Day 1 of reason why we will beat Texas A$M

[Maverick91]

We are better this year.
They are better this year.

But the game isn't played in a vacuum.
We were at home last year.
They are at home this year.
We are coming off an emotionally and physically draining game.
They are off a bye.
If they were at home last week and lost in OT with numerous injuries while we were on a bye and the game was in Starkville, I'd have it closer.

They lost a pretty physical game to Auburn last week. They aren't coming off a bye.
Their home turf is about as scary as a dead 🐭. It holds a tone of folks but they just wait for them yell leaders to tell them when to make noise.

I'm not looking at it in a vacuum. I see us how we played last year it was within ten. To how we are playing this year and we are 10 times better as a program. And they look about the same.

[Todd4State]

They lost a pretty physical game to Auburn last week. They aren't coming off a bye.
Their home turf is about as scary as a dead ��. It holds a tone of folks but they just wait for them yell leaders to tell them when to make noise.

I'm not looking at it in a vacuum. I see us how we played last year it was within ten. To how we are playing this year and we are 10 times better as a program. And they look about the same.

I agree that Kyle Field isn't intimidating at all. Unless you get freaked out by weird chants which is maybe what they're going for. To me it seems like the fans are kind of far from the field.

[BulldogBear]

Because he was given a directive from boosters to go get him. They heard Mississippi State was going to get him and we?re not going to lose a QB to us. Cohen has infected them to the point of anything we have or want, they have to have it.

Hmmmm... see below

Are you saying Freeze and the Auburn staff were not allowed to choose a QB they wanted? That place is crazy

Yes

So you are saying we sent a trojan horse ? Cohen is coming through. Evil laugh

Not true. But it ought to be!

The boosters run that place and have really since Jay Jacobs left. Jacobs always had them somewhat under control and they got rid of him so they could install Allen Greene, who they fired to get Cohen because he hired Harsin.

See above. Yes, I've never known of any school where boosters micromanaged things like they do at Auburn. Maybe it was better under Jacobs but that was an anomaly.

I agree that Kyle Field isn't intimidating at all. Unless you get freaked out by weird chants which is maybe what they're going for. To me it seems like the fans are kind of far from the field.

I think fans are close enough to the field. I sat on row 3 right behind the MSU bench in our 35-14 win there in 2017. We were right there. As for the environment, it's hard to put a finger on. Maybe whether it is intimidating or not isn't the right thing to wonder about. If I had to choose a way to put it, I would say this: It is just not that...hostile. Maybe it is for the Longhorns or others. Maybe they just think we are beneath their ire. Talk to any of them and they just can't believe that we have about the same record against them as some blueblood SEC teams since they've joined the conference. Tell them we're 5-5 in the last decade, and they just don't remember it that way. They won't call you a liar, they just don't remember it being like that. Aggies are weird. Passionate. Delusional. But not hostile.

[Todd4State]

Arnold was pushed on Freeze. Everything I had heard at the time, which is another reason I was so damn adamant we would get Arnold, is that Freeze wanted either Fernando Mendoza or Maalik Murphy. Arnold cannot run that offense, and Freeze knew that, because that offense makes the QB make a ton of reads pre snap and Arnold is not used to that. The only offense he can really run effectively is ours. They are now having to completely change everything about what they do. If he continues to struggle, Freeze will pull the plug and go to Deuce Knight.

Part of that is on Arnold and his camp too. QB is one position where the offense has to fit the QB's skill set. Like- you wouldn't ask Dan Marino to run the wishbone. But he would probably be pretty badass in the Air Raid. As Clint Eastwood said- a man has to know his limitations. Same with any QB.

It goes to show you how teams get so fixated on stars sometimes that they end up screwing themselves and the player over.

[Todd4State]

I would much rather have Shapen at QB knowing his injury risk than Arnold. I am glad he went to Auburn and we didn't get stuck paying him a bunch of money. Their defense is good though and I think it will allow them to win 7 games this year, but I am not sure if that will be enough to keep Freeze employed.

Thing is I doubt that Shapen stays if we get Arnold. I think we came out OK, but I also think that Arnold would have been better off coming to MSU because of the scheme fit.

[confucius say]

They lost a pretty physical game to Auburn last week. They aren't coming off a bye.
Their home turf is about as scary as a dead 🐭. It holds a tone of folks but they just wait for them yell leaders to tell them when to make noise.

I'm not looking at it in a vacuum. I see us how we played last year it was within ten. To how we are playing this year and we are 10 times better as a program. And they look about the same.

That's right on Auburn. Not sure why I thought bye.
That helps.
I think we cover but lose.

[Coach34]

They had a Bi the week before Auburn

[Maverick91]

That's right on Auburn. Not sure why I thought bye.
That helps.
I think we cover but lose.

Dang. I thought I had you bought in.

[smootness]

freeze made the mistake of getting Jackson Arnold. The Okiies were glad to be rid of him. He is a slower version of Tyler Russell.

Wut

Arnold is an infinitely better athlete than Russell.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Wut

Arnold is an infinitely better athlete than Russell.

Yea Tyler was a statue in the pocket. Arnold may not throw a great ball, but he's 100x the athlete Tyler was on his absolute best day. And that's not a knock on Tyler, he just wasn't a dual threat guy.

[confucius say]

Dang. I thought I had you bought in.

Haha. It would not shock me. I just don't expect it. I do expect us to cover though unless nearly all of the hurt guys cannot go.

[BravesDoggy]

Speaking of 95 MPH fastballs to the feet of a WR running a slant that came up in another thread about MVB, why have we totally abandoned that part of the game this season? We aren't running any slants or short crosses. We are having Shapen stand back there and wait for long developing routes to form or nothing else. And we are only running one or 2 bubble screens.

Coleman feasted on YAC from shorter passes last year and it seems like that concept is totally gone this season. Waiting for 3 or 4 long passes to hit on the teams we have coming up for the rest of the season seems like a recipe for failure.

[Todd4State]

Speaking of 95 MPH fastballs to the feet of a WR running a slant that came up in another thread about MVB, why have we totally abandoned that part of the game this season? We aren't running any slants or short crosses. We are having Shapen stand back there and wait for long developing routes to form or nothing else. And we are only running one or 2 bubble screens.

Coleman feasted on YAC from shorter passes last year and it seems like that concept is totally gone this season. Waiting for 3 or 4 long passes to hit on the teams we have coming up for the rest of the season seems like a recipe for failure.

My guess is that is on the receivers and maybe the offensive line to a degree.


Could be based on coverage some as well.

[Maverick91]

Speaking of 95 MPH fastballs to the feet of a WR running a slant that came up in another thread about MVB, why have we totally abandoned that part of the game this season? We aren't running any slants or short crosses. We are having Shapen stand back there and wait for long developing routes to form or nothing else. And we are only running one or 2 bubble screens.

Coleman feasted on YAC from shorter passes last year and it seems like that concept is totally gone this season. Waiting for 3 or 4 long passes to hit on the teams we have coming up for the rest of the season seems like a recipe for failure.

Really great point. I have thought the same thing. Are we running it and he isn't throwing it or are we not running it at all?

[BravesDoggy]

Really great point. I have thought the same thing. Are we running it and he isn't throwing it or are we not running it at all?

I'm not liking the trend that its Seydou this game, Brennen/Evans that game, back to Seydou, etc.

[Maverick91]

I'm not liking the trend that its Seydou this game, Brennen/Evans that game, back to Seydou, etc.

I know there are hot targets each game but yeah consistency is nice