Perspective

[LPTiger 5,167]

So while ya'll were watching this game I was celebrating the life of a larger than life cousin who graduated from AU in '79 with a BS in Forestry.  It was in Monroeville, AL and the fried chicken from the Pig in Monroeville is something to behold. There was plenty of it available to all after the memorial.  If Steve had not died his way earlier in the week, one of either this game or some of the comments on this board would have surely killed him in a worse way.

Maybe it is because I didn't get to watch it, I don't know.  But, some of the reactions here are like we just lost to a middle school coached by Sister Teresa --- by a hundred. Obviously, nothing good happened today, and I know we were like a 75 point favorite, but New Mexico State didn't look at the odds and they have somehow won 9 ball games.  We should never lose to New Mexico State anytime anywhere, but it just happened. Now, because of that loss, Hugh Freeze is a fraud.  He is a mediocre coach and should have never been hired in the first place.   Indeed, we should have just kept Gus Malzhan.   Come on folks. This is a terribly flawed football program r/n.  Our best wide receiver is 5'6". We haven't had a 100 yard receiver in 11 games.  We don't have a legit pass rusher.  We have 40% of our OL playing pretty good and the other 60%, well when they aren't getting flagged, they are getting beat. This is where we are TODAY.

And, we aren't coaching well. But, better players make for better coaching. Here is an example. 3rd and goal from the 17, we call a blitz and man up the receivers (instead of not blitzing and trying to keep everything 17 yards in front of the goal line). Larry Nixon is the only non-db not blitzing. Instead, he fakes the blitz for 2 steps and then drops into coverage.   But, herein lies the player problem. Nixon HAS to cover the back out of the backfield. The back lines up to the QB's left near the left hash. Guess where Larry limes up and fakes his blitz from -- the opposite hash. The back releases, and he is wide open because Larry is 10 yards to the back's right. As much as I hate the blitz call (I assume we were trying to push them out of field goal range) all 4 of the Db's had really good coverage on the play but Nixon had zero chance because of where he lined up. If he lines up on the hash that the back is near, there is no TD. I feel pretty confident Larry wasn't coached to line up as far away as possible from the back you need to cover. 

@Didba has made a post about us averaging nearly 8 yards per pass play in this game and under 3 per rush.  Yet, we rushed it 9 more times than we threw it (and we only had 45 snaps I think). The OC has to have better in game awareness. This was a big problem during the 4 game losing streak. It got much better during the 3 game win streak.  In any event it is unacceptable. I strongly suspect a change will be made here heading into next year. 

At the end of the day, this was a horrible game in a year that we all knew was going to be horrible.   We weren't 38 points better than Arkansas anymore than we were just 7 points worse than UGA. This is a rebuild project.  It will not be easy or fast.       

[AUwent 3,756]

20 minutes ago, LPTiger said:

So while ya'll were watching this game I was celebrating the life of a larger than life cousin who graduated from AU in '79 with a BS in Forestry.  It was in Monroeville, AL and the fried chicken from the Pig in Monroeville is something to behold.  There was plenty of it available to all after the memorial.   If Steve had not died his way earlier in the week, one of either this game or some of the comments on this board would have surely killed him in a worse way.

Maybe it is because I didn't get to watch it, I don't know.   But, some of the reactions here are like we just lost to a middle cchool coached by Sister Teresa --- by a hundred.   Obviously, nothing good happened today, and I know we were like a 75 point favorite, but New Mexico State didn't look at the odds and they have somehow won 9 ball games.   We should never lose to New Mexico State anytime anywhere, but it just happened. Now, because of that loss, Hugh Freeze is a fraud.  He is a mediocre coach and should have never been hired in the first place.   Indeed, we should have just kept Gus Malzhan.   Come on folks.   This is a terribly flawed football program r/n.   Our best wide receiver is 5'6".   We haven't had a 100 yard receiver in 11 games.   We don't have a legit pass rusher.  We have 40% of our OL playing pretty good and the other 60%, well when they aren't getting flagged, they are getting beat.   This is where we are TODAY.

