What issues would you MOST blame the loss on?

[Irondawg]

1) Dan trying to sit on the lead on the run the clock out with a vanilla ground game?

2) Collins using too much prevent at end

3) Bell's FG kicking issues

4) Secondary losing assignments (which might have somewhat led to #2 honestly)

5) Continuous stupid 5 yard penalties in the second half that kept putting us in 2nd and 13

 

[Hanmudog]

1 and 2 All day long. Rinse and repeat.

 

[OzarkaNSW]

missed field goal, missed 2 pt conversion, Jameon late dropped pass

 

[dawgstudent]

#2 did contribute but this loss doesn't rest on the defense at all. It's more of #1 and let's add the fact we went for 2 on our first touchdown.

Auburn knew all they had to get was a FG which changes pressure of how they played that last drive. If they had to get a TD - the defense's goal is "don't let them cross the goal line".

 

[MeridianDog]

Problems

Lack of intensity from coaches and a "Play to not lose" game plan in the 4th qtr.
Missed field goal did not help.
Auburn went for 2 points after touchdown, so Dan did too.
In forth qtr, play like first downs are important and stop hitting the pile if no hole is there.


Wish we would play to win throughout the entire game.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

#1

I know I'm going to get ripped for this, but Mullen did the same thing at Florida 2010. We almost go burned by it but thankfully they had the sucky kicker that day.

 

[drummerdawg]

The pass to jameon Lewis he should have caught. Probably would have changed the game there.

 

[Digging dog]

Last drive running Dak on every down. Then the prevent defense.

 

[BigMotherTucker]

But at the end of the night... We still couldn't let them cross the goal line. Stop them or let them get the fieldgoal. Its either over or we get free football. The third option (a TD) ends the game. And it did. The D COULD NOT do what they did.

 

[pvillegolfer]

sick

I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. It is Mullen's fault for the terrible play calling at the end of the game but .........If Auburn's receivers could catch we would have lost by a few more points. How many wide open passes did they drop? Can our defense cover anyone? And not to mention the wide open bomb that the Auburn QB over threw by five yards with no one anywhere around. All of the missed plays are part of the game but again the over all problem is the play calling at the end.

 

[Dawgzilla]

I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. It is Mullen's fault for the terrible play calling at the end of the game but .........If Auburn's receivers could catch we would have lost by a few more points. How many wide open passes did they drop? Can our defense cover anyone? And not to mention the wide open bomb that the Auburn QB over threw by five yards with no one anywhere around. All of the missed plays are part of the game but again the over all problem is the play calling at the end.

This is spot on. I was at the game, and it was really unbelievable how many times Auburn had at least 1 receiver wide open, no one within 10 yards of them. I know the safeties have to be ready for run support, but they must have bit on every single play fake. This defense is likely to be torched when they play any team with a competent QB and WRs....like, say, Alabama, A&M, LSU, USC, and UMiss.

The offensive play calling was, once again, infuriating. Early in the game, when it was clear that Dak and Co. could run the spread option for 5 -10 yards every time, we threw the ball all over the place. Late in the game, when Auburn loaded the box to stop Dak, we ran right at them.

2 late game turnovers, and State could not capitalize on either one. Just sad.

 

[patdog]

The offensive play calling was, once again, infuriating. Early in the game, when it was clear that Dak and Co. could run the spread option for 5 -10 yards every time, we threw the ball all over the place. Late in the game, when Auburn loaded the box to stop Dak, we ran right at them.

This just pisses me off. Every coach we've ever had has done this. When something is working, KEEP DOING IT. Why do we continue to insist on sitting on small leads instead of expanding them? It's stupid and it costs us wins.

 

[ChupacabraDawg]

Long time reader, first time poster...

Honestly, I think everything comes down to Dan playing not to lose instead of playing to win. This has been an issues his entire career at State. We get a lead then just try to coast to the end. It's almost, to me, an attitude of "ok, we have the lead. If we can just keep it close going in to the 4th quarter we may be able to either hold the lead or catch a big play and take the lead at the end with very little time left." I hate the approach of not attempting to just complete dominate your opponent. I would make every attempt to embarrass the opposing team. Look at Ole Miss this past weekend. They were playing in Austin and got the lead then continued to aggressively try to shove the ball down Texas' throat. Why are we so conservative all the time. Football is an aggressive sport. We continue, under Mullen (and Croom) to play conservative football. Its almost like they feel like we are just lucky to be there and if we lose, then at least we got to play in the SEC.

 

[dawgstudent]

It's a different mindset to me.

 

[MagnificentBastard]

#1 isn't even a true statement. We ran 18 plays in the 4th qtr. 8 were called pass plays and 10 were called run plays. Pass protection broke down on 2 of the pass plays so they ended up being runs. We averaged 4 yards per carry on the designed run plays in the 4th qtr. (5.1 ypc for the game) Our offense broke down in the 4th quarter due to incomplete passes and penalties. We sure weren't playing not to lose. We went for it twice on 4th down. One inside our own 30. We got first downs both times running the ball. We rushed for over 200 yards in this game. Of course we were running the ball in the 4th qtr. We were successful running the ball. We were mediocre at best passing. But we still kept a balanced attack in the 4th qtr.

