Question for Recruiting Experts

[AUght2win 6,828]

Genuine question here for guys like @Zeek who follow recruiting and its inner workings.

Are there really any truly undecided players this late in the game? The staff is putting in a ton of work, which is admirable. But putting myself in the kids' shoes, surely I've already got my mind made up with a week to go as to where I'll spend the next four years. 

It's a bit like an undecided voter a week before a presidential election. Is anybody really still undecided at that point?

I suppose last minute coaching changes factor in. And if there's a dead heat between schools, sheer effort from last minute wooing may win the day.

but I'd be interested to hear from our resident experts how much what's done in the last 2 weeks really matters. And if there are guys who really do come down to the absolute wire to making this big life decision.

[woodford 3,655]

Not an expert but I imagine a good bit of them have their minds made up or at least lean heavy one way. Some are on the fence. Some probably just like the attention. 
 

I can imagine some are waiting on coaching hires. 

[Zeek 16,643]

4 hours ago, AUght2win said:

Genuine question here for guys like @Zeek who follow recruiting and its inner workings.

Are there really any truly undecided players this late in the game? The staff is putting in a ton of work, which is admirable. But putting myself in the kids' shoes, surely I've already got my mind made up with a week to go as to where I'll spend the next four years. 

It's a bit like an undecided voter a week before a presidential election. Is anybody really still undecided at that point?

I suppose last minute coaching changes factor in. And if there's a dead heat between schools, sheer effort from last minute wooing may win the day.

but I'd be interested to hear from our resident experts how much what's done in the last 2 weeks really matters. And if there are guys who really do come down to the absolute wire to making this big life decision.

I can't speak to the inner workings of a kid's mind but I have to say that it seems pretty important. Otherwise, I'm not so sure Auburn University would allow us to spend so much money flying to five states in one day to meet with kids in person. There are definitely some, based on reporting, that are still undecided to this very moment. Guys like Khurtiss Perry, Darrius Clemons, and TreVonte' Citizen all come to mind. Four key pieces to the class that have seemingly not made a concrete choice yet.

Remember these kids/young men are between the ages of 17-19 (some might be 20 but that's wild to me). Just think about your dating or relationship choices back then lol. Some dudes change their mind the day of a wedding!

Short answer, yes and a lot of people of various ages do the same thing with even bigger decisions.

[AUght2win 6,828]

4 hours ago, Zeek said:

I can't speak to the inner workings of a kid's mind but I have to say that it seems pretty important. Otherwise, I'm not so sure Auburn University would allow us to spend so much money flying to five states in one day to meet with kids in person. There are definitely some, based on reporting, that are still undecided to this very moment. Guys like Khurtiss Perry, Darrius Clemons, and TreVonte' Citizen all come to mind. Four key pieces to the class that have seemingly not made a concrete choice yet.

Remember these kids/young men are between the ages of 17-19 (some might be 20 but that's wild to me). Just think about your dating or relationship choices back then lol. Some dudes change their mind the day of a wedding!

Short answer, yes and a lot of people of various ages do the same thing with even bigger decisions.

I guess I don't see why some of these kids don't wait until February if they're still so undecided. It's such a huge decision. 

[TheDob06 443]

I wasn't recruited as an athlete, but when I was going through the college process I definitely had a short list that was made up of schools I could see myself at for 4 years. 

At this point, there are probably a few still weighing those final pros and cons, but I doubt the coaches are flying to see kids who they feel wouldn't want to spend 4 years at Auburn.

[AUght2win 6,828]

2 hours ago, TheDob06 said:

I wasn't recruited as an athlete, but when I was going through the college process I definitely had a short list that was made up of schools I could see myself at for 4 years. 

At this point, there are probably a few still weighing those final pros and cons, but I doubt the coaches are flying to see kids who they feel wouldn't want to spend 4 years at Auburn.

Well let's look at Clemmons. He's been the major target of the final push.

The timeline is we were on him first, and led. Then Oregon, his dream school, came calling. We were considered out. Then Cristobal leaves, and we were considered to lead again.

But now Clemmons starts looking randomly at Michigan at the last second? To me, that sends alarm bells that the dude is looking for another school because he just isn't in love with Auburn. I don't know that CBH can change that with a visit.

I do think the visits are necessary, especially to guys we already have committed to remind them of their importance. I just wonder how much you can really sway someone at this point. I do believe that some kids really can be grabbed at the last minute, though. 

[AEAugirl 9,623]

10 minutes ago, AUght2win said:

Well let's look at Clemmons. He's been the major target of the final push.

The timeline is we were on him first, and led. Then Oregon, his dream school, came calling. We were considered out. Then Cristobal leaves, and we were considered to lead again.

But now Clemmons starts looking randomly at Michigan at the last second? To me, that sends alarm bells that the dude is looking for another school because he just isn't in love with Auburn. I don't know that CBH can change that with a visit.

I do think the visits are necessary, especially to guys we already have committed to remind them of their importance. I just wonder how much you can really sway someone at this point. I do believe that some kids really can be grabbed at the last minute, though. 

To be fair to Clemons if I was a HS athlete I’d take every single OV I had available too…..and I think Michigan is getting in just a little too late.  

