Brandon Jacobs

[DCTiger 0]

I like ol Brandon. I still have a hard time hearing his name and not thinking of that poor guy in the Vandy wedge that got clobberd !!!

ANOTHER TIGERS TAILBACK:@ A day after Ronnie Brown of Auburn was picked second in the NFL draft and his teammate, Carnell Williams, went fifth, another former Tigers running back was selected in the fourth round.

Brandon Jacobs spent a year playing behind Williams and Brown before transferring to Southern Illinois.

The 267-pound Jacobs arrived at Auburn in 2003 as one of the most heralded and sought after junior college players in the country. He ran for 446 yards playing third-string to Williams, who was picked by Tampa Bay, and Brown, taken by Miami.

"I'm just glad those guys were picked really high so people can see why I really left," Jacobs said.

When both Williams and Brown decided to return for their senior seasons, a surprising and fortunate event for the Tigers, Jacobs gave some thought to moving to linebacker.

Eventually, he switched schools instead of positions, transferring to I-AA Southern Illinois so he could play immediately. He would have had to sit out a season had he transferred to another I-A school.

Jacobs ran for 992 yards, a 6.2 yard average per carry and scored 19 touchdowns for the Salukis last season.

Jacobs will get a shot to replace Ron Dayne, who left as a free agent, as the Giants short-yardage back and power complement to Tiki Barber.

"I am there for short yardage, I am there for long yardage and whatever the situation may be," Jacobs said in a telephone interview. "I just want to get the job done. The Giants haven't been able to get a third-and-1 in a long time, so this will stop finally. I will not be denied on one yard."

___

[rexbo 104]

The NFL is going to be stacked with former AU running backs next year, and wouldn't be cool to see these 3 competing for rookie of the year and making the Pro Bowl...

[TexasTiger 13,016]

The NFL is going to be stacked with former AU running backs next year, and wouldn't be cool to see these 3 competing for rookie of the year and making the Pro Bowl...

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Well, two of them, anyway.

[AuNuma1 1]

So why did he have to bad-mouth us on his way out? Why didn't he just say it, "I can't keep up with the guys in front of me"?

[AUslug 1]

Pride got in the way.

[TitanTiger 20,510]

Pride is one thing. To insinuate that there were racial issues at Auburn, which he did, was what got me angry and why I don't care what he does anymore. He's not an Auburn man.

[vatz22au 142]

Exactly...Brandon Jacobs is a BIG BABY. He couldnt accept the fact that not one...but TWO players on the team he was on were ten times better than him.

It would've been better for him to just say," Hey i didnt get the playing time I wanted" but instead he claimed racist issues........YOUR A BIG LOSER JACOBS

[DCTiger 0]

Can somebody re-post his comments? I remember him saying something just as he was getting to S. Il that he later said was out of context. It didnt sound all that bad to me.

Is that what everyone is so upset about? Or did I miss something else?

[DCTiger 0]

I dont believe Brandon has been hatin on Auburn. This is what he said today:

Brandon Jacobs:

Q: What are your thoughts on being picked by the Giants?

A: I love it. I keep up with the New York Giants. I have two friends that play there in Corey Webster, who just got drafted, and Reggie Torbor. It’s a pretty good thing and I’m very excited about it and I can’t wait for it to start.

Q: How do you know Reggie?

A: I played at Auburn with Reggie.

Q: What led you to going to Southern Illinois?

A: I considered staying at Auburn behind those guys. It’s just that when I got there those guys were already there and established. I tried to stay there and coach didn’t want me to redshirt because he felt I was already into my college career. So he wasn’t going to redshirt me. So I made the decision to leave.

Q: Did they want to switch your position at one point?

A: Well, they tried and I actually tried. I was there for whatever they wanted me to do. But they didn’t like it and it didn’t work out. So me and Coach Tubbs sat down in his office and we made the decision that I should leave.

Q: Have you kept in touch with Ronnie and Carnell?

A: I talked to Ronnie just about 15 minutes ago. Ronnie is very happy. He just flew in from Miami so he’s back in Atlanta. Ronnie is a great guy. Carnell is a great guy. I’m glad for both of those guys because both of those guys deserve it. I’m glad both of them went so high so people could see that I didn’t have any problems at Auburn. Because a lot of people did think I did…I’m just really glad those guys were picked so high and rated so high so they can see why I really left.

