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The Grass is Always Greener
Posted on 10/12/25 at 4:10 pm
Posted on 10/12/25 at 4:10 pm
I’m at the point where I’m open to moving on from Freeze if our power-brokers can…
1. All get on the same page (which seems unlikely so the rest is probably moot)…
2. Line up a replacement that would be a for sure upgrade that fans, players, and recruits could get excited about
Firing Freeze with no plan however is not an option. That is why we are where we are.
With that said, it’s amazing to me how some of the preferred replacements are revered as huge upgrades compared to Freeze and yet, they would have been run off by our crazy fan base with their actual resume.
Eliah Drinkwitz
Season 1 at Missouri:
Went 5-5. Against Final Top 25 opponents he was 0-2, losing those games by 19 and 24 points, respectively.
Season 2 at Missouri:
Went 6-7. Against Final Top 25 opponents he was 0-3, losing those games by 7, 17, and 37 points. He lost in the Armed Forces bowl to Army.
Season 3 at Missouri:
Went 6-7. Against Final AP Top 25 opponents, he was 1-3, beating #23 South Carolina by 13 points, but losing the other games by 4, 28, and 42 points. He lost to Auburn in Brian Harsin’s second season. The season was capped by a 10-point loss to Wake Forest in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Now does any sane Auburn fan think Drinkwitz would have gotten a fourth season if he had had that record at Auburn?
17-19 overall.
0-2 in Bowl Games.
1-8 against ranked opponents with the average score being an 18.3 point loss.
No way he would have been given a fourth season and we all know that.
Drink’s record at Mizzou improved in Year 4, however he has mostly been the beneficiary of an extraordinary easy schedule. In Season’s 4, 5, and 6 he is a combined 2-5 against teams that finished ranked in the Top 25 or are currently ranked this season. Those 5 losses were by 3, 4, 9, 10, and 34 points, respectively.
So now in Year 6, Drinkwitz is 3-13 against ranked opponents…. 1-12 against ranked opponents from the SEC.
Is this the resume we are pining for? Do we really think he would have lasted into Year 6 if he had performed this way at Auburn? He’s six seasons in, and he still has just one lone win against an SEC team that finished ranked.
We love to look at the shiny object over there, but the facts show his record through three seasons was no better than what Freeze has so far done at Auburn.
1. All get on the same page (which seems unlikely so the rest is probably moot)…
2. Line up a replacement that would be a for sure upgrade that fans, players, and recruits could get excited about
Firing Freeze with no plan however is not an option. That is why we are where we are.
With that said, it’s amazing to me how some of the preferred replacements are revered as huge upgrades compared to Freeze and yet, they would have been run off by our crazy fan base with their actual resume.
Eliah Drinkwitz
Season 1 at Missouri:
Went 5-5. Against Final Top 25 opponents he was 0-2, losing those games by 19 and 24 points, respectively.
Season 2 at Missouri:
Went 6-7. Against Final Top 25 opponents he was 0-3, losing those games by 7, 17, and 37 points. He lost in the Armed Forces bowl to Army.
Season 3 at Missouri:
Went 6-7. Against Final AP Top 25 opponents, he was 1-3, beating #23 South Carolina by 13 points, but losing the other games by 4, 28, and 42 points. He lost to Auburn in Brian Harsin’s second season. The season was capped by a 10-point loss to Wake Forest in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Now does any sane Auburn fan think Drinkwitz would have gotten a fourth season if he had had that record at Auburn?
17-19 overall.
0-2 in Bowl Games.
1-8 against ranked opponents with the average score being an 18.3 point loss.
No way he would have been given a fourth season and we all know that.
Drink’s record at Mizzou improved in Year 4, however he has mostly been the beneficiary of an extraordinary easy schedule. In Season’s 4, 5, and 6 he is a combined 2-5 against teams that finished ranked in the Top 25 or are currently ranked this season. Those 5 losses were by 3, 4, 9, 10, and 34 points, respectively.
So now in Year 6, Drinkwitz is 3-13 against ranked opponents…. 1-12 against ranked opponents from the SEC.
Is this the resume we are pining for? Do we really think he would have lasted into Year 6 if he had performed this way at Auburn? He’s six seasons in, and he still has just one lone win against an SEC team that finished ranked.
We love to look at the shiny object over there, but the facts show his record through three seasons was no better than what Freeze has so far done at Auburn.
