Taco

The energy and life Caddy has brought to this program is special. Don’t take it for granted

Lane has also really moved his recruiting tactics to attacking the transfer portal the past year, finishing 2nd to USC amongst transfers. He finished 15th last year with only 17 signees so he also goes for quality over quantity. The transfer tactic is the same one he employed at FAU as well. However, He has always been known as a closer in the recruiting world as well, so his classes always ends well, rather than starting fast. Of the prominent recruiters we’ve brought up outside of Deion: Kiffin, Freeze, Aranda, Fleck, etc. I’d probably put him at the top.

Great analysis. I love how you were able to breakdown the trends and even put in a note about doing the old Baylor Spread to lighten up the box. I saw something yesterday about how Mike McDaniel came out with a 21 personnel in their own end-zone vs the Baltimore Ravens, but ran an empty set, basically confused the Ravens into being in a heavy run blocking personnel instead of a nickel or a dime package. Ended up having Waddle against a safety and the Ravens got burned. — your analysis made me think that Harsin & Kiseau can definitely be more creative to give our speedsters a better chance at getting open.

This. Even the great Nick Saban couldn’t coach up mid-tier talent to win the SEC. 75% of college is recruiting the talent. Which is why I originally thought the same about Deion as some posters here. But he definitely has the swagger and mentality to indeed go in and scare the Jimbos, Kirby’s, and Saban’s of the world. This. People seem to turn a blind eye to the “pull” and connections Deion has. I do HOPE he will assemble a good coaching staff at Auburn as he did at JSU for a SWAC school. Final point: Winners like to win, so they find a way to win.

I don’t disagree. But I think having the talent allows you to get to 8-9 wins a lot more easily than without. Having a guy that can recruit a line like Cristobal did at Oregon gives you more room for mistakes. Verdicts out on Sark, because I see him more like a Muschamp type of coach; great coordinator, not a great head coach. — my takes here — Huepel has done well. He’s doubled down on his system and recruited a lot of speed for it the past recruiting class/transfer class and I think his offense is even more potent. I love Stoops, used to be a member at the same golf course he was in Lexington and he’s a great guy/coach. But I feel like people are overhyping him as well. He’s really turned it around adopting Sean McVay’s west coast offense a couple years ago, and it’s done him wonders. But he’s still 0-10 against SEC west opponents on the road and his teams still like to struggle against lesser opponents for whatever reason, especially in the first half. He also lost offensive line coach John Schlarman to cancer two years ago and it’s starting to show, as Kentucky statistically has the 2nd worst OLine in the SEC.

The biggest difference between those names except for Tony Elliot at UVA, and Harsin, is that all are recruiting exceptionally.

Dale Harsin?

Like Tank sitting out rest of the year ugly?

If they love auburn they’ll come here no matter what. Duh

I didn’t think this was the main point, but this is what I got from it as well. There’s some dysfunction in there.

If they look into the coaching staff is assembled at lowly JSU they might have second thoughts?

Yes, absolutely. Which I guess I’m trying to point out regarding to Deion Sanders may being under-experienced in regards to having his own schemes and stuff. He can delegate this to his coordinators and staff. I think more Malzahn than Chiz regarding micromanaging. I think Chiz wanted to evolve but it backfired on him. He also had a bad culture within the program itself which led to his quick dismissal.

Again, Deion isn’t my first choice. But I think for most people his appeal comes from 1. he’s a good recruiter/and he probably will stay that way 2. He’s a winner. Is he unproven for an FBS, P5 HC role? Absolutely, but it does seem as though can bring NIL funds/knows how to use them, and use his recognition to build a recruiting class. Nor would I say he’s a slouch. In terms of scheming and X’s and O’s I haven’t really paid particularly close attention to it, but the hope is he would hire competent coordinators and staff to make it work. I think Mark Stoops has been thrown out there as a viable candidate. And I’ll use him as a loose comparison. He’s a defensive coach with a defensive coaching background and was similar to the rest of the Stoops Football Clan in running a base 4-3 defense for the most part in Arizona and Florida State with a “bend but don’t break” concept. He did the same his first two years at Kentucky, and the transitioned to a 3-4 in the proceeding years with a new coordinator in Matt House. Same with offense, Mark Stoops offense went from an Air Raid, Multiple, and to now a McVay inspired West Coast Offense. I guess what I’m trying to use Stoops for, is that scheming isn’t necessarily just done by the HC, if the HC takes on the CEO role, it’s the coordinators who will determine a lot of those things. You just hope the HC understands/is competent enough to hire the right people to help the programs succeed.

