By Special Guest Columnist Ryan Grant
Ah, there is nothing quite like the week of a big time SEC home night game. This week brings the excitement of the first true Neyland experience for Kiffin and his Vols. This is a crucial game for Tennessee as they begin a two game home stand that will likely determine the direction of their season. Win both and Kiffin’s first season in Knoxville will almost assuredly be considered a success. Lose them both and it’s likely Tennessee will once again be home for Christmas. This is a prime time ESPN game and Kiffin will want to show that the close game in the swamp was no fluke. Kiffin understands greatly the difficulties in recruiting at UT and wants to sell to the nation that UT is a team on the rise and elite prospects around the country should come play for him.
Tennessee comes into the game with a stingy defense and an offense with some fundamental problems. Offensively I look for Tennessee to use a similar game plan on offense as they did against the Gators. They are going to try and run the ball, control the clock, and stay in manageable down and distances. Kiffin is by nature an aggressive play caller who wants to attack down the field but with the quarterback and receivers UT has its just not possible. In the passing game they are going to throw to the backs - Bryce Brown in particular is a very good receiver- and tightends. They will also use rollouts to get Crompton out of the pocket, where he is most comfortable, and give him only half of the field to read. They will use play action to look for the big play 3 or 4 times a half as they know they can’t consistently drive the ball down the field against an SEC defense. If UT ends up with a lot of 3rd and longs you can look for the Auburn secondary to end up with at least 3 INTs and a long night for the Tennessee offense. The key for Tennessee on this side of the ball is Crompton and the UT passing game. If they can hit a few plays and not commit the costly turnovers that have plagued them in the past I think Tennessee comes away with the W. As it stands I look for Tennessee to have some success running the ball but continuing to struggle with the passing game. Without some help from the defense or special teams I’m just not sure UT can score more than 20 points.
Defensively Tennessee will no doubt try to limit Auburn’s run game and force Todd to beat them. In their last game with Ohio, Tennessee lost MLB Nick Reveiz to a knee injury. Reveiz was UT’s coach on the field and outside of Berry maybe their most indispensable player. It will be interesting to see how Monte handles the loss as Savion Frazier moves inside and looks like the starter for Saturday. If Monte holds true to form, expect Eric Berry, to spend most of his time near the line of scrimmage as a nickel back or fourth LB. Monte has used Berry there most of the season to great effect, but with Reveiz’s injury I expect to see him there even more. While this new role has allowed Berry to lead the team in tackles his INT numbers are down (1 INT) as he is not playing center field as much this season. That role has fallen to True Freshman Janzen Jackson. Jackson looks to be a star in the making, and he’s proven he’s not afraid of contact as Brandon James can attest. He also graded out higher than Berry after the Florida game which is no easy feat, but he’s still a freshman. Going up against a Malzhan offense will be as much a mental test as a physical one. The front seven for UT is light on depth and experience especially at LB but has so far proven to be capable of handling everything that’s been thrown at them other than Tim Tebow. I look for that to continue for the most part against Auburn but I do worry with UT’s inexperience at LB and the loss of Reveiz that Auburn will be able to confuse them and hit some big plays. This is where Monte will earn his money as he will hopefully have them ready to play. I think he will try to simplify his game plan in order to minimize mistakes and let his defense use their athletic ability. I think a healthier Tennessee defense responds after a subpar effort against Ohio but the loss of Reveiz leads to a few busts that Auburn will turn into big plays. Still I think the UT defense holds Auburn to its lowest point total this year.
As for the outcome of the game, I look for it to go back and forth late into the 4th quarter. I see both teams having some success running the ball, Auburn with a few big runs and UT grinding out some 10-15 play drives with both defenses holding each other to field goals. I think special teams kind of cancel each other out and the game will come down to turnovers. Having said that, I’m going with the team that doesn’t have Jon Crompton as its quarterback. I’m taking Auburn 26-20. Until Crompton plays well against an SEC team I just can’t see any way he doesn’t throw at least 2 picks that are the difference in the game.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Auburn Football Insider Podcast Tonight- 9/29
Please join Jay Skipworth, Michael McCoy and myself tonight from 8-9pm CST as we talk about the Ball State game, look ahead to the Tennessee game and discuss other Auburn issues. Below is the live link to the show.
Thanks for listening!
War Eagle
Tennessee Game Preview
By Eddie McCoy
The (4-0) Auburn Tigers will travel to Knoxville this weekend to face the (2-2) Tennessee Volunteers led by 1st year Head Coach Lane Kiffin. This marks the first time a Gene Chizik led Auburn squad don the white jerseys in their first road game of the season. The Vols have already been dealt two hurtful blows in their losses to UCLA at home and to Florida at the Swamp. This game is a make or break type game for Tennessee, so expect them to take their best shot in front of a home crowd that is looking for something good to happen. Let’s take a closer look at Tennessee’s Offense, Defense & Special Teams:
OFFENSE
The Volunteer offense is led by Sr Quarterback Jonathan Crompton who is off to a shaky start at best. Crompton has completed 58% of his passes for only 625 yards and has a touchdown to interception ratio of 7 to 8 that has Rocky Top screaming for his head on the talk shows on a regular basis. The Volunteer offense as a whole has found success on the ground by averaging almost 200 yards per game and is statistically the 31st best rushing team in the country while they are near the worst at passing the ball by only averaging 171 yards per game that gives them a dead middle ranking of 60th out of 120 teams in total offense. In the two losses this season, the Volunteers have only averaged 116 yards rushing so that is an area of concern that this Volunteer squad will be looking to improve on. The biggest threat in the rushing attack is Sr Tailback Montario Hardesty who is averaging just over 121 yards a game that is good for best in the SEC and 8th best in the country. Hardesty is not the only back that can give defenders fits for there is also True Freshman phenom Bryce Brown who averages just over 50 yards a game in a more limited role. The wide receiving corps has taken some blows that started off this summer by losing starter Austin Rodgers due to an ACL injury, while Gerald Jones was sidelined with a high ankle sprain but is back and the Vols most recent loss in the team leader in catches, Quintin Hancock due to a broken jaw in the Florida game. The rest of the WR’s with the exception of Gerald Jones, whom some still say is not completely healthy, are pretty green in playing time and trying to pick up the pace and become viable targets for Crompton. The offensive line is a little more stable by returning three starters from last season. Against Ohio, the Volunteers unveiled an additional wrinkle to the playbook when they lined up in the wildcat formation with true freshman Nu’Keese Richardson at the wildcat quarterback. I look for Tennessee to try to establish the run against an Auburn defense that has allowed a sub-par 154 yards on the ground in order to keep the high octane Auburn offense on the sidelines and wear out the thin Tigers defensive front. If the Vols can establish the run, you can expect them to run safe play action passes and plenty of screens. Bryce Brown is the second leading receiver on the team, so look for them to try to hit him up on the wheel route also.
DEFENSE
The Volunteer Defense is led by All-American Eric Berry who is one of the best players in college football and Tampa-2 guru defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin of NFL fame and father of head coach Lane Kiffen. The Tennessee Defense is stout as it is ranked 15th in rushing defense, allowing 87 yards per game, 30th in passing defense, allowing 103 yards and 8th in total defense. The Vols did suffer a crushing blow when middle linebacker Nick Reveiz suffered a season ending knee injury against Ohio last week. Reveiz was considered by teammates to be the emotional leader, coach on the field and quarterback of that defense and the Volunteers also lost his backup Herman Lathers when he suffered a concussion the same game and is expected to miss this game. They are currently looking at playing a true freshman or moving over a backup weakside linebacker to take Reveiz spot. With all that said, the defensive front for Tennessee has been solid with Defense End Chris Walker leading the way with four sacks. The secondary is one of the best in the nation led by Safety Eric Berry, but not to be overshadowed is Dennis Rogan who has held up his side of the field pretty well. The corners are more inexperienced than the safeties, but those safeties are intimidating and take some pressure off of the young corners. The matchup of the game is going to be the chess match played between Monte Kiffin and Gus Malzahn. I look for Kiffin to try and slow down the Auburn run by bringing pressure but at the same time trying to keep it disguised. If / when he forces Auburn into passing situation, he will turn his defensive front loose, and try to disguise his coverage and hope to force Chris Todd into a costly mistake. This chess match will be very interesting to watch and it will ultimately determine the outcome of the game.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Tennessee has struggled in this area. The Vols allowed a 95 yard kickoff return against Ohio and opponents in general are averaging 27 yards a kickoff return and a healthy 9 yards on punt returns. The punter, Chris Cunningham is averaging just over 40 yards a punt and place kicker Daniel Lincoln is 6 of 7 on field goals with a long of 49. The punt return game for the Volunteers is fairing a little better due to Nu’Keese Richardson averaging just over 10 yards a kick and he is currently 2nd in the SEC while the kickoff returns are primarily handled by David Oku who is just averaging almost 19 yards a return. Tennessee is looking for improvement in this area and will look to take advantage of consistent Auburn kicking game miscues to do so.
KEYS TO THE GAME
· Sounds simple, but eliminate turnovers, especially in the kicking game.
· Run the ball successfully to relieve pressure off of Chris Todd and not forcing him to throw in bad situations.
· Most importantly to me is that the tempo of the offense needs to pickup. I think that it has been too slow the last two games and I look for that to change.
· On Defense, Auburn has to force Crompton to make plays. If it can do that, it could be a long night for the Volunteers.
Monday, September 28, 2009
What's Next?
By Michael McCoy
September sure has been fun on the Plains. We had four straight games at Jordan-Hare, all wins. This year's offense is on pace to outscore last year's offense before we even make it to mid-season. The defense has stepped up when it's had to. The special teams...well, have you seen the offense? They're something, huh? All things considered, a veritable Era of Good Feelings has descended upon the Plains as we round off September, and why shouldn't Auburn fans enjoy it after a tumultuous 2008 and the widely panned hiring of Coach Chizik? While we've yet to be truly tested against top opposition, only Ball State is a game that was never in dobut before it began. Louisiana Tech may well prove to be the fly in the ointment of Boise State's BCS-busting charge when the Broncos visit Ruston in early November for a nationally televised Friday night game. A little over two weeks ago, Auburn rushed for almost 400 yards and gained nearly 600 yards of total offense on its way to 49 points against Mississippi State. A few days ago, LSU rushed for 30 yards and made just 12 first downs against that same defense. West Virginia will be a player in the Big East this season. The point is that it's not as if Auburn has accomplished what it has without facing some quality teams.
So yeah, the September experience in Auburn has been wonderful, but October will bring a different set of challenges, beginning with Saturday's prime time visit to Knoxville for a showdown with the Vols. Don't be fooled by Tennessee's record or Lane Kiffin's facade, his team will be ready to play on Saturday. It's their SEC home opener, it's a night game, and Neyland Stadium will be rocking. With the poise and confidence Auburn has shown thus far despite trailing in each game they've played, I would be surprised if we got rattled by the atmosphere, but you never know, especially with some young guys playing their first SEC road game. A bigger issue will be the players lining up across way. Eric Berry needs no introduction and with defensive guru extraordinaire Monte Kiffin pulling the strings, this will easily be the stiffest challenge our offense has faced. On the other side of the ball, the temptation may be to look at Crompton and laugh about Tennessee's offensive punch, but if they can run the ball with some success against a deep, talented Florida defense in the Swamp, there's no reason to think they can't do the same against our more limited defensive resources.
