Why We Should Worry

[Townhallsavoy]

I read an article on cfbnews.com that mentioned our schedule being one of the easiest in the country.  I decided to take a closer look and noticed how that assessment is not only wrong but potentially the opposite.  

@Miss State
- Road game on a Thursday night.
- The Bulldogs took LSU and Florida to the wire last year.
- Dan Mullen will improve their offense, with which our defense if not fixed will struggle.

Clemson
- Returns 13 starters including quarterback, 4 offensive linemen, and pass rushing nightmare Da'Quan Bowers.
- Jamie Harper is a suitable replacement for CJ Spiller.  
- Dabo Sweeney coached his team to an almost-ACC championship.  They can only be expected to improve.  

South Carolina
- Returns 19 starters including quarterback, future first round WR Alshon Jeffery, and 4 offensive linemen.  
- Adds Marcus Lattimore, the #1 running back prospect on Rivals.  

@Kentucky
- Returns Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke on offense. Both are game changers.  
- Returns Micah Johnson at linebacker.
- Numerous seniors.
- Our team seems to go to sleep playing Kentucky.

Arkansas
- Ryan Mallet is a heisman contender and possibly the best quarterback in the NCAA next season.
- Returns 9 offensive starters...10 if you like Wingo as the best running back on the team last year.  
- Defense is reportedly improved, but we'll need to see evidence of that.

LSU
- Rivalry game.
- Returns quarterback.
- Top recruiting classes taking starting roles.
- Patrick Peterson - best cornerback in the NCAA.  

@Ole Miss
- Stable of good running backs.
- Good foundation on defense.
- Houston Nutt always seems to perform well when expected not to.

Georgia
- Returns two good running backs and the nation's best receiver.
- Richt will be trying to save his job.
- Rivalry game.

@Alabama
- Defending national champions with two top recruiting classes filling in most starting roles.
- Returns 9 starters on offense.
- Saban is considered be one of the best defensives minds in the game, which aides in fixing inexperience on defense.
- Heisman winner at running back with tremendous talent with 2nd string.  
- Rivalry game.  

Highly unlikely, but if the ball doesn't bounce our way, that's potentially 9 losses.  

[Lurking Tiger]

I read an article on cfbnews.com that mentioned our schedule being one of the easiest in the country.  I decided to take a closer look and noticed how that assessment is not only wrong but potentially the opposite.  

@Miss State
- Road game on a Thursday night.
- The Bulldogs took LSU and Florida to the wire last year.
- Dan Mullen will improve their offense, with which our defense if not fixed will struggle.
Dan Mullen is a horrible head coach. He doesn't have enough players to cover for him like Trucker Hat.

Clemson
- Returns 13 starters including quarterback, 4 offensive linemen, and pass rushing nightmare Da'Quan Bowers.
- Jamie Harper is a suitable replacement for CJ Spiller.  
- Dabo Sweeney coached his team to an almost-ACC championship.  They can only be expected to improve.
I watched this team several times. Without Spiller, they are not good.  

South Carolina
- Returns 19 starters including quarterback, future first round WR Alshon Jeffery, and 4 offensive linemen.  
- Adds Marcus Lattimore, the #1 running back prospect on Rivals.  
The game has passed the Old Ball Coach by. USCe is where coaching legends go to die.

@Kentucky
- Returns Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke on offense. Both are game changers.  
- Returns Micah Johnson at linebacker.
- Numerous seniors.
- Our team seems to go to sleep playing Kentucky.
Revenge. Plus they are Kentucky.

Arkansas
- Ryan Mallet is a heisman contender and possibly the best quarterback in the NCAA next season.
- Returns 9 offensive starters...10 if you like Wingo as the best running back on the team last year.  
- Defense is reportedly improved, but we'll need to see evidence of that.
This one concerns me. We just can't seem to beat these guys. I've got friends out there and I am tired of getting shit from them.

LSU
- Rivalry game.
- Returns quarterback.
- Top recruiting classes taking starting roles.
- Patrick Peterson - best cornerback in the NCAA.  
Another team I am tired of losing to. Trucker Hat is an example of a coach who can't figure his way out of a paper bag, but he has the talent on the field to bend us over a chair.

