Get the H out of Here!!!!!

Hello Followers.  Once again, long time, no see.

As you all know, yesterday marked the official end of the first week of fall camp.

For a few thoughts and musings on that, click on the jumperoo.

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Followers, as my absence throughout this week indicates, once again I have found time short for all things blog.   Regrettably, I fear that my lack of time for the blog has become the new normal.  Oh, the scorn!!!!!!!

But the lack of time I have during the workday to devote to this puppy has not inhibited my interest in all things Coug.  In fact, my nightly routine pretty much consists of non-stop monitoring of my Twitter feed, hoping that Christian Caple will promply provide one of his most excellent practice updates on Sportslink.

And it is from those updates that I provide my two or three takeways from Week 1 of fall camp.  So, lets get to them, shall we.

Take-away 1.  This team is HUNGRY

In season’s past, our Cougar teams always wanted to do well.   But even though we wanted to do well, I always got the sense that our hopes for success relfected aspirations more than genuine expectations.

       Man do i hate that guy from Coldplay

And this year?  Well, I wouldn’t go so far to say that this team expects to do well, but I have gotten the sense that they are ready to fight a bit more for success.  And, if they can experience some success early—either through an upset on week 1 or 2 or a couple of BLOW out victories in weeks 3 and 4—this team might actual start to have some expectations.  And that would be really fun to see.

Take-away 2.  Preparing to Prey on Inexperienced Quarterbacks

One of the big personnel surprises from week 1 was the decision to move Destiny Vaeao from Defensive Tackle to the BUCK Linebacker spot—a move that was made especially curious given the depth we appeared to have amassed at that spot.  But, after watching highlights of Arkansas State last year—as well as our spring game– the reasons behind the move became pretty evident.  You see, Auburn figures to be largely a read-option type outfit.  So, the big key to that game will be to stop the run and force their yet-to-be-chosen, inexperienced quarterback to throw early and often—and hopefully—from behind.

Obviously, putting a 280 pound guy at the BUCK spot should allow us—at least for the first couple of games—to help seal the edge a bit better, which should allow our cornerbacks more time to shed their blocks.  Mind you, I wouldn’t be surprised to see us back away from using DV at the end spot as the season progresses. But given the overall inexperience Auburn and SC have at quarterback (and the recent injury to Marquess Lee–which I hope is NOT serious), it makes sense that we would want to emphasize stopping the run and making the opposing team throw the ball against our blitzes and stunts.

Take-Away 3.  Get the H out of here

One of the pieces that has most inspired me about the season—and concerned me—is the overall depth we have at WR.  That depth is particularly pronounced at the X receiver position, where Dominique Williams, Kristoff Williams, and Vince Mayle are battling for TWO spots.  

A few days ago, Coach Simmons announced that the depth at that position was becoming a “good problem to have.”  Unfortunately, I don’t see it that way—I simply don’t understand how a 3 win team can afford to have ANY of its best players on the sidelines for prolonged periods of time.

So, while I absolutely LOVE my RG5…

Count me in as a guy that is hoping to see either Vince Mayle or Kristoff Williams moved to the Y or H spot sometime next week.  I mean, who would you rather have on the field right now, Kristoff Williams or Brett Bartalone?   At least for me, I’d rather see Bartalone on the bench than anyone else on our two deeps!

Anyhow, that’s all the time I have for today.  Little Sutra just made the varsity football team as a FRESHMAN and so he and papa bear have to out and throw the pill around a bit.

Enjoy the weekend and, as always, GO COUGS!