letting a magical season slip away

[aubiefifty 18,222]

A pedestrian performance: reminder that Auburn is letting a magical season slip away

Doug Segrest, Special to the Advertiser Published 9:17 p.m. CT Nov. 2, 2019 | Updated 9:47 p.m. CT Nov. 2, 2019

Auburn, vintage 2019, doesn’t need a Ferrari running the open road to complement Kevin Steele’s defense.

It just needs an offense that’s the equivalent of a good sedan. Fuel efficient. Dependable.

The 12th-ranked Tigers sputtered to victory Saturday night against Ole Miss. Back home in friendly environs for the first time since September, Auburn did the things on offense you need to do to beat an overmatched foe: namely control the clock.

The 20-14 victory proved this isn’t an offense without potential.

But Auburn clearly needs an oil change, a tuneup and probably a fresh set of tires.

Quarterback Bo Nix, who was as accurate a passer as you’ll see in high school, continues to miss wide-open targets. The running game isn’t dominant.

Ventures into the red zone remain a magical mystery tour.

And time is running out for a repair. The frustrations about the head man in charge, one Gus Malzahn, are legit. There’s a frustration with the season swings, with the offensive inconsistency and — most of all — the feeling that Auburn wasted one of its best defenses.

This exasperation isn’t limited to boosters and fans. You saw it in the faces of the defensive stars in the LSU postgame aftermath.

Certainly, the return home proved Auburn is worthy of a national ranking. On offense, Nix was efficient and running back D.J. Williams, unleashed for the second consecutive week, is a revelation.

The fact that game was closer than it should have been was only due to a special teams breakdowns in the first half and one Ole Miss drive in the second.

Here’s the problem: Auburn isn’t paying Malzahn to field teams that are merely good. Against the two best opponents it faced, Auburn’s offense was a nonfactor. And if you look ahead, which can be dangerous, 2020 doesn’t look better. That veteran offensive line? Graduated. That landmark defense? Gutted by star departures to Sunday afternoons.

 

Even with a more favorable schedule, Auburn looks to take a step back next season.

As for 2019, Auburn is looking at an 8-4 regular-season finish. Maybe Georgia is vulnerable. Maybe LSU will expose Alabama. But odds are the two Jordan-Hare visitors will be prohibitive favorites, bringing better defenses than the ones that have stymied Auburn twice this season.

Saturday’s game against Ole Miss wasn’t supposed to dispel the doubts. But the sluggish start and inability to score more only provided the reminder that there’s no quick fix to this offensive conundrum.

Auburn is leaking oil.

And Gus Malzahn is coaching for his life. Again.

Doug Segrest, a former SEC beat reporter, is a freelance columnist for the Montgomery Advertiser.

[gr82be 14,906]

Most points are valid as we all know but Nix wasn't much more accurate in HS than now and the Redzone mystery tours statement is simply not true. Auburn is scoring 86% of the time and that is second in the conference behind Georgia. 

[AU-24 3,130]

Quarterback Bo Nix, who was as accurate a passer as you’ll see in high school, continues to miss wide-open targets.

Nix finished 30 of 44 passing for a career-high 340 yards, his second 300 yard passing game of the season. AU wideouts had at least 3 drops that hit them right in the hands and chest.

Who were these wide-open receivers he continually missed yesterday? Does the teenage kid have to throw for 500 yards to get a compliment?

[bigsixfive 341]

He had a couple of overthrows and one underthrow. The problems in the passing game yesterday were primarily drops, particularly early in the game. Nix played pretty well. 

[Auskip 196]

Segrest is off target in this article.

Nix had a 68% completion percentage and 340 yards.

Except for the 2 fumbles the offense played well.

Only reason the game was close was because of special teams breakdowns: 3 missed kicks and a punt which outkicked the coverage

Understand that there is a sizable contingent that does not like Gus but here are two interesting facts:

1. Auburn has NEVER fired a coach who did not have a losing record.

2. Only one coach in Auburn history has NEVER had a losing record. Guess which one that is?

[nixtosanders94 2,180]

Just now, Auskip said:

Segrest is off target in this article.

Nix had a 68% completion percentage and 340 yards.

Except for the 2 fumbles the offense played well.

