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Auburn, I get it
Posted on 9/8/21 at 8:41 am
Posted on 9/8/21 at 8:41 am
I really do... I had to remind myself by looking back at some of your past seasons, and I do.
At first my thought was, "Isn't Auburn like LSU in that they don't count the 2020 season... and even if that isn't the case, does Gus really not get a bit of a mulligan consider it was 2020?"
So I looked at your 2019 season. What was wrong there? Your regular season had two losses by less than 1 score, both to top 5 teams (LSU and Georgia), you beat Alabama, you beat a top 6 Oregon in the opener, and you had 4 games where you topped 50 points.
Then I saw Tulane and can understand why the frustration is there. That inability to consistently beat teams you should beat by a lot. No reason to struggle with teams like Tulane, right? (Sorry Oklahoma fans)
It seems, though, that while Gus kept you guys in games where you should have blown out the other team, he also won some games that it never seemed like you'd win.
I guess the question though, is do you think Harsin will still win those big games? Is it worth trading a coach that seemed to pull together some pretty impressive seasons despite being in the toughest division in college football AND with a permanent opponent that is constantly top 3 in overall talent?
OR better yet, what does Harsin need to do to remain at Auburn? 9 win seasons? An occasional national championship? Reach LSU-level success? Reach Alabama-level success?
Real discussion. Not a troll, just wondering.
At first my thought was, "Isn't Auburn like LSU in that they don't count the 2020 season... and even if that isn't the case, does Gus really not get a bit of a mulligan consider it was 2020?"
So I looked at your 2019 season. What was wrong there? Your regular season had two losses by less than 1 score, both to top 5 teams (LSU and Georgia), you beat Alabama, you beat a top 6 Oregon in the opener, and you had 4 games where you topped 50 points.
Then I saw Tulane and can understand why the frustration is there. That inability to consistently beat teams you should beat by a lot. No reason to struggle with teams like Tulane, right? (Sorry Oklahoma fans)
It seems, though, that while Gus kept you guys in games where you should have blown out the other team, he also won some games that it never seemed like you'd win.
I guess the question though, is do you think Harsin will still win those big games? Is it worth trading a coach that seemed to pull together some pretty impressive seasons despite being in the toughest division in college football AND with a permanent opponent that is constantly top 3 in overall talent?
OR better yet, what does Harsin need to do to remain at Auburn? 9 win seasons? An occasional national championship? Reach LSU-level success? Reach Alabama-level success?
Real discussion. Not a troll, just wondering.
22
Posted on 9/8/21 at 8:47 am to skrayper
He needs to get to Atl and win, that will in turn get us in the playoffs to compete for a NC. if there is no sustainability of that, he will not remain
Posted on 9/8/21 at 8:50 am to skrayper
Beat teams you should and be competitive in games you shouldnt.
Beat 1 of UGA,LSU or Bama on the road at least once.
Win your bowl games.
Beat 1 of UGA,LSU or Bama on the road at least once.
Win your bowl games.
Posted on 9/8/21 at 8:52 am to skrayper
Bowl games. Every holiday season was humiliating for AU fans.
Compete on the road. You always knew a Gus team had zero chance against a good opponent there. Many AU fans just developed apathy. If he can generate excitement, I'm all for it.
Also- the dancing on the sideline while getting your arse kicked has got to be gone. I expect Harsin to deal with that like Saban would.
Compete on the road. You always knew a Gus team had zero chance against a good opponent there. Many AU fans just developed apathy. If he can generate excitement, I'm all for it.
Also- the dancing on the sideline while getting your arse kicked has got to be gone. I expect Harsin to deal with that like Saban would.
This post was edited on 9/8/21 at 8:55 am
Posted on 9/8/21 at 8:54 am to skrayper
Go back further than 2019 and get back to us
Posted on 9/8/21 at 8:56 am to skrayper
quote:
9 win seasons
9 win seasons with a bowl win, so 10 wins regularly. SEC championship at least once every 4 years. Get in the playoffs. Don’t crap the bed when you’re beating someone. Coach up the talent he recruits, instead of top talent regressing. Dominate lesser teams so the backups can get valuable playing time (see Akron last week).
quote:
Reach Alabama-level success?
Anyone who expects that is dumb. Even Alabama won’t have that success once Saban is gone.
Posted on 9/8/21 at 8:58 am to skrayper
I think Auburn fans think they’re a little bit better than what they really are. They are really only a 9-3 team on average, but they think they’re on the same level as LSU or UGA.
Posted on 9/8/21 at 9:01 am to sta4ever
quote:
they think they’re on the same level as LSU
No. Auburn doesn’t lose to sissy blue teams
Posted on 9/8/21 at 9:01 am to sta4ever
quote:
They are really only a 9-3 team on average
So, AU should have been content with a 7-4/5 coach, then?
