The Question
1 year ago
Sunday, July 1, 2012
I've Moved
As I progress in my blogging experience I have created version 2.0 and now this is the best Auburn Football Blog on the net. I am excited about the line up of articles I will be putting out over the next few weeks before the season and I also have a great in-season schedule of features I will be posting. Thank you for following me to my new home!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Post-NSD, Pre-Spring Predicted Depth Chart
While spring practice will be sure to change and/or clearify a lot of how the depth chart will look, here is my first stab at what it will look like.
Quarterback
Barrett Trotter
Clint Mosley
Kiehl Frazier
Running Back
Michael Dyer
Onterio McCalebb
Tre Mason
Fullback
Eric Smith
LaDarious Phillips
Tight End
Philip Lutzenkirchen
Dakota Mosley
Brandon Fulse
C.J. Uzomah
Wide Receiver
DeAngelo Benton
Quindarius Carr
Sammie Coates
Wide Receiver
Emory Blake
Shaun Kitchens
Jaylon Denson
Wide Receiver
Trovon Reed
Antonio Goodwin
Quan Bray
Left Tackle
Chad Slade
Christian Westerman
Left Guard
Eric Mack
Thomas O'Reilly
Center
Reese Dismukes
Jared Cooper
Tunde Fariyike
Right Guard
John Sullen
Ed Christian
Right Tackle
Brandon Mosley
Greg Robinson
Weakside Defensive End
Corey Lemonier
Dee Ford
Joel Bonomolo
Keymiya Harrell
Defensive Tackle
Kenneth Carter
Gabe Wright
Angelo Blackson
Nose Guard
Jeff Whitaker
Jamar Travis
JaBrian Niles
Strongside Defensive End
Nosa Eguae
Craig Sanders
Justin Delaine
Devaunte Sigler
Weakside Linebacker
Eltoro Freeman
Darren Bates
Jessel Curry
Justin Garrett
Middle Linebacker
Jake Holland
Harris Gaston
Jawara White
Chris Landrum
Strongside Linebacker
LaDarius Owens
Jonathan Evans
Kris Frost
Cornerback
Neiko Thorpe
Chris Davis
Jonathan Rose
Jermaine Whitehead
Cornerback
T'Sharvan Bell
Ryan White
Jonathan Mincy
Robenson Therezie
Safety
Mike McNeil
Erique Florence
Ikeem Means
Safety
Demetruce McNeal
Ryan Smith
Anthony Swain
Kicker
Cody Parkey
Punter
Stephen Clark
Quarterback
Barrett Trotter
Clint Mosley
Kiehl Frazier
Running Back
Michael Dyer
Onterio McCalebb
Tre Mason
Fullback
Eric Smith
LaDarious Phillips
Tight End
Philip Lutzenkirchen
Dakota Mosley
Brandon Fulse
C.J. Uzomah
Wide Receiver
DeAngelo Benton
Quindarius Carr
Sammie Coates
Wide Receiver
Emory Blake
Shaun Kitchens
Jaylon Denson
Wide Receiver
Trovon Reed
Antonio Goodwin
Quan Bray
Left Tackle
Chad Slade
Christian Westerman
Left Guard
Eric Mack
Thomas O'Reilly
Center
Reese Dismukes
Jared Cooper
Tunde Fariyike
Right Guard
John Sullen
Ed Christian
Right Tackle
Brandon Mosley
Greg Robinson
Weakside Defensive End
Corey Lemonier
Dee Ford
Joel Bonomolo
Keymiya Harrell
Defensive Tackle
Kenneth Carter
Gabe Wright
Angelo Blackson
Nose Guard
Jeff Whitaker
Jamar Travis
JaBrian Niles
Strongside Defensive End
Nosa Eguae
Craig Sanders
Justin Delaine
Devaunte Sigler
Weakside Linebacker
Eltoro Freeman
Darren Bates
Jessel Curry
Justin Garrett
Middle Linebacker
Jake Holland
Harris Gaston
Jawara White
Chris Landrum
Strongside Linebacker
LaDarius Owens
Jonathan Evans
Kris Frost
Cornerback
Neiko Thorpe
Chris Davis
Jonathan Rose
Jermaine Whitehead
Cornerback
T'Sharvan Bell
Ryan White
Jonathan Mincy
Robenson Therezie
Safety
Mike McNeil
Erique Florence
Ikeem Means
Safety
Demetruce McNeal
Ryan Smith
Anthony Swain
Kicker
Cody Parkey
Punter
Stephen Clark
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Signing Day 2011
It has been a while since my last blog entry so let's do a quick recap. After completing the greatest comeback in Iron Bowl history to knock off Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Auburn marched to Atlanta and burned South Carolina's defense for an SEC Championship record 56 points and an SEC Championship record 39 point margin of victory. That win propelled Auburn to the #1 ranking in the BCS and secured a spot in the BCS National Championship game. The following weeks were a whirlwind.
