Tide targetting...Mobile....

[DKW 86 7,423]

http://www.al.com/sports/mobileregister/in...ll=3&thispage=1

Mobile key to Tide class

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

By THOMAS MURPHY

Sports Reporter

TUSCALOOSA -- If the University of Alabama landed only the Mobile-area prospects it is pursuing for its signing class of 2007, the class would be close to complete, and it would be strong.

"Mobile is the key to how this class will fill up," said Travis Reier of Rivals.com.

The Crimson Tide is amazingly close -- before SEC Media Days, no less -- to completing it crop of newcomers for next season. Alabama has a dozen prospects committed, plus two probable grayshirts who will wait until 2008 to enroll, and regional recruiting experts believe the Tide will eventually sign only 18 to 20 prospects next February.

That's a relatively quick recovery to the brink of the NCAA maximum of 85 scholarship players for a Crimson Tide team that has reaped just two full classes of signees since coming off a three-year sequence of NCAA-mandated scholarship cuts.

Attrition, or lack of it, could alter the number of signees, but Alabama is not expected to approach the single-year maximum of 25 incoming scholarship players next year.

Though the numbers indicate Alabama needs just six to eight more commitments to complete its 2007 class, it might prove unwise to jump to conclusions.

"You never what guys are going to fall off, what guys are going to come on," said Mitch Dobbs of Scout.com and 'Bama Magazine.

"You can't see how a class is really going to take shape right up until they sign, with academic issues, decommitments and things like that. I wouldn't necessarily say (Alabama) can see the light at the end of the tunnel (with its current class)."

A couple of themes dominate the makeup of the current Tide commitments: defense and an out-of-state flavor. Nine of the dozen commitments play on the defensive side, four of them on the front four.

Alabama also has nine out-of-state commitments -- 10 if former Courtland defensive back Michael Ricks, who is now at Northeast Mississippi College is included -- including five from talent-rich Florida.

more...

[BamaGrad03 0]

Mobile has been really tough for bama the last few years. There's too much of a florida and louisiana influence down there. I lived there and it wasnt an AU or UA town. Kinda weird.

[bigsixfive 327]

Um, I've lived there, and my wife is from there, and we travel there often. It is definately a uat town, hands down. I'd say close to 70:30...

[Bottomfeeder 244]

According to the Sunday paper, there are some great recruiting prospects.

Recruiting Heaven:

http://www.al.com/sports/mobileregister/in...7050.xml&coll=3

[auwallace 6]

Um, I've lived there, and my wife is from there, and we travel there often.  It is definately a uat town, hands down.  I'd say close to 70:30...

251779[/snapback]

bg was correct in saying that there is more of a pull from louisiana and florida in mobile but i lived there my until i was 18 and i'd say 70:30 is about right. I do think they have a much better sports page down there than any of the other papers when it comes to equally representing both schools.

[WinCrimson 61]

Mobile's a Bama town as much as B'Ham is. It's just that the other fans are split up... with having the second most fans in the area and at a close third.

[AUesquire 1]

I think it may seem like that area has swayed a bit in recent years because of some of Bama's troubles and the fact that some pretty big names out of that area have chosen to go out of state. If Bama has a big year for 2007, they may establish themselves again and get the bigger haul.

We've gotten some great talent out of there but I'd still say Bama will probably have the upper hand most years given their history in the Mobile area.

[WinCrimson 61]

Really, both AU and UA have been getting their butt kicked in the 'Bile here lately. Neither one of us seem to be landing the big ones from Mobile... with many of them heading down to LSU.

That's all going to change this season. Hopefully, it'll all begin with Corley will backing out of his commit to UF...

[BGoodTiger 0]

Like Jamarcus Russell.

[DKW 86 7,423]

Like Jamarcus Russell.

251908[/snapback]

We both ran away from Russell, btw. THere was a strong rumor his Dad was shopping him like Means was. CTT and CDF both dropped recruiting him within a week of each other.

[BamaGrad03 0]

We both ran away from Russell, btw. THere was a strong rumor his Dad was shopping him like Means was. CTT and CDF both dropped recruiting him within a week of each other.

I heard the same thing

[Grider 1]

That 70% of fans pulling for Bama might be the reason that Bama has not been pulling recruits from there.

Might be a rather obnoxious group of homers who give the kids the willies.

[tiger88 934]

Went to orange beach this past weekend. It was nice but the obvious bammer influence was a little nauseating. lol

[RVTiger 0]

Since I posted recently about James Willis, I may as well say that Reid McMillon was the former player I spoke to and that he had nothing but the highest praise for Willis. His comments were that Coach Whitt (who he loved dearly) had a very strong presence in Mobile. But he said to expect that Coach Willis will be even better in that area. No rumor. Just his honest opinion. I have known Reid a long time and he has always been very honest ( and typically correct) about Auburn football. I got the feeling from our conversation (and he did not say this directly) that Auburn would fare better in the Mobile area with Willis than with Whitt. Whats funny is the bammers see the Whitt departure as a chace to make inroads, when in fact it looks like the opposite.