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We Are In Year 2 of a REAL Rebuild

Posted on 9/10/24 at 2:51 pm
Posted by thirdlawson
Nashville
Member since Oct 2011
9412 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 2:51 pm
It seems that part is lost on people...

2 bad last 2 years of Gus, 2 bad years of Harsin, lost lots of transfers and recruiting battles. While we've made some strides, one thing is still obvious... Our biggest issue is that we are depleted on the 2 most important positions on offense: QB & O-Line.

I championed for Payton Thorne all offseason. But it's obvious that he just doesn't have it. Guys were WIDE OPEN and he doesn't the whole field, doesn't throw with anticipation and can't read a blitz. If he does this in practice and not in the games, that's on him. Not Hugh. Plus the fact that he's in his 6th year and literally only plays football makes it worst.

Our O-Line looks like Tarzan and plays like Jane. It takes 2-3 years of strong recruiting/transfers to sure that up. Think, we're getting linemen transfers from WKU, Memphis, East Carolina, Tulsa, Miss State... so it takes a little time.

I believe in Hugh, but he really has to improve this offense quickly. Especially at QB.
This post was edited on 9/10/24 at 2:54 pm
Posted by Scoper
i love hugh freeze
Member since Mar 2021
3302 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 2:56 pm to
The biggest problem is the qb and freeze picked him and stuck with hime soooo


I dont wanna hear that shite
Posted by AUCom96
Alabama
Member since May 2020
6589 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 3:04 pm to
Every losing season will also mean less investment, interest and rising pressure for making something happen on the field. We have to be competitive in the games we clearly can be and that’s not happening.
Posted by jangalang
Member since Dec 2014
50479 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 3:08 pm to
I agree with most but in reality nothing is on Thorne.

If he sucks, bench him. If he is the best you got that's on Freeze. If you are surprised that's all Thorne can do that's on Freeze. If you are surprised Thorne's help isn't actually helping thats on Freeze. If Thorne looks good in practice but not in games then I question what our staff is learning at practice as well. Thorne carried expectations of just clocking in and clocking out til the season was over. He is a lame duck in expectation because literally everyone knows what he brings and thats not a whole lot by himself.
Posted by PJinAtl
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2007
14044 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 3:08 pm to
quote:

Every losing season will also mean less investment, interest and rising pressure for making something happen on the field.

Exactly. Given the state of the rest of the SEC, especially now with Texas and Oklahoma, the fanbase (and the big money folks) aren't going to be happy seeing Auburn in the bottom quarter of the standings. Will TPTB have the patience and ability to let this rebuild go three, four, five years? Or will empty seats and loss of donations cause a kneejerk reaction and can Hugh after this season or next?
Posted by thirdlawson
Nashville
Member since Oct 2011
9412 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 3:12 pm to
quote:

The biggest problem is the qb and freeze picked him and stuck with hime soooo



And who was coming to Auburn to throw to what bums we had at WR??
Posted by jangalang
Member since Dec 2014
50479 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 3:13 pm to
quote:

Every losing season will also mean less investment, interest and rising pressure for making something happen on the field.

This seems unlikely. Us diehards didnt leave. Someone just donated more money to our football stadium than the wolowitz donated to the university and Wolowitz got the basketball arena named after them.
Posted by thirdlawson
Nashville
Member since Oct 2011
9412 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 3:13 pm to
quote:

Exactly. Given the state of the rest of the SEC, especially now with Texas and Oklahoma, the fanbase (and the big money folks) aren't going to be happy seeing Auburn in the bottom quarter of the standings. Will TPTB have the patience and ability to let this rebuild go three, four, five years? Or will empty seats and loss of donations cause a kneejerk reaction and can Hugh after this season or next?


If it keeps going south, changes will be made....

But who do you get?
Posted by wareaglepete
Union of Soviet Auburn Republics
Member since Dec 2012
17542 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 3:13 pm to
If Coach Prime didn’t do all the stupid stuff he does, would people give him the same amount of rope? That’s a true rebuild.

I’m eager to see how Rhule does at Nebraska. Also year 2 of a true rebuild.
Posted by Pettifogger
I don't really care, Margaret
Member since Feb 2012
86070 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 3:29 pm to
quote:

Exactly. Given the state of the rest of the SEC, especially now with Texas and Oklahoma, the fanbase (and the big money folks) aren't going to be happy seeing Auburn in the bottom quarter of the standings. Will TPTB have the patience and ability to let this rebuild go three, four, five years? Or will empty seats and loss of donations cause a kneejerk reaction and can Hugh after this season or next?


