Here's another one for ya scrap NoNameThe1st Registered User Posts: 3936 (3/4/05 11:49:36 am ) Reply Re: Why can't we go undefeated next year? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The D gets us past GT, then the rest of them looks great to me. Why can't you people understand that LSU and UGA will be terrible on offense due to POOR quarterback play. I mean POOR. Terrible. It is almost like fate has stepped in to help AU this year. Playing that loaded UT bunch in the SEC title game will be our toughest game.
"LSU has a new coach and no QB..." ...The "no QB" remark is what gets me. Okay, we have a new coach, fine! But, we DO have 3 potential SEC leading QBs along with the best corps of RBs and WRs in the conference--if not the entire nation. And the second remark about how our QB play will be "POOR" and "terrible..." Jesus! These guys are either delusional or retarded, probably both. It's one thing to say that they'll beat us, but it's another all together when they believe these lies. How can ANYONE honestly sit back and say our QBs will be POOR after we just landed the #1 QB in the nation? And maybe they forgot about Russell...he too, will be no slouch. I guess they didn't watch him in the Iowa game... :dis: Maybe it's just wishful thinking on their part since he's an Alabama boy at LSU!.
"Six point LSU lead...Campbell pumps to the endzone. GOT IT!! TOUCHDOWN COURTNEY TALORY!!!" "PICKED!! Rosegreen slams the door!!" 10 - 9!! Oh sorry guys...must have been dreaming for a second there. Naaaaaaaahhhhhhh! :hihi: :hihi: As they say...smoke'em if ya got 'em, right Dhead? :thumb:
Seriously, I thought Randall showed incredible poise in the early part of that game. That was some serious defense being played on both sides of the ball...credit to both team's QB's. But do you guys not think Russell's hype had anything to do with the coaches pulling Randall after Auburn's defense bit down? I mean, if Randall was doing so well, why would the coaches even think about pulling him? My guess is that after it was clear that the game was going to come down to defense, the LSU coaches had to try something different and Russell was it. Of course, he just wasn't ready. Russell's going to be great, I really think so. I just think all the hype surrounding certain players that haven't even really played SEC ball is, well, hot air. I think you see where I'm going with this. I for one, hope Russell plays up to his potential and shuts up one particular "kid" on the team...
There's no doubting dheadtiger's post, and there are always a few delusional fans at most any program (see the Wyoming board). But as evidenced by other posts on the Auburn board, the overwhelming majority of AU fans have picked LSU as the frontrunner in the West, followed by AU, then Bama or Arky : http://www.aunation.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=16015 IMHO, Russell will be one of the top 2 QB's in the conference this season. I have my doubts about Shockley, but not about Russel or Leak at UF. AU has it's own QB challenges to reckon with and those that were critical of Campbell are in for a very rude awakening this season. That being said, I expect AU to be 6-0 when it faces LSU. I won't be so bold as to make a prediction this early since there are so many questions on offense .... but the defense is going to be the top D in the conference, provided they remain healthy....... they are very, very, fast.
Pulling Randall was a bad decision, probably the worst in Saban's LSU tenure imo. Regardless of whether or not it would have made a difference in the game or season, it was just bad. Depending on how you want to define hype, I guess you could say that was part of it, but reality is a whole lot more complicated. Before the season, Saban made a point of naming Randall the starter; Saban constantly confirmed his confidence in him and there would be no debate. Then there was the Oregon State game, the 45 min rain delay, and the absolute pig-headed stubbornness not to adjust the game plan for environmental conditions (actually, I can understand that decision given how very young we were and how this was the first game for so many). The team, particularly the offense, played horribly. Randall's teammates gave him absolutely no chance as it appeared that blocking only occurred when an OSU player accidentally ran into an LSU player. Russell came in the 3rd Qtr and eventually provided the spark that got us going. Randall played sparingly, but well, and actually scored the go ahead touchdown in OT. However, I think his fate was sealed. After the game, Saban said something to the effect that our magnificent game plan was magnificent; it was the execution that was a problem. While he spread the blame, I think at some level he was disappointed his 5th year senior QB didn't seize the day and make it work. In hindsight, Saban had lost some confidence, but he wasn't overly enthused with Russell as an alternative. Next was Arkansas State. Randall started and played great as he led all scoring drives. Russell played well too, leading us to TDs on his first three drives. But this was Arkansas State. After the game, Randall was mostly overlooked and there was a lot of enthusiasm for Russell, however, Saban was somewhat tempered. He made a distinction between how the casual observer and coaches view performance. In effect he said that fans only see results, but coaches focus on process. Fans don't/can't know what's supposed to happen, but coaches do and they care about how results are obtained. He said he was happy that Russell was having short term success, but he wasn't doing what he was supposed to be doing and that it would eventually hurt him and the team (this is my interpretation of what he said). Randall would start the Au game. The plan was for Randall to get 15 plays and then switch to Russell. Randall played great on that opening drive, but it was a long one (14 plays, 15 if you count the penalty, but that was probably a dead ball). Close enough and Randall was pulled. So to summarize, as a coach you've been practically begging for one of the QBs to reach out and grab the reins. When one does, even if it was with alligator arms, in what most knew was the most important game of the year, you decide to yank it from him. Instead of emboldening his confidence, Randall had to be thinking what it was he had done wrong. It was a better mind f'ing than Tuberville himself could have designed. It's idle speculation whether or not it would have made a difference in the final outcome if he had stayed in, but it undoubtedly was one bad decision. It was a gift from the national coach of the year to the future national coach of the year.
:crystal::crystal::crystal::crystal::crystal::crystal::crystal: Best team Auburn ever had and they didnt get anything from it....:hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: Man that has to hurt. :thumb: :rofl::rofl::rofl:
But using that NC as a defense against AU when they feel good about themselves isnt going to work forever. If LSU doesnt win one again in the next few years, that one NC wont get you anywhere anymore. Auburn had a pretty damn good team last year and they should have played for the NC. Plus, they beat LSU. So, if we want to talk about recent things and not live in 2 years ago, I'd say that Auburn has some Braggin Rights. They did beat LSU this past year, They did go undefeated in the SEC which is pretty unreal. Eventually using that NC as a defense wont work until you win another. But, I'll give you this, AU doesnt have one so you can always hang that over there heads.