And, we aren't coaching well.   But, better players make for better coaching.  Here is an example.  3rd and goal from the 17, we call a blitz and man up the receivers (instead of not blitzing and trying to keep everything 17 yards in front of the goal line).   Larry Nixon is the only non-db not blitzing.  Instead, he fakes the blitz for 2 steps and then drops into coverage.   But, herein lies the player problem.    Nixon HAS to cover the back out of the backfield.   The back lines up to the QB's left near the left hash.   Guess where Larry limes up and fakes his blitz from -- the opposite hash.   The back releases, and he is wide open because Larry is 10 yards to the back's right.   As much as I hate the blitz call (I assume we were trying to push them out of field goal range) all 4 of the Db's had really good coverage on the play but Nixon had zero chance because of where he lined up.   If he lines up on the hash that the back is near, there is no TD.   I feel pretty confident Larry wasn't coached to line up as far away as possible from the back you need to cover. 

@Didba has made a post about us averaging nearly 8 yards per pass play in this game and under 3 per rush.  Yet, we rushed it 9 more times than we threw it (and we only had 45 snaps I think).   The OC has to have better in game awareness.   This was a big problem during the 4 game losing streak.   It got much better during the 3 game win streak.  In any event it is unacceptable.   I strongly suspect a change will be made here heading into next year. 

At the end of the day, this was a horrible game in a year that we all knew was going to be horrible.   We weren't 38 points better than Arkansas anymore than we were just 7 points worse than UGA.    This is a rebuild project.  It will not be easy or fast.       

Technically speaking we did meet the win total I realistically hoped for. What I and I think everyone is more looking at, is can improve next year (as in, just one more win)?

Cristobal did have a similar loss in his first year at Miami and while still not having a great year in his second, they *have* improved and seem to be trending in the right direction.

Edited November 19, 2023 by AUwent

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,682]

I respect the thread that you're making, and I appreciate your post generally, even including this one. But I don't think there should really be much perspective after a loss that has almost been universally heralded as the worst in modern program history. You can have perspective when you lose by 30 to a flawless LSU offense. You don't have it after hoping for garbage time points against a group of 5 team that lost to UMass. 

[auburnphan 6,050]

perspective, we had more talent at every position and got the s*** kicked out of us at home by a team that has never had a win against an SEC team

[LPTiger 5,167]

3 minutes ago, auburnphan said:

perspective, we had more talent at every position and got the s*** kicked out of us at home by a team that has never had a win against an SEC team

More talent at every position? --- their backup QB has 278 receiving yards.   Our leading wide receiver, Jay Fair, has 300.  Read that again, our leading wide receiver has 300 yards receiving.  They have 9 wins.  It has been 4 years since we have reached that total. 

[auburnphan 6,050]

2 minutes ago, LPTiger said:

More talent at every position? --- their backup QB has 278 receiving yards.   Our leading wide receiver, Jay Fair, has 300.  Read that again, our leading wide receiver has 300 yards receiving.  They have 9 wins.  It has been 4 years since we have reached that total. 

Bless your heart, when you wanna have an adult conversation come at me

[LPTiger 5,167]

7 minutes ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

I respect the thread that you're making, and I appreciate your post generally, even including this one. But I don't think there should really be much perspective after a loss that has almost been universally heralded as the worst in modern program history. You can have perspective when you lose by 30 to a flawless LSU offense. You don't have it after hoping for garbage time points against a group of 5 team that lost to UMass. 

The perspective is not that this loss was somehow good.  The perspective is it is another loss in a season that we all knew was a loss.   Now, if it derails our recruiting, which it could, that is a different matter altogether.  But, if it gives Hugh Freeze ammunition to a Cam Coleman that look "we don't have single receiver that you can't beat out day 1" and Cam agrees, the loss isn't "the worst in program history."   Instead, it was a really bad day that didn't alter the direction of the program. 

[Didba 5,256]

37 minutes ago, LPTiger said:

So while ya'll were watching this game I was celebrating the life of a larger than life cousin who graduated from AU in '79 with a BS in Forestry.  It was in Monroeville, AL and the fried chicken from the Pig in Monroeville is something to behold.  There was plenty of it available to all after the memorial.   If Steve had not died his way earlier in the week, one of either this game or some of the comments on this board would have surely killed him in a worse way.

