Bleacher Report - Articles by Ryan Williams

Breaking Down Auburn's Quarterback Battle

Ryan Williams — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:09:45 -0400

The quarterback position was a key problem that held Auburn back from its full potential last season. Not only were the quarterbacks unable to step up and take the position that was staring them in the face, but..

They played lackadaisically once they were given the chance to take command of the offense in regular season games.

It may have been because they were scared of making a mistake that would cost them the position or because they couldn't handle the pressure upon their shoulders.

Neither one of those explanations can excuse their terrible performances.

I have heard that the fear of losing is greater than the will to win, and I'm hoping a quarterback will be able to reverse that phrase. The quarterback that does this will take the starting job.

That being said, let's take a look at the contenders and the pretenders:

Contenders

Kodi Burns JR #18
Chris Todd SR #12
Barrett Trotter RS FR #14
Tyrik Rollison FR
Clint Moseley FR
Neil Caudle JR #19

Pretenders

Brent Poole FR #16
Robert Cooper FR

Key Departure(s)

None to speak of

Here we are again, without a sure leader of the pack for one of the most important roles on the team.

Starting with the guy who does not deserve another chance to start: Chris Todd

Coming in, Tony Franklin talked about so much of the experience Chris Todd had in the system. Personally, I thought Todd looked like he was in an unfamiliar city without a GPS system to help him find his way.

I believe the only reason he was in the running for the starting job was that he met Franklin in high school and had a connection with him there. It's not coincidental that a QB transfers halfway through his college career to a school with a quarterback that was already a fan favorite the same year that they hire an offensive coordinator that he had met in high school.

Right now he isn't even taking snaps since he is recovering from shoulder surgery. I can almost guarantee you he won't be taking snaps in the regular season either.

Next, I'll talk about Kodi Burns.

Talk about a major letdown.. The previously ranked No. 5 quarterback in the 2007 class has hardly been "electrifying" or "exciting to watch" contrary to what his scout.com player bio reads. I couldn't wait to see him on the field his freshman year. He was hyped up to be a phenom.

In his new Bleacher Report Bio, I'll deem him as careless with the ball and unable to handle pressure.

I would repetitively tell myself at the start of the year that it was the receiver’s fault or the defensive player just made a great play when he threw interceptions. But flukes that happen over and over are not flukes—they are the general plays that you can expect from him. Guz Malzahn recruited this player for Arkansas, one of his final two choices. He saw potential and maybe he can get Kodi Burns back to where he should be.

What can you expect from the No. 2 dual threat quarterback in the country, Tyrik Rollison?

According to his Facebook statuses, he is "ready to start for Auburn" and is going to qualify. He also asked all of his fellow Facebook friends a question: "What's on my mind?”

Fortunately he also gave an answer and some encouragement in the same status to help keep me from becoming confused, "An SEC CHAMPIONSHIP!!! Let's get it!!!!”

Obviously Tyrik has swagger and confidence.

That could help him become our starter for next year. A leader needs confidence in their abilities with enough swagger to go along with it.

So far he's said some big things, and we'll see if he will back it up.

Caudle, Trotter, and Moseley are all contenders as well.

Caudle was a 4 star recruit coming out of high school, and was ranked as the #10 quarterback in the 2006 class according to scout.com. It's obvious he is a contender. Trotter almost had the redshirt taken off of him last year so he could come in and have a chance to start in a game and show everyone what he had, so you know he's right up at the top with the other quarterbacks.

As for Moseley: You don't win Mr. Football in the state of Alabama for nothing. He has potential, and we'll wait and see what becomes of him. These three may be underdogs, but they are not players to be taken for granted. Don't count them out. One of them may very well surprise us all.

Summary

I don't rest my head knowing that we have a proven starter at this position, and that is beyond irritating.

They have scholarships to play football, but none have proven themselves worthy of them yet.

Step up or sit down...upon the bench. That would be my message to these guys.

The one thing I know for sure is that I do not want this quarterback controversy to go into the season, or it will restrain us yet again.

Man up and prove yourselves!

Auburn Football 2009: Breakin' Down The Backs!

Ryan Williams — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 22:19:58 -0400

Greetings Bleacher Report readers, I haven’t spoken with you in a while.

Maintaining a 4.0 GPA and playing sports have kept me in a bind.

