2013 3* P Jimmy Hutchinson commits to AU! (grayshirt)

[PCBAuburnaFan 1]

I figure he'd redshirt if we don't sign anyone else

[tsande07 271]

Unless I'm missing something, we should have room for him now. Of course, the numbers were never adding up for us here, so we don't know what else is still to come. If we can't get someone highly ranked this late to take the spot, bring him in now, rather than taking a spot in next year's class, I say.

[aucanucktiger 1,794]

This has the potential to be a slimey scenario. It's not a stretch to assume Hutch committed to this university & staff with the understanding a scholarship would be waiting for the #1 (scout & 24/7) punter in the nation.

[PCBAuburnaFan 1]

This has the potential to be a slimey scenario. It's not a stretch to assume Hutch committed to this university & staff with the understanding a scholarship would be waiting for the #1 (scout & 24/7) punter in the nation.

hes tweeted numerous times how happy he is and he's known about the grey shirt for a while

[bird36 5]

Barring a freak punter injury he would not play at all this year and you don't want to use a punter and kicker scholarship in the same year.

[AUcivE09 582]

This has the potential to be a slimey scenario. It's not a stretch to assume Hutch committed to this university & staff with the understanding a scholarship would be waiting for the #1 (scout & 24/7) punter in the nation.

-1

[Mikey 16,649]

The problem with not signing him now and asking him to take a greyshirt is that any other school in the nation that needs a punter can offer him an immediate scholarship and he's free to accept it and sign with them.

If we can't fill the remaining slots, I hope we sign Hutch now instead of trying the greyshirt thing.

[auclong 1]

He has known and agreed to take the greyshirt for sometime. This apparently wasn`t done due to a numbers deal. I am pretty sure he had some injury problems during the year so that may have contributed to this. Don`t be jumping on the school if you don`t know what is going on. He could still receive a schollie but not likely. He is all in with Auburn apparently.

[tinman 305]

Hutchinson wants to go to school at AUBURN. He's not concerned about the grayshirt situation. He fell in love with the school, city, and atmosphere at Jordan Hare. Rest easy worry worts!

[autan 740]

This has the potential to be a slimey scenario. It's not a stretch to assume Hutch committed to this university & staff with the understanding a scholarship would be waiting for the #1 (scout & 24/7) punter in the nation.

hes tweeted numerous times how happy he is and he's known about the grey shirt for a while

He's a great kid. What else could he say in his tweets.This time I agree with Mikey.

[JFDTiger80 790]

He will be our starting punter once our current punter leaves. He has an incredible leg. He hits it high and long.

[AubFanCT 180]

Hutchinson wants to go to school at AUBURN. He's not concerned about the grayshirt situation. He fell in love with the school, city, and atmosphere at Jordan Hare. Rest easy worry worts!

I hear ya and it's great the kid wants to be at Auburn. But at the same time, the right thing needs to be done and get this kid a scholly. No reason not to now based on #s.

[gilstein21 1]

if he gray shirts doesn't he take up a spot for next year's class? If that's the case, go ahead and sign him up this year if room is available.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

The point of my original post was not out of worry or saying AU did anything wrong by him. I was just wondering, since we ended up having space, if we'd go ahead and reward him with one of the remaining scholarships.

[tinman 305]

According to Gus' news conference this afternoon, we are still looking to use the scholarships that appear to be available. I know 2 are being held....Toby Johnson and Corn Elder. But I imagine if Gus feels Hutch needs it he will give it to him now.

[DyeCampAlum 335]

and the 85 number

[Rednilla 5,391]

At first, I wanted him to maintain the greyshirt to save a year of eligibility...but considering that our starting punter is a senior, he could sign and redshirt, then punt for four years all the same. Thus, I'd prefer to go ahead and sign him if there aren't three more guys to grant scholarships to.

However, should he sign early (as I would imagine he will), then so long as we don't sign three more this spring, he would still count backwards to this year's class. Don't know what motivation he would have for doing that, so I'm not going to speculate, but it is at least feasible.

[Mikey 16,649]

and the 85 number

I don't think we'll even scare the 85 number this year. Thinking we'll be lucky to have 80 to work with when fall camp starts.

PS: These guys don't count against the 85 number when they sign. They don't count until they are enrolled in school and physically start attending class. By the time any of today's signees do that, spring practice will be over and six to eight more will have either gotten injured or otherwise fallen by the wayside.

[ellitor 33,111]

At first, I wanted him to maintain the greyshirt to save a year of eligibility...but considering that our starting punter is a senior, he could sign and redshirt, then punt for four years all the same. Thus, I'd prefer to go ahead and sign him if there aren't three more guys to grant scholarships to.

However, should he sign early (as I would imagine he will), then so long as we don't sign three more this spring, he would still count backwards to this year's class. Don't know what motivation he would have for doing that, so I'm not going to speculate, but it is at least feasible.

I can't speak for Malzahn but this would be my reason for doing that. If he signs in January of 2014 Red is correct he would count back to the 2013 class but that does not affect his football seasons eligibility. He would still have 4 years (2014-2017). If we give Hutch the scholly now we pretty much just burned a year of him as a back up. Yes we can redshirt him but what is the point in that if he only has to wait one semester to be the starting punter and not have to be redshirted. He would then still have that redshitt available for him starting in 2014 as insurance for him and the team if it is ever needed for something like an injury. What I do know is barring some major change Gus plans to stick with grayshirting Hutch. I believe Gus has approached Hutch like this. "You are a great kid, punter, and we love you. "Would you be willing to wait 1 semester to enroll in January to come in as the starter and not have to be redshirted? That way if you ever needed a redshirt for an injury or anything you would have it instead of it being wasted as a back up in 2013." Based on Hutch's tweets he gladly said yes. Yet another brilliant move by Gus IMO

[AUbritt 611]

At first, I wanted him to maintain the greyshirt to save a year of eligibility...but considering that our starting punter is a senior, he could sign and redshirt, then punt for four years all the same. Thus, I'd prefer to go ahead and sign him if there aren't three more guys to grant scholarships to.

