First Post: Tuesday of Week Six
Hey everyone. Welcome to the middle of a difficult travel period for hacks and fans alike. The trip to Knoxville was tiring, particularly Saturday's trek, but at least I was behind the wheel. Covering games at Arkansas means we must put our lives in the hands of pilots, ticket agents and airport administrators.I'm not as trusting as I once was. You?
I think this game will be much tougher challenge for Auburn. Had Jonathan Crompton been able to complete just regular passes last weekend, that game would have been much different. Arkansas' quarterback, Ryan Mallett, will be able to complete his passes Saturday.
This will be a real test for Auburn's defense. They're aware of it and all, but I'm not sure how they're going to fix the problems that have been around since two-a-days. Auburn will need a serious pass rush, tight coverage and the ability to thoughtfully adjust coverage responsibilities in real-time.
Here's the Auburn situation at this moment:
TODAY'S STORIES
- Our weekly Auburn Advisory Board report (fan discussion)
PREVIOUS STORIES
- 10/4: Tigers vault into Top 25 polls
- 10/3: AUBURN 26, TENNESSEE 22
- 10/2: What Would Chizik Do? Rally his team around slogan
- 10/1: Tennessee game a homecoming for Taylor
- 9/30:Tigers not worried about poll perception
- 9/29: Our weekly AUBURN ADVISORY BOARD report (fans writing about their team.)
- 9/28: Auburn braces for first test
- 9/27: AUBURN 54, BALL STATE 30
- 9/24: Tigers' offense gets stronger as game progresses
THE VIDEO VAULT
- 9/30: BONUS Wednesday interviews
- 9/27: Sunday interviews
- 9/22: (Funny) Tuesday interviews
TODAY'S SCHEDULE
Should be a fun one. I'll be BLOGGIN for your NOGGIN during Chizik's chat at 11:30 p.m. Then I'll grab a bite to eat and return for players around 1 p.m. I think two players were available during the same period last week, so I'm keeping expectations low. Then we'll have a second interview session after practice. I'll be summarizing player interviews and I'll be doing a video ... tonight.
Here's what the next few days look like. All times are CDT:
Tue., Oct. 6, 4:30 p.m. (Chizik presser at 11:30 a.m.; some players available between 1 and 2 p.m.)
Wed., Oct. 7, 4:30 p.m.
Thu., Oct. 8, 4:30 (Tiger Talk at 7 p.m.)
Fri., Oct. 9, OFF
Sat., Oct. 10, at Arkansas, 11 a.m. (ESPN)
Sun., Oct. 11, 4:30 p.m.
Mon., Oct. 12, OFF
Tue., Oct. 13, 4:30 p.m. (Chizik presser at 11:30 a.m.; some players available between 1 and 2 p.m.)
Also, please pick up the Advertiser's print edition if you live around here! Our fine Auburn coverage is only one element of our award-winning product.
posted by Jay G. Tate at
8:27 AM
44 Comments:
I'm here!
THT On Fire
I'd like to be ... under the sea ... in an octopus's garden in the shade.
THT was just opening a new tab and stumbled on it (one of the advantages of HABOTN for home page).
I won't use the blind hog reference here since we're playing the pigs this weekend.
JGT - air travel is indeed highly unreliable, not from a safety standpoint, but from a "get you from here to there" standpoint.
Jay G, I agree with you that Arkansas will be tougher than UT. You must be a genius like me. Don't pay attention to the bunch of idiots who comment on your blog and don't think like us.
6! :)
Ibeleive this is the week, the fans see a barrage of blitz packages from AU. They will be well timed to throw Mallet off, but the laid back approach to UT is gone for this game.
Phred, from the previous thread, I am with you on the kool aid thing. It's the most overused metaphor on the bloggin internets these days.
I think winning in Knoxville gave us a lot of confidence, so if we don't come in over confident on Saturday I think we'll get more stops on Arkansas than they can get on us.
