First Post of the Day, 9/29
Hey everyone. It's been a record-setting period for the HABOTN. We've already established new highs in unique visitors and pageviews ... and we have 90 minutes remaining in the noon-to-noon counting cycle.To the new HOTTIES: Welcome.
To the vets: It's a group honor.
To patdyeswildturkey: Outstanding post yesterday
To the Ring of Fire: (Phred, Scottie, crudup, Hoopie, Ron Mexico, hip-hop, AUnMobile, Sully, Scott from Tucson, scottatl, jhag and, of course, "anonymous") ... Check's in the mail.
SCHEDULE UPDATE: Arkansas @ Auburn (Oct. 11) will begin at 4 p.m. CDT and will be televised on pay-per-view.
CATCHING UP FROM LAST NIGHT: You all raised some good questions/points in comments that appeared after I left Auburn last night. Let's get to it.
- Some asked ``How bad can it get?": Auburn is 4-1. Auburn is ranked No. 14. The offense is averaging 329 yards per game, which is approximately what it was accomplishing last season. So, yes, it could get a whole lot worse. I don't think that will happen. I expect a gradual up-tick in production that plateaus at 340 per game. That's not a resume-building number for Tony Franklin or anything ...
- Why doesn't Auburn use Wario Fannin like Darren McFadden: Because Wario isn't McFadden. He doesn't have that elite home-run ability. He's also younger (and probably 1,000 snaps less experienced) than McFadden was when Arkansas was running those direct-snap plays.
- Bynes vs. Blackmon: Someone asked if Bynes' big performance against Tennessee means he'll play in front of Tray Blackmon on a permanent basis. Nope. Blackmon is going to be compromised for a while with that right wrist fracture. When No. 10 is back, he'll play a whole lot. He's a remarkably violent player on the field. Opponents don't like playing against players like that. He's very annoying. Bynes is a sniper; you don't even know he's there until he makes a play. Blackmon is a hurricane.
- "Why do people even quote CTT?": He is the head coach, that's why. Is he accurate on everything? Not even close. Yet he provides a great feel for what "The Coaching Staff" thinks about things. I don't think Kodi Burns' promotion was "mutual," but I believe Burns will play a bigger role against Vanderbilt. I guess you just have to learn Tuberville's area of expertise and listen more carefully when he's discussing those matters.
- Discord among the coaching staff: They want to get better. They're frustrated (obviously) by what has been going down. By using the I formation and the direct-snap stuff against Tennessee, I'd say they're examining all available options. They're working together.
Photo credit: Todd Van Emst/Auburn University
Questions? Comments? Post directly to the blog below or email me at jgtate@gannett.com.
posted by Jay G. Tate at
10:28 AM
59 Comments:
Jay,
I don't think Tub has ever put a gag order on one of his coaches before, but do you think it might be wise to do this with Franklin?
The more he talks the more damage I think he is doing for his reputation with the fan base & with the Burns situation the more he seems to be saying something different than what his head coach is saying.
I'm taking the challenge to step up my posting game to make the Ring of Fire by season's end.
Thanks JGT, glad I found this site. You and all the fellow hotties always come through with good information and great posts.
CTT is probably deveopling a ulcer hoping he can make it to UGA 9-1 and split the last two games.
rk, I think Franklin is already unhappy. I think there's more to it than simply "Franklin is an idiot". This thing is going to be even less short lived than I thought. Two incredibly different philosophies of football. They've already recruited 4 really terrific spread-type players. And now this. By this I mean the butting heads of two different worlds.
You knew it was going to happen. It killed Alabama last year. Franlin will not be AU's OC next year or Tuberville will not be the coach. I understand these words will piss some off. And I accept that.
A little premature for that kind of talk. Yes the offense is off, but if this thing does get going look out. I do believe that Kodi is the QB for this. Todds arm is less that average at best. Todd could not have made that last 3rd down throw on saturday. The receivers dropped many balls from Kodi due to the fact that they are not used to the speed of the ball coming from Kodi. I do beleive that. You have to let him play.
On another note....I know that Ark game is not being televised what time is the game....1:30 or 6:00?
Are bad wins better than any kind of loss?
Not sure. On one hand, its a win. Also, it shows the will to fight and get done what needs to be done. A loss can be demoralizing and draining, and hard to come back fom. Wins can be worked through.
On the other hand, it can breed apathy. We did some things wrong, but still won, so what's the big deal? The team is less likely to work harder the next week than in a loss. Also, players and coaches who don't quite fit into the grand scheme might be less likely to face sever discipline or dismissal if the final record looks like the team performed pretty decent. "growing pains" can be easily justified in winning situations, whereas a loss DEMANDS action.
