KN: Why Auburn Recruiting Will Be Better 2023

[Rednilla 5,391]

On 5/11/2022 at 9:27 AM, W.E.D said:

lots of ppl def laughed at us, but I don't think he was ever with Bobo at USC.  He was in athens until 14.  15-17 he was at colorado.  18-20 he was at UT.

I think he had been hired by Bobo at USCe but came to Auburn with him before ever coaching a game for the 'Cocks.

[W.E.D 11,070]

51 minutes ago, Rednilla said:

I think he had been hired by Bobo at USCe but came to Auburn with him before ever coaching a game for the 'Cocks.

Ah, gotcha

[ToomersStreet 795]

I would rather have a #20 recruiting ranking and develop the players than a top 10 under Malzahn and those players not get any better over the next 3-4 years than the day they finished high school.  My complaint with Harsin was only signing one offensive lineman, two D lineman, and two linebackers. I have no doubt his ability to develop players but he does need players to coach.

[AuburnNTexas 7,149]

21 hours ago, ToomersStreet said:

I would rather have a #20 recruiting ranking and develop the players than a top 10 under Malzahn and those players not get any better over the next 3-4 years than the day they finished high school.  My complaint with Harsin was only signing one offensive lineman, two D lineman, and two linebackers. I have no doubt his ability to develop players but he does need players to coach.

Partly true but not completely true.  I was happy to see Malzan leave as I think his offense did not evolve but I want people to remember when Malzan came to Auburn our D was very weak and we had to rely on outscoring people. Malzan brought in some top notch D Coaches and left them alone and they found good players and developed them especially D-Backs and D-Line.  The head coach gets blamed when any part of the team is good as such he should get credit for bringing in some great D coaches and letting them recruit and coach their position.

It was his horrible O-Line recruiting that was his downfall and the fact that the games rules changed and teams had adjusted to his offense and he didn't evolve. Where youu were true is we did recruit some really good HS Receivers who didn't develop because his passing routes never developed.

As for Harsin developing players I am one of his biggest fans but it is to early after one year to be able to say he and his coaches are doing a great job there. Lets see what happens this year as most people don't think we have enough talent to have a winning record this year.  Lets ee if he can prove those people wrong and in doing so at least get a top 15 class this year.

[ToomersStreet 795]

19 hours ago, AuburnNTexas said:

Partly true but not completely true.  I was happy to see Malzan leave as I think his offense did not evolve but I want people to remember when Malzan came to Auburn our D was very weak and we had to rely on outscoring people. Malzan brought in some top notch D Coaches and left them alone and they found good players and developed them especially D-Backs and D-Line.  The head coach gets blamed when any part of the team is good as such he should get credit for bringing in some great D coaches and letting them recruit and coach their position.

It was his horrible O-Line recruiting that was his downfall and the fact that the games rules changed and teams had adjusted to his offense and he didn't evolve. Where youu were true is we did recruit some really good HS Receivers who didn't develop because his passing routes never developed.

As for Harsin developing players I am one of his biggest fans but it is to early after one year to be able to say he and his coaches are doing a great job there. Lets see what happens this year as most people don't think we have enough talent to have a winning record this year.  Lets ee if he can prove those people wrong and in doing so at least get a top 15 class this year.

Correct.  I was referencing Malzahns offensive talent in my statement.  We put far more defensive players into the League than offense.  His development of any position other than running back was just terrible.

[Sizzle 3,914]

On 6/18/2022 at 1:46 PM, ToomersStreet said:

I would rather have a #20 recruiting ranking and develop the players than a top 10 under Malzahn and those players not get any better over the next 3-4 years than the day they finished high school.  My complaint with Harsin was only signing one offensive lineman, two D lineman, and two linebackers. I have no doubt his ability to develop players but he does need players to coach.

In the SEC you need both. You gotta have top classes and development or you won’t ever keep up with Bama and UGA because they’re doing both. Having a top 20ish class and developing them will get you somewhere around 9 wins but I want us to be more than just the SEC west version of Kentucky 

[Gowebb11 9,326]

5 minutes ago, Sizzle said:

In the SEC you need both. You gotta have top classes and development or you won’t ever keep up with Bama and UGA because they’re doing both. Having a top 20ish class and developing them will get you somewhere around 9 wins but I want us to be more than just the SEC west version of Kentucky 

Agreed. It is imperative that we accelerate both recruiting and development. With OU and UT coming, it’s not going to get any easier. 

