Way too early look at next season

[W.E.D 11,070]

Just now, DAG said:

6 - 7 wins unless we address vital needs and the elephant(s) in the room at the offensive side of the ball.

We still have time to address huge deficiency.

Right now it seems our OL targets are Ivy grads. 

[W.E.D 11,070]

1 minute ago, AUwent said:

"10"...we've only actually been bad since the pandemic.

We've been a 4-7 loss team consistently over the last 10 seasons?  The single 4 loss season was 2017?

[AUwent 3,757]

2 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

We've been a 4-7 loss team consistently over the last 10 seasons?  The single 4 loss season was 2017?

...playing the toughest schedule in the country most of those years. 2019 as well. Aren't you among those who wanted to play all of Amen Corner?

But yes, anything less than 7 wins is going to be a failure.

Edited December 31, 2023 by AUwent

[Gowebb11 9,345]

We need immediate help on the d-line as well. Neither of our nose tackles are impact players and both lack SEC technique and athleticism. 

[W.E.D 11,070]

5 minutes ago, AUwent said:

...playing the toughest schedule in the country most of those years. 2019 as well. Aren't you among those who wanted to play all of Amen Corner?

But yes, anything less than 7 wins is going to be a failure.

Yes. Playing them where we historically played them isn't why we've been below avg these last 10 years. Certainly hasn't helped since we moved the games. Just catching Ls at a different point in the season. 

This roster is so bad. The initial portal haul wasn't great and the follow up haul isn't looking impactful (could change). Our upper-class talent is nearly nothing.  We have 1-2 draftable players on offense (Valdo, Hunter) and possibly 1 on defense (Scott).

All of our talent is under classmen. We've got to be patient and let them develop, matriculate up, and continue bringing elite classes after them.  

[sevenlee36 1,654]

Just now, Gowebb11 said:

We need immediate help on the d-line as well. Neither of our nose tackles are impact players and both lack SEC technique and athleticism. 

Yep. Need to improve the trenches on both side to compete. Skill players will help us lose in exciting fashion, but to win in exciting fashion we’ll need to improve the trenches with players who want to win every game.

[Win4AU 4,054]

+1 to @W.E.D for the use of the word “matriculate”

[TigerOne 1,148]

14 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

Yes. Playing them where we historically played them isn't why we've been below avg these last 10 years. Certainly hasn't helped since we moved the games. Just catching Ls at a different point in the season. 

This roster is so bad. The initial portal haul wasn't great and the follow up haul isn't looking impactful (could change). Our upper-class talent is nearly nothing.  We have 1-2 draftable players on offense (Valdo, Hunter) and possibly 1 on defense (Scott).

All of our talent is under classmen. We've got to be patient and let them develop, matriculate up, and continue bringing elite classes after them.  

So who will coach them? Freeze obviously doesn’t want to coach but dictate and recruit. Recruiting requires a good salesman which he is.

coaching requires results which he doesn’t do.

[W.E.D 11,070]

4 minutes ago, TigerOne said:

So who will coach them? Freeze obviously doesn’t want to coach but dictate and recruit. Recruiting requires a good salesman which he is.

coaching requires results which he doesn’t do.

Believe the hope is Hugh starts to coach a little bit more

[TexasTiger 12,966]

39 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

Right now it seems our OL targets are Ivy grads. 

Glad they’re smart.

[TexasTiger 12,966]

23 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

+1 to @W.E.D for the use of the word “matriculate”

Points for misusing? 😉

[Mims44 1,882]

38 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

We've been a 4-7 loss team consistently over the last 10 seasons?  The single 4 loss season was 2017?

I get wanting NCs each year. It's a great goal to aspire to. 

But if you are saying  a 9-4, 8-5, 10-4, 8-5 four year run is the same as the  6-5, 6-7, 5-7, 6-7 run we are currently on... that's silly.

 

 

 

Auburn has went from a good team that couldn't get over the hump to being great. To being a losing team that can't seem to get over the hump to being good.

[W.E.D 11,070]

16 minutes ago, Mims44 said:

I get wanting NCs each year. It's a great goal to aspire to. 

But if you are saying  a 9-4, 8-5, 10-4, 8-5 four year run is the same as the  6-5, 6-7, 5-7, 6-7 run we are currently on... that's silly.

