2017 JUCO ATH D'Anfernee McGriff

[sprewellrimz 0]

Guys, just because he doesn't have the grades to get in AU, does NOT mean he will automatically go the JUCO route. I'm sure there are other schools where he could qualify.

Didnt Bobby Bowden do that with Randy Moss? Moss couldn't get into FSU and Bowden made some calls and Moss ended up having a great collegiate career at Marshall.

I hate it. I really like his size. I love the big WRs. He reminded me of Terrell Zachary, or a shorter Anthony Mix.

Good luck to him, wherever his path may lead him. I hope he hits the books and sees this as the reality check it is.

Moss went to FSU for a year and violated his probation on charges from a fight he had in high school and was expelled, then enrolled at Marshall because it was an hour away from home.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Bummer, someone needs to break this news easy to McLoofus

*sniff... sniff* Thanks, guys. At least now the healing can begin.

Mr. McGriff, do what you gotta do and get your butt out on a football field somewhere. Maybe even back in God's country someday.

[AU64 10,122]

Likely a good thing to know before he signed the LOI....if I understand correctly, were he to sign up on Wednesday and then not qualify, we would lose that scholly this year.

Is that right Mikey?

[AUApostle 7,651]

Likely a good thing to know before he signed the LOI....if I understand correctly, were he to sign up on Wednesday and then not qualify, we would lose that scholly this year.

Is that right Mikey?

Our coaches have known for a few weeks. UF made their pitch a 2-3 weeks ago. He's been in serious grade trouble for a long time.

[22clabough22 0]

Good luck D'Anfernee, get things right and everyone will be rooting you on when you get back on the playing field.

[VipersStrike1 230]

Didnt Bobby Bowden do that with Randy Moss? Moss couldn't get into FSU and Bowden made some calls and Moss ended up having a great collegiate career at Marshall.

No. Grades weren't Moss' issue. Trouble was.

[gctiger 931]

I guess this might explain why Gus spent so much time with Terry Godwin and family over the weekend...

[VipersStrike1 230]

He won't graduate. UF is placing him in prep school and will sign in him in 2016. For whatever reason AU could not or would not match the offer.

Makes sense. FL has PLENTY of room to waste a NQ spot. We do not.

[au_bsci_04 407]

Timely tweet by Roc...

@El_GoldenChild: You always a student before an athlete, remember that!

[collector527 0]

Man IMO this is a huge loss. I am not saying we can't bring in another guy like a slayton or godwin to replace him but as of right now it's a big loss. He was honestly one of my faves in this class and i expected great things from him in this offense. Hate this but i hope he lands on his feet somewhere else. Good luck to him.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

I was wondering when an (UPDATE) would be added to this subject.

[Tivo48 31]

Likely a good thing to know before he signed the LOI....if I understand correctly, were he to sign up on Wednesday and then not qualify, we would lose that scholly this year.

Is that right Mikey?

Not Mikey, but you're correct

[doc4aday 1,887]

I wish him the best and hope he can do whatever is necessary to bring his academics up so that he can get a college education and play a little ball along the way. Who knows, down the road he might be a great sign from the JUCO ranks.

[Mikey 16,600]

He won't graduate. UF is placing him in prep school and will sign in him in 2016. For whatever reason AU could not or would not match the offer.

UF may recommend him to a prep school, but they cannot "place" him there. They will have no tie to him whatsoever if he is successful in getting his grades in order at prep school. He will be free to sign with any school he chooses. See Auburn and JaQuay Williams two years ago. Same situation. We signed him, he didn't qualify and went to prep school, then signed with Texas A&M. Our slot was simply lost.

Yes, McGriff would have cost us a slot even if he didn't qualify. Jason Smith the same deal, he cost us two slots, one lost when he didn't qualify out of high school, another one this year. Smith did come back and sign with Auburn, but he could have signed with anybody else he wanted to sign with.

McGriff will be in the same situation, be it prep school (one year) or JUCO (two years). Auburn will have just as much opportunity to sign McGriff when he qualifies as anybody else, UF included.

[AuburnSpider 2]

So is this a case of Au coach astuteness. What are the mechanics of this coming out now.

[AUApostle 7,651]

He won't graduate. UF is placing him in prep school and will sign in him in 2016. For whatever reason AU could not or would not match the offer.

UF may recommend him to a prep school, but they cannot "place" him there. They will have no tie to him whatsoever if he is successful in getting his grades in order at prep school. He will be free to sign with any school he chooses. See Auburn and JaQuay Williams two years ago. Same situation. We signed him, he didn't qualify and went to prep school, then signed with Texas A&M. Our slot was simply lost.

Yes, McGriff would have cost us a slot even if he didn't qualify. Jason Smith the same deal, he cost us two slots, one lost when he didn't qualify out of high school, another one this year. Smith did come back and sign with Auburn, but he could have signed with anybody else he wanted to sign with.

McGriff will be in the same situation, be it prep school (one year) or JUCO (two years). Auburn will have just as much opportunity to sign McGriff when he qualifies as anybody else, UF included.

Prep school isn't cheap and not everyone can afford it...if you catch my drift.

[AUTUmike 79]

So is this a case of Au coach astuteness. What are the mechanics of this coming out now.

I'd imagined they waited as long as they could to see if his grade situation changed/improved. That, coupled with a bevy of highly desirable recruits considering AU leading up to NSD, and I think the coaching staff decided it wasn't worth the risk of wasting the slot.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

AUDevil, I'm pretty sure UF would be a little slicker than just out-right footing the bill for prep school. Even if they decided to pay guys, they aren't morons. This is a misunderstanding. Mikey is absolutely correct. If he goes to prep school, he has no commitment to (and no guarantee of a scholarship offer from) any school. AU, UF, doesn't matter. No one is "placing" him anywhere.

