All Things Final Spots in the 2018 Class

[ellitor 33,062]

3 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Correct, but it's been passed around that the +1 is a done deal.

I haven't seen that yet. I've just seen it out there from someone connected. I'd still rather what till it comes from an AU Recruiting Reporter to say it before calling it a done deal. They are still saying 25.

[ellitor 33,062]

20 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Alaimo is doing us a favor by delaying his commitment until after he visits aTm. That gives us some time to sort other positions out.

He also may have been asked to by the staff FWIW.

[corchjay 5,311]

Why do they expect Fuqua’s shoulder to take so long to heal?  Did his arm fall completely off?  9 months on a shoulder is a long time for a non thrower 

[AuburnNTexas 7,127]

I am in the Bird camp when it comes to Safety's our need is great. I am hoping his shoulder is healthy so we can get him on Campus this summer and start addressing one of our main needs. A GT CB or OT might then be needed to fill another need. We just have to wait and see.  The other thing is as many have stated our biggest needs are CB, Safety if shoulder is not healthy and OT.  A lot also depends on the quality of the players who will decide they want to go to Auburn. If the ones we are hoping for fall through should we save the scholly's for next years class or take a player who might not be ready for 2-3 years?

[ellitor 33,062]

43 minutes ago, AuburnNTexas said:

I am in the Bird camp when it comes to Safety's our need is great. I am hoping his shoulder is healthy so we can get him on Campus this summer and start addressing one of our main needs. A GT CB or OT might then be needed to fill another need. We just have to wait and see.  The other thing is as many have stated our biggest needs are CB, Safety if shoulder is not healthy and OT.  A lot also depends on the quality of the players who will decide they want to go to Auburn. If the ones we are hoping for fall through should we save the scholly's for next years class or take a player who might not be ready for 2-3 years?

With the number of prospects the staff has on the board I think they have as takes I don't think there would be 2 or 3 spots left. If it happened though they would likely fill them out with Grad Transfers in this class IMO.

[aujeff11 6,243]

Any news from today other the HH news? Reading through the 8 or 9 unread threads full of gifs and back and forth is a.daunting task. 

[WFE12 9,191]

So....I think it's safe to say that Alaimo and McCreary commit in the coming days so who's after them? Afraid we will be caught in between a rock and a hard place with Quay's visit being so late...We're gonna have to wish others stand by until Quay is done with his visits which I really don't believe will happen.

[ellitor 33,062]

2 hours ago, WFE12 said:

I think it's safe to say that Alaimo and McCreary commit in the coming days

Not sure the staff has decided to take them yet.

 

[WFE12 9,191]

2 hours ago, ellitor said:

Not sure the staff has decided to take them yet.

 

I can understand with McCreary but they got nothing to decide on with Alaimo. That's a take!

[aucanucktiger 1,789]

I can see Gus making a package O line coach hire where a blue chipper O lineman that worships the new guy comes with him.

[kd4au 1,145]

6 hours ago, WFE12 said:

I can understand with McCreary but they got nothing to decide on with Alaimo. That's a take!

Unless they think Joiner will end up at TE and decide to just take him and not Alaimo. Who knows guess we will find out soon.

[Mikey 16,545]

6 hours ago, WFE12 said:

I can understand with McCreary but they got nothing to decide on with Alaimo. That's a take!

Normally I'd agree but there are only three or four slots left and AU is still in on some mighty big fish. We had a good TE prospect redshirted last year and he's still here. I think it's come down to priorities and Alaimo, Mccreary & co. may have to be patient.

[McLoofus 35,182]

13 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Normally I'd agree but there are only three or four slots left and AU is still in on some mighty big fish. We had a good TE prospect redshirted last year and he's still here. I think it's come down to priorities and Alaimo, Mccreary & co. may have to be patient.

I'm with you here. 

If we're going strictly by best available, I'm not sure this is the take.

If we're going strictly by needs, this is definitely not the take. 

Joiner changed things. 

Edit: As an aside, Mikey, regarding our prior conversations somewhat related to this topic- I think our disagreement was about another RB in general and not whether or not we should take Joiner specifically. Out of respect to a new Auburn guy, I'll leave it at that. 

[ellitor 33,062]

7 hours ago, WFE12 said:

I can understand with McCreary but they got nothing to decide on with Alaimo. That's a take!

Not necessarily with Joiner on board now.

[WFE12 9,191]

2 hours ago, ellitor said:

Not necessarily with Joiner on board now.

You told me it was a take the other day. Whatever happens I don't want us regretting not taking him. Now that Fuqua is signing, more players that I want we will not have a spot for. Not much has been said about John Samuel-Shenker....Idk what to think about him. The coaches told Joiner about mainly playing rb and splitting out in the slot...So like a makeshift te? I wonder did they even mention te to him.

[ellitor 33,062]

10 minutes ago, WFE12 said:

You told me it was a take the other day.

The other day being over a week ago. Things change, especially in recruiting over a couple weeks. He may still be a take but that's something the staff has to figure out.

12 minutes ago, WFE12 said:

Fuqua is signing,

Staff hasn't decided that yet either as discussed thoroughly in the Fuqua thread

[WFE12 9,191]

16 minutes ago, ellitor said:

The other day being over a week ago. Things change, especially in recruiting over a couple weeks. He may still be a take but that's something the staff has to figure out.

