2021 Recruiting Board (Finished 5/19/21)

[Mikey 16,579]

5 minutes ago, Zeek said:

We miss on big guys and then try to reel in our backup plans after. You didn't get the memo?

Perhaps, but this year is worse than what we've had in the past. Our norm has been to have a very solid base built and then whiff on a few key prospects late. Currently, we don't even have the numbers to have a solid base. Our competition is lapping us right now.

[Zeek 16,649]

3 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Perhaps, but this year is worse than what we've had in the past. Our norm has been to have a very solid base built and then whiff on a few key prospects late. Currently, we don't even have the numbers to have a solid base. Our competition is lapping us right now.

With on the field results it makes sense.

Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, Florida, LSU (despite their upset loss) should all be out recruiting us in our key areas. Now we're getting beaten for a number of recruits choosing Tenn over us.

1. No football facility (wayyyyy behind here and what we build will be underwhelming based off the proposed budget)

2. Underperforming (constantly not just this year)

3. Not developing players (they can see this)

4. I like Chad Morris but he has to have some stink on him with what he showed at Arkansas (which I think most coaches will sink at that school)

5. Fans are even more disapproving of Gus (feels like it's at a tipping point)

6. They can't visit campus as freely (how many times have we heard recruits absolutely floored about how different Auburn is from what they heard or thought)

7. No energy around the program. The home games I've been to the last few years even against our biggest rivals have not reached the same volume they used to...

8. Even the stadium needs some love (high school score board, ugly parts of exterior, jumbotron inexplicably not being covered on the back.

I can go on and on but it's just not surprising at this point. We're, thanks to our defense, finally starting to put better numbers into the NFL draft but not at the same clip as competitors; but almost none on offense other than underused (Uzomah, Slayton, etc) or transfers (Stidham). Some of our RBs have had modest to okay success in the NFL but no household names in the NFL other than Cam (who gets dragged by the media any chance they get) and Slayton is starting to emerge (Kerryon kind of but he just doesn't stay healthy so far).

[auburn4ever 1,266]

When in December can players start signing?

[AuburnNTexas 7,140]

On 10/8/2020 at 10:00 AM, Zeek said:

With on the field results it makes sense.

Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, Florida, LSU (despite their upset loss) should all be out recruiting us in our key areas. Now we're getting beaten for a number of recruits choosing Tenn over us.

1. No football facility (wayyyyy behind here and what we build will be underwhelming based off the proposed budget)

2. Underperforming (constantly not just this year)

3. Not developing players (they can see this)

4. I like Chad Morris but he has to have some stink on him with what he showed at Arkansas (which I think most coaches will sink at that school)

5. Fans are even more disapproving of Gus (feels like it's at a tipping point)

6. They can't visit campus as freely (how many times have we heard recruits absolutely floored about how different Auburn is from what they heard or thought)

7. No energy around the program. The home games I've been to the last few years even against our biggest rivals have not reached the same volume they used to...

8. Even the stadium needs some love (high school score board, ugly parts of exterior, jumbotron inexplicably not being covered on the back.

I can go on and on but it's just not surprising at this point. We're, thanks to our defense, finally starting to put better numbers into the NFL draft but not at the same clip as competitors; but almost none on offense other than underused (Uzomah, Slayton, etc) or transfers (Stidham). Some of our RBs have had modest to okay success in the NFL but no household names in the NFL other than Cam (who gets dragged by the media any chance they get) and Slayton is starting to emerge (Kerryon kind of but he just doesn't stay healthy so far).

I would not be surprised to see Schwartz and Seth goto NFL this year on O and Britt on D maybe throw in a couple of other even though I don't see any and we maybe put 5 in NFL bama, and Georgia usually  put 7 or more every year as does LSU. Those teams sell that to recruits. D-Line is the one place we normally put 1 or 2 in every year but not this year.

[ellitor 33,091]

On 10/12/2020 at 2:35 AM, auburn4ever said:

When in December can players start signing?

@auburn4everUnless they eliminate the early signing period due to the Ongoing Global Bastard recruits can sign on December 16th.

[gr82b4au 5,568]

Where do we go from here? It feels like recruiting has basically stopped at this point as we try and keep it together on the field. I know we need DEs, DTs, LBs, and Olinemen (as always). 

Edited October 20, 2020 by gr82b4au

[gr82b4au 5,568]

So far we have missed on Dylan Brooks, Scooby Williams, Kamari Lassiter, and McKinstry who were all supposed to go to Auburn. This is terrible. 

[CameronCrazy 1,059]

23 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

So far we have missed on Dylan Brooks, Scooby Williams, Kamari Lassiter, and McKinstry who were all supposed to go to Auburn. This is terrible. 

Yes, this year is worse than I ever imagined it could be. We should easily have the top 5 players in the state and 6 of the top 7. It’s so frustrating seeing kids that want to come to Auburn, but watching Gus & his staff blow it through their play on the field, development (or lack thereof), roster management, or their ego (i.e. T-Will w/ Ian Jackson).