This post was edited on 10/12/25 at 4:13 pm
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Posted on 10/12/25 at 4:31 pm to AUTiger789
Who is pushing for drink?
Posted on 10/12/25 at 4:32 pm to AUTiger789
This is a very poorly coached team.
We can keep him another year, two… it won’t get much better.
We need to make a smart - not necessarily exciting - hire. Freeze was a foolish hire.
We can keep him another year, two… it won’t get much better.
We need to make a smart - not necessarily exciting - hire. Freeze was a foolish hire.
Posted on 10/12/25 at 4:36 pm to AUTiger789
Who is calling for Drinkwitz?
I know that you are just providing a specific example but I don't know many that are clamoring for him.
Drinkwitz, Lashlee and Dillingham are all a solid no in my book. None of that type are shiny objects.
No Gus coaching tree hires.
I know that you are just providing a specific example but I don't know many that are clamoring for him.
Drinkwitz, Lashlee and Dillingham are all a solid no in my book. None of that type are shiny objects.
No Gus coaching tree hires.
This post was edited on 10/12/25 at 4:43 pm
Posted on 10/12/25 at 4:45 pm to AUTiger789
quote:
Now does any sane Auburn fan think Drinkwitz would have gotten a fourth season if he had had that record at Auburn?
No
We are not Mizzou
They extended him after year 3. Do you see Auburn doing that?
Posted on 10/12/25 at 5:24 pm to AUTiger789
I said from day one that discount Gus was never gonna get us more than seven or eight wins.
Posted on 10/12/25 at 5:28 pm to AUTiger789
First, I have seen no one asking for Drink.
Second, take all this grass is greener crap and stick it up your rear end. We are at an all-time low point of our football program. You can write as many paragraphs as you want about the grass is greener and think you are smart, but we have to do something. We can't sit around and just hope it gets better.
Grass is greener is an over used cliche. Should just say the Grass is literally always greener to add that extra cheesy cherry on top.
From the author of the we may be overreacting thread.
Are we overreacting? Anyone with a half a brain knew last year what needed to happen. It was easy to see if you weren't blinded by cliches and idioms of needing time and greener grass.
Second, take all this grass is greener crap and stick it up your rear end. We are at an all-time low point of our football program. You can write as many paragraphs as you want about the grass is greener and think you are smart, but we have to do something. We can't sit around and just hope it gets better.
Grass is greener is an over used cliche. Should just say the Grass is literally always greener to add that extra cheesy cherry on top.
From the author of the we may be overreacting thread.
Are we overreacting? Anyone with a half a brain knew last year what needed to happen. It was easy to see if you weren't blinded by cliches and idioms of needing time and greener grass.
This post was edited on 10/12/25 at 5:31 pm
Posted on 10/12/25 at 5:34 pm to wareaglepete
Yup, here come all the idiotic non-arguments from the inevitable minority who are always the last ones left on the ship.
Next up: "if we fire him, nobody else will even want the job!" (as if every other coach in the country if a complete fool and thinks that Freeze is doing a good job with what he has and deserved to be given more time).
Next up: "if we fire him, nobody else will even want the job!" (as if every other coach in the country if a complete fool and thinks that Freeze is doing a good job with what he has and deserved to be given more time).
Posted on 10/12/25 at 5:35 pm to AUTiger789
Unfortunately (for Auburn) I think there are
going to be some big time programs in the markets for new coaches this cycle
Obviously Penn State
Possibly - Florida, Florida State, Michigan
going to be some big time programs in the markets for new coaches this cycle
Obviously Penn State
Possibly - Florida, Florida State, Michigan
Posted on 10/12/25 at 5:36 pm to AUTiger789
Curt Cignetti
For being 64 years old, his time as a P4 head coach is quite short. He’s 1.5 seasons into his tenure at Indiana. While his overall record is for sure impressive, the number of big wins is minuscule.
Season 1 at Indiana:
Went 11-2 but was 0-2 against Final Top 25 teams.
Against Ohio State, his team fell behind 31-7 before scoring with a late touchdown with under 2:00 left in the game. Final score was 15-38.
Against Notre Dame, they fell behind 31-3 before scoring two very late touchdowns.. both with under 2:00 left in the game. Final score was 17-31.
Season 2 at Indiana:
Currently 6-0… but just 1-0 against current Top 25 opponents.