Alas, have no fear; I have decided to make a triumphant return to this extraordinary writing community by breaking down the Auburn positions one-by-one.

Since Auburn is frequently referred to as "Running Back U", I decided that it would be fitting to start out with breaking down the depth at the position.

Below, I will list every RB on the roster according to rivals.com, separating the contenders from the pretenders.

Alright, so we have a pretty decent stable of backs for the 2009 season:

Contenders:

· Ben Tate SR #44

· Mario Fannin JR #27

· Onterio McCalebb FR #23

· Justin Albert RS FR #40

· Eric Smith SO #32

Pretenders:

· Michael Alexander SO #21

· John Douglas SO #30

· Michael Gibson JR #36

· Davis Hooper SO #45

Key Departure(s):

· Brad Lester #1

There happen to be several running backs in the mix for playing time this year.

Ben Tate had been the starter for the Auburn Tigers for half of the 2007-08 season as Brad Lester was riding the bench with an academic suspension.

No single running back had stood out very much last year. Brad Lester, Ben Tate, and Mario Fannin split most of the time.

Mario Fannin had a superb performance against Georgia and showed that he has the ability to be the x-factor for the Auburn Tigers.

Ben Tate, however, rolled over Vandy running the same exact play over and over at the start of the game, showing that he could be a workhorse for the Tigers.

The one thing I thought he lacked was speed—he couldn't run a great sweep play if his life depended on it.

Contradictory to my prior statement, I have heard claims that Ben Tate recently ran a 4.40 time, ranking him as one of the faster Auburn football players.

New faces participating in spring practice this year include Onterio McCalebb and walk-on Justin Albert.

Both freshmen have reportedly impressed.

Onterio McCalebbhas the ideal speed of a freshman phenom running back, already acknowledged as one of the fastest if not the fastest Tiger.

He was rated a 6.0 by rivals.com, 6.1 being the highest possible rating.

As shown from highlights on YouTube, he has the vision, power, and breakaway speed to create plays that shouldn't exist.

That being said, he may not be getting many touches his freshman year in Division I-A football.

Walk-on redshirted freshman Justin Albert has been deemed "impressive" by many.

After watching his highlights with Prattville in 2006, I have a new found respect for him.

If he can transfer his agile cuts, spins, and jukes to college football, along with his excellent vision, speed, and power, he'll be a super player. This kid is the total package.

Eric Smith has been seldom used, but I recall him coming into a game where we had the lead and he was used as a clock grinder.

I was very impressed by his power and moves while he was in, and let me tell you, his highlight reel on YouTube was spectacular.

Summary:

All in all we are set with running backs.

These guys can provide us with speed, power, or anything else we call upon them for.

If Gus Malzahn and Curtis Luper do what they normally do with players—utilize their strengths and abilities—you can expect a solid, consistent performance coming out of the backfield this year.

They weren't very consistent this past season and I'll explain why in an upcoming article, talking about the woes of the underweight offensive line of 2008 and what to expect from them in 2009.

Tracy Rocker is Headed Back to the Plains to Join Gene Chizik's Staff!

Ryan Williams — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 19:36:01 -0500

It's been reported that Tracy Rocker is in talks about joining the Auburn Tiger defensive staff.

Many Auburn fans remember Rocker as the dominant defensive lineman in the '80s, but he's also known for his coaching ability. He is currently the defensive line coach for Ole Miss and was at the same position at Arkansas for half a decade before this previous season.

He won the Lombardi and Outland trophies while playing at Auburn and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Before coaching at Ole Miss and Arkansas, he coached at Cincinnati and Troy.

This would be a great addition to the staff Gene Chizik has put together at Auburn.

UPDATE: 1/12/09

Rocker is headed to the plains. Anothr solid hire for the Tigers.

Gus Malzahn, Gene Chizik's Addition, Gives Auburn Fans Something to Smile About

Ryan Williams — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:20:39 -0500

The Chairmen of the GMAC Bowl will most likely be pleased with the number of people who tuned in for their bowl game Tuesday night.

Many Auburn (and Alabama) fans booted up their televisions for the Tulsa/Ball State primetime matchup.

I did. I was quite impressed. Tulsa had over 600 yards of total offense and put 45 points up on the scoreboard in horrific weather conditions. In fact, there was a tornado watch for most of the day and partially into the game.

