Jump to content

Yet another National Recruiting Debate


SKIPPER_01

Recommended Posts

Never attack an enemy head on unless you are certain you can defeat them. - Sun Tzu

Many recruiting gurus admit that Auburn fights an uphill battle in the living rooms of Alabama and Georgia.

We need to devote WAY MORE resources to recruiting and recruit nationally.

Auburn is not a state name, but it is one of the most common city names in US. Pick some strategic ones and build an Auburn University AUxiliary football complex at each. The top three would be on major highway outside beltway of Ft Worth/Cleveland/Seattle. The one east of Atlanta would be good. Have analysts assist highschool coaches with game film. Hold 7 on 7 camps. Basketball camps. Vacation Bible schools. Whatever.

Couldn't find one in south florida, but put an AUxiliary complex in West Palm Beach. Have a vetinary medical facility there for all the horses in the winter. Hold 7 on 7 camps. Sugar cane co-ops. Whatever.

Out flank the enemy.

Quit getting our ass beat on the recruiting trail.

If Auburn finishes 5 nationally recruiting we lose ground to our main rivals.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites





Art of war=logistics, logistics, logistics. We don't have the manpower to go sit in living rooms of disinterested kids out in California. Unless they show some previous interest in AU, we're wasting time, money and resources.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hire the extra manpower is what I'm saying. Find loop holes in recruiting rules. If what I'm suggesting is illegal recruiting, then don't call it recruiting. If kid expresses interest, notify the "recruiters" at Auburn. 

And Auburn is a national brand. There isn't a football player in the world that hasn't heard of Auburn. I doubt any Cali kid would be disinterested. 

We need to change the recruiting philosophy at Auburn. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, SKIPPER_01 said:

Never attack an enemy head on unless you are certain you can defeat them. - Sun Tzu

Many recruiting gurus admit that Auburn fights an uphill battle in the living rooms of Alabama and Georgia.

We need to devote WAY MORE resources to recruiting and recruit nationally.

Auburn is not a state name.  Pick some strategic ones and build an Auburn University AUxiliary football complex at each. Have analysts assist highschool coaches with game film. Hold 7 on 7 camps. Basketball camps. Vacation Bible schools. Whatever.

 

Out flank the enemy.

Quit getting our ass beat on the recruiting trail.

If Auburn finishes 5 nationally recruiting we lose ground to our main rivals.

 

This is true.   I think it would be wise to have AU extension programs that helped HS football and BB coaches.   We have a good business school - have them develop a bus plan and let's get Auburn 'out there'.  

Today we can't waste resources, but that is doing it the traditional way. 

It is time to rewrite the book on recruiting.  Kinda like how the Oakland A's rewrote the book on eval talent.  Someone needs to figure it out.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, SKIPPER_01 said:

Hire the extra manpower is what I'm saying. Find loop holes in recruiting rules. If what I'm suggesting is illegal recruiting, then don't call it recruiting. If kid expresses interest, notify the "recruiters" at Auburn. 

Well yes, what you suggest is a violation of the rules. What we call it won't matter, the NCAA will call it a major violation. Personnel other than coaches cannot recruit so it's not a matter of hiring a few more bodies and the number of coaches that can recruit is 10. Everybody is limited to ten.

PS: "If kid expresses interest, notify the "recruiters" at Auburn." That's already being done. It's how we get the occasional player from other regions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Well yes, what you suggest is a violation of the rules. What we call it won't matter, the NCAA will call it a major violation. Personnel other than coaches cannot recruit so it's not a matter of hiring a few more bodies and the number of coaches that can recruit is 10. Everybody is limited to ten.

PS: "If kid expresses interest, notify the "recruiters" at Auburn." That's already being done. It's how we get the occasional player from other regions.

You don't have to be actively recruiting. Having a presence in the area would be enough. For example, if they opened up satellite campuses, even if just for virtual classes or dual credit HS classes, in those specific target rich areas then the brand and idea of Auburn wouldn't be foreign.  And without getting anywhere close to a violation we have now expanded our footprint and brand exponentially.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, SKIPPER_01 said:

Never attack an enemy head on unless you are certain you can defeat them. - Sun Tzu

Many recruiting gurus admit that Auburn fights an uphill battle in the living rooms of Alabama and Georgia.

We need to devote WAY MORE resources to recruiting and recruit nationally.

Auburn is not a state name, but it is one of the most common city names in US. Pick some strategic ones and build an Auburn University AUxiliary football complex at each. The top three would be on major highway outside beltway of Ft Worth/Cleveland/Seattle. The one east of Atlanta would be good. Have analysts assist highschool coaches with game film. Hold 7 on 7 camps. Basketball camps. Vacation Bible schools. Whatever.

Couldn't find one in south florida, but put an AUxiliary complex in West Palm Beach. Have a vetinary medical facility there for all the horses in the winter. Hold 7 on 7 camps. Sugar cane co-ops. Whatever.

Out flank the enemy.

Quit getting our ass beat on the recruiting trail.

If Auburn finishes 5 nationally recruiting we lose ground to our main rivals.

