Sunday Morning QB- Auburn is a Winnable Game/GusBus Sux Edition

[Coach34]

1. Sux having a great Saturday take the turn that it did last night after a good Friday night, sleeping late for some needed rest, and then grilling some deer sausage while enjoying a day of college football. But alas, thats the life of a State fan. The only thing I was surprised about was that the game was over 6 minutes into it. I figured we could hang in for a half before we got worn down. Nope. Couldnt hang in 2 damn possessions.

2. We started the wrong QB and it showed quickly. Plastic Man might really be hurt again- but that guy was scared last night. You could see it in his face. Tommy Boy wanted nothing to do with that environment and front after that 1st drive sack. But at worst, the guy who always stays injured (right 007?) needs to back up Shrader and let's roll. The future is now. Hell, KT needs to see action before Tommy Boy in 4 games at this point so he can show his skills for transfer.

3. Most OC's have their offenses run thru their game script thats been formulated during Friday's walk thru- meaning most OC's know the 1st play of the game the day before. That is not something they just willy nilly decide 3 hours before the game. To come out and get a delay of game after the opening damn kickoff is Croom-like in its ridiculousness. We get delays after time-outs as well. We have to call time-outs to fix personnel coming out of another team's time-out. It's not a mistake any longer- it's now a pattern of ineptness. That's extremely discouraging. 2 delays on the opening series is a clown show some 7th grade team does because Lil Boosie can't remember what to do on a play and the coach has to spend extra time explaining it to him.

4. We were totally outplayed and outcoached yesterday. I know I'm not saying anything groundbreaking there but it needs to be said because too many of you thought we had the better staff going into the game. Thats ludicrous. Just because Auburn fans are insane doesnt mean the GusBus isnt a good college coach. I think he is an idiot for not taking the UPig job when he had the chance- because he could have retired there instead of dealing with the batshit crazy fanbase he currently has. Auburn is always going to be tough in odd numbered years because the schedule swings back in their favor. I think this year's schedule is an AD set-up to get rid of him- and he just keeps rolling along. When you are as good as they are in the trenches- you have a chance to win every week. GusBus > Sloppy Joe

5. Too many of you got too caught up in your fandom to be objective about the QB's. I like Shrader and he is going to be a damn good QB at State. He is probably going to own a helluva lot of offensive records when he leaves Sville- but to act like he was head and shoulders above Nix was too maroon colored. Nix promptly went 16/21 for 335 and 2 TD's. When your OL can dominate the opposing team's front- it makes playing QB so much easier.

6. Joe's playcalling gets better with Shrader in the game. He puts a leash on himself and becomes more conservative. That is what the offense needs. This group we have needs to be physical and #RTGDF. Make a few throws while doing it. Our 1st half TD drive was 8 runs and 3 passes. Very well done drive that ended with a TD pass. That was what our offense should look like.

7. That being said- the debacle at the 6 inch line is at his worst. You dont leave your OL down in a stance for 30 seconds at the 6 inch while you decide on what play to run. You already know what play to run- you run Power get the mf'er into the end zone. There is no time to be cute there. Run power like a man and get it in there. This isnt the Pac-12 and we dont have some softass OL. Hammer that damn thing in there and let's go. Utterly ridiculous to look back at the sideline in that situation.

8. Last night showed yet again why having green, inexperienced DT's kill your run D. Single blocked DT's allow the OL to get on your guys on the 2nd level. That diminishes their effectiveness no matter how good they are. The SEC is still and will remain a LOS league- and all the cuteness of "check with me's every play" isnt going to change that. We have 9 sacks in 5 games so far this season. No pressure on the QB. Where was all this pressure 007 and others assured me we would have this year? Rivers was a better rusher than Sweat you guys said before the season. Well- here we are. 9 sacks in 5 games. Tried to explain the impact of Simmons and to an extent Thomas and Hoyette not being there was going to have on the pass rush. Now you see what I was telling you.

9. Good call Joe by not wasting Autry and Gay last night. We will need them to win at Tennessee. That environment wont be as hostile and they arent near as good as Auburn- but it will be on the road in the SEC. JoMo has yet to show a pulse on the road in the SEC except in the Egg last year when our D made the Pineapple quit. It's going to be a must-win for us and our quest for bowl eligibility.