We were going to Glendale, of course.
After settling on flying in and out of Las Vegas and getting set up in a posh new hotel on the strip, the vacation of a lifetime was set. The final remaining piece was trying to get tickets but that was growing less and less likely as ticket prices began exceeding $1000 a piece.
We went. We conquered. We got snowed in for an extra day or two. What more can you ask for?
No sooner did the clock strike 0:00 on the University of Phoenix Stadium game clock did the coach's, and subsequently the fan's attention turn to closing out the 2011 recruiting class with a bang.
At that point Auburn had just picked up two commitments at the Under Armour All-American game and then two more at the US Army All-American game. Sitting with 18 commitments and five to seven spots to fill the focus had narrowed to a few select players and retaining the ones already committed.
Now with signing day in the books, how did we finish?
Quarterback - Kiehl Frazier [6'3" / 215] - After not taking a high school QB in the 2010 class, getting a premiere quarterback in this class was a top priority. Before the 2010 class was even in the books there were clearly two top targets for the 2011 class in Jeff Driskel and Kiehl Frazier. Both had sufficient size, above average athleticism and impressive passing abilities. Both QBs were invited to the Elite 11 quarterback camp reserved for the top quarterback prospects in the country. Driskel, a Florida native, decided to stay close to home and play for the Gators which turned 100% of the staff's focus on securing Frazier. Standing 6'3" and weighing 215 pounds Frazier is not quite Cam Newton size but he did have one advantage over every other quarterback in the country; Frazier played his high school ball at Shiloh Christian, former stomping grounds of Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, where they still run Malzahn's offense. Not only has Frazier run Malzahn's offense through high school, he as directed the offense perhaps better than any other quarterback in Arkansas High School history. After finishing his senior season with another state championship he became the first quarterback in Arkansas to ever win three State Championship game MVP honors while winning three consecutive championships. Another prestigious honor Frazier received was being named the USA Today High School Player of the Year.
