2024 Transfer Portal Thread (Merged Zeek's New Thread)

[TeamZero77 1,786]

16 hours ago, woodford said:

Very glad TAMU didn’t get Stoops. He can really recruit and has built that program. All they’ve really missed out on is a big time QB who can make plays and get them to the next level. 

I agree. I think they've done about as well at getting a transfer QB as Kentucky could expect. Stoops was able to get Devin Leary from the portal a year ago and that looked like a really good pickup for them even though it didn't turn out as expected on the field this year. Now they've went and got Brock Vandegriff from Georgia and that seems like a good pickup as well. I know this time last year several people on this board wanted us to get Vandegriff so for Kentucky to get him right now is a good get for them.

What Stoops has done there is quiet impressive but alot of praise should also go to the BOT and PTB at Kentucky because there were some rough years early on and fans were calling for Stoops to be fired but they stayed the course and gave him plenty of time to set a foundation and his culture there and now they're in a good place for Kentucky football. Always tough for other sports at a basketball school but he is doing it about as well as I think can be done at Kentucky.

[TeamZero77 1,786]

15 hours ago, aujohnson said:

What I meant was Leary was considered a top portal QB option that we were also reportedly interested in and Stoops did not get near the next level with him.

I don’t believe Stoops is capable of getting to the next level. 

I think Stoops is good for Kentucky and I think what they've done is about their ceiling tbh. I think Stoops is very comfortable there and I know this sounds bad but I think the powers at Kentucky kinda know their place in the SEC as a football program and are very comfortable with making a bowl game every year and beating Florida and Tennessee sometimes. The fans also seem happy with Stoops and where he's gotten them. Kentucky knows their bread and butter is basketball. 

[Hank2020 3,225]

6 hours ago, TeamZero77 said:

I think Stoops is good for Kentucky and I think what they've done is about their ceiling tbh. I think Stoops is very comfortable there and I know this sounds bad but I think the powers at Kentucky kinda know their place in the SEC as a football program and are very comfortable with making a bowl game every year and beating Florida and Tennessee sometimes. The fans also seem happy with Stoops and where he's gotten them. Kentucky knows their bread and butter is basketball. 

Betting alot of their NIL is basketball targeted.

[kingfish 73]

21 hours ago, Hank2020 said:

Maybe good assumptions, maybe not. Best possible record is what they are all going for.

Depends on whether the best possible record focus is short term or long term. 

[CameronCrazy 1,105]

How did we let former 5* UGA transfer Nyland Green go to Purdue? We heavily recruited the kid out of high school. I was ready for Nyland Island to finally come to Auburn.

[AUApostle 7,663]

13 hours ago, CameronCrazy said:

How did we let former 5* UGA transfer Nyland Green go to Purdue? We heavily recruited the kid out of high school. I was ready for Nyland Island to finally come to Auburn.

We love to say “we’ll get them in a year or two” when we miss on a big target.  Has that happened for us yet?

[tbone4jc 2,241]

1 hour ago, AUApostle said:

We love to say “we’ll get them in a year or two” when we miss on a big target.  Has that happened for us yet?

I mean, the transfer portal the way it is is like what 3 years now?

[woodford 3,678]

18 hours ago, CameronCrazy said:

How did we let former 5* UGA transfer Nyland Green go to Purdue? We heavily recruited the kid out of high school. I was ready for Nyland Island to finally come to Auburn.

Gotta be more to the story but yeah we need to land one of these studs. 

[AUApostle 7,663]

6 hours ago, tbone4jc said:

I mean, the transfer portal the way it is is like what 3 years now?

Then definitely should’ve happened by now.

[ellitor 33,114]

On 12/21/2023 at 1:11 PM, alabastertiger said:

How many spots do we have left?   Isn't it something like 3 or 4?   And besides OL what holes are we trying to fill?   CB and TE?

@alabastertiger Not sure where we are in relation to the 85 roster limit but it doesn't matter. If we take more than 85 then other will leave til we get back down to 85.

As for the transfer wants, the staff still wants to add 1 WR, 1 TE, 2 OL, 1-2 DTs, 3 DBs, & may 1 more LB. So that's 8-10 more we want.