There's still no reason to view this game or the month of October with any heightened sense of trepidation. Yes, with five SEC games (three of them away) coming up, there's bound to be some disappointment, but I'm looking forward to the challenge of taking this show on the road. I've been discouraged by some things I've seen from our team in September (special teams anyone?), but the fight and perseverance our guys have shown up to this point has given me a sense of hope for the bleakest of scenarios that may lie ahead. We'll probably lose some battles, but we'll win a few too and there's no reason that the Era of Good Feelings that September brought can't still permeate throughout the East Alabama air come late November and early December. Let's see if the September experience translates in October and November, all the while enjoying the ride this team will take us on.
September sure has been fun on the Plains. We had four straight games at Jordan-Hare, all wins. This year's offense is on pace to outscore last year's offense before we even make it to mid-season. The defense has stepped up when it's had to. The special teams...well, have you seen the offense? They're something, huh? All things considered, a veritable Era of Good Feelings has descended upon the Plains as we round off September, and why shouldn't Auburn fans enjoy it after a tumultuous 2008 and the widely panned hiring of Coach Chizik? While we've yet to be truly tested against top opposition, only Ball State is a game that was never in dobut before it began. Louisiana Tech may well prove to be the fly in the ointment of Boise State's BCS-busting charge when the Broncos visit Ruston in early November for a nationally televised Friday night game. A little over two weeks ago, Auburn rushed for almost 400 yards and gained nearly 600 yards of total offense on its way to 49 points against Mississippi State. A few days ago, LSU rushed for 30 yards and made just 12 first downs against that same defense. West Virginia will be a player in the Big East this season. The point is that it's not as if Auburn has accomplished what it has without facing some quality teams.
So yeah, the September experience in Auburn has been wonderful, but October will bring a different set of challenges, beginning with Saturday's prime time visit to Knoxville for a showdown with the Vols. Don't be fooled by Tennessee's record or Lane Kiffin's facade, his team will be ready to play on Saturday. It's their SEC home opener, it's a night game, and Neyland Stadium will be rocking. With the poise and confidence Auburn has shown thus far despite trailing in each game they've played, I would be surprised if we got rattled by the atmosphere, but you never know, especially with some young guys playing their first SEC road game. A bigger issue will be the players lining up across way. Eric Berry needs no introduction and with defensive guru extraordinaire Monte Kiffin pulling the strings, this will easily be the stiffest challenge our offense has faced. On the other side of the ball, the temptation may be to look at Crompton and laugh about Tennessee's offensive punch, but if they can run the ball with some success against a deep, talented Florida defense in the Swamp, there's no reason to think they can't do the same against our more limited defensive resources.
There's still no reason to view this game or the month of October with any heightened sense of trepidation. Yes, with five SEC games (three of them away) coming up, there's bound to be some disappointment, but I'm looking forward to the challenge of taking this show on the road. I've been discouraged by some things I've seen from our team in September (special teams anyone?), but the fight and perseverance our guys have shown up to this point has given me a sense of hope for the bleakest of scenarios that may lie ahead. We'll probably lose some battles, but we'll win a few too and there's no reason that the Era of Good Feelings that September brought can't still permeate throughout the East Alabama air come late November and early December. Let's see if the September experience translates in October and November, all the while enjoying the ride this team will take us on.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
SEC Predictions Week 4
Michael continues to lead the overall standings with an impressive 23-3 mark, but Eddie was able to gain ground and move into 2nd with an overall record of (21-5) while Jay with his moronic pick of West Virginia over Auburn as fallen to last place with a (20-6) mark. By the way, it is always fun to take shots at Jay, so please go to the comment section and let him have it. Enough joking around, on with the picks:
Michael McCoy's Picks:
Ole Miss @ South Carolina- South Carolina (Upset Special)
LSU @ Mississippi State- LSU (Upset Alert)
Arkansas @ Alabama- Alabama
Florida @ Kentucky- Florida
Arizona State @ Georgia- Georgia
Ohio @ Tennessee- Tennessee
Vanderbilt @ Rice- Vanderbilt
Ball State @ Auburn:
After an emotionally and physically draining game against West Virginia last Saturday night, Auburn should be granted a reprieve against a hapless Ball State team that has lost all three of its games thus far, including one to FBS opponent New Hampshire. With seven more games to come after this one without an off week (including six SEC games), I'm sure the main priority for the coaching staff this week is correcting mistakes from last week (missed tackles and establish the running game) and building a sizeable lead before emptying the bench to give the young guys lots of reps. The other priority, of course, is avoiding injury, which we hopefully do. I think our offense should be able to stretch the field and run the ball at will and often, giving us a good chance to look at other guys like Caudle, Eric Smith, as well as Benton and Blake at receiver. Ball State has a decent running back, but their offensive line is new and has struggled. Our defensive line should be able to set the tone there and dominate. It's hard to see anything but a big Auburn win here, especially after Malzahn said the pace of the offense would not change if a bunch of second teamers get in there. Assuming we build a big lead, I could see us giving up a few points late in the game when we have a bunch of young, inexperienced guys out there. But it shouldn't take anything away from a straightforward win. I'll say Auburn 45, Ball State 13.
Eddie McCoy's Picks:
Ole Miss @ South Carolina- Ole Miss
LSU @ Mississippi State- LSU
Arkansas @ Alabama- Alabama
Florida @ Kentucky- Florida
Arizona State @ Georgia- Georgia
Ohio @ Tennessee- Tennessee
Vanderbilt @ Rice- Vanderbilt
Ball State @ Auburn:
The simple fact of this game is that Ball State is very bad. The Cardinals cannot stop the run and they have struggled to average a couple of touchdowns a game against lousy competition. This is a mismatch. Auburn is going to rack up a lot of rushing yards early and often and we should see a lot of players play. This is a good tuneup for the Tennessee game to correct the fundamental mistakes of the last game. Look for Auburn to roll. I like the score to be Auburn 46, Ball State 9.
Jay Skipworth's Picks:
Ole Miss @ South Carolina- Ole Miss
LSU @ Mississippi State- LSU
Arkansas @ Alabama- Alabama
Florida @ Kentucky- Florida
Arizona State @ Georgia- Georgia
Ohio @ Tennessee- Tennessee
Vanderbilt @ Rice- Vanderbilt
Ball State @ Auburn:
Forget what you remember about the Ball State team that won 12 in a row before losing its last two games in 2008. That coach and the talent that led that team are long gone. This team has lost to North Texas, New Hampshire (I-AA or FCS team), and Army. That's bad. Auburn's resurgence and resilience early on have fans excited as a team with severe depth and experience questions is on pace to win it's first four games of the 2009 campaign. The Tigers defense has given up the yards and points this season, but they should be able to tee off on the Cardinals weak offense. Auburn 37, Ball State 10.
You can also find a more detailed summary of all Jay's predictions at his BC column listed below:
http://blogcritics.org/sports/article/sec-week-four-previews-and-picks/
That's our picks for the weeks. Be sure to share your thoughts in the comment section.
War Eagle!
Michael McCoy's Picks:
Ole Miss @ South Carolina- South Carolina (Upset Special)
LSU @ Mississippi State- LSU (Upset Alert)
Arkansas @ Alabama- Alabama
Florida @ Kentucky- Florida
Arizona State @ Georgia- Georgia
Ohio @ Tennessee- Tennessee
Vanderbilt @ Rice- Vanderbilt
Ball State @ Auburn:
After an emotionally and physically draining game against West Virginia last Saturday night, Auburn should be granted a reprieve against a hapless Ball State team that has lost all three of its games thus far, including one to FBS opponent New Hampshire. With seven more games to come after this one without an off week (including six SEC games), I'm sure the main priority for the coaching staff this week is correcting mistakes from last week (missed tackles and establish the running game) and building a sizeable lead before emptying the bench to give the young guys lots of reps. The other priority, of course, is avoiding injury, which we hopefully do. I think our offense should be able to stretch the field and run the ball at will and often, giving us a good chance to look at other guys like Caudle, Eric Smith, as well as Benton and Blake at receiver. Ball State has a decent running back, but their offensive line is new and has struggled. Our defensive line should be able to set the tone there and dominate. It's hard to see anything but a big Auburn win here, especially after Malzahn said the pace of the offense would not change if a bunch of second teamers get in there. Assuming we build a big lead, I could see us giving up a few points late in the game when we have a bunch of young, inexperienced guys out there. But it shouldn't take anything away from a straightforward win. I'll say Auburn 45, Ball State 13.
Eddie McCoy's Picks:
Ole Miss @ South Carolina- Ole Miss
LSU @ Mississippi State- LSU
Arkansas @ Alabama- Alabama
Florida @ Kentucky- Florida
Arizona State @ Georgia- Georgia
Ohio @ Tennessee- Tennessee
Vanderbilt @ Rice- Vanderbilt
Ball State @ Auburn:
The simple fact of this game is that Ball State is very bad. The Cardinals cannot stop the run and they have struggled to average a couple of touchdowns a game against lousy competition. This is a mismatch. Auburn is going to rack up a lot of rushing yards early and often and we should see a lot of players play. This is a good tuneup for the Tennessee game to correct the fundamental mistakes of the last game. Look for Auburn to roll. I like the score to be Auburn 46, Ball State 9.
Jay Skipworth's Picks:
Ole Miss @ South Carolina- Ole Miss
LSU @ Mississippi State- LSU
Arkansas @ Alabama- Alabama
Florida @ Kentucky- Florida
Arizona State @ Georgia- Georgia
Ohio @ Tennessee- Tennessee
Vanderbilt @ Rice- Vanderbilt
Ball State @ Auburn:
Forget what you remember about the Ball State team that won 12 in a row before losing its last two games in 2008. That coach and the talent that led that team are long gone. This team has lost to North Texas, New Hampshire (I-AA or FCS team), and Army. That's bad. Auburn's resurgence and resilience early on have fans excited as a team with severe depth and experience questions is on pace to win it's first four games of the 2009 campaign. The Tigers defense has given up the yards and points this season, but they should be able to tee off on the Cardinals weak offense. Auburn 37, Ball State 10.
You can also find a more detailed summary of all Jay's predictions at his BC column listed below:
http://blogcritics.org/sports/article/sec-week-four-previews-and-picks/
That's our picks for the weeks. Be sure to share your thoughts in the comment section.
War Eagle!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Ball State Game Preview
By Eddie McCoy
If Auburn was playing Ball State last year, I would say this would be a very tough game, but this is not last year. Ball State had won 12 straight games at one point last season before losing to Buffalo in the MAC Championship Game under former HC Brady Hoke (now the HC at San Diego State) and was a good football team. Since Brady Hoke left the program, OC Stan Parrish was promoted to Head Coach before the GMAC and has lost every game as the HC of Ball State and looks to be taking the program from 12 straight wins to 12 straight losses. His losses this season include North Texas, New Hampshire and Army. Let's take a closer look at the Ball State Cardinals Offense, Defense and Special Teams.
OFFENSE
This Ball State offense is struggling after three games to find a quarterback that can lead it, but the offense only returned 4 starters from last year's squad. This offense is ranking among the worst in all offensive stats and are only averaging a pathetic 14.33 points per game. On the quarterback front, the Cardinals have opted mainly for redshirt freshman Kelly Page over 5th year senior Tanner Justice, but both saw playing time in the last game against Army and both had sub-par performances by combining to throw four interceptions. The bright spot of the offense is that it returned 1st team All-MAC running back MiQuele Lewis who rushed for 1,736 yards last season and scored a school record 22 touchdowns, but so far thru three games has been completely bottled up and only able to gain 157 yards on 41 attempts. The wide receivers is the other area of strength for the offense where the Cardinals return last season's team leading pass catcher in Briggs Orsbon. The offensive line is the area of most concern because it lost four of its starters from last season and has struggled to provide protection for the quarterback and pave running lanes for Lewis. Ball State is going to have to try and control the clock if it has any shot at making this game competitive and that means giving the ball as much as it can to Lewis and trying to avoid passing situations in which the Cardinals have struggled with all season.