Up to this point, recruiting has not been too much affected by Gus’ coaching. We’ve been able to still put together solid classes in spite of Malzahn. But this year, it’s coming apart at the seams. There’s no excuses for not pulling the trigger and firing him this year! The financial consequences of not firing him are out-weighing the buyout.

[McLoofus 35,182]

[Mikey 16,579]

16 hours ago, gr82b4au said:

Where do we go from here? It feels like recruiting has basically stopped at this point as we try and keep it together on the field. I know we need DEs, DTs, LBs, and Olinemen (as always). 

There is a lot of damage being done to AU's recruiting, said damage being made possible by the poor results on the field. I'm surprised we aren't losing more committed guys, though it costs them nothing to stay committed to AU while they shop for options. Barring a complete turnaround in the team's performance I foresee this as one of the worst recruiting years we've had in a long time.

If the season doesn't improve drastically, then a coaching change is the only thing I think will pump some enthusiasm into our recruiting.

(PS): The best thing for us would be for Malzahn to turn this bus around and head it uphill in a hurry, finishing no worse than 7-3. I question whether that will happen.

[TigerPAC 965]

so this weekend, Lassiter and KoolAid commit---uga and bammer?  do we still have any chance on either?

[gr82b4au 5,568]

4 hours ago, TigerPAC said:

so this weekend, Lassiter and KoolAid commit---uga and bammer?  do we still have any chance on either?

No

[gr82b4au 5,568]

Add Mondon to the miss list. Wow. We are on a roll. 

[gr82b4au 5,568]

22 hours ago, Mikey said:

If the season doesn't improve drastically, then a coaching change is the only thing I think will pump some enthusiasm into our recruiting.

(PS): The best thing for us would be for Malzahn to turn this bus around and head it uphill in a hurry, finishing no worse than 7-3. I question whether that will happen.

The problem is that all of our top targets are committing to other places now and most plan to sign in December. It really is too late. 
There is a national recruiting article on rivals. Basically it tells what we already know, that it is a grim picture. We are Only ranked above KY, vandy, OM, and USCe in the Sec. That is where we are right now. 

[Mikey 16,579]

7 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

The problem is that all of our top targets are committing to other places now and most plan to sign in December. It really is too late. 
There is a national recruiting article on rivals. Basically it tells what we already know, that it is a grim picture. We are Only ranked above KY, vandy, OM, and USCe in the Sec. That is where we are right now. 

Sad but true.

[1auburn1 1,110]

Situations like this are the proverbial “nail in the coffin” for a coaching tenure. 

[gr82b4au 5,568]

https://n.rivals.com/news/fact-or-fiction-auburn-has-gone-cold-on-recruiting-trail
 

[McLoofus 35,182]

4 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

https://n.rivals.com/news/fact-or-fiction-auburn-has-gone-cold-on-recruiting-trail
 

The kill shot:

Quote

But Auburn is still ahead of Kentucky, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss in the SEC rankings and there are a bunch of teams it’s ahead of in the national rankings including Arizona State, Virginia Tech, Penn State, Stanford and many others.

 

[auburn4ever 1,266]

Not even back up plans are working.

[gr82b4au 5,568]

The problem is how to sell our program to recruits. Auburn is a place that is wonderful if you visit. Because of Covid visits are minimal. We are obviously not able to convince them that we are better than other teams in the SEC because we look terrible on the field. We cannot go by the “our coach is new” façade any more. He has been here 8 years. When offering playing time, kids now want to wait 2 or so years and play for a winner instead of playing immediately. 

If we cannot get them on campus, the only thing the kids will look at is how we play on the field. That is a major strike against us.

[CR 2,442]

I'm having Terry Bowden recruiting flashbacks. We're about to abuse Troy and Southern Miss for players.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

I'm so tired of seeing Auburn lose out on 5 star guys. It happened again yesterday. Gus just doesn't know how bring in those studs. That's why we've falling way behind teams like Clemson, Alabama & Georgia.

Edited October 26, 2020 by auburn4ever

[gr82b4au 5,568]

There is no end to this in sight. 

We are going to tank in recruiting from now until Gus is fired. That fact that we cannot win on the field against good teams and our inability to develop players for the NFL is killing us. This is the death nail of a program in the SEC. People that just watch games but do not know what is happening behind the scenes have no idea how much of a world of hurt we are in right now. 

Just this week we lost 3 ELITE players that were going to commit to us 100% about 6 weeks ago. 

The ship is going down. Watch FSU to see what we will become soon. 

Edited October 26, 2020 by gr82b4au

[McLoofus 35,182]

18 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

Just this week we lost 3 ELITE players that were going to commit to us 100% about 6 weeks ago. 

Imagine what Kevin Steele is thinking and feeling right now. After being so close to the mountaintop the last few seasons and repeatedly seeing his defense's performances flushed down the toilet by his boss. And now the recruiting well is drying up right before our eyes. Even TWill and CRG aren't able to close. Hard to imagine him coming back refocused and reenergized next year. Or next week, for that matter. 

[gr82b4au 5,568]