2015 5* DT Daron Payne (Alabama signee)

[ellitor 33,096]

Article seems to imply that UAT has been giving him much more attention and love. Understanding that he is one of our top targets, I would hope that Malzahn and Garner will turn it up and let him know how much we want him.

Apparently Bama is recruiting him harder. My understanding is it's marginally so though.

[Randman5000 4,229]

We were talking earlier of possibly getting Payne, Trent, and Mack. Its possible we do not land any of them.Mack to Tamu, Payne to the crimson necks, and TT to thuga. Hopefully a good year and CRG can swing one of them.

[gravejd 3,270]

We were talking earlier of possibly getting Payne, Trent, and Mack. Its possible we do not land any of them.Mack to Tamu, Payne to the crimson necks, and TT to thuga. Hopefully a good year and CRG can swing one of them.

Anyone who was seriously talking about getting 3 5* DTs in one class was delusional. Now it is possible we get a 1, 2, or 0 but no way we were getting all three.

[autan 737]

Getting one would be great, but getting none doesn't mean we would have failed. Some of our big DE Targets may wind up as DT's.

[Mikey 16,614]

Getting one would be great, but getting none doesn't mean we would have failed. Some of our big DE Targets may wind up as DT's.

I'm pretty much of the opinion that getting none would be a huge swing and miss. In other words, a failure. Spin it otherwise if you feel the need.

[gravejd 3,270]

Getting one would be great, but getting none doesn't mean we would have failed. Some of our big DE Targets may wind up as DT's.

I'm pretty much of the opinion that getting none would be a huge swing and miss. In other words, a failure. Spin it otherwise if you feel the need.

Its amazing how things have changed with AU recruiting over the last 6 or so years. To think that not signing a 5* DT means we have failed at recruiting. Not that long ago it was considered quite the coup if AU signed 1 5* per recruiting class. Now its a failure if we don't sign 1 per position. We have a great coaching staff but these guys aren't magicians that can pull a 5* out of a hat on command. We are surronded by quality football schools so to think we aren't going to miss here and there is setting yourself up for dissapointment. This is why I don't even watch film on guys until they have at least commited or had AU in their top schools for a long time. There are ton of quality players out there so why fall in love with 1 guy and be dissapointed when he doesn't go to your school? We can miss on all 3 of these guys and still have a great dline class next year. But thats just my opinion so take it or leave it....

[WarDamnEagleWDE 12,737]

Getting one would be great, but getting none doesn't mean we would have failed. Some of our big DE Targets may wind up as DT's.

I'm pretty much of the opinion that getting none would be a huge swing and miss. In other words, a failure. Spin it otherwise if you feel the need.

Given the landscape I'd say missing on Payne would hurt the most. TT has always been a uga lean and Mack was committed to A&M when he visited. AU knew both of these kids were going to be an uphill battle. So a swing and a miss? Sure. Strikeout? Nope.

AU is on plenty more DL's. Like I've been saying since I've started posting on here............................. its only April. Still a LONG time till signing day. I'm not worried at all.

[McLoofus 35,182]

I hear ya, gravejd.

If the coaches decide that they really want a guy and they have a legitimate shot at him- which, for the purposes of this conversation, really only applies to Payne- then I would feel better as a fan if they win those battles more often than not. As long as they do, then I'm not going to cry over one guy we miss on.

So Mikey, you're right. Missing on a guy that we really want and who- by definition of "missing on"- wasn't predetermined to sign with another school is a "failure". If we miss on Payne, then it will be a "failure". (You shouldn't call the other two "misses" or "failures"- spin it otherwise, if you feel the need.) But as long as we have more "successes"- which I would define as going head to head with a bama, LSU, FSU, UGA etc.over a blue chip recruit for whom we have a legit shot and winning- than "failures" in a given class, then I'm happy.

In other words, Reuben Foster was a "failure", but he doesn't define Auburn's 2013 signing class for me. Montravious Adams, Carl Lawson, Elijah Daniel, Jeremy Johnson, etc. do.

(And please just go on the overall point I'm making and let's not compare our class position by position to bama's or anybody else's.)

[WarEagle84 0]

The "swing and a miss" analogy is pretty good, and should be carried a little further. Getting a strike at the plate does not mean the game is over. Sometimes we're overly aggressive and take a swing at a recruit we have no chance of hitting on. Swing and miss 3 times, and the at-bat is over, but your team still has 26 other outs. The truth is, just as a baseball player doesn't get a hit every time to the plate, we don't get every recruit we target. If we bat over .300, we are doing phenomenal. If we bat .250, or even .200, we can field a competitive team.

