Much deeper than we think

[Auburn93 871]

10 hours ago, nthemix said:

there are a lot of problems with the program … probably too many to list BUT the main issue on the field is in the play along both lines of scrimmage … Mahomes couldn’t play behind this O line & we can’t pressure the opposing QB … also our tackling is utterly miserable … truth is we don’t have any “dawgs” on either side of the los … until that changes we are a long, LONG, way from being competitive 

Tackling was better in this game. Hard hits too, major hard hits that broke bones. I agree about LOS though.

[AUght2win 7,176]

10 hours ago, Viper said:

Haven't won a bowl since Stidham was here. Mizz and Kentucky on the road. A&M def has more talent and has a 4-2 record at JH. This is not an easy schedule, esp with GA & bammer on the road.

It’s the easiest schedule in at least a decade for sure.

[jluvah 761]

10 hours ago, Viper said:

Freeze has had just one of his own (100%) recruiting classes (2024) to see the field and those players are true Freshmen.

The 2023 class was mostly Harsin. That's why we finished #18 for the 2023 class.

In one year, Freeze & staff got us to #10.

2025 class, we're currently #4.

2026 class, we're currently #2.

The 25 and 26 classes will cut and run with the product they see Freeze putting on the field. Hide and watch.

[AUght2win 7,176]

13 minutes ago, Auburn93 said:

I saw KLS fighting through pain and making plays. He also said it was everyone's responsibility for the losses. I think you are not interpreting what you see accurately if you think KLS is causing problems.  Alston fumbling was poor technique not a moral failing. So you think Coleman on YESTERDAY's interception was because he wasn't focused. How do you KNOW he wasn't focused? I've seen tipped over the middle interceptions plenty of times in my life. I agree Keonte needs to call for a fair catch on some of those plays.

How great is your vision to see all these things close up?

Cole Cubelic agrees. Had said previously, “without naming a name”, that Auburn had a receiver openly not playing hard. 

[sevenlee36 1,885]

The progression of Auburn football over the years.

We used to find ways to win games games we shouldn’t. Never been in a game we didn’t think we could win.

 

Then - We found ways to lose games we shouldn’t.

 

Now - we get beat easily by the teams  that would be considered a lesser opponent. Now believe we could lose any game no matter who it is.

Edited September 22 by sevenlee36

[Viper 3,595]

4 hours ago, Shoney'sPonyBoy said:

So then we HAVEN'T recruited well since the only difference between this year and last year's team is a few WRs?

O.k.

We didn't add a new QB (In direct contradiction to what you just posted), four 4-star D-linemen, two 4-star LBs, a four star OL, two 4-star CBs, and a 4-star safety?

Also, if we have basically the same team (according to you) as last year, shouldn't those same players have benefitted from the additional year of experience/coaching?  

(This is one of those times in which you can't have it both ways).

Look, if you want to make the argument that we have talent but it is very young and not ready to contribute much or at a high level yet, make that argument.  That's not what you said.

Starters

[AUINSY 2,353]

14 hours ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

I do think they need to redirect some funds to the portal. We need experienced players with maturity who have won.  Especially at QB

This exactly. If we had Pavia from Vandy/NMST we’d be 4-0 and top 25 team right now. Of all teams, we should have ID’d him, especially after we got boat-raced by him last year at home. 

Edited September 22 by AUINSY

[Viper 3,595]

4 hours ago, Shoney'sPonyBoy said:

Maybe, but it's a lot closer than you make it seem.

Auburn has more talent than two of the teams we just lost to.  We also have more talent than two of the teams we have beaten, which makes four teams right there.

We have more talent than Vandy and LA Monroe.  Now we're up to six teams.  

According to the 247 Sports Talent Composite, we also have more talent than Kentucky and Missouri (as well as Arkansas).

I get that that is a composite and doesn't tell the whole story, but...

That's eight wins right there.

 

Of course we have more talent than Cal. Not more than ARK. Not that it matters, McElroy stated the other day ARK had more talent.

I had 7 wins. bammer & GA on the road are automatic losses. To say that we only lose just two more games, given our starters, is being unrealistic.

[Viper 3,595]

4 hours ago, Old fan 47 said:

Currently, but how many will actually sign and how many current ones will stay? 

You’re seriously asking me to predict the minds of 17-year olds?

Point is, regardless how bad a HC Freeze is, he has us in position to land the best classes in Auburn history.

[Viper 3,595]

1 hour ago, AUght2win said:

It’s the easiest schedule in at least a decade for sure.

Ole Miss has an easy schedule. We play arguably the two best teams in the SEC on the road.