I’d hope being with Kirby’s program the last two years has given him the insight of being a better Head Coach. But who knows. I would be a fan of a Muschamp hiring.

I’d argue Harsin has turned the team even worse to watch. And somehow managed to make the program in worse shape in terms of roster and depth numbers than Gus left us with. And that in itself is impressive.

He’s been coaching since 2012 in some sort of format. Won 4 state titles as the OC of Trinity Christian in TX before taking Jackson State. The Jackson State experiment has gone pretty well too in my humble opinion. This is Deion Sanders’ living and career. Does he have other business ventures? Sure, but so does other coaches who opens up camps, restaurants, and do commercials. I guess if you want to go down the summer school analogy, he’s convinced these kids to come to summer school in Jackson, Mississippi, when they’ve the chance to go to summer camp. You know, the same issue the past two coaches have struggled to convince kids to come to the summer camp in Auburn, Alabama. There may not be any hostility, but calling a ball coach that’s had to shrug off people calling him an “act” or “showman” while winning as a ball coach, where he’s had the opportunity to coach at, is pretty disrespectful. What’s crazier for me is that there’s plenty of former players who have become coaches, even Coach Gus Malzahn, Coach Bryan Harsin, etc., only difference is, Deion Sanders was a very successful player. Sanders has been in the world of football since whenever he started playing, to when he was an on-tv analyst, to now coaching football since 2012, but it’s somebody who has probably never coached a game in football who’s calling this man’s job not his “lifetime calling.” Pretty bush to me.

His son was on the football team so…

What are the qualifications to be a head coach at Auburn? How do you determine if somebody is a coach by profession? I don’t think your premise on the HBCU being the determinant of Travis Hunter enrolling in is correct, think more towards the NIL $$$ figures. But for the sake of argument, 19 of the 20 best all time recruits at Jackson State is under Deion Sanders (all 5,4, or 3 stars). From what I know from the internet, seems as though Jackson State has been an HBCU before Deion Sanders was there. But it’s not a coincidence the talent level for Jackson State’s roster improved when Deion Sanders arrived, because the HBCU card has always been out there for the previous coaches of Jackson State. If Deion is able to bring money into Jackson State as well as talented players that really don’t have any business being at Jackson State, as well as having Jackson State involved in the final 6 of many SEC targets and get SEC targets to come to Jackson State, I firmly do believe he can fix Auburn’s recruiting snafu. Is Deion my choice in Auburn next HC? No. But I don’t really understand the hostility towards a man who hasn’t really done anything wrong other than he himself and be a ball coach.

Just need to teach him what a “burner phone” is and he’ll be fine

Gus caused this hole that the football program is stuck in. I think it’s been out there that Harsin hasn’t helped himself and if anything kept digging more into the hole. It’s pointless to argue about who’s fault it is or who’s the better coach. That’s like arguing who’s poop smells better. Fun fact, since our NC year, we are now 19-22 without Gus Malzahn. And 8-19 vs P5 programs.

I don’t know who needs to hear this to see how bad we really are. Penn State caused more turnovers against Auburn at JHS than they did against Ohio and Purdue. This offense is out of sync and bad. And I hope nobody talks **** about Derek Mason anymore tbh cause Schmedding is terrible.

Yeah let’s not smoke hopium so much. Just accept this team as what they are. I think Mizzou should be a win, but most likely a toss up, and let’s not even think about beating LSU.

Aranda intrigues me quite a bit. I feel like he’s done a good job at Baylor and his ‘23 class is stout, especially for Baylor

Thamel and Reece suck. But their logic in what could happen isn't wrong or too far off the mark in my opinion. He wins, he’ll find his ticket out. If he continues to recruit like he has been and we miss a bowl game, he’s gone. Plus whenever we get the new AD (or promote McGlynn per some rumblings), I’m sure that’ll play a part too regarding the HC situation.