Only reason the game was close was because of special teams breakdowns: 3 missed kicks and a punt which outkicked the coverage

Understand that there is a sizable contingent that does not like Gus but here are two interesting facts:

1. Auburn has NEVER fired a coach who did not have a losing record.

2. Only one coach in Auburn history has NEVER had a losing record. Guess which one that is?

The offense played well? 20 points against Ole Sis? Ok, I guess...so if the offense had not kept getting bogged down and forcing us into going for the FG’s in the first place? And right before half with 1:40 to go if the offense doesn’t go 3 and out and give the Rebs 1:06 still left then the blown punt coverage wouldn’t have happened perhaps? 

Lets see how much of this offensive “improvement “ carries into Amen Corner...

You are correct about Auburn never firing a coach with a winning record but hey, there’s a first time for everything...

And yay, he’s never had a losing record...fantastic...he knows how to beat the teams Auburn should beat...whats that record against the Big 3 again? Yeah, that tells the tale I think.

[Mikey 16,781]

Segrest should have watched the game and checked the stats before he submitted this article. What he did was make a fool out of himself in another attempt by the media to bash Auburn. Other posters above addressed this in more detail. Thanks!

[tiger88 934]

At no point in the year has this been a magical season so how could one be slipping away? Had we beaten uf, maybe you could kind of say that. This is like a spam article.

[nixtosanders94 2,180]

I have no idea what everyone is so upset about? Look at these standings...we are right where Auburn belongs...right where mikey and the gang believe we should be...behind bama and lsu...yep, right where Auburn belongs...why some of y’all expect more than that is beyond me? Even if we lose to uga and bama...again...we will go to a nice semi- New Years Bowl game and have a shot at 9-4...well, hopefully Memphis or Purdue will be our opponent...

[tiger88 934]

13 minutes ago, Auskip said:

Segrest is off target in this article.

Nix had a 68% completion percentage and 340 yards.

Except for the 2 fumbles the offense played well.

Only reason the game was close was because of special teams breakdowns: 3 missed kicks and a punt which outkicked the coverage

Understand that there is a sizable contingent that does not like Gus but here are two interesting facts:

1. Auburn has NEVER fired a coach who did not have a losing record.

2. Only one coach in Auburn history has NEVER had a losing record. Guess which one that is?

Most AU coaches never had 3 total cupcake games a year as well as the option to play weak assed teams with half our talent who end up in the callaway gardens/dollar general bowl, with us. If he loses to uga and bama, he should be fired, period. 

Gus mentally screws himself in nearly every big game because he is afraid to lose to them. He has a winning record each year because he feasts on teams with less talent, they don't scare him. When we play a big SEC team, his sack shrivels up and he loses the tiny bit of "genius" he has in a pool of anxiety and fear. He ends up playing injured TB's in the wildcat instead of a 6'5" stud who is frothing at the mouth to come in. Or, running the ball up the middle 30 times for 7 yards. If you are afraid to let Gus go, you suffer from the same mental deficiencies that he has, mainly fear of a losing season. 

The thought of a brand new OL next year haunts my dreams with gus as hc. That is a 2-3 year gus and grimes project right there, and Nix would be lucky to survive.

 

[tiger88 934]

9 minutes ago, nixtosanders94 said:

I have no idea what everyone is so upset about? Look at these standings...we are right where Auburn belongs...right where mikey and the gang believe we should be...behind bama and lsu...yep, right where Auburn belongs...why some of y’all expect more than that is beyond me? Even if we lose to uga and bama...again...we will go to a nice semi- New Years Bowl game and have a shot at 9-4...well, hopefully Memphis or Purdue will be our opponent...

Amen. I'll risk hiring a crappy coach to get rid of Gus. Gus is a lower mid tier SEC coach with a top notch sec talent pool. The blind squirrel does find an occasional nut. 

[AU-24 3,130]

8 minutes ago, nixtosanders94 said:

I have no idea what everyone is so upset about? Look at these standings...we are right where Auburn belongs...right where mikey and the gang believe we should be...behind bama and lsu...yep, right where Auburn belongs...why some of y’all expect more than that is beyond me? Even if we lose to uga and bama...again...we will go to a nice semi- New Years Bowl game and have a shot at 9-4...well, hopefully Memphis or Purdue will be our opponent...

