A Point of Comparison: AU Football 2023 v AU Basketball 2014-15

[tigeraddikt 1,621]

Bruce's first year, he inherited a Barbee sh**show roster that just couldn't win games in the SEC. Went 4-14 in conference during the reg. season. In subsequent years, both Bruce and Steven Pearl have admitted that their first team only had one player (Harrell) who was higher-level D1 quality in terms of ability. The 4 transfers Bruce snagged for that first 2014-15 team were Cinmeon Bowers (Barkley wannabe), Antoine Mason (tough role player, not particularly skilled), NMSU grad transfer KC Ross-Miller (role-player guard) and Kareem Canty (moody Harlem PG that could drain 30 footers but had to sit out the season as a Marshall transfer). And the HS recruits were 2* Jack Purchase (Aussie big man who looked good playing against Aborigines but not so much vs actual skilled players), TJ Lang (skinny 3* Mobile guard, bench guy), and Trayvon Reed (4* big who stole candy and never really contributed).

The best pound for pound player on that team was PG Tahj Shamsid-Dean (from Bruce's mouth) who didn't contribute because he couldn't keep his shoulders in their sockets. Guys like Jordon Grainger, Devin Waddell and Malcolm Canada played a lot, but were not particularly talented. Point is, as great a coach as BP was and is, he couldn't do better than 4-14 his first year (and 5-13 in conference his second year) because of a roster comprised of players of much less ability than every other team in the league. That is where this FB roster is at. The QB/OLine/WRs are basically a MAC/AAC level group. As much as it sucks for us fans who want to witness obvious on-field improvement as the year progresses, the lion's share of our attention needs be turned to recruiting. Freeze knows this, and this is why he looks like a kid at Christmas interacting with 4* and 5* recruits but like an alcoholic retail manager on Black Friday on the sidelines during gametime. If Freeze can end up at some sort of bowl game this season with this roster, then it will be like the SEC tourney basketball run that BP went on in 2015.

This football team isn't that far off from pulling some of these games out. It's just these 2nd half letdowns that indicate mentally-weak players (yeah I'm talking to you receivers) and lack of depth. I've been very surprisingly pleased with the defensive performance of the team so far this year (well, LSU game notwithstanding, but that was set up for a knockout), extremely disappointed in the lack of offensive identity or consistency, and overall disappointed with some of the coaching (screwball personnel swaps, akin to Gus's whirlybird game vs Deshaun Watson and Clemson in 2016, just throwing crap against the wall to see if anything will stick). But I honestly don't hold it against Freeze or his staff: you can't coach a turd to smell like a rose. I mean, you either have receivers who squeeze the ball when it hits them in the hands or not. You either have receivers who recognize zone vs man and move with the play to create space, or sit in an area of the field for a target, or you don't. Or an O-Line who reads and reacts and stays on the block, or you don't. Or a QB who if he needs 6 yards doesn't just sprint out at 4 yards bc he doesn't wanna get blasted by a sprinting DB, or you don't.

[WillMunny 1,384]

2 hours ago, tigeraddikt said:

Bruce's first year, he inherited a Barbee sh**show roster that just couldn't win games in the SEC. Went 4-14 in conference during the reg. season. In subsequent years, both Bruce and Steven Pearl have admitted that their first team only had one player (Harrell) who was higher-level D1 quality in terms of ability. The 4 transfers Bruce snagged for that first 2014-15 team were Cinmeon Bowers (Barkley wannabe), Antoine Mason (tough role player, not particularly skilled), NMSU grad transfer KC Ross-Miller (role-player guard) and Kareem Canty (moody Harlem PG that could drain 30 footers but had to sit out the season as a Marshall transfer). And the HS recruits were 2* Jack Purchase (Aussie big man who looked good playing against Aborigines but not so much vs actual skilled players), TJ Lang (skinny 3* Mobile guard, bench guy), and Trayvon Reed (4* big who stole candy and never really contributed).

The best pound for pound player on that team was PG Tahj Shamsid-Dean (from Bruce's mouth) who didn't contribute because he couldn't keep his shoulders in their sockets. Guys like Jordon Grainger, Devin Waddell and Malcolm Canada played a lot, but were not particularly talented. Point is, as great a coach as BP was and is, he couldn't do better than 4-14 his first year (and 5-13 in conference his second year) because of a roster comprised of players of much less ability than every other team in the league. That is where this FB roster is at. The QB/OLine/WRs are basically a MAC/AAC level group. As much as it sucks for us fans who want to witness obvious on-field improvement as the year progresses, the lion's share of our attention needs be turned to recruiting. Freeze knows this, and this is why he looks like a kid at Christmas interacting with 4* and 5* recruits but like an alcoholic retail manager on Black Friday on the sidelines during gametime. If Freeze can end up at some sort of bowl game this season with this roster, then it will be like the SEC tourney basketball run that BP went on in 2015.

This football team isn't that far off from pulling some of these games out. It's just these 2nd half letdowns that indicate mentally-weak players (yeah I'm talking to you receivers) and lack of depth. I've been very surprisingly pleased with the defensive performance of the team so far this year (well, LSU game notwithstanding, but that was set up for a knockout), extremely disappointed in the lack of offensive identity or consistency, and overall disappointed with some of the coaching (screwball personnel swaps, akin to Gus's whirlybird game vs Deshaun Watson and Clemson in 2016, just throwing crap against the wall to see if anything will stick). But I honestly don't hold it against Freeze or his staff: you can't coach a turd to smell like a rose. I mean, you either have receivers who squeeze the ball when it hits them in the hands or not. You either have receivers who recognize zone vs man and move with the play to create space, or sit in an area of the field for a target, or you don't. Or an O-Line who reads and reacts and stays on the block, or you don't. Or a QB who if he needs 6 yards doesn't just sprint out at 4 yards bc he doesn't wanna get blasted by a sprinting DB, or you don't.

Yep.  But I'm afraid it will take another couple of years before the majority of the fan base becomes convinced.

[aubaseball 2,663]

If you want to look at a perfect example of a player out of his element, the next game keep your eyes on #11 on Defense.   He has no business being on the field, and I’m sorry that I pointed him out.   And by the way, he came from Vandy, so that should tell you what kind of players they have.  

[tigeraddikt 1,621]

20 hours ago, aubaseball said:

If you want to look at a perfect example of a player out of his element, the next game keep your eyes on #11 on Defense.   He has no business being on the field, and I’m sorry that I pointed him out.   And by the way, he came from Vandy, so that should tell you what kind of players they have.  

Excellent point.