2024 Recruiting Thread

[DAG 33,990]

We also need to remember that we haven’t played one freaking game and many top tier recruits are not going to hinge their commitment on what we say we are going to accomplish. 
 

The product has to correlate with what we are selling.

Edited June 7, 2023 by DAG

[BornAU76 398]

9 minutes ago, DAG said:

We also need to remember that we haven’t played one freaking game and many top tier recruits are not going to hinge their commitment on what we say we are going to accomplish. 
 

The product has to correlate with what we are selling.

Yes, you're right.  It's so important we show actual fight on the field this season and get some wins. 

We have the interest of multiple top recruits but Freeze needs to show we can back it up on the field before they will commit to him.  If we come out and win six games next year, that's just not going to cut it.  Potato-head set the bar low but that doesn't mean we can call 7 wins successful.

[Sizzle 3,914]

Im not worried about it. Hugh has shown he’s gone work hard on the trail. We just have to win some games this year and they’ll start to come in. Of course recruits are going to go to UGA, and Bama. Look at what they’ve accomplished.
 

Also these schools have been recruiting these guys since they were probably in 9th grade. This coaching staff is new to these recruits. Just breathe y’all, it takes time 

[abw0004 10,123]

On 6/5/2023 at 6:28 AM, AUwent said:

I totally get that the last month has been about addressing immediate needs via the TP but now we’re going to need to see some (more) decently rated commits this summer. We don’t *seem* to be favored for that many of our targets? After his quiet the last three summers were commit wise, I’m naturally going to be a bit uneasy.

Remember Hugh Freeze has only been at Auburn for seven months.  Developing relationships takes a long time.  A great example is your spouse.  Are you married?

If so, did you get engaged after seven months?  Yes, some people do get married that fast.  That would be an analogy to our transfer portal commitments.  They have been "married" before and don't need to date long sometimes.  They know what they want the second/third time around.

For high schoolers they want to date around first and go on OV's.  Some have been in committed relationships for years having committed to another schools and are happy with their partner/school.  That is why we need to start "dating" 2024/2025 kids to start seeing results as they are still looking for their special someone/school.  Right now Freeze is walking around with his bouquet of NIL money trying to find that someone who fits his personality and will get along well with.

I hope that analogy worked as well on the computer screen as it did in my head.  You can't expect the most popular kids to want to go out with the new guy at school so fast.  They want to see what they are about first.

[toddc 13,194]

Playing the long game here!

 

[HAPvsOA 287]

3 hours ago, DAG said:

We also need to remember that we haven’t played one freaking game and many top tier recruits are not going to hinge their commitment on what we say we are going to accomplish. 
 

The product has to correlate with what we are selling.

Now the game is keeping our targets from committing until we can show it on the field bc right now it feels like this: 

• AU Podcasts: AU is trending towards a top 10 class with Phillips, Coleman, Cain, Greene, and others coming and some huge potential flips in the 50/50 range 
• While many of the CBs and predictions look like this: 

Edited June 7, 2023 by HAPvsOA
time to max out your Venmo & credit cards for OTV

[AUwent 3,754]

3 hours ago, BornAU76 said:

Yes, you're right.  It's so important we show actual fight on the field this season and get some wins. 

We have the interest of multiple top recruits but Freeze needs to show we can back it up on the field before they will commit to him.  If we come out and win six games next year, that's just not going to cut it.  Potato-head set the bar low but that doesn't mean we can call 7 wins successful.

By all logic and reason, this will likely be a 6 or 7 win year. A new coach simply can't be relying on having big success right out the gate to gain a foothold in recruiting. 

I'm not, nor have I ever, said that this needs to be a top 10 class. But considering we finished roughly in the top 20 with Mr. Potato Head's classes, consensus top 15 shouldn't be an unrealistic ask.

Edited June 7, 2023 by AUwent

[gr82b4au 5,568]

13 minutes ago, AUwent said:

By all logic and reason, this will likely be a 6 or 7 win year. A new coach simply can't be relying on having big success right out the gate to gain a foothold in recruiting. 

I'm not, nor have I ever, said that this needs to be a top 10 class. But considering we finished roughly in the top 20 with Mr. Potato Head's classes, consensus top 15 shouldn't be an unrealistic ask.

If you were not an AU fan and you had a full ride to Uga, Uat, or AU, where would you go? 
This season we are picked next to last in the sec with a new head coach. Those two teams won the last 4 championships (I think, I can’t keep up now) are picked #1 and #2 in the sec and in the nation. 
Auburn is literally in the middle of their rivals that are both at all time peaks in their program’s histories.

in the end, we will get some good players. My hope is that we get some solid offensive lineman!!!! 