Running Back - Tre Mason [5'10" / 190] - Easily the most tumultuous position during this recruiting season, running back recruiting went through a lot of highs and lows. In the end Auburn landed a four star 'back out of Florida who brings a nice blend of blazing speed and moderate size. The early goal was to bring in one speed back and one big back. The top speed back target was Mike Blakely who, after multiple early trips to the plains seemed to be leaning hard towards committing early. It was, once again, and Auburn-Florida battle, and once again Florida won out. Coincidentally both of these recruits committed to Florida before Florida's disappointing season, before Urban Meyer retired and before Auburn won the National Championship; one has to wonder if a little patience would have led to a different decision. After Blakely Auburn had a host of speed backs that they were confident in their ability to get commitments from so running back recruiting was slowed down until they could see more senior film, further evaluate their targets and also try and work their way back into contention with other top targets who may have been impressed by Auburn's impressive season. One time top big back target Rodney Coe fell out of favor with the coaches when they believed he was better suited to play linebacker. But, while Coe was dropping new names such as Savon Huggins, Marlin Lane and Jeremy Hill were popping up. Also, the top running back in the nation, Isaiah Crowell, who had previously ruled out Auburn early on was beginning to reconsider the tigers. Everything changed however when long time Alabama commit Brent Calloway pulled a huge shocker and switched his commitment to Auburn during the US Army All-American game. His commitment filled the big back position and the coaching staff turned their focus to either Crowell or the player who had emerged as the top speed back target, Tre Mason. As the final weekend before signing day approached word began to leak that Crowell had made his decision to stick with the home state Georgia 'dawgs and would not be making his previously scheduled trip to Auburn. At that point Tre Mason got the call he was waiting for and made his commitment to be a part of this recruiting class. What happened next with Calloway may not ever be completely known but to the best of my knowledge Brent's heart was in Auburn however his adopted father was more enamored with Alabama for one reason or another. Rather than Calloway spending the weekend with his future teammates in Auburn, his dad "Peaches" drove him to Tuscaloosa. While the coaches received assurances from Calloway during his visit that he was "all in" at Auburn, something changed by Sunday when Calloway cut off all communication to the outside world. By the time signing day rolled around most hope had been lost and he made it official when he signed with Alabama. This left the class short one big back which isn't ideal but Mason's versatility should allow him to see the field early and often in 2011.
Tight End - Brandon Fulse [6'4" / 250] - While the tight end is not an essential part of Malzahn's offense, when he finds a good one he knows how to use it. Fulse became a top target early on and while he wasn't sure if he wanted to leave the state of Florida one huge advantage Auburn had was having his former teammate Onterio McCalebb already on the roster. This was primarily an Auburn-Miami battle but when Randy Shannon was fired Fulse was all but set on committing to Auburn. Recruiting is always a numbers game and since tight end was not a top priority Auburn had to be sure there would be room before accepting Fulse's commitment. Once the targets were narrowed down in the week leading up to signing day it became clear there would be room for Fulse and on January 27th he pulled the trigger giving Auburn one of the top tight ends in the nation.
Wide Receiver - Jaylon Denson [6'3" / 200], Sammie Coates [6'3" / 175] - While Coates and Denson aren't the highest rated receivers in the country (Rivals.com ranks Denson the #24 WR and Coates the #71 WR) it would be hard to say they weren't this staff's top targets. Both players received early offers from the coaching staff after impressive showing in summer camps. Denson didn't just impress at Auburn's camps. At the Palmetto State Showdown Denson was named the MVP of the tournament; a week later he was ranked the 9th best player in the National Select 7-on-7 tournament in Hoover. Coates became a message board superstar when it was reported that the small school star no one had previously heard of ran a blistering 4.31 40-yard dash. At that camp he earned an Auburn offer and immediately accepted it. He went on to lead his team to a state championship victory in which he was named MVP and also was ranked as the 5th best player at the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game. Auburn had their shot at higher ranked receivers but they saw Denson and Coates in person and were more than happy to make them the future of our receiving corp.
Offensive Line - Christian Westerman [6'5" / 290], Greg Robinson [6'5" / 295], Thomas O'Reilly [6'3" / 315], Reese Dismukes [6'4" / 290] - This was the money-maker position for this signing class. If games are won and lost in the trenches than things are looking good for Auburn going forward. Oddly enough, what kick-started and perhaps molded our offensive line recruiting this year was the commitment of Spencer Region. Region, a life long 'Bama fan was set to make his commitment to the Tide however something Nick Saban told him rubbed him the wrong way and when he made his announcement he shocked the local state media by committing to Auburn. Region was friends with Dismukes who was also reportedly set to commit to Alabama a couple weeks later and when Region announced for Auburn, Dismukes decided to take a harder look at what we had to offer. Dismukes ultimately committed to Auburn and also convinced O'Reilly to join him. In addition to bringing in O'Reilly, Dismukes became one of Auburn's biggest recruiters, helping anyway he could with other recruits across the nation. Region and Auburn ended up splitting ways and he ended up at Clemson, but Dismukes stayed along with the #1 ranked offensive line class in the country. Robinson, a US Army All-American, was a huge steal out of Thibodaux, Louisiana who followed his good friend and former teammate Trovon Reed to the Plains. Westerman, ranked the third best tackle in the country and number one player in Arizona, was long committed to the Texas Longhorns but this staff never gave up on him. When Texas had their disappointing season and fired their offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Westerman decided it would be a good idea to at least visit Auburn to know his other options. The visit went well and when he met up with multiple other Auburn commits and targets at the Under Armour All-American game he was able to further solidify his bond with his potential teammates. The nail in Texas' coffin was when they attepted to lure Auburn offensive line coach Jeff Grimes to fill that slot on their staff but were turned down in favor of remaining at Auburn. Shortly there after Westerman made the switch and made his commitment to Auburn.
