Sunday Morning QB- We’re Number 1 Edition

Oct 11, 2014; Starkville, MS, USA; Auburn Tigers wide receiver D

1. I’ve waited all my life to say were are the best team in the country. And we are. We were up 21-0 on the #2 team in the country before they could blink. The game at that point was really over. Auburn played their butt off and fought back some- but it was really over at that point. I knew there was no way in hell we were going to lose a 21 point lead. Not this football team.

2. GameDay was awesome. Chris Fowler had to address the crowd shortly before going on the air and said that this was by far the loudest Gameday they had ever had- and they may have to get the fans to tone it down just a little. How awesome is that? Not to mention, we had a current, relevant sports star alum as the guest picker. We didn’t have to resort to begging for GameDay for 20 years and getting a pop singer who happened to be in the next town over. Excellent job by our fans- it was insane there.

3. A big shout out to Little34 #2. He is 3 years old and he was a trooper yesterday. We stopped at the Lodge and bought him his 1st cowbell- it had to be the white one because his brother’s is maroon. Then, we had to park over a mile from the stadium due to the insane amount of people in Starkville and he walked most of the way to the tent. He tailgated- holding his new cowbell in his hand the whole time- he wouldn’t give it up for one second. Then, he walked half the way to the stadium from the tailgate thru the crowd. He climbed the steps by himself to get to his seat, still clenching his new cowbell in that left hand. He stood there yelling, high-fiving people around him, and ringing that little cowbell until mid-4th Q when his tired, little body finally just went limp. It was easily one of the more impressive effort’s of the day. You would have never thought it was his 1st game- he looked like a veteran.

4. The Scoreboard Club is awesome and came in handy with the rain. I urge everyone to watch a game from there if you get the chance sometime. It also gives you a great view of the game from behind.

5. I was shocked to see that we only threw 35 passes yesterday. Sitting there at the game it felt like we threw 55 passes and ran the ball about 15 times. I have to watch the replay when I get home to check some things- but I was not happy with the play-calling yesterday. We were wayyyy too impatient with the offense. But in Mullen’s defense, they were stemming a good bit and sliding the Safeties up in the box- daring us to throw it. Sometimes though- you have to just remember who you are and do it anyway. Not Crooms hardheaded level- but stubborn enough to impose your will and not be impatient

6. Auburn’s DL is pretty good. They gave us some problems. On some of our runs we were releasing some guys a little early on the zone plays before the next guy had gotten leverage. We had some confusion upfront. But I will say it’s great to watch a guy like Beckwith. He pulled left on one play and got up in the hole- he immediately looked inside as he is taught to do to look for the Mike- who wasn’t there. So he quickly turned his head outside and just caught enough of the outside LB sliding in trying to make the play. That bump he got on the outside LB was just enough to spring the ball carrier for a big gain. I mention this because younger linemen won’t think to look outside- they will stand there and think they just need to wait on someone to come from the middle as they are taught to do. Had Beckwith done that and not turned out block the outside LB- it would have just been a 3-4 yard gain and not a big play.

7. Bear Wilson is a man and a 3 year college player. We need to target him more. Big plays- throw it Wilson. 4th down- throw it to Wilson in space. That CB was over-matched on the big 4th down and all he could do was interfere. He is figuring it out and he is a load. The bigger the games get, the more targets he needs. He is a weapon.

8. Our 5 wide set is so much more dangerous now with Dakota in there as opposed to Tyler Russell. The pass threat makes it tough on the defense as it is- but now that we have the run threat that Prescott is- defenses are just put in a tough ass situation. Teams have to match-up with the WR’s and also account for Dakota. What are you going to do? Go man underneath with a single safety- leaving 5 in the box so that Prescott runs it? Do you lock up man- no safety- and bring pressure???? If you do, that leaves Wilson 1 on 1 for big play potential. Not to mention pressure failing to get to Prescott and he splits the DL for a big run. I’m loving our 5-wide package right now- and it’s only going to get better.

9. Our DL was gassed yesterday in the 4th Q. I saw PJ’s ass just stand up and push a couple of times- he was spent. PJ played well and he played hard yesterday, dont get me wrong. But late in the 4th he had no legs hardly on a few plays. He wasn’t the only one though. Our front battled all game long- but they got tired. Eulls is a glue guy. He wont ever put up big stats, but we couldn’t make it without him this year. He just does a good job. Lunch pail guy. Glad to see Preston get that sack finally on Marshall- he had been so close all day.

10. D did a great job of recognition. We actually diagnosed one play too well and Auburn got about 30 yards when Marshall improvised on it. We are coached so well on D- and then we have coaches on the field like the Brown brothers, Hughes, Eulls….it’s just fun to watch those guys.

11. Will Redmond was worth everything that happened. He made himself some money yesterday and climbed a round- maybe two in the draft. He was the difference a lot of times. Just doing a great job of putting him on the other team’s best WR and letting him work right now. Redmond vs Cooper is going to be a great battle. I’m curious to see what Kiffin is going to try to do to get Redmond off of Cooper. Fun battle within the game to watch “game within the game” if you will.

12. Off week is here at a great time. 3 big game stretch- now we get time to heal and come off our high. We’ll have time to do interviews but not pressed to get ready for our next opponent just yet. Things are going to get crazy after we dispose of Kentucky, UPig, and that little bunch from Tennessee. 9-0 headed to Bama for another GameDay and huge exposure. I can’t wait. The He15man talk will just grow and grow leading up to that day.

13. Enjoy being the best team in the country Bulldogs- we deserve it. And we didn’t even storm the field after the biggest win the state of Mississippi has ever seen. Act like you have been there before.