The ones that got away

[bigsixfive 336]

Al Borges

Auburn offensive coordinator

When I was at UCLA, there was one kid that we got who then got away. We had J.P. Losman. I recruited him and got him. Losman is from Venice, not 10 minutes from UCLA. He came for 15 days of spring practice in 1999 and competed against four other quarterbacks. He didn't want to compete against four quarterbacks. He wanted to come in and play right away.

The job was open. Cade McNown had just graduated. The four quarterbacks were Cory Paus, Drew Bennett, now a wide receiver with the Titans, Scott McEwan, and Ryan McCann -- four kids who had been on campus. None of them had played.

How do you get five quarterbacks all the snaps you need to find a starting quarterback? After awhile, you have to make some decisions. He realized he wasn't going to be the starting quarterback and he jumped ship. After 15 days he left and went to Tulane.

What a great talent he was. I liked the kid and I liked the mom. I knew in time that kid was going to be a great player. He played behind Patrick Ramsey for two years at Tulane. It worked out great for him.

I sure would like to have kept the kid. He wanted to play right now. I didn't feel like he was ready. In time, I knew he would be ready. He could the throw the hell out of the ball and he was mobile. I knew he would be a talented quarterback. He would have been a good player at UCLA.

You want one that got away. Here's another one where it's more like I picked the wrong guy. Carson Palmer.

Here's the deal: When I was at UCLA, I had to pick between him and another quarterback, this kid from Thousand Oaks. I don't care to say who it is. (Note: When Palmer signed with USC in 1998, UCLA signed Ryan McCann from Westlake Village, the next town over from Thousand Oaks). I had Carson Palmer's tape and the other kid was a really good high school quarterback. Bobby Field brought in Carson's tape. I liked him. I didn't enthusiastically go on Carson. Boy, do I regret doing that.

Woody McCorvey

Mississippi State offensive coordinator

Another one was Danny Wuerffel, when I was at Alabama in the 1990s. I had been recruiting Danny. He came to Tuscaloosa for a recruiting visit during the week. He didn't come on the weekend. Coach (Gene) Stallings had a lot of time to spend with him. Danny even went to a lot of classes. Coach Stallings took him bowling. That was something Stallings did with his son Johnny (who has Down's Syndrome).

Danny had a really good experience. The best thing that happened was he was there during the week. He was really looking forward to coming to Alabama. Being the type of person that Danny is, and seeing Coach Stallings in that environment, a lot more relaxed, it wasn't like a weekend when everything is hurried and rushed. Coach Stallings had a lot more time to spend with him. It opened his eyes up to where he thought, "Maybe Alabama is a place where I could thrive." He got back and got in that Florida environment. As [signing day approached], he turned to Florida.

Sparky Woods

Former head coach, South Carolina, Appalachian State

Alabama running backs coach (2003-06)

I was at Iowa State coaching (1979-82) and I recruited Chicago. I had been recruiting this running back for about three years. His name was Alvin Ross(?). He was from West Aurora High School in Aurora, outside of Chicago. I had a great relationship with him. He came to our camp. We had Dwayne Crutchfield (a two-time All-Big-Eight back). He was going to take over for Dwayne.

Oklahoma was recruiting him. Alvin had told me he was coming to Iowa State. I signed five kids out of that area that year. One of them ended up being captain. I had a good year. When Alvin went on his trip to Oklahoma -- the rules were a little different then -- I could go to the airport and carry him home. Billy Sims flew back to Chicago with him on his way back to Detroit.

The first time that (Sooners coach) Barry Switzer came to Alvin's school, they turned out classes and Barry spoke to an assembly. Oklahoma and UCLA were in on Alvin. I thought we were OK because Barry was going to sign Elijah Pitts' son out of New York at 8 a.m. The plan was for him to fly from there to Chicago and try to sign Alvin.

Alvin had told me he was going to sign with us at 8. I had our head coach Donnie Duncan there. Again, the rules were different then and he could do that. Well, Elijah Pitts' son changed his mind and went to UCLA. Barry came straight to Chicago and spent the night on Alvin's couch. The dad got involved. Alvin signed with Oklahoma at home. We were out in the yard, trying to get in.

Recruiting is a lot better than it used to be.

I never thought the kid wanted to go to OU. I thought he wanted to come to Iowa State. He went to Oklahoma and had a great freshman year. [After that,] I don't really know what happened.

I invested a lot of days in him and didn't get him.

Good topic, Maisel...

[quietfan 233]

Woody McCorvey

Mississippi State offensive coordinator

Another one was Danny Wuerffel, when I was at Alabama in the 1990s. I had been recruiting Danny. He came to Tuscaloosa for a recruiting visit during the week. He didn't come on the weekend. Coach (Gene) Stallings had a lot of time to spend with him. Danny even went to a lot of classes. Coach Stallings took him bowling. That was something Stallings did with his son Johnny (who has Down's Syndrome).

Just wondering...did Stallings take every recruit bowling? Would this be considered special treatment or inappropriate special benefits? I mean I realize that visiting recruits have to be entertained, but does that normally involve the head coach including the recruit on a family trip to the bowling alley?

[WAR-MATT 2]

Emmitt Smith has to be the biggest one that got away from us, he really wanted to come to AU. So to paraphrase CSS, "I guess Galen Hall's scholly was worth a lot more than ours."

[bigsixfive 336]

Many fans said (and still say) Philip Rivers got away... or we let him get away. I think things worked out pretty well for us though. What was NC State's record under Rivers, and how many national titles should they have won?

[WAR-MATT 2]

Many fans said (and still say) Philip Rivers got away... or we let him get away. I think things worked out pretty well for us though. What was NC State's record under Rivers, and how many national titles should they have won?

He would of been behind Jason even if we would have gotten him.

[Nay4AU 2]

Emmitt Smith has to be the biggest one that got away from us, he really wanted to come to AU. So to paraphrase CSS, "I guess Galen Hall's scholly was worth a lot more than ours."

I do feel Emmitt Smith may be the biggest one that got away from Auburn. I’m not knocking Stacy Danley, James Joseph, and others but could you imagine Auburn having Emmitt Smith on their three time SEC championship teams of 1987, 1988, and 1989. He just may have been the key to get Auburn to the next level. I guess we’ll never know?

I was at the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1 1987 and several H.S. all star players from Florida was introduced. Most folks felt E. Smith would come to Auburn and when he was announced there was a loud cheer.

[SouthLink02 8]

Personally, Ronnie Brown comes to mind as someone we whiffed on.

Some people on the UGA board said if we had given him constant love from the beginning, he would have been a bulldog.

But, he did the right thing going to AU as I doubt he would have gotten the attention/stats at UGA with Richt's O