[Mikey 16,605]

On 6/18/2022 at 1:46 PM, ToomersStreet said:

My complaint with Harsin was only signing one offensive lineman, two D lineman, and two linebackers. I have no doubt his ability to develop players but he does need players to coach.

What makes you think Harsin is some sort of guru in player development? All I've seen so far is the normal improvement that should be expected as a player gets a year older and has another year's experience.

[JerryAU 1,664]

On 6/18/2022 at 1:46 PM, ToomersStreet said:

I would rather have a #20 recruiting ranking and develop the players than a top 10 under Malzahn and those players not get any better over the next 3-4 years than the day they finished high school.  My complaint with Harsin was only signing one offensive lineman, two D lineman, and two linebackers. I have no doubt his ability to develop players but he does need players to coach.

CBH has to develop SEC level players now, he needs to be given time to prove this is something he and his staff can accomplish. 

[AUwent 3,752]

On 6/20/2022 at 4:33 PM, JerryAU said:

CBH has to develop SEC level players now, he needs to be given time to prove this is something he and his staff can accomplish. 

I get that, but we’re going to need clear indicators we’re heading in the right direction this year ESPECIALLY with all the seniors we have.

But, it may still be best to give him three years—besides the buyout and potential optics, if the newbies wait it out (wish they’d pull the fracking trigger already), we’re getting Vandy in ‘23 and Florida in ‘24. And I really, really don’t like when a coach’s first year has a substantially easier schedule than his second.

Edited June 21, 2022 by AUwent

[HAPvsOA 287]

On 5/11/2022 at 4:58 AM, Zeek said:

Bert was quite literally useless in terms of recruiting. Him and Will Friend both were my two biggest under performers. 

I agree that Eason had popular reviews but him and Mason both aren't used to being on the road guys. Etheridge has largely carried our defensive recruiting and Caddy carried the offense. Kiesau we'll see. He got numbers but we missed on big Wide Receiver talent including in the portal. 

We have a development based staff with a few strong recruiters. I very much wanted Friend gone with Bobo. I think EJ Harris is the only line.an he has brought in...

I'm on the same page with Friend. IMO, a better O-line was the difference in us not winning 1 or 2 more games the last 2 years and I just don't see how Harsin thinks he can survive without a better track record on that front. Don't get me wrong, I like our Oline players, but recruiting on that front has been horrid for years. 

A highly ranked Oline and Dline class this cycle may be enough to get more time  assuming the recruiting at the other positions stays decent. But without that I think he's going to need to win more than 6 this year to have a chance. It's unfortunate because he seems like a decent coach, but subpar recruiting wont cut it unless he finds some diamonds in the rough very quickly to somehow garner some wins against all these competing classes stacked with 4 & 5 star recruits. 

[HAPvsOA 287]

On 5/11/2022 at 7:28 AM, AU9377 said:

How much would we give to have the #7 ranked class this year?  That happened in 2020, but the only way it happens this year is if we literally purchase that talent. We call this staff a developmental staff because it doesn't consist of any proven elite recruiters. Unfortunately, evidence of all the talent they have developed is also hard to find or missing.

But.... rest easy and worry not, all that big big Alpha energy is about to make lemonade from lemons.  If so, I'll buy a round for everyone.  If not, brace yourselves.

Harsin developed some decent QBs at Boise, Friend has some recruits that have been in the league, Kiseau recruited and coached some amazing players at Cal (not sure how much was due to his development since they were phenomenal already) and there are others. But yeah I get your point; we haven't seen it thus far at AU for sure. 

[Beaker 2,457]

On 6/20/2022 at 8:11 AM, Mikey said:

What makes you think Harsin is some sort of guru in player development? All I've seen so far is the normal improvement that should be expected as a player gets a year older and has another year's experience.

That was his track record before he got to Auburn.  Just sayin'     

And last off season was hampered by the SEC and univ regarding covid restrictions.   So, he had them, but in a  limited capacity.  I am hoping that piece of his reputation takes a step fwd this season.   But don't expect the likes of All SEC player to emerge from the bench - that is just plain dumb.  

