OL Coach: Will Friend

[abw0004 10,125]

I assume Harsin did his research on Friend to make sure he had no involvement on the big recruiting violation Tennessee is under investigation for in trying to pay Mims to commit to them.

On the bright side, UGA is apparently also being investigated for a major violation as well.

[W.E.D 11,070]

Recruiting is definitely the biggest benefit to Friend:

 

One of the country’s top 2022 offensive tackles not only welcomed the news Auburn had hired Will Friend as offensive line coach Thursday, he was thrilled about it.

“I’m very close to Coach Friend,” said 4-star recruit Dayne Shor of Alpharetta (Ga.) King's Ridge Christian. “I’ve known Coach Friend for about a year now and we’ve always kept in touch. What a great guy he is. He’s an awesome person and he’s very personable. He’s great and I really like him. He’s one of the highest-paid offensive line coaches in the country and he’s definitely elite. When I found out he went to Auburn, that was crazy. That’s definitely a big thing for sure.”

Shor, who is 6-feet-6, 300 pounds, figures to be a big target of Friend at Auburn, who offered the prospect when he coached at Tennessee in 2020. Shor is the No. 21 tackle nationally in the industry generated 247Sports Composite.

[woodford 3,659]

Love the hire. He probably has the most work on the entire staff. 

[Chrysalis99 80]

I’m pretty neutral on the hire except two things. 1, isn’t there some kind of investigation going on at tennersee about recruiting? Wasn’t he the head recruiter or recruiting coordinator? 2. I read he took a pay cut going to So Carolina. If that’s true it wasn’t likely a voluntary move. 

[ValleyTiger 2,894]

1 minute ago, TheDanoC said:

I’m pretty neutral on the hire except two things. 1, isn’t there some kind of investigation going on at tennersee about recruiting? Wasn’t he the head recruiter or recruiting coordinator? 2. I read he took a pay cut going to So Carolina. If that’s true it wasn’t likely a voluntary move. 

Ooh, it was definitely a voluntary move. Jumping off a sinking ship. 

New coach at USCe (and Auburn) means more job stability.

[AUinfusion 390]

3 minutes ago, TheDanoC said:

I’m pretty neutral on the hire except two things. 1, isn’t there some kind of investigation going on at tennersee about recruiting? Wasn’t he the head recruiter or recruiting coordinator? 2. I read he took a pay cut going to So Carolina. If that’s true it wasn’t likely a voluntary move. 

"Tennessee will enforce the $50,000 buyout in Will Friend's contract after he left his post as the Vols' offensive line coach about a month before the contract was set to expire, an athletic department spokesman confirmed"

~ https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/football/2021/01/05/tennessee-football-will-friend-contract-south-carolina-gamecocks-buyout/4130046001/

That sounds pretty voluntary to me.

[bigbird 60,565]

4 minutes ago, TheDanoC said:

it wasn’t likely a voluntary move. 

Rumor is that, like many under Gus, Friend wasn't necessarily allowed to coach his guys like he wanted. He was looking around

[LKEEL75 2,566]

1 minute ago, AUinfusion said:

"Tennessee will enforce the $50,000 buyout in Will Friend's contract after he left his post as the Vols' offensive line coach about a month before the contract was set to expire, an athletic department spokesman confirmed"

~ https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/football/2021/01/05/tennessee-football-will-friend-contract-south-carolina-gamecocks-buyout/4130046001/

That sounds pretty voluntary to me.

So who pays this?  Did USCe pay it already?  Do we pay it?  Do we owe buyout to USCe?  Heck do we owe buyout to both?

 

[McLoofus 35,182]

7 minutes ago, ValleyTiger said:

Ooh, it was definitely a voluntary move. Jumping off a sinking ship. 

New coach at USCe (and Auburn) means more job stability.

Gus did the same thing when he went to Arkansas State, even though it was for the head gig. 

Sometimes you just gotta get out and take the best thing you can. 

[AUMicBK 124]

2022 OL listed with "High" interest that Friend was recruiting at UT:

Top 100 OT Will Campbell, Monroe, LA Neville

Top 100 OT Addison Nichols, Norcross, GA Greater Atlanta Christian

and Top 200 OT Dayne Shor as has been mentioned a few times today/last night

 

[AU-Allen 85]

38 minutes ago, abw0004 said:

I assume Harsin did his research on Friend to make sure he had no involvement on the big recruiting violation Tennessee is under investigation for in trying to pay Mims to commit to them.

