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AU and our mystical underperforming WRs

Posted on 9/20/25 at 8:05 pm
Posted by sbr2
Member since Apr 2011
15326 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 8:05 pm
Can someone smarter than me explain why WRs that put on the Auburn uniform become bad?

There hasn't been a 1k receiver since 1999. Came close in 2010 but fell short.

From Tubs to Gus to Harsin to Freeze it's like our WRs get their powers sapped away like in Space Jam. Every catch has to be contested with a DB in their hip pocket. (I'm generalizing here, obviously Coleman is a beast). Watching film of Singleton last year he was phenomenal but he's only able to utilized as a short catch guy.

Through many offensive coordinators Auburn avoids the middle of the field. I don't understand it.
Posted by wareaglepete
Lumon Industries
Member since Dec 2012
17227 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 8:08 pm to
Auburn fans will throw the Defense, WR, OL under the bus with the quickness, but many will continue to make excuses for awful QB play.

10 sacks.

Maybe if the ball was coming their way more the WR could give you a better set of data to judge them by.
Posted by jangalang
Member since Dec 2014
49621 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 8:09 pm to
I have been discussing this since maybe Jeremy Johnson busted. RBU gods have hexed us.
Posted by AUstar
Member since Dec 2012
19143 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 8:12 pm to
It's QBs. We cannot recruit a good one. I will omit Bo Nix because the team around him was awful.

So we either have a shitty QB (most years) or we get a rare good QB and the rest of the team sucks.

Funny enough, Tot was the only coach in my lifetime who could consistently throw. (Dye didn't really try).
Posted by sbr2
Member since Apr 2011
15326 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 8:12 pm to
I'm not downplaying the OL or QB play in this game.

But it's been ages since I've seen consistent connection between a QB and WR at Auburn. Maybe Bo Nix and Seth Williams?

Through scheme or skill our WRs never seem to get open when we need them to. Especially in the middle of the field where you have to live. Clearly Cam has his thing going on with the deep passes and over the shoulder fades.
Posted by GoCrazyAuburn
Member since Feb 2010
39556 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 8:13 pm to
If we really want to have a discussion on this, we’ve largely been under the same passing scheme since 2009.
Posted by sbr2
Member since Apr 2011
15326 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 8:15 pm to
That's a good point, Gus and Freeze are two sides of the same coin. Whatever it is, I'm over it. It worked last decade but it ain't working now.
Posted by GoCrazyAuburn
Member since Feb 2010
39556 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 8:18 pm to
Yep. Hugh uses pass to dictate run, Gus is the opposite. However, the actual passing attack is largely the same. Outside the boundaries, verts, curls, and the occasional deep post and wheel route. The only thing over the middle is is a stop route by a TE or slot receiver. Rarely a crosser, in route, or slant.

I did not think that was being the case with Hugh, I thought he had more variety, but that hasn’t been the case
This post was edited on 9/20/25 at 8:19 pm
Posted by AUCom96
Alabama
Member since May 2020
6569 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 8:18 pm to
We play outdated offense and short of a brief substitution advantage, we have for a long time. For most years since Tony Franklin got hired here, we've been looking for some scheme advantage instead of hiring a staff that can run a modern, effective offense.

Unfortunately, the powers that be don't care and we'll likely continue to beat our heads into the same wall.
Posted by TpaAzian
Tampa
Member since Nov 2022
55 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 8:41 pm to
Seems to be working great for Gus at FSU right now….
Posted by AUveritas
Member since Aug 2013
3453 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 8:42 pm to
He seems to be better at coaching other coach's players
Posted by sbr2
Member since Apr 2011
15326 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 8:51 pm to
I think we can consider the Gus tenure at UCF more of a measurement. Him stepping down to JUST an offensive coordinator has seemingly helped energize him. Plus the Castenello (?) guy is a tailor made Gus QB.
Posted by IAmNERD
Member since May 2017
23512 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 8:56 pm to
Watching USCe and Mizzou throw it around with ease makes me want to cry.
Posted by jangalang
Member since Dec 2014
49621 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 9:00 pm to
Coach Drink would turn into a literal monkey if he coached for Auburn. Our passing offense would have him seeing babies on the other side of the field.



This post was edited on 9/20/25 at 9:01 pm
Posted by AUveritas
Member since Aug 2013
3453 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 9:00 pm to
Eli pretty much runs Gus' offense doesn't he?
Posted by IAmNERD
Member since May 2017
23512 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 9:03 pm to
quote:

Eli pretty much runs Gus' offense doesn't he?

He came up with Gus and runs his system, but here is what AI has to say about it:
quote:

Eli Drinkwitz's passing system is heavily influenced by Gus Malzahn's philosophy but is not an exact copy. Both coaches build their offenses on a strong, downhill running game, but Drinkwitz has adapted and diversified the passing attack to suit his personnel.

Posted by AUveritas
Member since Aug 2013
3453 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 9:05 pm to
Adapting an offense for your personnel instead of forcing your personnel to play inside of your offense sounds nice. I wish I had some of that.
Posted by sbr2
Member since Apr 2011
15326 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 9:06 pm to
That bolded portion pretty much sums up the problems with later AU tenure Gus and all of Freezes AU tenure.
Posted by jangalang
Member since Dec 2014
49621 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 9:10 pm to
Napier is going to win tonight. That dude is a cockroach
Posted by sbr2
Member since Apr 2011
15326 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 9:12 pm to
I'm all for Florida winning. It prolongs their misery and lowers the boom on Miami.
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