...…surely you can't figure out what to call on 4th & 23. You know, I can't help but think what would have happened had Auburn converted on 4th & 23, went on to tie, and won in overtime. And by "what would have happened", I mean the ire of the Bulldawg Nation toward Willie Martinez. I'm glad that didn't happen, because I hate Auburn. But that would have been epic. Also, I wanted the win bad and did not want the stress of overtime, but I couldn't help but think that the first OT game in Athens would have to be Auburn, wouldn't it? That mid-November weekend almost always promises to be a classic. Too much pride on both sides to roll over in that thing.
There are lots of questions about if this game saved Willie. To me, those are ridiculous. It was an indictment for me, simply because of the first 2 series. I don't mind that they scored. I mind what we didn't do that allowed them to score, and it's as simple as two words: Bacarri Rambo. For the life of me, I can't figure out this Bryan Evans deal. That kid must have some very inappropriate pictures of Willie, because I can't think of another reason that he starts at Defensive Back for us. Evans in = 2 TDs. Insert Bacarri Rambo on 3rd series = 3 and out. The same thing happened in Jacksonville. The difference is that we left Bacarri in this time for the most part. It's an easy formula: when Bacarri is in, receivers don't seem as open. I just can't figure it out. I'm sure Bacarri still gets things confused. I'm sure Evans understands the defensive calls better. I know Evans is more experienced. I'll bet Bacarri does some stupid redshirt freshman stuff in practice. But Rambo is simply a better football player. Put. Him. On. The. Field!
I heard the folks on Sportscenter U say, "Is there another quarterback in the country more hot and cold than Joe Cox?" That may be the defining statement of the Joe Cox era. He has the ability to look really good and make really good throws. He can also look really dumb from time to time. I've grown tired of his comments. I know he's a college student, but he's a 5th year senior. He better develop some thicker skin if he wants to go into coaching. Yes, Joe, the fans booed…because the offense stunk. How about mixing in a first down every now and then. I'm not a boo-er, but the team should get after it to make something positive happen rather than worry about the negative stuff around. Those 93,000 fans have gone through a lot this year and have invested a lot of time and money into some pretty mediocre football.
But, there is great hope for the future. I've proudly been on the Caleb King bandwagon all season. I still think that kid has some huge days ahead. And Washaun's got IT. We've got a pretty good 1-2 punch there for a couple years. We have an abundance of young talent to burn…everywhere. It seems like we have young, fast LBs all over the roster, even if one of them is a reserve tailback. Williams, Robinson, and Dowtin all look like gamers, and, incidentally, just the kind of guys that will work well against a speedy spread option attack in a few weeks. But, the most telling thing to me on Saturday was how big of a difference Akeem Dent made. I was looking at him through my binoculars. We don't have that many players with that kind of build. We've needed him this year. Not to be a sour grapes-injury guy because everyone deals w/ injuries, but one has to wonder how this season shakes out if Caleb, Trinton, Dent, and Josh Davis are healthy the whole season. And after last season, too, do we have to start raising quesitons about our S & C? Do other teams have this many key injuries every season?
We've still got to get better, but it's always good to beat the Barns. We should be better on defense and still need to make changes at the appropriate time if we're going to compete at the highest level. I just hope CMR sees that. He's earned the right to figure it out. But if he doesn't, his days, sadly, in Athens will also be numbered. How would you like to be Auburn today? Remember when we were thinking, "How did we make Crompton look like Joe Montana?" Auburn's thinking, "How did we make Georgia's D look like the Steelers?"
Go Dawgs!
Beat Kentucky!
Get well soon, AJ & Bacarri!
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