On the bright side, UGA is apparently also being investigated for a major violation as well.

I hope so as well, he was the recruiter that was solely listed as dealing with Mims per recruiting sites. However....... This is Tennessee saying this and remember who they have in charge. The guy is as crooked as the day is long and has always tried to cheat his way through. Its possibly just a hit they were trying to send out because their feelings were hurt that he had transferred out. Nothing has been cited that I see from anyone other than them. 

[AUinfusion 390]

9 minutes ago, bigbird said:

Rumor is that, like many under Gus, Friend wasn't necessarily allowed to coach his guys like he wanted. He was looking around

This would make a lot of sense. I'm just learning about Friend, but his (lower-than-hoped) success with a talented OL at UTk last year didn't seem to line up with what I read was high success with OL at other schools.

[AUinfusion 390]

39 minutes ago, abw0004 said:

I assume Harsin did his research on Friend to make sure he had no involvement on the big recruiting violation Tennessee is under investigation for in trying to pay Mims to commit to them.

On the bright side, UGA is apparently also being investigated for a major violation as well.

Crazy how these ex-UA coaches keep getting into trouble with buying players... 😉

[AU-Allen 85]

Interesting take on it, and possibly why there was no worry from Auburn and why he got the hell out of dodge when he did.

 

[wareagleguy 1,393]

55 minutes ago, abw0004 said:

I assume Harsin did his research on Friend to make sure he had no involvement on the big recruiting violation Tennessee is under investigation for in trying to pay Mims to commit to them.

On the bright side, UGA is apparently also being investigated for a major violation as well.

Music to my ears!

[wareagleguy 1,393]

15 minutes ago, AUinfusion said:

Crazy how these ex-UA coaches keep getting into trouble with buying players... 😉

Yeah, they pick up some bad habits after leaving uat, incredible 

[AuburnTiger4Life 2,225]

Vol fans are so funny... every coach that leaves they’re like “hahaha good luck with him!!” Yet they haven’t been competitive in what... 20 years? 

[cole256 17,084]

He's going to have a big job! If the o line have one bad game he will take all the blame on any issues from the running back, to the QB and wr.

It's the number one I don't know what I'm talking about but you can't argue this Go to move on football forums

[ChristoThor 70]

I work with a Vols fan and after talking to him it is hard to judge anything that comes out of Tennessee. It is pretty unclear what is going on with their program as far as who is in control. There are rumors that even their athletic director is too involved in the program. They are too divided to be successful or allow any of their staff to actually be successful.

The only thing you can really judge on anyone from Tennessee is their recruiting. The problem there is the investigation going on about their recruiting. I am just really hoping Auburn did their research and made sure Friend has nothing to do with it.

I think Friend has potential to be prove he is a good coach on top of being a good recruiter. Lets not judge his time at TN too harshly.

[aubearcat 2,137]

1 hour ago, AU-Allen said:

Interesting take on it, and possibly why there was no worry from Auburn and why he got the hell out of dodge when he did.

 

[gravejd 3,270]

These lineman tweets being excited about Friend are like mana from heaven. Hope he stays out of the mess in the Tenn investigation and make sure he walks the straight and narrow here at AU. Those 2 things happen and he'll be our new favorite coach if he can pull in a 6'6" 300 lb OT

[Quietmaninthecorner 1,945]

1 hour ago, aubearcat said:

Neids

Anyone know what  Neids is?

[LKEEL75 2,566]

2 minutes ago, Quietmaninthecorner said:

Anyone know what  Neids is?

Glad you asked.  I was curious about the same thing.

[api1957 1,783]

6 minutes ago, Quietmaninthecorner said:

Anyone know what  Neids is?

??? https://ncog.gov.in/neind/login.php ????

North East Industrial Development Scheme. That's what I'm running with. Lil' Mook hit me with the inside knowledge.

[aubearcat 2,137]

7 minutes ago, Quietmaninthecorner said:

Anyone know what  Neids is?

I can’t find what else was said so I’m not sure what I was trying to say. Most likely a typo because I ain’t even drinking yet.