Big Cat Weekend is back

[WFE12 9,191]

Big Cat Weekend is back on

Keith Niebuhr

After a one-year hiatus, Big Cat Weekend -- Auburn's annual recruiting bash -- is back on.

Auburn Undercover has learned new Tigers football coach Bryan Harsin and his staff will host the event July 25. The current NCAA recruiting dead period, which began June 28, ends July 24.

Big Cat Weekend began in 2009 under former Auburn coach Gene Chizik and has long been one of the biggest and most-hyped annual recruiting events in college football. Other top programs, in fact, have copied the Tigers' format. Due to Covid-19 and an extended dead period because of it, no event was held in 2020.

It was unclear if Harsin and Co. would host the event, or something similar to it. Until now.

Big Cat Weekend typically was held around Memorial Day weekend and was less about football and more about allowing coaches to build bonds with recruits and their respective families through the use of non-football activities and games. We are told the current Auburn staff will go a similar route.

"This will be more of a chill vibe barbecue type deal," a source told Auburn Undercover.

Commitments have sometimes taken place the day of Big Cat Weekend. But mainly, the event is used to lay the groundwork to land verbals down the road.

We expect invitations to start going out soon.

Who can you expect to attend the Big Cat Weekend 2021?

Sources indicate invitations will go to the top in-state 2022s, 2023s and 2024s, along with other big targets within Auburn's footprint.

Of note, the July 25 event corresponds with the date 4-star running back target Damari Alston of Georgia plans to announce his college commitment. With Auburn being one of the favorites, it would be significant should he choose to be at Big Cat.

[Zeek 16,650]

Glad to see it.

Hope the staff has a cool way of inviting recruits to this event. Make it feel like a coveted invitation.

I'm sure with our relatively improved social media presence we'll see some good stuff.

[Zeek 16,650]

Damn, beat me to it. @bigbirdor another mod if you could merge them that'd be cool.

[augolf1716 21,121]

Not that sorry ass bird but another mod merged...............

Glad its back

[toddc 13,194]

This is the premiere recruiting event for Auburn and I’m really glad it’s on like ….(can’t finish the cliche) 😂 

[AuburnNTexas 7,142]

I was hoping it would be back. This gives me even more faith in Harsin and his new staff.  He is his own man but is not adverse to using something that is a proven concept and that has helped Auburn in the past. This event has done a lot to cement the family vibe by making it about fun and not recruiting and because of that it has been a great recruiting tool.

[AUcivE09 582]

Could help this coming cycle but really looking to see who we get to attend from the 23 and 24 class. 

Are any other schools hosting something the same day?

[Beaker 2,457]

Take them fishing to a stocked pond and let them shoot some tannerite.     Just don't put Bruce on the grill and we will be ok.  Just kidding....He does have such a recognizable face and magnetic personality, I would have him there if possible.   And invite Bo, Frank, Charles and Cam  - maybe one of them can come.  It's a bonding and family weekend.  Show them the family. 

 

 

 

[Beaker 2,457]

Just now, Beaker said:

Take them fishing to a stocked pond and let them shoot some tannerite.     Just don't put Bruce on the grill and we will be ok.  Just kidding....He does have such a recognizable face and magnetic personality, I would have him there if possible.   And invite Bo, Frank, Charles and Cam  - maybe one of them can come.  It's a bonding and family weekend.  Show them the family. 

 

 

 

Can they do two of these?   One for 2022 and one for 2023/2024.      Got get some momentum going on 2023/24

[steeleagle 2,945]

4 minutes ago, Beaker said:

Can they do two of these?   One for 2022 and one for 2023/2024.      Got get some momentum going on 2023/24

They're bringing in top recruits from all 3 of those classes. 

[toddc 13,194]

Same weekend Demari Alston(I think) is announcing. Coincidence???

[Beaker 2,457]

13 minutes ago, steeleagle said:

They're bringing in top recruits from all 3 of those classes. 

I did a poor job  - I am sayin if we had two weekends, we would have  a more quality weekend with the 2022 kids and the next weeekend, we have a bigger, more wide net bringing in more national kids for that 2023/24 class. 

[Zeek 16,650]

28 minutes ago, toddc said:

Same weekend Demari Alston(I think) is announcing. Coincidence???

First day of BCW is the same DAY he announces! Wooooo!

Lol somewhat a coincidence. It's the first day the dead period end and it happens to be Alston's dad's birthday (how he decided when to announce).

He would be our staffs first 4* to commit that was a 4* at the time of committing if I recall correctly. 

[Beaker 2,457]

22 minutes ago, Zeek said:

First day of BCW is the same DAY he announces! Wooooo!

Lol somewhat a coincidence. It's the first day the dead period end and it happens to be Alston's dad's birthday (how he decided when to announce).

He would be our staffs first 4* to commit that was a 4* at the time of committing if I recall correctly. 

 A lot of positives here and surrounding our chances.    Great news!   Made my day, thanks.  WDE

[WFE12 9,191]

3 hours ago, Zeek said:

Damn, beat me to it. @bigbirdor another mod if you could merge them that'd be cool.