 

 

 

Auburn has went from a good team that couldn't get over the hump to being great. To being a losing team that can't seem to get over the hump to being good.

They are not the same. Neither are what we want

[Mims44 1,882]

2 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

They are not the same. Neither are what we want

Very true.

But if I order a T bone medium rare and 1 guy brings me a sirloin cooked medium well and another guy brings me some charred rat corpses. I'm gonna choose the sirloin.  

[au701948 1,001]

2 hours ago, AUwent said:

My calculus is that a team with less talent won 6 games. Therefore, one more win should be expected.

I also feel that a 7 win season is attainable. As long as Freeze and the other coaches get their collective act together toward changing culture in and around the team and program.

[Mksdvm2nd 12]

I think it starts with the OC, better game plans, better play calling, better in game management/adjustments if we want to get to 8/9 wins next year. Yes our talent level and depth may not be up to par, or where it needs to be, but the only way to combat that difference is coaching and game planning! 

[au701948 1,001]

36 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

Believe the hope is Hugh starts to coach a little bit more

Besides recruiting Hugh’s other plus has always been his play calling.

I would hope that he either finds a dynamic play caller or returns to play calling himself.

Coaching his players “up” does not appear to be his strong point.

[TigerTennis80 345]

We've had no indication that Montgomery won't be back as OC, but I just can't figure out how he stays after Hugh's comments regarding the offensive game plan following the game yesterday. So, Hugh turned the offensive game prep over to Montgomery while he (Hugh) focused on recruiting, & then after the game Hugh says the game plan wasn't good. So, how does Hugh keep him after that (& after saying similar kinds of things mid-season)? And/or how does Montgomery stay after he's been called out like that? I just can't see how either man can feel good about the situation, & yet we're hearing nothing about Montgomery being done. I hope there's something I don't know about if Montgomery is around for next season.

[W.E.D 11,070]

 

[Mondo Cane 13]

2 hours ago, AUwent said:

"10"...we've only actually been bad since the pandemic.

You must have been in another universe in 2015 and 2018. The end of 2014 was a s%^& show as well

[Mondo Cane 13]

1 hour ago, au701948 said:

I also feel that a 7 win season is attainable.

Really sad that the fanbase is now at the point of desperately wishing for a 7 win season. Thanks Malzahn! Thanks Potato Head! Thanks Freeze!

[Tiger Time Burrito 7]

(1) I don't see how the offense improves without better O-line play, and I don't see what is happening for that to be a reality.   There was some success at times in the running game, but pass protection was almost always bad.  And (2) I do not think Thorne is the solution at QB.  I watched games from Section 42 this year (north end zone).  The WR core was 'ahem' not elite.  But I saw open receivers in the middle of the field that did not get balls.   Usually Thorne waited, then flushed to the right and forced a throw to a covered receiver on the sideline.   The thing is, it appeared like his head scanned over the middle and he just didn't cut the ball loose.    Mind you these were on some plays where there was actually some protection, but I don't blame Thorne for being rattled back there in general.  He holds the ball.  When protected, he will scramble out of the pocket.   I'm not sure what he does well.    (3) The passing offense looks like it is out of high school.    In the bowl game, Maryland's QB2 is throwing 20 yard passes to a receiver who has caught 3 balls this season.   AU is struggling to complete a pass, forcing it through traffic on a 6 yard curl to a stationary target.   Or maybe every now and then chunk it deep and hope for the best.   This bowl season was full of backups getting reps, but looking competent.   Then we had AU.    I started this post intending to just make a comment about the O-Line prospects for next year.   Sorry for the rant.    I just don't see how a few talented freshman wide receivers are going to improve this situation much.        

[TexasTiger 12,966]

4 hours ago, W.E.D said:

 

It doesn’t take multiple top 10 classes to win one of the numerous bowls and have a winning season. Championships are another matter.

[NWALA Tiger 3,535]

6 hours ago, W.E.D said:

We still have time to address huge deficiency.

Right now it seems our OL targets are Ivy grads. 

I'm shocked 

[JDUBB4AU 5,121]

7 hours ago, TexasTiger said:

Is he a Gump?

He may be . We just sang a song and went over the last three years records. Rough session lol .