[Dixie1860 27]

Getting one would be great, but getting none doesn't mean we would have failed. Some of our big DE Targets may wind up as DT's.

I'm pretty much of the opinion that getting none would be a huge swing and miss. In other words, a failure. Spin it otherwise if you feel the need.

Given the landscape I'd say missing on Payne would hurt the most. TT has always been a uga lean and Mack was committed to A&M when he visited. AU knew both of these kids were going to be an uphill battle. So a swing and a miss? Sure. Strikeout? Nope.

AU is on plenty more DL's. Like I've been saying since I've started posting on here............................. its only April. Still a LONG time till signing day. I'm not worried at all.

Yeah, and even he was/is an early bammer lean, due to the fact their staff has been recruiting him much longer. Juantavius Johnson is a legitimate DT prospect. DT is also a position that most kids don't grow into until their SR year or later. There will be a slew of names come up during the summer camp periods. We haven't even been talking about JUCO guys yet. I want Thopmson very bad, he and Payne will be very good. But missing on them won't be the end of the world.

[gravejd 3,270]

The "swing and a miss" analogy is pretty good, and should be carried a little further. Getting a strike at the plate does not mean the game is over. Sometimes we're overly aggressive and take a swing at a recruit we have no chance of hitting on. Swing and miss 3 times, and the at-bat is over, but your team still has 26 other outs. The truth is, just as a baseball player doesn't get a hit every time to the plate, we don't get every recruit we target. If we bat over .300, we are doing phenomenal. If we bat .250, or even .200, we can field a competitive team.

You certainly did take that analogy and run with it! I especially like the random .300 and .250 numbers thrown in there. Like hitting 3/10 balls and signing 3/10 recruits can be equated some how. It almost made me argue "no we better hit about .500" until I realized I couldn't even begin to figure out what the hit and miss ratio for AU has been over the years on recruits they really went after. Heck your numbers may be spot on for all I know. Anyway, just busting your balls a bit, but I do hope we stay over the mendozza line in recruiting!

[WarEagle84 0]

The "swing and a miss" analogy is pretty good, and should be carried a little further. Getting a strike at the plate does not mean the game is over. Sometimes we're overly aggressive and take a swing at a recruit we have no chance of hitting on. Swing and miss 3 times, and the at-bat is over, but your team still has 26 other outs. The truth is, just as a baseball player doesn't get a hit every time to the plate, we don't get every recruit we target. If we bat over .300, we are doing phenomenal. If we bat .250, or even .200, we can field a competitive team.

You certainly did take that analogy and run with it! I especially like the random .300 and .250 numbers thrown in there. Like hitting 3/10 balls and signing 3/10 recruits can be equated some how. It almost made me argue "no we better hit about .500" until I realized I couldn't even begin to figure out what the hit and miss ratio for AU has been over the years on recruits they really went after. Heck your numbers may be spot on for all I know. Anyway, just busting your balls a bit, but I do hope we stay over the mendozza line in recruiting!

I did read that we've offered around 100 prospects for 2015. Since we can sign no more than 25 (give or take a few), I'd say a .250 batting average is about right. Of course, there are some we'd rather have more than others (to stretch the analogy even further, batting average with runners in scoring position is more important than overall average). I'd say consistent top-10 recruiting classes is well above the Mendoza line.

[CameronCrazy 1,062]

“@JHokanson: #Rivals100 5-star DT Daron Payne, #Rivals250 ATH Ray Ray McCloud visiting #Auburn on Saturday

Time for us to get back in it with Mr. Payne!

[Mikey 16,614]

The two DT's, Payne and Thompson, are both from areas where Auburn has had good success in the past. Having two such prospects in our areas in the same year is unusual but there they are and an unusual opportunity knocks. If both of them slip away it would be missed opportunity, failure, call it what you will but it wouldn't be good.

Would we survive? Sure but bringing in others as substitutes is like watching all the big kids eat the pie and having to settle for the leftover cookies.

[imaolgatiger 523]

You are correct Mikey. Every 5 star always turns into the most dominant player on the field and we can't win without them. It will be a complete failure if we can't persuade a kid to dump his favorite team and come to Auburn. I will bet that you married the first girl that you fell in love with(assuming you are married). If not, then you are a failure at relationships and your wife should feel like a leftover cookie.

