Geauxmag 2005 Football Preview... | TigerFan.com

locoguano · Aug 27, 2005

http://www.geauxmag.com/index.php

Pretty in-depth... player breakdowns, opponent breakdowns.. hell.. they even talk about the band and cheerleaders...

locoguano · Aug 27, 2005

They could be the best and deepest receiving corps in the nation.

Just don’t tell their coach that.

“I’ve got to fight human nature around here,” said passing game coordinator Todd Monken, who followed Les Miles to the bayou from Oklahoma State. “Since I’ve been here everyone wants to pump up how good they are. When I first got here, I was telling the guys, when I tell people I’m the wideout coach they all go ‘Oh, wow, you’ve got great players.’ No. We’ve got great talent – there’s a difference between great players and great talent. We don’t have a Michael Clayton yet, a guy that can dominate the game. We’ve got guys that can, but I’ve got to do a hell of a job coaching. They’re really, really talented guys who want to be pretty damn good.”
Click to expand...

I love that attitude.. this guy is pushing the wide outs to "be like Mike"...

His comment that the team lacks a Michael Clayton-style player rings true, especially when you consider the role the former Tiger and current Tampa Bay Buccaneer often took when he wasn’t catching passes. Clayton took a lot of pride in the work he put in on special teams (ask Auburn kick returner Roderick Hood if he remembers the lick Clayton put on him in 2001), and his unselfish blocking downfield often sprang receivers and running backs for huge gains – something that was noticeably absent after he left for the NFL.

But not anymore.

“We had a lot of big plays that could’ve happened if only we’d made blocks downfield,” Doucet said. “We took it upon ourselves to do this for the team. It’s not about one player, we want everyone to get the big plays, the big yards we should get. Blocking downfield is a big part of the offense, the receivers and running backs, once they get past the line of scrimmage it will be a lot easier for them.”

“It’s something you stress, and you expect your guys to be selfless,” Monken said. “You can’t expect your linemen to go out there and block 70 plays a game, and then your guys go out there and (mess) around. We’re going to run the football, and you’ll never get big plays unless your guys go down the field and get after it and be a complete player. It will be an expectation, and if not, well be on our (rear ends). And that’s how it should be, they should want to not be an average player, they should want to be challenged. There’s nothing more exciting to your offensive team than to see your wide receiver running downfield making blocks. That gets them fired up. You want to see your wide receiver [knock someone down] and make the play. It’s going to be expected.”
Click to expand...

Also looks like Miles will have these boys running deep alot more.. I've read alot of practice notes about the qbs practicing their deep passes..

“Under Coach Miles we’re throwing ‘go’, throwing the ball a lot more, we’re not as conservative as last year,” Bowe said. “Last year we threw short routes and ran the ball a lot more, but this year he said he’s going to run it up. It’s a big change. Coach Miles is an offensive coach, where Saban was defense. When we were winning he wanted to play conservative, I didn’t like that.”

Bowe should enjoy 2005 then, and his mindset of “Give me the damn ball” has Monken reveling in the season ahead.
Click to expand...

CParso · Aug 27, 2005

“I’m trying to be a better leader for my team and be a better quarterback,” Russell said. “Doing little things is what it takes to be that great guy. It’s the difference between great and good. The great guys always stay after a little bit, get a little bit extra done and the good guys think that they did all they need to get by. So, I’m trying to be great. I stay after practice with the different receivers, stay in the film room a little bit extra and talk to coach about what’s going on, stuff like that, stuff on my own.”

BostonBengal · Aug 27, 2005

speaking of Geau Magazine, has anyone started receiving their new issues??? I subscribed for the first time towards the end of baseball season, as as of yet, have not received any new issues in the mail.

Anyone else having this problem?

CParso · Aug 27, 2005

'“Everybody’s together, we’ve got to do good for us and the coaches, we’re all seniors and juniors,” said Bowe. “We have to do it if we want to get to the next level. To get to the next level we’ve got to have each other’s backs. Last year I don’t think we had that, everybody was focused on themselves – ‘I already won a championship, I don’t have to do this.’ Everybody’s trying to get together and win now.'

CParso · Aug 27, 2005

Reading all of these... it's very telling. Very subtly, we are seeing where Saban's weaknesses were. Apparently, his WR coach didn't teach technique - he was more of a motivator, which was all to obvious last year with sloppy route running & no down field blocking. Saban didn't have a special teams coach & didn't consider it as important as this coaching staff does. The team didn't have a team mindset last year either. Miles seems to be doing a really, really great job. He's doing everything right - fixing what needs fixing & just slightly improving on everything else...

Leaving the QB controversy open seems to be working this year & it looks like Russell is ready to be THE MAN.