Abuurn . . . GET FIRED UP!

Looking at some of AU's tendencies, reminds me a bit of Willie's days in Athens, and one reason he was short lived at Oklahoma.

Unless AU defensive backs change overnight, we can make a lot of yards throwing underneath. Should be a great evening for our tightends and swing passes, not to mention of course our running game.

They play some man and would not be surprised to see more of it, howver when AM comes to the line he should have a good feel for WM's Tampa Two methods, hard to disguise. Mike Bobo and AM should do well in the play calling area. Crossed fingers.

BVG, don't think he has any choice but to try and pressure AM. We do know that BVG likes active linebackers on the rush. Get the ball out of your hands AM, short passes over the middle and sideline short passes will drive WM nuts, and from WM's time in Athens, we know he really does not adjust well to any change. This could be the game that sends WM back to high school football at best.

If our team enters this game ready to play, we have the talent and experience to disappoint a lot of folks in the stadium. Stadium should be half empty by halftime if we play up to our ability. Some say this is a trap game. It is only a trap if the Red and Black are not prepared to play. Plain and simple in my mind.

Edit: Read this article early this morning. Good cause for many to think that AU is in for a rough outing. Appears that their quarterback will try and run some . . . . these two could make it very dangerous for him.

bleacherreport.com/articles/1402011-geor...ins-and-jarvis-jones

Rather than post a link, copied and will paste this article.

AUBURN -- In his first season, defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder waded through inconsistency.

Some games, his defense allowed oodles of yards. Other games, it was ripped on the scoreboard.

Sometimes, both got ugly.

In his first year as an SEC defensive coordinator — as a member of the 2001 Georgia football staff — VanGorder said there was no shortage of changes needed.

“That was a situation where we really had to change the culture of defense there,” VanGorder said. “It was kind of built around an offensive situation under coach (Jim) Donnan — no disrespect meant, in regards to that — but they just hadn't played the same type of defense that maybe the personnel indicated that you could. It was rough. We had a few tough games, some high-yardage games.”

Auburn will host No. 5 Georgia at 6 p.m. Saturday inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. It will be the first time VanGorder plays the team he used to coach, spending 2001-04 as the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator.

VanGorder didn’t spend much time this week discussing how special it will be for him personally, but he credited Georgia coach Mark Richt for giving him his “first real break” as a coach. Before Georgia, VanGorder toiled in small college football.

“It was just such a fantastic time in my life,” VanGorder said. “I certainly am aware of all that, but I've also been in it long enough that I know when the whistle blows to start the game on Saturday night that it's a ballgame. It's a thinking man's game, and it's an emotional game, and that'll really be the focus.”

As VanGorder prepared for Georgia this week, he was reminded of that first season with the Bulldogs. His description sounded similar to the challenges he’s faced this fall at Auburn.

In reality, this has been much worse.

That Georgia team finished 8-4, winning its final three regular-season games to clinch a berth in the Music City Bowl. The Bulldogs defense allowed 19 points per game — 16th out of 117 Division I teams — and gave up about 67 fewer yards per game than Auburn has in 2012.

Also, nobody scored 63 points on Georgia that season.

“It seems to me about the seventh game of the year we started to gain the consistency and confidence,” VanGorder said. “And then by the end of the year, we were playing pretty solid ball. I think that team was 17th in the nation in scoring defense. We had some good players that played in the NFL for a long time.

“We had talent, but the culture change was really the tough part of the first year.”

With the exception of the 63 points Texas A&M scored against Auburn, VanGorder thought his current defense was making similar midseason improvements.

A year ago, Auburn allowed at least 30 points seven times. This season, it has happened only twice.

Still, VanGorder said the process of molding Auburn’s defense to meet his expectations has been hard.

“It's been difficult to continually push to them the idea of polishing their tools and learning their trade and ultimately executing the way you need to execute to be great,” VanGorder said. “But emotionally you're dealing with so many things, losing ball games and moments of bad play, critical plays in a game where we didn't get the job done. It's always hard when you're battling a losing season with some of the emotional pieces that kind of go along with it.”

