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Auburn is the preseason favorite . . . why?
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:20 pm
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:20 pm
How is this year any different from last year? They were ranked preseason #5 in the USA Today poll and #6 AP last year and lost 5 games. Do they have their starting QB back? No. How about the SECs leading rusher? No. The next two top rushers on the team perhaps? No. The top receiver? No. Two of the three top receivers? No. Maybe the top offensive lineman? No.
How about defense? The two guys who had the most picks are coming back, right? No. How about second best guy in total tackles (nearly the top one)? No.
I guess the question is . . . is one defensive coach really going to make that big of a difference? In 2013 AU went to the championship game with the 88th best defense. Yet last year lost 5 games with the 66th best. Is defense really that important anymore? Clemson finished #1 and was 10-3, yet Penn State was #2 and just 7-6. Stanford at #3 was 8-5. On the flip side, Oregon finished 89 last year and made the playoffs. Florida State was 63. Alabama finished outside at #14 and Ohio State was barely in the top 20.
I'm just trying to figure out what makes this AU team different? What road leads so many to think of AU as being the top pick?
Any good answers?
How about defense? The two guys who had the most picks are coming back, right? No. How about second best guy in total tackles (nearly the top one)? No.
I guess the question is . . . is one defensive coach really going to make that big of a difference? In 2013 AU went to the championship game with the 88th best defense. Yet last year lost 5 games with the 66th best. Is defense really that important anymore? Clemson finished #1 and was 10-3, yet Penn State was #2 and just 7-6. Stanford at #3 was 8-5. On the flip side, Oregon finished 89 last year and made the playoffs. Florida State was 63. Alabama finished outside at #14 and Ohio State was barely in the top 20.
I'm just trying to figure out what makes this AU team different? What road leads so many to think of AU as being the top pick?
Any good answers?
42
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:22 pm to Bham4Tide
People are getting tired of picking Alabama. 
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:25 pm to Bham4Tide
I'm glad. I want them praised and highly ranked all the time. That's when they fold like a cheap tent. They are the ultimate underdog. Rank them highly and watch them crumble.
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:26 pm to Bham4Tide
Because I love you
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:27 pm to Bham4Tide
tFear
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:29 pm to m45auburn
quote:
tFear
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:32 pm to Bham4Tide
Their starting QB, Jeremy Johnson, looks promising. He's gotten plenty of experience before and has shown his talents. Also, while not as elusive as Marshall, he's still a threat to run. Roc Thomas also will be a forced to be reckoned with. Having him with a threat to go up the middle, Johnson to run outside or drop back and pass, then having Johnson run a post, can be eerily similar to the style they ran in '13. Auburn also has two of their biggest games at home- Georgia and Alabama.
I can see why they're in the top 10. Not particularly in the top 5 though because of their past defensive woes.
I can see why they're in the top 10. Not particularly in the top 5 though because of their past defensive woes.
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:33 pm to Bham4Tide
Outside of having a lot of big games at home, I have wondered the same.
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:33 pm to Bham4Tide
Anticipation of Jeremy Johnson being fantastic, coupled with Alabama/LSU/Ole Miss having NO QB, MSU having a great QB but too many losses on D, A&M having a good QB but who the hell knows what that D is going to do?, and Arkansas... well, I dunno. Perhaps Arkansas should be the favorite.
Some of the hype is no doubt due to Boom. I have no idea whether that's justified or not, any more than I do A&M stealing LSU's DC and all of a sudden we're going to have a good D. We'll just have to see.
If I had to pick a preseason favorite, it's Auburn. But that's probably way wrong.
Some of the hype is no doubt due to Boom. I have no idea whether that's justified or not, any more than I do A&M stealing LSU's DC and all of a sudden we're going to have a good D. We'll just have to see.
If I had to pick a preseason favorite, it's Auburn. But that's probably way wrong.
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:38 pm to Bham4Tide
quote:
How about defense? The two guys who had the most picks are coming back, right? No. How about second best guy in total tackles (nearly the top one)? No.
Actually,we had 2 guys with 6 picks last year and one is coming back. Our top 3 tacklers are back(Ford,McKinzy, and Frost). Not to mention our best pass rusher who missed all of last season with an injury.
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:39 pm to finestfirst79
I think auburn loses 5 games.
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:44 pm to Bham4Tide
quote:
Auburn is the preseason favorite . . . why?
Someone had a slight right/down toss on their dart.
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:44 pm to Nguyening
quote:
I think auburn loses 5 games.
Sounds cool to me.
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:53 pm to Bham4Tide
Because we are better than you.
/thread
/thread
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:55 pm to BowlJackson
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:58 pm to Bham4Tide
quote:
The two guys who had the most picks are coming back, right? No
Jonathon Jones is back
Posted on 5/14/15 at 11:58 pm to Gary Busey
Trooper doesn't work for us any more, bro
Posted on 5/15/15 at 12:07 am to Gary Busey
When Auburn loses to LSU in Baton Rouge in week 3 this will all be settled. 
On second thought, last time they lost in BR they went to the NC Game........Thanks to lucky miracle plays.in 2 games....
that luck ran out when they faced an overrated FSU team
On second thought, last time they lost in BR they went to the NC Game........Thanks to lucky miracle plays.in 2 games....
that luck ran out when they faced an overrated FSU team 
Posted on 5/15/15 at 12:09 am to Bham4Tide
Because
Posted on 5/15/15 at 12:12 am to Bham4Tide
People believe Johnson will be as good if not better than Marshall. We plug guys in at RB and they become the SEC leading rusher. We return our top WR. Get an All-SEC guy back on the Oline that we didn't have last year. Return a bunch of guys on the Oline. Made a top notch hire at DC. Get easily our best defender back that we didn't have last year. Return most guys that were actually any good on D. Add in Matthews who couldn't play last year. Bringing another rush guy that should have an impact on the season.
I don't think we should be quite as high as they have us but there are reasons to put us up there.
I don't think we should be quite as high as they have us but there are reasons to put us up there.
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