10. We gave up 578 yards last night. Wow. That's all I got to say about that.

11. Offensive Genius. Needs his QB. Fitz was the problem and couldnt learn his system. We were 68th in scoring last year- 70th currently this year. We were 71st in Total Offense last year- currently 79th. Interesting the numbers are about the same so far. Just a tad worse with a bunch of starters returning. Things that make you go hmmmmmmmm and something to watch as the season plays out.

12. We get the week off to get ready for our @Tenn, LSU, @A&M, @UPig run. That will answer alot of questions about this football team and program. Getting Tenn after Georgia and before Bammer is certainly a good thing. We arent beating LSU. @A&M and @UPig will be interesting games to me. A&M is vulnerable but on the road. UPig showed signs of life yesterday and November in R-Kansas is never a fun trip. 3-1 during that stretch while possible is unlikely. 1-3 would be ugly and divisive for the fanbase and 0-4 would be unacceptable. Makes for an interesting October for Bulldog fans.

HailState and thank goodness for the bye week.

[Quaoarsking]

Gotta say I expected the man who coined the term "Joevester" to be a little more savage than that.

So far Joe has won his must-wins, and Tennessee is definitely a must-win.

[Charlie_Sheen420]

100% on point

I just worry that Jomo will still start Stevens when he's healthy. There's really no benefit as a team doing that at this point. Let it ride with Shrader and let him get reps and experience with all the growing pains as well and see where the chips fall at the end of the season.

[Todd4State]

100% on point

I just worry that Jomo will still start Stevens when he's healthy. There's really no benefit as a team doing that at this point. Let it ride with Schrader and let him get reps and experience with all the growing pains as well and see where the chips fall at the end of the season.

I doubt he will start Stevens again. I'd be really surprised if he did anyway. I don't get the impression that he is above starting Shrader anyway.

[Gutter Cobreh]

Good assessment Coach! Still don't care for the nicknames (except for Lil Boosie - as that's funny), but hard to argue when we get two delays on the opening drive.

Out defense plays scared of contact and takes bad angles (probably b/c they're scared), we make too many mental mistakes, and our LOS squads are not good (both OL and DL). Quite simply, we aren't a very good football team. We were down 40 and were trying to pad Hill's stats and we couldn't even do that.

I do love Schraeder and his style of play. He's the only thing that's fun to watch right now.

[TrapGame]

Nothing really to disagree about. This is probably your best post game thoughts since the Mullen years.

We cannot show up at Tennessee that soft and unprepared. Tennessee is an absolute dumpster fire. They're worse than Arkansas.

Joe is not able to manage this program as the OC and head coach. He needs an OC he can trust and be the CEO of the program making sure everyone from coaches on down to players does their damn job.

[dantheman4248]

1. Being done 2 possessions in was shocking. A defense having to start its first 3 drives in its own territory is... wow.

2. Stop with the names man. And you address why the ?wrong QB? was started in #6. It?s not the kid?s fault his coach goes full blown stupid when he?s in the game.

3. Yes to all of it.

4. See 2. Also yes to our coaches but I don?t even think Gus did anything groundbreaking to outcoach us. We would have been in the hole 21-0 to air the first 5 minutes last night.

5. You literally tried to pump Bo Nix up there and then promptly gave the explanation why he?s not better than Shrader in the last sentence. He had like one throw that not every QB could make and that was the TD to go up 49-9. Having freshmen corners blow assignments that bad and play that far off the ball makes life easy for any QB. Whoever decided Emerson and Jones needed to see extensive time at outside corner this week needs to be knocked upside the head.

6.Yup. This times 1000. That?s the offense that I see and it?s so amazingly dumb we don?t do that for a full 60 minutes. When we just play to our strengths rather than try to find the defense?s weakness, we work so much better.

7. Everything but the name calling.

8. DLine is worse than expected but hard to blame them when offense is so comically inept and we have a competition between our true freshman corners and safeties to see who can blow the most coverages.

9. If the first 5 minutes don?t happen I disagree with this. But hey he probably knew he was going to shit the bed so good on him for seeing that I guess.

