Vs Cal Post Game Thread

[e808 3,090]

6 minutes ago, AURex said:

Is it all on CHF? I dunno. Thorne was shiiiiiite. The OL was shiiiiiiite. The defense finally showed up in the second half for some plays, but .... waiting.

FACT -- can't pass and can't run if your OL sux and your QB sux. Even if your receivers class was special!

Auburn has, on paper, a great recruiting class for next year to add to the great recruiting class this year. Will it result in a dominant OL? Will there be a QB?

Waiting for next year ........

 

In the grand scheme he is the coach and should know the strengths and weaknesses of the team. Cal did nothing exotic on defense. The play calling never adjusted . No quick hitters . Just bombs away

[Tiger Refuge 6,781]

The bottom line is Freeze used up a TON of goodwill last season, regardless of what the sunshine pumpers would like to admit. Firing both of your coordinators and choosing to stick with your garbage starting qb are massive bets that better pay off.
 

If they don’t, the leash gets much, much tighter. And if Cohen doesn’t understand that, he can go out with the trash.

[AuCivilEng1 12,095]

11 minutes ago, e808 said:

Unfortunately Auburn is the example of the grass isn’t always greener. Still can’t believe just upgrading the receivers was a solution. If next is the year to show progress that means HB or WW has to be the QB the rest of the year. 

F that. This was the year to show progress. He should absolutely feel like a failure if we don’t find a way to win 7-8 this year. He’s had time to build his roster enough to win 7 games. Especially since he took over a 6 win program. 

[AURex 2,255]

Just now, e808 said:

In the grand scheme he is the coach and should know the strengths and weaknesses of the team. Cal did nothing exotic on defense. The play calling never adjusted . No quick hitters . Just bombs away

I agree. That one LB of Cal just ate us up. Constantly. Play after play. And the D did zero to answer to him. Nuthin'!!! Auburn's OL (and O protection) just plain SUX!

I was hoping after CHF tanked last year's O coordinator, we might see some improvement.

Spectacular receivers! Yay!

Same ole' crappy QB who can't get a pass within feet of our elite receivers.  Same Ole' OL: that cannot block.

 

[fishepa 2,000]

10 minutes ago, e808 said:

In the grand scheme he is the coach and should know the strengths and weaknesses of the team. Cal did nothing exotic on defense. The play calling never adjusted . No quick hitters . Just bombs away

Every team I watch seems to have an intermediate passing game except for us.  Been that way for what seems like 10 years.

[jptiger 485]

3 hours ago, tbone4jc said:

I really don’t care anymore. Life is too short to waste watching this crap. I guess I should have lowered my expectations to > 7 wins. I’ll be shocked if we win 5 after todays showcase.

It’s sad. I lost my mojo years ago. Had higher hopes for this season but I knew in my heart that no transfer QB would bite us. Oline play was disappointing at this level. I don’t care if you have a bunch of 1 stars out there. Hopefully this was a freak deal. Won’t be holding my breath. We are all starving for an Auburn football team that can compete every week no matter the opponent. It’s been a long long time.  WDE as always 

[AUINSY 2,239]

28 minutes ago, JDUBB4AU said:

This is no better than Harsin. What we are seeing is no better. Harsin , Freeze. What’s the difference? Recruiting ? Recruit good or bad , the same product on the field for both. 

^^^ This exactly. A season removed from being the next Billy Napier / Harsin hack. 

Edited September 8 by AUINSY

[cbo 8,718]

1 hour ago, tigerchris said:

Everything went wrong for us and just about everything good for them.  That’s how it is sometimes. 

So much went wrong for Cal. They missed a 25 yard field goal. They had about 5 false starts in the first half. Bobbled snaps from their 3rd string center. Had to play their 2nd string QB at the end of the game. 

Auburn caught a ton of breaks to get our 2nd TD. 

Truth is we were completely outplayed and out coached. Just like NMSU. It wasn’t flukey at all. 

[PigskinPat 2,610]

What’s the old saying? I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired?

[AUwent 3,831]

So, if this is how the season ends up going, will the willpower be there to pony up for a portal QB?

I go back and forth between thinking that getting one is the missing piece…and thinking that we might as well board up shop until the mid 2030s, since that’s how long Tenner was in the wilderness. (2008-21, 2020-33)

Edited September 8 by AUwent

[arktiger1975 672]

11 minutes ago, PigskinPat said:

What’s the old saying? I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired?

AMEN!