[wesfau 0]

I dont believe Brandon has been hatin on Auburn. This is what he said today:

Brandon Jacobs:

Q: What are your thoughts on being picked by the Giants?

A: I love it. I keep up with the New York Giants. I have two friends that play there in Corey Webster, who just got drafted, and Reggie Torbor. It’s a pretty good thing and I’m very excited about it and I can’t wait for it to start.

Q: How do you know Reggie?

A: I played at Auburn with Reggie.

Q: What led you to going to Southern Illinois?

A: I considered staying at Auburn behind those guys. It’s just that when I got there those guys were already there and established. I tried to stay there and coach didn’t want me to redshirt because he felt I was already into my college career. So he wasn’t going to redshirt me. So I made the decision to leave.

Q: Did they want to switch your position at one point?

A: Well, they tried and I actually tried. I was there for whatever they wanted me to do. But they didn’t like it and it didn’t work out. So me and Coach Tubbs sat down in his office and we made the decision that I should leave.

Q: Have you kept in touch with Ronnie and Carnell?

A: I talked to Ronnie just about 15 minutes ago. Ronnie is very happy. He just flew in from Miami so he’s back in Atlanta. Ronnie is a great guy. Carnell is a great guy. I’m glad for both of those guys because both of those guys deserve it. I’m glad both of them went so high so people could see that I didn’t have any problems at Auburn. Because a lot of people did think I did…I’m just really glad those guys were picked so high and rated so high so they can see why I really left.

157240[/snapback]

He's singing a different tune these days. His allegations do not need to be rehashed, but he had some awful things to say about AU when he left.

[vatz22au 142]

I dont believe Brandon has been hatin on Auburn. This is what he said today:

Brandon Jacobs:

Q: What are your thoughts on being picked by the Giants?

A: I love it. I keep up with the New York Giants. I have two friends that play there in Corey Webster, who just got drafted, and Reggie Torbor. It’s a pretty good thing and I’m very excited about it and I can’t wait for it to start.

Q: How do you know Reggie?

A: I played at Auburn with Reggie.

Q: What led you to going to Southern Illinois?

A: I considered staying at Auburn behind those guys. It’s just that when I got there those guys were already there and established. I tried to stay there and coach didn’t want me to redshirt because he felt I was already into my college career. So he wasn’t going to redshirt me. So I made the decision to leave.

Q: Did they want to switch your position at one point?

A: Well, they tried and I actually tried. I was there for whatever they wanted me to do. But they didn’t like it and it didn’t work out. So me and Coach Tubbs sat down in his office and we made the decision that I should leave.

Q: Have you kept in touch with Ronnie and Carnell?

A: I talked to Ronnie just about 15 minutes ago. Ronnie is very happy. He just flew in from Miami so he’s back in Atlanta. Ronnie is a great guy. Carnell is a great guy. I’m glad for both of those guys because both of those guys deserve it. I’m glad both of them went so high so people could see that I didn’t have any problems at Auburn. Because a lot of people did think I did…I’m just really glad those guys were picked so high and rated so high so they can see why I really left.

157240[/snapback]

When he left he accused certain "things" about Auburn of being racist..... He said nothing of playing time at all.

[LegalEagle 22]

Well, if you are a large, gifted running back, and the coach starts two black guys ahead of you, how could that not be racist? <Looks at photo of Brandon> Uh, nevermind. *grin*

BJ is a great athelete who just happened to be on a team with two of the best in the nation at his position. I'm sure he was hurting when he left. I think he is a good guy, and I wish him the best.

War Eagle!

[vatz22au 142]

Well, if you are a large, gifted running back, and the coach starts two black guys ahead of you, how could that not be racist?  <Looks at photo of Brandon>  Uh, nevermind.  *grin*

BJ is a great athelete who just happened to be on a team with two of the best in the nation at his position.  I'm sure he was hurting when he left.  I think he is a good guy, and I wish him the best.

War Eagle!

157335[/snapback]

I just dont get your comments at all. "Im sure he was hurting when he left"??????!!!!????? Is that an excuse for racist comments on a university???? HELL NO IT ISNT.