10. Defense was set up to fail from the start. Then crucial 3rd & 7 trying to get back in the game we have a true freshman corner in man playing soft prevent 10 yards off ball coverage giving a wide open pass on a blitz. Anything the D did after that was just plain quit and having youngins out there.

11. His system can work. Go back to 6. You said it yourself. It?s amazing he just doesn?t see it or won?t do it.

12. Disagree on LSU being unwinnable. It?s a home game. The only poorly coached home game in Joe?s tenure so far is against the guy who built his team and we still only lost because of a couple bad breaks. As for the 3 road games... idk. UT has shown 0 signs of life so we should win that by 2-3 scores while feeling like we were better by 10 scores. A&M will beat us and we will beat Ark. The A&M-Ark game is a fluke every year and no conclusions should be drawn from it. (5 of 6 games at jerryworld decided by 7 or less.)

ETA: sorry on 12. I had blocked out KSU from memory.

[dawgday166]

Top notch post.

2) Joe's offensive personnel decisions leave me scratching my head frequently. Including the limited substitutions.

5) A lot on this board don't realize there are 10 other guys than the QB. Joe Montana can't take a hammering and always have great stats although his best comeback against a helluva Eagles D in 1989 he was sacked 11 times. But Joe was tough .. and could overcome some stuff like that. It's very rare a college QB can take a beating and have great game.

6) I think Joe will adjust cause Shrader is "his guy".

11) 46th in 2017 with all Jrs. Pretty much same team as last year. Normally improvement is made with experience when returning 9 of 11 starters and backup OLinemen had somewhat significant game experience.

[Jarius]

Our defense is complete trash. Our offense is much better and it’s much better with a true freshman playing quarterback. Our first 2 SEC games last year we scored about 13 points total. We have scored 55 through 2 SEC games this year. As bad as our defense is I can’t imagine dying on that dumbass hill about Fitz. Fitz was not a good throwing quarterback and he was very much the offensive problem last year. We are going to be complete trash when we don’t play our suspended players this year. It is unacceptable to be that bad defensively, suspensions or not.

[timotheus]

Ole Coach 34 dun made his best post ever

[yjnkdawg]

I doubt he will start Stevens again. I'd be really surprised if he did anyway. I don't get the impression that he is above starting Shrader anyway.

I think he wants the quarterback who can pass, but also can run and scramble and that would be Shrader.

[Coach34]

5. You literally tried to pump Bo Nix up there and then promptly gave the explanation why he?s not better than Shrader in the last sentence. He had like one throw that not every QB could make and that was the TD to go up 49-9. Having freshmen corners blow assignments that bad and play that far off the ball makes life easy for any QB. Whoever decided Emerson and Jones needed to see extensive time at outside corner this week needs to be knocked upside the head. .

I explained earlier in the week that Nix had completed 67% of his passes the last 2 games before State and was getting better each week as a starter. That was met with retorts of "Checkdown Charlie" and "he hasnt faced a Secondary like ours". I expected him to play pretty well because we wouldnt get any pressure on him- and he exceeded that expectation.

I was also taking a shot at the morons that suggested that Auburn's OL sux and wasnt better than ours.

[starkvegasdawg]

I doubt he will start Stevens again. I'd be really surprised if he did anyway. I don't get the impression that he is above starting Shrader anyway.

If he likes him at all as a person he won't put him back on the field. The grinder they is an SEC west schedule will chew him up and spit him out. That's nothing personal against him. It's just some people are made for sec football and some aren't. He's not.

[dantheman4248]

I explained earlier in the week that Nix had completed 67% of his passes the last 2 games before State and was getting better each week as a starter. That was met with retorts of "Checkdown Charlie" and "he hasnt faced a Secondary like ours". I expected him to play pretty well because we wouldnt get any pressure on him- and he exceeded that expectation.

I was also taking a shot at the morons that suggested that Auburn's OL sux and wasnt better than ours.

Anyone who said anything about our secondary being good is an idiot. (Probably 007. Honestly your better off ignoring anything he says. Out smarting him is low hangin fruit.) And yes he did complete those passes because again, he was checking down. He didn’t complete a pass over 7 air yards against aTm.