@Ole Miss
- Stable of good running backs.
- Good foundation on defense.
- Houston Nutt always seems to perform well when expected not to.
Houston Nutt. ENough said.

Georgia
- Returns two good running backs and the nation's best receiver.
- Richt will be trying to save his job.
- Rivalry game.
Another team we just can't seem to beat. Last year should have been a W.

@Alabama
- Defending national champions with two top recruiting classes filling in most starting roles.
- Returns 9 starters on offense.
- Saban is considered be one of the best defensives minds in the game, which aides in fixing inexperience on defense.
- Heisman winner at running back with tremendous talent with 2nd string.  
- Rivalry game.  
Fuck bummer That's all I can say.

Highly unlikely, but if the ball doesn't bounce our way, that's potentially 9 losses.  

I see three losses.

[Tiger Wench]

Dan Mullen will improve their offense, with which our defense if not fixed will struggle.

Your perfect grammar made my heart sing, teacher man.  

And I do agree about Miss State.  That early in the season is a scary one.  They are such an unknown quantity.

[AWK]

Regarding Arkansas, Mallet broke his foot this week and will be out 3 months at least.  I think that may hurt them.

[Token]

Regarding Arkansas, Mallet broke his foot this week and will be out 3 months at least.  I think that may hurt them.

Arkansas is loaded at running back.  They could win at least 10 games on running back talent alone. 

[jadennis]

Highly unlikely, but if the ball doesn't bounce our way, that's potentially 9 losses.  

The thing is, that isn't too different from most seasons in the SEC, where most teams can beat you if you don't show up and if the ball doesn't bounce your way.  And while it isn't an easy schedule, relative to the rest of the country, it does set up very well relative to who we get on the road and who we get at home.  Add the fact that we're getting South Carolina and Kentucky from the East right now, and I think we have just about everything we can get from a schedule going our way.

I think Clemson, even without Spiller, will be tough.  Ellington and Harper averaged over 6 yards per carry and will fill in for Spiller adequately I think.

2011 gets ugly, as we go to Clemson, LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, and Arkansas, and get Florida and Alabama at home.

[Birmingham]

I think the OP is greatly underestimating Auburn in 2010. 

[Townhallsavoy]

I think the OP is greatly underestimating Auburn in 2010. 

I'm not.  I'm just pointing out a scenario.  It's already documented what I'm expecting this year.  10 wins or bust. 

However, when looking at the schedule, if something were to go wrong, it could be very bad by the middle of the season. 

[Jumbo]

Arkansas is loaded at running back.  They could win at least 10 games on running back talent alone. 

They roll 6 deep.

[boartitz]

Regarding Arkansas, Mallet broke his foot this week and will be out 3 months at least.  I think that may hurt them.

We'll get to work our young QBs in the spring. This will help in case something were to happen to Ryan during the season. We don't have much experience behind Mallett.

[AWK]

We'll get to work our young QBs in the spring. This will help in case something were to happen to Ryan during the season. We don't have much experience behind Mallett.

I read via Chris Low on ESPN.com that there is some talented sophomore behind Mallet? 

[The Prowler]

WOW, looking at those nine teams, if the ball doesn't bounce our way.....Auburn will never win another game....ever, ever.

[boartitz]

I read via Chris Low on ESPN.com that there is some talented sophomore behind Mallet?  

Tyler Wilson was our #2 last year. Very accurate passer. He ran out of the shotgun in HS and has had trouble taking snaps from under center.
The one I want to see is Brandon Mitchell. He's #9, QB on the dark jersey team. He runs and chunks.

[The Prowler]

Brandon Mitchell. He's #9, QB on the dark jersey team. He runs and chunks.

Ummmm........

[boartitz]

Ummmm........

Well, shit. I guess it would help if I put the video up.

[Vandy Vol]

I think I'm going to start using the phrase "he's on the dark jersey team" from now on.

 

[boartitz]

I think I'm going to start using the phrase "he's on the dark jersey team" from now on.

 

You'll pay royalties first.