Class is a failure without O Linemen

[steeleagle 2,945]

12 hours ago, keywest said:

Not only is AU losing basically the entire starting OL but most of the back-ups. AU needs to sign at least 4 high quality HS OL and 3 transfers that can start/depth immediately at OT. 2022 could be an extremely rough year at OL if high impact transfer players aren't signed!

As a matter of fact, we have been hearing from basically the beginning of Harsin's recruiting start, that these coaches KNOW they have nothing to back up all these senior OL, and don't want to bring in HS OL, that for most of the positions will simply not be experienced or ready to jump into the SEC trench wars.

SO, we have been hearing that their plan is to get as many upper level, P5 starting OL thru the portal/JUCO ranks for the coming year.

That means we need to look to 2023 and see how well our OL recruiting goes for that recruiting year.

Anyone gnawing bc we are still not getting top OL for 2022 are not listening to the tea leaves very well.

 

[AUGoo 2,662]

1 hour ago, oracle79 said:

Because of the last year/covid, couldn't Troxel come back for his 8th or 9th season?

He’s like 11 or 12 years from his teachers retirement, right?

[AuburnNTexas 7,140]

Because of Covid I believe Troxell could as could  some others it is a question as to whether they would want to.

[bigbird 60,513]

I don't see what the big deal is.

[gr82b4au 5,568]

7 hours ago, steeleagle said:

That means we need to look to 2023 and see how well our OL recruiting goes for that recruiting year.

Anyone gnawing bc we are still not getting top OL for 2022 are not listening to the tea leaves very well

Well I would take 4-5 transfer all Americans... but how in the world can we depend on transfers when we have no idea who will be on the market? Also I remember Gus signing several juco lineman years ago, and none of them have planned out yet. 
If we do not sign elite lineman from high school, that will be three or four years in a row. 

[aubaseball 2,597]

11 hours ago, AUreo said:

This. Boise State philosophy is to recruit only certain players who are coachable and a cultural fit. This approach won’t work in the SEC if the talent gap is huge.

At this point, what we need is an explosive offense and hang tons of points on our opponents to get recruits excited (and accelerate recruiting).

I agree to a certain point about getting 5 star talent at other positions.     But I do believe that if you can find hard nose, smart and mean offensive lineman they don’t necessarily have to be 5 star guys.   They need to be coached to be sound in technique and work as a unit.   To me it’s the one position group that doesn’t have to have so called 5 star guys.   
Now don’t get me wrong,  I would take 5 stars that possessed this type of game in a heart beat.   

[Randman5000 4,227]

11 hours ago, AUwent said:

And let’s suppose this does happen—I’m torn back and forth on how long we should really give the guy. There may come a point at which keeping him is an absolute detriment to our recruiting. When you have a new coach, you simply cannot be depending on having success right out the gate.

So we're firing our new coach already??? Jeez 🤦‍♂️

Edited October 1, 2021 by Randman5000

[AUwent 3,748]

30 minutes ago, Randman5000 said:

So we're firing our new coach already??? Jeez 🤦‍♂️

Oh I know he's going to be here for a few years. After last Saturday I'm not excepting a bowl this year or next.

[augolf1716 21,109]

10 hours ago, Randman5000 said:

So we're firing our new coach already??? Jeez 🤦‍♂️

AUwent is the Messager of Doom

[AUGoo 2,662]

1 hour ago, augolf1716 said:

AUwent is the Messager of Doom

[augolf1716 21,109]

33 minutes ago, AUGoo said:

I was wondering if anyone would get it.......

[AU_Canoe 230]

I can appreciate that recruiting is planting the seeds for future success. It's a tough mix, usually talent does not stay around for multiple years anymore and putting all your faith in the transfer portal can be a gamble. It's constantly feeding that revolving door matrix. 

Back in the day, a new head coach guaranteed a couple/few years of rebuild and scraping by on wins. Now the need for almost immediate satisfaction by fans amplified the shortening of the learning curve and infrastructure for new coaches. In the past, I would imagine head coaching interviews involved a 5 year plan to get the team back to relevant, now it's 1 year. AU and other peers, it might not even be 1 year but game 1. From reports, Harsin has a solid plan in place and the details were impressive. Harsin might have to do what Saban did at the beginning of his time at UA, tell the boosters and fans that this is his boat to drive and back off. 

I also can appreciate that Harsin was brought in late and his energy and focus might be on the right now but I would imagine with all the experience there, the importance of recruiting is not lost. It should be glaringly obvious to him with what he is having to deal with currently. 

