2016 Grad Transfer LB T.J. Neal (AU commit 2/16/16)

[thaitopher 807]

Awesome. Now what other positions do we need shoring up? This is HUGE in my opinion. I think that we are pretty deep in every position but LB.

[VipersStrike1 230]

Awesome. Now what other positions do we need shoring up?

CB. Hopefully Dean is the answer.

[IronMan70 3,277]

This helps out a LOT. Welcome to Auburn TJ. War Eagle !!!!

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

Starting LB Core next year:

TJ Neal

Tre Williams

Jeff Holland.

Needless to say I'm excited

[ellitor 33,062]

Starting LB Core next year:

TJ Neal

Tre Williams

Jeff Holland.

Needless to say I'm excited

It's just TJ & Tre. We won't use a 3rd LB much on plays. Holland will be used more as a stand up End type.

[VipersStrike1 230]

Starting LB Core next year:

TJ Neal

Tre Williams

Jeff Holland.

Holland will be used more as a stand up End type.

Exactly. Same as last year and in high school.

Not sure why people continue to put him down as a true LB.

He is a Marquies Gunn clone.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

He's listed as a LB because the majority of his snaps last year came at OLB. He rushed the passer more at the start of the season, but he was playing LB, regular LB, making pass drops and the like, at the end of the season. Could just be me, but he doesn't look a lot like Gunn to me. Marquies was a much longer/leaner guy. To my eyes, Holland is built more like Cass (mostly a LB) or Reggie Torbor (mostly a DE).

Excited to land Neal. He and Tre should definitely help a young unit develop. Looking forward to watching him play, and I'm hoping he is able to rub off on Darrell Williams, Richard McBryde, Montavious Atkinson, and Tre Threat. That's a group of young dudes that need solid mentors at the position. If a few of those guys step forward (along with Javy Mitchell), that unit could become an unexpected strength.

[80Tiger 899]

But how could this be? The program is imploding from all the in fighting. Surely this young man could see this and chosen somewhere else? All the insiders indicate that GM is as good as gone. I do not understand how anything good could be happening.

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

But how could this be? The program is imploding from all the in fighting. Surely this young man could see this and chosen somewhere else? All the insiders indicate that GM is as good as gone. I do not understand how anything good could be happening.

At what point did any insiders say Gus was gone?

[mcgufcm 4,096]

We've definitely had insiders that have said both (1) Gus MUST win this season and (2) this team/program is completely lost and the season is going down the tubes. Put those together and you have insiders saying we're going to lose in a must-win season. I'd say you don't have to stretch far to draw that conclusion from what some of our folks have posted lately.

[ellitor 33,062]

We've definitely had insiders that have said both (1) Gus MUST win this season and (2) this team/program is completely lost and the season is going down the tubes. Put those together and you have insiders saying we're going to lose in a must-win season. I'd say you don't have to stretch far to draw that conclusion from what some of our folks have posted lately.

Have not seen an insider post #2.

[VipersStrike1 230]

He's listed as a LB because the majority of his snaps last year came at OLB. He rushed the passer more at the start of the season, but he was playing LB, regular LB, making pass drops and the like, at the end of the season. Could just be me, but he doesn't look a lot like Gunn to me. Marquies was a much longer/leaner guy. To my eyes, Holland is built more like Cass (mostly a LB) or Reggie Torbor (mostly a DE).

I watched Holland play mostly at the DE position to rush the passer. I don't recall him lining up much 2-3 yards behind the DL at the snap detached from a 4-man front except for one pass play he defended...v Arkansas on the 2-point conversion...he initially lined up at DE on a 6-man front...and had to detach to cover the TE in the slot, who caught the conversion defended by Holland.

When I said clone, I meant both he & Gunn were pass-rushing specialists in high school and College.

[80Tiger 899]

But how could this be? The program is imploding from all the in fighting. Surely this young man could see this and chosen somewhere else? All the insiders indicate that GM is as good as gone. I do not understand how anything good could be happening.