Can it all get better, though? Yeah, there's a chance that the struggles are simply early season kinks and attitude adjustments that will work themselves out. Unfortunately, this current situation looks earily similar to some things that Auburn has experienced in the recent history. The offensive situation was supposed to change suddenly and dramatically. That rarely happens, much less with without a stable, experienced general (QB and/or OC) leading the squad.
Here's to hoping, though, that all of the sudden, the gears will line up, and this crazy machine will take off. WDE!
Arkansas: 4 p.m. on pay per view.
AU-Ark is 4:00 PPV
Jay
why do you think Franklin went away from eveything that worked on that TD drive?
Jay G. & the Gang,
Based on what you have seen and know, will an average of 340 yds. a game (and a few more offensive points per game - up from the 8 we have in SEC games so far) beat the rest of the teams on our schedule if Defensive stats remain constant?
On another not, Hottie Peter Frankenschmidt, who's sweetheart is a UGA grad, got engaged in Athens on Saturday, Live on ESPN College Gameday! The proposal sign was pretty prominent near the beginning of the show. Thought I'd share.
Mario is the same age Darren was when he started the wild hog deal. Age has nothing to do with it. Just run around the end if you have speed. If not, continue on as is.
*note
Congrats, Peter!
Marriage = good.
I have to go to the Montgomery QB Club to talk with Tuberville.
I won't be back until 2ish ...
Peter,
I am also married to a UGA grad....good luck and congrats
Better maried to a UGA grad than to a UAT grad. But that's only in my book. And I'm from GA.
I married a Tennesee grad, then shipped her off to the beach the week of AU-UT. Not sure if you can do that in November but it's worth thinking about. :)
I missed GAMEDAY b/c I didn't set up my tivo correctly last weekend. Congrats!
I too married a UT grad, but she couldn't even watch the game after a certain point since she knew Crompton wasn't going to be able to do anything.
Of course the Arkansas game is at 4:00. I'm in a wedding that day, and what time does the wedding start? 4:00
I married an ITT Tech Grad...they dont have a football team, but she is a magician in graphic design.
As has been stated earlier:
Fall weddings = begging for people not to show up.
And thanks for the induction into the ROF.
And it burns, burns, burns...
question...i noticed in one of the comment threads, some peops said HABOTN got a shout-out on TV. I was at the game and didn't hear it. What was the nature of this "shout-out"? I haven't checked all the threads, so this may have already been mentioned.
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=1y02om&s=4
Nice pic AWK!
Funny...
Finally looked up "disaffected".
disaffected
adjective alienated, resentful, discontented, hostile, estranged, dissatisfied, rebellious, antagonistic, disloyal, seditious, mutinous, uncompliant, unsubmissive
Yeah, I can agree with most of that as it applies to me.
Having said that, I agree you are not a pumper on most days.
I love your take on CTT and how to read him.
I hit your column about 10 times a day lately, so I'll take a little of the anon credit, even though I only post occasionally.
Great blog. I enjoy it, even when you are a pumper. (just kidding)
The Ring of Fire ... I like it.
Cause it's hot in here brother.
At the five game mark, what freshman has contributed the most at this point?
A second note, I love to go back and read Athlon's and Lindy's to see pre-season hype. One name, Raven Grey, I know the kids got a bum knee, but wow, you should go back and re-read the preseason press clippings. Penciled in as a starter most places.
oh, it's HOT in here alright, but not near as hot as CTF's seat right now.
i like the 'burns, burns, burns' reference hip-hop, but did you really mean 'kodi burns, burn, burns'????? is that some secret code?
off the top of my head i'd say big leg freshman Clinton Durst...or is he really a freshman? heck, i'm gonna count him since the kid had never played in a football game in his life till la-monroe.
