2021 3* OT Colby Smith Signs With AU!

[augolf1716 21,221]

Lets please drop the banter and stick to celebrating hopefully getting a HS OT.

[McLoofus 35,182]

2 minutes ago, augolf1716 said:

hopefully getting a HS OT.

[keesler 5,924]

1 hour ago, alexava said:

This has been the number one problem with Gus. As a Gus supporter I acknowledged that. But I didn’t realize we haven’t signed a hs tackle for 3 years!  I don’t understand how it gets that bad. 

It got that bad because people ignored the reality even after many on this board told everyone for years what was going on.  You even admit you didn't realize we haven't signed a HS tackle for 3 yrs. 

At the end of the day, times are changing and we can welcome this young man to the fold.  WDE!

 

[McLoofus 35,182]

4 minutes ago, keesler said:

It got that bad because people ignored the reality even after many on this board told everyone for years what was going on. 

There's been a lot of that in several different areas of conversation here lately.

"This is gonna happen."
"You're crazy."
"This is happening."
"No it's not."
"Look at what just happened."
"Well, I'm just as surprised as you are."

(Side note: Usually the same people on the same side of each conversation.)

[augolf1716 21,221]

21 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Gotta get that sig.......

[keesler 5,924]

For any regular poster on this site, who's been here for years to say they didn't realize how bad the oline recruiting had been for the last 3 yrs, seems crazy to me.  Many people discussed it ad nauseum because it was so blatantly obvious it was the previous staff's major deficiency.  

There were so many Gus apologists who tried to gloss over the problems and inadequacies that it's like they've just opened their eyes for the first time in 7-8 years.  We had oline problems from the White/JJohnson days and it progressively got worse.  

 

[Beaker 2,457]

The kid is like a mammoth and could be the 'next great one' perhaps.   

 

I am super stoked and also for all the momentum since Saturday!  Maybe we can slow this down a little so I can catch up and read all the news?   haha

[alexava 6,973]

23 minutes ago, keesler said:

For any regular poster on this site, who's been here for years to say they didn't realize how bad the oline recruiting had been for the last 3 yrs, seems crazy to me.  Many people discussed it ad nauseum because it was so blatantly obvious it was the previous staff's major deficiency.  

There were so many Gus apologists who tried to gloss over the problems and inadequacies that it's like they've just opened their eyes for the first time in 7-8 years.  We had oline problems from the White/JJohnson days and it progressively got worse.  

 

I realized how bad it was. I just didn’t realize we hadn’t signed a tackle in three years. I don’t think many others did either. Else this would not have such historical significance as to be announced via Twitter. 

[bigbird 60,572]

13 minutes ago, alexava said:

I realized how bad it was. I just didn’t realize we hadn’t signed a tackle in three years. I don’t think many others did either. 

[ellitor 33,108]

16 minutes ago, alexava said:

I realized how bad it was. I just didn’t realize we hadn’t signed a tackle in three years. I don’t think many others did either.

4. This is the 2021 class. And most people who talk recruiting on AU boards know it as it's been a hot topic on every board. Heck even if I didn't want to know I couldn't forget it because Bird has posted about it so much he wouldn't let me.

[bigbird 60,572]

58 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

There's been a lot of that in several different areas of conversation here lately.

"This is gonna happen."
"You're crazy."
"This is happening."
"No it's not."
"Look at what just happened."
"Well, I'm just as surprised as you are."

(Side note: Usually the same people on the same side of each conversation.)

My ears are burning

46 minutes ago, keesler said:

For any regular poster on this site, who's been here for years to say they didn't realize how bad the oline recruiting had been for the last 3 yrs, seems crazy to me.  Many people discussed it ad nauseum because it was so blatantly obvious it was the previous staff's major deficiency.  

[bigbird 60,572]

6 minutes ago, ellitor said:

4. This is the 2021 class. And most people who talk recruiting on AU boards know it as it's been a hot topic on every board. Heck even if I didn't want to know I couldn't forget it because Bird has posted about it so much he wouldn't let me.

[GTNupe11 2,034]

21 hours ago, PigskinPat said:

This alone is a fireable offense.

That is PATHETIC... Unconscionable even. 

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,305]

4 hours ago, alexava said:

I realized how bad it was. I just didn’t realize we hadn’t signed a tackle in three years. I don’t think many others did either. 

I don't follow recruiting a great deal but I also didn't know this. I knew we were low on OL but didn't know the tackle position was that bad. 

[SumterAubie 3,031]

7 hours ago, augolf1716 said:

Gotta get that sig.......

The very last one is rich.

[Mikey 16,638]

4 hours ago, WDE_OxPx_2010 said:

I don't follow recruiting a great deal but I also didn't know this. I knew we were low on OL but didn't know the tackle position was that bad. 