To answer your question #4 and #5 plus a #6 Missed tackles in the first half.

 

[57stratdawg]

Prescott missed too many throws late.

 

[Seinfeld]

I'm going to say a little of everything, but I'm far more concerned about # 4 than anything else. There were no less than five times during the game when our secondary got completely lost out there due to mis-communication or biting on play fake or dropped ball. That just can't happen even once, much less 4-5 times in a single game.

On the last occurrence when we were saved by Auburn over-throwing the pass, I don't know what the hell happened. Our corner let the receiver go once he got about 8 yards past the line of scrimmage, one of our safeties comes over to pick him up once he gets about 10 more yards down the field, and then he also just lets him go as soon as he started to cut towards the middle of the field. WTF? I'm the last person in the world that will ever claim to be an Xs and Os genius, but that's some **** that just cannot ever happen under any circumstances. You can play the youth card when that happens once, but not multiple times in the same game. They need to get on the same page quickly because this offense is clearly not one that is going to be able to come back from significant deficits or after giving up quick scores. I seriously don't think I've ever seen a secondary as discombobulated as ours was on Saturday. A good QB would have slaughtered us.

 

[dawgoneyall]

We stopped attacking the corners.

 

[NCDawg.sixpack]

Last drive running Dak on every down. Then the prevent defense.

I agree with this. Use the clock, don't make a mistake, and maybe they won't score.

 

[NCDawg.sixpack]

I'm going to say a little of everything, but I'm far more concerned about # 4 than anything else. There were no less than five times during the game when our secondary got completely lost out there due to mis-communication or biting on play fake or dropped ball. That just can't happen even once, much less 4-5 times in a single game.

On the last occurrence when we were saved by Auburn over-throwing the pass, I don't know what the hell happened. Our corner let the receiver go once he got about 8 yards past the line of scrimmage, one of our safeties comes over to pick him up once he gets about 10 more yards down the field, and then he also just lets him go as soon as he started to cut towards the middle of the field. WTF? I'm the last person in the world that will ever claim to be an Xs and Os genius, but that's some **** that just cannot ever happen under any circumstances. You can play the youth card when that happens once, but not multiple times in the same game. They need to get on the same page quickly because this offense is clearly not one that is going to be able to come back from significant deficits or after giving up quick scores. I seriously don't think I've ever seen a secondary as discombobulated as ours was on Saturday. A good QB would have slaughtered us.

In hindsight, it would have probably been better if they had completed that pass for the TD because it was about 7 minutes left. We may opened up our play book again after that instead of trying to run the clock down.

 

[MagnificentBastard]

We ran a sweep with Holloway and Perkins carried around the end a couple of times. Alot of that depends on how the defense attacks us and what they give us on the zone read. I do think Dak kept it a time or two when the read was to give it to Perkins.

 

[kired]

People can blame playcalling all they want and I won't argue with that. But it's much more simple to me --- anything that moved our offense backwards is why we lost. We punted 7 times. 5 of the 7 came after a negative play.

1 - fumbled exchange between Dak & Robinson
2 - Perkins holding
3 - Day personal foul
4 - Jackson holding
5 - Johnson false start

We were in a position to win but gave it away. I believe I'm correct in saying we only converted 1 first down after losing yards on a previous play.

 

[Shamoan]

all of the above....and i would throw in #6 which has become a staple in games vs auburn....****** and inconsistent refing. 1 penalty for 5 yards is a damn joke. however, to avoid the sour grapes/refs never win or lose games argument, ill go back to your 5. these reasons are why we will never be a great team. coaches that dont understand situational playcalling on either side of the ball, talent discrepancies, dumb decisions galore, the whole damn thing makes me sick to my stomach.

 

[Wyatt53]

Auburn has consistently been the biggest "holders" in the SEC. They get away with it, always have. If you think you're going to go to Auburn and get decent officiating, you'd better think again.

Keys to the game:
1. Failure to attack the corners offensively and make the linebackers and DB's run sideline to sideline.
2. Youth
3. Moving the ball consistently in the first half, and not realizing that Auburn made some adjustments in the second half.
4. A football game is chaos. Usually, the team that wins manages the chaos better. That was the case Saturday night.

 

[Shamoan]

They drove 88 yards in 12 plays in one minute and forty-six seconds. that is an abomination to football. all while our backers sit there with their thumbs up their *** and we rush 3.

that said, the game was over when we ran the ball on 3rd and 14 on auburn's 48 right after they fumbled giving us great field position.

that sequence is as follows:
-2 yard loss (robinson)
+8 yard pass (griffin)
-10 yards holding (day)
0 yard gain (prescott run)

the second half is full of of possessions like this. running when we have to pass to continue the drive.

our drives second half:
75, (lead), 23, -4, 9, 12, 20, 18

we straight clammed up and lost our sack

 

[RocketDawg]

1 & 2 this and every game we get ahead in. I don't think I've ever seen prevent work like it's supposed to, and Mullen will not keep on scoring even with a very small lead.