Athletes - Kris Frost [6'3" / 210], Quan Bray [5'11" / 180], C.J. Uzomah [6'5" / 230] - Auburn was after a few guys who could project at multiple positions but it is safe to say that they got all of their top targets. Frost, another US Army All-American, is a unique athlete coveted by schools across the country. Growing up a fan of Michigan it was difficult for Frost to pass up the opportunity to play for his childhood favorite, however after Rich Rodriguez was fired Frost made the decision to commit to Auburn. He could project as a big, physical wide receiver where he will likely get his first shot since that is his preference, however the coaching staff has been up front with him in that they believe his future is at linebacker. Quan Bray was highly recruited out of LaGrange finally picking Auburn over offers from Georgia, Florida and Alabama. Considered one of the more electric athletes in Georgia Bray played quarterback, running back and wide receiver in high school and projects in a similar role at Auburn. He will likely line up in the slot as a receiver, run the jet sweep from the backfield, and even get carries as a wildcat quarterback. Uzomah is another Georgia product, hailing from North Gwinnett High School. More of a jumbo-athlete, Uzomah played quarterback and receiver in high school and could also get reps at QB, be an oversized wide receiver or, more likely, grow into a tight end.
Defensive End - Devaunte Sigler [6'4" / 250], Keymiya Harrell [6'5" / 235] - Defensive end was not a high priority in this year's recruiting class with two sophomores starting at each end spot next year and sufficient depth behind them. Harrell was an early commitment as a raw prospect that this coaching staff could really fit what we are looking for at rush end down the road. Similar to Justin Delaine who was brought in last year (and who now is reportedly measuring in at 6'6" 260) Harrell will likely redshirt while he adjusts to the college game and puts on some weight. Sigler is a versatile prospect who played linebacker in high school but will play with his hand on the ground in college. He will start his career at end and could grow to be a powerful strongside end with the frame to carry much more weight. That being said, if he adds too much weight than moving inside to tackle isn't out of the question. While Sigler was a long time target of this staff there was one player higher on the board that could have taken Sigler's spot. Ray Drew. Drew was the top defensive end in the country not named Jadeveon Clowney and while he grew up a fan of the Seminoles the battle ended up coming down to Georgia and Auburn. With only weeks to go until signing day it seemed like a 50/50 shot, Drew even went as far as to name Auburn his leader. But, knowing that Drew wanted to have his announcement be a surprise most knew that something was amiss. As his announcement date grew closer word began to leak that he would be heading to Georgia. That's when Sigler got the green light and he didn't hesitate to pull the trigger. It will be interesting to see how their careers measure up against each other.
