Post-ENSD Recap and What's Next

[Zeek 16,613]

Whew! That was fun today. Don't expect me on the board much over the next week or two as I catch up on my actual work obligations and some family time. Before I take my little break here is a recap of what happened today and where we head from here in the recruiting class.

 

Letters-of-Intent Received (16) & Enrollment Date:

• 4-star QB Holden Geriner | January 2022
• 3-star S Caleb Wooden | January 2022
• 3-star WR Jay Fair | January 2022
• 3-star TE Micah Riley-Ducker | January 2022
• 3-star OL Eston Harris Jr.  | January 2022
• 4-star CB JaDarian Rhym | January 2022
• 3-star S Marquise Gilbert | January 2022
• 3-star LB Powell Gordon | January 2022
• 4-star RB Damari Alston | Summer 2022
• 3-star PK  Alex McPherson | Summer 2022
• 4-star CB Austin Ausberry | Summer 2022
• 4-star WR Omari Kelly | Summer 2022
• 3-star DT Enyce Sledge | Summer 2022
• 4-star CB Keionte Scott | Summer 2022
• 4-star LB Robert Woodyard | Summer 2022
• 3-star WR Camden Brown | Summer 2022
• 4-star DL Jeffrey M'ba | January 2022

~~~ 4-star DE Caden Story is still committed and is a Summer 2022 Enrollee there are conflicting reports on why he didn't sign ~~~

February Signees & Portal Players That Auburn is Still Pursuing:

• 4* OG Antavious Woody - FSU Commit who had to push back his singing due to concerns with his grades. This extra time can only be a good thing for Auburn considering we were trending as of late.
• 4* RB TreVonte' Citizen - LSU Commit who chose to push back his recruitment. He likely wants to have more time to meet with Auburn's new OC and LSU's new RB coach. Auburn might actually be in the lead at the moment.
• 3* OG Anez Cooper - Auburn just hasn't committed to making a push here. The staff is supposedly split on how they evaluate him. We will see what the new OC wants to do and if he brings a new OL coach with him. There is some talk we might get an ace recruiter to replace Friend and let Brad coach the X's and O's of the offensive line.
• 3* OG/OT Jalen Farmer - Florida Commit. The staff likes him and he likes us. This is a battle between UF, Kentucky, and Auburn.
• Oregon CB DJ James - Alabama native that Auburn is believed to be firmly in the lead at the moment. A big reason that Albert was "processed" so to speak.
• 4* OT Julian Armella - signed with FSU after initially saying he would push his signing day back.
• North Carolina LB Eugene Asante
• Texas A&M QB Zach Calzada
• Florida WR Jacob Copeland
• 3* LB EJ Lightsey - Formerly committed to Florida. Auburn was in his top group before he chose the Gators. How interested Auburn still is will be a part of the question.
• USC QB Kedon Slovis - reportedly our new OC's first target
• 5* DL Shemar Stewart - we are in his top group but Texas A&M is the hands down favorite. Lots of work to be done here but there is time.
• Albany EDGE Jared Verse - Auburn has offered but FSU might lead.
• Oklahoma WR Theo Wease - staying at Oklahoma due to other schools being concerned about his academics
• Virginia OT Bobby Haskins
• Virginia OT Ryan Swoboda
• Cornell IOL Hunter Nourzad
• Harvard OL Spencer Rolland
• Florida LB Mouhamoud Diabate
• UNC LB Eugene Asante
• Oregon DL Jayson Jones
• TCU RB Zach Evans
• Incarnate Word QB Cameron Ward
• Vanderbilt WR Cam Johnson

[tiger1168 51]

Thank your for your hard work

 

[RunInRed 16,360]

THANK YOU for all of your efforts, @Zeek!

[Timeslider 6 269]

you da the man, zeek👍

[AUApostle 7,648]

We passing the plate around for Zeek?

[dilligas 581]

Zeek, I read that Auburn has been in contact with portal QB Cameron Ward of Incarnate Word, and that he plans a visit to the Plains in January.  

[Gowebb11 9,307]

43 minutes ago, Zeek said:

There is some talk we might get an ace recruiter to replace Friend and let Brad coach the X's and O's of the offensive line.

I humbly suggest a guy named Trovon Reed. #whateverittakes

[Zeek 16,613]

8 minutes ago, dilligas said:

Zeek, I read that Auburn has been in contact with portal QB Cameron Ward of Incarnate Word, and that he plans a visit to the Plains in January.  

I think he is plan 1b if we can't land Slovis. We'll know more once Austin Davis truly arrives.

[JDUBB4AU 5,102]

Such a strong day for AU. The crow is delicious 

[WarTim 3,456]

Thanks Zeek for all the hard work and your time. God Bless and War Eagle !!!

[Barnacle 9,064]

@Zeek didn't see Jayson Jones (DL - Oregon) on the portal list. I believe we offered him today. 

[Bro Johnny Mac 1,391]

Great stuff Zeek!

Aufamily needs to double your salary 😬

[wareagleguy 1,393]

Thanks Zeek! 

[happyeagle 25]

Thank you Zeek!  You did a great job today.

[Guest MustardSeed]

We fell back to 13th. I knew this was too good to be true and this staff would figure out how to ruin this 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s

😂

[Chrysalis99 80]

All in all a very good day. So much for all the doom and gloom huh? WDE! 

[JDUBB4AU 5,102]

4 minutes ago, MustardSeed said:

We fell back to 13th. I knew this was too good to be true and this staff would figure out how to ruin this 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s

😂

Fire everyone . Unbelievable 

[AUatHeart 624]

Thanks for the updates all day Zeek!

JMHO, I do not want Calzada.  Heck, might as well just stick with TJ if he’s what we are going to replace him with.

[peashooter 22]

When is the last time AU didn't sign a top 100 high school player? 

[dilligas 581]

51 minutes ago, Zeek said:

I think he is plan 1b if we can't land Slovis. We'll know more once Austin Davis truly arrives.

I know we can only take one, but I have no idea what order we have them ranked on our board.  Slovis and Calzada both may be better fits for Harsin’s offense than Ward, but I don’t think Calzada is an upgrade.

