re: tOfficial QB controversy thread

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The point is we do not have the level of blocking that we did last year.

Now with all that said do I think it is just the OL's fault? No. I will agree with you on the point that Gus gets tunnel vision and stubborn in his play calling at times. Nick can be better at his passing and I know JJ can pass better than Nick.

We aren't struggling because of Nick Marshall and JJ will make everything better. Watch the games again, when our OL gets into a rhythm and on a roll we are fricking good. The issue is our OL is inconsistent and can't maintain that level of play.

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The problem is the level of o-line play we had last year is not a normal situation, and we needed to be very lucky to pass through the season without a couple losses even with that great of a line.

Our offense will require more balance to get us where we want to go, cause even when our OL improves we aren't going to be the same level as last year. The O-line (particularly the interior line) is the largest problem on offense, but poor passing from Marshall is big reason for it as well (and by poor passing I don't just mean poor throws, but poor field vision and reads as well). Gus's having poor play calling tendencies is right behind as well, we need to throw more on early downs to be less predictable.

On the plus side our defense has been all that any of us thought it could be and more so far, so hopefully they can get healthy and shut down LSU.

It's going to be a rare season when we can pull off the sort of offense we had last year, that's just not a sustainable model these days. Not that it would be a good idea long term anyway, as it would make it nearly impossible to recruit skill players on offense outside of RB.

I think all of the Coates misses make NM look bad to the naked eye. Sometimes I think NM needs to hang on the ball longer, whether it's the read option or throwing down field.

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The O-line (particularly the interior line) is the largest problem on offense, but poor passing from Marshall is big reason for it as well (and by poor passing I don't just mean poor throws, but poor field vision and reads as well). Gus's having poor play calling tendencies is right behind as well,

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This is no different than what I posted, other than worded a little differently.

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It's going to be a rare season when we can pull off the sort of offense we had last year, that's just not a sustainable model these days. Not that it would be a good idea long term anyway

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This wasn't my argument that we can or should be like last year.

Others are expecting to see us repeat last year and are overreacting in wanting NM. CAP, and Grant benched. I was pointing out, as you did in your post, that it won't happen with our current line play. I then said Nick needs to pass better (I agree it isn't just about the throwing, but making better choices in several areas of the pass game as well.), and Gus gets tunnel vision in his play calling and needs to get away from that.

BTW, I don't think last year was so out of the norm that we can't get that kind of line play again at Auburn. I also think any team needs to be lucky to get to play for championships, and will be less common seeing a team that dominated its way through the competition in a championship year.

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BTW, I don't think last year was so out of the norm that we can't get that kind of line play again at Auburn. I also think any team needs to be lucky to get to play for championships, and will be less common seeing a team that dominated its way through the competition in a championship year.

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Most championship teams get lucky at some point during the season, for sure. We can definitely have good lines like that I agree, but being able to run the ball 75% of the time like last year will be a very rare thing. That's not really Gus's offense anyway.

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Others are expecting to see us repeat last year and are overreacting in wanting NM. CAP, and Grant benched.

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This really doesn't fit the bill for most of us wanting changes. I'm in favor of JJ starting but I in no way expected a repeat of last year, and that's the main reason I want JJ starting. Defenses are swarming the line against our run, and we can't pass effectively enough to keep them honest at the moment. Keep those safeties back and we'll find much more room to run.

I'd like to see Barber and Roc get some carries just because Payne has almost no shiftiness, he's a straight bruiser. He can't make something out of nothing, but those other two possibly could. And that's pretty huge when your o-line is average.

Marshall looked pretty good the second half of KSU, but other than that he's been pretty bad passing. Luckily most teams in the SEC look pretty average offensively, so hopefully we can continue to win ugly if needed.

I am no football coach. I don't claim to be one. However, as an arm chair coach, this is how I see it......Gus' genius is...he doesn't try to fit square pegs in round holes. The strength of the O, this year, is the WR position. Trying to run the zone-read, with this OL, is trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

Let's be honest here. At this level, it's all about getting the W's. Maybe we need to try a two QB system, for a while, and see which one has the hot hand and gives us the best option to get the W that particular game.

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Nick carried us. He is clutch under pressure. JJ may fit our talent better throws a great pass. The team is Nicks.

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I could not agree more.

There is no controversy

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I am no football coach. I don't claim to be one. However, as an arm chair coach, this is how I see it......Gus' genius is...he doesn't try to fit square pegs in round holes. The strength of the O, this year, is the WR position. Trying to run the zone-read, with this OL, is trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Let's be honest here. At this level, it's all about getting the W's. Maybe we need to try a two QB system, for a while, and see which one has the hot hand and gives us the best option to get the W that particular game.

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I thought there was a point in the game where NM began to look quite comfortable running the read option. When he would keep the ball, he scurried up the middle for around 10 or went around the edge for 15+. This was during the drive that was stalled by the fancy sweep play in the red zone that forced a FG.