Maybe Harsin and Team are looking at the Transfer Portal for the immediate bleeding and then plan on utilizing the new Football Performance Center for future recruiting success. Dunno, theoretical doesn't necessarily equate to real life. 

The desire for immediate feedback and satisfaction has become ingrained on so many levels in society. 

Edited October 1, 2021 by AU_Canoe

[AUwent 3,748]

14 hours ago, augolf1716 said:

I was wondering if anyone would get it.......

May the team give me a Patronus tomorrow night.

^{(That...um...rumor from earlier was crap, right?)}

Edited October 2, 2021 by AUwent

[W.E.D 11,070]

On 9/30/2021 at 1:25 PM, steeleagle said:

As a matter of fact, we have been hearing from basically the beginning of Harsin's recruiting start, that these coaches KNOW they have nothing to back up all these senior OL, and don't want to bring in HS OL, that for most of the positions will simply not be experienced or ready to jump into the SEC trench wars.

SO, we have been hearing that their plan is to get as many upper level, P5 starting OL thru the portal/JUCO ranks for the coming year.

That means we need to look to 2023 and see how well our OL recruiting goes for that recruiting year.

Anyone gnawing bc we are still not getting top OL for 2022 are not listening to the tea leaves very well.

 

With as many kids we have graduating and how few OL we have, we honestly need both.  We need to take a lot of HS/JUCO kids and a lot of transfers.

There really isn't any way around it.  Especially if they do allow for an expanded signing class.  We can't keep kicking the can down the road and ignoring HS kids

[steeleagle 2,945]

3 hours ago, W.E.D said:

With as many kids we have graduating and how few OL we have, we honestly need both.  We need to take a lot of HS/JUCO kids and a lot of transfers.

There really isn't any way around it.  Especially if they do allow for an expanded signing class.  We can't keep kicking the can down the road and ignoring HS kids

I can agree with that. It would be nice if you have a shot at any elite or top level HS OL, you have to work hard to get them, but this staff knows they have to also get some veteran OL in here too, if they want to stay with the teams they play. 

It's simply needs to be a mix, and a plan for that...Which is what I thought we were hearing.

[W.E.D 11,070]

21 minutes ago, steeleagle said:

I can agree with that. It would be nice if you have a shot at any elite or top level HS OL, you have to work hard to get them, but this staff knows they have to also get some veteran OL in here too, if they want to stay with the teams they play. 

It's simply needs to be a mix, and a plan for that...Which is what I thought we were hearing.

We really need to take 7-9 OL this cycle, it's purely a numbers game right now.  That seems high, but it shouldn't be.

I think people are kidding themselves a little bit wrt the portal.  We'll need transfers, but if we had 7 guys lined up that were ranked in the top 100 we'd probably be going really light on transfers.  It's just a nature of where we are right now.

I'm really still surprised we didn't go after any transfers last year...or go 0 interest from any transfers last year. 

Feel like we'll get Easton & Bobo, but neither guy are year 1 starters.  Maybe one of the JUCO guys works out and can play tackle?  Another HS OL would be nice then try to go after 3 transfers.  But damn...is 3 even going to be enough?

Tackles; Zierer, Coffey, JUCO OT, Colby Smith, Langlo, Easton

Center; Irvin, Bobo

Guards; Keiondre Jones, Stutts(???)

Damn...I know there has been a lot of talk about tackles, but we're only going to have 2 OGs on the roster next season.  @bigbirdthis is fine, right?  OL numbers are OK.

------

 

I'll be really interested to see our Portal strategy for the OL.  We need kids that are starters, but we also need kids that can give us depth and become starters down the road.  I'll be interested to see our mix of Sr type transfers and kids that can come fit into the program and be starters the next year or maybe taking Fr transfers that help continue to back fill our depth

 

[tsande07 271]

18 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

We really need to take 7-9 OL this cycle, it's purely a numbers game right now.  That seems high, but it shouldn't be.

I think people are kidding themselves a little bit wrt the portal.  We'll need transfers, but if we had 7 guys lined up that were ranked in the top 100 we'd probably be going really light on transfers.  It's just a nature of where we are right now.

I'm really still surprised we didn't go after any transfers last year...or go 0 interest from any transfers last year. 

Feel like we'll get Easton & Bobo, but neither guy are year 1 starters.  Maybe one of the JUCO guys works out and can play tackle?  Another HS OL would be nice then try to go after 3 transfers.  But damn...is 3 even going to be enough?