2008 Recruits-5 game review
1. Deron Furr Athlete- Transferred
2. Vance Smith TE- Seen him on the sideline, looks like Tommy Trott's twin brother.
3. Drew Cole DB- Buried on the depth chart. Has been in and around special teams.
4. Darvin Adams WR- Havent seen much out of him at all.
5. Reggie Hunt RB- Did'nt Qualify
6. DaShun Barnes LB- Who?
7. Harry Adams - WR - Who?
8. Barrett Trotter - QB - I have seen him on the sidelines as well staring at the student section.
9. Raven Gray - DE - Never recovered from his knee injury.
10. Jermaine Johnson - OL - injured, not contribution.
11. T'Sharvin Bell - S - Who?
12. Chris Todd - QB- Lets not go there, not enough time.
13. Marcus Jemison - S - Broke foot in preseason.
14. Dantoine Hood - DB - Played some as a backup in special packages.
15. Philip Pierre Louis - KR-WR -tore knee up 1st play of the game.
16. Christian Thompson-S- Who?
17. Derrick Lykes - DE- Been injured, he has been next to Trotter on the sideline with his helmet off.
18. Eric Smith - RB - Dubbed little Rudi after a decent debut, then fumbled and hasnt done much since then.
19. Ken Adams - TE- JUCO route
20. Freddi Smooth - Didnt qualify.
21. Andre Wadley - DE - health issues, hasnt seen the field.
22. Jamarcus Savage - DT - health issues, hasnt seen the field much.
23. Dax Dellenbach - Snapper - I couldnt identify him if he was in front of me in the grocery store.
24. Neiko Thorpe - DB - has played the most minutes out of all of the freshman. Has been earned some good experience.
25. Derek Winter - WR - I have seen his curly afro on the sidelines, where it has been all year so far.
26. Spencer Pybus - LB - has seen lots of playing time on special teams and 2nd team linebacker.
27. Cameron Henderson - DL - seen on the sidelines. He needs some weight on his bones.
28. Ontario McCaleeb - RB - Didnt qualify.
Out of this group the only ones most Auburn fans can name are Pybus and Neiko. So hopefully yhat bodes well for our depth for the future. But lets be honest in 2 years only 50 or 60% of this class will remain.
Tell me your thoughts. Make changes where needed.
i had forgotten about neiko. in my humble opinion:
1. DURST
2. THORPE
3. PYBUS
4. E.SMITH
nice question PDWT.
Ramsey is out....Just what we needed.
who broke the news on Ramsey? not popping up on Rivals.
i forgot durst, the unrecruited freshman, yea, he has had a great year. He is so small, he looks like he is wearing one of those childrens Hutch outfits(uniforms) out there.
yea, I just saw it on scout.com, Chaz is finally gone. Jay, I wonder will we go after another lineman now? Or will we try to turn a DL to the OL?
I think Jermaine Johnson failed to qualify once more and his future status is unknown.
thanks, i see the Ramsey thing now. glad Rivals is on top of it. ;)
Does anyone know the real reason Chaz Ramsey is transferring?
Any truth to this: Auburn wouldn't reimburse his rehab after not using the approved
doctors. Chaz and family were told up front and they chose to do their own thing. It burned bridges and now has lee ziemba upset at the situation as well. No reason to be all secretive about this. It is what it is.
I heard slightly different, who knows what is true. They say his dad didnt like the way the coaches were rehabbing his back and they feel their workouts, etc. exercises made it worse, I hear the dad, is intrusive.
Rumor #1
Word has it that he was prohibited from doing any workouts until cleared by Dr. Andrews. He was found lifting in the school gym (not the AD work-out room) where he re-injured himself. His father got involved and Chas came up with the story that Yox knew he was lifting on his own. Now the father blames the coaching staff, and not dear Chaz, for the aggravation of his back injury.
Rumor is that he will be released if desired and will transfer to Southern Miss.
Rumor#2
I think his dad makes all of his decisions for him and has been a headache for the coaching staff because he believes that Auburn's medical staff made Chaz back worse rather than helping him get better. They say his dad has been banned from the AD.
Then again, that's all hearsay.
Remember, Rumors are more than just the 80's song by the TImex Social Club.
Anonymous debating.
The truth about Chaz is that his father was upset with the coaching staff because he thought that Ramsey was brought back to quick and that is why he was injured further. Source close to the program told me that.
someone said it was inside job by Glen Dorseys people....mmmmm
As far as Ramsey goes, I'm still working to confirm stuff.
I've had the feeling for a while that Ramsey wouldn't return to the field in an Auburn uniform. Still, I don't know that as fact.
I'll be working on it.
Over involved parents ... the enemy of all organized amateur sports.
Eh. Key is a guy who has a lot of enthusiasm, sure, but I'm not sure he's the problem here.
Chaz's back is the problem.
Yea I know. I was just in the mood to make an unprovable blanket statement.
Jay G.,
Please find out what is public about Chaz Ramsey and update us.
Ask Coach point blank what can be said and then tell us.
We are sick of rumors on top of rumors.
Thanks,
Oracle
I just handled business.
Oh, while you're at it Jay, could you pick me up a double espresso mocha decaf latte?
THANKS!
just to be sure, but that in no way is the same thing as 'giving him the business', right? ;)
and a monster burger from Hardee's!
Oh, man.
I gotta go find that YouTube clip now. "For giving him the business."
Jay,
That would be Jerry Muckright the Head Ref. that was a great explanation given by him. I crack up everytime i use it... its funny i used it last week when i was describing a seen at "SAMMY's" last week, oops nevermind!!!! too much information, huh?
Hey Jay, can you get me and autographed pic of CTT & CTF cuz it might be worth something in the future, in the "Where are they now" segment, if things don't get better with the O.
BTW thanks for the "Street Cred" and "PUB" you gave your ORIGINAL HOTTIES!
I just wish Tony would shave.
BTW, the Braveheart reference to Kodi Burns was mine.
Kodi is sure no Darrel Griffith or even a Poncho Wright.
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