"I think he is a good guy".......ya if he wasnt two sided..... I dont think many of you people who are posting good replies about him here have even heard about the comments he said when he left.

[Tigerdog 0]

[DCTiger 0]

Maybe we didn't. What did he say?

(and dont just say "things')

[TitanTiger 20,510]

Here is the article from the Carbondale, Illinois (home of S. Illinois U.) local newspaper, The Daily Egyptian. You can't find the article online anymore but I found a copy. Here it 'tis:

Auburn transfer finds home at SIU

By Zack Creglow, Daily Egyptian

April 15, 2004

(U-WIRE) CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Brandon Jacobs walks hastily across the Auburn campus, quietly counting the days until he reunites with his friends at Southern Illinois.  A season at Auburn left him questioning his ability, his decision to attend there and himself. When his best friend at Auburn, Tony McClain, chose to transfer to SIU last fall, Jacobs was left alone.

"I got a few friends at Auburn, but I can count them up on one hand," Jacobs said in his baritone Cajun muffle.  Two weeks ago, he decided to join McClain as a Saluki. As he finishes the semester at Auburn, he continues to envision how his career might have gone -- how it should have gone. He thinks of Auburn vs. Alabama, 86,000 screaming fans watching him carry the football.  But that isn't what he remembers.

His memory evokes Auburn fans chanting, "You Suck!" and being told by Auburn coaches that in the preseason he would start -- only not to receive a carry in the final four games -- and the condescending manner he feels blacks are treated in Auburn, Ala.

"At Auburn, there isn't that many great people," Jacobs said. "You are everything to these people if you are an athlete. Normal black people don't get treated like we do. If you aren't an athlete, they don't want anything to do with you, and that isn't right."

He had entered Auburn as the gem of the recruiting class, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound running back widely considered the top junior college prospect in the nation only to finish the season as a whisper. He was relegated to the bench in a sport he had dominated since he was 4 years old.

"It killed me," Jacobs said. "It had me wanting to quit. It killed my insides. I never even had left the field before Auburn. I was never the one on the bench. I still haven't adjusted to that. It still kills me."

He never felt farther from home.

In sun-baked Napoleonville, La., home of Jacobs and his legend, his mother Janice answers questions regarding him daily. People ask about him at the post office and the super market. It doesn't matter where.

Everybody in the town of 750 people is interested in how her son is doing. Everybody cares. One of his high school teachers even started a professionally designed website for him, www.brandonjacobs.net.

Football is tradition in the Southern town. When Jacobs played, people flooded Napoleonville from all over with the town's two stoplights directing the influx of traffic. More than 8,000 fans piled into the lone grandstand and scattered around the field just to watch him run.

"Oh Lord, when he played, the whole town just went crazy," Janice said. "He brought people out to football games who never went to a game before. People came from everywhere."

After rushing for 3,022 yards and 38 touchdowns, he chose to resume his career at Auburn. He had the opportunity to attend the home state school, LSU, and had offers from Miami, Texas and Nebraska.

After failing to meet academic standards, Auburn placed him at Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College. Quietly tucked away in the vast grassy plains of rural Kansas and the nearest city, Tulsa, more than an hour away, Jacobs and his Red Raven teammates developed a strong bond.

"That is it, just hang out with guys," Jacobs said. "But we had fun playing football, working out and lifting weights. We had fun doing those kinds of things. I remember going out and having water balloon fights. We would just joke around, making fun of each other. They don't do that at Auburn.

"When somebody had a problem at Coffeyville, they didn't run to the coaches; they ran to their teammates."

The chemistry spilled onto the field. The Red Raven offense was unstoppable as he and Muhammad Abdulqaadir formed the most potent backfield in the nation during his freshman season.

"When he and Muhammad played together, Muhammad always wanted Brandon to go in there and mash it up a bit before he went in," said SIU defensive line coach Bryce Saia, who joined the Saluki staff this winter after six seasons at Coffeyville. "When Muhammad blew out his knee, you saw tears come out of Brandon's eyes."

After Abdulqaadir left for SIU, Jacobs no longer had to share carries. The ball was his. Saluki head coach Jerry Kill first saw Jacobs when he made a visit to Coffeyville to recruit future SIU players Frank Johnson, Linton Brown and Jamarquis Jordan.