Though Tulsa's dominating offense is headed by Gus Malzhan, many Alabama fans still say, "Just wait until Gus Malzahn tries to run his offense in the SEC. It won't be the same."

I believe he will run it with success at Auburn, and he has already run an SEC offense with success in the 2006 season with the Arkansas Razorbacks.

They insist, "It's a spread offense, you couldn't run it well last year. What makes it different than last year?"

First off, Gus Malzhan is not Tony Franklin.

According to Tulsa coach Todd Graham, "It's inaccurate to classify what we do [at Tulsa] as a spread offense. It's different."

In what way?

It's balanced. It will be physical.

It's a run first, play-action pass second type of offense. There is a lot of misdirection thrown in.

It's fast-paced, and the physical style will take a toll on defenses.

Plus, the system is built around an offense's strengths. There shouldn't be the excuse of "not the right players to run the offense" popping up with Malzahn.

I don't know about you, but I think if Auburn's offense can put up 600 yards and 45 points on the board every game, we'll have a shot at winning them.

Gene Chizik hires Ted Roof To Be The Defensive Coordinator For The Auburn Tigers

Ryan Williams — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:19:33 -0500

Ted Roof is officially headed to Auburn. Most Auburn fans are not content, but I believe it's a solid hire. He isn't a high profile guy, but if he was given an opportunity to be a head coach in a major conference, he can be a coordinator on our staff any day for all I care. He has improved defenses almost immediately upon arrival, so let's see what he can do with our talented defense.

TED ROOF COACHING CAREER
YEAR SCHOOL POSITION (RESPONSIBILITIES)
1987 Alabama Graduate Assistant - Defensive Backs
1988 Alabama Graduate Assistant - Linebackers
1989 West Georgia Assistant Coach - Linebackers
1990 Duke Assistant Coach - Outside Linebackers
1991 Duke Assistant Coach - Outside Linebackers
1992 Duke Assistant Coach - Outside Linebackers
1993 Duke Assistant Coach - Outside Linebackers
1994 Massachusetts Assistant Coach - Defensive Line
1995 Massachusetts Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator
1996 Massachusetts Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator
1997 Western Carolina Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator
1998 Georgia Tech Assistant Coach - Linebackers
1999 Georgia Tech Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator
2000 Georgia Tech Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator
2001 Georgia Tech Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator
2002 Duke Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator
2003 Duke Assistant Coach - Def. Coord./Interim Head Coach
2004 Duke Head Coach
2005 Duke Head Coach
2006 Duke Head Coach
2007 Duke Head Coach
2008 Minnesota Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator

He turned around Minnesota's defense from last to 79th in the nation this past season.

Duke's defense went from 113th in 2001 to 59th in 2002, Roof's first season with the Blue Devils.

Roof is also a past winner of the Broyles Award, given annually to the top assistant in the nation.

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read my article. Have a day nice.

-Ryan

Patriot Fans: Expect A New England Patriot Quarterback To Be Dealt

Ryan Williams — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:29:29 -0500

Please avoid going directly to the comments section and asking me if I am insane. Try to see the fact that Tom Brady is not God, and that he is indeed replacable.

Today, I went to a psychic and asked if Tom Brady would be prepared for kickoff of the 2009 NFL season.

He gave me back my money, and said "Heck, what makes you think I would know?"

The fact of the matter is, no one knows for sure.

I've heard multiple reports about Tom's injury:

One stated that Brady's recovery is well behind schedule, and that another surgery could put his 2009 season to risk.

Peter King declared that he is ahead of schedule.

Which to believe? I'm not sure. You shouldn't be too very sure either.

Tom Brady

If Brady is unable to play in 2009, I think the Patriots may very well cut ties with him through a trade.

Think about it. If Brady were to miss the 2009 season, he would enter 2010 season without any playing time in an NFL game in nearly two seasons. Not only would he be entering his 10th season in the NFL, he would have a lot of rust to work out. And of course you know, sometimes athletes are never the same after these types of injuries.

What would they trade the face of their franchise for, you might ask? Draft picks.

What are the types of picks the Patriots would receive for Tom Brady? Better than the ones they would receive if he indeed comes back, and cannot play the position with the finesse he showed before.

The Bottom Line of a Tom Brady Trade: If Tom Brady is unable to play in 2009, pull the trigger and let him go (through a trade).