I think in this case, at least in my case, I am criticizing the author, not defending Gus.

Not trying to give you a hard time in any way,, but some of us are really getting tired of every thread, every day, turning into a Gus bashing contest! Maybe think about posting who you’d rather have as coach? Maybe think about posting how the athletic director could better handle Gus?  Again, just friendly suggestions.

 A couple points below:
 

1. Patrick Nix had the best game of his young career.

2. Magical season slip away? When was this going to be a magical season?

3. Without a couple bad wide receiver drops, Nix throws for over 400 yards.
 

Regardless of the reasons (lack of better recruiting come to mind) we’re starting a teenage, true freshman quarterback, playing what many feel is the toughest schedule in the country. As we’ve discussed before, maybe my expectations are just lower, but few realistic people, were thinking this was going to be a magical season.

The article is simply another opportunity to bash Auburn, in this prime recruiting season.

[BJCrawford 1,568]

2 minutes ago, AU-24 said:

I think in this case, at least in my case, I am criticizing the author, not defending Gus.

Not trying to give you a hard time in any way,, but some of us are really getting tired of every thread, every day, turning into a Gus bashing contest! Maybe think about posting who you’d rather have as coach? Maybe think about posting how the athletic director could better handle Gus?  Again, just friendly suggestions.

 A couple points below:
 

1. Patrick Nix had the best game of his young career.

2. Magical season slip away? When was this going to be a magical season?

3. Without a couple bad wide receiver drops, Nix throws for over 400 yards.
 

Regardless of the reasons (lack of better recruiting come to mind) we’re starting a teenage, true freshman quarterback, playing what many feel is the toughest schedule in the country. As we’ve discussed before, maybe my expectations are just lower, but few realistic people, were thinking this was going to be a magical season.

The article is simply another opportunity to bash Auburn, in this prime recruiting season.

Agree. It seems there’s no in between here. If you don’t hate Gus vehemently, then you are a sunshine pumper.  The fact it’s trickling to the players bothers me now.   A post recently indicated this felt like 2012. Anyone sitting at any game in 2012 knows it’s not even close.  But no need  for haters to worry, the attrition on the board is slowly leaving just the haters to discuss the horror among themselves, with no one to disagree, lest they be told they don’t get it or “it’s their bed time”. 

[tiger88 934]

7 minutes ago, AU-24 said:

I think in this case, at least in my case, I am criticizing the author, not defending Gus.

Not trying to give you a hard time in any way,, but some of us are really getting tired of every thread, every day, turning into a Gus bashing contest! Maybe think about posting who you’d rather have as coach? Maybe think about posting how the athletic director could better handle Gus?  Again, just friendly suggestions.

 A couple points below:
 

1. Patrick Nix had the best game of his young career.

2. Magical season slip away? When was this going to be a magical season?

3. Without a couple bad wide receiver drops, Nix throws for over 400 yards.
 

Regardless of the reasons (lack of better recruiting come to mind) we’re starting a teenage, true freshman quarterback, playing what many feel is the toughest schedule in the country. As we’ve discussed before, maybe my expectations are just lower, but few realistic people, were thinking this was going to be a magical season.

The article is simply another opportunity to bash Auburn, in this prime recruiting season.

They bash Auburn because we are bashable. Sick of the tough schedule malarkey, we're in the SEC West, that will never change. Every thread is a gus bashing thread for a reason, get over it. He is destined for mid to low tier mediocrity. You think it's bad with a freshman qb, wait until the entire OL leaves next year and grimes is still here, lol. 

There is nothing more annoying than someone who gives instructions on how other's should post. If gus doesn't want to be bashed, he needs to find a softer venue to coach in. 

[nixtosanders94 2,180]

8 minutes ago, AU-24 said:

I think in this case, at least in my case, I am criticizing the author, not defending Gus.

Not trying to give you a hard time in any way,, but some of us are really getting tired of every thread, every day, turning into a Gus bashing contest! Maybe think about posting who you’d rather have as coach? Maybe think about posting how the athletic director could better handle Gus?  Again, just friendly suggestions.