As long as we don't turn the ball over in a crutial situation, we should win.
AU stacked against the UT run and challenged Crompton to complete passes out of playaction....and he couldn't.
AU can focus on the Ark passing game much more than against UT because Ark doesn't have a good running game. This will not stop Ark, but will slow down their scoring.
The AU offense should score more against the Ark D than the Ark O will acore on AU.
This adds up to an AU win in a shootout.
I'm concerned that our linebackers just don't have the coverage skills and speed to cover the crossing routes and ARK will eat us up. Still feel like we can pull out the win with productive "O", but it does give me pause.
Jay, I agree with you and Michael; don't put me in there with those idiots. ;) I thought we would beat TN easily, but I'm very afraid of the hogs. I still think we win if we avoid turnovers.
Hoopie - I agree with you too from the other thread. The early schedule had a lot to do with my hope for a decent record this year.
Gotta go, and won't be able to be around much the rest of the week.
A good day to all.
I think it's interesting how the following week's opponent is going to be the real test. Granted the team is still learning and has deficiencies, and no I don't think we're going 14-0 (although that'd be insane wouldn't it?!?!), but at some point, maybe we're just as good as the rest of these guys, with the exception of those in crimpson. Remember "this is basically the same team that was picked to win the west last year". Yeah whatever, but it's not like these guys don't have motivation, talent and great coaching on their side
It will take a better pass defense than the Tenn game but the plan will be much different and I hope good enough. The offense, without mistakes, should be able to score enough points to win. I would like to see less negative articles from the press but for what ever reason that is not going to happen. I could write just as negative about the Al-Ky game. Without all of the turnovers that game gets ugly.
It will not be easy. I expect a high scoring game. I expect a sound game plan though and I like our chances scheming against Ark.
My thoughts:
Auburn at Arkansas
The Tigers at 5-0 are easily the surprise team in the SEC this year. In spite of glaring holes on defense, Auburn has found ways to win mostly through the high-powered offense that keeps the tempo moving and puts points on the scoreboard. Arkansas just puts points on the scoreboard (unless playing Alabama) while the defense has been largely lack until last week. The Hogs defense gave up yards to Texas A&M but found ways to end Aggies drives before they could cash into the endzone. Auburn’s defensive backfield has ability to create turnovers but their coverage skills will be tested greatly this week. Several times last week, Auburn defenders were beat by WRs who simply dropped the ball or the quarterback didn’t make a good throw. That won’t happen this week as Ryan Mallett and company are very talented. (I swear I wrote this before Jay G.'s post this morning. Honest.) Arkansas, for all the defensive issues, has faced solid running teams and performed well enough to put the games in the opposing quarterback’s hands. That will be the Hogs gameplan and it will be on Auburn’s Chris Todd and his gang of receivers to pull this on through for the Tigers. This one has the makings of an early morning shootout and will probably down to which team has the ball last. Arkansas has the playmakers offense to win this one if they can limit the turnovers.
Arkansas 35, Auburn 31.
For the record (and before the hate), I hope I am wrong - I want to be wrong, but based on the reasons above, I picked it the way I picked it.
Pulling for Ole Miss makes me feel dirty.
When Choco Scottie shows up somebody ask him to tell us a story about Sister Schubert biscuits. I don't have the details, but apparently it's a good story.
It has been said many times on here but I will say it again. This team and coaching staff has the best chemistry of any team in college football. They also have more talent than a lot of people want to give them credit for. It is thin but it is very good. I predicted 7 or 8 wins but think it will be better, how much better I really don't know.
Guys rest easy, when Sensi picks against us we are undefeated.
Of course when he picks us to win we are undefeated as well.
Sensi,
Please at least tell me when the Furman game comes around that you will at least pick us to win by double digits?
Sensi will say Furman is not very good but they are lucky Auburn better watch out or they will be in trouble!
