Way too early look at next season

[NCAubs 377]

On 1/3/2024 at 11:06 AM, ScotsAU said:

I’ve noticed that the mood of this board is directly dependent on the last event. After we beat Arkansas, everyone was optimistic. After the NMSU loss, everyone got aggressively pessimistic. After early signing day, optimistic again. After the bowl, pessimistic again. Everyone’s take is extremely reactionary. I challenge everyone to step back and take a wholistic view of the program. 

Stop.  Being. Logical. There is no place for that here. 

[Old fan 47 773]

On 1/1/2024 at 3:56 PM, AUwent said:

And doing that is made harder if we're getting the hardest rivals. Gus was by and large keeping us afloat and we were still miserable.

Gus had a decent run, but his plan had run out of steam. His recruiting was falling quickly. I just believe now, that it will be almost impossible to build a program from HS recruits, because they are now allowed to leave after one year, if unhappy. I believe Kiffin may be doing it better by recruiting the portal.

[NCAubs 377]

13 minutes ago, Old fan 47 said:

Gus had a decent run, but his plan had run out of steam. His recruiting was falling quickly. I just believe now, that it will be almost impossible to build a program from HS recruits, because they are now allowed to leave after one year, if unhappy. I believe Kiffin may be doing it better by recruiting the portal.

Someone alert Saban and crew…

[Old fan 47 773]

24 minutes ago, NCAubs said:

Someone alert Saban and crew…

Well Saban is losing plenty to the portal, just as UGA is. It’s become a minor league professional football league. 

[W.E.D 11,070]

10 minutes ago, Old fan 47 said:

Well Saban is losing plenty to the portal, just as UGA is. It’s become a minor league professional football league. 

They are, and we will too if we recruit how we want to.  I think UGA had 108 scholarships accounted for going into NSD.  They need guys to go to sign their class.  Just replace talent with talent.

We honestly have 8-10 guys that are essentially dead weight on our roster that I'm surprised we aren't recruiting over.

BUT UGA/Bama might be losing quantities to the portal....they are going to add quality back.  They all have elite transfer additions, bama has many high draft picks that were transfers

[woodford 3,660]

1 hour ago, Old fan 47 said:

Gus had a decent run, but his plan had run out of steam. His recruiting was falling quickly. I just believe now, that it will be almost impossible to build a program from HS recruits, because they are now allowed to leave after one year, if unhappy. I believe Kiffin may be doing it better by recruiting the portal.

I wholeheartedly disagree. HS recruiting will still be the way to build championship programs. Portal will help fill gaps and add depth, but I don't think you can build long term sustainability through the portal. Kiffin will learn the hard way and it's just another reminder why he would've maybe lasted 3 seasons at Auburn. Not only can he not beat great teams, but he also doesn't recruit the elite HS talent you need to win championships. 

 

The portal can seem volatile at times but a lot of it has to do with social media and marketing from ESPN. 247, ON3, etc. A former 5* sophomore WR who has never started a game (thus not really panning out) will enter the portal and ON3 will tweet "BREAKING 5* WR from Southern Cal enters the portal." He's not a Heisman finalist. It's not working for him there and he wants greener pastures. It's not necessarily some existential crisis at every turn.

[GreenTiger 1,006]

Coaches are taking risks and gambling on players from both the portal and hs. The hs players seem like a greater risk because they can bust and/or also transfer. Portal players can be busts on a fit and talent spectrum but they are less likely or able to transfer. 
Portal players to me carry less risk and may have more potential with time served already in a college program 

[DAG 33,998]

Based on current state of our roster , I predict 6, maybe 7 wins with hugh on the hot seat by the media unfortunately 

[W.E.D 11,070]

23 minutes ago, DAG said:

Based on current state of our roster , I predict 6, maybe 7 wins with hugh on the hot seat by the media unfortunately 

I think that is kinda right for the win total, disagree on the hot seat.  Maybe media driven but he's not truly going to be on the hot seat unless he goes into year 4 without a big Rival win and a disappointing year 3.

He's got a two year pass. Year three has to be a big step forward 

[Hank2020 3,212]

1 minute ago, W.E.D said:

I think that is kinda right for the win total, disagree on the hot seat.  Maybe media driven but he's not truly going to be on the hot seat unless he goes into year 4 without a big Rival win and a disappointing year 3.

