Recruiting Review, from Email

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UPDATING STATUS OF AUBURN & ALABAMA'S RECRUITING

In the stretch run toward the Feb. 7 National Signing Day, Auburn has

19 or 20 commitments -- depending on how you're counting, although one

of them appears shaky.

DB Ryan Williams (5-11, 185, 4.45) of B.C. Rain-Mobile, Ala., who

verbally committed to Auburn on Aug. 10, continues to visit other

schools and appears now not to be a commitment.

Williams has scheduled an official visit with Clemson and West Virginia

and says he'll also set up one with South Carolina.

"Auburn is in the lead, but after I take my visits I'll see which one

emerges," he told a South Carolina newspaper last week. "The visits

Williams will visit Auburn next weekend, West Virginia on Jan. 20 and

Clemson on Jan. 27.

Williams said he talked with his Clemson recruiter, Vic Koenning, about

early playing time.

"He told me that C.J. Gaddis is talking about entering the draft and

how they need me up there," Williams said.

Another Auburn commitment, LB Marshall Williams (6-2, 200, 4.5) of

Southwest Dekalb-Decatur, Ga. may be ooking around, reportedly at the

suggestion of Auburn coaches, because it doesn't appear Williams will

qualify academically.

Meanwhile, Auburn has it eyes on four prospects it would like land on

Signing Day.

The are OT Lee Ziemba (6-7, 295, 5.2) of Rogers, Ark.; ILB Josh Bynes

(6-2, 225, 4.7) of Boyd Anderson-Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.; S Michael

McNeil (6-2, 200, 4.55) of Davidson-Mobile, Ala.; and DB Brandon Paul

(5-10, 185, 4.4) of Lincoln-Tallahassee, Fla.

Ziebma, who has family ties to Auburn and relatives in Alabama, will

decide between the Tigers and Arkansas. He took his official visit to

Hogland on Dec. 18 and will visit the Plains next weekend.

The No. 1 prospect in the state of Arkansas, Ziemba had also considered

Kansas State, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Southern Cal.

While in Arkansas visiting Ziemba during December, Nall also visited

quarterback commitment Kodi Burns. The two spent a few hours going over

the admission process, details of the scholarship and some of the

offense among other things.

Burns also got a visit from offensive coordinator Al Borges before

Christmas and will get a visit from Coach Tommy Tuberville this month.

Since committing to Auburn on Nov. 11, Burns has had to endure a good

bit of needling from Arkansas fans. But it has only made his commitment

to Auburn stronger.

Burns and Ziemba are good friends and stay in touch with each other by

phone. Staying in touch should be a little easier beginning in the

summer should Ziemba join Burns at Auburn.

Bynes, a four-star prospect and is rated among the top 10 inside

linebacker prospects in the nation, has already taken his official

visit to Auburn

It's down to Auburn, Iowa, Louisville and South Carolina for Bynes, who

took his last visit to Louisville. Reportedly that visit went very

well, although he's consistently named Auburn as his leader. Others

that had been in the picture were Arizona State, Notre Dame, Tennessee

and UCLA. This is by no means a lock for Auburn.

At one time it appeared it was a three-way battle for McNeil between

Auburn, Alabama and Florida State, but the Tide fell out of it during

its dreadful 2006 season.

After the hiring of Nick Saban, however, look for Alabama to jump back

strongly in this one.

Earlier in the year, McNeil made it known he grew up pulling for Auburn

and Florida State, but he reportedly has the 'Noles as the top of his

list.

McNeil says he'll visit Auburn next weekend and also take January

visits to Alabama and FSU before making his decision. He's already

visited Tennessee.

One thing in Auburn's favor is that McNeil and RB Enrique Davis, a

Tiger running back commitment from the Panama City, Fla., area are good

friends and have talked about the possibility of rooming together at

Auburn. Davis will be visiting next weekend also. Should McNeil go

elsewhere, the Tigers will likely turn their attention to Morgan

Burnett (6-2, 190, 4.5) of North Clayton-College Park, Ga., younger

brother of former Georgia star Cap Burnette.

Paul has already visited Auburn, but the biggest news on him is that

FSU may have been taken out of the picture with 'Noles linebackers

coach Kevin Steele headed to Tuscaloosa to be Saban's defensive

coordinator. Steele's departure could also impact other FSU verbals.

In addition to Auburn, Paul has a list that also includes Clemson,

Florida, FSU, LSU, Miami, Tennessee, Illinois and UCLA.

Also on Auburn's list is DE Antoine Carter (6-4, 230) of Dillard-Fort

Lauderdale, Fla. Carter has visited Auburn and Minnesota and could be

visiting Alabama and West Virginia.

As a junior, Carter was a first-team all-state pick after making 65

tackles and 25 sacks.

ATH Jerrel Jernigan (5-10, 165, 4.4) of Eufaula, Ala., who is currently

committed to Troy, could earn a late scholarship offer from Auburn,

depending on how things shake out.

DL Ian Williams (6-2, 300, 5.1) of Lyman-Longwood, Fla., is also a late

possibility.

Auburn already has two noseguard-types committed in Josh Chapman of

Hoover, Ala., and Tim Lamb of Tallahassee, Fla. With the numbers

crunch, Williams may be an outsider at this point.

But he could be a back-up plan in case Chapman or Lamb defect or fail

to qualify. But at this time, it appears that Chapman and Lamb are

solid and both reportedly are in position to qualify.

Auburn is still recruiting Williams, though, as Will Muschamp recently

checked in on him. Auburn will likely take a wait-and-see approach with

him.