DEFENSE
The defense fairs a little bit better than the offense in that it returns 7 starters from last year's squad. The defensive line is the strong point of the team and it is returning all four starters from last season including 34 year old former Marine and 2nd team All-MAC DE Brandon Crawford. The cardinals are returning 1 starter from last season and that is Davyd Jones and he led the team last season in 10 tackles-for-loss. In the secondary, the Cardinal's strength is their two returning starters in Sr. Alex Knipp and MAC Freshman of the Year Sean Baker, but they are forced to replace both of their starting corner backs along with their top reserve from last season. This defensive group is on the smallish side especially along the line and linebackers and it shows in that they are ranked 110th out of 120 in rushing yards allowed by giving up over 200 yards per game. Ball State has to slow down and stop the Auburn rushing attack if it wants to make the game remotely close. I would look for the Cardinals to bring a lot of men close to the line of scrimmage and to try and take away the outside rushing lanes forcing the Tigers to go up the middle and throw the ball.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Cardinals have been pretty consistent on special teams. They lost their All-American Punter, Chris Miller from last season, but redshirt freshman Scott Kovanda has done a pretty good job of stepping in to that role and averaging almost 43 yards per punt on 17 punts. Ian McGarvey is the returning placekicker and he has connected on 5 of 7 seven field goals this season. At the returner position, Briggs Orsbon is averaging 5 yards a punt return while Eric Williams is averaging 26 yards a return on the kickoff. Ball State would like to get this game into a field position game by being able to flip the field in kicking situations.
KEYS TO THE GAME
If Auburn was playing Ball State last year, I would say this would be a very tough game, but this is not last year. Ball State had won 12 straight games at one point last season before losing to Buffalo in the MAC Championship Game under former HC Brady Hoke (now the HC at San Diego State) and was a good football team. Since Brady Hoke left the program, OC Stan Parrish was promoted to Head Coach before the GMAC and has lost every game as the HC of Ball State and looks to be taking the program from 12 straight wins to 12 straight losses. His losses this season include North Texas, New Hampshire and Army. Let's take a closer look at the Ball State Cardinals Offense, Defense and Special Teams.
OFFENSE
This Ball State offense is struggling after three games to find a quarterback that can lead it, but the offense only returned 4 starters from last year's squad. This offense is ranking among the worst in all offensive stats and are only averaging a pathetic 14.33 points per game. On the quarterback front, the Cardinals have opted mainly for redshirt freshman Kelly Page over 5th year senior Tanner Justice, but both saw playing time in the last game against Army and both had sub-par performances by combining to throw four interceptions. The bright spot of the offense is that it returned 1st team All-MAC running back MiQuele Lewis who rushed for 1,736 yards last season and scored a school record 22 touchdowns, but so far thru three games has been completely bottled up and only able to gain 157 yards on 41 attempts. The wide receivers is the other area of strength for the offense where the Cardinals return last season's team leading pass catcher in Briggs Orsbon. The offensive line is the area of most concern because it lost four of its starters from last season and has struggled to provide protection for the quarterback and pave running lanes for Lewis. Ball State is going to have to try and control the clock if it has any shot at making this game competitive and that means giving the ball as much as it can to Lewis and trying to avoid passing situations in which the Cardinals have struggled with all season.
DEFENSE
The defense fairs a little bit better than the offense in that it returns 7 starters from last year's squad. The defensive line is the strong point of the team and it is returning all four starters from last season including 34 year old former Marine and 2nd team All-MAC DE Brandon Crawford. The cardinals are returning 1 starter from last season and that is Davyd Jones and he led the team last season in 10 tackles-for-loss. In the secondary, the Cardinal's strength is their two returning starters in Sr. Alex Knipp and MAC Freshman of the Year Sean Baker, but they are forced to replace both of their starting corner backs along with their top reserve from last season. This defensive group is on the smallish side especially along the line and linebackers and it shows in that they are ranked 110th out of 120 in rushing yards allowed by giving up over 200 yards per game. Ball State has to slow down and stop the Auburn rushing attack if it wants to make the game remotely close. I would look for the Cardinals to bring a lot of men close to the line of scrimmage and to try and take away the outside rushing lanes forcing the Tigers to go up the middle and throw the ball.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Cardinals have been pretty consistent on special teams. They lost their All-American Punter, Chris Miller from last season, but redshirt freshman Scott Kovanda has done a pretty good job of stepping in to that role and averaging almost 43 yards per punt on 17 punts. Ian McGarvey is the returning placekicker and he has connected on 5 of 7 seven field goals this season. At the returner position, Briggs Orsbon is averaging 5 yards a punt return while Eric Williams is averaging 26 yards a return on the kickoff. Ball State would like to get this game into a field position game by being able to flip the field in kicking situations.
KEYS TO THE GAME
- Auburn needs to come out and establish the run and do that by keeping the tempo of the offense racing fast and wearing out the smaller defensive unit of Ball State.
- The Auburn defense needs to shut down the run and MiQuele Lewis and get Ball State into passing situations where the Cardinals have given up over 2 sacks per game on average.
- No Special Teams blunders and improve the kickoff coverage team.
I hope you enjoyed the Ball State Preview and please feel free to share your thoughts on the Ball State Game.
War Eagle!
Auburn Football Insider Podcast Tonight
Please join Jay Skipworth, Michael McCoy and Eddie McCoy tonight from 8-9pm CST as we discuss the West Virginia game, preview the Ball State game and discuss the Trooper Taylor media created controversy.
As always, we encourage you to call into the show, and you can do so by calling (646) 649-1890.
You can listen live at the below link:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/AFIP/2009/09/23/Auburn-Football-Insider-Podcast
We hope that you enjoy the show and appreciate all that listen.
War Eagle!
As always, we encourage you to call into the show, and you can do so by calling (646) 649-1890.
You can listen live at the below link:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/AFIP/2009/09/23/Auburn-Football-Insider-Podcast
We hope that you enjoy the show and appreciate all that listen.
War Eagle!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
It's Great To Be an Auburn Tiger!
Wow, what a difference a year makes. This team took two big body blows in the first 5 minutes of the game and found itself down 14 points. As an Auburn Fan, we have been trained in that scenario to pack it in, because that is usually what our team does . This version of the Tigers under Gene Chizik is a totally different team. They kept fighting and clawing and making plays when they had to and to be honest, I thought we could still win the game but I was skeptical. These Auburn team did just that and fought back to win a game that its predecessor wouldn't have.
Gene Chizik has not only hired what seems to be a great staff, well everyone except maybe our Special Teams coach at this point, but he has also brought confidence to this team. If you haven't checked out the show "Auburn Football Everyday", do yourself a favor and head to the official Auburn athletic site and watch the show because you will notice before games that Chizik goes around and talks to a bunch of players encouraging them and telling them to believe in themselves, and this is only what the show shows us. Chizik is doing a great job of getting the most out of his players right now and that is a big key to the success of this season. The team last year would have folded like a cheap deck of cards once they were down double digits, but this team just kept on playing and believing in themselves and fighting all the way to the end. There is definitely no quit in these Tigers and that is exciting to know as we head into the tougher part of the schedule.
I would also like to point out one other thing that I have been very impressed with in this early season and that is our student section. These students have been to each game early and in force. I noticed at the Mississippi State game that at 3 hours before kickoff they were lined up in droves to get into the stadium and when I arrived to my seat with about 1.5 before kickoff, most of the student section was packed. This has been the case at each game and they play a big part in our team feeding off of their energy. I credit the students for being there and I credit Chizik and the coaching staff for urging them to be there in force and to be loud. This is most impressive to the recruits that come to the game and it will pay huge dividends down the road.
We may not win 10 games this year, and realistically won't, but this team is going to play to the final whistle and they are building a a great foundation from which to build for the Gene Chizik Era. It truely is GREAT TO BE AN AUBURN TIGER!!!!
War Eagle!
Gene Chizik has not only hired what seems to be a great staff, well everyone except maybe our Special Teams coach at this point, but he has also brought confidence to this team. If you haven't checked out the show "Auburn Football Everyday", do yourself a favor and head to the official Auburn athletic site and watch the show because you will notice before games that Chizik goes around and talks to a bunch of players encouraging them and telling them to believe in themselves, and this is only what the show shows us. Chizik is doing a great job of getting the most out of his players right now and that is a big key to the success of this season. The team last year would have folded like a cheap deck of cards once they were down double digits, but this team just kept on playing and believing in themselves and fighting all the way to the end. There is definitely no quit in these Tigers and that is exciting to know as we head into the tougher part of the schedule.
I would also like to point out one other thing that I have been very impressed with in this early season and that is our student section. These students have been to each game early and in force. I noticed at the Mississippi State game that at 3 hours before kickoff they were lined up in droves to get into the stadium and when I arrived to my seat with about 1.5 before kickoff, most of the student section was packed. This has been the case at each game and they play a big part in our team feeding off of their energy. I credit the students for being there and I credit Chizik and the coaching staff for urging them to be there in force and to be loud. This is most impressive to the recruits that come to the game and it will pay huge dividends down the road.
We may not win 10 games this year, and realistically won't, but this team is going to play to the final whistle and they are building a a great foundation from which to build for the Gene Chizik Era. It truely is GREAT TO BE AN AUBURN TIGER!!!!
War Eagle!
Friday, September 18, 2009
SEC Predictions Week 3
So after Week 2 of the season, Michael padded his lead with an overall mark of (16-1), followed by Jay at (14-3) with Eddie bringing up the rear at (13-4). Now that we are getting into the meat of the schedule, picks will start to become more interesting. Let's take a look at Week 3 Picks:
Michael McCoy Picks
Louisville @ Kentucky- Kentucky
North Texas @ Alabama- Alabama
Tennessee @ Florida- Florida
LA Lafayette @ LSU- LSU
Mississippi State @ Vanderbilt- Vanderbilt
Florida Atlantic @ South Carolina- South Carolina
SE Louisiana @ Ole Miss- Ole Miss
Georgia @ Arkansas- Arkansas
West Virginia @ Auburn:
So far, so good for Auburn. Except for some shoddy special teams play and few third down failures from the defense, things could not have gone much better for the Tigers through the first two games of the Gene Chizik era. Now comes the first true test with West Virginia coming to town. Breaking in a new coaching staff meant that Louisiana Tech and Mississippi State were possible banana skins early in the season, but that challenge was met with relish and now we'll see how Auburn fares against a big time program. The Mountaineers aren't the same without Rich Rod, but they're still a contender in the Big East, and between WR Jock Sanders, RB Noel Devine, and pro prospect QB Jarrett Brown, there is offensive firepower aplenty. They still carry much of the Rich Rod philosophy of running the ball, but the passing game is now more dynamic than it was in years past. The biggest question mark on West Virginia's offense is their offensive line, which is mostly new. I expect this to be one of the keys to the game. If West Virginia can the get the ball in the hands of its playmakers, it will be a shootout. On defense the Mountaineers have a lot coming back, but even last year's Auburn offense was able to have its way with them for a half, so I expect the offensive production to continue from Gus and the boys this week, though they may have to open the passing game a bit more to do so. Special teams will be the other key. Another game like last week and West Virginia will punish us, but I think we see marked improvement there this week and Auburn comes out on top in the end. I'll say Auburn 38, West Virginia 30.