Makes sense.
Posted on 9/8/21 at 9:05 am to skrayper
They are not even on the same level.
Gus was a neurotic, paranoid, incompetent nerd.
Harsin is competent, composed, the real deal.
Gus was a neurotic, paranoid, incompetent nerd.
Harsin is competent, composed, the real deal.
Posted on 9/8/21 at 9:07 am to skrayper
quote:
I guess the question though, is do you think Harsin will still win those big games?
I don't see why he can't. I view Harsin sorta like Tuberville's tenure (excluding the last couple years). There may not be the type of talent all over the field as other teams, but there's enough where they need to be to hang with the big dogs. There's also a mental and physical toughness he is instilling to his guys like those 2000s AU teams.
Just think back to so e of those Florida games that Tubbs won. Hell, he was the last Au urn coach to win in Baton Rouge. His streak against Bama. Now, I'm not saying that AU is guaranteed the success of those teams. But I honestly think that a mix of the toughness of the Tuberville teams with Harsin and Bobo's ability to run a competent offense and make adjustments is the best possible way to win at Auburn. We are never going to out-recruit Bama, UGA, LSU. We have to have the right mix of hard asses and guys that take well to being coached up.
Who knows if that will ulti.ately translate to success, or if Harsin is the guy to do it. But to see them do what they were supposed to do instead of letting a completely overmatched squad hang around for a half or three quarters, they went out and dominated. There hasn't been a toughness in Auburn like Harsin is trying to instill since probably 2006. It's a step in the right direction.
Posted on 9/8/21 at 9:07 am to sta4ever
quote:
They are really only a 9-3 team on average
Thanks for proving our point as to why Gus had to go.
Posted on 9/8/21 at 9:09 am to sta4ever
I'm not sure what LSU or UGA has done that puts them better than AU historically. Now if you want to say UA, yes but LSU and UGA? Naah. LSU has been irrelevant most of my life with a couple of great years sprinkled in. UGA was great in the early 80s with Hershel and for those 3 years they were our toughest opponent. LSU always seemed to play the spoiler role like in 1988 with the earthquake game.
Posted on 9/8/21 at 9:11 am to bigtrain333
LSU has been more relevant than Auburn has the last 20 years
Posted on 9/8/21 at 9:13 am to sta4ever
quote:
They are really only a 9-3 team on average,
And Gus lost at least four games a year after '13.
Posted on 9/8/21 at 9:14 am to skrayper
quote:
I guess the question though, is do you think Harsin will still win those big games?
Is this a legitimate question? Nobody knows until he has opportunities.
What we do know is from all reports, he has run a very strict program, holds people accountable, had our team well prepared and disciplined in week 1, and has shown a definitive vision for moving the program forward. That is a great recipe for success. We will see if he can achieve it long term.
quote:
OR better yet, what does Harsin need to do to remain at Auburn? 9 win seasons? An occasional national championship? Reach LSU-level success? Reach Alabama-level success?
Sure. How about we just start with putting out a consistent product on the field each week, and then go from there. Squeaking by Mercer 24-10 with a late score is not an acceptable outcome. I'm not sure why you guys are making such ludicrous leaps when all we are excited about is that we have a coach that actually had our team prepared for the game. Nobody is arguing he will dominate the SEC. We have no idea. What we do know is that he has shown so far the exact reason we hired and him and the exact reason we got rid of Gus.
Posted on 9/8/21 at 9:15 am to IAmNERD
Exactly. Auburn thinks they should be winning games like UGA and LSU do. Hard to do whenever Bama is in your own state though.
Posted on 9/8/21 at 9:20 am to NYCAuburn
quote:
He needs to get to Atl and win, that will in turn get us in the playoffs to compete for a NC. if there is no sustainability of that, he will not remain
If we are being honest, how many seasons in Auburn's history have they been in the National Championship picture? Maybe 10?
Historically, Auburn isn't a constant national championship threat. Auburn will win one every 50 years or so and be in the discussion once a decade.
Auburn being in the national championship picture in 04, 10 and 13 was just a historical anomaly.
Posted on 9/8/21 at 9:21 am to sta4ever
quote:
Auburn thinks they should be winning games like UGA and LSU do.
Well, the previous three coaches have shown Auburn's ability to win games and compete at the highest levels. None were able to sustain it though. Tuberville probably had the best multi year stretch of those three from '02-'07 where he averaged 10 wins a year.
So it's not impossible to say that Auburn can't win 10 games a year.
Posted on 9/8/21 at 9:21 am to sta4ever
quote:
Exactly. Auburn thinks they should be winning games like UGA and LSU do. Hard to do whenever Bama is in your own state though.
We think we should be winning 9 games a year, like you said we should be. I know it is a hard concept for someone like you to understand, even though you are the one that made the argument.
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