Does Auburn need to make a harder push

[Shug2003 1]

With all the PUB surrounding Hoover's game this week-end with Nease HS in Florida, one suddenly b eccomes aware of the number of high profile recruits that have left Hoover only to go down the road to Bammer. It's no secret that Coach Propst is a "Bammer Man" and obviously "encourages" his kids to look toward Tuscaloosa once they have graduated. Personally, I would like to see our presense more obvious at Hoover in the recruiting game. During the 80's, Gardendale provided several players to Bammer (Wyatt, Jarvis, Fields)while Auburn only got one. (Parks) I don't believe that we should just concede schools to Bammer and let them get them all..... What do ya'll think?

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

I agree but not sure what we can do to step it up. We recruit the area hard and get kids from Vestavia, shades valley, etc. But B'ham is a bama town so we always have to overcome that.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

While Birmingham is certainly a Bama town, the Over The Mountain area is typically Auburn territory. Propst is so Bama friendly, it isn't even funny. I would not have been surprised if he had ended up on Price's staff one day if old Miek had been able to keep his job at Bama.

On another note, let those Hoover kids go to Bama. Wilson will never be the starter for the Tide, even though he is Number 2 right now. Jimmy Barnes and/or Tim Tebow and/or Chris Smelley are their QB of the future. Chad Jackson was a talent, but there are rumblings that he would not have fit in down on the Plains. Propst is an excellent coach, but they win by a system and massive depth, not massive talent.

Just my .02...

[80Tiger 904]

I am from the area with 2 kids graduated Hoover and 1 still there and lived in Birmingham area. I believe Coach Tubs is very particular about who he recruits from Hoover and rightfully so. The only recruit from Hoover in the past few years that I believe could have helped AU is Chad Jackson at Florida. The others I am not sure if AU even offered. Of the 3 kids bama signed from 2 years ago 1 has already left team and school, the other seems to be non factor at this point, and the QB is the back up but who knows. The kid that UA signed last year is a good kid and grew up AU fan but did not get offer from AU nor many other big time programs. Over the years Hoover and its predacessor Berry High School has been good to AU starting with Mike Kolen, Rod Selby, Ben Tamburello, Kurt Crane and many others. It does need to be a regular stop for AU but I do not believe we have lost very much over the past few years.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

Over the years Hoover and its predacessor Berry High School has been good to AU  starting with Mike Kolen, Rod Selby, Ben Tamburello, Kurt Crane and many others.

176366[/snapback]

Don't forget Stan White from Berry.

[AURainman 6]

There's nothing special in the water at Hoover. Those kids are just a product of a good system, and one hell of a football coach. Hoover is Auburn's #1 feeder school in the state. It is probably 55% Auburn. Propst just makes good players look great. Similar to how Spurrier made QBs look like geniuses in College, but none did SQUAT in the NFL. A recruit from LaGrange is just as good as a recruit from Hoover. As long as his head is on straight.

-Rainman

Hoover High, class of 2000

[phigamTIGERfan 0]

Let Alabama have their way in-state. In state talent is good, but not great. Georgia has better players as well as north Florida which is where Auburn concentrates their recruiting. Bama always rants and raves about all their in-state players. Where has that got them? Bama has not had a sinature win in years. Hasn't won 5 games in a row in 9 years. And since Bear Bryant has retired we lead the series against UAT. We get the best players no matter where they hail from, not to mention a better player development program. They can have a bunch of stuck-up kids from hoover that will be doctors, we'll take the hard nosed kids that will be NFL stars

[Shug2003 1]

We definately need to pursue Cornelius Williams from Hoover. He is probably the premiere WR in the state this year....

We have also lost a lot of talent over the past few years including:

Chad Jackson- Florida

Jayson Allen- Tennessee

Jason Swain- Tennessee

Jamarcus Russell- LSU

Jerricho Cotchery- North Carolina State

Phillip Rivers- NOrth Carolina State

Chris Jackson - Vanderbilt

etc.

We DO need to keep our foot in the door for future prospects and not just relinquish the school to Propst and the Bammers. That's all I'm saying because we have not done well historically in Hoover....

[AUesquire 1]

I agree on keeping a huge presence in B'ham and the state as a whole. I don't know how the numbers break down but I would imagine if we're recruiting succesfully like we have in the past, about 75% of our guys should be from Alabama and Georgia. We'll always have a good showing in Florida and pluck a few from Tennessee and other surrounding states, but Alabama and Georgia is where we have traditionally built our program.

[DKW 86 7,441]

My $.02

I respect what CTT is doing with the recruits and will abide by him.

He finds great kids everywhere and he knows things we do not and likely, do not want to know, about kids and recruiting.

If he is not recruiting Hoover hard, maybe he has a GOOD REASON.

I will expound in the Barn at a later date....

I am DKW, and I approved this message.