At what point did any insiders say Gus was gone?

You have not seen the posts saying Gus must win (insert # here) of games or he is gone? Before you say those were not insiders, anyone on this board can claim to be an insider and there is no way to dispute that fact.

Am I an insider? Absolutely not. Have I had info from inside AU football that proved be true before it became public? Yep. The point is that some of the statements by so called insiders borders on crazy talk

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

But how could this be? The program is imploding from all the in fighting. Surely this young man could see this and chosen somewhere else? All the insiders indicate that GM is as good as gone. I do not understand how anything good could be happening.

At what point did any insiders say Gus was gone?

You have not seen the posts saying Gus must win (insert # here) of games or he is gone? Before you say those were not insiders, anyone on this board can claim to be an insider and there is no way to dispute that fact.

Am I an insider? Absolutely not. Have I had info from inside AU football that proved be true before it became public? Yep. The point is that some of the statements by so called insiders borders on crazy talk

Your post indicated that he was already good as gone which is what I assumed.

[PoetTiger 1,896]

We've definitely had insiders that have said both (1) Gus MUST win this season and (2) this team/program is completely lost and the season is going down the tubes. Put those together and you have insiders saying we're going to lose in a must-win season. I'd say you don't have to stretch far to draw that conclusion from what some of our folks have posted lately.

Have not seen an insider post #2.

Regardless ...insiders don't know everything. Knowing if a recruit will commit vs the outcome of a season are two different things...but there has been enough insinuation form one in particular that I can understand why mg said what he did....

[PoetTiger 1,896]

Did he MLB or OLB at Illinois....and where is his more ideal spot at AU?

[jared52 4,354]

I like his number.

[AUbritt 611]

Did he MLB or OLB at Illinois....and where is his more ideal spot at AU?

I'd put him in the opponent's backfield making a TFL.

I believe he played Mike LB at Illinois.

[trout54 55]

the results of next season and any coaching changes will have zero affect on him. he has one year to play one year. he will be gone regardless of any outcomes. my hope is that he brings a maturity and moxie that helps keep this team and coaching staff together for another year. WDE

[Randman5000 4,223]

I expect our defense to be much improved next year!

Well. I believed that last year as well.

much more confident this year

[Tivo48 31]

Huge get and happy to have him. He and Tre have gotta be the early favorites to start at ILB come fall

[Mikey 16,546]

Glad we got him, if ever there was a position that needed help, it's our LB corps.

However, I'm like 80 Tiger, above. According to many here we just lost the best recruiter in the history of the world, the wheels have come off and it's doubtful if we'll even field a team next year. How'd this guy fail to see all that?

[ellitor 33,062]

We've definitely had insiders that have said both (1) Gus MUST win this season and (2) this team/program is completely lost and the season is going down the tubes. Put those together and you have insiders saying we're going to lose in a must-win season. I'd say you don't have to stretch far to draw that conclusion from what some of our folks have posted lately.

Have not seen an insider post #2.

Regardless ...insiders don't know everything. Knowing if a recruit will commit vs the outcome of a season are two different things...but there has been enough insinuation form one in particular that I can understand why mg said what he did....

FWIW it's not just 1 but nearly every person w/ a real AU connection is hearing the same thing. That Gus has to show improvement in 2016 to stay. Since we went 7-6 in 2015 my opinion & interpretation of that is it means he needs at least 8-5 but more likely 9-4 & may need to be competitive in all games. I very well may be wrong in that interpretation but there is almost no doubt the team has to improve for him to stay.

[ellitor 33,062]

Did he MLB or OLB at Illinois....and where is his more ideal spot at AU?

Will be a Mike @ AU & we don't use OLBs often anymore.

[ellitor 33,062]

FTR every AU site is reporting Neal only counts to the 85 limit & not a 25 limit as a Grad Transfer.