ShotgunDawg
11-17-2013, 02:32 AM
Quick thoughts on this game:
1. Our d-line and linebackers are hell on wheels and they return most everybody next year. We should control the line of scrimmage in all games next season except Bama.
2. Our secondary is getting better and better each game. Really impressed with the way they competed tonight. Will Redmond is a stud, Calhoun played well, and next year we get Hughes back.
3. We have to keep Jeff Collins. Our defense is showing improvement every single week.
4. Our offensive line is obviously very well coached. Pass protection was excellent and NO pre-snap penalties.
5. Tough night for the wide-receivers, we are young here and must continue to get better. Many WR units struggle against Bama because they are scared of getting their dick knocked off.
6. QB position is a mess right now. In order to beat ARK and OM, we need Dak or Tyler to be healthy, preferably Dak. Williams is decent player, but it will be tough to win in Little Rock with him. Just didn't look ready, but that may have been a practice reps problem.
7. We must find a kicker before next year. An adequate kicker could be the single greatest position need going into next year. You simply can't afford the lack of production we have been seeing at this position. Since Dak is the holder, I'm not sure how much that effected the kicker tonight. Still no excuse though.
8. Not sure why we have a targeting rule in college football if it isn't going to be enforced. Bama should have been called at least twice for targeting. Just inexplicable
9. Chris Jones is a man amongst boys. Some people may say that McCarron just played bad tonight with 2 ints, but if you back and watch the video, you will see that #96 was up his ass all night long and caused those poor throws. He also had a sack and batted down ball. Possibly the best true freshman in the country.
Overall, this game went about like I expected; very few surprises. I expected to lose, and expected our offense, with Tyler, to struggle. However, I did think our d-line and linebackers would give us a chance, and they did. Our secondary actually played better than I thought they would. Earlier this week, I said that I thought we had to find a way to keep Bama under 17 points to win the game and we almost did. I thought we could score 17 and we should have. With a TD or field goal when we were close in the first half and the opposite in the second half, we would have scored 17.
Although my opinion could change with a bad effort against ARK and OM, I am really liking the direction this team is heading right now. I know we have lost the last 3 games, but at some point in the last 3 games we have started to play physical ass, SEC, Mississippi State style defense, and that is the style we have won with in the past. Throw in a healthy Dak on offense, and we are one of the more physical teams in college football.
Mullen got two 4 star 2015 commits tonight, and we had a great atmosphere and performance in front of 200+ recruits. Guys, I know the injuries and losses are frustrating, but I have seen a fundamental change in the style of football we play in the last 3 weeks and I believe this ship is headed in the right direction. We still have to clean up the kicking game and little things, but the physicality of this team, the effort, and ability to control the line of scrimmage is growing by the day. Very impressed.
I always reserve the right to change my mind, but as of right now, I don't see any way in hell Mullen isn't back next year. This team is primed for a big season next year barring Dak getting hurt, big if.
Going forward, I want to continue to see our defense play at this level and continue to get better. I want to see us go over to Little Rock and play like a team that was in the game against Bama tonight. I hope that Dak is healthy and I want to see us play the style offense that we know works.
IMO, I don't think we lose to ARK or OM if Dak is healthy, and if we lose without Dak, I don't see the administration firing Mullen with all the QB injuries we have had this year. If Dak is healthy, we beat ARK, OM, and win bowl game, and go into next season with opportunity to be what Auburn is this year.
We are close, and whoever said that Mullen had lost this team was either incorrect or the team decided to change their attitude. Whatever attitude they've developed over the last three weeks need to continue for the rest of Mullen's tenure. If it does, with the improved recruiting and improved Mullen style QB play, we can have a ton of success.
QB injuries this year have caused a major offensive identity problem. Here's the timeline:
Spring Ball - Dak is hurt, Tyler gets all reps
Fall practice - we prepare for Tyler to be the QB
OK State - Tyler gets a concussion, and we now have to switch gears and prepare for Dak
Lose Auburn game and South Carolina game, in part due to Dak's inexperience.
Offense starts clicking at aTm, but Dak gets hurt.
Bama game - We have to switch gears again, and the Tyler gets hurt and we have to play our 3rd string QB in crucial situations.