[TigerOne 1,231]

7 minutes ago, AUwent said:

So, if this is how the season ends up going, will the willpower be there to pony up for a portal QB?

Or a new coach 

[jptiger 485]

11 minutes ago, AUwent said:

So, if this is how the season ends up going, will the willpower be there to pony up for a portal QB?

I go back and forth between thinking that getting one is the missing piece…and thinking that we might as well board up shop until the mid 2030s, since that’s how long Tenner was in the wilderness. (2008-21, 2020-33)

It has to be an honest commitment and assessment each offseason on true strengths and weaknesses. To me recruiting shouldn’t be brain surgery.  Not upgrading the QB was a huge miss. Hubris in thinking you can always make lemonade with lemons. You can’t. Almost no one does. Just like the league. QB is important. Very. 

[sevenlee36 1,705]

23 minutes ago, PigskinPat said:

What’s the old saying? I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired?

We just aren’t “Auburn” anymore we have lost our edge. I can remember when we took the field we legit thought we could win no matter who we played. Now when we get down by a touchdown against an average or below average team it is a coin flip at best of us winning.

[AUwent 3,831]

5 minutes ago, jptiger said:

It has to be an honest commitment and assessment each offseason on true strengths and weaknesses. To me recruiting shouldn’t be brain surgery.  Not upgrading the QB was a huge miss. Hubris in thinking you can always make lemonade with lemons. You can’t. Almost no one does. Just like the league. QB is important. Very. 

I desperately hope it’s more the QB. If the OL is what’s broken, I don’t see how we get out of this vicious cycle. Even if recruits are willing to forgive lack of improvement tis year, they won’t next year, and we’ll have to start all over again. Dice and Shull should be an upgrade in talent but they’re going to be true freshmen! And freshmen at OL tend to struggle. 

Edited September 8 by AUwent

[jptiger 485]

1 minute ago, AUwent said:

I desperately hope it’s more the QB. If the OL is what’s broken, I don’t see how we get out of this vicious cycle. Even if recruits are willing to forgive lack of improvement tis year, they won’t next year, and we’ll have to start all over again. Dice and Shull should be an upgrade in talent but they’re going to be true freshmen! And freshmen at OL tend to struggle. 

I agree. Let’s hope not. Keep thinking we are due. But it’s getting harder. Ha 

[AUx 3,163]

It seems like Auburn would be better off, and save some recruiting time and money by not recruiting high school QBs at all. It is proving it will only play transfers 9 out of 10 cycles (and can’t develop or assess it’s own HS recruits). Now, the problem is it has seemed unable to assess transfers/portals as well. But with our wondrous alignment, Hugh should be able to obtain financing for a continuous experiment at that position, right? Last sentence is sarcasm. But maybe the boosters DO just love to make it rain on Hugh.

[DKW 86 7,899]

3 hours ago, tbone4jc said:

Famous quote from the waterboy some up Auburn football “We suck again!”…

This actually was said at my house and the homes of several AU Fans I know.

[DAG 34,752]

You know what , it is still WDE for Greece. Over Thorne, over Freeze but grateful for this awesome fanbase. Here’s to hoping one day we get what we deserve .

[DAG 34,752]

But I am just going to say this. A few of us said that no matter how great the skilled people are, if they don’t have a playmaker behind center it won’t matter. Offensive line is just a bit as shakey as last year which is bizarre. Heck they might be worse somehow. I watched Thorne since his freshman year of Michigan state. He looked great when he had NFL caliber WRs, NFL Caliber RB and a competent offensive line.  Well duh, most people would like pretty good with that. Check the stats, he still played poor against the minimal quality teams in big ten. Now he comes to Auburn and we are asking him to do more than he ever has done in his collegiate career. This is why we had to get McCall, we had to figure out the academics with the Liberty guy. Something had to happen because just because you got 4 stud WRs means absolutely nothing if the QB play is below average and the o-line is poor in pass protection. That doesn’t mean it is an excuse for poor play however because I watch Sanders son get practically blasted and yet he stand tall and makes the dang play. Freeze and Thorne are both getting paid and not delivering and the fans have absolutely the right to show their displeasure. Okay that was my meltdown. 

[DAG 34,752]

The only silver lining and it is a reach is that Marcus freeman will probably not be the HC for ND for very long. Hugh and the staff need to be on the horn telling Deuce this is your team and program next year. We need him to commit to keep these freaking class strong. 

