The most important positions/roles in College Football are the Quarterback and the Offensive Coordinator IMO. This is obvious and when it goes wrong...see Auburn 2023.
Hugh missed badly on both and it has put Auburn and Hugh in a terrible position this year and going forward. Barring an upset in the Iron Bowl the best hope for this team is Birmingham and while a bowl is a step up from a year ago, the same frustrations exist and the same struggles are present. It isn't "fair" to Freeze that we compare this offense to what we have seen the last 2 and honestly 4 years but I will never feel bad for coaches getting paid millions of dollars.
The Quarterback position and current QB 3 deep is not salvageable. None of them should be on the roster next Fall, none of them are SEC QBs and for anyone asking about Holden...how bad is he if he can't get playing time over these two disasters? No one is going to argue that a competent QB turns our receivers into SEC caliber players (none of them are) but the solution at QB provides hope which today there is none.
Montgomery was obviously a major mistake. We know how this ends of course and that is with Monty leaving the Plains, Kent Austin taking over as OC and Hugh calling the plays. This is the most obvious Malzahn solution and we have Mini-Gus as our HC right now so anyone thinking differently...respectfully you are wrong. It is confusing to me why Hugh hasn't just announced he is taking over the play calling post-bye but the entire offense is confusing right now so at least we are consistent.
This offense is gross...they are gross to watch, they are gross from a talent perspective, they are gross from an execution perspective and the results are gross as well. This is double DeJa'Vu because we have been through the power struggle at calling plays with nearly every Gus OC/Gus and we are seeing it with Hugh and Monty. Plus we are reminded every week of Harsin with this Group of 5 roster and getting out-talented by programs we should be at the very least equal to.
Hugh looks like he has aged like the President this fall and his sideline demeanor is unacceptable. He looks lost, he looks like a fan in full surrender cobra. It is an awful look for a HC and someone needs to talk to him about it. I get the frustration but fans/players need to see passionate frustration, not helpless frustration. He looks helpless.
I have always considered myself an Auburn realist, I expected 6-6 this year but I expected competency. I hope 6-6 is still an option but this team is far from competent and that isn't all on Harsin or Gus. Hugh and Monty haven't earned their money this year, they have earned the scorn they are receiving. I don't want Hugh fired, I know how big a rebuild this is but he needs to change quickly to survive here. If he can't become competent against the worst of the league (Vandy, Ark, MSU) he is in danger of losing all trust going into 2024 and if 2024 isn't a huge step forward...he will be on the hot seat in 2025. Auburn loves giving early 2nd contracts to FB coaches...not having an out of control buy-out at the end of year 3 could make things easier.
A step forward in 2024 is the difference between Auburn competing once again or Auburn officially turning into Tennessee pre-Heupel.
Hugh missed badly on both and it has put Auburn and Hugh in a terrible position this year and going forward. Barring an upset in the Iron Bowl the best hope for this team is Birmingham and while a bowl is a step up from a year ago, the same frustrations exist and the same struggles are present. It isn't "fair" to Freeze that we compare this offense to what we have seen the last 2 and honestly 4 years but I will never feel bad for coaches getting paid millions of dollars.
The Quarterback position and current QB 3 deep is not salvageable. None of them should be on the roster next Fall, none of them are SEC QBs and for anyone asking about Holden...how bad is he if he can't get playing time over these two disasters? No one is going to argue that a competent QB turns our receivers into SEC caliber players (none of them are) but the solution at QB provides hope which today there is none.
Montgomery was obviously a major mistake. We know how this ends of course and that is with Monty leaving the Plains, Kent Austin taking over as OC and Hugh calling the plays. This is the most obvious Malzahn solution and we have Mini-Gus as our HC right now so anyone thinking differently...respectfully you are wrong. It is confusing to me why Hugh hasn't just announced he is taking over the play calling post-bye but the entire offense is confusing right now so at least we are consistent.
This offense is gross...they are gross to watch, they are gross from a talent perspective, they are gross from an execution perspective and the results are gross as well. This is double DeJa'Vu because we have been through the power struggle at calling plays with nearly every Gus OC/Gus and we are seeing it with Hugh and Monty. Plus we are reminded every week of Harsin with this Group of 5 roster and getting out-talented by programs we should be at the very least equal to.
Hugh looks like he has aged like the President this fall and his sideline demeanor is unacceptable. He looks lost, he looks like a fan in full surrender cobra. It is an awful look for a HC and someone needs to talk to him about it. I get the frustration but fans/players need to see passionate frustration, not helpless frustration. He looks helpless.
I have always considered myself an Auburn realist, I expected 6-6 this year but I expected competency. I hope 6-6 is still an option but this team is far from competent and that isn't all on Harsin or Gus. Hugh and Monty haven't earned their money this year, they have earned the scorn they are receiving. I don't want Hugh fired, I know how big a rebuild this is but he needs to change quickly to survive here. If he can't become competent against the worst of the league (Vandy, Ark, MSU) he is in danger of losing all trust going into 2024 and if 2024 isn't a huge step forward...he will be on the hot seat in 2025. Auburn loves giving early 2nd contracts to FB coaches...not having an out of control buy-out at the end of year 3 could make things easier.
A step forward in 2024 is the difference between Auburn competing once again or Auburn officially turning into Tennessee pre-Heupel.