Defensive Tackle - Gabe Wright [6'3" / 275], Angelo Blackson [6'5" / 290], JaBrian Niles [6'2" / 270] - Where defensive end was not a priority, tackle was just the opposite. After losing Mike Blanc and Zach Clayton to graduation and Nick Fairley decided to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL the depth chart at defensive tackle is wide open. True freshmen Jeff Whitaker and Kenneth Carter got playing time last year in a reserve role and figure to be the favorites for the starting roles next year. Blackson, an early commitment is potentially a hidden gem. From a small private school in Delaware Blackson is a freak of an athlete. At nearly 300 pounds Blackson played middle linebacker in high school. It's hard to imagine how Auburn found this small school star but once they did and brought him down to visit it didn't take long before he made his pledge to Auburn. It may take him some time to adjust to the speed of the SEC but his size and athleticism should allow him to contribute early in his career. Niles is a versatile lineman who actually began his career as a quarterback. As he continued to grow his size became impossible to ignore and he eventually ended his career as a defensive end but this staff doesn't believe he is done growing. While he could play some strong side end, line coach Tracy Rocker believe Niles could be a disruptive force from the inside. Niles choose Auburn over offers from Alabama, Florida and Florida State.
Linebacker - Chris Landrum [6'2" / 215], Justin Garrett [6'2" / 185] - Auburn lost two veteran linebackers to graduation and while their immediate replacements are likely already on campus it was important to restock the depth chart. Landrum was an early in state target who received offers from both Auburn and Alabama but after visiting both he decided he wanted to be an Auburn Tiger. Though Landrum suffered a broken ankle early in his senior season he was able to return before the playoffs and help lead his team to the state 1A championship where he was named MVP. Reportedly already up to 6'3" 235, Landrum has the size to contribute immediately but if he doesn't redshirt the majority of his contributions will likely be on special teams as he adjusts to the speed of the SEC. Garrett is a speedy outside linebacker from Tucker, Georgia. With offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia and Tennessee, Garrett is perhaps the most underrated recruit in this class. He is a bit undersized but he really fits the mold of a weakside linebacker in Chizik's Tampa 2 defense. Ultimately Garrett choose Auburn over the summer after a visit that convinced he and his parents that it would be the best place for him.
Defensive Back - Erique Florence [6'2" / 185], Jonathan Rose [6'2" / 170], Robenson Therezie [5'10" / 180], Jermaine Whitehead [6'0" / 185], Anthony Swain [6'3" / 215] - If the offensive line is the strength of the signing class on the offensive side of the ball than the defensive back class is what is carrying a great defensive signing class. The headliner of the position, Erique Florence (There is no "n" in Erique), did not make his commitment to Auburn until national signing day but after showing up in Auburn for nearly every home game over the past two years and taking an unofficial visit over the summer wearing a bright orange dress shirt with an Auburn tie and an Auburn hat it wasn't much of a secret who was the favorite to land his signature. His mom actually wanted him to get away for college which is why the biggest competition ended up being Southern Cal but ultimately he chose to stay close to his home in Valley, Alabama. A consensus top three safety in the nation Florence should help immediately on special teams and will push for playing time at safety as a true freshman. Jonathan Rose of Leeds, Alabama was the early headliner of the defensive back class. When he committed in August Rose was ranked the #3 cornerback in the nation. His long frame and physical attitude gives Ted Roof exactly what he is looking for in cornerback. Rose will see time on special teams and try to work his way into the rotation at cornerback, likely getting his first shot at the nickel back. The third in state player to join the secondary in 2011 is Gadsden City safety Anthony Swain. Swain was one of the first commitments of the 2011 class when he made his pledge all the way back in March. While he signed as a safety Swain has the size and physical approach to the game that could lead him a step closer to the line of scrimmage later in his career. I would expect, barring injury, Swain to redshirt his freshman year during which time he may grow into a linebacker. While the in state haul was terrific Auburn also added two four star players from out of state in versatile cornerback/safety Robenson Therezie from south Florida and lockdown corner Jermaine Whitehead from Mississippi. Therezie was ranked by Rivals as the "hardest hitter" in the nation. Though he lacks prototypical size, Therezie really knows how to lay the wood at the point of contact. Despite a strong push by his head coach to go to Alabama, Therezie stuck with the commitment he made at the Under Armour All-American game. Jermaine Whitehead's recruitment was an interesting one. He committed to Mississippi State back in April but that didn't slow down other schools from pursuing the top cornerback. While Whitehead continued to stay in contact with the Auburn staff and make occasional trips to the Plains it appeared less and less likely that there would be room for him in this class. Marcus Roberson, ranked the number two cornerback in the nation was long the top cornerback target for Auburn and he had given indication to the coaching staff that we were in good shape. That proved true when on January 31st Roberson pulled the trigger and committed to Auburn. However, the next morning Roberson and the coaching staff had a conversation that didn't leave the coaches feeling great about his commitment. Word out of Florida was that Roberson was already wavering and the in state Gator's still had a chance to pull a signing day surprise. When the coaches didn't receive the reassurance from Roberson they were looking for they pulled Roberson's offer and turned to Whitehead. Whitehead made it official on signing day when he finally made the switch from Mississippi State to Auburn.