[AUwent 3,754]

55 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

If you were not an AU fan and you had a full ride to Uga, Uat, or AU, where would you go? 
This season we are picked next to last in the sec with a new head coach. Those two teams won the last 4 championships (I think, I can’t keep up now) are picked #1 and #2 in the sec and in the nation. 
Auburn is literally in the middle of their rivals that are both at all time peaks in their program’s histories.

in the end, we will get some good players. My hope is that we get some solid offensive lineman!!!! 

Well I’m sorry, but how are we supposed to pull ourselves off the mat? Gotta start somewhere. This would be a good response if I was expecting a top 5 or even top 10 class. But all I’m asking for here is a top 15, around 12, class.

If we have to have some miracle, logic-defying season that’s just not going to happen to get recruiting going, why do we even bother having a program until Nick gives out (let’s be real, he’s going to coach until he does)?

I can’t tell you how many users on this board tell me “we just gotta get better bruh!” whenever I complain about schedule difficulty. 🙄

Edited June 7, 2023 by AUwent

[DAG 33,990]

25 minutes ago, AUwent said:

Well I’m sorry, but how are we supposed to pull ourselves off the mat? Gotta start somewhere. This would be a good response if I was expecting a top 5 or even top 10 class. But all I’m asking for here is a top 15, around 12, class.

If we have to have some miracle, logic-defying season that’s just not going to happen to get recruiting going, why do we even bother having a program until Nick gives out (let’s be real, he’s going to coach until he does)?

I can’t tell you how many users on this board tell me “we just gotta get better bruh!” whenever I complain about schedule difficulty. 🙄

You literally complain just to complain. If we were to get a top ten class, you would just say "we need a top 5 class or we should just leave the SEC."

Just earlier this year were briefly content with us being able to break the threshold of inability to get offensive linemen, then it went to QB play, and now this.  You will just move the goalpost. I am wondering when people will catch up to this. 

[AUwent 3,754]

30 minutes ago, DAG said:

You literally complain just to complain. If we were to get a top ten class, you would just say "we need a top 5 class or we should just leave the SEC."

Just earlier this year were briefly content with us being able to break the threshold of inability to get offensive linemen, then it went to QB play, and now this.  You will just move the goalpost. I am wondering when people will catch up to this. 

Ok, fair enough. Identifying goals is extremely tricky. I remember when we would make agreements of what we hoped for each season under Gus and he would find the least satisfying way to do it possible.

But at the end of the day, we seem caught in a Catch-22 here. This class should very clearly be an improvement over the last three. At some point we will have to have top 10 classes again, and it seems like we can’t have that without reaching records which, given our possible schedule, are unlikely to reach…without top 10 level classes. Using gr8’s logic, the likeliest way that loop will break is when Dinky decides he’s had enough—let me remind you that he is a complete workaholic who is very likely to keep doing this into the 2030s. And that makes “running from the competition” (aka trying to get out of at least one of those two rivalries every year) all the more appealing to me, if there’s just nothing we can really do until that happens.

Edited June 7, 2023 by AUwent

[DAG 33,990]

36 minutes ago, AUwent said:

Ok, fair enough. Identifying goals is extremely tricky. I remember when we would make agreements of what we hoped for each season under Gus and he would find the least satisfying way to do it possible.

But at the end of the day, we seem caught in a Catch-22 here. This class should very clearly be an improvement over the last three. At some point we will have to have top 10 classes again, and it seems like we can’t have that without reaching records which, given our possible schedule, are unlikely to reach…without top 10 level classes. Using gr8’s logic, the likeliest way that loop will break is when Dinky, a complete workaholic, decides he’s had enough. And that makes “running from the competition” all the more appealing to me, if there’s just nothing we can really do until that happens.

It’s a marathon not a sprint . We are use to seeing a sprint with some success but ultimately end up hitting our peak way too early. Consistent success is methodical and takes time. You can try to take short cuts and it might work for a little bit but it is never sustainable. Freeze has a blue print for rebuilding programs. That is a start we need. 

[AUwent 3,754]

1 hour ago, DAG said:

It’s a marathon not a sprint . We are use to seeing a sprint with some success but ultimately end up hitting our peak way too early. Consistent success is methodical and takes time. You can try to take short cuts and it might work for a little bit but it is never sustainable. Freeze has a blue print for rebuilding programs. That is a start we need. 

You make a fair point about the goals and satisfaction but I too definitely view it as…a “process,” i.e. gradual improvement. I felt like top 15 for this stage in the “process” is a fair goal. And then for ‘25, a top 10 class.

But if we need 8 wins to reach that goal, how are we ever going to get off the ground at all when it's very possible that we won't reach that mark? That's what I was originally asking Born76 and gr82b.