Jay Skipworth's Picks
Louisville @ Kentucky- Kentucky
North Texas @ Alabama- Alabama
Tennessee @ Florida- Florida
LA Lafayette @ LSU- LSU
Mississippi State @ Vanderbilt- Vanderbilt
Florida Atlantic @ South Carolina- South Carolina
SE Louisiana @ Ole Miss- Ole Miss
Georgia @ Arkansas- Arkansas
West Virginia @ Auburn
The Tigers offensive resurgence has generated plenty of excitement on the Plains. The first real test of the season comes in the form of West Virginia, a team that has found a solid passing game to go with the run in spite of replacing four offensive linemen and do-everything quarterback Pat White. The Tigers defense is a good starting group, but lack of depth and experience could come back to haunt them in a shoot-out. This one will more than likely turn into a score-fest as both offenses will find ways to exploit the defenses. Give the edge to West Virginia with more proven wide receivers and special teams performers. West Virginia 35, Auburn 31.
Also, if you would like to read a more detailed version of Jay's picks, you can check out his column on BC by following the link:
http://blogcritics.org/sports/article/sec-week-three-previews-and-picks/
Eddie McCoy's Picks
Louisville @ Kentucky- Kentucky
North Texas @ Alabama- Alabama
Tennessee @ Florida- Florida
LA Lafayette @ LSU- LSU
Mississippi State @ Vanderbilt- Mississippi State
Florida Atlantic @ South Carolina- South Carolina
SE Louisiana @ Ole Miss- Ole Miss
Georgia @ Arkansas- Arkansas
West Virginia @ Auburn
This game is a real tricky game for Auburn and it stands in the way of an undefeated September which is key in rolling into a tougher October. West Virginia is going to to provide a very stiff test for the Auburn defense with its balance attack. Auburn will need to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball in order to get the much needed W and I believe that they will. I look for Auburn to test out the run early and often against the 3-3-5 defense while also being able to take shots downfield. Chris Todd will need to do a good job of taking what the defense gives him because he will not have all day to sit and wait on the deep route to develop like he has the previous two games. With that said, I look for Auburn to once again find itself in a very tight game at halftime, but I believe that this offense has the ability to wear down the West Virginia defense, especially since they are going to have their two best players banged up and on the field at best. I like Auburn to win and continue the offensive success that it has shown in the first two games, but I also believe the defense is going to have its hands full with trying to keep all the West Virginia playmakers in check. Auburn 45, West Virginia 34.
Please share your prediction for Auburn this week in the comment section.
War Eagle!
Michael McCoy Picks
Louisville @ Kentucky- Kentucky
North Texas @ Alabama- Alabama
Tennessee @ Florida- Florida
LA Lafayette @ LSU- LSU
Mississippi State @ Vanderbilt- Vanderbilt
Florida Atlantic @ South Carolina- South Carolina
SE Louisiana @ Ole Miss- Ole Miss
Georgia @ Arkansas- Arkansas
West Virginia @ Auburn:
So far, so good for Auburn. Except for some shoddy special teams play and few third down failures from the defense, things could not have gone much better for the Tigers through the first two games of the Gene Chizik era. Now comes the first true test with West Virginia coming to town. Breaking in a new coaching staff meant that Louisiana Tech and Mississippi State were possible banana skins early in the season, but that challenge was met with relish and now we'll see how Auburn fares against a big time program. The Mountaineers aren't the same without Rich Rod, but they're still a contender in the Big East, and between WR Jock Sanders, RB Noel Devine, and pro prospect QB Jarrett Brown, there is offensive firepower aplenty. They still carry much of the Rich Rod philosophy of running the ball, but the passing game is now more dynamic than it was in years past. The biggest question mark on West Virginia's offense is their offensive line, which is mostly new. I expect this to be one of the keys to the game. If West Virginia can the get the ball in the hands of its playmakers, it will be a shootout. On defense the Mountaineers have a lot coming back, but even last year's Auburn offense was able to have its way with them for a half, so I expect the offensive production to continue from Gus and the boys this week, though they may have to open the passing game a bit more to do so. Special teams will be the other key. Another game like last week and West Virginia will punish us, but I think we see marked improvement there this week and Auburn comes out on top in the end. I'll say Auburn 38, West Virginia 30.
Jay Skipworth's Picks
Louisville @ Kentucky- Kentucky
North Texas @ Alabama- Alabama
Tennessee @ Florida- Florida
LA Lafayette @ LSU- LSU
Mississippi State @ Vanderbilt- Vanderbilt
Florida Atlantic @ South Carolina- South Carolina
SE Louisiana @ Ole Miss- Ole Miss
Georgia @ Arkansas- Arkansas
West Virginia @ Auburn
The Tigers offensive resurgence has generated plenty of excitement on the Plains. The first real test of the season comes in the form of West Virginia, a team that has found a solid passing game to go with the run in spite of replacing four offensive linemen and do-everything quarterback Pat White. The Tigers defense is a good starting group, but lack of depth and experience could come back to haunt them in a shoot-out. This one will more than likely turn into a score-fest as both offenses will find ways to exploit the defenses. Give the edge to West Virginia with more proven wide receivers and special teams performers. West Virginia 35, Auburn 31.
Also, if you would like to read a more detailed version of Jay's picks, you can check out his column on BC by following the link:
http://blogcritics.org/sports/article/sec-week-three-previews-and-picks/
Eddie McCoy's Picks
Louisville @ Kentucky- Kentucky
North Texas @ Alabama- Alabama
Tennessee @ Florida- Florida
LA Lafayette @ LSU- LSU
Mississippi State @ Vanderbilt- Mississippi State
Florida Atlantic @ South Carolina- South Carolina
SE Louisiana @ Ole Miss- Ole Miss
Georgia @ Arkansas- Arkansas
West Virginia @ Auburn
This game is a real tricky game for Auburn and it stands in the way of an undefeated September which is key in rolling into a tougher October. West Virginia is going to to provide a very stiff test for the Auburn defense with its balance attack. Auburn will need to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball in order to get the much needed W and I believe that they will. I look for Auburn to test out the run early and often against the 3-3-5 defense while also being able to take shots downfield. Chris Todd will need to do a good job of taking what the defense gives him because he will not have all day to sit and wait on the deep route to develop like he has the previous two games. With that said, I look for Auburn to once again find itself in a very tight game at halftime, but I believe that this offense has the ability to wear down the West Virginia defense, especially since they are going to have their two best players banged up and on the field at best. I like Auburn to win and continue the offensive success that it has shown in the first two games, but I also believe the defense is going to have its hands full with trying to keep all the West Virginia playmakers in check. Auburn 45, West Virginia 34.
Please share your prediction for Auburn this week in the comment section.
War Eagle!
West Virginia Preview
By Eddie McCoy
The West Virginia Mountaineers enter the game with a (2-0) record with wins over Liberty & East Carolina. They are coached by 2nd year HC Bill Stewart, who took over the program when Rich Rodriguez left for Michigan. Last season, Auburn traveled up to West Virginia and played a great first half and absolutely got hammered the second half. This is not last season and that goes for both teams. Lets take a closer look at the West Virginia Offense, Defense and Special Teams:
OFFENSE
This West Virginia offense lost it's 4-Year starting QB Pat White when he was drafted in the 2nd round by the Miami Dolphins and along with losing their talented QB, they lost the last semblance of the Rich Rodriguez running spread offense. The new offensive attack is led by 5th year Sr Jarrett Brown who has brought true balance to this offensive attack with his precision passing in the first two games. Brown has completed 43 of 57 passes (75.4%) racking up 577 yards thru the air in the first two games while also picking up an additional 142 yards of rushing. Those are some huge numbers for a guy in his first full stint as starting QB and he will look to continue to improve on those numbers this weekend. Not to be lost in the shuffle is a little RB by the name of Noel Devine that just happened to have a field day last year against Auburn when he racked up 207 rushing yards, so the Mountaineers look to be very talented in the backfield. As for the WR's, Jock Sanders is off to a fast start by being Brown's favorite target and catching an eye poping 17 passes in the first two games for 194 yards while the next closest WR is Bradley Starks hauling in 7 catches for 110 yards. The offensive line lost 4 starters from last years squad and remains the big question mark heading into the game for the Mountaineers. They are switching guys around kind of how Auburn did last season, so that causes some confusion when someone is playing one position one week and another one the next. The West Virginia Offense has put up some big numbers in the first two games by averaging 473.5 yards per game, of which 288.5 yards are from the air. I would look for West Virginia to try and air it out early on the Tigers and try to hit some quick hitters and find some situations which they are one on one with the Auburn Linebackers which could open up the running lanes a little bit more with this inexperienced offensive line in order to achieve the balance that they have done so well in the first two games.
DEFENSE
The Mountaineers run an unconventional 3-3-5 defensive scheme which involves them trying to bring pressure to the backfield on every play, whether it be a passing play or a rushing play. They thrive on destroying the pocket and getting to the QB. In two games they have already racked up 7 sacks. This defense is led by SR's DT Scooter Berry and LB Reed Williams who were both banged up in the ECU game and are listed as questionable for this weeks game. That is a huge loss for the Mountaineers if those two do not see the field in a meaningful way. When running this type of defense, it puts a lot of pressure on the secondary, and this secondary is led by JR Brandon Hogan who is quickly becoming one of the Big East's best defensive backs. The Mountaineers will look to bring pressure early and often to disrupt the Auburn rushing game and to force Chris Todd into making bad decisions and bad throws. Both teams have the dubious honor of not allowing a sack...West Virginia will be looking hard to change that stat for Auburn.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The West Virginia Special Teams is led by Redshirt Freshman PK Tyler Bitancurt who is a perfect 4/4 in fieldgoals this season with his longest being 45 yards and JR P Scott Kozlowski who is averaging 48 yards per kick on 6 punts. The Return team is led by Punt Returner Jock Sanders who is averaging almost 15 yards per return on 4 returns and Kick Returner Mark Rogers who is averaging just over 25 yards a return on 5 returns. That is the good news for the Mountaineer Special Teams, the not so good news is that they are allowing a 26 yard punt return average on the 2 punts that have been returned while being middle of the road on kickoff returns and allowing to a paltry 22 yard per return. Against Auburn, they will be looking to bring pressure as Mississippi State did and force a block since Auburn's return guys are not scaring anyone with their .2 yards a return average.
