The CheckerBoard

Truth hurts sometimes.

How is Van Gorder failing so bad at Auburn? That has to be the question of the year, he was a known commodity and thought to be a home run hire. There players are either really bad or they just aren't buying what that staff is selling.

Chizik had a record of 5-19 at Iowa State. Not sure what possessed Auburn to think he could win.

I'm really at a loss on Sunseri. I liked Wilcox but I was also happy when Dooley hired Sunseri, whom I felt had been undervalued as a coach for some time (I thought he deserved a shot a the Pitt job the last time it came open).

Clearly when a defense is this bad there is poor coaching and decisions involved. I though it was curious when he declared that we would play aggressive man-to-man defense when Wilcox played soft because of our lack of speed. But the thing that gets me is how experienced players are still having trouble lining up eight weeks into the season. And how we leave slow linebackers in the game (AJ Johnson and an injured Curt Maggitt for example) in the game in obvious passing situations - especially when the other team runs 4 and 5 wide and the LBs are forced to cover slot guys and RBs out of the backfield. I have watched this over and over.

So, I don't know what to think. Dooley said last week he would get more involved with the defense, which is clearly a shot a Sunseri. And I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when he said it. All I know is that right now it's a mess. A real mess.

Yeah I figured just on his looks alone he could not fail. The mustache and hair combine to form the penultimate 70's porn star. On a serious note though I would have to admit I am surprised at how his defense has struggled since he was solid D-Coord for Atlanta.

Its not coaching - we have little talent on defense.

The coach cant exactly go out and put them in their spots and we sure don't have the speed to make up for lineing up wrong.

Shaw could have pitched the ball there was 2 USCe guys and no UT players wide, bad, bad scheme.

So leaving a WR uncovered isn't on the coaches, come on that is all about communication and players being confused. That is coaching this isn't the first games of the year, they just finished their 8th game.

Agree. sometimes good position coaches are just not good coordinators. He should be replaced no doubt. When is the issue.