 A couple points below:
 

1. Patrick Nix had the best game of his young career.

2. Magical season slip away? When was this going to be a magical season?

3. Without a couple bad wide receiver drops, Nix throws for over 400 yards.
 

Regardless of the reasons (lack of better recruiting come to mind) we’re starting a teenage, true freshman quarterback, playing what many feel is the toughest schedule in the country. As we’ve discussed before, maybe my expectations are just lower, but few realistic people, were thinking this was going to be a magical season.

The article is simply another opportunity to bash Auburn, in this prime recruiting season.

My thought process is why does Auburn have to have “magical” seasons to be ultra successful? Why can’t we line up and play toe to toe year in and year out with the toughest teams on our schedule? Why would we go into a 7th season of a coach’s tenure not expecting to contend? I guess we do have different expectations but don’t blame those of us who want more. Auburn is stale with Gus. Its tired, same old same old. At least a new coach might infuse energy back into it. What we saw last night was lethargy from our fans. We can blame bad fans all we want but at the end of the day people are paying for two things...Winning and entertaining football...like it or not, thats how it is. The trope about how they’re not real Auburn fans gets old. They paid to be there and made the trip and fought the traffic and walked from their cars and spent money at the concession stands...pretty sure they wouldn’t do that if they weren't ”true” AU fans...and I was impressed with Bo, but we pretty much always put up numbers on bad teams...how will we look in two weeks? I have an idea of the answer based on most of Gus’s time at AU...

[nixtosanders94 2,180]

2 minutes ago, BJCrawford said:

Agree. It seems there’s no in between here. If you don’t hate Gus vehemently, then you are a sunshine pumper.  The fact it’s trickling to the players bothers me now.   A post recently indicated this felt like 2012. Anyone sitting at any game in 2012 knows it’s not even close.  But no need  for haters to worry, the attrition on the board is slowly leaving just the haters to discuss the horror among themselves, with no one to disagree, lest they be told they don’t get it or “it’s their bed time”. 

Oh BJ...BJ, BJ, BJ...

[tiger88 934]

1 minute ago, BJCrawford said:

Agree. It seems there’s no in between here. If you don’t hate Gus vehemently, then you are a sunshine pumper.  The fact it’s trickling to the players bothers me now.   A post recently indicated this felt like 2012. Anyone sitting at any game in 2012 knows it’s not even close.  But no need  for haters to worry, the attrition on the board is slowly leaving just the haters to discuss the horror among themselves, with no one to disagree, lest they be told they don’t get it or “it’s their bed time”. 

This is just plain stupid. I know few, if any people that hate gus at all. Both I and many others have been the idiots on the gus bus many times before, mainly because it was the only bus to get on

 Gus is a good person and most would love it if he would be the coach most of us all thought he might be at some time. Still waiting. 

[AUFriction 1,179]

2 hours ago, tiger88 said:

Amen. I'll risk hiring a crappy coach to get rid of Gus. Gus is a lower mid tier SEC coach with a top notch sec talent pool. The blind squirrel does find an occasional nut. 

You must be young. Dye and Tuberville played in a watered down SEC West. There may not have been teams as bad as Arkansas is right now, but there were a lot of underwhelming teams during those years, including less than stellar Alabama teams.

[nixtosanders94 2,180]

2 minutes ago, AUFriction said:

You must be young. Dye and Tuberville played in a watered down SEC West. There may not have been teams as bad as Arkansas is right now, but there were a lot of underwhelming teams during those years, including less than stellar Alabama teams.

Dye didn’t even coach in the West...because it didn’t exist...and bama had some good teams including the one that rolled into JHS unbeaten and ranked 2nd in 89. Tennessee was very good back then as well and we had to play them every year. All y’all do is make excuses for Gus instead of wishing for better.  