KEYS TO THE GAME
The West Virginia Mountaineers enter the game with a (2-0) record with wins over Liberty & East Carolina. They are coached by 2nd year HC Bill Stewart, who took over the program when Rich Rodriguez left for Michigan. Last season, Auburn traveled up to West Virginia and played a great first half and absolutely got hammered the second half. This is not last season and that goes for both teams. Lets take a closer look at the West Virginia Offense, Defense and Special Teams:
OFFENSE
This West Virginia offense lost it's 4-Year starting QB Pat White when he was drafted in the 2nd round by the Miami Dolphins and along with losing their talented QB, they lost the last semblance of the Rich Rodriguez running spread offense. The new offensive attack is led by 5th year Sr Jarrett Brown who has brought true balance to this offensive attack with his precision passing in the first two games. Brown has completed 43 of 57 passes (75.4%) racking up 577 yards thru the air in the first two games while also picking up an additional 142 yards of rushing. Those are some huge numbers for a guy in his first full stint as starting QB and he will look to continue to improve on those numbers this weekend. Not to be lost in the shuffle is a little RB by the name of Noel Devine that just happened to have a field day last year against Auburn when he racked up 207 rushing yards, so the Mountaineers look to be very talented in the backfield. As for the WR's, Jock Sanders is off to a fast start by being Brown's favorite target and catching an eye poping 17 passes in the first two games for 194 yards while the next closest WR is Bradley Starks hauling in 7 catches for 110 yards. The offensive line lost 4 starters from last years squad and remains the big question mark heading into the game for the Mountaineers. They are switching guys around kind of how Auburn did last season, so that causes some confusion when someone is playing one position one week and another one the next. The West Virginia Offense has put up some big numbers in the first two games by averaging 473.5 yards per game, of which 288.5 yards are from the air. I would look for West Virginia to try and air it out early on the Tigers and try to hit some quick hitters and find some situations which they are one on one with the Auburn Linebackers which could open up the running lanes a little bit more with this inexperienced offensive line in order to achieve the balance that they have done so well in the first two games.
DEFENSE
The Mountaineers run an unconventional 3-3-5 defensive scheme which involves them trying to bring pressure to the backfield on every play, whether it be a passing play or a rushing play. They thrive on destroying the pocket and getting to the QB. In two games they have already racked up 7 sacks. This defense is led by SR's DT Scooter Berry and LB Reed Williams who were both banged up in the ECU game and are listed as questionable for this weeks game. That is a huge loss for the Mountaineers if those two do not see the field in a meaningful way. When running this type of defense, it puts a lot of pressure on the secondary, and this secondary is led by JR Brandon Hogan who is quickly becoming one of the Big East's best defensive backs. The Mountaineers will look to bring pressure early and often to disrupt the Auburn rushing game and to force Chris Todd into making bad decisions and bad throws. Both teams have the dubious honor of not allowing a sack...West Virginia will be looking hard to change that stat for Auburn.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The West Virginia Special Teams is led by Redshirt Freshman PK Tyler Bitancurt who is a perfect 4/4 in fieldgoals this season with his longest being 45 yards and JR P Scott Kozlowski who is averaging 48 yards per kick on 6 punts. The Return team is led by Punt Returner Jock Sanders who is averaging almost 15 yards per return on 4 returns and Kick Returner Mark Rogers who is averaging just over 25 yards a return on 5 returns. That is the good news for the Mountaineer Special Teams, the not so good news is that they are allowing a 26 yard punt return average on the 2 punts that have been returned while being middle of the road on kickoff returns and allowing to a paltry 22 yard per return. Against Auburn, they will be looking to bring pressure as Mississippi State did and force a block since Auburn's return guys are not scaring anyone with their .2 yards a return average.
KEYS TO THE GAME
- It's simple, Auburn needs to control the line of scrimage on the both sides of the ball, especially with West Virginia looking to bring alot of pressure.
- Auburn needs to play a more disciplined game than they have the past two games and not allow penalties that extend drives.
- Contain the QB. Jarrett Brown is not only making big plays with his arm, but he is also doing it with his feet. If Auburn gets to Brown, they need to make sure they don't let him squeeze out of there and and get the first down, especially on passing situations.
- Auburn needs an overall improvement on Special Teams. They cannot afford to give up scores on Special Teams.
That is my review of the West Virginia Mountaineers, feel free to visit the comment section to share your thoughts.
War Eagle!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
AFIP Live on New Tuesday Night Slot Starting Tonight
Please join Jay Skipworth and myself as we discuss the Mississippi State game, look ahead to the West Virginia matchup and go on a weekly rant. This week edition and all further editions will be live on Tuesdays from 8-9pm CST. Also, if you would like to be a part of the show, please call us during the show at 646-649-1890.
Below is the link to the live show tonight.
Thanks for all the support and all that listen to the show. We had over 500 downloads on last weeks show just on blogtalkradio.com, and that's not counting all those that have downloaded the show on Itunes. Thanks again. Also, if you have a chance and like the show, please stop by itunes and review and rate the show and spread it to other Auburn Fans.
War Eagle!
Friday, September 11, 2009
A Mississippi State Fan's Perspective on State
By Special Guest Columnist Mack Lundy
Long-time listener, first-time caller.
As this is Mississippi St./Auburn week, Michael McCoy suggested that I come by and chime in with my two cents from the perspective of an MSU fan. When the Michael speaks, the Mack listens.
I agree with many of the statements you made in your preview, and I similarly feel this iteration of MSU/AU will likely be substantially different than most, if not all, of those in my lifetime prior to now. Not that our respective offenses will necessarily explode on every possession, or even that the total offensive production will drastically differ from years past; but rather, the styles and philosophies of offense are simply hereto for unknown in our regions of the SEC West. Excitement abounds, and for good reason.
For the sake of clarity, I'll follow your format and review each aspect of the team in turn, followed by my final thoughts.
OFFENSE
Though we supposedly ran the West Coast Offense under Croom (and who knows what the hell under Sherrill), we have always indeed been most successful offensively out of traditional, power formations. If I may be so bold as to posit any position at which we regularly maintained NFL-esque talent, that position would have to be running back. Quarterbacks and other skill positions were always an afterthought. Now, in our first year (or, more accurately, week) of Mullen's version of the spread, our strategy may be different but our experienced talent is the same. Uncertainty at the QB spot, youth at the WR position (albeit quality youth--Bumphis, a UF recruit Mullen brought with him, seems very impressive for a true freshman), a shaky and thin line, and at least four deep at RB, with one bona fide stud leading the pack in Dixon. Unless Mullen's comments during the offseason were misleading, we have yet to see the true flavor of the offense because of Dixon's absence last week. The rotating QBs likely won't end anytime soon, for better or worse. I too was impressed with Relf (impressed with his passing as much as anything--didn't he finish 7-10, with a couple of TDs?), and Tyson is scrappy and seems to take care of the ball reasonably well (his career completion % is surprisingly high), but it all starts and ends with Dixon. Word is he's in the best shape of his life, and that this week at practice he's been a beast because of last game's suspension. Mullen has maintained that the offense will more or less revolve around Dixon, so other than knowing that Relf seems well-qualified to run the option, I'm no more sure what to expect offensively than y'all. I think your "run to set up the pass" prediction is fair, though I won't be too surprised to see as much, or more, inside running than outside.
DEFENSE
We definitely lost some talent off of last year's squad (Derrick Pegues, for example), and are lacking in returning starters more than in the recent past. However, I think we've got some reasonably solid talent near the top of the depth chart, at least up front. You noted that last year's defense was statistically weak, and that we may thus have problems at all positions against SEC competition. Obviously I can't disagree with the stats, but I think a couple of things are important when considering our defenese--(1) last year was our first under Croom withouth current South Carolina coordinator Ellis Johnson running the defense, and I think his absence hurt us as much as it helped SC; (2) our offense was about the worst of the worst in college football, so the defense certainly didn't get any help; and (3) we had key injuries, not the least of which was Chaney being out all year, that hurt us badly on that side of the ball. Anyway, that's my roundabout way of saying that I think there's more quality on the defense this year than last year's stats let on. Our starting LBs are among the best in the conference, and we've got some talent among the front four as well, especially in JUCO transfer Pernell McPhee. Our weakness may well be the secondary. Literally half of Jackson St.'s offense came on two long pass plays where our guys just got beat, so that definitely does not bode well. Interested to see how those guys respond and what the staff does not mitigate our lack of experienc/talent at the position. Also, and I'd have to watch the game again to know for sure, I think I saw less run blitzing against JSU than you did. We certainly kept 7-8 in the box here and there, but I honestly thought we generally let the front four handle the bulk of the work on their own. So what to expect on D--solid play from the front seven, but weaknesses in the secondary that may end up neutralizing whatever advantage(s) we have among the LBs. (I also must admit that I still don't have a great handle on Torbush's philosophy or our personnel, so take my comments for that in mind)
SPECIAL TEAMS
I generally agree with your take. Mullen runs the show a la Meyer (and Sherrill), the punter had a solid day while the PK did not. The two missed FGs annoys me greatly, but I saw the guy make 50+ yarders in the spring, so who knows. Maybe just first game jitters from a JUCO transer?
FINAL THOUGHTS
I'm looking forward to this game for all the same reasons y'all are--first SEC test for a new coach and new staff, and first "real" game of the year. I'm interested to see the "new and improved" Dixon in action, and I'm interested to see which QB's strengths best allow us to compete with quality defense like Auburn's. We're so young, and our offense is still so new to the players, that I'd be surprised if we pulled out a win this weekend in a night game on the road. Not sure about being 14 point underdogs considering the similar circumstances of the programs, and the results of our last two meetings (a 19-14 win for us, and 3-2 win for y'all), but you never know. As a State fan, you've always got to assume the worst. My head often gives us a chance, while my gut always prepares for a crap sandwich. We shall see.
Long-time listener, first-time caller.
As this is Mississippi St./Auburn week, Michael McCoy suggested that I come by and chime in with my two cents from the perspective of an MSU fan. When the Michael speaks, the Mack listens.
I agree with many of the statements you made in your preview, and I similarly feel this iteration of MSU/AU will likely be substantially different than most, if not all, of those in my lifetime prior to now. Not that our respective offenses will necessarily explode on every possession, or even that the total offensive production will drastically differ from years past; but rather, the styles and philosophies of offense are simply hereto for unknown in our regions of the SEC West. Excitement abounds, and for good reason.
For the sake of clarity, I'll follow your format and review each aspect of the team in turn, followed by my final thoughts.
OFFENSE
Though we supposedly ran the West Coast Offense under Croom (and who knows what the hell under Sherrill), we have always indeed been most successful offensively out of traditional, power formations. If I may be so bold as to posit any position at which we regularly maintained NFL-esque talent, that position would have to be running back. Quarterbacks and other skill positions were always an afterthought. Now, in our first year (or, more accurately, week) of Mullen's version of the spread, our strategy may be different but our experienced talent is the same. Uncertainty at the QB spot, youth at the WR position (albeit quality youth--Bumphis, a UF recruit Mullen brought with him, seems very impressive for a true freshman), a shaky and thin line, and at least four deep at RB, with one bona fide stud leading the pack in Dixon. Unless Mullen's comments during the offseason were misleading, we have yet to see the true flavor of the offense because of Dixon's absence last week. The rotating QBs likely won't end anytime soon, for better or worse. I too was impressed with Relf (impressed with his passing as much as anything--didn't he finish 7-10, with a couple of TDs?), and Tyson is scrappy and seems to take care of the ball reasonably well (his career completion % is surprisingly high), but it all starts and ends with Dixon. Word is he's in the best shape of his life, and that this week at practice he's been a beast because of last game's suspension. Mullen has maintained that the offense will more or less revolve around Dixon, so other than knowing that Relf seems well-qualified to run the option, I'm no more sure what to expect offensively than y'all. I think your "run to set up the pass" prediction is fair, though I won't be too surprised to see as much, or more, inside running than outside.