In the third quarter of the Dalton Defenders Bowl, which pitted the Red Ravens against Rochester (Minn.), Jacobs broke lose on a counter. He outran the entire secondary and walked into the end zone for an 85-yard touchdown. He finished the game with 259 yards on 24 carries.

"Little did [Kill] know, No. 27 would be playing for him someday," Saia said.

In the last weekend in March, Jacobs took a visit to Carbondale, Ill., and met with Kill in his office. He heard truth in what Kill said to him.

"He is a straight-up guy," Jacobs said of Kill. "I had a lot of one-on-one conversations at Auburn that were untruthful. Even when the guys from Coffeyville would get into trouble here, he didn't throw them out like a dishrag."

During the visit, he saw familiar faces, people he used to consider family. He saw three former Red Raven coaches, his former backfield mate, Abdulqaadir, and his best friend, McClain.

When it came time for him to leave, he sat at the hotel crying. In that weekend at Carbondale, the gaping void in his life was bandaged. Jacobs felt like he regained a part of who he was, and he signed a financial aid agreement three days later to play at SIU.

"I couldn't tell you how it really felt to be back with those guys," Jacobs said. "I couldn't describe that. I felt good about myself. It brought some pride back that told me I could be the person I was a long time ago."

Kill has already told him he wants him down to 250 pounds and expects him in Carbondale in early June to join the team. Jacobs already has thought out his first carry.

"I love hitting someone right up in his chest," Jacobs said. "I'd like to start with an 80- or 90-yard run, maybe run over a couple of linebackers and outrun the secondary."

He will still have to fight for more carries, just like at Auburn. Along with him, the SIU backfield is crowded with holdover Antoine Jackson, Minnesota transfer Terry Jackson II and former Coffeyville teammate Arkee Whitlock.

But he doesn't care. His family is here. He hopes it will become his home.

He ran down Auburn at every turn. Now, draft weekend rolls around and he doesn't want to be viewed as a malcontent so he just talks as if he just saw how good Ronnie and Caddy were and that's why he transferred. Truth is, he was bitter because he thought that getting a chance to compete meant that he'd win the job. When that didn't happen, he runs Auburn people, Auburn players, and Auburn coaches into the ground.

So long, Brandon. Good riddance. Don't wish you harm, but really don't give a hoot what you do.

[Tigerdog 0]

let me just say to you critics

shut the hell up!

I just met him. about 2 hrs ago. He was with his PR person.

he is on his way to sign 4 000 tops rookie cards.

Got his autograph.

He walked in to my wifes business and opened an account.

I will not elaborate on the conversation, its none of your business.

He was a stand up guy, appreciative and humble.

so in short, unless you know the guy, keep your trap shut. you are just guessing and assuming.

leave the beatdown for the wannabes and media

[TitanTiger 20,510]

let me just say to you critics

shut the hell up!

And to you I say...why should we care what you say?

I just met him. about 2 hrs ago. He was with his PR person.

he is on his way to sign 4 000 tops rookie cards.

Got his autograph.

He walked in to my wifes business and opened an account.

I will not elaborate on the conversation, its none of your business.

He was a stand up guy, appreciative and humble.

Glad to know he's nice to someone.

so in short, unless you know the guy, keep your trap shut. you are just guessing and assuming.

No, I'm reading direct quotes.

leave the beatdown for the wannabes and media

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Well the awful "media" in this case was the hometown paper of the team he was coming to. They had no reason to run down Brandon. They just quoted him directly, taking potshots at Auburn on his way out.

[WAR EAGLE!!! 0]

let me just say to you critics

shut the hell up!

I just met him. about 2 hrs ago. He was with his PR person.

he is on his way to sign 4 000 tops rookie cards.

Got his autograph.

He walked in to my wifes business and opened an account.

I will not elaborate on the conversation, its none of your business.

He was a stand up guy, appreciative and humble.

so in short, unless you know the guy, keep your trap shut. you are just guessing and assuming.

leave the beatdown for the wannabes and media

157424[/snapback]

While I respect the fact that you have met him and think that he is a nice person, I think that you are dead wrong that anyone that has not had a five minute or even an hour conversation with him, has an unjust perception about him. The article that Titan posted gives everyone here a reason to not be happy with this guy. I don't wish him any harm or bad will, but I believe that this guy tried to drag Auburn down when he left. His pride got in the way when he got beat out for the position.

