The Ill-Prepared and Excused: AU Offensive Decline

What has been the biggest difference between the Auburn offense of 2010 and the Auburn offense of 2011?

Is it youth and inexperience across the offensive line? Is it general lack of offensive team chemistry?

Or…

Is it the simple fact that Kiehl Frazier, Clint Moseley, and Barrett Trotter combined are not good enough to carry Cam Newton’s jockstrap?

The offensive genius known as Gus Malzahn now looks very pedestrian without his prized possession and arguably one of the best players in the history of college football.

Cam Newton, the man who vaulted Malzahn to the “next big thing” in coaching circles, and seemingly carried the Auburn offense (and defense) through more escapes than Harry Houdini, is now a star with the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League.

Former Genius and Perennial Stooge

For the first time since the 2009 campaign, Gene Chizik has been asked to coach, while Malzahn has been asked to turn “quarterback mediocrity” into “quarterback efficiency” rather than being served individual superiority on a platter without having to develop talent, i.e. Newton.

As the 2011 season draws to a close it has become very clear that Auburn wasn’t prepared for life without Cam Newton…and didn’t care.

The AU coaching staff achieved what they desired last season while virtually conceding (going through the coaching motions) the 2011 campaign to the media clichéd “rebuilding” tag.

Want proof of the media “rebuilding” tag? How many times have we all heard the following during an Auburn football telecast by a commentator and/or analyst?

Auburn Win:
Gene Chizik has done an incredible job with such young talent.

Auburn Loss:
Well…Auburn is a very young football team.

When you have “media apologists” at your disposal, a win is declared a milestone and a loss is dismissed, excused, and expected.

As for the fans, the vast majority of “family members” have been (and will continue to be) more than happy to “justify” poor overall play on both sides of the ball (in most all facets) in order to bask in the glow of the school’s first national title in over 50 years.

Auburn Offensive Statistics of Note

PASSING

RECEIVING

RUSHING

Triple-Option Trouble: 'Bama 45 Georgia Southern 21

Trent Richardson rushed for a game-high 175 yards and two touchdowns as the Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the pesky Georgia Southern Eagles by the score of 45-21.

In a game where “style points” were at a premium, the Alabama defense allowed 341 total yards to the No. 3 team in the FCS.

The Eagles, who ran the triple-option to perfection, kept the Crimson Tide defense confused and guessing for the entire game.

GSU running back Dominique Swope garnered 153 yards and one touchdown against the vaunted Alabama defense, and became only the 10th running back since 2005 to rush for over 100 yards against the Tide.

Collecting 21-points on the afternoon, GSU became the first team to score more than 14-points against Alabama in 2011.

While the Alabama defense had difficulty against the triple-option, the Tide offense was solid.

Other than the aforementioned Richardson, Tide quarterback AJ McCarron completed 14-of-19 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns.

Senior tight end Brad Smelley was on the receiving end of two touchdowns and earned 58 receiving yards on four receptions.

Alabama accumulated 462 yards of total offense against the Eagles.

Injuries/Ailments

-Defensive lineman Jesse Williams suffered food poisoning on Friday night.

-Safety Will Lowery sustained a knee injury against GSU prompting Nick Saban to later say…”it doesn’t look promising.”

Crimson Tide Superlatives

-Running back Trent Richardson set a new school record for the most rushing touchdowns in a single season. The Heisman hopeful surpassed Shaun Alexander’s prior mark of 19.

-The Alabama senior class officially set the school record for most wins obtained by a senior class. Victory No. 46 broke the old mark of 45 set by the senior class of 1994.

GSU/Alabama Team Stats

Crimson Notes 11/16/11

Initial Meeting

Saturday’s contest with the Georgia Southern Eagles will mark the first encounter between GSU and 'Bama on the gridiron.

Senior Class Record

From 1991-94 the Alabama senior class won a grand total of 45 games. With a victory over Georgia Southern the 2011 senior class (2008-11) will obtain win No. 46, establishing a new Alabama school record.

14 or Less

You have to go back to the 1974 Oklahoma Sooners (national champs) in order to find a team who finished the entire season without allowing more than 14 points in a single game.

The Alabama Crimson Tide have achieved that level of success on all 10 occasions thus far in 2011 and show no signs of defensive corrosion.

In what has become arguably the best Alabama defense in 50 years, records continue to be approached…and records continue to be broken.

Roll Eagles Roll: GSU the “Alabama” of FCS

If University of Alabama football is considered the pinnacle of tradition, the Georgia Southern Eagles are the “Alabama” of FCS (I-AA) competition.

GSU has one of the most impressive resumes of any college football program in the nation, and it includes six FCS national championships and nine Southern Conference titles. The ninth SoCon title was clinched on Saturday following a 31-10 victory over the Wofford Terriers.

From the basic uniforms, to the triple-option offense, the GSU Eagles represent vintage college football while playing in a flamboyant modern era.

FCS Supremacy vs. FBS Supremacy

Georgia Southern Triple-Option

Defending the triple-option is based on discipline and responsibility.

Predicated to do nothing more but force the defense to make a mental mistake and/or “bust” in personnel responsibility, the triple-option is one of the most time-honored and effective offensive systems in the history of college football.

Triple-Option Shotgun

-Former head coach Paul Johnson (1997-2001) introduced the triple-option at GSU before taking the head coaching job at Navy in 2002. Johnson has been the head coach at Georgia Tech since 2008.

-Current GSU head coach Jeff Monken, a longtime assistant under Johnson, reinstalled the triple-option attack when he was hired by the Eagles prior to the 2010 campaign.

Triple-Option Motion (Rare Pass Play)

Fake to "Motion Man" and Running Back

1-Option "A" and "B" Wide Receivers

2-"Motion Man" (bottom left) is "C" Safety Valve