ATH Jonnie Lee Dixon (5-11, 175, 4.5) of Glades Central-Belle Glades,

Fla., who committed to Auburn last June, is still being pursued by

other schools -- most recently Florida and Louisville.

But Dixon insists he's not planning any official visits other than the

one to Auburn.

Dixon ran a 4.49 40-yard dash, had a 4.41-second shuttle and a 35-inch

vertical leap at the NIKE Training Camp in Miami back in the spring.

He didn't play his junior season because of academics, but said he's

now on pace to qualify and report to Auburn in the summer.

As expected, Alabama's hiring of Nick Saban as its new coach has

renewed interest from several prospects in the Crimson Tide's program.

DL Kerry Murphy (6-4, 315, 5.2) of Hoover, Ala., who been an early Tide

lean but had backed off in the wake of Alabama's 6-7 season. He now

says he has Alabama back at the top of his list, ahead of Auburn and

Miami.

DE Sidell Corley (6-4, 255) of McGill-Toolen, Mobile, Ala., said he

remains committed to Florida, but has moved Alabama back in the

picture. Corley has already taken an official visit to Oklahoma and

will make official visits this month to Alabama, Florida and Tennessee.

His final visit will be to LSU or Notre Dame.

LB Chris Walker (6-2, 220, 4.6) of Christian Brothers-Memphis, Tenn.,

who earlier committed to Tennessee, says he plans to take another look

at Alabama.

Walker said he is reopening his recruiting with a visit to LSU and may

also take a visit to Alabama.

LB Kendall Smith (6-1, 215) of South Sumter-Bushnell, Fla., who is

committed to FSU, also says he's take a look at Alabama because of

Saban's hiring of Steele.

Steele would be Smith's position coach at FSU.

QB Robert Marve (6-1, 195, 4.7) of Plant-Tampa, Fla., an early

commitment to former Tide Coach Mike Shula had been looking around at

other schools since Shula's firing.

But Marve says he's pleased with the Saban hiring.

However, he still plans an official visit to Miami, and is also

considering UCLA, Hawaii, Purdue and Maryland.

As a senior, Marve passed for 4,343 yards and 48 touchdowns in leading

his team to a 15-0 record and the state Class 4-A state championship.

Saban has also sparked interest in Louisiana with RB/WR Joe McKnight

(6-1, 205, 4.4 of John Curtis-River Ridge, La., who was named "Mr.

Football" in the Bayou State. McKnight's top two schools are Southern

Cal and LSU. He'll USC this week and LSU on Jan. 19. Other schools in

the picture include Texas, Notre Dame and Ole Miss. Alabama may get a

mid-week visit.

Alabama is also recruiting LB/DL Allen Bailey (6-4, 260, 4.9) of

McIntosh County Academy-Darien, Ga., who played in the U.S. Army High

School All-Star Game Saturday in San Antonio. He'll visit Miami next

weekend, Alabama on Jan. 19 and Georgia on Jan. 26. He's already

visited Florida.

Former Auburn commitment Dequan Bembery (5-10, 175) of Hawkinsville,

Ga., will take an official visit to South Carolina next weekend.

Bembery, a defensive back, was offered by Auburn last spring, but then

had his scholarship withdrawn in the fall. He has not yet been offered

by South Carolina. Bembery also will visit Kentucky on Jan. 20 and

Marshall on Feb. 3. Those two have offered, along with Troy, Middle

Tennessee, Georgia Southern and Southern Miss. Bembery said Kentucky

has been showing him the strongest recruiting interest. Last fall,

Bembery he had 60 tackles and three INTs. He can play corner or strong

safety and is considered an excellent return man in the kicking game.

Clemson and South Carolina continue to keep the interest up with LB

Brandon Maye (6-3 222) of Mobile, Ala. The Gamecocks offered Maye last

month. "I think Clemson, LSU and Ole Miss will offer soon," Maye said.

Maye has visited Southern Miss and is scheduled to visit Clemson on the

Jan. 19 and South Carolina on Jan. 26. He is also considering LSU and

FSU, and does not claim a favorite

WR Brandon Gibson (6-2, 190) of USM-Wright-Mobile, Ala. says South

Carolina has pulled even with Alabama in the race for his services.

"It's neck and neck," he said. "I'm still very interested in South

Carolina. They are still recruiting me pretty hard and that's why I'm

still interested." Gibson was, of course, interested in the hiring of

Saban by Alabama. "It makes my decision harder," he said. "If they

didn't hire a coach who didn't have a good past and didn't know what he

was doing, I wouldn't feel too good about going." Gibson made his

official visit to South Carolina in December. He will visit Auburn next

weekend and will also make trips to Alabama, Arkansas and West

Virginia. South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier will make his in-home

visit in a couple of weeks, according to Gibson.

DE Byron Clear (6-6, 220) of Hoover, Ala., will squeeze all five of his

official visits into a four-week period this month beginning with back

to back visits to UCLA and Clemson from Jan. 12-16. He will visit

Syracuse on Jan. 20, Northwestern on Jan. 22 and Illinois on Jan. 27.

Clear does not have a favorite. Clear's brother, WR Brandon Clear,

played in the Army All American Game in San Antonio. Clemson has not

offered Brandon but remains interested according to Byron. Brandon

plans to leave open one of his official visits in case Clemson offers.

Byron said the two do not have to go to the same school though they

would like to.

Recruiting is now in a dead period through Thursday because of the

football coaches convention. The quiet period period, where recruits

are allowed on campus, begins Jan. 12. Starting Jan. 14, the contact

period begin when coaches can meet with recruits on or off campus. The

dead period starts Feb. 5, and National Signing Day is Feb. 7.