If Auburn can get a win against Georgia, it will need a strong defensive effort. The Bulldogs offense is balanced and explosive, with quarterback Aaron Murray directing a deep group of receivers and aided by two freshmen running backs that haven’t struggled adjusting to the SEC.

VanGorder said he hasn’t discussed his past this week with current players. Junior defensive tackle Jeff Whitaker said it was obvious this game has special meaning for his coordinator, both for personal history and the continued need to develop Auburn’s defense for the future.

“Coach VanGorder’s always intense,” Whitaker said. “But you can just hear, you can just know that the intensity — just calling blitzes and this and that — that he is ready to get this one.”

Interesting take from Buck Belue below. Seems most of us are on the same page.

Buck Belue said:

This might be the worst season ever for Auburn. The Tigers look like they will go 0-8 in the SEC. Ouch. That stinks, especially with Alabama over there undefeated and #1.
On offense, Auburn is as one dimensional as any team in CF. Can't throw it. All they can do is run it. And they have a true freshman QB, making his 2nd career start. Can't imagine that Tiger OC Scott Loeffler is having much fun these days. Auburn's QB play has been brutal.
Look for Grantham to play aggressively. Move Jarvis Jones around, trying to free him up. Crowd the LOS, with 8 in the box, trying to stop the run. Run blitz, trying to blow run plays up, on their side of the ball. Get after Tre Mason and Onterio McCalebb. Hit this young QB.
Auburn's O-Line is obviously an issue for the Tigers too. Real young. Playing freshmen, not named Theus. Slade is a soph. Robinson a RF. Miller a true freshman. This is a group paying some dues. Not a good combination: young O-Line and a young QB.
Can Wallace hurt Georgia throwing it? Maybe once or twice. Get lucky and hit a deep one. Frustrating season for the Auburn WR's Blake & Stallworth. Can't get the ball in space.
Auburn's defense just hasn't been able to stop the run. And that's death in the SEC. Issues tackling. The Tigers are allowing 200 yards a game rushing and 4.8 yards a carry. And they are overly-agressive against play-action. Georgia's offense should have a big night.
Get Gurley cranked up. Get Marshall some carries. Get some 2nd level, combo blocks working. And then, play-action shots from Murray to TK & Malcolm. Sure enjoyed seeing Coach Bobo spread the field and let Murray throw it around, in the 2nd half against Ole Miss. Worked extremely well. It's our balance on offense that makes us so tough to defend.
I like the 'Dogs big. Something like 35-17.

Picked this quote up from another site, and as many know, I have been and remain a supporter of Will Friend. Couple more additions in the pits and UGA might regain their rightful place in college football . . . .


Theus credited offensive line coach Will Friend with assisting him in the transition from The Bolles School in Jacksonville to playing every week in the SEC.

"He's everything I expected. He's a hard-nosed guy on the field but he's also a great teacher, especially in the film room," Theus said. "He instructs you and he helps me fix what I need to fix and if he's sees something I'm doing wrong he'll tell me. We have a great relationship and he's really helped me come along and I think that's shown. He's a great guy off the field too, he's really helped and he's a great coach."

Tomorrow (Saturday) have my eyes on Garrison Smith #56. Against Ole Miss, Garrison played grown man football, from where I sit, Mr. Smith is all that, and we have him coming back next season. Real deal in my opinion. #29 and #59 will reap the benefits of #56. Jenkins and Geathers are a "huge part" and it is appreciated, but Smith is bad to the bone now that he is the man. Some offensive lineman is going to have his hands full with Garrison. Love matchups.

I don't get too caught up in players talking about their coaches. Many of his players
will also praise Willie Martinez if you ask them about him.

I admit I don't know enough about W Friend outside of his time here to judge him
on anything other than what has happened here, and we all know we have had O-line
problems for awhile now.

I hope he gets the athletes he needs to accomplish what we need accomplished in
this area, if the players have been the problem.