He's got a two year pass. Year three has to be a big step forward 

I believe if QB play improves, heat will die down immensely.

[W.E.D 11,070]

21 minutes ago, Hank2020 said:

I believe if QB play improves, heat will die down immensely.

It can't get worse

[Win4AU 4,054]

54 minutes ago, DAG said:

Based on current state of our roster , I predict 6, maybe 7 wins with hugh on the hot seat by the media unfortunately 

I think hot seat is dependent on who and how Auburn loses.  If Auburn comes out and the offense still looks like a turd and you have another New Mexico State then 100%.  If Auburn has a bunch of close loses to Bama, UGA, Oklahoma, Mizzou, Texas A&M, and maybe Kentucky and pulls in another top 10 recruiting class then I think people will be fine.  Freeze also needs to take 100% responsibility for the team’s performance in pressers.  If he wants to internally have issues with coaches performances that’s fine but no more blaming coordinators publicly.  

[Win4AU 4,054]

3 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

It can't get worse

Ha!  Things can always get worse.

[W.E.D 11,070]

10 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

Ha!  Things can always get worse.

Ha, I'm not sure it can get worse, but I guess it's possible 

[Hank2020 3,212]

30 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

It can't get worse

QB play or heat?

[W.E.D 11,070]

52 minutes ago, Hank2020 said:

QB play or heat?

QB play. Hard to imagine we'd drop below 135yds a game.  That Navy level bad. 

[autiger88 3,777]

2 hours ago, W.E.D said:

I think that is kinda right for the win total, disagree on the hot seat.  Maybe media driven but he's not truly going to be on the hot seat unless he goes into year 4 without a big Rival win and a disappointing year 3.

He's got a two year pass. Year three has to be a big step forward 

I disagree with he has to take a step by year 3 it has to be this year at least beat Georgia or Alabama that's my take anyways with the Portal and HS recruiting he should be able to take that step this year... 

[W.E.D 11,070]

2 minutes ago, autiger88 said:

I disagree with he has to take a step by year 3 it has to be this year at least beat Georgia or Alabama that's my take anyways with the Portal and HS recruiting he should be able to take that step this year... 

If this were normal times and UGA and Bama weren't 15 and 5 years into essentially being two of the best programs off all-time, I wouldn't disagree.

We aren't beating either of them, so lets just live in reality 

[autiger88 3,777]

Just now, W.E.D said:

If this were normal times and UGA and Bama weren't 15 and 5 years into essentially being two of the best programs off all-time, I wouldn't disagree.

We aren't beating either of them, so lets just live in reality 

We came close this year so it could happen but I see what you are saying... 

[W.E.D 11,070]

12 minutes ago, autiger88 said:

We came close this year so it could happen but I see what you are saying... 

JHS voodoo magic helps. We will not get that next year

[DAG 33,998]

I agree that the shouldn’t be on the hot seat based on my prediction but I foresee that won’t be the case if the season plays out like it did (by the media). He would for sure have to get us to the playoffs in 2025. 

[Hank2020 3,212]

1 hour ago, W.E.D said:

QB play. Hard to imagine we'd drop below 135yds a game.  That Navy level bad. 

True and agree. If QB play improves enough to cool down AU fandom verbose, improvement will be more than marginal. IMO

[aubiefifty 16,824]

On 1/3/2024 at 11:06 AM, ScotsAU said:

I’ve noticed that the mood of this board is directly dependent on the last event. After we beat Arkansas, everyone was optimistic. After the NMSU loss, everyone got aggressively pessimistic. After early signing day, optimistic again. After the bowl, pessimistic again. Everyone’s take is extremely reactionary. I challenge everyone to step back and take a wholistic view of the program. 

i challenge everyone to start taking their meds. they say half the country is mentally ill so i can only reason this board is as well. and for the record i take my meds. so if i go off at least i am trying...............grins

[Hank2020 3,212]

22 minutes ago, autiger88 said:

I disagree with he has to take a step by year 3 it has to be this year at least beat Georgia or Alabama that's my take anyways with the Portal and HS recruiting he should be able to take that step this year... 

disagree with your expectations to beat one of the top 2 programs for awhile now. Moderate improvement each year is my expectation.

[autiger88 3,777]

7 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

JHS voodoo magic helps. We will not get that next year

True didn't even think about that haha