As always national signing day was an emotional up and down roller coaster that brought together a second consecutive top five recruiting class for Chizik and company. We had a couple of misses, most notably not getting a second running back, but in the end this staff filled nearly every need with top ranked recruits and gave Auburn possibly the greatest back to back recruiting classes in school history.
As soon as one class is in the books 100% of the focus can turn towards bringing in the next top ranked class for 2012. With one commitment already in the fold a lot of ground work has already been laid.
Michael Flint of Oxford, Alabama didn't waste much time making his commitment for the 2012 class, making his pledge nearly 15 months before his signing day. Flint figures to be one of the top offensive linemen in the nation already holding offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Florida State and LSU. He also has two highly rated teammates at Oxford, linebacker Kwon Alexander and safety Trae Elston.
Though this list is sure to change drastically before signing day 2012, here is an early list of top Auburn targets to keep an eye on:
Zeke Pike - 6'5" / 220 - The Edgewood, KY quarterback has already made a couple trips to the plains and currently has Auburn at the top of his list of favorites. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Southern Cal
Matt Davis - 6'2" / 200 - This dual threat quarterback from Houston, Texas had a phenomenal sophomore season but missed nearly all of his junior year due to injury. Davis is high on the Auburn program and has visited a couple of times already. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Iowa, LSU, Oregon, Texas A&M
Trey Williams - 5'8" / 175 - Williams has been producing highlight tapes since his years in pop warner. A sure fire top 10 running back nationally, the Spring, Texas native has named Auburn among his favorites early in the process. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Miami (FL), Texas A&M
T.J. Yeldon - 6'2" / 205 - Yeldon is a rare balance of size and speed among running backs reminiscent of guys such as Adrian Peterson or Darren McFadden. He has a ways to go to prove he is in that class but the tools are there. Yeldon grew up a fan of Alabama but has spent a lot of time on the Auburn campus. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, Tennessee
Jeremy Richardson - 6'3" / 225 - Richardson signed with Auburn out of high school in the 2010 class. After spending two years at East Mississippi Community College this top wide receiver talent is looking to finally make his way to the Plains. Offers - Auburn
Artimas Samuel - 6'2" / 205 - Carver continues to turn out SEC talent year after year. This top receiver target will be tough to keep away from Georgia but the Auburn staff will be after him hard. Offers - Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina
Caleb Peterson - 6'4" / 295 - This top offensive lineman from Auburn High is a top target for this staff. Though he is currently in Auburn's back yard Peterson actually grew up in Georgia watch mostly NFL football and moved to Auburn just over a year ago. This will be a big in state battle. Offers - Alabama, Auburn
Ty Darlington - 6'3" / 265 - Darlington should be one of the top guards in the nation and has already names Auburn among his favorites out of an impressive group of suitors. Offers - Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Iowa, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech
Jordan Jenkins - 6'3" / 235 - Possibly the top defensive line recruit for Auburn next season. The Harris County defensive end will be a top five player in the state of Georgia and already has named Auburn among his top group of schools. Offers - Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Tennessee
Jarontay Jones - 6'3" / 235 - Jones is best of three D-1A prospects coming out of Stephenson High in Stone Mountain, Georgia in 2012. The top defensive end has visited Auburn a couple of times already and should be a frequent visitor going forward. Offers - Auburn, Miami (FL), South Carolina, Tennessee
Justin Shanks - 6'2" / 256 - This Pratville defensive tackle made it to Auburn for a couple of games over the fall at both Alabama and Auburn building up what should be a big time in state battle. Alabama has already landed his teammate Justin Thomas. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida
Quinteze Williams - 6'5" / 250 - Williams made the trip over from Tyronne, Georgia last weekend and came away with naming Auburn his leader. Williams is rangy defensive tackle with the frame to carry a lot more weight. Offers - Auburn, Florida State, Tennessee
Kwon Alexander - 6'2" / 215 - Likely the top prospect of the Oxford trio, Alexander has already been tabbed as one of the top linebackers in the 2012 class. Alexander will have his pick of schools but like with most Alabama prospects, getting him to leave the state boarders will be a challenge. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Nebraska, Oklahoma
Javier Mitchel - 6'1" / 200 - Jonathan Rose's former teammate at Leeds is an extremely raw prospect but shows very impressive athleticism. Having played just two years of football Mitchel will be an interesting prospect to watch his senior year.