Maybe it is because I didn't get to watch it, I don't know.   But, some of the reactions here are like we just lost to a middle cchool coached by Sister Teresa --- by a hundred.   Obviously, nothing good happened today, and I know we were like a 75 point favorite, but New Mexico State didn't look at the odds and they have somehow won 9 ball games.   We should never lose to New Mexico State anytime anywhere, but it just happened. Now, because of that loss, Hugh Freeze is a fraud.  He is a mediocre coach and should have never been hired in the first place.   Indeed, we should have just kept Gus Malzhan.   Come on folks.   This is a terribly flawed football program r/n.   Our best wide receiver is 5'6".   We haven't had a 100 yard receiver in 11 games.   We don't have a legit pass rusher.  We have 40% of our OL playing pretty good and the other 60%, well when they aren't getting flagged, they are getting beat.   This is where we are TODAY.

And, we aren't coaching well.   But, better players make for better coaching.  Here is an example.  3rd and goal from the 17, we call a blitz and man up the receivers (instead of not blitzing and trying to keep everything 17 yards in front of the goal line).   Larry Nixon is the only non-db not blitzing.  Instead, he fakes the blitz for 2 steps and then drops into coverage.   But, herein lies the player problem.    Nixon HAS to cover the back out of the backfield.   The back lines up to the QB's left near the left hash.   Guess where Larry limes up and fakes his blitz from -- the opposite hash.   The back releases, and he is wide open because Larry is 10 yards to the back's right.   As much as I hate the blitz call (I assume we were trying to push them out of field goal range) all 4 of the Db's had really good coverage on the play but Nixon had zero chance because of where he lined up.   If he lines up on the hash that the back is near, there is no TD.   I feel pretty confident Larry wasn't coached to line up as far away as possible from the back you need to cover. 

@Didba has made a post about us averaging nearly 8 yards per pass play in this game and under 3 per rush.  Yet, we rushed it 9 more times than we threw it (and we only had 45 snaps I think).   The OC has to have better in game awareness.   This was a big problem during the 4 game losing streak.   It got much better during the 3 game win streak.  In any event it is unacceptable.   I strongly suspect a change will be made here heading into next year. 

At the end of the day, this was a horrible game in a year that we all knew was going to be horrible.   We weren't 38 points better than Arkansas anymore than we were just 7 points worse than UGA.    This is a rebuild project.  It will not be easy or fast.       

Where did I make that post?

[LPTiger 5,167]

14 minutes ago, auburnphan said:

Bless your heart, when you wanna have an adult conversation come at me

So let's have an adult coversation.   If you were in control how do you fix it...  Do you fire CHF after 11 games and go try to hire someone else?    Who do you know you can hire?   Do you shut the football program down and focus on baseball and basketball.   What do you do?

[DAG 33,998]

Just now, LPTiger said:

So let's have an adult coversation.   If you were in control how do you fix it...  Do you fire CHF after 11 games and go try to hire someone else?    Who do you know you can hire?   Do you shut the football program down and focus on baseball and basketball.   What do you do?

You do none of that, but you acknowledge this was a bad loss and we DO HAVE MORE TALENT THAN NMSU. With that being said, I don't think freeze particularly cares for this group and it shows. I think his main focus is getting his recruited high school players in as soon as possible. That is where most of his energy is spent.

[Tiger Refuge 6,671]

41 minutes ago, LPTiger said:

So while ya'll were watching this game I was celebrating the life of a larger than life cousin who graduated from AU in '79 with a BS in Forestry.  It was in Monroeville, AL and the fried chicken from the Pig in Monroeville is something to behold.  There was plenty of it available to all after the memorial.   If Steve had not died his way earlier in the week, one of either this game or some of the comments on this board would have surely killed him in a worse way.