 

No doubt!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, SKIPPER_01 said:

Hire the extra manpower is what I'm saying. Find loop holes in recruiting rules. If what I'm suggesting is illegal recruiting, then don't call it recruiting. If kid expresses interest, notify the "recruiters" at Auburn. 

And Auburn is a national brand. There isn't a football player in the world that hasn't heard of Auburn. I doubt any Cali kid would be disinterested. 

We need to change the recruiting philosophy at Auburn. 

When I  was in Hawaii everyone recognized my Auburn hat.  How obnoxious Alabama is isn't lost on the rest of the nations either

Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, bigbird said:

You don't have to be actively recruiting. Having a presence in the area would be enough. For example, if they opened up satellite campuses, even if just for virtual classes or dual credit HS classes, in those specific target rich areas then the brand and idea of Auburn wouldn't be foreign.  And without getting anywhere close to a violation we have now expanded our footprint and brand exponentially.

Exactly. Be creative is really what I'm getting at. Dual enrollment/virtual online stuff in pre-ag/sports medicine/aviation/etc. Have nationwide turf grass research facilities (i.e. football fields) Auburn is known for its great field, play that up across the country.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ignoring the home state(s) is not a wise move...Our talent level and recruiting relationships will suffer greatly and we would eventually end up like Tennessee...maybe even worse.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/20/2018 at 1:04 PM, AUDevil said:

Ignoring the home state(s) is not a wise move...Our talent level and recruiting relationships will suffer greatly and we would eventually end up like Tennessee...maybe even worse.

Nobody said ignore home states. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know if money is the issue in national recruiting.....Saw something a year or two ago and AU spends more on recruiting that most schools and as we've noted, lack money is rarely the reason for AU to not do something it wants to do.     

But you absolutely have to be careful about "spotters" working out in remote areas to identify candidates …..but some of the lower level GA staff could do research to help identify  possibilities. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • ellitor changed the title to Yet another National Recruiting Debate
On 9/19/2018 at 1:01 PM, SKIPPER_01 said:

We need to...recruit nationally.

This topic has been beaten to death at various points. No we don't. While we have a good national brand, we don't have an elite national brand & consistent playoff pedigree required to do well recruiting nationally. The more we try to do that & spin our wheels missing nationally it also means more recruits we would lose on in the Southeast we could have had.

On 9/19/2018 at 1:01 PM, SKIPPER_01 said:

If Auburn finishes 5 nationally recruiting we lose ground to our main rivals.

Incorrect. Top 10 ranked classes have the talent to compete big nationally. Whether they do depends on how well staff develop the talent.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, ellitor said:

Incorrect. Top 10 ranked classes have the talent to compete big nationally. 

Our recruiting classes are just a shell of what they could’ve been. When Cowart, Roc Thomas, Jovon, Kyle Davis, NCM, Duke, Tim Irvin, and Antuan Jackson all leave, or when Jeff Holland makes an ill advised decision to leave, the recruiting ranking of the classes that those players were brought up in stay the same. The ranking is still probably about as accurate as it can get, but it’s not very accurate two years down the road. 

Not to mention that there have been several times where we brought in a top 12 class, and still had major issues that were not addressed in the recruiting class. We stock pile on some positions and will take the crumbs off the plate for the positions that we really need. The stock piled positions over inflate the ranking. So the whole top ten threshold is of no value to me. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

46 minutes ago, ellitor said:

This topic has been beaten to death at various points. No we don't. While we have a good national brand, we don't have an elite national brand & consistent playoff pedigree required to do well recruiting nationally. The more we try to do that & spin our wheels missing nationally it also means more recruits we would lose on in the Southeast we could have had.

I disagree. But, I do understand the concern of spreading yourself too thin. We cannot let UA, UF, UGA lock down their respective states.

I've said my peace.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, ellitor said:

 

Top 10 ranked classes have the talent to compete big nationally. Whether they do depends on how well staff develop the talent.

Agree. Here is to our players receiving world class coaching, preparedness, and motivation from this staff.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There’s enough talent in Georgia and Alabama to go around add in some gets from Florida and Louisiana and you’re sitting pretty. Would love to get into Texas more but there’s 2,500 D1 colleges in Texas.

The problem with FL is all the real talent is in Central or South Florida. Most might not realize it takes 14+ hours to go from some parts of Florida to another. There’s more distance to travel Florida than some countries.

However, with FSU being down, Mullen rebuilding, Richt only occupies the Miami area, and UCF and USF only taking what 3* they can get... it might be time to take advantage of the down years of FL programs.