Great photo, sorry if already posted:
http://photos.al.com/huntsville-times/2009/10/auburn_tennessee_18.html
No matter how many times I fli, I never get used to it, nevertheless I will be on one of those aeroplanes Friday morning.
fly, not fli
I missed this. Caleb King broke his jaw.
http://dawg-extra.blogspot.com/2009/10/king-suffers-broken-jaw.html
Nice link Kathy - nice to see the football alum's supporting the team.
Will it make any difference, RK? I am terrible at picking actual scores and spreads. I have admitted as much multiple times. However, even if I pick the wrong way, my assumptions are generally solid. I was right about the WVU game; I just didn't expect Brown to become a turnover machine in the second half. Neither did he probably.
Furman - joke game. We will play with our food before devouring it in front of a bored crowd. AU 56, Furman 7.
Kathy,
I really the picture of Brando and Mike. Thanks for posting.
...like...
I agree with TommyD- -every week, it's our "first real test" of the season. I can't wait for all the reporters to trot that out before the Iron Bowl. I'm not saying that we will win against Arkansas or not- -certainly there are things that are stacked against us. One of those, which I haven't seen get much press, is the early start time. How many times have we seen AU come out and sleep walk through the noon games against both talented and not so talented teams? Also, I watched Petrino run the same dadgum crossing routes all the way down the field last year until I'd lost my voice from all the yelling.
But I do agree that there is something different about this team. The players have confidence in each other and in the coaches, and are an actual "team" in every sense of the word. This is college football, not the pros. Sometimes the team that plays together and believes can do some impressive stuff.
Hope that Sensi is wrong, although I can't argue much with his breakdown.
It will be nice when Jay G and others will stop reminding us each week about how the team we just beat wasn't really all it was cracked up to be, and how this week's opponent is a world beater, though.
Oh, and another thing- -if Arkansas' run game is not that stout- -I could see us approach Ark offense the same way UT approached our offense. Giving them underneath stuff, just not giving up the homerun. And then bowing their necks in the redzone and try to force field goals.
As an aside- -I was much more impressed with AU's tackling against UT- -and that was against Hardesty, who by all accounts is a man.
Arkansas's running game might not rival its passing game, but its pretty stout...don't overlook it.
"Will it make any difference, RK?"
Sure it will. Not sure how right now, but at some point I'll think of something.
This game is gonna be TOUGH
I thought Noel Devine and Jarrett Brown were supposed to be the best combo we were going to face until the LSU game.
I'll take the difference in memo form in triplicate, RK.
That'll be greaaaaaat.
I see the early start as a huge advantage for Auburn. It'll be the home fans that are sleepwalking.
Save time. Hate Sensi now. Man, that is his same prediction for the West Virginia game, yea, the exact same score.
Tennessee was very unique because how many QBs come with a built in pass defense? The strategy for Auburn will be completely different for this game. I do believe Coleman and Carter will pack a sack lunch in this one.
I sure hope we can put some pressure on Mallett. I haven't seen AU put much pressure on a QB so far this season.
The coverage by our linebackers and safeties, to a lesser degree, will be a concern. I like our corners. I do think we could play a lot of nickle package here. Last season we had problems with receivers simply outrunning our secondary on crossing routes. I am hoping Harry Adams will step in and help with that. I also think Fairley might get some playing time as a pass rusher. It would be interesting to see Dee Ford in the mix.
This game has been the one that concerned me most prior to LSU. I am not as nervous as I was before West Virginia, but this is a conference game and Arkansas seems to always be a pain at Arkansas.
I am also concerned about the early start time. It was funny. I read a post by a Bama fan recently asking if they would ever play a night game. It is all we have done. Hopefully we don't burst into flames when the sun hits us.
I hope the early game jitters went with out the door with the now departed coaching staff. A lot of other things have like completing a pass over 15 yards and sitting on a lead after half time.
Choco - Sister Shubert, what's the story?
We very much sat on our lead against Tennessee. With our depth issues, it is just smart football.
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