[Dixie1860 27]

Well, what if said "leftover cookie" just went unnoticed? What if it was on a plate with some different cookies that look bad? It could be a White Chocolate, Macadamia Nut (with a special ingredient that makes everything better). All it needed was to be seen and eaten by someone who knows cookies. Then you have the Bake Sale winner, and from the ugly plate at the far end of the table! Anyone following me here? Lol

[CameronCrazy 1,062]

I'm loving the analogies guys, LOL

[Mikey 16,614]

When a player is at or near the top at his position, is from one of your main recruiting areas and you try to sign him and fail, you have, by definition, failed. Is it the end of the world? Hopefully not. Is it a failure? Certainly.

[WarEagle84 0]

When a player is at or near the top at his position, is from one of your main recruiting areas and you try to sign him and fail, you have, by definition, failed. Is it the end of the world? Hopefully not. Is it a failure? Certainly.

Recruiting is a game where you fail more often than you succeed, just like batting. Is a guy who "fails" 7 of 10 trips to the plate a failure? Most definitely not. Failure is therefore a poor word choice to describe the recruiting process for a specific guy.

[imaolgatiger 523]

Ridiculous!

[Mikey 16,614]

When a player is at or near the top at his position, is from one of your main recruiting areas and you try to sign him and fail, you have, by definition, failed. Is it the end of the world? Hopefully not. Is it a failure? Certainly.

Recruiting is a game where you fail more often than you succeed, just like batting. Is a guy who "fails" 7 of 10 trips to the plate a failure? Most definitely not. Failure is therefore a poor word choice to describe the recruiting process for a specific guy.

The best players in major league baseball fail roughly 70% of the time. But, when they get served a fat pitch they usually do not fail. Two of the nation's top DT's, a position of need for us, have appeared in places where we normally recruit well. I call that a fat pitch and signing one would be a standup double. Signing neither=failure.

If you want to call missing on both of them an "aw shucks, let's move on" situation, fine for you. I'd call it failure.

[auburnphan 6,050]

When a player is at or near the top at his position, is from one of your main recruiting areas and you try to sign him and fail, you have, by definition, failed. Is it the end of the world? Hopefully not. Is it a failure? Certainly.

This all of course really depends on the realistic odds of signing said recruit due to multiple factors:

1. parents preference

2. Childhood favorite

3. Scheme fit

4. Comfortability with position coach

5. Comfortability with campus

6. Peer pressure

7. etc...etc...

plain and simple, recruiting is never a failure. The staff puts it all on the table, if the kid chooses another school, oh well. They were shown everything Auburn had to offer, if they decide otherwise hopefully it was right for them, but by no means did we fail at showing them what and who we are....

[Mikey 16,614]

Recruiting is sales. What do you call it when a buyer purchases the competitor's product instead of yours? Failure, or is there a different term that I'm not aware of?

[CameronCrazy 1,062]

I'm in agreement with Mikey. All you have to do is look at Tennessee's sales pitch last year and so far this year. Penn State is still on probation for goodness sake, but yet Franklin has them already as the #1 recruiting class per 247. We should have a much better product to sell than both of those teams!

[WarEagle84 0]

When a player is at or near the top at his position, is from one of your main recruiting areas and you try to sign him and fail, you have, by definition, failed. Is it the end of the world? Hopefully not. Is it a failure? Certainly.

Recruiting is a game where you fail more often than you succeed, just like batting. Is a guy who "fails" 7 of 10 trips to the plate a failure? Most definitely not. Failure is therefore a poor word choice to describe the recruiting process for a specific guy.

The best players in major league baseball fail roughly 70% of the time. But, when they get served a fat pitch they usually do not fail. Two of the nation's top DT's, a position of need for us, have appeared in places where we normally recruit well. I call that a fat pitch and signing one would be a standup double. Signing neither=failure.

If you want to call missing on both of them an "aw shucks, let's move on" situation, fine for you. I'd call it failure.

And the best teams in baseball only win 2/3 of their games. If they looked at every out and every loss as a failure, they would probably start thinking of themselves as failures, which would make it less likely they would see continued success, and would almost certainly prevent them from enjoying their success.

If it makes you feel better to think of this coaching staff as failures, maybe you should start cheering for bama. I prefer to look at the big picture of a #7 recruiting class as a success rather than focusing on the individual losses along the way.