Personally I'm fine with a slow rebuild. I do not want to make more hasty and costly decisions.

But Hugh hasn't shown a single thing on the field. He's failing pretty miserably at half (or more than half) of his job. Thankfully he's excelling at the other half.

My problem goes back to Auburn failing where I'm not sure other programs would. 3 of our last 4 FBS losses were to programs with equal or inferior talent and all were embarrassing losses in how they occurred. Two of those to weaker teams at home. That's just not acceptable anywhere, and doesn't really have much to do with what we claim needs to be rebuilt.

On the QB front, we have Holden (3/4 star), White (high end 4 star), a promising 3 star hand picked by the HC and a Big 10 starter. It's insane that we can't find one of them who can be a serviceable QB with the other tools around us. I just don't believe it's all bad luck or we're cursed - we're on our third offensive HC in a row who can't put together competitive offense.

Hugh will get a long leash from me if he can pair the recruiting success with at least getting us on the right trajectory on the field. Auburn people are exhausted (I think) of ending seasons with thuds instead of with some steady (even if very slow) progress.

This post was edited on 9/10/24 at 3:37 pm
Posted by jvilletiger25
jacksonville, fl
Member since Jan 2014
20484 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 3:35 pm to
quote:

Hugh will get a long leash from me if he can pair the recruiting success with at least getting us on the right trajectory on the field.

That’s all anyone should ask for right now. But it’s tough knowing that this team is good enough to win 8-9 games this year with competent QB play.
Posted by slacker130
Your mom
Member since Jul 2010
8939 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 3:42 pm to
I understand the pieces aren't there yet. My issue is we just look unprepared and poorly coached.
Posted by AUTubaHerd
Member since Nov 2012
2868 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 3:52 pm to
quote:

If Thorne looks good in practice but not in games then I question what our staff is learning at practice as well.


Didn’t Gus have a scrimmage where the QB’s were live one year to see how they’d react?

Freeze sounds so afraid of practice injuries that I’m afraid the practices weren’t preparing them.

Also it took a half of play before the defense looked solid.
Posted by jangalang
Member since Dec 2014
50479 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 3:56 pm to
Indeed. Just one live scrimmage will reveal a lot in the smaller details such as how will players protect themselves or how they will protect the ball.
Posted by Fearless and True
N Carolina
Member since Aug 2022
1621 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 3:56 pm to
quote:

2 bad last 2 years of Gus


I agree on 2020 but 2019 we went 9-3 and beat Bama. That was not a bad year.
Posted by thirdlawson
Nashville
Member since Oct 2011
9412 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 4:09 pm to
quote:

I’m eager to see how Rhule does at Nebraska. Also year 2 of a true rebuild.


If we got Dylan Raiola, we wouldn't be having this convo.
Posted by thirdlawson
Nashville
Member since Oct 2011
9412 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 4:12 pm to
quote:

Also it took a half of play before the defense looked solid.



Cal & NMSU basically did the same thing to us... slowed the game down, dinked & dunked. Sad to watch.
Posted by AUCom96
Alabama
Member since May 2020
6589 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 4:14 pm to
quote:

This seems unlikely. Us diehards didnt leave


Maybe, but it's an escalating cost. If this season is another losing one, how much does it cost to re-recruit Coleman, Thompson, Faulk, etc. ON TOP of new blue-chippers, portal patches, a good portal QB for next season since we have virtually nothing in the pipeline? That would be 4 losing seasons in a row. Hard to see the same money pouring in, especially when basketball is fighting for those dollars and they are winning or baseball needs facility upgrades, Bruce wants a stand-alone facility...

I guess I just don't see the 4-6 year cushion in this game anymore if you want to play at the top... and that may not be that big an issue, in reality. It's getting hard to be excited about, though.
Posted by Steve Rogers
Bama
Member since Jan 2021
875 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 4:31 pm to
If our Oline is so bad why are we not doing slants, screens, etc. to alleviate the pressure? We are no longer a run first offense so the pressure will be there the rest of the year.
Posted by thirdlawson
Nashville
Member since Oct 2011
9412 posts
Posted on 9/10/24 at 4:33 pm to
quote:

If our Oline is so bad why are we not doing slants, screens, etc. to alleviate the pressure? We are no longer a run first offense so the pressure will be there the rest of the year.


Here's the thing... WE ARE DOING SLANTS... PT isn't hitting them enough to make the defense step back...
I'd like to see more screen passes tho
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