthearyou said:

The problem with our offense is not the QB.

The problem is the same problem we have faced for the past 8 seasons,,, the OL.  Our OL is not even average within the conference. 

The problem is a combination of lack of talent, lack of development, poor scheming, lack of determination, lack of recruiting.

There are times we cannot block.  There are times we do not know who to block.  There are times when we do not account for a rusher.  There are times when we are so undisciplined,,, we cannot even get the play off without a penalty.  Blocking in space is a pipe dream.

Until this issue is corrected, we will only be competitive with average and below average teams.

Football is about imposing your will.  It begins with the guys up front.  We will not be competitive until the OL and, our blocking schemes are better.

You can't heap most of the blame on the O-line when the starting quarterback routinely misses easy/open throws. 

[icanthearyou 4,465]

11 minutes ago, HabitualChiller said:

You can't heap most of the blame on the O-line when the starting quarterback routinely misses easy/open throws. 

Quarterbacks who do not feel any sense of security often make bad throws.   And,,, when nothing else works, QBs often try to make plays (throws) that they should not.

So,,, logically, I can.  The OL problem has been glaring now for eight seasons.  It has to get fixed.  You MUST have some control over the line of scrimmage.

[e808 3,028]

57 minutes ago, icanthearyou said:

Quarterbacks who do not feel any sense of security often make bad throws.   And,,, when nothing else works, QBs often try to make plays (throws) that they should not.

So,,, logically, I can.  The OL problem has been glaring now for eight seasons.  It has to get fixed.  You MUST have some control over the line of scrimmage.

I respectfully disagree. Bryce Young didn’t have the greatest line while at Bama but he made the throws when the opportunity present themselves. He took a beating in the 2021 IB and still managed to make the play when the game was on the line.

Shadeur is the most sacked Quarterback in college football but makes the plays when they present themselves. Colorado Oline is very very bad. There is no excuse for missing guys wide open. In some cases not even in the general vicinity.

The line has been adequate. Even in the pros very few teams have great lines .

 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2023 by e808

[AU-24 3,121]

On 10/16/2023 at 10:39 AM, e808 said:

Robbie has only made one questionable play all season which was the Cal game. As a fan it’s hard to see what he needs to improve on. He played very well yesterday and had the biggest completion of the game.  Hindsight is 20/20 but after missing on the top QB guys probably  would have been better to work with RA and HG more. HB could have been QB3.  More then likely will Need to hit the portal again for a QB.

Obviously, neither one of them are even an average SEC quarterback. I can’t help but love Robbie but he’s only completed 50% of his passes. This doesn’t equate to him only throwing one bad pass.

IMO we need to run the ball more, to include Peyton Thorne, running the ball, zone reads, quarterback draws, etc. if we can run the ball successfully against Georgia, we can run it against anyone. 
 

Then Robbie in the red zone and short yardage situations and yes, every now and then let Robbie throw out of the triple option or do a play action pass on second and third and short to try and create a big play.

Let’s not: regardless which QB picks up a couple first downs to get us to midfield, then now; let’s change quarterbacks!  Oh, that didn’t work, OK let’s change quarterbacks again. That strategy is simply not working!

[AU-24 3,121]

10 hours ago, auburnatl1 said:

We’re totally out matched on offense against OM without a change. RA for entire game. If it fails, nothing lost, we now know, and try to grind out 3 wins rest of season with PT.

If we do that, they will just stack the box and stop us. Modern college football if an SEC team puts eight or nine guys in the box, Jim Thorpe or Jim Brown couldn’t consistently carry the rock.

When we decided to try and run the ball against LSU, the way we did against Thuga, we were already down by 17 points.

That, plus LSU finally decided to play defense for the first time all season. Figures it would be against us.

[e808 3,028]

55 minutes ago, AU-24 said:

Obviously, neither one of them are even an average SEC quarterback. I can’t help but love Robbie but he’s only completed 50% of his passes. This doesn’t equate to him only throwing one bad pass.

IMO we need to run the ball more, to include Peyton Thorne, running the ball, zone reads, quarterback draws, etc. if we can run the ball successfully against Georgia, we can run it against anyone. 
 

Then Robbie in the red zone and short yardage situations and yes, every now and then let Robbie throw out of the triple option or do a play action pass on second and third and short to try and create a big play.

Let’s not: regardless which QB picks up a couple first downs to get us to midfield, then now; let’s change quarterbacks!  Oh, that didn’t work, OK let’s change quarterbacks again. That strategy is simply not working!

Again stats aren’t saying how he is doing in the game . He has only had 23 passes. We’re some of those dropped. How many were thrown away to avoid losing yards . For example Robby would have been 100% passing on Saturday but threw-one pass away to save yardage. Meanwhile qb1 is the only SEC starter to not have a pass thrown away and is barely at 60%. Imagine what he would be sitting at if he learned to do that to save field position. If u like stats his QBR is higher than QB1 and was the highest rated offense player the past weekend. 

It’s the same thing with the receivers . It’s not all on them. Yes they have had some drops but the have been open. Some have been severely overthrown.  It’s like all these stats are being posted but no one is watching the games. 

* What can RA do as QB1 that hasn’t already happened this year

Edited October 18, 2023 by e808

[e808 3,028]

31 minutes ago, AU-24 said:

If we do that, they will just stack the box and stop us. Modern college football if an SEC team puts eight or nine guys in the box, Jim Thorpe or Jim Brown couldn’t consistently carry the rock.

When we decided to try and run the ball against LSU, the way we did against Thuga, we were already down by 17 points.

That, plus LSU finally decided to play defense for the first time all season. Figures it would be against us.

Let me ask u this in the last 4 games of the season when everyone knew Auburn was going to run who stop them. IMO Auburn has an even better collective backfield this year. I am not mistaken Auburn was leading the SEC in rushing until last week somehow the staff felt they were going to out score LSU by coming out passing.

Edited October 18, 2023 by e808

[AU-24 3,121]

2 hours ago, e808 said:

Let me ask u this in the last 4 games of the season when everyone knew Auburn was going to run who stop them. IMO Auburn has an even better collective backfield this year. I am not mistaken Auburn was leading the SEC in rushing until last week somehow the staff felt they were going to out score LSU by coming out passing.

All valid points; I like what we did against Georgia, (#1 team in the country) not sure why we changed for LSU.