DEFENSE
We definitely lost some talent off of last year's squad (Derrick Pegues, for example), and are lacking in returning starters more than in the recent past. However, I think we've got some reasonably solid talent near the top of the depth chart, at least up front. You noted that last year's defense was statistically weak, and that we may thus have problems at all positions against SEC competition. Obviously I can't disagree with the stats, but I think a couple of things are important when considering our defenese--(1) last year was our first under Croom withouth current South Carolina coordinator Ellis Johnson running the defense, and I think his absence hurt us as much as it helped SC; (2) our offense was about the worst of the worst in college football, so the defense certainly didn't get any help; and (3) we had key injuries, not the least of which was Chaney being out all year, that hurt us badly on that side of the ball. Anyway, that's my roundabout way of saying that I think there's more quality on the defense this year than last year's stats let on. Our starting LBs are among the best in the conference, and we've got some talent among the front four as well, especially in JUCO transfer Pernell McPhee. Our weakness may well be the secondary. Literally half of Jackson St.'s offense came on two long pass plays where our guys just got beat, so that definitely does not bode well. Interested to see how those guys respond and what the staff does not mitigate our lack of experienc/talent at the position. Also, and I'd have to watch the game again to know for sure, I think I saw less run blitzing against JSU than you did. We certainly kept 7-8 in the box here and there, but I honestly thought we generally let the front four handle the bulk of the work on their own. So what to expect on D--solid play from the front seven, but weaknesses in the secondary that may end up neutralizing whatever advantage(s) we have among the LBs. (I also must admit that I still don't have a great handle on Torbush's philosophy or our personnel, so take my comments for that in mind)
SPECIAL TEAMS
I generally agree with your take. Mullen runs the show a la Meyer (and Sherrill), the punter had a solid day while the PK did not. The two missed FGs annoys me greatly, but I saw the guy make 50+ yarders in the spring, so who knows. Maybe just first game jitters from a JUCO transer?
FINAL THOUGHTS
I'm looking forward to this game for all the same reasons y'all are--first SEC test for a new coach and new staff, and first "real" game of the year. I'm interested to see the "new and improved" Dixon in action, and I'm interested to see which QB's strengths best allow us to compete with quality defense like Auburn's. We're so young, and our offense is still so new to the players, that I'd be surprised if we pulled out a win this weekend in a night game on the road. Not sure about being 14 point underdogs considering the similar circumstances of the programs, and the results of our last two meetings (a 19-14 win for us, and 3-2 win for y'all), but you never know. As a State fan, you've always got to assume the worst. My head often gives us a chance, while my gut always prepares for a crap sandwich. We shall see.
SEC Predictions- Week 2
After Week 1, Michael has jumped to the lead by posting an (11-0) mark, followed by Jay at (10-1) and Eddie pulling up the rear at (9-2). Now that the easy week is done, let's jump into this week's SEC predictions with some actual conference games:
Michael McCoy's Picks, (11-0) on the season:
Troy at Florida - Florida
UCLA at UT - Tennessee
FIU at Bama - Bama
Vandy at LSU - LSU
USC at UGA - Georgia
Auburn-Mississippi State:
Last weekend was nice, but a different set of Bulldogs are heading to the Plains this weekend. State is feeling pretty good about itself these days after the buzz hiring of Dan Mullen, and being the first SEC game for both teams means the intensity level should be through the roof. Having beaten State last year in Ruston last year, one could make the argument that La. Tech provided a sterner test than the boys from Starkvegas will, but Mullen will have his team motivated and ready to play, plus Auburn hasn't had it all its own way with State the last couple of seasons anyway. I fear against a letdown a little bit after the euphoria of last Saturday, but I think the coaching staff will reign in the team with good effect. The strength of State's offense, running the ball, should work to our advantage, even with Dixon back. In fact, Dixon being back may well keep things a little more predictable, though Mullen will no doubt look to keep things off balance and not so one dimensional. State QB Relf is more a wildcard than anything. We know about Dixon; Tyson Lee played a lot last year, but Relf is just now really coming on to the scene. Going against Malzahn's offensive sets in practice should help out the defense though. Plus, even though Muschamp is gone, Auburn is the one defensive riddle that Mullen was never really able to solve while at Florida. On the other side of the ball, State is always solid on defense, so I'd be surprised if our offense replicates the success of last weekend, but then again, if Malzahn is able to run the kind of tempo that he wanted but didn't get last weekend against Tech, these Bulldogs may wear down faster. But I'd be surprised if this weekend's clash of Tigers and Bulldogs was as straightforward as last weekend's. SEC games can never be taken for granted when your team only won two of them the previous season. But I expect Malzahn to open up the vertical passing game a bit more, opening up the run in the process while the defense should be able to sustain a standard similar to last weekend.
I'll say Auburn 24 - Mississippi State 10.
Jay Skipworth's Picks, (10-1) on the Season:
Troy at Florida - Florida
UCLA at UT - Tennessee
FIU at Bama - Bama
Vandy at LSU - LSU
USC at UGA - South Carolina
Auburn-Mississippi State:
The Bulldogs did what they were supposed to against Jackson State. They played two quarterbacks and ran the ball under Dan Mullen’s spread to the tune of 230+ yards. They won't be afforded the chance to tweak the attack as much this week. Auburn showed signs of organization and life on offense that has been sorely lacking for years from that program. The Tigers had two running backs gain over 100 yards and Chris Todd played well at the quarterback position.
The keys for Auburn in this game are to strike fast, strike hard, and show no quarter and try to put the Bulldogs into a throw often mode.
However, Mullen is no slouch and he knows this and will have his defense ready to stuff the run and force Auburn to go deep early. Can Auburn do it? We'll see. Auburn will also need to do something else with the WildKodi packages in order to get maximum benefit from that package.
Otherwise, it's all smoke and mirrors which will only choke and cut you.
This will be a slugfest and will come down to who establishes the most consistency in the running game.
Auburn 24 - Mississippi State 21.
You can also find a more detailed prediction of each game at Jay's Blog Critic Column listed below:
http://blogcritics.org/sports/article/sec-week-two-preview/
Eddie McCoy's Picks, (9-2) on the Season:
Troy at Florida - Florida
UCLA at UT - Tennessee
FIU at Bama - Bama
Vandy at LSU - LSU
USC at UGA - South Carolina
Auburn-Mississippi State:
This Mississippi State team will run a much more exciting brand of offense this season under HC Dan Mullen, but they are still at least a year away from being able to put up good production numbers against good defensive teams, and I suspect that Auburn will present many problems for them by forcing Tyson Lee / Chris Relf to make plays with their arms. Auburn will need to contain the QB and not allow them room to run and make big plays with their feet, especially on 3rd and longs.
Defensively, Mississippi State is going to try and do it's best to cover-up its weak passing defensive by trying to put pressure on the Auburn offense by blitzing on running and passing downs to force the Tigers to make bad decisions. Auburn needs to take shots down the field early and get the Bulldogs on their heels so that the running game can have it's way with the State defense.
I believe Auburn will shut down the run and force Mississippi State in to 3rd and long situations along with forcing some Turnovers. I believe the Auburn offense will be able to generate a decent passing attack that will lead to another game of big running totals. This game will probably be out of reach by half time.
Auburn 41- Mississippi State 14.
Let us know your thoughts on this weeks games and your predictions in the comment section.
War Eagle!
Michael McCoy's Picks, (11-0) on the season:
Troy at Florida - Florida
UCLA at UT - Tennessee
FIU at Bama - Bama
Vandy at LSU - LSU
USC at UGA - Georgia
Auburn-Mississippi State:
Last weekend was nice, but a different set of Bulldogs are heading to the Plains this weekend. State is feeling pretty good about itself these days after the buzz hiring of Dan Mullen, and being the first SEC game for both teams means the intensity level should be through the roof. Having beaten State last year in Ruston last year, one could make the argument that La. Tech provided a sterner test than the boys from Starkvegas will, but Mullen will have his team motivated and ready to play, plus Auburn hasn't had it all its own way with State the last couple of seasons anyway. I fear against a letdown a little bit after the euphoria of last Saturday, but I think the coaching staff will reign in the team with good effect. The strength of State's offense, running the ball, should work to our advantage, even with Dixon back. In fact, Dixon being back may well keep things a little more predictable, though Mullen will no doubt look to keep things off balance and not so one dimensional. State QB Relf is more a wildcard than anything. We know about Dixon; Tyson Lee played a lot last year, but Relf is just now really coming on to the scene. Going against Malzahn's offensive sets in practice should help out the defense though. Plus, even though Muschamp is gone, Auburn is the one defensive riddle that Mullen was never really able to solve while at Florida. On the other side of the ball, State is always solid on defense, so I'd be surprised if our offense replicates the success of last weekend, but then again, if Malzahn is able to run the kind of tempo that he wanted but didn't get last weekend against Tech, these Bulldogs may wear down faster. But I'd be surprised if this weekend's clash of Tigers and Bulldogs was as straightforward as last weekend's. SEC games can never be taken for granted when your team only won two of them the previous season. But I expect Malzahn to open up the vertical passing game a bit more, opening up the run in the process while the defense should be able to sustain a standard similar to last weekend.
I'll say Auburn 24 - Mississippi State 10.
Jay Skipworth's Picks, (10-1) on the Season:
Troy at Florida - Florida
UCLA at UT - Tennessee
FIU at Bama - Bama
Vandy at LSU - LSU
USC at UGA - South Carolina
Auburn-Mississippi State:
The Bulldogs did what they were supposed to against Jackson State. They played two quarterbacks and ran the ball under Dan Mullen’s spread to the tune of 230+ yards. They won't be afforded the chance to tweak the attack as much this week. Auburn showed signs of organization and life on offense that has been sorely lacking for years from that program. The Tigers had two running backs gain over 100 yards and Chris Todd played well at the quarterback position.
The keys for Auburn in this game are to strike fast, strike hard, and show no quarter and try to put the Bulldogs into a throw often mode.
However, Mullen is no slouch and he knows this and will have his defense ready to stuff the run and force Auburn to go deep early. Can Auburn do it? We'll see. Auburn will also need to do something else with the WildKodi packages in order to get maximum benefit from that package.
Otherwise, it's all smoke and mirrors which will only choke and cut you.
This will be a slugfest and will come down to who establishes the most consistency in the running game.
Auburn 24 - Mississippi State 21.
You can also find a more detailed prediction of each game at Jay's Blog Critic Column listed below:
http://blogcritics.org/sports/article/sec-week-two-preview/
Eddie McCoy's Picks, (9-2) on the Season:
Troy at Florida - Florida
UCLA at UT - Tennessee
FIU at Bama - Bama
Vandy at LSU - LSU
USC at UGA - South Carolina
Auburn-Mississippi State:
This Mississippi State team will run a much more exciting brand of offense this season under HC Dan Mullen, but they are still at least a year away from being able to put up good production numbers against good defensive teams, and I suspect that Auburn will present many problems for them by forcing Tyson Lee / Chris Relf to make plays with their arms. Auburn will need to contain the QB and not allow them room to run and make big plays with their feet, especially on 3rd and longs.
Defensively, Mississippi State is going to try and do it's best to cover-up its weak passing defensive by trying to put pressure on the Auburn offense by blitzing on running and passing downs to force the Tigers to make bad decisions. Auburn needs to take shots down the field early and get the Bulldogs on their heels so that the running game can have it's way with the State defense.
I believe Auburn will shut down the run and force Mississippi State in to 3rd and long situations along with forcing some Turnovers. I believe the Auburn offense will be able to generate a decent passing attack that will lead to another game of big running totals. This game will probably be out of reach by half time.
