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re: Why is Auburn the only member of the "big 6" unable to sustain success?
Posted on 4/23/14 at 8:17 am to IAmReality
Posted on 4/23/14 at 8:17 am to IAmReality
Missed most of this thread, but AU's program is totally schizo. They could go 12-0 or 6-6 this year, and neither would surprise me a great deal.
Mediocre to NC in a year, back to 3-9 within 2 years, fire coach, back to NC game. It's bizarre.
Mediocre to NC in a year, back to 3-9 within 2 years, fire coach, back to NC game. It's bizarre.
Posted on 4/23/14 at 9:07 am to Crowknowsbest
quote:
Missed most of this thread, but AU's program is totally schizo. They could go 12-0 or 6-6 this year, and neither would surprise me a great deal.
I'd rather have the chance at 12-0 than being a UGA fan and knowing every year we will have a let down that keeps us from the championship
Posted on 4/23/14 at 10:06 am to Crowknowsbest
quote:This, pretty much. Having followed AU football since the late 60s, this is the only real explanation.
Missed most of this thread, but AU's program is totally schizo.
As an illustration, I remind you all that 4 of AU's last 5 coaching hires going back to 1951 have had years in which their squads received #1 votes in the final AP poll. Only Doug Barfield, who had the misfortune to compete every year against two of the greatest HCs in college SEC history (Bryant and Dooley) while on probation, failed to seriously challenge for an MNC. Obviously Malzahn has continued that trend.
At the same time, all of these HCs save the current one (obviously) capped their AU careers with losing seasons. Even more tellingly, most went into their final disastrous seasons with high expectations:
Jordan '75: AP preseason #8, finished 3-6-2
Barfield '80: AP preseason #19, finished 5-6
Dye '92: Unranked, finished 5-6
Bowden '98: AP preseason #25, finished 3-8
Tuberville '08: AP preseason #10, finished 4-7
Chizik '12: Unranked, finished 3-9
There's no denying it - the OP is right. While we have rarely experienced extended periods of sub-mediocrity since the Barfield Era (back to back losing seasons only once in the last 32 years), nor have we had very many horrible years (2012 was only the fourth season since 1953 that we've lost 7 or more games) neither have we built the kind of sustained excellence like Florida from '90-'01 or Bama currently.
As someone once said, it is what it is.
This post was edited on 4/23/14 at 10:09 am
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