Maybe it is because I didn't get to watch it, I don't know.   But, some of the reactions here are like we just lost to a middle cchool coached by Sister Teresa --- by a hundred.   Obviously, nothing good happened today, and I know we were like a 75 point favorite, but New Mexico State didn't look at the odds and they have somehow won 9 ball games.   We should never lose to New Mexico State anytime anywhere, but it just happened. Now, because of that loss, Hugh Freeze is a fraud.  He is a mediocre coach and should have never been hired in the first place.   Indeed, we should have just kept Gus Malzhan.   Come on folks.   This is a terribly flawed football program r/n.   Our best wide receiver is 5'6".   We haven't had a 100 yard receiver in 11 games.   We don't have a legit pass rusher.  We have 40% of our OL playing pretty good and the other 60%, well when they aren't getting flagged, they are getting beat.   This is where we are TODAY.

And, we aren't coaching well.   But, better players make for better coaching.  Here is an example.  3rd and goal from the 17, we call a blitz and man up the receivers (instead of not blitzing and trying to keep everything 17 yards in front of the goal line).   Larry Nixon is the only non-db not blitzing.  Instead, he fakes the blitz for 2 steps and then drops into coverage.   But, herein lies the player problem.    Nixon HAS to cover the back out of the backfield.   The back lines up to the QB's left near the left hash.   Guess where Larry limes up and fakes his blitz from -- the opposite hash.   The back releases, and he is wide open because Larry is 10 yards to the back's right.   As much as I hate the blitz call (I assume we were trying to push them out of field goal range) all 4 of the Db's had really good coverage on the play but Nixon had zero chance because of where he lined up.   If he lines up on the hash that the back is near, there is no TD.   I feel pretty confident Larry wasn't coached to line up as far away as possible from the back you need to cover. 

@Didba has made a post about us averaging nearly 8 yards per pass play in this game and under 3 per rush.  Yet, we rushed it 9 more times than we threw it (and we only had 45 snaps I think).   The OC has to have better in game awareness.   This was a big problem during the 4 game losing streak.   It got much better during the 3 game win streak.  In any event it is unacceptable.   I strongly suspect a change will be made here heading into next year. 

At the end of the day, this was a horrible game in a year that we all knew was going to be horrible.   We weren't 38 points better than Arkansas anymore than we were just 7 points worse than UGA.    This is a rebuild project.  It will not be easy or fast.       

So you didn’t watch the game but you wanna lecture folks?

 

Okay.

[LPTiger 5,167]

7 minutes ago, Didba said:

Where did I make that post?

Sorry it was @WDEaglewho made the good point in the post mortem thread.

[auburnphan 6,050]

2 minutes ago, LPTiger said:

So let's have an adult coversation.   If you were in control how do you fix it...  Do you fire CHF after 11 games and go try to hire someone else?    Who do you know you can hire?   Do you shut the football program down and focus on baseball and basketball.   What do you do?

No, we sold our soul to Hugh and we gotta go with it.  We can’t fire a coach too early again. There is no way around it this is a terrible loss and it is 100% on the coaching staff and the main guy who claimed he had coaches upon coaches begging for a job with him…..

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,682]

26 minutes ago, LPTiger said:

The perspective is not that this loss was somehow good.  The perspective is it is another loss in a season that we all knew was a loss.   Now, if it derails our recruiting, which it could, that is a different matter altogether.  But, if it gives Hugh Freeze ammunition to a Cam Coleman that look "we don't have single receiver that you can't beat out day 1" and Cam agrees, the loss isn't "the worst in program history."   Instead, it was a really bad day that didn't alter the direction of the program. 

I gathered that - that's not a perspective that the majority of people would have after a loss that is the worst (ESPN provided here) loss any SEC 10+ pt favorite has had in the last 45 seasons

It is one of the all time great losses for a SEC power program, and the cascading embarrassment shouldn't be expected to be soothed over within the same day, just because Auburn may have a bright future. For one, you'd have to have faith that the same coach that led this atrocity can turn that talent into something, and it's completely understandable if that faith is shaken. 

[passthebiscuits 6,861]

Yeah football in the grand scheme of things is  no big deal. But in the scheme of college football…this was as bad as it gets.

