Sizing up the SEC West....

Discussion in 'The Tiger's Den' started by danky, Apr 23, 2006.

  1. cadillacattack

    cadillacattack Illegitimi non carborundum est

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    I would respectfully disagree, Red. Most Auburn fans I'm familiar with, including those on both main boards, see it as many here see it. That is, the winner of the LSU-AU game will decide the West and control their own destiny...... and as usual it will be a close, hard-fought, physical contest.

    Although Auburn shows much promise, they are far from the point where any reasonable AU fan would claim it as a "W" at this point. Auburn will be good - perhaps very good - if they remain healthy. Injuries could potentially expose a lack of experience and/or leadership depth on either side of the ball.

    Auburn's receiver corps will surprise a few folks this year. If Courtney Taylor is fully healed (he was injured for the majority of the '05 season), he will produce at a playmaker level, similar to the receiver role played by Skyler Green during LSU's MNC year. Expect Borges to utilize the depth and talent at the TE position to execute an aspect of the West Coast offense that he has been unable to execute thus far on the Plains. TE will play a key role in any success AU parlays this season.

    Irons will only be as effective as his OL, and there are several question marks that should be cleared up by the fall. And remember, Irons was a backup to Brad Lester before Lester went down to injury last fall. There is again solid depth at the RB position.

    Most Auburn fans agree the challenge for Auburn will be playing LSU so early in the season. Tuberville's teams are notoriously slow starters, as evidenced by critical early-season losses against good defenses in each of the past 4 seasons. You can bet that's what keeps CTT awake at nights - it's a trend that must stop if Auburn is to compete at a higher level.

    Auburn's biggest question marks will be:
    Offense: Center, Left Tackle, and Placekicker (some suspect WR, although I disagree)
    Defense: Safety and Nose (some supect softness up the middle, strength outside)

    Auburn's strengths:
    Offense: RB, QB, OL, TE
    Defense: CB, DE, LB

    Bama will be an also-ran in '06. A good, servicable Defense won't be enough against the upper tier SEC teams, including LSU, Tennessee, and Auburn. Bama must continue a steady progression plan to overcome the sanctions, one that will likely take a couple more years.
    [​IMG]
     
  2. Kjunsausage

    Kjunsausage Founding Member

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    auburn was just outclassed and totally embarrassed by the badgers in the last game. if less cant take a page out of the wisconsin play book and see exactly how they put up 550 yards against this great auburn defense shame on him.
    the big sausage man takes lsu in this one.
     
  3. TerryP

    TerryP Founding Member

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    How does the expression go? In all good humor there is a large element of truth?

    As far as the TE's are concerned, we left spring camp with 7 on the roster...one moving to the RT and with the other 6, 3 solid contributors. I've mentioned it before in this thread...

    You can expect to see the TE get a lot of playing time this year. Partly, to shore up the weak tackle positions. The two staff's (O and D) agreed not to use the TE formations in A-day. However, they worked a lot on 2 and 3 TE sets this spring.

    I don't know if saying "the youth will show" is a accurate picture of what Arkansas is going to show this fall. They are returning 20 starters from last years squad: 10 on O and 9 on D.

    The spread attack isn't something that is going to take anyone by surprise. They've had some problems incorporating it in the spring so far. With the spread, one thing that is overlooked is how much the WR blocking is essential to its success. Their WR corps was desimated by injuries this spring. (learning curve #1). Secondly, the linemen that have been recruited over the past 4-5 years have been recruited for their run blocking skills. The transition over to a new scheme is going to take time, perhaps new blood, before it will see it's full potential. (learning curve #2).

    I think the defense Arkansas fields this year will be a stout one. It'll keep them in games, and it'll fall on the QB's shoulder which ones they win or lose. (that's based on whether he makes those "game losing" mistakes.)
     
  4. TerryP

    TerryP Founding Member

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    I have to disagree with you here. The weak OL was exposed in part during the Southern Miss game, in whole when we played Ole' Miss. It just so happened there were only two teams that were able to capitalize on that weakness. Auburn and LSU to a lesser degree.

    It wasn't the loss of Closner, per se', that hurt as much as it was the inability of Britt. (Walk-on from UAB who couldn't get his blocking assignements right, much less call those for the entire OL)

    Caldwell, in his first spring at C, is better right now than Closner was in his Sr. season at C.
     
  5. wesfau

    wesfau Founding Member

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    A good assesment, but...there was no early-season loss in '04.
     
  6. Contained Chaos

    Contained Chaos Don't we all?

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    True. But the only close game happened early in the season (which was actually a tie, but hey whatever :D ).
     
  7. cadillacattack

    cadillacattack Illegitimi non carborundum est

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    sorry, meant the opening loss to USC in '03. I stand corrected, but the point remains the same..... it's an ongoing concern :thumb:
     
  8. Chip82

    Chip82 Founding Member

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    Once again, this is a year that is going to be more affected by schedules than what has been the case in a very long time.

    Auburn has to play South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
    Florida has to play LSU, Auburn and Bama.

    With the tighter schedules, fatigue will run both of these teams into the ground.

    The SEC West will be decided on November 24th in Little Rock.
    The winner of that swing game will go to Atlanta, just like the LSU-Ole Miss game decided things in 2003.
     
  9. CParso

    CParso Founding Member

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    You are giving Arkansas too much credit. They will give some teams trouble, but their offensive coordinator will have a very rough introduction into the SEC - even with the young playmakers they have on offense.

    Auburn/LSU game will decide it.
     
  10. doubledeuce

    doubledeuce Founding Member

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    First of all, Ill concede that arkansas is going to have a transition period on offense. When you take out the USC game from last year, this defense was a top ten unit nationally(see LSU game). secondly, Darren Mcfadden and Felix Jones are potentially the next Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams. Before you jump all over that, its a potential assessment, not comparing where they were at the same age etc.

    In regards to Auburn, they lost both tackles and a center on the Oline. Including all american Marcus Mcneill, who I believe is more responsible for Kenny Irons success than the pure running skill of Kenny Irons. Auburn ran a counter trap right behind Mcneill for much of the LSU game repeatedly, and without Mcneill to open up holes, Irons will not be nearly as effective IMO. Not only that, but their ultra experienced receiving corps from last year returns only one major contributor. I see an 9-3 season for Auburn.

    The people who think BAMA is going to even be in the hunt for the west apparently think this is 1970 and Bear Bryant is the coach. Facts are that Mike Shula has yet to put forth an effective offense and that great D that they had last year lost all of its playmakers and the majority of its starters. No offense, nowhere near as good defense. Bama is going to struggle to even make a bowl game. Unless Andre smith can be a shawn andrews, marcus mcneill type right out of the gate as a true freshman, I dont see a lot of hope for that Bama offensive line either.

    The way I see it, LSU appears to me as the clearcut favorite to win the west, I think arkansas is a darkhorse, you never know what numbNutt will pull out of his a$$, especially when its on the line. If the hogs beat USC to open the season, a young but experienced squad will be brimming with confidence and with their schedule could be 9-0 going into the Tennessee game in fayetteville. Last time Ark played tennessee at 9-0 was 1998, and if it werent for a fumble with less than 2 minutes to play, they would have been in a nat. title hunt. It all depends on if the D will be good enough to combat the learning curve that is sure to come with their new offense. Reggie Herring did it at NC St. theres no reason to believe it wont happen at Ark as well. wouldnt it be a nice change of pace if the west came down to the final reg season game of the year instead of it being a meaningless faux-rivalry.
     

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