[NoALtiger 3,862]

AUDevil, I'm pretty sure UF would be a little slicker than just out-right footing the bill for prep school. Even if they decided to pay guys, they aren't morons. This is a misunderstanding. Mikey is absolutely correct. If he goes to prep school, he has no commitment to (and no guarantee of a scholarship offer from) any school. AU, UF, doesn't matter. No one is "placing" him anywhere.

Yeah but it sounds so much more covert by saying "placing". I love a good action/adventure story.

[AUApostle 7,651]

I understand the rule completely. I'm not saying UF paid for it directly...but somebody from that side helped him get set up, IMO. For whatever reason, we backed out. Interestingly, an hour after my conversation, McGriff tweets that recruiting is a dirty business.

[AU64 10,122]

I understand the rule completely. I'm not saying UF paid for it directly...but somebody from that side helped him get set up, IMO. For whatever reason, we backed out. Interestingly, an hour after my conversation, McGriff tweets that recruiting is a dirty business.

"Recruiting is a dirty business"...big surprise...but a prospect with Div 1 talent who can't get grades in shape to qualify has no one to blame but himself....and I'm not picking on Aff...just a general statement. The qualification levels are pretty minimal compared to what the typical non-athlete HS student faces when applying to attend AU.

Seems I recall that in years past AU and other schools were said to "place" a kid at this JUCO or that...and perhaps there was a quid pro quo involved...but often as not, when the kid finished at the JUCO he ended up somewhere else.

I do believe that UF could have helped grease the skids to get him in the prep school in hopes that he will "remember who his friends were" when it comes time to play Div 1 again.

I'm just glad we know this now and not in June when he gets his grades for his senior year...and we lose a valuable scholly slot.

[AU_Tiger_88 417]

Some prep schools have schollies available for these types of players. Remember hargrave? Schools like that also instill a little discipline to these kids to get their work done....

[Mikey 16,600]

He won't graduate. UF is placing him in prep school and will sign in him in 2016. For whatever reason AU could not or would not match the offer.

UF may recommend him to a prep school, but they cannot "place" him there. They will have no tie to him whatsoever if he is successful in getting his grades in order at prep school. He will be free to sign with any school he chooses. See Auburn and JaQuay Williams two years ago. Same situation. We signed him, he didn't qualify and went to prep school, then signed with Texas A&M. Our slot was simply lost.

Yes, McGriff would have cost us a slot even if he didn't qualify. Jason Smith the same deal, he cost us two slots, one lost when he didn't qualify out of high school, another one this year. Smith did come back and sign with Auburn, but he could have signed with anybody else he wanted to sign with.

McGriff will be in the same situation, be it prep school (one year) or JUCO (two years). Auburn will have just as much opportunity to sign McGriff when he qualifies as anybody else, UF included.

Prep school isn't cheap and not everyone can afford it...if you catch my drift.

Many prep schools have scholarships available for top-notch athletes. If the coaches from a certain college put the kid in contact with a prep school, there's nothing wrong with that and the player may feel a debt of gratitude when the time comes for him to sign with a big school.

Here's another thought: If McGriff's grades are so bad that he won't graduate it's entirely likely that he'll have to go the JUCO route instead of prep school. There are two levels of "didn't qualify". If it's close, one year or even one semester of prep school may be enough to get the player qualified. Most who fail to qualify out of high school aren't that close and they have to spend two years and graduate from JUCO before they can sign qualify. If I had to GUESS, I'd guess that McGriff will be heading to JUCO, not prep school.

[AuburnArch13 185]

He won't graduate. UF is placing him in prep school and will sign in him in 2016. For whatever reason AU could not or would not match the offer.

UF may recommend him to a prep school, but they cannot "place" him there. They will have no tie to him whatsoever if he is successful in getting his grades in order at prep school. He will be free to sign with any school he chooses. See Auburn and JaQuay Williams two years ago. Same situation. We signed him, he didn't qualify and went to prep school, then signed with Texas A&M. Our slot was simply lost.

Yes, McGriff would have cost us a slot even if he didn't qualify. Jason Smith the same deal, he cost us two slots, one lost when he didn't qualify out of high school, another one this year. Smith did come back and sign with Auburn, but he could have signed with anybody else he wanted to sign with.

McGriff will be in the same situation, be it prep school (one year) or JUCO (two years). Auburn will have just as much opportunity to sign McGriff when he qualifies as anybody else, UF included.

Prep school isn't cheap and not everyone can afford it...if you catch my drift.

Many prep schools have scholarships available for top-notch athletes. If the coaches from a certain college put the kid in contact with a prep school, there's nothing wrong with that and the player may feel a debt of gratitude when the time comes for him to sign with a big school.

Here's another thought: If McGriff's grades are so bad that he won't graduate it's entirely likely that he'll have to go the JUCO route instead of prep school. There are two levels of "didn't qualify". If it's close, one year or even one semester of prep school may be enough to get the player qualified. Most who fail to qualify out of high school aren't that close and they have to spend two years and graduate from JUCO before they can sign qualify. If I had to GUESS, I'd guess that McGriff will be heading to JUCO, not prep school.

From what is being rumored elsewhere on the interwebs, he has the grades to qualify, but not the ACT scores. If this were the case, I assume he would be eligible even in this class if he can correct that soon. It's tough to risk a spot on that if you're us, but UF certainly has the space. But even if he doesn't get the score in time, my thought would be that he could do one year of prep rather than two of JUCO, but that is just my hunch. Whatever the case is, I hope it works out for him.

[aujeff11 6,243]

I feel bad for Mcgriff. He was one our best recruits in terms of being involved and helping recruit other players.