dropping in the rankings

[aubie316 76]

We have dropped to 30 per Rivals!! I think The coaches need to just focus on getting players

that we can get! I know a lot of people are talking about Randle making his visit to Auburn and

everybody seems to think we have NO chance with this guy. If we have no chance with him, then

why are we waisting our time with him. We keep losing players........Bama has climbed to NO. 5 and

we dropped to 30!

[JLB1997 7]

Most big fish will commit on signing day or within a few days of signing day. Much will change between now and then.

Relax...

[TitanTiger 22,258]

We have dropped to 30 per Rivals!! I think The coaches need to just focus on getting players

that we can get! I know a lot of people are talking about Randle making his visit to Auburn and

everybody seems to think we have NO chance with this guy. If we have no chance with him, then

why are we waisting our time with him. We keep losing players........Bama has climbed to NO. 5 and

we dropped to 30!

Geez, Chicken Little, lose the exclamation marks. Breathe. Take a drink of water.

Now, first of all, even if Chizik had kept all 26 commits xCTT had, we were going to drop because our earlier high ranking was based on the fact that we had a lot more commits than anyone else at the time. Barring any big fish at the end, that class would have been ranked about top 15. But there was no guarantee we wouldn't have had a few decommits anyway so even that top15 was not a given.

Second, some of the ones we lost were because the new staff didn't value the kid as highly as the previous one did. Aaron Moore (3-star OL) was one. The new staff wanted him to grayshirt and enroll in January so he's looking elsewhere. That tells me they have someone else in mind that's as good or better than him, or at least fit our offense better.

Third, there are several high profile guys that we have a very good shot at coming in for visits. It's not like we're only going after long shots.

Fourth, the visit to Randle was part of a trip that also included meeting with other prospects in the area that we have an excellent shot with. Plus, that area of Louisiana is very talent rich every year so it doesn't hurt to establish some contact down there that can pay off in next year's recruiting class.

Finally, there is nothing wrong with having a high profile kid in to visit if you can get him to come. It's not like we're doing nothing but talking to him. He's just one prospect out of dozens we're actively recruiting. What exactly does it hurt to see if a visit could sway him? If we had a visit list chock full of people who were unlikely to come you might have a point, but that's not what's happening. Plus, it doesn't hurt to have the #1 WR giving you a look. A lot of excellent players not ranked quite as high take note of that and figure if a guy like that has enough interest to take a visit, maybe it's something they should check out too.

Bottom line: you're getting worked up over nothing.

[AU Cav 0]

What kills me is how people who read recruiting websites, blogs, and forums think they know what our staff is doing. Or how they think they know how to recruit better than our staff. We don't know what the plan is. We don't know what chance we have with these kids. We don't know which ones they are seriously recruiting and which ones they are visiting in order to establish roots with hs coaches.

Here is what we do know. We know the coaches are working their asses off recruiting. We know that our class wasn't shaping out to be the best in the country before we went 5-7 and before Tubs resigned.

Here is some conjecture... we probably lost as many high profile recruits because we lost 7 games as we did because Tubs left. Stop blaming this staff and acting like you know how to recruit better than they do. Have faith in them to do what is best for Auburn. After all, Auburn's success is their success and Auburn's failure is their unemployment.

Be positive and have faith. Nothing you complain about is going to change what kind of recruiting class we pull. I doubt Trooper is going to read your post and say 'Gosh, I didn't think of it that way. Why am I wasting my time here. There are some 2-3 star WRs that we could get to come. I'll forget these juniors here who might be interested in Auburn next year.' The coaches and RR know who has a chance. You don't. I don't. Scout and Rivals don't. If Auburn feels they don't have a prayer, then they are there for other reasons.

[jw 4 au 546]

Finally, there is nothing wrong with having a high profile kid in to visit if you can get him to come. It's not like we're doing nothing but talking to him. He's just one prospect out of dozens we're actively recruiting. What exactly does it hurt to see if a visit could sway him? If we had a visit list chock full of people who were unlikely to come you might have a point, but that's not what's happening. Plus, it doesn't hurt to have the #1 WR giving you a look. A lot of excellent players not ranked quite as high take note of that and figure if a guy like that has enough interest to take a visit, maybe it's something they should check out too.

Plus, what if he met the woman of his dreams during his weekend visit and committed for that specific reason? Auburn has plenty of beauties!!! And I don't mean like at Colorado. Crazier stuff has happened (and I do mean Colorado here).