It's not, really. We have picked up highly rated JUCO guys and some solid transfers to fill the slots. Also, some defensive players have been shifted to OT with good results. While not signing enough high school OT's isn't a great thing we have managed to fill the position. Two recent AU O-tackles are now in the NFL, Prince Wanogho and Jack Drscoll.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,679]

One might call it...a bad thing 

 

[auburn4ever 1,266]

Glad we got Colby. He's a big dude and we need to start signing big bodies for our OL.

Edited February 2, 2021 by auburn4ever

[AUApostle 7,651]

7 hours ago, Mikey said:

It's not, really. We have picked up highly rated JUCO guys and some solid transfers to fill the slots. Also, some defensive players have been shifted to OT with good results. While not signing enough high school OT's isn't a great thing we have managed to fill the position. Two recent AU O-tackles are now in the NFL, Prince Wanogho and Jack Drscoll.

Relying on projects and transfers is a bad thing.  Long term players, guys talented enough to start for at least 3 years, sometimes 4, with overlap at each position, is how you build consistency along the line so that you don't have sudden drop-offs.  You get that with a steady recruitment of 5 and 4 stars, not stop gaps.  When coaches start relying on too many transfers it always goes downhill for them...Sherrill was among the 1st, that I can remember, to prove that.  What a stressful way to manage a position.

Edited February 2, 2021 by AUDevil

[keesler 5,924]

39 minutes ago, AUDevil said:

Relying on projects and transfers is a bad thing.  Long term players, guys talented enough to start for at least 3 years, sometimes 4, with overlap at each position, is how you build consistency along the line so that you don't have sudden drop-offs.  You get that with a steady recruitment of 5 and 4 stars, not stop gaps.  When coaches start relying on too many transfers it always goes downhill for them...Sherrill was among the 1st, that I can remember, to prove that.  What a stressful way to manage a position.

Years of a Band-Aids should make any HC stressed.  Having to rely on Juco's/transfers eight years into your tenure with an inability to recruit 5* HS olinemen to a place like Auburn, in an offense geared to operate behind a strong oline.  

 

[AUinfusion 390]

Gus did a good job of keeping us in the bridesmaid spot for high ranking offensive linemen. There are plenty of great OTs around the SEC that we "almost" landed. I suppose that might have led some people who were not paying close attention to believe that we were doing better at OL recruiting than we were, because there was seldom a 4* backup plan to the 5* recruit that we missed on... again...

[bigbird 60,572]

2 minutes ago, AUinfusion said:

... better at OL recruiting than we were, because there was seldom a 4* backup plan to the 5* recruit that we missed on... again...

Never had a back up. 

[gravejd 3,270]

8 hours ago, Mikey said:

It's not, really. We have picked up highly rated JUCO guys and some solid transfers to fill the slots. Also, some defensive players have been shifted to OT with good results. While not signing enough high school OT's isn't a great thing we have managed to fill the position. Two recent AU O-tackles are now in the NFL, Prince Wanogho and Jack Drscoll.

Your commitment to putting lipstick on the pig that was our OT recruiting the last 5 years is very admirable. It doesn't make a lot of sense but you are sticking with it and not giving up so there is something to be said displaying that level of stick-to-it-ness 

[W.E.D 11,070]

9 hours ago, Mikey said:

It's not, really. We have picked up highly rated JUCO guys and some solid transfers to fill the slots. Also, some defensive players have been shifted to OT with good results. While not signing enough high school OT's isn't a great thing we have managed to fill the position. Two recent AU O-tackles are now in the NFL, Prince Wanogho and Jack Drscoll.

This entire post is ridiculous.  Man you shill so hard for Gus.

Prince was from the 2015 class.  So he's the only OT that we've drafted out of HS in half a decade that has contributed well.  None of the highly ranked JUCO kids have done anything, Hamm isn't a tackle, we had to use a DT convert with pretty poor results this year.....so we got an OK Jack Driscoll for two season.

Awesome

[AuburnNTexas 7,154]

Actually the convert DT Jackson was starting to look solid at OT before he got hurt. I actually think he will be a starter this year and will impress us.  I am not defending the Gus recruiting as it was abysmal for O-line especially for OT's but I am defending the player who has come a long ways since moving from D-Line to O-Line.

What is strange to me is the year before we had two O-Line make it to NFL and all 5 had a good bit of experience but last years patched together O-line was better on run blocking and adequate on pass blocking.  I actually thought last years line was more physical then the previous years line.  

I am not sure what to expect with this years O-line a new coach, a new system, but a lot more experience due to injuries last year.  Unless we get a stud or two from transfer route we will have to see what Friend can do with existing talent. Zierer will have had over a year to heal and hopefully spring practice to help deal with minimal experience playing American football he seems to have all the measurables.