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8.30.2008

Something to get you started

Hey everyone. I'm so glad for today -- finally something legitimate to journal.

I know you're excited.

I've got a few fresh stories for you. I've also generated a position-by-position look at today's matchup for your viewing pleasure.

**Keep in mind here that I have to find somewhere to give Monroe an edge. It's not a terrible team and some of their players are good -- even if the sunshine-pumpin' peeps realize that or not.

Enjoy.


QUARTERBACK

Advantage: La-Monroe
Breakdown: Does Auburn have talent? Sure. The Warhawks have senior Kinsmon Lancaster, who can pass with accuracy and has plenty of running ability. He has the experience.

RUNNING BACKS
Advantage: Auburn
Breakdown: The Tigers may not have a superstar in the backfield, but they have enough talent and experience. This is the team's best group since 2004.

RECEIVERS
Advantage: Auburn
Breakdown: Again, the Tigers have a ton of depth and experience. Mario Fannin and James Swinton bring elite play- making ability to the field.

OFFENSIVE LINE
Advantage: Auburn
Breakdown: The Tigers' first five guys work well as a group. Lee Ziemba is one of the nation's best tackles and guard Tyronne Green looks strong er than ever.

DEFENSIVE LINE
Advantage: Auburn
Breakdown: Antonio Coleman and Antoine Carter bring speed off the edges and Sen'Derrick Marks brings the power inside. The first-team group is outstanding. The reserves? Not so much.

LINEBACKERS

Advantage: La-Monroe
Breakdown: Yes, I know about Tray Blackmon. He's very good. Monroe returns three experienced juniors who led a good defense in 2007. They are good tacklers and have enough talent to handle business.

SECONDARY
Advantage: Auburn
Breakdown: Jerraud Powers may be 5-foot-8, but he's one of the best cover guys around. Auburn first- team group has some star power. Behind them are freshmen. Good freshmen. Good enough to get the check here.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Advantage: Auburn
Breakdown: Almost every team in America would like to have Wes Byrum on the roster. He's an outstanding kicker. The return teams look stocked, too, with Philip Pierre-Louis and Chris Slaughter ready to apply their speed.

COACHING
Advantage: Auburn
Breakdown: Monroe's Charlie Weatherbie has done some nice things at Monroe -- he may win a Sun Belt title this season -- but Tommy Tuberville has been better for a longer period at a higher level. That's an easy one.

**********

INSIDE SLANT

AU offensive keys: Offensive coordinator Tony Franklin says he isn't worried about what Monroe will run today. I believe him. Auburn has spent months installing and honing Franklin's system. Today is the day it goes live. There is no doubt that Auburn has the speed and talent to score plenty of points against the Warhawks today. The most important development will be at quarterback, where Kodi Burns and Chris Todd are expected to share time under center. Can this system work? Today could provide several clues. Monroe is in a quandary. It can blitz and overwhelm the Tigers' (meager) blocking resources. If the ball is thrown before the blitz arrives, though, the receiver likely will be in single coverage. Can Monroe handle that matchup?

AU defensive keys: Monroe returns seven starters on offense, but many of them are not in the key positions. The quarterback, Kinsmon Lancaster, has some play-making ability. Still, the Warhawks have added three new starters on the offensive line. That's no way to handle Sen'Derrick Marks and the Tigers' conniving ends. Auburn will stay basic and run only its most basic blitzes today. The emphasis will be on avoiding missed tackles and taking correct routes to the ball-carrier. The Tigers know they have enough speed and power up front to repel Monroe's ground game. Auburn's tackling was a major concern for de fensive coordinator Paul Rhoads during the preseason. If ULM can get receivers into one-on-one situa tions downfield, things could get interesting.

**********

ULM PLAYER TO WATCH
QB Kinsmon Lancaster (No. 7)5-11, 202, Sr. Last season: 174-for-294 (59%) for 1,866 yards and 13 TDs; rushed for 398 yards on 107 attempts.
Scouting report: Lancaster has been playing since his freshman year, so he's not intimidated by playing at Jordan-Hare Stadium. He played very well during the second half of last season, making up for a remarkably slow start. He's built to run. Lancaster has no problem scrambling for yardage. His most glaring weakness is that he makes poor decisions when forced to throw from the pocket. Lancaster was intercepted 10 times last season. Tricky coverages can yield big returns.