[Viper 3,595]

1 hour ago, jluvah said:

The 25 and 26 classes will cut and run with the product they see Freeze putting on the field. Hide and watch.

I’ve already alluded to that multiple times in the recruiting forum i.e. comparing it to Napier’s 2023 recruiting class. It’s a real thing that can happen to Freeze.

[AUght2win 7,176]

11 minutes ago, Viper said:

Ole Miss has an easy schedule. We play arguably the two best teams in the SEC on the road.

Yes but in the context of Auburn, it’s an easy schedule. Our P5 OOC game was a weak Cal team at home. First five games in JHS to build momentum.

No LSU. No top 10 Ole Miss. Instead we got traditionally meh teams in Kentucky, Mizzou, Vandy, Arkansas, and TAMU. UGA and Bama are the only two teams on our schedule on a clearly different level of talent. 

There’s really no excuse to be in year two and not win at least 7 with this schedule. 

[auburnatl1 6,424]

Respectfully I think we’re waaaaay overthinking this. We had 4 interceptions (not total turnovers - just interceptions) in each loss.  8 in 2 games - one per friggin quarter. 

That is beyond  “poor qb play”, it’s an unrecoverable fatal flaw against any competent team. Past present future.

[Viper 3,595]

2 minutes ago, AUght2win said:

Yes but in the context of Auburn, it’s an easy schedule. Our P5 OOC game was a weak Cal team at home. First five games in JHS to build momentum.

No LSU. No top 10 Ole Miss. Instead we got traditionally meh teams in Kentucky, Mizzou, Vandy, Arkansas, and TAMU. UGA and Bama are the only two teams on our schedule on a clearly different level of talent. 

There’s really no excuse to be in year two and not win at least 7 with this schedule. 

I had us at 7-5. I think we’re splitting hairs on the schedule.

But no, we never had 8-win talent coming into this season as starters. Lot of promise in the Freshmen, but they’re Freshmen.

[Viper 3,595]

6 minutes ago, auburnatl1 said:

Respectfully I think we’re waaaaay overthinking this. We had 4 interceptions (not total turnovers - just interceptions) in each loss.  8 in 2 games - one per friggin quarter. 

That is beyond  “poor qb play”, it’s an unrecoverable fatal flaw against any competent team. Past present future.

Yup. Ask Jamie Howard.

AU had 165 yards of total offense compared to LSU’s 407 and managed to beat LSU 30-26.

[japantiger 4,209]

45 minutes ago, Viper said:

Yup. Ask Jamie Howard.

AU had 165 yards of total offense compared to LSU’s 407 and managed to beat LSU 30-26.

They fired their coach after that as well

[AUght2win 7,176]

49 minutes ago, auburnatl1 said:

Respectfully I think we’re waaaaay overthinking this. We had 4 interceptions (not total turnovers - just interceptions) in each loss.  8 in 2 games - one per friggin quarter. 

That is beyond  “poor qb play”, it’s an unrecoverable fatal flaw against any competent team. Past present future.

Why do you think these bizarre things are happening, though? If Keys doesn’t rough the passer we win. If we don’t let them march 80 yards right down our throat on the last drive we win. If we catch routine slants we win. If we don’t fumble we win. 

These things aren’t just randomly happening and they aren’t just magically going to be fixed. This is all resulting from things being psychologically off as a team. 

It started under Harsin in late 2021. We had just kicked a top 10 Ole Miss’ ass. Then we blow a 28-3 home lead to Miss State. Blow the South Carolina game. Blow the Iron Bowl in epic fashion. Blow the Birmingham Bowl - all four games we SHOULD have won.

Then in 22 we were fully accustomed to losing. Cadillac fought this losing tide in his stint. In 23 there were signs we were getting it behind us. But then just like Harsin, late in the year we fully embraced losing again - NM State, another epic Iron Bowl collapse, and a bowl game disaster. It’s carried over into 2024.

I’m telling you, the guys in that locker room do not think they are going to win when they take the field. They just cross their fingers and hope it happens. If you’ve ever played, you know that’s a monumentally different thing. And something you can’t do at Auburn.

[Old fan 47 831]

1 hour ago, AUINSY said:

This exactly. If we had Pavia from Vandy/NMST we’d be 4-0 and top 25 team right now. Of all teams, we should have ID’d him, especially after we got boat-raced by him last year at home. 

That’s a coaching/scouting issue. 