 

[Beaker 2,457]

On 6/20/2022 at 7:40 AM, Sizzle said:

In the SEC you need both. You gotta have top classes and development or you won’t ever keep up with Bama and UGA because they’re doing both. Having a top 20ish class and developing them will get you somewhere around 9 wins but I want us to be more than just the SEC west version of Kentucky 

True, but we all realize we had a losing record last year right?   Auburn is not 'keeping up' with bama and thuga.  Look at us since 2017.    We are in a full bore rebuild.  

We all know an OL takes 2 years to develop before they will see the field.   TWO YEARS -    Yes there is an exception here or there, but out of 30 recruits, ONE will emerge as a sophomore stud.   Those OL are  playing against future NFL   D linemen most Saturdays in the SEC. That is the reason you can't run kids out there. 

 

I want Auburn to contend every year also and I know recruiting is our lifeblood, but we aren't landing elite talent until we get a handful of wins.   And most elite kids commit before October -and therein lies the problem. 

 

 

Edited June 24, 2022 by Beaker

[Gowebb11 9,326]

57 minutes ago, Beaker said:

want Auburn to contend every year also and I know recruiting is our lifeblood, but we aren't landing elite talent until we get a handful of wins

Rumor has it that our #1 qb target is about to commit to FSU and they were 5-7 last year. We’re just losing more battles than we’re winning unfortunately. 

[Sizzle 3,914]

1 hour ago, Beaker said:

True, but we all realize we had a losing record last year right?   Auburn is not 'keeping up' with bama and thuga.  Look at us since 2017.    We are in a full bore rebuild.  

We all know an OL takes 2 years to develop before they will see the field.   TWO YEARS -    Yes there is an exception here or there, but out of 30 recruits, ONE will emerge as a sophomore stud.   Those OL are  playing against future NFL   D linemen most Saturdays in the SEC. That is the reason you can't run kids out there. 

 

I want Auburn to contend every year also and I know recruiting is our lifeblood, but we aren't landing elite talent until we get a handful of wins.   And most elite kids commit before October -and therein lies the problem. 

 

 

On the OL, Auburn isn’t landing any talent at all, elite or small recruit. Last years class had had 1 OL signee. In the future theyre going to have to depend on the portal. They don’t really have a choice 

[Beaker 2,457]

4 hours ago, Gowebb11 said:

Rumor has it that our #1 qb target is about to commit to FSU and they were 5-7 last year. We’re just losing more battles than we’re winning unfortunately. 

Yeah, that  is a kick in the crotch.   I hear it's b/c he knew the Memphis coach real well before he went to FSU.   With them losing Dillingham to Oregon, I am incredibly surprised.    This kid seems very 'cagey'.

 

3 hours ago, Sizzle said:

On the OL, Auburn isn’t landing any talent at all, elite or small recruit. Last years class had had 1 OL signee. In the future theyre going to have to depend on the portal. They don’t really have a choice 

I know -  it has shades of Gus written all over this chapter of our recruiting acumen.  I know the 'chicken or the egg' conundrum is a factor, but something is amiss on the OL recruiting side of things.   As I get older, it's harder for me to relate to kids these days.  I wonder if W Friend is truly a liability.  

 

"And winning cures all that ails you."   If we can upset Penn State, I think we land a couple of key linemen (if they aren't committed).

I am not pumping sunshine, but when you are rebuilding, there are no easy 'wins' out there (recruiting, games, staff, etc).  Maybe NIL will help - wouldn't it be nice to have a million dollars to buy 3 or 4 OTs.  How can TAMU allegedly drop $30 mil on one class while we struggle buying 3 OTs?

 

[Mikey 16,605]

8 hours ago, Beaker said:

Maybe NIL will help - wouldn't it be nice to have a million dollars to buy 3 or 4 OTs.  How can TAMU allegedly drop $30 mil on one class while we struggle buying 3 OTs?

Would one million buy 4 top OT prospects? That might be true if the rich boys already had all the OT's they wanted. Otherwise I don't think one million would begin to touch 3 to 4 solid OT prospects. A million each might do it. How long can this go on?

[Beaker 2,457]

4 hours ago, Mikey said:

Would one million buy 4 top OT prospects? That might be true if the rich boys already had all the OT's they wanted. Otherwise I don't think one million would begin to touch 3 to 4 solid OT prospects. A million each might do it. How long can this go on?