However, should he sign early (as I would imagine he will), then so long as we don't sign three more this spring, he would still count backwards to this year's class. Don't know what motivation he would have for doing that, so I'm not going to speculate, but it is at least feasible.

I can't speak for Malzahn but this would be my reason for doing that. If he signs in January of 2014 Red is correct he would count back to the 2013 class but that does not affect his football seasons eligibility. He would still have 4 years (2014-2017). If we give Hutch the scholly now we pretty much just burned a year of him as a back up. Yes we can redshirt him but what is the point in that if he only has to wait one semester to be the starting punter and not have to be redshirted. He would then still have that redshitt available for him starting in 2014 as insurance for him and the team if it is ever needed for something like an injury. What I do know is barring some major change Gus plans to stick with grayshirting Hutch. I believe Gus has approached Hutch like this. "You are a great kid, punter, and we love you. "Would you be willing to wait 1 semester to enroll in January to come in as the starter and not have to be redshirted? That way if you ever needed a redshirt for an injury or anything you would have it instead of it being wasted as a back up in 2013." Based on Hutch's tweets he gladly said yes. Yet another brilliant move by Gus IMO

Thanks, E -- this makes a lot of sense.

[Rednilla 5,391]

and the 85 number

I don't think we'll even scare the 85 number this year. Thinking we'll be lucky to have 80 to work with when fall camp starts.

PS: These guys don't count against the 85 number when they sign. They don't count until they are enrolled in school and physically start attending class. By the time any of today's signees do that, spring practice will be over and six to eight more will have either gotten injured or otherwise fallen by the wayside.

Six to Eight is generally a bit high, I believe, but even if that did happen we'd still be light years ahead of where we were in 09. We should play with somewhere between 80 and 82 this year, in my opinion, which is about par for the course.

[Rednilla 5,391]

At first, I wanted him to maintain the greyshirt to save a year of eligibility...but considering that our starting punter is a senior, he could sign and redshirt, then punt for four years all the same. Thus, I'd prefer to go ahead and sign him if there aren't three more guys to grant scholarships to.

However, should he sign early (as I would imagine he will), then so long as we don't sign three more this spring, he would still count backwards to this year's class. Don't know what motivation he would have for doing that, so I'm not going to speculate, but it is at least feasible.

I can't speak for Malzahn but this would be my reason for doing that. If he signs in January of 2014 Red is correct he would count back to the 2013 class but that does not affect his football seasons eligibility. He would still have 4 years (2014-2017). If we give Hutch the scholly now we pretty much just burned a year of him as a back up. Yes we can redshirt him but what is the point in that if he only has to wait one semester to be the starting punter and not have to be redshirted. He would then still have that redshitt available for him starting in 2014 as insurance for him and the team if it is ever needed for something like an injury. What I do know is barring some major change Gus plans to stick with grayshirting Hutch. I believe Gus has approached Hutch like this. "You are a great kid, punter, and we love you. "Would you be willing to wait 1 semester to enroll in January to come in as the starter and not have to be redshirted? That way if you ever needed a redshirt for an injury or anything you would have it instead of it being wasted as a back up in 2013." Based on Hutch's tweets he gladly said yes. Yet another brilliant move by Gus IMO

It's brilliant if it works, but it is good not to forget that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush...

[ellitor 33,111]

At first, I wanted him to maintain the greyshirt to save a year of eligibility...but considering that our starting punter is a senior, he could sign and redshirt, then punt for four years all the same. Thus, I'd prefer to go ahead and sign him if there aren't three more guys to grant scholarships to.

However, should he sign early (as I would imagine he will), then so long as we don't sign three more this spring, he would still count backwards to this year's class. Don't know what motivation he would have for doing that, so I'm not going to speculate, but it is at least feasible.

I can't speak for Malzahn but this would be my reason for doing that. If he signs in January of 2014 Red is correct he would count back to the 2013 class but that does not affect his football seasons eligibility. He would still have 4 years (2014-2017). If we give Hutch the scholly now we pretty much just burned a year of him as a back up. Yes we can redshirt him but what is the point in that if he only has to wait one semester to be the starting punter and not have to be redshirted. He would then still have that redshitt available for him starting in 2014 as insurance for him and the team if it is ever needed for something like an injury. What I do know is barring some major change Gus plans to stick with grayshirting Hutch. I believe Gus has approached Hutch like this. "You are a great kid, punter, and we love you. "Would you be willing to wait 1 semester to enroll in January to come in as the starter and not have to be redshirted? That way if you ever needed a redshirt for an injury or anything you would have it instead of it being wasted as a back up in 2013." Based on Hutch's tweets he gladly said yes. Yet another brilliant move by Gus IMO

It's brilliant if it works, but it is good not to forget that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush...

To me it's worth it. The difference between the best punting average to the worst is 8 yards per punt in 2012. I know field position is important but to me it's not worth bringing in a kid just to redshirt him for at max 8 yards per punt, especially considering how much we are likely to score.

[TheBlueVue 177]

I dont understand the fretting over this. The kid agreed to it and is fine with it......next!

[autan 740]

The risk is JH may decide to take a better offer. Then we lose the No. 1 rated punter. I wasn't all that impressed with the consistency of our punting last year. It was hard to be too critical when the other areas of our performance were worse.