[lutzcammed 469]

ok, I stayed up on the recruiting, but I missed Travon Reed joining the party and obviously making an impact. When and how lol and why did this happen?

 

[shabby 1,956]

I'm gonna fess up. I was ignorant. I thought a top 30 finish would be likely. What this staff had done has been spectacular. Makes me feel a little better about the program. A lot better actually. Hope we pull some offensive linemen in to finish

[Paladin 3,305]

8 minutes ago, lutzcammed said:

ok, I stayed up on the recruiting, but I missed Travon Reed joining the party and obviously making an impact. When and how lol and why did this happen?

 

this should answer your question

Trovon Reed makes recruiting impact for Auburn as stand-in coach

By NATHAN KING 37 minutes ago

AUBURN, Alabama — At first glance, Auburn's search for an offensive coordinator — which drew itself out over more than two weeks — seemed like it may have been a disadvantage for the Tigers, with the early signing period approaching, down an assistant coach on the recruiting trail during a crucial period in securing prospects to ink with the program in the 2022 class.

But Bryan Harsin ended up using the situation to his advantage.

The hole in Auburn's assistant staff, opened by Harsin's firing of Mike Bobo two days after the Iron Bowl, allowed him to elevate coordinator of players relations Trovon Reed to a stand-in coaching role. By rule, only 10 assistant coaches, plus the head coach, are allowed to go on the road and recruit for a team. So Reed accompanied Harsin, cornerbacks coach Zac Etheridge, defensive coordinator Derek Mason and more on countless in-home visits this month leading up to the start of the early signing period Wednesday.

"That's something within the rules that we're able to do, and so why not go in there with everybody available that can go in and help?" Harsin said during his signing day press conference of Reed. "... Trovon is a high-energy guy, believes in Auburn, and he's a people person. Those things all showed up."

According to Harsin, having Reed over the past couple weeks played major dividends, as Auburn added seven new commitments this week and rose to the No. 12 class in the country. Reed is credited with an assist by his fellow Auburn staff members for at least a few recruits.

"Trovon provides an experience that he's played here, you know, he's from Louisiana, he came to Auburn, and he had a great experience here," Harsin said. "And he can talk on that. And I think sometimes that story in itself means more than anything, just to hear the story, just to hear the experience."

The best Louisiana recruit to ever come to Auburn and a former five-star, Reed was fashioned as a receiver by Gus Malzahn and the Tigers’ offensive staff in 2010. After a medical redshirt his freshman year, Reed caught 39 passes over the next three seasons for 384 yards and a touchdown.

For his final season with the program in 2014, Reed moved to cornerback. He snagged three interceptions and broke up four passes.

After signing an undrafted deal with the Seahawks in 2015, Reed bounced around the NFL for a few years. His best stint came with the Chargers in 2016, when he had two interceptions in just six games promoted from the practice squad.

About a month before the 2021 season started, Harsin hired Reed to his support staff after getting to know him in the offseason and bringing him in to speak to players multiple times in the summer.

"He went through the process these guys just went through," Harsin said. "He’s been there. He was a very good player coming out of high school and had a wonderful experience while he was here. He believes in Auburn, loves Auburn."

Once Auburn's new offensive coordinator hire, which is expected to be Seahawks quarterbacks coach Austin Davis, is officially on the staff, Reed won't be able to recruit off campus.

Harsin has made sure to stock his staff with Auburn alums, like Etheridge and running backs coach Cadillac Williams, who, like Reed, can be more anecdotal about their playing days and provide a first-person account of what it means to be a Tiger and it affected their professional and personal endeavors. Harsin acknowledged the value in having those kinds of recruiters, but he also noted that Auburn's entire staff, having been together for almost a year now after Harsin made the final hires last January, have learned more about their university, community and program, and how to market it to prospective players.

"The other coaches, whether they played here or not, you understand from being here during the season and being part of this program what Auburn means," Harsin said. "So I really felt like our entire staff had a chance to share that, in their own way, from their own experience. I thought that was a huge opportunity for us to get out there in homes and to have people on campus so that we could share that with these players. Everyone on our staff did a great job with that.”

With seven commits this week and 16 signees Wednesday, Auburn rose from an SEC bottom-feeder on the recruiting trail to being on the cusp of a top-10 class, if some recruitments can swing their way between now and February's signing period.

[roe4christ 940]

Slovis, Dillon, or Ward........Don't think Calzada would be an upgrade over Finley.  Anyone know if bringing in a transfer qb will cause TJ to transfer?  I currently feel having TJ and DD fight it out for #2 is best.  I want DD to get a chance at #2.  Think unless Holden comes in and just blows coaches away, he needs a year to learn and soak up the offense.

[lutzcammed 469]

7 minutes ago, Paladin said:

this should answer your question

Trovon Reed makes recruiting impact for Auburn as stand-in coach

 

Very much appreciated,  Thank You!