[AUFriction 1,179]

1 hour ago, nixtosanders94 said:

My thought process is why does Auburn have to have “magical” seasons to be ultra successful? Why can’t we line up and play toe to toe year in and year out with the toughest teams on our schedule? Why would we go into a 7th season of a coach’s tenure not expecting to contend? I guess we do have different expectations but don’t blame those of us who want more. Auburn is stale with Gus. Its tired, same old same old. At least a new coach might infuse energy back into it. What we saw last night was lethargy from our fans. We can blame bad fans all we want but at the end of the day people are paying for two things...Winning and entertaining football...like it or not, thats how it is. The trope about how they’re not real Auburn fans gets old. They paid to be there and made the trip and fought the traffic and walked from their cars and spent money at the concession stands...pretty sure they wouldn’t do that if they weren't ”true” AU fans...and I was impressed with Bo, but we pretty much always put up numbers on bad teams...how will we look in two weeks? I have an idea of the answer based on most of Gus’s time at AU...

You have a very strange definition of successful. No team can go undefeated every year. It takes perfection and a little luck to win a national championship.

This goes back to the point I keep making about Saban and Bama. Too many Auburn fans are trying to define success as what Bama has accomplished and aren’t realizing that what they’ve accomplished has never been seen before in history. They are playing in a tough division and winning a lot. Most of the other teams showing similar success around the country (e.g. Clemson, Okie, Ohio State) do so because they play crap competition. 

Expecting 12 wins every year is just insane. The expectation should be between 8 and 10 wins, and every couple of years we should compete for a championship.

[AUFriction 1,179]

Just now, nixtosanders94 said:

Dye didn’t even coach in the West...because it didn’t exist...and bama had some good teams including the one that rolled into JHS unbeaten and ranked 2nd in 89. Tennessee was very good back then as well and we had to play them every year. All y’all do is make excuses for Gus instead of wishing for better.  

Okay... What about Tubbs? I remember most of the fan base being really sad when he left. There were almost riots on campus. He was about as successful as Gus has been, and didn’t have to play 4 great teams every year.

[bigbird 60,939]

In a 12 game season, 8 should never be expected. 

[nixtosanders94 2,180]

Just now, AUFriction said:

You have a very strange definition of successful. No team can go undefeated every year. It takes perfection and a little luck to win a national championship.

This goes back to the point I keep making about Saban and Bama. Too many Auburn fans are trying to define success as what Bama has accomplished and aren’t realizing that what they’ve accomplished has never been seen before in history. They are playing in a tough division and winning a lot. Most of the other teams showing similar success around the country (e.g. Clemson, Okie, Ohio State) do so because they play crap competition. 

Expecting 12 wins every year is just insane. The expectation should be between 8 and 10 wins, and every couple of years we should compete for a championship.

Oh my god Im sick of having to answer this stupid argument...for the 99th freaking time...no one on here said a damn thing about going unbeaten every year or doing what bama has done. Just play a decent god forsaken offense and don’t look like dog poo in big games. That’s literally all we’re saying. With a halfway decent, competent offense we are 9-0 right now. Go back and read birds post where with a halfway competent offense we are about 40-4 in our last 44. But no one, like literally zero people I know have said they expect perfection every year. Good grief.

[AUFriction 1,179]

1 hour ago, BJCrawford said:

Agree. It seems there’s no in between here. If you don’t hate Gus vehemently, then you are a sunshine pumper.  The fact it’s trickling to the players bothers me now.   A post recently indicated this felt like 2012. Anyone sitting at any game in 2012 knows it’s not even close.  But no need  for haters to worry, the attrition on the board is slowly leaving just the haters to discuss the horror among themselves, with no one to disagree, lest they be told they don’t get it or “it’s their bed time”. 

I agree completely. There are things about this team that frustrate me. There are some things about Gus I don’t like. But I feel like I’m getting tagged as a pumper because most of my comments of late have been point out how insane some of our fans have been in their comments about Gus.

[nixtosanders94 2,180]

2 minutes ago, AUFriction said:

Okay... What about Tubbs? I remember most of the fan base being really sad when he left. There were almost riots on campus. He was about as successful as Gus has been, and didn’t have to play 4 great teams every year.

Well since I’ve already destroyed your Dye argument...I literally have zero idea what point you’re trying to make. Tubs underachieved too. Bama was down during most of his tenure. So what? I dont gauge Auburn’s potential by what Tubs did? Auburn consistently underachieves due in large part to low expectations where our fans don’t wanna compete with the big boys but are happy with an annual trip to Tampa, Nashville or Birmingham...