Auburn 41- Mississippi State 14.
Let us know your thoughts on this weeks games and your predictions in the comment section.
War Eagle!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Mississippi State Preview
By Eddie McCoy
Mississippi State enters this game (1-0) under new Head Coach Dan Mullen after knocking off Jackson State last Saturday 45-7. It will mark the first SEC game as Head Coach for both Dan Mullen and Gene Chizik. Mississippi State will look much different than any Mississippi State team that I have seen in my lifetime with the change from the power running game to a Florida like spread attack, so getting a feel on this squad after only one game will be a tough task for the Auburn coaching staff. Let's take a closer look at Mississippi State's Offense, Defense & Special Teams.
OFFENSE
This is where most of the difference will be noticed about State. They have given up the traditional I-formation for the spread shotgun formation which they run all their plays from. They do return 9 starters from last year's offense, so they have plenty of experienced players on the field. Let's take a look at the QB situation for State, in which the Jackson State game saw both last year's starter Tyson Lee rotating out with Chris Relf in a game which State struggled during the first half but put it together the second half after Tyson Lee was forced to sit out with muscle spasms. These two quarterbacks are very different in look and what they seem to do. During the first half, when they equally split time at the position, Sr. Tyson Lee (listed at 5'10" & 200lbs) seemed to try and throw the ball more while throwing the ball 14 times compared to So. Chris Relf (listed at 6'3" 235lbs) only 3 attempts, so there is some big differences in the two physically and what Mullen intends for them to do. Of the two QB's, I'm much more concerned with what Relf can do with his feet when a passing play breaks down and the fact that State seemed to find rhythm in their offense when they were not switching QB's in every two series. State should also have Sr. 2nd Team Pre-season All-SEC running back Anthony Dixon back from suspension after a summer DUI caused him to miss the first game, and that will bolster and improve State's running attack much more from the Jackson State game in which three different backs played. State's leading WR from last year, Brandon McRae also returns to compliment the true freshman, Chad Bumphis who had 2 receiving TD's in the first game along with four offensive lineman, so this team does not lack in playing experience. I would look for this offense to try and run the ball on the outside and setup passing plays in which the QB will be looking to take off if something is not open downfield.
DEFENSE
Mississippi State lost seven players from a Defense that ranked close to last in the SEC in every stat except passing defense, so this figures to be a tough year for the Bulldogs. The defense did start out with a stellar performance led by 2nd Team preseason All-SEC LB Jamar Chaney in holding Jackson State to 7 points and less then 200 yards of total offense, but there is a big difference from playing someone in the SWAC as compared to someone in the SEC. Of the four returning starters, there is only one defensive lineman coming back, so stopping the run is going to be difficult for state. As for the secondary, State only returns one starter and that is Marcus Washington, all the other players in the secondary combine for 2 starts, so this will be an area of concern for the Bulldogs. In the first game, State lined up in a 4-3 defense and tried to use a lot of run blitzing to help stall out the Jackson State running game and I'm expecting them to try and do the same here. I would look for state to try and get Auburn to 3rd and longs and hope that they can force pressure on the QB by blitzing to create turnovers.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Mississippi State special teams were among the worst last season ranking near last in almost every category. Coach Mullen has personally took on the responsibility to try and personally take a big part in special teams himself while not assigning one specific coach responsible for it. With that said, Coach Mullen brought in the JUCO Punter Heath Hutchins and JUCO Placekicker Sean Brauchle to try and revamp this kicking game. During the first game, Brachle was 1/3 in Field Goal attempts while Hutchins has a much better day averaging 49 yards on his 2 punts. As for the Return game, Leon Berry seems to be the primary returner on both Kickoff's and Punt Returns. It is hard to determine how State is going to be with the new kickers, but I would love to be able to put some pressure on both of them and see how they handle it in their first hostile environment.
Mississippi State enters this game (1-0) under new Head Coach Dan Mullen after knocking off Jackson State last Saturday 45-7. It will mark the first SEC game as Head Coach for both Dan Mullen and Gene Chizik. Mississippi State will look much different than any Mississippi State team that I have seen in my lifetime with the change from the power running game to a Florida like spread attack, so getting a feel on this squad after only one game will be a tough task for the Auburn coaching staff. Let's take a closer look at Mississippi State's Offense, Defense & Special Teams.
OFFENSE
This is where most of the difference will be noticed about State. They have given up the traditional I-formation for the spread shotgun formation which they run all their plays from. They do return 9 starters from last year's offense, so they have plenty of experienced players on the field. Let's take a look at the QB situation for State, in which the Jackson State game saw both last year's starter Tyson Lee rotating out with Chris Relf in a game which State struggled during the first half but put it together the second half after Tyson Lee was forced to sit out with muscle spasms. These two quarterbacks are very different in look and what they seem to do. During the first half, when they equally split time at the position, Sr. Tyson Lee (listed at 5'10" & 200lbs) seemed to try and throw the ball more while throwing the ball 14 times compared to So. Chris Relf (listed at 6'3" 235lbs) only 3 attempts, so there is some big differences in the two physically and what Mullen intends for them to do. Of the two QB's, I'm much more concerned with what Relf can do with his feet when a passing play breaks down and the fact that State seemed to find rhythm in their offense when they were not switching QB's in every two series. State should also have Sr. 2nd Team Pre-season All-SEC running back Anthony Dixon back from suspension after a summer DUI caused him to miss the first game, and that will bolster and improve State's running attack much more from the Jackson State game in which three different backs played. State's leading WR from last year, Brandon McRae also returns to compliment the true freshman, Chad Bumphis who had 2 receiving TD's in the first game along with four offensive lineman, so this team does not lack in playing experience. I would look for this offense to try and run the ball on the outside and setup passing plays in which the QB will be looking to take off if something is not open downfield.
DEFENSE
Mississippi State lost seven players from a Defense that ranked close to last in the SEC in every stat except passing defense, so this figures to be a tough year for the Bulldogs. The defense did start out with a stellar performance led by 2nd Team preseason All-SEC LB Jamar Chaney in holding Jackson State to 7 points and less then 200 yards of total offense, but there is a big difference from playing someone in the SWAC as compared to someone in the SEC. Of the four returning starters, there is only one defensive lineman coming back, so stopping the run is going to be difficult for state. As for the secondary, State only returns one starter and that is Marcus Washington, all the other players in the secondary combine for 2 starts, so this will be an area of concern for the Bulldogs. In the first game, State lined up in a 4-3 defense and tried to use a lot of run blitzing to help stall out the Jackson State running game and I'm expecting them to try and do the same here. I would look for state to try and get Auburn to 3rd and longs and hope that they can force pressure on the QB by blitzing to create turnovers.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Mississippi State special teams were among the worst last season ranking near last in almost every category. Coach Mullen has personally took on the responsibility to try and personally take a big part in special teams himself while not assigning one specific coach responsible for it. With that said, Coach Mullen brought in the JUCO Punter Heath Hutchins and JUCO Placekicker Sean Brauchle to try and revamp this kicking game. During the first game, Brachle was 1/3 in Field Goal attempts while Hutchins has a much better day averaging 49 yards on his 2 punts. As for the Return game, Leon Berry seems to be the primary returner on both Kickoff's and Punt Returns. It is hard to determine how State is going to be with the new kickers, but I would love to be able to put some pressure on both of them and see how they handle it in their first hostile environment.
KEYS TO THE GAME FOR AUBURN
- Auburn needs to throw the ball down field and force State to abandon the blitz and play a more base defense in which the Tigers will have much more success running the ball against.
- Reduce the defensive penalties that extend drives.
- Contain the QB. Prevent him from making big plays with his legs, especially on 3rd and longs.
- Once again, eliminate turnovers.
NOTES OF INTEREST
- Auburn is 3-0 all-time in games played on Sept. 12th (my Birthday I might add), and has never surrendered a point on that date.
- Auburn has won 50 consecutive games when scoring 30 or more points in a game, dating back to the last loss occurring in 1996.
That's it for the Mississippi State preview. Please drop by the comment section and share your thoughts.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
1st Week Predictions
Every week Jay Skipworth, Michael McCoy and myself will be predicting all the sec games and giving a quick overview of what we think will happen with the Auburn Game. We will be keeping a tally to see who is the most accurate at the end of the season.
Michael McCoy's Picks:
Alabama vs Virginia Tech - Bama
Kentucky @ Miami (OH) - Kentucky
Western Kentucky @ Tennessee - Tennessee
Georgia @ Oklahoma State - Oklahoma State
Jackson State @ Mississippi State- Mississippi State
Charleston Southern @ Florida - Charleston Southern...I mean, Florida
Missouri State @ Arkansas - Arkansas
Western Carolina @ Vandy - Vandy
LSU @ Washington - LSU
USC @ N.C. State - South Carolina
Auburn-La. Tech:
The first game of the season always brings a lot of excitement and when you bring a new coaching staff into the equation, the excitement levels soar to an even higher level. But with a new coaching staff usually comes some growing pains, and against an experienced team like Louisiana Tech coming off an eight win season and a bowl win, Auburn won't just show up and win on Saturday, especially with Auburn's lack of depth. I expect a fairly comfortable Auburn win, but it will be something akin to last year's game against Southern Miss. I think we'll play really well on both sides of the ball at times, and at other times, not so well. I expect the team to come out energized and have the offense surging early with the defense feeding off that success, but then things will settle down a bit and the Bulldogs will do just enough to stay in the game without ever really jangling the nerves of Auburn fans. Look for the pace of Malzahn's offense to eventually wear down La Tech's defense, maybe culminating in a big play from somebody like Fannin or McCalebb to ice the game. I expect a solid, if unspectacular win to start off the Gene Chizik area.and leave Auburn fans optimistic about the future. I'll say Auburn 28 Louisiana Tech 17. War Eagle!
Jay Skipworth's Picks:
Alabama vs Virginia Tech - Bama
Kentucky @ Miami (OH) - Kentucky
Western Kentucky @ Tennessee - Tennessee
Georgia @ Oklahoma State - Oklahoma State
Jackson State @ Mississippi State- Jackson State
Charleston Southern @ Florida - Florida
Missouri State @ Arkansas - Arkansas
Western Carolina @ Vandy - Vandy
LSU @ Washington - LSU
USC @ N.C. State - South Carolina
La Tech @ Auburn
The La. Tech Bulldogs knocked off Mississippi State in last year's opener. Auburn fluttered and sputtered through a season that ended with a complete overhaul in the coaching staff. La. Tech is no world beater on offense. Auburn is dangerously thin on defense. Auburn should win this game but it will probably be close. Auburn 24 La. Tech 17.
Eddie McCoy's Picks
Michael McCoy's Picks:
Alabama vs Virginia Tech - Bama
Kentucky @ Miami (OH) - Kentucky
Western Kentucky @ Tennessee - Tennessee
Georgia @ Oklahoma State - Oklahoma State
Jackson State @ Mississippi State- Mississippi State
Charleston Southern @ Florida - Charleston Southern...I mean, Florida
Missouri State @ Arkansas - Arkansas
Western Carolina @ Vandy - Vandy
LSU @ Washington - LSU
USC @ N.C. State - South Carolina
Auburn-La. Tech:
The first game of the season always brings a lot of excitement and when you bring a new coaching staff into the equation, the excitement levels soar to an even higher level. But with a new coaching staff usually comes some growing pains, and against an experienced team like Louisiana Tech coming off an eight win season and a bowl win, Auburn won't just show up and win on Saturday, especially with Auburn's lack of depth. I expect a fairly comfortable Auburn win, but it will be something akin to last year's game against Southern Miss. I think we'll play really well on both sides of the ball at times, and at other times, not so well. I expect the team to come out energized and have the offense surging early with the defense feeding off that success, but then things will settle down a bit and the Bulldogs will do just enough to stay in the game without ever really jangling the nerves of Auburn fans. Look for the pace of Malzahn's offense to eventually wear down La Tech's defense, maybe culminating in a big play from somebody like Fannin or McCalebb to ice the game. I expect a solid, if unspectacular win to start off the Gene Chizik area.and leave Auburn fans optimistic about the future. I'll say Auburn 28 Louisiana Tech 17. War Eagle!