[AU Cav 0]

Finally, there is nothing wrong with having a high profile kid in to visit if you can get him to come. It's not like we're doing nothing but talking to him. He's just one prospect out of dozens we're actively recruiting. What exactly does it hurt to see if a visit could sway him? If we had a visit list chock full of people who were unlikely to come you might have a point, but that's not what's happening. Plus, it doesn't hurt to have the #1 WR giving you a look. A lot of excellent players not ranked quite as high take note of that and figure if a guy like that has enough interest to take a visit, maybe it's something they should check out too.

Plus, what if he met the woman of his dreams during his weekend visit and committed for that specific reason? Auburn has plenty of beauties!!! And I don't mean like at Colorado. Crazier stuff has happened (and I do mean Colorado here).

It's funny that you say that because I had also thought the same thing... if he comes to campus he might fall in love... laf, like the Fortson episode last year. Supposedly he fell in love on a trip to FSU and that is why he changed his committment. Funny that I saw him in CiCis with his in town GF after all that happened. I still think it was the suitcase full of cash Jimbo brought him.

[AUman43 5]

I can see your point. I too, have not been impressed with the commits (over and beyond what CTT had already gotten to commit) that Chizik has brought in. A couple of two stars and now it looks as if Gulley will come on board and I read on Rivals where he just offered a kid from Georgia who is not rated and is 5-9, 200 LB or DB. I can't understand why he keeps giving out our scholly's to unknowns while he and the staff are pursuing 4 and 5 stars unless he knows we have no chance at them. Who knows?

[TitanTiger 22,258]

Iand I read on Rivals where he just offered a kid from Georgia who is not rated and is 5-9, 200 LB or DB.

Um, he is rated. He's a 3-star on Rivals and ESPN's take on him is very good:

Joel Kight

Lithonia, GA

Ht: 5'9" Wt: 200

ESPN/Scouts, Inc. rating - 77

Kight is an explosive and disruptive linebacker prospect who plays much bigger than his size. Lacks prototypical height but is well-built, rangier than his listed measurables and his quick-twitched burst gives him the pop of a 225-pound 'backer on contact. Employed in the middle despite smaller stature and does a good job slipping blocks and sifting through traffic. Takes very few false steps and mirrors RBs well between the tackles before shooting the gap with a great burst of speed. Takes direct angles to the ball with little wasted motion.

True sideline-to-sideline guy and closes fast in space on ball carriers. Difficult to out flank to the sideline. Needs to watch leverage as a tackler but punishes ball carriers and runs through with great force. Initial quicks and striking acceleration make him a great blitzer on the perimeter.

Adequate hips and turns in coverage but excels at breaking fast on underneath routes. While very instinctive and reactive, we do have concerns about his size and ability to get off blocks and hold his base at the point of attack. May be limited to the outside in a heavy pressure system that allows him to move and attack. Would make an ideal Bandit/Rover.

Could get recruited by programs in need of a running back as a well. His great burst of speed and deceptive power are attractive, and he displays soft hands out of the backfield; ideal for a spread offense where he can get in space. Bottom line, give Kight another few inches of height and you are perhaps looking at a top-25 positional prospect on either side of the ball. Brings some rare physical attributes to the table you can't coach. Long body hints of continued physical development. Good under-the-radar prospect.

[metafour 5,777]

A couple of two stars and now it looks as if Gulley will come on board and I read on Rivals where he just offered a kid from Georgia who is not rated and is 5-9, 200 LB or DB.

A) What 2-stars? Sullen is a 3-star and ranked higher than both Andre Harris who was a CTT recruit AND Steven Jacques who decommitted. Lanier was upgraded to a high 3-star and is ranked higher than Collins who we lost after the coaching change. Moseley is a 3-star. Gulley is a 3-star and ranked as high as Perkins who we lost.

The "unrated kid" from Georgia (who IS rated BTW) has offers from Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Boston College, Oklahoma State, Arizona State, etc. That is a pretty nice offer list no matter how you want to slice it.

[AU alum 2]

We have dropped to 30 per Rivals!! I think The coaches need to just focus on getting players

that we can get! I know a lot of people are talking about Randle making his visit to Auburn and

everybody seems to think we have NO chance with this guy. If we have no chance with him, then

why are we waisting our time with him. We keep losing players........Bama has climbed to NO. 5 and

we dropped to 30!

Who cares how we are ranked right now? That will all change before signing day. What happens until then really doesn't matter. What happens then does.