His win at Oregon yesterday was likely his first win over a team likely to finish ranked in the Final AP Top 25. How good is Oregon though? They’ve got four wins over FBS teams this season… three of those against teams who’ve already fired their coach (OK State, Oregon St, and Penn St), and the fourth was against Northwestern.
Cignetti may be a great coach. But going after him would show Auburn has learned nothing from the Brian Harsin experience. How do we know that a guy who’s never been a Head Coach or even a coordinator in the SEC has the ability to come to the South and compete in this league?
Are we ready for a full program rebuild starting from scratch with a 64-year old guy who’s likely won just one game against a Top 25 opponent as a P4 coach?
Seems risky to me. This time last season, everyone was pointing at the Hoosiers joke of a schedule and bemoaning the fact they were able to even make the playoff with such a lackluster resume of accomplishments. They were completely exposed in the first round of the playoff.
It seems to me people are jumping the gun to now proclaim him some great coach after a few big wins against decent, but questionable opponents.
For being 64 years old, his time as a P4 head coach is quite short. He’s 1.5 seasons into his tenure at Indiana. While his overall record is for sure impressive, the number of big wins is minuscule.
Season 1 at Indiana:
Went 11-2 but was 0-2 against Final Top 25 teams.
Against Ohio State, his team fell behind 31-7 before scoring with a late touchdown with under 2:00 left in the game. Final score was 15-38.
Against Notre Dame, they fell behind 31-3 before scoring two very late touchdowns.. both with under 2:00 left in the game. Final score was 17-31.
Season 2 at Indiana:
Currently 6-0… but just 1-0 against current Top 25 opponents.
His win at Oregon yesterday was likely his first win over a team likely to finish ranked in the Final AP Top 25. How good is Oregon though? They’ve got four wins over FBS teams this season… three of those against teams who’ve already fired their coach (OK State, Oregon St, and Penn St), and the fourth was against Northwestern.
Cignetti may be a great coach. But going after him would show Auburn has learned nothing from the Brian Harsin experience. How do we know that a guy who’s never been a Head Coach or even a coordinator in the SEC has the ability to come to the South and compete in this league?
Are we ready for a full program rebuild starting from scratch with a 64-year old guy who’s likely won just one game against a Top 25 opponent as a P4 coach?
Seems risky to me. This time last season, everyone was pointing at the Hoosiers joke of a schedule and bemoaning the fact they were able to even make the playoff with such a lackluster resume of accomplishments. They were completely exposed in the first round of the playoff.
It seems to me people are jumping the gun to now proclaim him some great coach after a few big wins against decent, but questionable opponents.
This post was edited on 10/13/25 at 12:16 am
Posted on 10/12/25 at 5:42 pm to AUTiger789
Curt C. Would never take the Auburn job.
He will get a better offer from a better situation soon.
He will get a better offer from a better situation soon.
Posted on 10/12/25 at 5:49 pm to SECdragonmaster
quote:
Curt C. Would never take the Auburn job.
He will get a better offer from a better situation soon.
He is paid over $8M a year and is currently coaching his program to a Top 3 ranking. There is zero inclination that he will leave period, nor is there a reason to considering that he already has his program competing at the highest level.
Some of you need to realize that the new conference landscape with expended playoffs means that there is considerably less reason for guys like Cignetti to leave programs like Indiana.
Posted on 10/12/25 at 6:36 pm to AUTiger789
Kenny Dillingham
First season at Arizona State:
Went 3-9… 2-9 against FBS opponents.
He was 0-4 against opponents that finished ranked in the Top 25, losing by 8, 12, 36, and 36 points.
Season 2 at Arizona State:
He was 11-2 overall. He was 2-1 against ranked opponents.
He was 1-1 against SEC opponents… losing to Texas in the Playoff and beating a 2-10 Miss St team by just 7 points at home. He also had losses to Texas Tech (8-5) and Cincinnati (5-7).
Season 3 at Arizona State:
Currently 4-2.
He’s 0-1 against currently ranked opponents… a 32-point drubbing at Utah.
He beat Baylor in Waco just like Auburn did this season… but instead of a 14-point win, his win over the Bears was by just 3 points.
Is Dillingham a good coach? Maybe. But his team in year 3 is performing worse against common opponents than this season’s Auburn team. He’s also lost to his only ranked opponent by 32 points while Auburn is at least keeping it close to the very last minute in our losses.