Matt Cassell had great success starting at the QB position for the first time since high school, and the Patriots weren't all that healthy this year. If he can lead an NFL team to 11-5 record every year you know he's good enough to be a starter in the NFL.

The trade would most likely be for draft picks. If the Patriots could pull in some top-notch young talent like Jerrod Mayo with those, they'll have some star players for years to come. Plus, since you could hardly make a case that Matt Cassell has been worn down over the years, this would be a youthful way for the team to go. If you have a QB who can win 11 out of 16 games in a year, what else could you ask for at that position?

Matt Cassell

What can I say? Though Matt Cassell stepped into a high pressure situation for the Patriots, he delivered. I was thoroughly impressed with him except for when he took on my Pittsburgh Steelers. But it's hard to do much against them, you know?

Would the Patriots throw Matt Cassell under the bus after all that he has done for them this year? Sure. If Brady comes back prepared to play in 2009, it's goodbye to Cassell (through a trade), unless they are willing to pay $29 million a year to keep both Tom and Matt. What would keeping both of them mean? It would heavily limit their moves during free agency. Solution for the Patriots (if Tom Brady is healthy): Trade Matt Cassell.

Bottom line of a Matt Cassell Trade: If Tom Brady is healthy and ready to go; pull the trigger and let Matt Cassell go (through a trade). It would be much easier for Pats fans to see Cassell let go.

What would they get in return? Draft picks.

But not nearly as good picks as you would receive in a Tom Brady trade.

Summary of the situation: Something's gotta give. It's sensible to say that someone should be traded.

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read my article. Have a nice day.

-Ryan Williams

Gene Chizik Adds to Auburn Tigers Staff: Trooper Taylor, Jay Boulware Confirmed

Ryan Williams — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 11:08:39 -0500

On Sunday, Trooper Taylor flew into Auburn with the new Auburn running backs coach Curtis Luper. If you are unaware, they were both part of Oklahoma State's coaching staff this past year.

An initial report had surfaced that Taylor was moving with Luper to join Auburn's staff.

A report out of Auburn has stated that Taylor has joined the staff.

Other reports say that Taylor attended an Auburn staff meeting, and that he was going to join the staff in the meeting.

The Anniston Star reported that "New Auburn running backs coach Curtis Luper, also from Oklahoma State, said he and Taylor are close friends, but wants Taylor to explore his options."

Jay Boulware has joined the Auburn staff as a special teams coach.

Boulware coached special teams and running backs under Coach Gene Chizik last year at Iowa State.

He also has coaching experience at Northern Illinois, Stanford, Arizona, and Utah.

At Northern Illinois, Boulware recruited the current Atlanta Falcons star running back, Michael Turner.

UPDATE: Jan. 5, 2008: Trooper Taylor WILL join the Auburn Tiger coaching staff!

Taylor was Oklahoma's co-offensive coordinator and wide recievers coach in 2008.

Trooper is well known for his recruiting abilities, and was recognized by Rivals.com in the 2005 and 2007 seasons as a top-25 recruiter.

His coaching resume:

2008 Oklahoma State Co-Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers
2004-07 Tennessee Assistant Head Coach/Player Development/Wide Receivers
2004-05 Tennessee Running Backs
1999-2003 Tulane Wide Receivers
1998 New Mexico Running Backs
1997 Baylor Wide Receivers
1995-96 Baylor Secondary
1994 Baylor Wide Receivers
1992-93 Baylor Graduate Assistant

Thanks for stopping by. Feel free to leave your comments below. Have a nice day.

-Ryan Williams

The Utah Utes ROLL Over the TIDE on the Way to a Perfect 13-0 Season!

Ryan Williams — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 16:14:43 -0500

The Utah Utes stunned the men in Crimson in the opening quarter of regulation in the 2009 Sugar Bowl with 21 points in comparison to Alabama's zero.

Nick Saban and the Tide never fully recovered and lost 31-17 final. Alabama looked liked they were ready to mount a comeback in the second half, but never came around to it.

The Utes were guided by the arm of Brian Johnson, who finished the contest with 321 passing yards and three touchdown tosses.

This season is the second time the Utes have won a BCS bowl game, and their first undefeated season since Urban Meyer left to coach Florida after the '04-'05 season.

As for the Tide, who were heavily favored, this loss is a tough one to swallow.