[aubie316 76]

We have dropped to 30 per Rivals!! I think The coaches need to just focus on getting players

that we can get! I know a lot of people are talking about Randle making his visit to Auburn and

everybody seems to think we have NO chance with this guy. If we have no chance with him, then

why are we waisting our time with him. We keep losing players........Bama has climbed to NO. 5 and

we dropped to 30!

Who cares how we are ranked right now? That will all change before signing day. What happens until then really doesn't matter. What happens then does.

The closer signing day gets the farther we drop. I just thinks its weird how evryone seems to think that on

signing day that we are going to get some surprises.....It could work the other way and the good kids we

have end up signing else where too......Just saying.......My glass is half empty.......

[metafour 5,777]

The closer signing day gets the farther we drop. I just thinks its weird how evryone seems to think that on

signing day that we are going to get some surprises.....

Thats because we are targeting new players, many of whom have not been recruited by us at all whereas other schools are shoring up commitments from players that they have been recruiting/have been heavy leans for months now. The majority of our commitments should come near the end, if you notice the guys that HAVE committed are local kids who have been to Auburn many times and were waiting for Auburn offers. You're not going to jump in on an out of state kid, talk with him on the phone, and get him to commit within his first visit...that is just really unlikely with less than a month before signing day. If you notice the new kids that we are on heavily that just visited (Blake, Nosa) received in-home visits almost immediately after their official visits...the reason being that we are still an unknown to the parents and families of these kids.

[TitanTiger 22,258]

We have dropped to 30 per Rivals!! I think The coaches need to just focus on getting players

that we can get! I know a lot of people are talking about Randle making his visit to Auburn and

everybody seems to think we have NO chance with this guy. If we have no chance with him, then

why are we waisting our time with him. We keep losing players........Bama has climbed to NO. 5 and

we dropped to 30!

Who cares how we are ranked right now? That will all change before signing day. What happens until then really doesn't matter. What happens then does.

The closer signing day gets the farther we drop. I just thinks its weird how evryone seems to think that on

signing day that we are going to get some surprises.....It could work the other way and the good kids we

have end up signing else where too......Just saying.......My glass is half empty.......

Did you not read a thing I said?

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Here is what we do know. We know the coaches are working their asses off recruiting. We know that our class wasn't shaping out to be the best in the country before we went 5-7 and before Tubs resigned.

No need to reopen that can of worms but you lose some credibility on what you know (at least with me) when you say Tubs resigned. He was fired. Maybe we avoid the controversy by saying "before Tubs left."

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

[The closer signing day gets the farther we drop. I just thinks its weird how evryone seems to think that on

signing day that we are going to get some surprises.....It could work the other way and the good kids we

have end up signing else where too......Just saying.......My glass is half empty.......

Did you not read a thing I said?

I read what you said and I tend to agree with him. My glass is half empty too. I really hope I'm wrong and I will be delighted if I have to eat crow on signing day. But if we end up not even in the Top 25 it's going to take a lot of spin and koolaid to exlain that away. It is my belief that if we had not made a coaching change we would have been in the the top 15. For the usual reasons, we weren't going to be limited to 25 commitments so we still had some room for several big dogs.

[AUman43 5]

Well, with Willis gone now just two weeks away, to the Bammers, I can't possibly see things looking up for us. I'll never understand how Chizik could let this happen on his watch. Terrible! Now, you can look for Petey Smith to head to the Turds as well as others Willis was recruiting. Now I'm also beginning to understand why Petey was slow in committing as well as why we lost Cotton. This borders on Treason.

[autylerw 1]

I said this would happen about a month ago and got my ass chewed out for it. That being said, I am pleased with the effort the coaches are putting forth to talk to recruits that Tubs would have never considered as some of them would be considered more than a longshot.

I wouldn't get too worried about having less than a top 20 recruiting class this year though. It might bite us in the butt four years from now but I think a lot of people are taking for granted the amount of talent we have on this team because it was misused for the past year.

[AU Cav 0]

Here is what we do know. We know the coaches are working their asses off recruiting. We know that our class wasn't shaping out to be the best in the country before we went 5-7 and before Tubs resigned.

No need to reopen that can of worms but you lose some credibility on what you know (at least with me) when you say Tubs resigned. He was fired. Maybe we avoid the controversy by saying "before Tubs left."

Seriously, you want to argue semantics? I don't lose credibility over semantics.

My wife met with Coach Tubs yesterday and he said some things. Repeating a private conversation here won't happen, but neither will it change what I write when mentioning his separation from Auburn University.

And saying he resigned isn't necessarily in line with what I feel. It's tactful though. If you base my credibility on that, then I really don't feel like I've lost anything.