Auburn needs strong finish to build on 2010 recruiting momentum

[Orange and Blue 17211345162833 0]

Herndon: Auburn needs big finish to catch up in recruiting

Published: Sunday, August 29, 2010, 5:25 AM    Updated: Sunday, August 29, 2010, 6:38 AM

Mike Herndon, Press-Register

HAL YEAGER/Birmingham NewsQuarterback Kiehl Frazier of Springdale, Ark., is Auburn's only big-name out-of-state commitment so far in this recruiting season.

While the pieces are falling into place on the field for Auburn, much of the news off the field was rather discouraging for the Tigers last week.

First, there was the logic-impaired decision by the Football Writers Association of America to leave the 2004 national title vacant. The FWAA voted to strip USC of its crown, but claimed it couldn't decide between handing the crown to 13-0 Auburn or 12-1 Oklahoma.

If the FWAA didn't have the guts to award the title to someone else, I don't know why it bothered stripping USC in the first place.

But a title from six years in the past pales in comparison to news about the future. And while there's certainly plenty of time for it to change, the early returns on Auburn's 2011 recruiting class are marginal at best.

Rivals.com released its early 2011 recruiting class rankings this week, and Auburn is No. 17 a year after a top-five class.

With only four commitments listed as four-star prospects by Rivals and no five-stars, the Tigers are sixth in the SEC, trailing not only Alabama (No. 2, just behind Texas), LSU (No. 3), Florida (No. 8) and Georgia (No. 9) but even surprising Ole Miss at No. 10. They're also only one spot ahead of the guy they ran out of town after a couple of poor recruiting classes -- Texas Tech's Tommy Tuberville.

Much of Auburn's ranking could be tied to the lack of depth in the in-state class, as nine of the Tigers' 15 commitments so far are from Alabama. Springdale (Ark.) quarterback Kiehl Frazier is the Tigers' only big-name commitment from outside the state so far, although C.J. Uzomah and Angelo Blackson have the look of underrated future stars.

But is the low ranking cause for concern after the feel-good class of 2010? Only if Auburn comes up empty on the back end.

This is shaping up to be a class that fills in similarly to last year, when the Tigers' big targets waited until winter to announce. Remember, Michael Dyer, Trovon Reed, Roszell Gayden and Brandon Mosley didn't commit until November or later, and Cam Newton, Corey Lemonier, Eric Mack and Jeffery Whitaker waited until after Christmas.

Auburn is in the hunt for several big-time prospects that could produce a similarly strong finish. It's the leader for the top player in Alabama, Valley safety Erique Florence, and is in the final two (with LSU) for the second-best offensive lineman in the Southeast, Gregory Robinson of Thibodaux, La.

Auburn is in the top three for a pair of top running back prospects -- Mike Blakely of Bradenton (Fla.) Manatee (with South Carolina and Florida) and Dee Hart of Orlando Dr. Phillips (with Alabama and Michigan) -- and for one of the top athletes in the country, Kris Frost of Butler, N.C. (with Michigan and LSU).

Auburn also is in the top five for Monroe (Ga.) defensive end Stephon Tuitt and is one of several schools with a legitimate shot at Thomasville (Ga.) defensive end Ray Drew, No. 3 on the Press-Register's Super Southeast 120.

And Auburn is the only visit set up so far by the top cornerback prospect in the Southeast, Marcus Roberson of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas.

All of the aforementioned players are in the top 50 of the Super Southeast 120 except Frost, as North Carolina is not a state on in the list. If Curtis Luper, Trooper Taylor and company can pull in even half of them, no one will remember nor care come February where the Tigers' recruiting class was ranked in August.

(Contact Mike Herndon at mherndon@press-register.com. His column appears on Wednesdays and Sundays in the Press-Register.)

© 2010 al.com. All rights reserved.

[Sidbowman 0]

There's still a lot of work to be done, both on and off the field, but it will happen. 

[aupops2 7]

I wish I could go back to school and major in journalism, just so I could understand how in the heck these writers can come up crap like this.  Whether the subject is politics, sports, economics, or human interest, you always have to read the entire article to get the real information.  And the headline is always misleading.  It took this clown six or seven paragraphs to get to the substance of the story.  Glad I don't have to resort to print news to get my info anymore.

[Turtle_Tiger 13]

^^^Article = Junk

This is just about as useful as preseason polls. Blaghh

[Tiger Growlin 0]

It's still early in the game for us. It will all work itself out.

[AuburnBasketball 0]

no need to worry we are still in the hunt for alot of top prospects

[Cox Street 0]

I thought the guy was right on target.  How nice would it be for Auburn to actually have a top 5 recruiting class committed before the season even started?  Hopefully, we'll get to that point....

[Funnthasun 0]

People just need to CHILL ..... we are ahead of last years pace and we have more Rivals Top 100 leaning to us right now than last year at this point ...... Remember .... Big Dogs (Tigers) run late !!!!!! 

[autiger44 0]

This guy needs to get a clue.

First of all, how is 17 a low ranking. Being 17/120 isn't very low. Secondly the season hasn't even started. It seems like these journalists write this crap off of the top of their heads and look for no actual information at all. He also left Gabe Wright off of that list.

[Tiger Growlin 0]

This is a marathon, not a sprint. It's not how you start the race, its how you finish. This year's finish will be as good if not better than last years.

[3rdgen 2]

I think its more of a case of what recruiting service you look at we are #10 on espn with the least number of espnu 150 guys and the second fewest total commits.  Plus this guy left off alot of guys we are in the mix for like Brandon Fulse.