Dan certainly has his flaws, but it will be exciting to see what Dan can d
1. Our d-line and linebackers are hell on wheels and they return most everybody next year. We should control the line of scrimmage in all games next season except Bama.
2. Our secondary is getting better and better each game. Really impressed with the way they competed tonight. Will Redmond is a stud, Calhoun played well, and next year we get Hughes back.
3. We have to keep Jeff Collins. Our defense is showing improvement every single week.
4. Our offensive line is obviously very well coached. Pass protection was excellent and NO pre-snap penalties.
5. Tough night for the wide-receivers, we are young here and must continue to get better. Many WR units struggle against Bama because they are scared of getting their dick knocked off.
6. QB position is a mess right now. In order to beat ARK and OM, we need Dak or Tyler to be healthy, preferably Dak. Williams is decent player, but it will be tough to win in Little Rock with him. Just didn't look ready, but that may have been a practice reps problem.
7. We must find a kicker before next year. An adequate kicker could be the single greatest position need going into next year. You simply can't afford the lack of production we have been seeing at this position. Since Dak is the holder, I'm not sure how much that effected the kicker tonight. Still no excuse though.
8. Not sure why we have a targeting rule in college football if it isn't going to be enforced. Bama should have been called at least twice for targeting. Just inexplicable
9. Chris Jones is a man amongst boys. Some people may say that McCarron just played bad tonight with 2 ints, but if you back and watch the video, you will see that #96 was up his ass all night long and caused those poor throws. He also had a sack and batted down ball. Possibly the best true freshman in the country.
Overall, this game went about like I expected; very few surprises. I expected to lose, and expected our offense, with Tyler, to struggle. However, I did think our d-line and linebackers would give us a chance, and they did. Our secondary actually played better than I thought they would. Earlier this week, I said that I thought we had to find a way to keep Bama under 17 points to win the game and we almost did. I thought we could score 17 and we should have. With a TD or field goal when we were close in the first half and the opposite in the second half, we would have scored 17.
Although my opinion could change with a bad effort against ARK and OM, I am really liking the direction this team is heading right now. I know we have lost the last 3 games, but at some point in the last 3 games we have started to play physical ass, SEC, Mississippi State style defense, and that is the style we have won with in the past. Throw in a healthy Dak on offense, and we are one of the more physical teams in college football.
Mullen got two 4 star 2015 commits tonight, and we had a great atmosphere and performance in front of 200+ recruits. Guys, I know the injuries and losses are frustrating, but I have seen a fundamental change in the style of football we play in the last 3 weeks and I believe this ship is headed in the right direction. We still have to clean up the kicking game and little things, but the physicality of this team, the effort, and ability to control the line of scrimmage is growing by the day. Very impressed.
I always reserve the right to change my mind, but as of right now, I don't see any way in hell Mullen isn't back next year. This team is primed for a big season next year barring Dak getting hurt, big if.
Going forward, I want to continue to see our defense play at this level and continue to get better. I want to see us go over to Little Rock and play like a team that was in the game against Bama tonight. I hope that Dak is healthy and I want to see us play the style offense that we know works.
IMO, I don't think we lose to ARK or OM if Dak is healthy, and if we lose without Dak, I don't see the administration firing Mullen with all the QB injuries we have had this year. If Dak is healthy, we beat ARK, OM, and win bowl game, and go into next season with opportunity to be what Auburn is this year.
We are close, and whoever said that Mullen had lost this team was either incorrect or the team decided to change their attitude. Whatever attitude they've developed over the last three weeks need to continue for the rest of Mullen's tenure. If it does, with the improved recruiting and improved Mullen style QB play, we can have a ton of success.
QB injuries this year have caused a major offensive identity problem. Here's the timeline:
Spring Ball - Dak is hurt, Tyler gets all reps
Fall practice - we prepare for Tyler to be the QB
OK State - Tyler gets a concussion, and we now have to switch gears and prepare for Dak
Lose Auburn game and South Carolina game, in part due to Dak's inexperience.
Offense starts clicking at aTm, but Dak gets hurt.
Bama game - We have to switch gears again, and the Tyler gets hurt and we have to play our 3rd string QB in crucial situations.
Dan certainly has his flaws, but it will be exciting to see what Dan can d