[NWALA Tiger 3,782]

AU has several talent issues before we can compete for a playoff spot. However, we have 1 glaring talent issue preventing us from winning 8 games. That being a SEC level QB. The only place in the SEC where HB or PT could start is Miss St. and that may be questionable. Hugh's lack of evaluation at the most critical position is shocking considering he has had competent QB play in the past.

[auburnatl1 6,424]

18 minutes ago, AUght2win said:

Why do you think these bizarre things are happening, though? If Keys doesn’t rough the passer we win. If we don’t let them march 80 yards right down our throat on the last drive we win. If we catch routine slants we win. If we don’t fumble we win. 

These things aren’t just randomly happening and they aren’t just magically going to be fixed. This is all resulting from things being psychologically off as a team. 

It started under Harsin in late 2021. We had just kicked a top 10 Ole Miss’ ass. Then we blow a 28-3 home lead to Miss State. Blow the South Carolina game. Blow the Iron Bowl in epic fashion. Blow the Birmingham Bowl - all four games we SHOULD have won.

Then in 22 we were fully accustomed to losing. Cadillac fought this losing tide in his stint. In 23 there were signs we were getting it behind us. But then just like Harsin, late in the year we fully embraced losing again - NM State, another epic Iron Bowl collapse, and a bowl game disaster. It’s carried over into 2024.

I’m telling you, the guys in that locker room do not think they are going to win when they take the field. They just cross their fingers and hope it happens. If you’ve ever played, you know that’s a monumentally different thing. And something you can’t do at Auburn.

I understand. My only point is basic competent qb play and imo we beat cal and arky. Not even close.   We’re confusing what takes to beat a uga with a vast blue chip roster, vs beating an arky. 2 different problems. 

A lot of culture and mojo can be quickly fixed with a qb.

Edited September 22 by auburnatl1

[AUght2win 7,176]

36 minutes ago, auburnatl1 said:

I understand. My only point is basic competent qb play and imo we beat cal and arky. Not even close.   We’re confusing what takes to beat a uga with a vast blue chip roster, vs beating an arky. 2 different problems. 

A lot of culture and mojo can be quickly fixed with a qb.

I just look at the Iron Bowl last year. We played great on offense. Had more than competent QB play in that one. We just needed one basic play to win on defense and couldn’t do it. 

Whatever is needed to win, this team always finds a way to come up short of it. That’s why I think it’s more than just QB.

[cbo 9,056]

18 hours ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

Dude how big of a giant are we, really? Maybe like a smaller giant. But we’re never getting to Bama, Texas,Georgia, Oklahoma, LSU, or Tennessee levels. It ain’t happening. Those programs are national brands in an increasingly money oriented sport. Auburn’s brand has become losing. That’s what everyone on this football team knows.

It’s going to take a true program builder. Like Saban or Kirby level. And I don’t see one that’s coming here.

We are very similar to Tennessee. In terms of historical success, geography, resources, home field advantage, etc.

They sucked for 12 years across 4 coaches. Finally found the right guy and in his second year they beat Bama and went 11-2. Program is in great shape now.

It will be the exact same for AU. Hire the right guy and we will be very good again. Of course that’s the hard part. Hope it takes us less than a decade. 

[TripleDegreeTiger 281]

1 hour ago, japantiger said:

They fired their coach after that as well

I was at that game. Good time.

Hallman was given 4 years to improve the program and didn't do it.

[TripleDegreeTiger 281]

4 minutes ago, cbo said:

We are very similar to Tennessee. In terms of historical success, geography, resources, home field advantage, etc.

They sucked for 12 years across 4 coaches. Finally found the right guy and in his second year they beat Bama and went 11-2. Program is in great shape now.

It will be the exact same for AU. Hire the right guy and we will be very good again. Of course that’s the hard part. Hope it takes us less than a decade. 

Tenn is also working with what is considered (least in 2023) as the best NIL collective.

https://www.on3.com/nil/news/on3-top-20-most-ambitious-nil-collectives-year-2-tennessee-texas-am-oregon/

[Viper 3,595]

4 hours ago, AUght2win said:

If Keys doesn’t rough the passer we win. If we don’t let them march 80 yards right down our throat on the last drive we win. If we catch routine slants we win. If we don’t fumble we win. 

Lot of ifs and two Ls as a result.

4 hours ago, AUght2win said:

I’m telling you, the guys in that locker room do not think they are going to win when they take the field. They just cross their fingers and hope it happens. If you’ve ever played, you know that’s a monumentally different thing. And something you can’t do at Auburn.

Then how did AU go from 5-5-1 in 1992 to 11-0 in 1993?

And 3-8 in 2012 to 12-2 in 2013?

It’s been proven before and it’ll be proven again at AU.