(Just added my goals for CHF's first year in my sig. I know the last one is difficult to measure but c'mon, after 2021 nothing was pointing to 2022 being any better.)

Edited June 8, 2023 by AUwent

[tinman1 485]

51 minutes ago, DAG said:

It’s a marathon not a sprint . We are use to seeing a sprint with some success but ultimately end up hitting our peak way too early. Consistent success is methodical and takes time. You can try to take short cuts and it might work for a little bit but it is never sustainable. Freeze has a blue print for rebuilding programs. That is a start we need. 

Plus he is just now meeting key recruits for the 1st time.  Recruiting is about building relationships and we Auburn fans are going to have to be patient.  I know patience and Auburn don't go well together but I think he has done a remarkable job so far.

[AUwent 3,754]

40 minutes ago, tinman1 said:

Plus he is just now meeting key recruits for the 1st time.  Recruiting is about building relationships and we Auburn fans are going to have to be patient.  I know patience and Auburn don't go well together but I think he has done a remarkable job so far.

All part of why I'm okay with not finishing in the top 10. But it does need to be a step up from the class rankings the last three years. From 2021-3, we finished 20, 21, 18 on 247 and 21, 16, 17 on On3. This was in large part WITH a guy who did jack about recruiting. Ergo, 15 seems like a good benchmark to indicate progress.

Edited June 8, 2023 by AUwent

[DAG 33,990]

1 hour ago, AUwent said:

All part of why I'm okay with not finishing in the top 10. But it does need to be a step up from the class rankings the last three years. From 2021-3, we finished 20, 21, 18 on 247 and 21, 16, 17 on On3. This was in large part WITH a guy who did jack about recruiting. Ergo, 15 seems like a good benchmark to indicate progress.

Right, but when you say things like we need to recruit better or leave the SEC, it will make anyone wonder. Things are literally just kicking off 

[AUwent 3,754]

12 minutes ago, DAG said:

Right, but when you say things like we need to recruit better or leave the SEC, it will make anyone wonder. Things are literally just kicking off 

It just seems perfectly reasonable to expect this class to be somewhat improved from the last three. So it would be a worrying sign long term if it isn't.

 

[gr82b4au 5,568]

At least we have a coach who is trying. 

[einatlanta 502]

Two years from now and the decade beyond I truly feel that it will be a golden age in Auburn football. The energy and single mindedness of everyone behind the scenes has not been felt in a long time.

[Hopsing 580]

8 minutes ago, einatlanta said:

Two years from now and the decade beyond I truly feel that it will be a golden age in Auburn football. The energy and single mindedness of everyone behind the scenes has not been felt in a long time.

There is definitely a difference in doing a job, and enjoying what you do!

[ellitor 33,094]

11 hours ago, AUwent said:

It just seems perfectly reasonable to expect this class to be somewhat improved from the last three. So it would be a worrying sign long term if it isn't.

Yes but what we are all telling you is stop worrying for now. We just started the first OV period for Pete's sake. At least give it to the start of the season without any more quality commits added to start worrying.

[DAG 33,990]

12 hours ago, AUwent said:

It just seems perfectly reasonable to expect this class to be somewhat improved from the last three. So it would be a worrying sign long term if it isn't.

 

I think everyone expects that 

[W.E.D 11,070]

Seems most everyone is expecting for a top 10 class.  IDK what losing one GA kid to UGA is sending @AUwent and others screaming fit.  Lots of kids out there.

[au701948 999]

Please, pardon my orange and blue glasses, but the achievements already made by CHF and his staff are outstanding in my opinion.

As stated by others in here, it’s improbable that everything we fans want can happen overnight. However, just sit back and ponder AU’s situation only 6 months ago versus our current outlook and you have to appreciate the differences.

[W.E.D 11,070]

35 minutes ago, au701948 said:

Please, pardon my orange and blue glasses, but the achievements already made by CHF and his staff are outstanding in my opinion.

As stated by others in here, it’s improbable that everything we fans want can happen overnight. However, just sit back and ponder AU’s situation only 6 months ago versus our current outlook and you have to appreciate the differences.

It's obvious we're in a better spot than we've been in the last 4 years. Just need to continue to execute.  So many kids are going to commit this summer, before their season starts, compared to years past.  Moving the signing date from Feb to Mid December has the biggest impacts on new staffs.  Hopefully Freeze has enough of a track record to help us over that hurdle a little.

We need to add 7-10 guys this summer, before the season starts.  2/3 need to be top 300 type 4* kids or better.  11 of the top 15 class are already in double digits.

We got some solid flips last year.  I think we'll be patting our selves on the back come December...but let's wait until then to crown our achievements