[GreenTiger 1,056]

Same s***… different year. Why would good players stay or come to Auburn and a Hugh Freeze led program???  Get a lucky win against Cal once but not twice. Losses to Arky and Okie a very probable scenario. Funny thing is Harsin may have a better overall record than Freeze at the end of this 
 

[AUwent 3,831]

36 minutes ago, DAG said:

But I am just going to say this. A few of us said that no matter how great the skilled people are, if they don’t have a playmaker behind center it won’t matter. Offensive line is just a bit as shakey as last year which is bizarre. Heck they might be worse somehow. I watched Thorne since his freshman year of Michigan state. He looked great when he had NFL caliber WRs, NFL Caliber RB and a competent offensive line.  Well duh, most people would like pretty good with that. Check the stats, he still played poor against the minimal quality teams in big ten. Now he comes to Auburn and we are asking him to do more than he ever has done in his collegiate career. This is why we had to get McCall, we had to figure out the academics with the Liberty guy. Something had to happen because just because you got 4 stud WRs means absolutely nothing if the QB play is below average and the o-line is poor in pass protection. That doesn’t mean it is an excuse for poor play however because I watch Sanders son get practically blasted and yet he stand tall and makes the dang play. Freeze and Thorne are both getting paid and not delivering and the fans have absolutely the right to show their displeasure. Okay that was my meltdown. 

 

25 minutes ago, DAG said:

The only silver lining and it is a reach is that Marcus freeman will probably not be the HC for ND for very long. Hugh and the staff need to be on the horn telling Deuce this is your team and program next year. We need him to commit to keep these freaking class strong. 

It just feel like no matter what we do it won’t work. If we get Deuce he’ll be a true freshmen and therefore not ready, but ew won’t have hte $ needed for a difference maker of a QB in the portal. If we get said difference maker from hte portal we won’t have the $ for anyone else, and therefore if he gets injured we’re right back to where we started. 

With the offensive line, are the guys we signed this past year really more talented? Ditto with teh guys we have committed for this class? Even if they are it’s going to take them a couple of years to get experience.

I’m struggling to think how we’re going to ever rebuild this program.

[DAG 34,752]

1 minute ago, AUwent said:

 

It just feel like no matter what we do it won’t work. If we get Deuce he’ll be a true freshmen and therefore not ready, but ew won’t have hte $ needed for a difference maker of a QB in the portal. If we get said difference maker from hte portal we won’t have the $ for anyone else, and therefore if he gets injured we’re right back to where we started. 

With the offensive line, are the guys we signed this past year really more talented? Ditto with teh guys we have committed for this class? Even if they are it’s going to take them a couple of years to get experience.

I’m struggling to think how we’re going to ever rebuild this program.

Honestly a talented true freshman is better than the crap we have seen. If it were me , and gladly it is not because I was the one harping for us to get freeze, I would really try to solidify this next upcoming class with a premier QB. I could argue that if we have the funding , we could go after the Liberty QB or a veteran who can effectively run this system. 

[TitanTiger 21,241]

The bottom line for me is, at halftime, the defense made adjustments (many of which I and others suggested), and Cal's offense basically ground to a halt.  We stopped using 3 man pass rushes and brought 5 or 6 guys on most passing plays.  The difference was stark.

Cal Passing
1st half:  19 of 21, 205 yds, 2 TDs
2nd half:  6 of 15, 28 yds

The offense, other than a mild uptick in rushing attempts, didn't seem to make any.  Cal was obviously having some success in the pass rush and blitzing and in response...nothing changed.  Payton was still waiting for longer routes to develop and getting hit or flushed out.  No slip screens, bubble screens, halfback screens, quick slants, quick outs, swing passes, 5-7 yard curls or button hooks. No easy check downs.  Anything designed to get the ball out quickly and tire out the pass rush and give some playmakers like Simmons the ball in space.

Now what I can't speak to is how much was Payton.  TV doesn't show you the WR routes downfield.  Maybe there were changes in the play calls that resulted in open guys that Thorne just wouldn't make a decision and pull the trigger on.  Maybe he had check downs but he refused to check to them.  But to this untrained eye at home, I just kept seeing him looking and looking too long resulting in rushed throws at the last second, incompletions, and interceptions.

I don't think Freeze is a stupid man, nor are Nix and Austin.  I don't purport to be a real football coach.  But I played some and have watched enough over the years to know the common counter moves to defensive strategies and I didn't see anything that looked like that yesterday.