[alabastertiger 617]

8 minutes ago, ellitor said:

@alabastertiger Not sure where we are in relation to the 85 roster limit but it doesn't matter. If we take more than 85 then other will leave til we get back down to 85.

As for the transfer wants, the staff still wants to add 1 WR, 1 TE, 2 OL, 1-2 DTs, 3 DBs, & may 1 more LB. So that's 8-10 more we want.

Wow, I wouldn't have thought it was that many.   Thanks!

[ellitor 33,114]

On 12/26/2023 at 11:03 AM, woodford said:

Gotta be more to the story but yeah we need to land one of these studs. 

@woodford @CameronCrazy @AUApostle Once recruits start college they are no longer studs till they prove it in college. Many 5 & high 4*s flame out in college, which we have seen too many times first hand.

[Gowebb11 9,429]

33 minutes ago, ellitor said:

@woodford @CameronCrazy @AUApostle Once recruits start college they are no longer studs till they prove it in college. Many 5 & high 4*s flame out in college, which we have seen too many times first hand.

5 Star flameouts from UGA are few and far between. I think what a lot of us are ready for, is to get 5 Star talent from the likes of UGA, OSU, Bama, etc… as opposed to depth pieces from the likes of UNT and Purdue. 

[JuscAUse! 1,499]

1 hour ago, Gowebb11 said:

5 Star flameouts from UGA are few and far between. I think what a lot of us are ready for, is to get 5 Star talent from the likes of UGA, OSU, Bama, etc… as opposed to depth pieces from the likes of UNT and Purdue. 

If they were all that you say , why would they ever leave? Serious question, no disrespect intended. I'm as ready for a big time  portal guy as anybody, but the can't miss transfers were great at the schools they left , as far as I can tell. The WR that bammer got from OSU was an exception. I'm sure there's some more. 

[TeamZero77 1,786]

6 hours ago, Gowebb11 said:

5 Star flameouts from UGA are few and far between. I think what a lot of us are ready for, is to get 5 Star talent from the likes of UGA, OSU, Bama, etc… as opposed to depth pieces from the likes of UNT and Purdue. 

I know that last year we were having to take about any warm body that was available because our roster had gotten so bad under Harsin. This year we seem to be alot more selective but we still seem to miss on these really top rated players from the bigger schools. Then on ESD last wednesday, Coach Freeze was very honest in his presser that day and said all their focus has been on HS recruiting and then would focus on the portal afterwards. He admitted that he is behind on this portal recruiting because he barely dealt with it at Liberty because he retained his players so well. So last year when he arrived to Auburn was really his first real taste of what portal recruiting is about.

He was very plain that he is going to build his team off of HS recruiting and not rely on the portal unless it's just absolutely necessary. I truly think he is building this program the correct way and just listening to him talk about not being a fan of the portal at all, I think he is ready to die on this hill known as HS recruiting. 

One other thing he mentioned was that he thinks he has been really good in HS recruiting because he is able to build a relationship with the player and his family over months and years. He said in the portal he has to try to convince kids to come take a visit to Auburn but only has a 30 minute phone call to sale Auburn to these kids. He also said that alot of these 4 and 5 star portal guys have issues in their previous programs and can be a bad culture fit which is a big reason they're in the portal in the first place. 

I know we ask questions why a 5 star UGA player chooses Purdue over us or Kentucky over us. I know we want the big portal guys to come here to AU but I trust what Coach Freeze is doing and I trust that he, AD Cohen and this staff as a whole are building it the right way. Like Freeze has said, by 2025 and 2026, we will all know if their decisions were right for this program. I think they are. WDE

[Mikey 16,777]

5 hours ago, TeamZero77 said:

He also said that alot of these 4 and 5 star portal guys have issues in their previous programs and can be a bad culture fit which is a big reason they're in the portal in the first place. 

Bingo!

[CR 2,447]

To this point, it appears AU is going all-in on elite HS players and bargain shopping in the portal. Time will tell if this was the right plan.