Jay Skipworth's Picks:
Alabama vs Virginia Tech - Bama
Kentucky @ Miami (OH) - Kentucky
Western Kentucky @ Tennessee - Tennessee
Georgia @ Oklahoma State - Oklahoma State
Jackson State @ Mississippi State- Jackson State
Charleston Southern @ Florida - Florida
Missouri State @ Arkansas - Arkansas
Western Carolina @ Vandy - Vandy
LSU @ Washington - LSU
USC @ N.C. State - South Carolina
La Tech @ Auburn
The La. Tech Bulldogs knocked off Mississippi State in last year's opener. Auburn fluttered and sputtered through a season that ended with a complete overhaul in the coaching staff. La. Tech is no world beater on offense. Auburn is dangerously thin on defense. Auburn should win this game but it will probably be close. Auburn 24 La. Tech 17.
Eddie McCoy's Picks
Alabama vs Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech
Kentucky @ Miami (OH) - Kentucky
Western Kentucky @Tennessee - Tennessee
Georgia @ Oklahoma State - Oklahoma State
Jackson State @ Mississippi State- Mississippi State
Charleston Southern @ Florida - Florida
Missouri State @ Arkansas - Arkansas
Western Carolina @ Vandy - Vandy
LSU @ Washington - LSU
USC @ N.C. State - NC State
La Tech @ Auburn:
I see this game being won in the trenches and I like Auburn to be able to control both. I've studied this game and looked at all the stats and this game just favors Auburn too much. On offense, I believe Auburn is going to show more of a vertical passing game than most expect that will ultimately open up the running game. La Tech was one of the nation's worst passing defenses and at times on Saturday night will only have 2 returning starters to defend the pass and I believe that could spell doom for the Bulldogs from Louisiana. On Defense, Auburn will have to stop the run. If Auburn can shut La Tech's running game down and force them to make plays thru the air, I really like Auburn's odds. This game is to not be taken lightly, as Mississippi State found out last season when it turned the ball over 5 times and lost, but I like Auburn to cruise to a much easier victory than most expect. I like Auburn to win 38-17.
There is our look at the first week of SEC action. You can also find a more detailed game by game preivew from Jay Skipworth in his weekly BC Column which you can find at the link below. Please share your Auburn Predictions in our comment section.
http://blogcritics.org/sports/article/sec-week-one-preview/
War Eagle!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Auburn Football Insider Podcast Live Tonight
Please join my brother, Michael McCoy as he subs for Jay Skipworth once more, and myself from 8-9PM CST for tonight's edition of the Auburn Football Insider Podcast. We are going to discuss the latest news in Auburn football, breaking down the upcoming game and I have another rant that you must tune in for.
We appreciate all that have and continue to listen to us either live or by downloading it thru either Itunes or Blog Talk Radio's website. Our numbers have climbed to over 300 downloads per week on Blog Talk Radio alone and we appreciate all the support. If you have a chance, go to Itunes and rate the show and leave feedback if you can. There is also a newly created fan page on Facebook, so be sure to search the show there and join other fans of the show.
I aslo encourage any of those that listen live, to call in and be part of the show. Our call-in number for the show is 646-649-1890, or if you have any questions, please email them to me at
eddie@auburnfootballinsider.com and we will address them on the show.
Follow the below link to listen to the show live:
Thanks again and War Eagle!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Gene Chizik, Auburn Need a Definitive Win in Season Opener
By Jay Skipworth
There's been a lot of talk amongst the Auburn fan base since Gene Chizik was named the new head coach for the Tigers in mid December.
There are detractors who hoped for another choice. They lobbied, protested, and voiced complaints in various forms. There are the ardent supporters - several former Auburn players in the NFL who were a part of the 2004 undefeated season that helped launch Chizik into a higher profile job at Texas. Many were excited by Chizik's staff which consists of many name assistants from around the country (Gus Malzhan, Trooper Taylor, Tracy Rocker, Curtis Luper to name a few). Finally, there are the supremely cautious - those who are not sure what will become of a program that was a consistent winner over the past few years, 2008 excluded.
Will this Malzhan spread work like the Franklin spread? Chizik and company have been very careful to call what Malzhan runs "spread" after the bitter taste left behind from last year's offense which struggled to produce 17.3 points per game and finished ranked 104 out of 119 teams in total offense. The quarterback race was ended with the tabbing of senior Chris Todd (86/156, 903 yds., 5 TD, 6 INT in 2008) and Kodi Burns move to part-time receiver/part-time single wing QB. Additionally, reports from closed scrimmages have touted some young players who figure to be a big part of the offensive puzzle (RB Onterio McCalebb, WRs DeAngelo Benton and Darvin Adams). Will this Malzhan offense work the way it did the last two years at Tulsa where the Golden Hurricane ranked near the top of the country in scoring for two seasons? This was top among Auburn problems from last year - too many three downs and out which wore out a defense over the slog of an always tough SEC schedule.
After Franklin was dismissed early in the season, the biggest problem was an almost total lack of identity for the Tigers offense as the season progressed. There were few adjustments between quarters or halves of football and by the end of the year it is safe to say no opponent feared Auburn. Part of this was due to staff disunity about the offense and part was due to a team without a clear leader or plan of attack. The difference this year is that the entire staff and system are new and there are reports of more "buy in" from the assistant coaches and players than last year. Will that translate to improved production? It should, but remains to be seen until kickoff. Auburn needs play makers to step up and needs to show potential recruits that this offense is something they want to be a part of in order maintain any level of consistent success in the coming years.
What about the severe lack of depth at key positions on both sides of the ball? Perhaps no position on the team has as bleak an outlook than the linebacker corps. Auburn, a team which has produced numerous NFL-caliber players from this position, enters the season with two experienced starters, one highly-touted (however, currently injured) recruit, and a small group of young guys to play the middle of the field. Defensive Coordinator Ted Roof has talked of playing a lot of nickel and dime (five and six defensive back formation) this season. If this was the Big 12, that wouldn't be a terrible plan considering the amount of time almost every team spends in spread formations. However, in the SEC, every team - even Florida - has a power running game of some sort in its arsenal. Auburn will have to come up with answers if there is hope of improving last season's record. The coaching staff is working to address these needs with three linebackers already committed and others targeted. Holding serve with a lack of talent will say a lot to recruits about the coaching acumen of this staff.
So, what is to expect of the new-look Auburn Tigers as they prepare to open the season at home against Louisiana Tech? I posit that Auburn needs to win big in the opener. What's so special about La. Tech you ask? Well, they aren't world beaters, but they did beat SEC West foe Mississippi State in the opener of 2008 and they return 16 starters from that team for this year. They have a quality running game and they can be opportunistic with turnovers on defense. Those elements mean it won't be easy for Auburn to blow away the Bulldogs in the season opener. The Tigers need a balanced offensive effort coupled with a good showing by a young defense in order to do it. And, yes, Auburn needs to throw the kitchen sink at this team and post a decisive win. In doing so, this new staff can quiet some of the critics, bring more unity to the fan base, and make a statement to potential recruits and opponents that the new era of Auburn football is trending upward.
There's been a lot of talk amongst the Auburn fan base since Gene Chizik was named the new head coach for the Tigers in mid December.
There are detractors who hoped for another choice. They lobbied, protested, and voiced complaints in various forms. There are the ardent supporters - several former Auburn players in the NFL who were a part of the 2004 undefeated season that helped launch Chizik into a higher profile job at Texas. Many were excited by Chizik's staff which consists of many name assistants from around the country (Gus Malzhan, Trooper Taylor, Tracy Rocker, Curtis Luper to name a few). Finally, there are the supremely cautious - those who are not sure what will become of a program that was a consistent winner over the past few years, 2008 excluded.
Will this Malzhan spread work like the Franklin spread? Chizik and company have been very careful to call what Malzhan runs "spread" after the bitter taste left behind from last year's offense which struggled to produce 17.3 points per game and finished ranked 104 out of 119 teams in total offense. The quarterback race was ended with the tabbing of senior Chris Todd (86/156, 903 yds., 5 TD, 6 INT in 2008) and Kodi Burns move to part-time receiver/part-time single wing QB. Additionally, reports from closed scrimmages have touted some young players who figure to be a big part of the offensive puzzle (RB Onterio McCalebb, WRs DeAngelo Benton and Darvin Adams). Will this Malzhan offense work the way it did the last two years at Tulsa where the Golden Hurricane ranked near the top of the country in scoring for two seasons? This was top among Auburn problems from last year - too many three downs and out which wore out a defense over the slog of an always tough SEC schedule.
After Franklin was dismissed early in the season, the biggest problem was an almost total lack of identity for the Tigers offense as the season progressed. There were few adjustments between quarters or halves of football and by the end of the year it is safe to say no opponent feared Auburn. Part of this was due to staff disunity about the offense and part was due to a team without a clear leader or plan of attack. The difference this year is that the entire staff and system are new and there are reports of more "buy in" from the assistant coaches and players than last year. Will that translate to improved production? It should, but remains to be seen until kickoff. Auburn needs play makers to step up and needs to show potential recruits that this offense is something they want to be a part of in order maintain any level of consistent success in the coming years.
What about the severe lack of depth at key positions on both sides of the ball? Perhaps no position on the team has as bleak an outlook than the linebacker corps. Auburn, a team which has produced numerous NFL-caliber players from this position, enters the season with two experienced starters, one highly-touted (however, currently injured) recruit, and a small group of young guys to play the middle of the field. Defensive Coordinator Ted Roof has talked of playing a lot of nickel and dime (five and six defensive back formation) this season. If this was the Big 12, that wouldn't be a terrible plan considering the amount of time almost every team spends in spread formations. However, in the SEC, every team - even Florida - has a power running game of some sort in its arsenal. Auburn will have to come up with answers if there is hope of improving last season's record. The coaching staff is working to address these needs with three linebackers already committed and others targeted. Holding serve with a lack of talent will say a lot to recruits about the coaching acumen of this staff.
So, what is to expect of the new-look Auburn Tigers as they prepare to open the season at home against Louisiana Tech? I posit that Auburn needs to win big in the opener. What's so special about La. Tech you ask? Well, they aren't world beaters, but they did beat SEC West foe Mississippi State in the opener of 2008 and they return 16 starters from that team for this year. They have a quality running game and they can be opportunistic with turnovers on defense. Those elements mean it won't be easy for Auburn to blow away the Bulldogs in the season opener. The Tigers need a balanced offensive effort coupled with a good showing by a young defense in order to do it. And, yes, Auburn needs to throw the kitchen sink at this team and post a decisive win. In doing so, this new staff can quiet some of the critics, bring more unity to the fan base, and make a statement to potential recruits and opponents that the new era of Auburn football is trending upward.
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