[jvilletiger 0]

Dude needs to do some research before writing stupid articles. There are atleast 10 schools ranked ahead of Auburn that only have 4 or 5 4* commits. If Gaulden and Lanier were evaluated and ranked, Auburn would be no lower than 11 or 12 right now. That's not to mention of the commits that will more than likely get bumped up to 4*. This time last year, Auburn was ranked 19th.

[AuburnBasketball 0]

this time last year shon coleman was only a 3* and he ended up being a 5* so all these 3 stars we have commited right now could end up being like shon coleman

[amyjones17 0]

with all the great prospects we have interested, I expect a top 10 class. Like many have said, this is close to how our recruiting went last year as well.

[AU Counsel 64]

Accurate article, but written from the angle of "Is the sky falling?  It is unless...."  Throw in Brandon Fulse, Quan Bray (we lead), Rodney Coe (we are in the top 3), Gabe Wright (we lead), plus the fact that Coates will be bumped to a 4 or 5 star....as well as the aforementioned evaluations of Gaulden and Lanier, plus the fact that we may pick up one more safety (Therezie perhaps, if we have room), and we are in fine shape.

Hart and Blakely have visits scheduled.  Bray will visit.  Roberson will visit.  Coe will visit.  Wright has been there several times.  Frost is coming several times.  Tuitt will likely be back.  LSU fans are already looking hard for back-up plans to Greg Robinson.  Bigelow may visit.  Our coaches do not make the hard sell.  They encourage recruits to take other visits and be sure before they commit. 

Conclusion:  We are in great shape.  We'll have a top ten to top five class before it is all said and done.

[BIG poppy58 2]

I could care less what the so called experts think.At this point predicting what a kid will do for next 4 years or how good he's gonna be is like predicting the weather for the next 4 years. I trust this staff and they have showed that they will go after kids that fit our style and program and hidden gems ala Shon last year

[InfernoOrangeSS 319]

I didn't get much into the recruiting game until after the regular season last year.  I have only taken a cursory look at best this year as well.  That article did concern me a little.  Thanks to those guys who thrive on the recruiting game to put my mind at ease.

[AuburnBasketball 0]

Accurate article, but written from the angle of "Is the sky falling?  It is unless...."  Throw in Brandon Fulse, Quan Bray (we lead), Rodney Coe (we are in the top 3), Gabe Wright (we lead), plus the fact that Coates will be bumped to a 4 or 5 star....as well as the aforementioned evaluations of Gaulden and Lanier, plus the fact that we may pick up one more safety (Therezie perhaps, if we have room), and we are in fine shape.

Hart and Blakely have visits scheduled.  Bray will visit.  Roberson will visit.  Coe will visit.  Wright has been there several times.  Frost is coming several times.  Tuitt will likely be back.  LSU fans are already looking hard for back-up plans to Greg Robinson.  Bigelow may visit.  Our coaches do not make the hard sell.  They encourage recruits to take other visits and be sure before they commit. 

Conclusion:  We are in great shape.  We'll have a top ten to top five class before it is all said and done.

this^^^^^^^^^^^ should be told to every Auburn fan that is worried about recruiting

[NCTiger 0]

The guys is accurate for NOW. Those above us have reeled in higher rated plyers so far, period. The same type players we are in the running for, but for whatever reason have not felt strong enough about Auburn to give us a commitment.  How much of this comes down to Chizik wanting kids to be SOLID before giving a commitment and our competition hard selling and pressing kids for a commitment now.........I don't know. Our staff will build even more credibility if our diamonds grow stars becoming 4/5 star kids. However, until more big boys commit we will see more stories like this. He did say it might not matter in FEB, but I can't but help to think he ENJOYED reporting our ranking. What a shock. 

War Eagle !

[Droxside 0]

Lets keep things in perspective here...It is not even September yet...Lets see where things stand after signing day, not now...

[Barney 10]

Lets keep things in perspective here...It is not even August yet...Lets see where things stand after signing day, not now...

It's August 29th 

[DJ_Hatch 0]

It ALL comes down to the STYLE of recruiting each school has! Coach Chizik and Staff has adopted the philosophy of telling kids to make SURE that they are READY to commit before they do so! If they are NOT, then he encourages them to take their visits and then make up their minds! This leads to a lot of late commitments, especially for the guys who are being recruited by most of the TOP schools in the nation, like MOST of our remaining prospects are! I can pretty much GUARANTEE you guys that 99% of you WILL be VERY happy come signing day! 

[AUenginerd 13]

It ALL comes down to the STYLE of recruiting each school has! Coach Chizik and Staff has adopted the philosophy of telling kids to make SURE that they are READY to commit before they do so! If they are NOT, then he encourages them to take their visits and then make up their minds! This leads to a lot of late commitments, especially for the guys who are being recruited by most of the TOP schools in the nation, like MOST of our remaining prospects are! I can pretty much GUARANTEE you guys that 99% of you WILL be VERY happy come signing day! 

This.  Remember the late commits last year, signing day surprises some of them.  And like the post the other day about recruiting service evaluations and ratings, the 5 stars don't always pan out.  Like others have said here, trust in our coaches to find talent AND players that fit the mold of Auburn men.  We'll be fine, whether we're 3rd or 13th come Feb and signing day. 

[doc4aday 1,887]

I think the B'ham News had the guy that usually writes the Obituary column filling in for the absent sports columnist. Sounds like a logical reason.

WDE

Doc

[DO4AU2010 0]

By now everyone knows the big dogs walk late,3* become 4*, 5* fall to 4*, Keenan Allen heads to Cal at the last minute, and so on.Its just as hard to hang on to a recruit as it is to get a verbal.