Alabama fans have seen their team go from a No. 1 ranking and national title hopes to a season that ended with two consecutive losses.

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read my article. Have a pleasant day.

-Ryan

Is Virginia Tech BCS Bowl Worthy? Or is it Yet Another BCS Flaw?

Ryan Williams — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 06:00:45 -0500

(I know the ACC Champion is invited. I think the system should be revised.)

"Virginia Tech? In a BCS bowl game?"

Those were the first two thoughts that dashed across my mind. I then proceeded to slap myself across my face to reassure myself that this was not another crazy BCS nightmare.

"What about Boise State or Texas Tech?"

I sat in front of my TV in disbelief, astonished as thoughts of the 2004-05 season's bowl selection show resurfaced yet again.

Take a gander at the Hokies' schedule:

East Carolina: Loss, 22-27

Furman University: Win, 24-7

Georgia Tech: Win, 20-17

North Carolina: Win, 20-17

Nebraska: Win, 35-30

Western Kentucky University: Win, 27-13

Boston College: Loss, 23-28

Florida State: Loss, 20-30

Maryland: Win, 23-13

Miami: Loss, 14-16

Duke: Win, 14-3

Virginia: Win, 17-14

Boston College: Win, 30-12

Cincinnati: Win, 20-7

This schedule is softer than the Pillsbury Doughboy's tummy in comparison to the average SEC team's schedule.

They even had to come from behind to win against Carolina and Georgia Tech—arguably the two best teams on their schedule.

Their offense struggled against Duke (in football) and ended up with one offensive touchdown through four quarters of regulation.

They managed to put up a less than impressive three points against Furman in the first half of one of their scheduled out of conference games. Couldn't they have least scheduled a Division I-A team?

The lackadaisical scores do not tell the full story, however. You would have to witness an average Virginia Tech game to understand how overrated they truly are.

Seriously, how did a team like Virginia Tech even get invited to the game?

I live in the state of Virginia, and when I ask Virginia Tech fans the very same question, in response I always receive is: "2008 ACC Champions Baby!"

I always respond with, "That's not too very much to brag about."

(Note to everyone: I know they won the Orange Bowl. I'm explaining why I believe they shouldn't have been invited. I am not fan of a team who plays the Hokies annually, or a rival team of the Hokies for that matter.)

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read my article.

Ben Roethlisberger in the '09 Playoffs: Big Ben Godsend or the Steeler Downfall?

Ryan Williams — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 17:24:26 -0500

First and foremost; I am an avid Steelers fan. My moods on Mondays are highly affected by how the "Black n' Gold" perform on the field of play the day before. If they lose, I'm seeking sweet redemption on the following Sunday, but my week sure as heck drags by until my wish becomes a reality.

Twelve out of the last 17 Sundays (17 includes a bye week), I have seen the Steelers accomplish what they sought after: a victory. Sure, they weren't always pretty, but I would accept every win possible with the NFL's toughest schedule of the 2008-2009 season.

The man above is the reason we have won as many games as we have this season. Roethlisberger has taken a severe beating game in and game out, yet he makes plays come alive once the blocking breaks down. Without a doubt, I believe he is one of the few if not the only quarterback who can lead the Pittsburgh Steelers.

That being said, Ben has played a major role in all four of the losses this year.

In the loss to the Eagles in Week Four, he had one interception and two lost fumbles.

(It should be heavily noted that in this game at the Eagles that the line allowed eight or nine sacks, so he had horrific protection.)

In the 21-14 loss to the Giants, Big Ben had four interceptions.

When the Colts defeated the Steelers, Roethlisberger had three interceptions.

In the 31-14 loss to the Titans, he had four total turnovers combined, and the Titans scored 21 points off turnovers in the battle for AFC home-field advantage.

The point I am presenting is either the Good Ben or the Bad Ben shows up in the Steelers games—and also in the win and loss columns.

The Steelers' fate in the 2009 playoffs lives and dies in the hands of Ben Roethlisberger.

Will the good Ben or bad Ben show up?

The ratio of the good to bad games is one bad game to four good ones. If the good Ben shows up in the playoffs, then all he has to do is win his four games...En route to a sixth World Championship.

Thanks for stopping by and taking time to read, as I have thoroughly enjoyed writing my first article for you all. Happy new year, best of wishes for your 2009. Leave your comments below if you wish.