We win our share of recruiting battles with the Turds and Georgia. I’d rather send a scout to foreign countries to find more 6’6” god like young adults to send them this way. So many princes and stuff that come in, play one year somewhere, and get swallowed up by the NFL. Lol I’m partially joking but tell me there’s not some 6’6” 260 pound 17 year old Russian chopping wood and carrying boulders for his family to eat who wouldn’t be an amazing football player. There’s a world of talent out there completely separate from the opportunity to play football...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’m very excited about this years recruiting class.  The staff have not won a lot of head to head battles but have gotten very talented players so far.  When Jamond Gordon is probably your lowest commit that’s saying something.  Plus we have more to add and many of them are high profile.  Even if we split on them it’s gonna turn out to be about #5-8 is my expectations in final rankings.  Next year is starting out pretty good as well.  That’s one thing that’s been done right this year the staff hasn’t goofed around like they have in the past trying to flip people late.  How about we finish the next 4-5 recruits with solid to very good players and finish it off with a flip or 2.  

All this we are getting are tails handed to is stuff is getting old.  We were one qtr last year from being on the play offs.  It’s 13-7 with a banged up All- American SEC player of the year playing running back and fumbling while we were driving around mid field that turned the SEC championship game.  Then late trying to make something happen on defense we gave up the edge and they hit us with the right call to get the back down the sideline for the last TD.  We were right there.

Keep recruiting good to great players with high character and let’s see what happens.  The future is still bright my friends 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, corchjay said:

I’m very excited about this years recruiting class.  The staff have not won a lot of head to head battles but have gotten very talented players so far.  When Jamond Gordon is probably your lowest commit that’s saying something.  Plus we have more to add and many of them are high profile.  Even if we split on them it’s gonna turn out to be about #5-8 is my expectations in final rankings.  Next year is starting out pretty good as well.  That’s one thing that’s been done right this year the staff hasn’t goofed around like they have in the past trying to flip people late.  How about we finish the next 4-5 recruits with solid to very good players and finish it off with a flip or 2.  

All this we are getting are tails handed to is stuff is getting old.  We were one qtr last year from being on the play offs.  It’s 13-7 with a banged up All- American SEC player of the year playing running back and fumbling while we were driving around mid field that turned the SEC championship game.  Then late trying to make something happen on defense we gave up the edge and they hit us with the right call to get the back down the sideline for the last TD.  We were right there.

Keep recruiting good to great players with high character and let’s see what happens.  The future is still bright my friends 

Hopefully, even the most critical among us are looking at the current freshman class and feeling some optimism about our evaluation and recruiting at most positions. 

It's one thing to get the blue chips, and it's another to get the right ones. We did both in the most recent signing class, so I'm optimistic we can do it again. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just my opinion but I do not think we need to recruit Nationally either. It thins out your resources and time. Our strategy of concentrating in the Southeast is a good one. Also most kids do not want to go somewhere that’s too far from home. Currently I think our biggest issue is we do not have enough elite recruiters on the offensive side of the ball. Most of our 5 and 4 stars are on the defensive side. We are especially weak at the OL and RB position. We have not recruited well at either position in the last couple of years and it is showing. I think Kodi has done an excellent job getting WR talent and we have recruited pretty well at the QB position but that’s it as far as the offensive side goes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Hopefully, even the most critical among us are looking at the current freshman class and feeling some optimism about our evaluation and recruiting at most positions. 

It's one thing to get the blue chips, and it's another to get the right ones. We did both in the most recent signing class, so I'm optimistic we can do it again. 

This can't be overlooked.  Class ranking does not matter at all if you don't have guys who can excel in what you are running.  We have a group of True Freshman on offense and defense who look like game changers for us.  Mark Richt had great recruiting classes but consistently recruited players of ranking instead of need.  I just want us to recruit our needs with the best players available to play within our scheme.  We do not need to try to recruit nationally.  What we need is to not have years where we miss on position of need.  That is OL right now.  I will go further to say that not only have we failed at OL but to compound the problem we are asking them to play too early.  Ben Cleveland was a stud coming out of HS and a beast of a man.  Until the Auburn game in the SECC he could not get into the starting lineup.  He needed time and real reps.  In my opinion we have a slight talent deficiency on top of asking that talent to play too early.  Couple that with injuries and you have a big mess.  We just need to recruit where we recruit and get our share of the right guys.  Competition for a starting position makes everyone better and right now we don't have that on the OL in my opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, SKIPPER_01 said:

We cannot let UA, UF, UGA lock down their respective states.

There's too much talent in Georgia & Florida for UGA & UF to lock down their states. They can get their loin's share but under the current rules they can't lock down the states. Lastly, UA has not looked down this state in a long time, maybe since Saban's 1st full class in 2008. Since they have become an elite national brand they have recruited more nationally & cherry picked some in state they felt were elite.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎9‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 1:04 PM, AUDevil said:

Ignoring the home state(s) is not a wise move...Our talent level and recruiting relationships will suffer greatly and we would eventually end up like Tennessee...maybe even worse.

Excellent point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/20/2018 at 1:04 PM, AUDevil said:

Ignoring the home state(s) is not a wise move...Our talent level and recruiting relationships will suffer greatly and we would eventually end up like Tennessee...maybe even worse.

giphy.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’m not saying this to turn this thread into yet another Gus Malzahn bashing contest. With that said, I ask this question:

Does Bruce Pearl have a problem recruiting? The right coach, the right program, the right facilities and we will not have a problem competing with the likes of the turds and thuga.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...