It's been going on a long, long time - it's just on the table now.   It's not transparent, but it's on the table. 

I am at the point, take a million and buy two.  Heck - would a million land one OT we want and then start a small wave of momentum?

[Mikey 16,605]

10 hours ago, Beaker said:

It's been going on a long, long time - it's just on the table now.   It's not transparent, but it's on the table. 

I am at the point, take a million and buy two.  Heck - would a million land one OT we want and then start a small wave of momentum?

Not unless we had more millions for the next guys.

Some things have been going on at some places for a long time. However: I remember hearing of Ronnie Brown driving a junker with plastic duct taped over a rear window, Caddy having another junker with vice grips locked on the heater button and Carlos Rogers having to wash and wear the same jeans every day. Also, the colostomy AU under went in the Cam Newton fiasco proved beyond a doubt that Newton wasn't paid anything. That's four AU first round NFL draft picks that were just as broke as the rest of the students at AU. If we were giving $ out, apparently we were giving the money to the wrong players.

[Gowebb11 9,326]

There were 9 O lineman taken in the first round of this years NFL draft. Bama and TAMU had 1 each. The other 7 were from the likes of NC State, BC, Northern Iowa, MSU, Iowa, and UT Chattanooga. Surely we can recruit, develop, and compete on NIL with programs like that. There’s plenty of talent out there and not all of it requires million dollar payouts. We’ve just been MIA on O line recruiting for several years. 

[NWALA Tiger 3,535]

35 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

There were 9 O lineman taken in the first round of this years NFL draft. Bama and TAMU had 1 each. The other 7 were from the likes of NC State, BC, Northern Iowa, MSU, Iowa, and UT Chattanooga. Surely we can recruit, develop, and compete on NIL with programs like that. There’s plenty of talent out there and not all of it requires million dollar payouts. We’ve just been MIA on O line recruiting for several years. 

Great post

[Beaker 2,457]

On 6/25/2022 at 10:19 PM, Mikey said:

Not unless we had more millions for the next guys.

Some things have been going on at some places for a long time. However: I remember hearing of Ronnie Brown driving a junker with plastic duct taped over a rear window, Caddy having another junker with vice grips locked on the heater button and Carlos Rogers having to wash and wear the same jeans every day. Also, the colostomy AU under went in the Cam Newton fiasco proved beyond a doubt that Newton wasn't paid anything. That's four AU first round NFL draft picks that were just as broke as the rest of the students at AU. If we were giving $ out, apparently we were giving the money to the wrong players.

I hear you and I wasn't trying to make the point Auburn has been paying players for years and years.  I am not sure how or to what degree Auburn kids were paid, but you're right - Cam Newton rode a moped around campus.   I was referring to Emmit Smith when his mom got a new, well paying job and new car while working for a law office owned by a UF alum.   No his mom wasn't a lawyer and I don't think she was a para either.   Emmit didn't want to play at UF because they still had artificial turf and  Auburn was definitely trending up by beating bama and winning the SEC .....and yeah the Cam thing has always been a head scratcher: if he got paid, where did the money go?  He didn't have it and his dad or dad's church did have it.   

[augolf1716 21,170]

48 minutes ago, Beaker said:

 I was referring to Emmit Smith when his mom got a new, well paying job and new car while working for a law office owned by a UF alum.   No his mom wasn't a lawyer and I don't think she was a para either.   Emmit didn't want to play at UF because they still had artificial turf and  Auburn was definitely trending up by beating bama and winning the SEC .....and yeah the Cam thing has always been a head scratcher: if he got paid, where did the money go?  He didn't have it and his dad or dad's church did have it.   

If you were to speak to Emmitt privately he will tell you he wish he had gone to Auburn ........ as for Cam he gone zero money from Auburn

[gr82b4au 5,568]

On 6/26/2022 at 6:35 AM, Gowebb11 said:

There were 9 O lineman taken in the first round of this years NFL draft. Bama and TAMU had 1 each. The other 7 were from the likes of NC State, BC, Northern Iowa, MSU, Iowa, and UT Chattanooga. Surely we can recruit, develop, and compete on NIL with programs like that. There’s plenty of talent out there and not all of it requires million dollar payouts. We’ve just been MIA on O line recruiting for several years. 

It’s been our biggest failure the past seven years