[Mikey 16,580]

7 hours ago, Zeek said:

He would be our staffs first 4* to commit that was a 4* at the time of committing if I recall correctly. 

Brooks from the '21 class, unless he's considered a transfer. The other '21 4* guys all committed to the previous staff.

[bigbird 60,515]

[Zeek 16,650]

3* OL Drew Bobo is the first player I've seen confirmed as coming. 

[toddc 13,194]

Hopefully more names will be public soon.

[LKEEL75 2,566]

9 minutes ago, toddc said:

Hopefully more names will be public soon.

[toddc 13,194]

22 minutes ago, LKEEL75 said:

I tweeted KN about it and I’m sure he’ll hit me up with answers right away! 😝 

[toddc 13,194]

It’s by invitation only so depending on when those went out it might be a minute.

[WFE12 9,191]

I hadn’t seen much that looks like a no fun approach. There definitely should be a balance. Big Cat is a big help.

[Paladin 3,305]

Auburn's goal for Big Cat Weekend: 'Establish relationships'

By NATHAN KING 3 hours ago

ATLANTA — Regardless of whether 2021 Big Cat Weekend was a reactionary move by Auburn's recruiting department, or if it's been planned all along, the program's flagship recruiting event is bound to create buzz for the Tigers with the 2022 class and beyond.

Big Cat Weekend will return on the Plains on July 25 following a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Auburn Undercover's Keith Niebuhr reported the news last week, and Auburn director of recruiting Darren Uscher later confirmed in a tweet.

"It will be an exciting time to get guys back in a group where they can actually feel a family atmosphere," Auburn cornerbacks coach Zac Etheridge said this week, chatting with reporters before an AU alumni event in Atlanta. "Big Cat has always been one of the vital parts of Auburn recruiting because we have a lot of the top guys in this footprint that can get there, establish relationships and get to see us out of just a football setting. So we’re excited to have Big Cat and have a bunch of guys we’re expecting to come — just come have fellowship, kick back, barbecue, get a chance to see us outside of just pitch, pitch, pitch."

The event began in 2009 under former coach Gene Chizik as a way to lure in some of the Tigers' top recruiting targets together in one place. Usually, Auburn puts on the works for prospects: games, scavenger hunts, team-building exercises, tours, photoshoots, cookouts, water-balloon fights and more across Auburn's main campus.

Etheridge was a player during Auburn's first Big Cat Weekend more than a decade ago, and is looking forward to focusing on personal relationships with recruits after what was a bustling June trying to cram as many visitors in the football complex as possible.

"It gives us a chance to unwind and get some guys on campus that we didn’t get to see in June," he said.

Etheridge insinuated that he only found out about Big Cat a couple weeks ago, considering he wasn't aware of its specifics yet. He did note that he'll give suggestions about how to maximize the impact of the event as a former player.

It sounded like it’s going to be more of a barbecue, kick back, open up and let guys show their personalities," Etheridge said. "I don’t know the plan yet; we haven’t discussed that. Hopefully we can put in some input to put in some of those games and stuff like that."

Auburn didn't pick up any high-school commitments in June but is plus-two in that department in July, gaining the pledges of No. 1 kicker Alex McPherson, three-star tight end Micah Riley-Ducker and three-star safety Caleb Wooden, and losing the commitment of three-star cornerback Jarell Stinson, a local product from Opelika High School. Auburn also picked up Georgia wide receiver Demetris Robertson last week via the transfer portal.

With only five commitments, Auburn's 2022 class ranks last in the SEC and 77th in the country. The next-smallest recruiting classes in the conference are made up of 10 prospects (Ole Miss and Florida).

"It’s going slowly," Etheridge said when asked about recruiting. "But we're really starting to pick up steam here. We’re expecting a couple guys here toward the end of July to make some decisions to be at Auburn. We’re working every day; no one has seen us play a game yet, so it’s part of truly trying to figure out who is at Auburn, what it’s going to look like.

"But recruiting has been fun. It’s been challenging but at the same time, you’re in the SEC, what do you expect? Just go compete and win those battles."

Fall camp will begin for the Tigers at the beginning of August, with the season opener set for Sept. 4 against Akron.

It's been a whirlwind for Bryan Harsin's new staff since they were brought in — getting to know their new players while also preparing for in-person recruiting to return — and things won't be slowing down anytime soon. Etheridge said he's excited to see Auburn's newfound relationships with recruits — many of which, the Tigers hope, will be kindled at Big Cat Weekend — start to pay off in greater amounts this fall.

"We’ve been fortunate enough to get a lot of guys to come to campus, get some guys to come around and see us, and that’s the starting point," Etheridge said. "We just got here in January; Coach Harsin got here in December. It’s been nonstop since we stepped foot in the door — not just recruiting, but also spending time with our players. It’s been wide open, but we’ve been fortunate enough to get a lot of good players on campus, and we’re looking forward to having a lot more in the fall."

[toddc 13,194]