Is Dillingham really an upgrade?
First season at Arizona State:
Went 3-9… 2-9 against FBS opponents.
He was 0-4 against opponents that finished ranked in the Top 25, losing by 8, 12, 36, and 36 points.
Season 2 at Arizona State:
He was 11-2 overall. He was 2-1 against ranked opponents.
He was 1-1 against SEC opponents… losing to Texas in the Playoff and beating a 2-10 Miss St team by just 7 points at home. He also had losses to Texas Tech (8-5) and Cincinnati (5-7).
Season 3 at Arizona State:
Currently 4-2.
He’s 0-1 against currently ranked opponents… a 32-point drubbing at Utah.
He beat Baylor in Waco just like Auburn did this season… but instead of a 14-point win, his win over the Bears was by just 3 points.
Is Dillingham a good coach? Maybe. But his team in year 3 is performing worse against common opponents than this season’s Auburn team. He’s also lost to his only ranked opponent by 32 points while Auburn is at least keeping it close to the very last minute in our losses.
Is Dillingham really an upgrade?
This post was edited on 10/12/25 at 6:40 pm
Posted on 10/12/25 at 6:47 pm to metafour
quote:
Next up: "if we fire him, nobody else will even want the job!"
Same guy already made that argument last weekend.
And its stupid. Every other SEC team, some with less resources, that have replaced their HC in the past 3 or 4 seasons have shown improvement. Freeze and Auburn? Zero improvement with it being worse in many facets of the program.
Posted on 10/12/25 at 6:51 pm to AUTiger789
quote:
Are we ready for a full program rebuild starting from scratch
What are you talking about? We are 24 points/game from being top 3 in the country.
We have above average NIL coffers.
All we need is offensive competency.
I still think the SEC has premium allure. The money will always be there. Wait till IU starts doing well in basketball.
Posted on 10/12/25 at 7:12 pm to AUTiger789
Drink’s tenure at Mizzou is a poor comparison
he had 1 season of HC experience when he took over from Barry Odom, who was fired after getting Mizzou on NCAA probation
then covid hit, followed by the Floyd riots, and stadiums filled with cardboard cutouts instead of fans that he managed to go 5-5 in his first season in the SEC at a school that was picked near the bottom was pretty impressive under the circumstances
pretty much every HC who debuted in the SEC that season (besides Drink, there was Kiff, Leach and Pittboss) all got a pass - in fact, Drink had the best record of the 4
but beside that point, Drink was in his mid 30s in his second HC job - Freezus was 50 years old and had been an FBS HC for 12 years when he was hired at AU
he had 1 season of HC experience when he took over from Barry Odom, who was fired after getting Mizzou on NCAA probation
then covid hit, followed by the Floyd riots, and stadiums filled with cardboard cutouts instead of fans that he managed to go 5-5 in his first season in the SEC at a school that was picked near the bottom was pretty impressive under the circumstances
pretty much every HC who debuted in the SEC that season (besides Drink, there was Kiff, Leach and Pittboss) all got a pass - in fact, Drink had the best record of the 4
but beside that point, Drink was in his mid 30s in his second HC job - Freezus was 50 years old and had been an FBS HC for 12 years when he was hired at AU
Posted on 10/13/25 at 12:08 am to tilco
Posted on 10/13/25 at 12:11 am to jangalang
quote:
No
We are not Mizzou
They extended him after year 3.
Do you see Auburn doing that?
No. But apparently many Auburn fans think he’d be a giant upgrade compared to the status quo.
Posted on 10/13/25 at 12:12 am to wareaglepete
quote:
take all this grass is greener crap and stick it up your rear end. We are at an all-time low point of our football program. You can write as many paragraphs as you want about the grass is greener and think you are smart, but we have to do something.
So what is your answer, retard? Who is going to come in and take the job and do better than what we’ve got now?
Posted on 10/13/25 at 12:19 am to IAmNERD
quote:
Every other SEC team, some with less resources, that have replaced their HC in the past 3 or 4 seasons have shown improvement. Freeze and Auburn? Zero improvement with it being worse in many facets of the program.
So who are you wanting to offer? Give us a name. Some of you are such pussies that all you will do is complain but you won’t say who we should hire. Say who or STFU.
This post was edited on 10/13/25 at 12:22 am
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