As for his performance it’s more indicative of how bad the defense was. The plan should have been blitz 6 or more all night and put Smitherman / Cam on an island up on the line the whole game. Dare him to beat us deep 1 on 1 man coverage. He had one play where I distinctly remember him doing that to go up 49-9. Good on him. Best throw of the night by either QB.

Flip the two teams OL’s last night and does the score change? Don’t know if you can say they are better. They had a joke to play against. Last night was the first game I was disappointed in Shoop.

[Cooterpoot]

Meh on Nix. He?s been pedestrian vs everybody with a pulse. Not saying he won?t be good, but he?s nothing incredible this year. The rest- BINGO

[State82]

Ole Coach 34 dun made his best post ever

I will second that.

[Pollodawg]

I actually agree with all of this and think we’re still a 7-6, 8-5 team.

[Pollodawg]

There is zero reason whatsoever that Tommy Stevens need start another game here. Not one.

[AlSwearengen]

My biggest issue is with the delay of game on the first play. Didn’t we do that earlier in the year as well? Maybe it was just after a timeout (which has happened multiple times also). Regardless, that is a sign of serious serious problems. Wyatt mentioned on radio that the team was in no hurry getting out on the field. If I am the head coach and we have had issues with delays of game, those 17’ers are double stepping getting onto the field and getting lined up.

[dawgday166]

My biggest issue is with the delay of game on the first play. Didn’t we do that earlier in the year as well? Maybe it was just after a timeout (which has happened multiple times also). Regardless, that is a sign of serious serious problems. Wyatt mentioned on radio that the team was in no hurry getting out on the field. If I am the head coach and we have had issues with delays of game, those 17’ers are double stepping getting onto the field and getting lined up.

Naww dude ... other teams get those type penalties all the time *****

[Todd4State]

I think he wants the quarterback who can pass, but also can run and scramble and that would be Shrader.


If he likes him at all as a person he won't put him back on the field. The grinder they is an SEC west schedule will chew him up and spit him out. That's nothing personal against him. It's just some people are made for sec football and some aren't. He's not.

I agree with both of you. I don't think Moorhead is married to Stevens as the starter especially since Shrader is clearly the better option right now.

From what I understand if anything Moorhead is probably closer to Shrader personally than Stevens anyway.

[KOdawg1]

You didn't really hit on two things that I thought you would.

1. The lack of discipline, stupid penalties, etc.

2. CJ Morgan freaking sucks. That guy couldn't cover a dead corpse with a blanket. He's slow, short, and thinks he's better than he is.

[yjnkdawg]

I explained earlier in the week that Nix had completed 67% of his passes the last 2 games before State and was getting better each week as a starter. That was met with retorts of "Checkdown Charlie" and "he hasnt faced a Secondary like ours". I expected him to play pretty well because we wouldnt get any pressure on him- and he exceeded that expectation.

I was also taking a shot at the morons that suggested that Auburn's OL sux and wasnt better than ours.


The problem with their comments Coach, is nobody told Auburn that. So it results in 56 (The quarterback who hasn't faced a secondary likes ours and Auburn's OL Sux) to 23 ( Our secondary hasn't faced a quarterback like him, and Auburn's OL doesn't sux). And if Malzahn would have wanted to have run the score up, it could have probably been a lot worse. Especially if the quarterback who hasn't faced a secondary like ours had stayed in the game.

[MetEdDawg]

My biggest issue is with the delay of game on the first play. Didn?t we do that earlier in the year as well? Maybe it was just after a timeout (which has happened multiple times also). Regardless, that is a sign of serious serious problems. Wyatt mentioned on radio that the team was in no hurry getting out on the field. If I am the head coach and we have had issues with delays of game, those 17?ers are double stepping getting onto the field and getting lined up.

Has anyone watched the game replay? Moorhead mentioned in his post game press conference he thought the clock started early on the first play. Would be very interested in when that clock started if anyone has watched the replay.

My immediate thought when we got that penalty was that starting the play clock early might be the kind of bullshit thing that just "accidentally" happens and gets the crowd more fired up to start the game in that road environment.

[Commercecomet24]

Good write up, 34. You can be overly critical at times but just about everything you said is honest and accurate. It's imperative we go at least 2-2 in the ut, am, lsu, and arky games. Do that AND MUST be ready for the Egg and win that one. Do that and get 7 wins and a bowl and try to keep improving. Staff and players got work to do.