Tackles; Zierer, Coffey, JUCO OT, Colby Smith, Langlo, Easton

Center; Irvin, Bobo

Guards; Keiondre Jones, Stutts(???)

Damn...I know there has been a lot of talk about tackles, but we're only going to have 2 OGs on the roster next season.  @bigbirdthis is fine, right?  OL numbers are OK.

------

 

I'll be really interested to see our Portal strategy for the OL.  We need kids that are starters, but we also need kids that can give us depth and become starters down the road.  I'll be interested to see our mix of Sr type transfers and kids that can come fit into the program and be starters the next year or maybe taking Fr transfers that help continue to back fill our depth

 

I think your list is missing Tate Johnson and Avery Jernigan, who are IOL.

I'm not a fan of overloading on one 'room' in any particular class. I would be more than happy with ~one quality fresh body at each position (i.e. 5) on the line in each of the next 2-3 years, with one or two added pieces to fill in the gaps in any class.

[W.E.D 11,070]

6 minutes ago, tsande07 said:

I think your list is missing Tate Johnson and Avery Jernigan, who are IOL.

TBQH I thought they were walk-ons when I looked at their roster.  Their recruiting profiles aren't much better.

6 minutes ago, tsande07 said:

I'm not a fan of overloading on one 'room' in any particular class. I would be more than happy with ~one quality fresh body at each position (i.e. 5) on the line in each of the next 2-3 years, with one or two added pieces to fill in the gaps in any class.

It's not about overloading a room in one class.  We couldn't do that if we tried.  We should be taking 4-5 HS OL every single class.  We need to take double that in this class b/c we are so far behind numbers wise and also talent wise.

If the NCAA expands recruiting classes, it would be a massive mistake to not load up on a LOT of OL.  We need starters and we need depth.  We'll have 10 or so scholarship OL next year before our current class.  We could easily sign 12 HS/JUCO/Transfer OL and we wouldn't be overloading anything

[ToomersStreet 795]

On 9/29/2021 at 6:44 PM, gr82b4au said:

We all love AU. We want to win. 

Right now, recruiting is the only thing that matters. In this game there are the haves and the have nots. Heck look at Georgia. I think that their coach is horrendous, but they are going to win a ton of games (maybe all of them) because they have more talent than anyone. The South Carolina coach agreed a couple weeks ago. 

Because of several years of recruiting failures, especially O linemen, our roster is not in good shape at all. We need players, and we need them this year. We can’t wait another year. And so far, we have met a few needs, but not our most pressing need. 

We need at least 3-4 O lineman in this class. They need to be 4* quality lineman, not just a fill a need player…preferably HS players but transfers are fine. 
 

If we don’t sign quality o lineman, this class is a failure. Plain and simple.

It did Gus in (we saw it coming) and it will doom Harsin. 
 

I have absolutely no idea why we havent had one single o-line commitment.  None.  Will Friend spent the last three years at UT getting o-linemen to that program.  He was at  UGA.  He knows the territory.  How he hasnt already got at least two to commit at this point is beyond me.  I know will we had Gus there was a lot of negative recruiting about how you will have no chance at the NFL but Gus is gone.  How is it October with zero O-line commits.  I want a beat writer to ask Harsin this.

[tsande07 271]

I have the following count for next year, assuming no one comes back for a Covid-offset year:

Seniors: (i.e. next year they'll be Seniors)

• Jalil Irvin (IOL)
• Kameron Stutts (IOL)
• Kilian Zierer (Tackle)

Juniors:

• Keiondre Jones (IOL)
• Tate Johnson (IOL)

Sophomores:

• Avery Jernigan (IOL)
• Garner Langlo (Tackle)
• Colby Smith (Tackle)

Freshman and Transfers:

• TBD

Keiondre Jones (RG) will be our lone returning starter in this scenario. IMHO, it looks like Tackle is still the biggest need, however.

Given what the transfer portal looked like last year, I wouldn't hold my breath hoping for more than a couple of quality pickups there. I'd happily accept being proven wrong, naturally.

[Shoney'sPonyBoy 338]

On 9/30/2021 at 7:08 AM, AUwent said:

Yup. For long term ramifications it is extremely worrying if Harsin really was the best we could get. Not sure if who we have to play is an excuse when you consider two teams generally considered below us in the pecking order got coaches I would kill (figuratively) to have right now.

Harsin was not the best we could get, he was just the best we could get without changing our thinking.