What his statements now, he shows me, not you, but shows me is that he lacks any self respect or personal responsibility. He may be a nice guy, but ultimately, he tried to play the race card, or make excuses, when he couldn't compete for the starting job.

[WarTim 3,457]

He was upset because he was NOT talented enough to unseat Ronnie OR Carnell, so, he left and cried like a baby all the way out of town.

How's that for being "critical"?

p.s. MY opinion is just as valid as yours. Have an Orange & Blue kinda' day!

[Tigerdog 0]

whatever.

Brandon paid his dues.

It s not like he did drugs or beat up his girlfriend or raped anyone.

get off his back.

Sure he said some things to the paper.

wouldnt you if you were promised the starting job only to sit on the bench?

some of his comments were negative. i agree.

Since getting drafted he has, i believe, turned his outlook and view on things around.

i say good for him

so he didnt work out at auburn.

he is a gifted athlete and i wish him much success in the PROS.

he is taking ron daynes place as a short yardage back.

we will see if he is successful or not.

perhaps like stephen davis, it may take sitting behind someone for some years before he is established.

[wesfau 0]

wouldnt you if you were promised the starting job only to sit on the bench?

I'm about 99.99% positive that no one promised him a starting job. He was probably promised a SHOT at the starting job.

some of his comments were negative. i agree.

Negative is the understatement of the year. How about defamatory, irresponsible, and reeking of SOUR FREAKIN GRAPES?

[TitanTiger 20,510]

whatever.

Brilliant.

Brandon paid his dues.

No one said he didn't.

It's not like he did drugs or beat up his girlfriend or raped anyone.

I don't recall anyone accusing him of anything of the sort. Construct strawmen much?

get off his back.

I'm not on his back. I'm simply relaying why I don't care for him and am glad he left. Team chemistry went up several ticks the second he hit the Carbondale, IL border.

Sure he said some things to the paper.

Yeah, like there aren't many good people at Auburn, that they treat black people shabbily, that the players weren't stand up guys, and that the coaches lied to him. Other than that...

wouldnt you if you were promised the starting job only to sit on the bench?

Do you honestly think that CTT or any coach at Auburn, with Ronnie and Cadillac on the roster, promised any such thing to Mr. Jacobs before he had proven anything on the field? If so, I have some beachfront property in Nebraska to sell you.

some of his comments were negative. i agree.

Reread. They were more than negative. They bordered on defamation of character.

Since getting drafted he has, i believe, turned his outlook and view on things around.

Well, you can gaze through those Brandon colored glasses all you want. All I see is a draft-induced attitude makeover after seeing how character issues play out to GMs and scouts around the league. Mostly about self-interest.

i say good for him

so he didnt work out at auburn.

he is a gifted athlete and i wish him much success in the PROS.

I don't think anyone has expressed anything other than good will for him from this point forward. Let him be successful and Auburn get even more good pub when they say, "and just think, he was only the third best running back at Auburn."

he is taking ron daynes place as a short yardage back.

we will see if he is successful or not.

perhaps like stephen davis, it may take sitting behind someone for some years before he is established.

157440[/snapback]

Ok, not sure what this has to do with the things he said, but again, no one is wishing him illwill. But I'm not just going to act like he didn't behave like a butthole when he left.

[AUesquire 1]

AU stuck by the guy. They recruited him out of high school when no one else would touch him. They stayed with him through JC and gave him the opportunity to play football on the D-1 level. I completely understand the guy leaving to get some playing time. He was unfortunately in a tough situation being in the mix with two eventual, first round draft picks, fighting for PT. The guy is a talent and physical specimen like few others.

I, like many others, do have a problem with bringing race into the issue when things don't work out for the guy. BC may be a great guy and I hope things do work out for him in the pros but playing the race card was just wrong. Don't think the pros who evaluate these guys don't know about it. More than likely, his PR man is helping him change the image a bit and show a better side to the public.

[AuNuma1 1]

Well, he's obviously lacking character...no matter how pretty a picture his PR guys paints.