 

dang even Gus made it past Mercer and JSU…barely. Chiz beat Utah State. 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,682]

To summarize my mountainous posts, a loss like this forces the head coach to re-instill faith in the program. Cam Coleman, Ryan Williams, whoever, that does not have more impact than seeing a loss like this. I myself do not care that much about this season in a macro sense - I am more of a cynical, neutral fan than the majority of Auburn fans. Auburn did not gain as loud and powerful a fanbase as they did because people want to sit back and count recruits over wins, or just bury their heads in the sand until we finally arrive at whatever level of talent we need to not have all time great losses. 

[keesler 5,926]

Just what everyone needs, a sermon on perspective from a person that didn’t even watch the game. Lol

Next thing you know he’ll be stumping for OTV and telling us about the importance of donating so we can buy better players that can compete against the likes of NMS. 🤣

[gman87 398]

25 minutes ago, LPTiger said:

So let's have an adult coversation.   If you were in control how do you fix it...  Do you fire CHF after 11 games and go try to hire someone else?    Who do you know you can hire?   Do you shut the football program down and focus on baseball and basketball.   What do you do?

Oh, me, me me!!!

For one, you fire the OC tonight before he can inflict his malaise any longer into the offense that just needs someone that can think their way out of a wet paper bag. Have we once rolled Thorne out for a planned throw? Once all year? (I honestly don't know because I can't stomach watching this offense flounder and will do things that are productive instead of watching that hot garbage)

[JDUBB4AU 5,121]

The only perspective I have is what is Hugh and the staffs buyout ?? Pay it and fire everyone. I mean everyone. 

[DAG 33,998]

1 minute ago, JDUBB4AU said:

The only perspective I have is what is Hugh and the staffs buyout ?? Pay it and fire everyone. I mean everyone. 

Need at minimum a top ten recruiting class and a #1 transfer portal class. Only way he can redeem himself from this embarrassment...guys giddy taking photos on our logo smh.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,682]

9 minutes ago, keesler said:

Just what everyone needs, a sermon on perspective from a person that didn’t even watch the game. Lol

Next thing you know he’ll be stumping for OTV and telling us about the importance of donating so we can buy better players that can compete against the likes of NMS. 🤣

Yeah, I think if you didn't have to endure NMSU running a 10 minute drive live... where they had multiple 4th down conversions that our coaches had no answer for (one literally came out of a timeout)...you lack a certain perspective needed to evaluate this game

[Old fan 47 773]

31 minutes ago, DAG said:

You do none of that, but you acknowledge this was a bad loss and we DO HAVE MORE TALENT THAN NMSU. With that being said, I don't think freeze particularly cares for this group and it shows. I think his main focus is getting his recruited high school players in as soon as possible. That is where most of his energy is spent.

Agreed and based on his coaching and leadership of this team thus far, there is a ton to be desired. He couldn’t even operate with a 2 year starting capable QB from the Big 10. Have very little faith in the direction he’s trying to go currently. 6/6 bowl game is no major accomplishment. 

[Bro Johnny Mac 1,398]

The reality is that this year is a Mulligan for CHF..

If it’s this bad next season,he will be gone unless the next two recruiting cycles are top 5 to top 10 ... Then he may get another season 

[JDUBB4AU 5,121]

1 minute ago, DAG said:

Need at minimum a top ten recruiting class and a #1 transfer portal class. Only way he can redeem himself from this embarrassment...guys giddy taking photos on our logo smh.

This . You nailed it. Guys im Not sure I will ever have respect for freeze and this staff ever again. Hugh will never get off this s*** list. I want the whole Lee County Liberty Flames all gone. 
 

 

[AUwent 3,756]

4 minutes ago, Bro Johnny Mac said:

The reality is that this year is a Mulligan for CHF..

If it’s this bad next season,he will be gone unless the next two recruiting cycles are top 5 to top 10 ... Then he may get another season 

I know Gus is finally off the payroll after next year but we absolutely cannot afford to give him less than four years (correct me if I'm wrong, but Potato Man is off the payroll after 2026, and Freeze's contract doesn't run much past that).

Big reason we hired so many Liberty coaches was because we couldn't afford anything different after those awful buyouts.

Edited November 19, 2023 by AUwent