Auburn may well be the toughest coaching job in the country.  Those of you saying we've got to have a name coach are exactly right IMO.  Unless and until we make the commitment to pay whatever it takes to get one of the best coaches in the game that is a household name, we're going to continue to slide slowly farther down the SEC ladder.  If it takes $10 million a year, $12 million a year, whatever.  Unless and until we are willing to pay for a Ferrari instead of shopping at the Honda dealership, this is what will happen.

Nothing against Harsin.  He may be a very good coach.  But that will not be enough for us to succeed.

The possible exception is if we get out front and develop an NIL program that outperforms our competition.  Pay offensive linemen enough and they will come.  Just like an elite household name coach.  We don't need to spend money on both, I suppose.  One or the other will do.  But we've got to spend money on at least one of them.

[tinman 305]

3 hours ago, Shoney'sPonyBoy said:

Harsin was not the best we could get, he was just the best we could get without changing our thinking.

Auburn may well be the toughest coaching job in the country.  Those of you saying we've got to have a name coach are exactly right IMO.  Unless and until we make the commitment to pay whatever it takes to get one of the best coaches in the game that is a household name, we're going to continue to slide slowly farther down the SEC ladder.  If it takes $10 million a year, $12 million a year, whatever.  Unless and until we are willing to pay for a Ferrari instead of shopping at the Honda dealership, this is what will happen.

Nothing against Harsin.  He may be a very good coach.  But that will not be enough for us to succeed.

The possible exception is if we get out front and develop an NIL program that outperforms our competition.  Pay offensive linemen enough and they will come.  Just like an elite household name coach.  We don't need to spend money on both, I suppose.  One or the other will do.  But we've got to spend money on at least one of them.

Please name me and ELITE coach who would come to us.  Hell, there's only a hand full of ELITE coaches out there, and IMO, no amount of $$$ would get them to AU.

[steeleagle 2,945]

4 hours ago, Shoney'sPonyBoy said:

Harsin was not the best we could get, he was just the best we could get without changing our thinking.

Auburn may well be the toughest coaching job in the country.  Those of you saying we've got to have a name coach are exactly right IMO.  Unless and until we make the commitment to pay whatever it takes to get one of the best coaches in the game that is a household name, we're going to continue to slide slowly farther down the SEC ladder.  If it takes $10 million a year, $12 million a year, whatever.  Unless and until we are willing to pay for a Ferrari instead of shopping at the Honda dealership, this is what will happen.

Nothing against Harsin.  He may be a very good coach.  But that will not be enough for us to succeed.

The possible exception is if we get out front and develop an NIL program that outperforms our competition.  Pay offensive linemen enough and they will come.  Just like an elite household name coach.  We don't need to spend money on both, I suppose.  One or the other will do.  But we've got to spend money on at least one of them.

Here we go again.....

So we hired him because we didn't want to change our thinking? A guy from Boise, no ties to Auburn, no ties, to GOB network, no ties to the south, and you think this is status quo for Auburn?

Mmmmmm....

[AU9377 4,927]

On 9/29/2021 at 11:09 PM, Tigerpro2a said:

The biggest thing hurting our OL recruiting is still the years of negative recruiting from other coaches due to the HS system we ran IMO. Harsin can change that, but it is not an instant fix. The best thing we can do is look competitive and competent on the field like we have every game minus GA ST. Hopefully we can pick up some steam on a few guys this cycle and if we could somehow squeeze a couple OL into the draft would be AUmazing, but I don't see it happening. Maybe Hamm due to his size and frame if he has a good year. 

I really don't look for OL recruiting to change any until 23 class. 

The irony is that the offense we are running isn't that much different from what we have been running.  Everybody other than true triple option teams, including bama, runs a hybrid type offense with spread principles.  We have to change the narrative and also recruit top tier talent all over the field. 

We cannot afford to have this class ranked in the 20s, much less 40s.

[Shoney'sPonyBoy 338]

23 minutes ago, steeleagle said:

Here we go again.....

So we hired him because we didn't want to change our thinking? A guy from Boise, no ties to Auburn, no ties, to GOB network, no ties to the south, and you think this is status quo for Auburn?

Mmmmmm....

Yes.  I think we bought a Honda Accord to try to pick up chicks in (attract recruits with) rather than the same Toyota Camry we always buy and we think that's a radical departure and the height of progressive vision.  Just like your post reflects.

Edited October 5, 2021 by Shoney'sPonyBoy