John raised the following six questions. Here they are, along with my responses. --Van
1) Which position concerns you the most as we sit here 15 days before the opener??
It has to be the entire Offensive Line. If they don't do their jobs, the RBs won't accomplish much, Brandon will get crushed, and we'll be looking at Blake Field handing off to the 5th string RB by mid-season.
2) What position are you least concerned about?
Tight End. Because even the DL, as good as it should be, still has question marks. As great as Groves is (and can be), he takes plays and games off. Or has in the past...
3) Which unproven player are you putting the most faith / trust in to play well?
Whomever our field goal kicker turns out to be. Punter, too. We simply MUST trust that whichever young kid gets those jobs, they'll come through. If not, we should just pack it in now!
4) Which one game scares you the most (which is the highest chance of a loss)?
When you combine the "road game" factor, the "talent" factor, and the "#2 in the rankings" factor, there can't really be any other answer than LSU. But I think all four of our away games will be tough-- and each one will be uniquely tough. Here's why:
At Florida: Always incredibly difficult to win at Florida Field. And they want revenge.
At Arkansas: They seem to always have our number, in a way other teams of their caliber do not.
At Georgia: Some are tapping them as the "surprise" team in the East. While we usually do well in Athens, they should be loaded this year. And they took us down last year.
5) What one difference do you want to see out of this year’s offense?
Being able to complete long passes downfield. In the 2004 season, that was the one big difference over all of our previous years since 1981-- when we needed it, Jason could uncork a bomb to Devin or Ben. In 2005, with the same crowd of WRs, Cox could do it (or do it well enough). But last year, not so much. It really reduced our options.
I'd also like to see us getting back to our old, unpredictable playcalling and trick plays. Screen passes, reverses, halfback passes, TE blocking, then slipping out into a pattern, etc etc!!!
6) Who is the one Auburn player that will isn’t well known now but will make a big national name for himself this year?
Probably someone in the secondary, to be honest. We always seem to have a little bit of a vulnerability there (Carlos Rogers excepted). If someone can step up and make interceptions and stop WRs, they'll be well-known like CR was, by the end of the year.
Beyond that, maybe Mario Fannin or one of the linebackers....
1) Which position concerns you the most as we sit here 15 days before the opener??
It has to be the entire Offensive Line. If they don't do their jobs, the RBs won't accomplish much, Brandon will get crushed, and we'll be looking at Blake Field handing off to the 5th string RB by mid-season.
2) What position are you least concerned about?
Tight End. Because even the DL, as good as it should be, still has question marks. As great as Groves is (and can be), he takes plays and games off. Or has in the past...
3) Which unproven player are you putting the most faith / trust in to play well?
Whomever our field goal kicker turns out to be. Punter, too. We simply MUST trust that whichever young kid gets those jobs, they'll come through. If not, we should just pack it in now!
4) Which one game scares you the most (which is the highest chance of a loss)?
When you combine the "road game" factor, the "talent" factor, and the "#2 in the rankings" factor, there can't really be any other answer than LSU. But I think all four of our away games will be tough-- and each one will be uniquely tough. Here's why:
At Florida: Always incredibly difficult to win at Florida Field. And they want revenge.
At Arkansas: They seem to always have our number, in a way other teams of their caliber do not.
At Georgia: Some are tapping them as the "surprise" team in the East. While we usually do well in Athens, they should be loaded this year. And they took us down last year.
5) What one difference do you want to see out of this year’s offense?
Being able to complete long passes downfield. In the 2004 season, that was the one big difference over all of our previous years since 1981-- when we needed it, Jason could uncork a bomb to Devin or Ben. In 2005, with the same crowd of WRs, Cox could do it (or do it well enough). But last year, not so much. It really reduced our options.
I'd also like to see us getting back to our old, unpredictable playcalling and trick plays. Screen passes, reverses, halfback passes, TE blocking, then slipping out into a pattern, etc etc!!!
6) Who is the one Auburn player that will isn’t well known now but will make a big national name for himself this year?
Probably someone in the secondary, to be honest. We always seem to have a little bit of a vulnerability there (Carlos Rogers excepted). If someone can step up and make interceptions and stop WRs, they'll be well-known like CR was, by the end of the year.
Beyond that, maybe Mario Fannin or one of the linebackers....
posted by Van Allen Plexico at 6:43 AM
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