Shrinkage on the Plains

It’s not just losing quality like Newton and Fairley that’s got to be of concern to Auburn fans this season.  It’s the sheer attrition that the team faces – somewhere between 35 and 38 players from last season’s roster are now gone.  I don’t care how stellar the incoming recruiting class is, that’s a lot of bodies to have to make up.

Maybe Chizik should consult with Jon Fabris about embracing what lies ahead.  There’s a man who likes a challenge.

13 Comments

Filed under Auburn's Cast of Thousands

13 responses to “Shrinkage on the Plains

  1. JBJ

    Should be fun watching Chizik try to make lemonade out of lemons. As UF found out, it is not easy to regroup when your whole offensive philosophy is geared toward one player.

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  2. Go Dawgs!

    I think most of the Auburn family knows not to expect much out of the group this year, so any wins will probably go down as pleasant surprises in their books. After winning it all, they’ll probably be able to make it through without many complaints.

    Still, it’s completely and fully Chizik’s team starting now. It will be interesting to see what he can build on his own in the next few seasons. The title was won with a lot of holdovers from the Tuberville era, and one transcendental quarterback. Certainly we know that Chiz and his staff can coach when things are fat and happy. But I think we’ll get a really true look in the next three years at what they’re all about.

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    • Texas_Dawg

      He put together the most important pieces of the team and then coached it to the MNC.

      He did it by kicking boatloads of players off the team for “undisclosed violations” and via medical DQs. All of this allowed him to sign 60 players the last two years, 2 of which were JUCOs that quickly became All-Americans.

      Everyone’s hunting for paid players, but kicking scores of players off the team to make room for stars is apparently no big deal.

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  3. ScoutDawg

    OK, sir. That shiznit is funny. J. Fabris, we should be so lucky.

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  4. mwo

    I’m still hoping AU gets the death penalty before the season starts! I can wait 5 years to see if Gene Cheater can REALLY coach.

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  5. OldDawg55

    Give it rest, guys…Auburn will put 22 players on the field that will play good football and require other SEC teams to play even better to win. Let’s quit hoping there was some nefarious reason for us losing last year and just look for a good reason we’ll take the Tigers at home this year. Just play the game and let the better team/berrer coached team win. And, I know in my heart of hearts, that’ll be the Dawgs. Go Dawgs, GATA!!!!

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    • Reptillicide

      There was a nefarious reason for us losing to them last year. We were beaten by Cam Newton, a player who shouldn’t have been allowed to play. I’d like to have AJ Green back for those first four games last year, but we didn’t get that, and we ended up with 7 losses.

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      • ScoutDawg

        Yeah, exactly right. Not making excuses, certainly not about a team that got us once in 6 years. Piss on them cheaters.

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  6. shane#1

    What may be even more important than losing Newton and Fairley is what AU loses on the O line. Four of the five starting O linemen were seniors including the center. Auburn also loses two back up linemen. That’s losing six of their 10 O linemen on the two deep. So not only does AU have to replace their QB, they have to practically replace their whole starting O line.

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    • AthensHomerDawg

      I hope the D puts a lickin’ on their qb. Nothing cheap . Just good ole fashioned slobber knockin’

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      • DawgPhan

        I wouldnt mind just a smidge over the line every once and a while though…

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        • Yurdle

          I would. I think Fairely is a foul film upon the scum of the earth, and I want nothing that allows Auburn to argue for equivalence.

          But anything less than 20 sacks is going to feel like too few

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  7. I wanna Red Cup

    The war chickens always have alot of non conference patsies on the schedule as well as about 8 home games. Their record will be respectable but definitely down from last year. The DAWGS will whup their cheating asses.

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