AU Players to Watch
WR James Swinton (No. 16) 6-0, 187, Sr. Last season: 1 catch for 16 yards.
Scouting report: Swinton is pure speed and elusiveness. He has played only a peripheral role during his first three varsity seasons be cause blocking was a real problem. Now that Auburn has removed those blocking responsibilities, Swinton looks like a star in the making. Many teammates believe he's the team's fastest straight-line runner. The Tigers think he's a home-run threat. Swinton's catching mechanics weren't memorable during the spring, but he has been much more consistent during preseason practice.

DE Antoine Carter (No. 45) 6-4, 255, Soph. Last season: 16 tackles, 1.5 sacks
Scouting report: Carter surely is one of the fastest defensive ends in the country. When placed on the outside and asked to race toward the quarterback, few blockers are capable of postponing Carter's trip. Can he play the run? That's the only negative. Though he's 20 pounds heavier than last season, Carter still isn't an imposing presence. His ability to bring down ball-carriers will determine his fate: Third-down guy or full-time player.

17 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ha! Dude, you bought into coach speak and statistics with the LB grades. Tray Blackmon is but a part of a very experienced, very deep LB unit. In terms of depth and experience, and measuring those collective skills, AU may have the SEC's best unit. Again, collectively. No way LAMO has an advantage in the area of LB.

QB? You're absolutely right. Tailbacks? I beg to differ on Lester and we'll see plenty of reasons why this season.

11:06 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Alright. Qaurterbacks- I'll agree ULM is more stable. Linebackers- Hell no. There is no way ULM is deeper or more talented than Auburn at LB. Auburn could possibly have the most solid group of LBs in the SEC. If anything, I would have given advantage to ULM in the secondary... but not LBs.

11:09 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Was about to say the same thing. LAMO DBs proved their worthiness at least in that Bama game. Linebackers???

No way.

11:11 AM  
Blogger Jay G. Tate said...

I knew this was coming and I'm at peace with it.

Auburn's secondary, the first-team guys, are a lot better than people think.

I mean, let's look at Auburn's linebackers.

Tray Blackmon: Elite run stopper, average pass defender

Merrill Johnson/Chris Evans: Intuitive players and highly experienced.

Craig Stevens: Most anonymous Auburn starter since Mark Brown.

This is a solid group. It is not a great group.

11:13 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Josh Bynes is a guy that has the best collection of talents of that group and he's unnamed.

11:16 AM  
Blogger Jay G. Tate said...

Is he starting today?

11:18 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Does he have to start to be considered? He's going to play an awful lot. Does Hot start? No...

12:11 PM  
Blogger Jay G. Tate said...

I generally don't take reserves into account. It would be a real challenge to get a read on the subs for Monroe, Southern Miss, UT-Martin and West Virginia.

Plus, man, Bynes is no star just yet.

12:15 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I hear ya, Jay. It's your opinion and it certainly holds a lot of value to me based on your success figuring out what works and what doesn't with these teams you've covered.

12:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

ULM's QB is no joke - I've seen him play against Troy and he's got skills. Problem is, our front pressure will be too much throughout the game.

That's my two cents.

1:03 PM  
Blogger Jay G. Tate said...

I like Bynes a lot.

He's just not a front-line guy just yet.

1:06 PM  
Blogger ron mexico said...

I don't consider myself a sunshine pumper, but i'm thinking LAMO definately got those two check marks on sympathy alone. I'm also thinking you really feel the same way because of the preface: "Keep in mind here that I have to find somewhere to give Monroe an edge."

Crudup- I think AU's linebacking will be just average. Craig Stephens will definately win the "Montae Pitts 2004 Weakest Link on the Team Award." He alone will drag that unit down. Johnson and Evans are above average. Tray Blackmon could be awesome, but is nowhere near consistent.

It's all good though. The first liquor drink of the football season is about to be poured, and life is good.

1:41 PM  
Blogger ron mexico said...

and if bynes was really that good already he would start over stephens. Not saying he won't be good, like Jay said he's not there just yet.

1:44 PM  
Blogger ADP said...

and so, after months of speculation, anticipation, and arduous presentation of unprovable theories ... it finally begins.

Let's play some football.

My predictions today:

AU 49
ULM 17

Clemson 35
UA 10

2:27 PM  
Blogger ron mexico said...

I got

Auburn 41 - LAMO 13

Clemson 27 - Alabama 24

3:02 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Craig was injured last year- all year. The guy's a very good athlete, he's big, and he can run. I've got high hopes for him. We'll see. Again, we're talking collective, not starting three. All of the guys contained within the subject of LBs are players...superstar quality or not. And Tray's got to have a complete season before we label him inconsistent on the field.

3:14 PM  
Blogger Jay G. Tate said...

That's a classic line there, crudup.

He has to be consistent before we stop calling him inconsistent.

4:38 PM  

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