[1auburn1 1,120]

CHF is playing the long game with recruiting.  Building from the HS ranks primarily.  Not to say he couldn’t, and shouldn’t, get quality players in the portal but as he says, it hasn’t been his focus.  A distinct contrast to what Kiff is doing which is working for the quick fix.   It will be interesting to see which approach is best in this era of free agency.   I prefer the HS focus but you’ve got to keep them around to develop them.  

[CameronCrazy 1,105]

17 hours ago, ellitor said:

@woodford @CameronCrazy @AUApostle Once recruits start college they are no longer studs till they prove it in college. Many 5 & high 4*s flame out in college, which we have seen too many times first hand.

Yes, I completely understand. But I would definitely take Nyland Green over anything on our current roster with the exception of Kayin Lee.

[gr82b4au 5,568]

6 hours ago, CR said:

To this point, it appears AU is going all-in on elite HS players and bargain shopping in the portal. Time will tell if this was the right plan.

I think it is by far the best option for long term success but short term it will be difficult.
For example, Ole Miss (who is killing the portal) will win more games sooner. In the long run I think we will win more over a greater period of time. 

Edited December 29, 2023 by gr82b4au

[toddc 13,194]

6 hours ago, 1auburn1 said:

CHF is playing the long game with recruiting.  Building from the HS ranks primarily.  Not to say he couldn’t, and shouldn’t, get quality players in the portal but as he says, it hasn’t been his focus.  A distinct contrast to what Kiff is doing which is working for the quick fix.   It will be interesting to see which approach is best in this era of free agency.   I prefer the HS focus but you’ve got to keep them around to develop them.  

Kiffin wants to win now and get himself to a better gig. He doesn’t care what happens in the long term at Ole Miss 

[cptau 169]

21 minutes ago, toddc said:

Kiffin wants to win now and get himself to a better gig. He doesn’t care what happens in the long term at Ole Miss 

I would think Kiffin has burned too many bridges, but then I think about schools like TAMU who can’t seem to get it right. They might take him one day. Otherwise Big 10 schools

[toddc 13,194]

Auburn among schools interested in Miami (OH) wide receiver Gage Larvadain

Taylor Jones

Auburn has gotten lucky with reeling in several talented wide receivers for the 2024 roster and it appears they are not finished boosting the room.

According to Pete Nakos of On3 ($), Auburn is one of nine Power Five programs that have reached out to Miami (OH) wide receiver Gage Larvadain. Other schools that have communicated with Larvadain include Baylor, Duke, and South Carolina.

Larvadain started his career at Southeastern Louisiana and played for the Lions for two seasons before transferring to Miami. He has found success at every stop. He concluded his junior season with 1,983 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns on 138 receptions.

His best season was his sophomore season at Southeastern Louisiana, where he made 59 catches for 731 yards. However, his junior year at Miami was just as impressive. His 679 receiving yards were the second-best in the MAC, trailing Western Michigan’s Kenneth Womack, who logged 691 receiving yards this season.

Auburn has signed two transfer wide receiver so far during this window that is set to close on Jan. 2. Robert Lewis, formerly of Georgia State, joins Auburn after recording 102 catches for 1,323 yards and 13 touchdowns in three collegiate seasons. The Tigers also landed former Cal quarterback Sam Jackson V, who will look to rekindle magic with high school teammate Payton Thorne as a wide receiver.

[1auburn1 1,120]

16 hours ago, toddc said:

Kiffin wants to win now and get himself to a better gig. He doesn’t care what happens in the long term at Ole Miss 

Agree 100%.  And he would have been a mercenary at AU as well if he would have gotten the job.    I just find the stark contrast in approaches interesting between the top two candidates for HC most people wanted.

[aucom96 1,640]

On 12/28/2023 at 11:35 AM, 1auburn1 said:

  I prefer the HS focus but you’ve got to keep them around to develop them.  

That's the problem with the traditional approach. You are having to strain your resources to keep these guys on the roster year after year. The further we get into the NIL era, the transfer portal will become impossible to ignore managing talent will be more important than just traditional recruiting. Freeze is going to have to get better at this part of the game, because no SEC team is waiting for year 5 or 6 to figure it out anymore.