Was Willis really that good a recruiter?

[RVTiger 0]

Everyone, especially the bammers, have been saying how good a recruiter Willis was. But was he? Think about this. We owned the Mobile area until a couple of things happened: 1.) Coach Whitt was pushed aside (and was not recruiting anymore) and replaced with Willis; and 2.) Little nicky arrived at the crapstone. My opinion is that each contributed equally to our recruiting demise in the Mobile area. I realize the Willis was recruiting many of our top targets, but that maybe had a lot to do with their geographical location. And it doesn't look like the fallout is going to be that great except for Petey Smith, who I think was looking for a reason to chose bama.

I feel the same way as the rest of the Auburn family....Willis betrayed the family that embraced him.

[Mikey 16,781]

No, Willis was not that great a recruiter. In three years, he managed to sign ONE player, Mike McNeil, that has contributed to the Auburn program. Whitt was bringing in several a year from that area.

IMHO, Willis would have to have been removed from that assignment anyway. With all the talent down there, to sign only one important player in three years is ineptitude at it's finest.

[TitanTiger 22,251]

Willis was a pretty good recruiter. I wouldn't say he was great. He pulled in a few 4-star guys two years ago, but got his clock cleaned last year down in Mobile (not entirely his fault though).

The main reason I wanted to keep him is that I felt he was a solid LB coach that could get better under Chizik and for continuity's sake with recruiting this year. I was afraid we'd lose too many good prospects if there was no connection to the old staff at all.

That said, I think Joe Whitt, Sr. is probably the better LB coach of the two and he's at least as good a recruiter. I wouldn't be upset if Chizik talked him out of semi-retirement to take the job again.