[dantheman4248]

I need a few days before but I definitely felt it was awful short. Couldn’t really tell with the trouble finding which channel the game was on.

[defiantdog]

Nix is a good QB that has been taught to play QB since he could walk. There?s no denying that. Shrader is also a damn good QB who had ex-NFL players coaching him up in high school. Both have a good pedigree, and both will be damn good for their programs. They both have the tools and personnel around them to be successful. The big difference is Nix has a defense that can help get the ball back to the offense more. He also has a coaching staff that isn?t afraid to mix things up and run more than 4 plays a game. We have arguably the best RB in the SEC, yet we can?t find ways to get the ball in his hands in open space. That?s a problem. JOMO is going to lose a lot of games for us because he doesn?t know what he?s doin.

[Percho]

Would anyone like to critique the blocking skills of No. 8?

No 5 on o had a very good game.

[Commercecomet24]

Would anyone like to critique the blocking skills of No. 8?

No 5 on o had a very good game.

Kylin whiffed repeatedly in pass pro last night. If he wants to play in the nfl he's got to block like aeris did or he ain't gonna be an nfl back.

ETA Osiris has played his butt off this year

[dawgday166]

Kylin whiffed repeatedly in pass pro last night. If he wants to play in the nfl he's got to block like aeris did or he ain't gonna be an nfl back.

Hate to say it but he ain't a good enough runner either.

[RocketDawg]

I need a few days before but I definitely felt it was awful short. Couldn’t really tell with the trouble finding which channel the game was on.

Correct. By the time I found the game we had already given the ball up after the first series.

[Commercecomet24]

I'm almost sure we got screwed on the play clock on that delay but it didn't really matter. Tommy appeared to be a deer in headlights.

[confucius say]

Pretty spot on OP

[RocketCityDawg]

Has anyone watched the game replay? Moorhead mentioned in his post game press conference he thought the clock started early on the first play. Would be very interested in when that clock started if anyone has watched the replay.

My immediate thought when we got that penalty was that starting the play clock early might be the kind of bullshit thing that just "accidentally" happens and gets the crowd more fired up to start the game in that road environment.

Starting the clock early is typical Auburn. This was Joe's first trip there. Hopefully, he'll be ready for their BS next time.
Also, Gus does a great job of getting his players to come out with their hair on fire in big home games. You have to weather that storm, and we drowned in it.

[Coursesuper]

Starting the clock early is typical Auburn. This was Joe's first trip there. Hopefully, he'll be ready for their BS next time.
Also, Gus does a great job of getting his players to come out with their hair on fire in big home games. You have to weather that storm, and we drowned in it.

The officiating crew runs the clock, on a kick the play clock starts of the ready for play by the referee.

[Tbonewannabe]

The officiating crew runs the clock, on a kick the play clock starts of the ready for play by the referee.

It isn't like Auburn hasn't benefited from home cooking before. I wouldn't put it past them. Anyone remember their first down after 9 1/2 yards? I believe that was the same game that they were listening to our play calls on the headsets. We amazingly started rolling on offense when we ditched the headphones and the Auburn defense didn't know what was coming.

[Coursesuper]

It isn't like Auburn hasn't benefited from home cooking before. I wouldn't put it past them. Anyone remember their first down after 9 1/2 yards? I believe that was the same game that they were listening to our play calls on the headsets. We amazingly started rolling on offense when we ditched the headphones and the Auburn defense didn't know what was coming.

That all highly likely, but in this case it was on us simply not paying attention. That can’t happen.

[Tbonewannabe]

That all highly likely, but in this case it was on us simply not paying attention. That can’t happen.

I agree, even if they start the clock early we should have been paying attention. Just another thing Joe screwed up on at the beginning of the game. At the worst, you haul ass out there and Joe points it out to the refs that the clock started early.

[RocketCityDawg]

The officiating crew runs the clock, on a kick the play clock starts of the ready for play by the referee.

Riiiiiiiggggghhhht. There's never been anything fishy at Auburn. That wasn't the point. The point was that Joe wasn't prepared for their shenanigans. Hopefully, he will learn.