Staff hasn't decided that yet either as discussed thoroughly in the Fuqua thread

No, Sunday in the Harold Joiner thread you told me he was a take. But like you said things change so it's whatever. That wasn't sarcasm.

[ellitor 33,062]

33 minutes ago, WFE12 said:

No, Sunday in the Harold Joiner thread you told me he was a take. But like you said things change so it's whatever. That wasn't sarcasm.

I wasn't up to date then unfortunately. I did work the women's basketball game on Sunday so there was half a day that I couldn't be available to know there was a change.  I assumed without knowledge of change. My apologies.

[NorthGATiger 1,801]

29 minutes ago, ellitor said:

I wasn't up to date then unfortunately. I did work the women's basketball game on Sunday so there was half a day that I couldn't be available to know there was a change.  I assumed without knowledge of change. My apologies.

No apologies needed.  We appreciate the info.  I don't see it to be fair to hold your feet to the fire if you aren't 100% correct all of the time.  Personally, I will say this.  I don't care who the coaches see as a take right now BUT, I don't want to hear that we don't use the TE because we don't have one in the future.  Stop recruiting guys to play TE if they can't play the position.  I so hate to continually pour gasoline on the fire but go look up Shannon Sharpe's measurables and compare them to McClain.  I'm not saying have McClain as a blocking TE but damn that dude would be a match up disaster for a defense lined up in the TE spot.  As far as blocking goes, he definitely has the quickness and size to chip enough or create enough leverage to seal the outside if needed.  I'll go back to sleep now unless I can think of another way to get McClain on the field.  Ya'll ever seen him punt?

[aufan57 922]

1 minute ago, NorthGATiger said:

 Ya'll ever seen him punt?

We don't need McClain doing double duty since we have the Aussie coming.

[NorthGATiger 1,801]

1 minute ago, aufan57 said:

We don't need McClain doing double duty since we have the Aussie coming.

Oh, I was attempting humor.  Performing double duty would mean you are performing a first duty.  Right now Gus has McClain's first duty as hold that bench down, cheer on your teammates, and stand on said bleacher to wave a towel to get the crowd into it.  Also we want you to exit the bus first at away games with your shirt off so we can scare the opposing fans lol.

[Mikey 16,545]

43 minutes ago, NorthGATiger said:

Oh, I was attempting humor.  Performing double duty would mean you are performing a first duty.  Right now Gus has McClain's first duty as hold that bench down, cheer on your teammates, and stand on said bleacher to wave a towel to get the crowd into it.  Also we want you to exit the bus first at away games with your shirt off so we can scare the opposing fans lol.

Early in the season, McClain holding the bench down was his best position for the team. As the season progressed, McClain progressed and he got more playing time. Funny how that works. He was a freshman. Good chance he'll do big things at AU before his time here is over.

[AuburnNTexas 7,127]

2 hours ago, NorthGATiger said:

No apologies needed.  We appreciate the info.  I don't see it to be fair to hold your feet to the fire if you aren't 100% correct all of the time.  Personally, I will say this.  I don't care who the coaches see as a take right now BUT, I don't want to hear that we don't use the TE because we don't have one in the future.  Stop recruiting guys to play TE if they can't play the position.  I so hate to continually pour gasoline on the fire but go look up Shannon Sharpe's measurables and compare them to McClain.  I'm not saying have McClain as a blocking TE but damn that dude would be a match up disaster for a defense lined up in the TE spot.  As far as blocking goes, he definitely has the quickness and size to chip enough or create enough leverage to seal the outside if needed.  I'll go back to sleep now unless I can think of another way to get McClain on the field.  Ya'll ever seen him punt?

I actually started a post a while back about using him as a TE.  The idea before it didn't pan out was to rotate a pass catching TE and a blocking TE but the pass catching TE Sal couldn't catch this year that is why I thought McClain would have been an ideal pass catching TE.  Yes when he is in other team would know he was a pass catcher but they would still have to try and cover him with a LBer which is an automatic mismatch in our favor.

[WFE12 9,191]

3 hours ago, ellitor said:

I wasn't up to date then unfortunately. I did work the women's basketball game on Sunday so there was half a day that I couldn't be available to know there was a change.  I assumed without knowledge of change. My apologies.

It's all good, I, like @NorthGATiger, don't want us to force a guy to a position if it isn't his natural position and it doesn't work and people use the no te excuse. Alaimo is THE guy for us. If spots don't allow it then I will just have to get over it and go into a corner and sulk..just kidding..sorta.

[NorthGATiger 1,801]

2 hours ago, Mikey said:

Early in the season, McClain holding the bench down was his best position for the team. As the season progressed, McClain progressed and he got more playing time. Funny how that works. He was a freshman. Good chance he'll do big things at AU before his time here is over.

For the record, McClain is in the same class as NCM, Eli Stove, and the since gone Kyle Davis.  Without inside info and being at the practices who knows why he did not see more playing time.  But I will tell you this without reservation, when he did see the field he more than looks the part and if you look around the world of college football and especially the Championship game there were true freshman playing everywhere.  Gus just does not trust young players.  Devin Barrett, McClain, and every kid that has sat the bench until their redshirt sophomore season say hello.