Proof Positive...

that us fans and humble bloggers are not as stupid or ignorant as we are always accused of being. We know we are not as knowledgeable as the coaches and we are always made out as the bad guys. I know I am not a football expert however I have watched it for over 30 years and I think I also have a good dose of common sense. I combine those two and try to make a few somewhat insightful observations either talking to someone or writing in this blog. However sometimes you start to wonder if you are just the idiot fan that everyone makes us out to be. At those times it feels good to write something one day and hear a coach say it the next.

I wrote this yesterday:
"However when the smoke and mirrors fade you simply have to be able to throw down field. We won't win another game this season other than Furman with out it. If by some miracle Todd can find those receivers and hit some passes down field we will do some damage on offense. If he does not the question will only be how bad will it get... "

I read this morning Gus Malzahn said this yesterday:
"We had some opportunities, and it's a fine line when you're playing good defenses. It's a fine line and you've got to be successful and hit a couple of those shots down the field to open everything else up."

Thanks coach. It probably won't make any difference since we will keep trotting Chris Todd out there but maybe one day, maybe next season, maybe someday Auburn will again add the deep pass as a consistent part of it's arsenal. It has been a staple of every good Auburn team since we moved away from the wishbone. There was Burger to Tillman, Slack to Wright, White and Nix to Sanders, Craig to Bailey, Campbell to Aromashodu, etc...

On that topic, I am again incredulous at the number of people who keep asking "how could we be so good early in the season and not now?". Come on folks, again it is pretty obvious. First no one knew what Malzahn's offense would exactly be like at Auburn in the SEC. Second, we played La Tech, Miss St, West Virginia and Ball St (!!!). West Virginia is a good team but certainly not a SEC-caliber defensive team. Todd and the offense have declined each week once we hit the SEC schedule outside Miss St with UT, Arkansas and Kentucky. The only mystery I think anybody should be wondering about is how the heck UT and Monte Kiffin didn't do a better job against Todd than Arkansas and UK???

Predictably, people are trying to rally some optimism and hope for this weekend. However I see no solid reason to expect our offense is going to be any better. Instead of playing Kentucky at home Auburn is going to Baton Rouge at night to play a better LSU team. This is going to help Chris Todd and the offense how??? Yes LSU is overrated and ranked too high but they have more good football players than Auburn or Kentucky.

My only reason for optimism so far is LSU OC Gary Crowton. As I wrote previously he continues to waste his very good RBs Charles Scott and Keiland Williams especially Scott. This guy is a monster. I think both of these guys will be playing on Sundays. Yet Crowton is another OC in love with the shotgun and continues to run it even when his team would be better off out of a more pro-style I-formation. Last year's Auburn/LSU game is a perfect example. Several times LSU would come out in first down with the "I" and give it to Scott, he would then run for 6 to 8 yards. LSU would then go to the shotgun and we would stuff them for negative yardage putting them back to like 3rd and 6. It happened more than once. So... if Crowton helps us out and Chris Todd can luck up and complete a few passes over 10 yards down the field maybe Auburn might have a chance.

I have heard rumors this week of one Mr. Rollison getting some snaps with the first team. Probably just false rumors but interesting to think about nonetheless. Obviously the coaches are going with Todd this weekend. You can't drop a new QB into a night game at Tiger Stadium so it is Todd or bust this Saturday outside of a REAL injury situation. However if Todd serves up strike #3 and is bad again this weekend (which is more likely than not) I think the coaches are really going to have to look at their options. I think the mrs still has more good football players than we do but a home game against them and Furman the next week is our last chance to put in a new QB.

Malzahn has stated that Neil Caudle is the real backup and he will be the guy if Todd can't go... but of course we heard the same thing about Blake Field before we threw Burns out there in 2007. So you have Caudle who did not impress earlier this year throwing an absolute horrible interception his first time out. Burns is Mr. Wildcat and Rollison is a true freshman. Who would the coaches go to? Let's see what happens this weekend first but it will be something interesting to keep in mind.