[TheDob06 443]

Topic for another forum, but as a non- athlete I chose Auburn based on it's academic merits at the time. Since that choice, Auburn has remained the same from an academic ranking standpoint while others have elevated.

Can't blame the kid for checking out Michigan. They have more to offer from an academic (and football) standpoint at this moment.

[tigerman1186 537]

The NCAA stated schools could bring in 32 this year, if so, will Auburn bring in 32 high schoolers, or use some for transfers????

[Mikey 16,566]

51 minutes ago, tigerman1186 said:

The NCAA stated schools could bring in 32 this year, if so, will Auburn bring in 32 high schoolers, or use some for transfers????

I understood that to be up to 7 transfers if that many transfer out. Then the other 25 can be high school or more transfers. Another way of saying that is that for every transfer that leaves, up to seven, they can be replaced without counting against the normal limit of 25. I didn't understand that more than 25 high schoolers could be signed.

Edited December 11, 2021 by Mikey

[Old fan 47 769]

7 hours ago, AUght2win said:

Well let's look at Clemmons. He's been the major target of the final push.

The timeline is we were on him first, and led. Then Oregon, his dream school, came calling. We were considered out. Then Cristobal leaves, and we were considered to lead again.

But now Clemmons starts looking randomly at Michigan at the last second? To me, that sends alarm bells that the dude is looking for another school because he just isn't in love with Auburn. I don't know that CBH can change that with a visit.

I do think the visits are necessary, especially to guys we already have committed to remind them of their importance. I just wonder how much you can really sway someone at this point. I do believe that some kids really can be grabbed at the last minute, though. 

I agree. If he doesn’t want to play for AU, then quit wasting time and visits. Unfortunately, too many of these kids are raised w entitlement issues. I for one would rather see a 3 star come in that wants to play for AU, than a kid that has to be persuaded. 

[JBiGGiE 2,488]

7 hours ago, AUght2win said:

But now Clemmons starts looking randomly at Michigan at the last second? To me, that sends alarm bells that the dude is looking for another school because he just isn't in love with Auburn. I don't know that CBH can change that with a visit.

Is Clemmons looking at Michigan? Or is Michigan looking at Clemmons? Personally, I could care less about how "in love" a recruit is with Auburn. Us fans get it. It makes a great sales pitch. But at the end of the day, what matters is bringing in talent, and whatever reasoning a recruit has to picking Auburn is his own prerogative.

And for all we know, Clemmons and his family are head-over-heels for Auburn after Harsin's visit. We're less than a week from Early National Signing Day. Just because Clemmons hasn't committed and shut down his recruitment a few days early doesn't mean we should be slamming the panic button. 

[AUTiger03 49]

On 12/10/2021 at 10:49 PM, Old fan 47 said:

I agree. If he doesn’t want to play for AU, then quit wasting time and visits. Unfortunately, too many of these kids are raised w entitlement issues. I for one would rather see a 3 star come in that wants to play for AU, than a kid that has to be persuaded. 

I've been persuaded to do many things in my life that turned out to be some of the best things that ever happened to me. Sometimes what you really want is right under your nose and you don't notice it until someone shows you how much it could mean to you.

[McLoofus 35,182]

On 12/10/2021 at 11:49 PM, Old fan 47 said:

I agree. If he doesn’t want to play for AU, then quit wasting time and visits. Unfortunately, too many of these kids are raised w entitlement issues. I for one would rather see a 3 star come in that wants to play for AU, than a kid that has to be persuaded. 

It's bizarre that folks like yourself assume this is an entitlement issue. 

Also, lol at the idea that a kid in freaking Oregon would just inherently want to live in and play for Auburn.

Maybe pause just one beat and think for a second before casting aspersions on high school kids you've never met? Jesus. 

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

On 12/10/2021 at 10:49 PM, Old fan 47 said:

I agree. If he doesn’t want to play for AU, then quit wasting time and visits. Unfortunately, too many of these kids are raised w entitlement issues. I for one would rather see a 3 star come in that wants to play for AU, than a kid that has to be persuaded. 

Entitlement?  Dude, we are trying to sell him on coming to Auburn, not the other way around.  He's a kid being asked to move across the country to play for a school he knows little about.  It's a big ass decision.

Other thing: every kid we recruit has to persuaded in some form to play at AU.  Literally every single one.

[Zeek 16,643]

On 12/10/2021 at 12:38 PM, AUght2win said:

I guess I don't see why some of these kids don't wait until February if they're still so undecided. It's such a huge decision. 

I'm 100% for ending ENSD for everyone other than Early Enrollees. These kids should be focusing on school and their senior seasons instead of taking visits the day after games.

[Hank2020 3,198]

31 minutes ago, Zeek said:

I'm 100% for ending ENSD for everyone other than Early Enrollees. These kids should be focusing on school and their senior seasons instead of taking visits the day after games.

That’s a good idea, but may be some consequences that Are not apparent to me.

[W.E.D 11,070]

On 12/10/2021 at 11:49 PM, Old fan 47 said:

I agree. If he doesn’t want to play for AU, then quit wasting time and visits. Unfortunately, too many of these kids are raised w entitlement issues. I for one would rather see a 3 star come in that wants to play for AU, than a kid that has to be persuaded. 

So we shouldn't recruit anyone and just have an open door policy and let the 1st most excited 25 in.  C'mon man.  that's ridiculous