Somewhere in the middle of that the booing started. For those who think that is the crime of all crimes I have to disagree. When things get that bad people are going to show their frustration and I would say most to all of it is directed at our multi-million dollar coaches. It happens and it has to get really bad at Auburn for it to happen. It has happened in Tuscaloosa (more than once) and everywhere else. I mean come on when you coach as bad as those guys did on Saturday you are going to get booed. Now I will not argue with people who actually spent their time, effort, and money to go to the game who think booing is bad but I have a real problem with people watching on TV criticizing people who are actually at the stadium. It will be worse next year with empty seats instead of fans who care.
Again I just do not know what to say anymore. I will say that I think overcoaching is literally the biggest problem in just about every sport at just about every level and it looks like it is a factor at Auburn. I think everyone sees the same things and has the same questions. The biggest being why are the quarterbacks being rotated because it has never worked in the history of football? Nobody understands why. In my opinion, they need to just use Robby Ashford as a wildcat quarterback and only bring him in on those situations. He is the ultimate wildcat quarterback. He fits that role. The use of the wildcat quarterback for short yardage downs is the only quarterback rotation that has proven to work to a certain extent.
I am not sure how much it will matter but it will at least show some football intelligence by the coaches. I understand how bad Thorne has been and he is bad but Ashford is just not a quarterback. Ashford threw an absolutely horrific interception in this game while Auburn still had a chance to win. Thorne threw his when the game was already over. I know it should have been turned over on replay but it was still a horrible throw into double-coverage. Auburn has two struggling quarterbacks. Why are the coaches not calling more screens or short throws to our running backs in space? I know it will not be hugely successful but Auburn's biggest pass play of the game was a dump off to Hunter. Running back Brian Battie, one of the lone bright spots on offense, was not targeted I do not think. That is just one example. You just do not see anything smart being done on offense by these coaches.
I am calling out the coaches while I read a lot of people saying the players are so bad that it is not the coach's fault. First, yes Auburn is way down but you just cannot convince me that they should not be better on offense than this. I am sorry there is a lot of bad coaching here. I understand that a lot of great coaches throughout college football history had bad first years like the current god of our state. However I do not think you saw ineptitude like you are seeing at Auburn right now. Time will tell although my second thought on the talent also throws more doubt on the current coaching staff. Obviously this staff is not very good at evaluating talent when every quarterback, offensive lineman, and wide receiver other than tight end Rivaldo Fairweather turned out to not be very good.
I mean all of them? That is pretty bad evaluation. I guess you can give them a little slack as things were so bad Auburn needed any warm bodies they could convince to come but when every single quarterback, offensive lineman, and wide receiver disappoint then you are either coaching badly or evaluating badly. IT IS ONE OR THE OTHER. Hugh Freeze also doesn't look like any of those great coaches starting out. They all had the fire while Freeze looks like a tired old man after every game. I understand this job is completely overwhelming but I am sorry you have got to hire a better coordinator than Phillip Montgomery then to help you out. It may not be fair but you have got to be better than this. Auburn is so bad right now on offense that it is repulsive. It is turning off the fans and I bet the recruits as well. You cannot be this bad.
The defense has done about as well as can be expected even with a pretty good dip at LSU. You do see some smart coaching over there with the blitzes and such. I really have had no complaints on that side of the ball and obviously do not have any from Saturday night. I do however wonder about their professionalism when a veteran coach and recruiter like Wesley McGriff is suddenly moved off the field after a practice altercation with defensive coordinator Ron Roberts. I mean honestly what is going on with this staff? Cadillac Williams and Zach Etheridge have to be at their wit's end. First they had to deal with the Idaho coaches and now this group. You have the McGriff spat during the week and then the offense puts up their worst performance of the season... I guess there is going to be another almost whole new staff hired for next season?
Needless to say, Auburn football is in big trouble. However let me end with something positive. A lot of people including myself never thought Auburn would win the last four games even with better coaching. The thing that has people losing their minds is again the offense being THIS BAD. However Auburn and head coach Hugh Freeze and this beleaguered coaching staff HAVE ONE LAST CHANCE TO SAVE THIS SEASON. They just need to get it together and beat a bad Mississippi State team, a worse Arkansas team that just lost to that Mississippi State team, and VANDERBILT plus of course New Mexico. THAT GETS YOU TO 7-5, A GUARANTEED WINNING SEASON, AND A BOWL GAME WITH NO PRESSURE.
Auburn still has enough talent to beat these teams. As bad as things are, this is achievable. Honestly if Hugh Freeze is really the guy I think he has to get this done. The key to surviving is winning the games you are favored in. Rarely when a team is in this position do they have a shot at redemption. This team does. Listen Hugh, the best thing you can do for recruiting right now is coach your ass off the rest of the way. This staff, this team, this fan base, and THIS PROGRAM are hanging by a thread. Mississippi State at Jordan Hare Stadium this Saturday just became the biggest game of the season. A loss and Auburn probably does not win any of those games and the season completely implodes. A win means the road to redemption stays open.
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