3 in this particular case, but it wasn't Bell's decision to go for 2 so we'd have still lost by 1 even if he'd made the field goal.

 

[Shamoan]

ive tried to talk about the defense, but all anybody ever wants to do is talk about the inept offense. i cant say i blame them considering how badly they blow, but its not like a 52% opponents 3rd down conversion rate vs fbs opponents is getting the job done. collins has no idea how to get off the field and statistics prove, more often than not, our opponent converts on 3rd down. that is straight-up turrble, yet dan's dumb *** is always there to bail him out because inevitably, he does something even more stupid or controversial. it would be a disservice to the word "lost" to say that is what our defense was, but yeah, they were running wide open all night. we should give collins a raise....for what? i dont know.

 

[maroonmania]

I'll go 6) Fans: we didn't believe

 

[dawgs.sixpack]

They drove 88 yards in 12 plays in one minute and forty-six seconds. that is an abomination to football. all while our backers sit there with their thumbs up their *** and we rush 3.

that said, the game was over when we ran the ball on 3rd and 14 on auburn's 48 right after they fumbled giving us great field position.

that sequence is as follows:
-2 yard loss (robinson)
+8 yard pass (griffin)
-10 yards holding (day)
0 yard gain (prescott run)

the second half is full of of possessions like this. running when we have to pass to continue the drive.

our drives second half:
75, (lead), 23, -4, 9, 12, 20, 18

we straight clammed up and lost our sack

wait, you're saying dan mullen played not to lose the game?

i get so 17ing frustrated watching him coach scared against every half decent opponent. got for the 17ing throat.

 

[DirtyDog]

He definitely kept it several times late when the read was clearly to give the ball up. He did good most of the game. I just think the offensive play calling near the end took him out of rhythm passing. Then, we could pass when we needed to. Keeping ourselves in the 3rd and long was a big part of the problem.

 

[dawgs.sixpack]

1 & 2 this and every game we get ahead in. I don't think I've ever seen prevent work like it's supposed to,

seriously, the prevent is only worth playing when you literally have a hail mary or near hail mary situation. with 1+ min left in the game, you can't sit back and give up chunks of 8-12 yards over and over without much of a challenge. i understand not wanting to get burned deep, but you also have to trust your guys to play smart without having to play a prevent D.

 

[121Josey]

#2 did contribute but this loss doesn't rest on the defense at all. It's more of #1 and let's add the fact we went for 2 on our first touchdown.

Auburn knew all they had to get was a FG which changes pressure of how they played that last drive. If they had to get a TD - the defense's goal is "don't let them cross the goal line".

I support this all day. Everything else is irrelevant in comparison with the immaturity of going for 2 so early in the game. Nothing good would have come out of it. It was immaturity, plain and simple. I just showed me that Dan doesn't understand that it takes a perfect game to beat even an average team on the road in the SEC. I don't disagree with going for it on 4th down in our own territory because they were going to score - one way or another.

Giles may not have bit on the stop-n-go if they had to get into the end zone.

 

[RocketDawg]

Yeah. I think Auburn had almost 4 minutes after we gave the ball back to them, and that's plenty of time to go down the field if we're letting them have that 8-10 yards on every play.

 

[was21]

State doesn't pay assistant coaches as they should. Check the salaries of other assistants in the SEC. Thanks for input.

 

[ShrubDog]

I have to say 1 & 2. I am not going to dig a ditch to put this beaten horse into about the offense.

In regards to #2, we always give recievers a huge cushion. It doesn't matter if its in the 1st or 4th qtr. We always seem to play a 'Prevent'. Its just stupid...everything we do...is just plain *** stupid.

 

[Singer]

This just pisses me off. Every coach we've ever had has done this. When something is working, KEEP DOING IT. Why do we continue to insist on sitting on small leads instead of expanding them? It's stupid and it costs us wins.

Wow that's a mouthful. I had the privilege of coach under one of the winningest coaches in Texas high school history. He would even run the same ah back to back laughing until they stop it then his next play would counter, or throw off of it, or reverse. Offense should set plays up. You know sweep works sweep it sweep it then reverse it. You get the point. You said it and I agree.

 

[Singer]

Prescott missed too many throws late.

Really? Prescott? wow. Four drops and a completion called incomplete. Add those five passes, not much to blame on Prescott. Or the play calling. Not to mention how hard they played. The first fire I've seen in two years.

 

[Singer]

I'll go 6) Fans: we didn't believe

Yep that's a big problem. Have faith you can feel that **** when you don't.

 

[diddog]

Talent (NT)

NT