Geno Smith - 6'0" / 165 - St. Pius X doesn't produce much top division one talent but Smith certainly fits the bill. This top cornerback has already visited Auburn a few times and has Auburn among his favorites. Offers - Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia Tech
Trae Elston - 6'0" / 175 - Elston is the third member of the Oxford trio and like his teammates figures to be one of the most highly sought after players at his position. This safety grew up a Clemson fan and they will definitely be a major player in his recruitment, but Elston is not in a rush to end the process. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU
Travis Blanks - 6'1" / 180 - This North Florida Christian star is currently listed as an athlete but projects as a defensive back and return man in college. Blanks has already visited Auburn multiple times and is extremely high on the Tigers. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Tennessee
We were going to Glendale, of course.
After settling on flying in and out of Las Vegas and getting set up in a posh new hotel on the strip, the vacation of a lifetime was set. The final remaining piece was trying to get tickets but that was growing less and less likely as ticket prices began exceeding $1000 a piece.
We went. We conquered. We got snowed in for an extra day or two. What more can you ask for?
No sooner did the clock strike 0:00 on the University of Phoenix Stadium game clock did the coach's, and subsequently the fan's attention turn to closing out the 2011 recruiting class with a bang.
At that point Auburn had just picked up two commitments at the Under Armour All-American game and then two more at the US Army All-American game. Sitting with 18 commitments and five to seven spots to fill the focus had narrowed to a few select players and retaining the ones already committed.
Now with signing day in the books, how did we finish?
Quarterback - Kiehl Frazier [6'3" / 215] - After not taking a high school QB in the 2010 class, getting a premiere quarterback in this class was a top priority. Before the 2010 class was even in the books there were clearly two top targets for the 2011 class in Jeff Driskel and Kiehl Frazier. Both had sufficient size, above average athleticism and impressive passing abilities. Both QBs were invited to the Elite 11 quarterback camp reserved for the top quarterback prospects in the country. Driskel, a Florida native, decided to stay close to home and play for the Gators which turned 100% of the staff's focus on securing Frazier. Standing 6'3" and weighing 215 pounds Frazier is not quite Cam Newton size but he did have one advantage over every other quarterback in the country; Frazier played his high school ball at Shiloh Christian, former stomping grounds of Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, where they still run Malzahn's offense. Not only has Frazier run Malzahn's offense through high school, he as directed the offense perhaps better than any other quarterback in Arkansas High School history. After finishing his senior season with another state championship he became the first quarterback in Arkansas to ever win three State Championship game MVP honors while winning three consecutive championships. Another prestigious honor Frazier received was being named the USA Today High School Player of the Year.
Running Back - Tre Mason [5'10" / 190] - Easily the most tumultuous position during this recruiting season, running back recruiting went through a lot of highs and lows. In the end Auburn landed a four star 'back out of Florida who brings a nice blend of blazing speed and moderate size. The early goal was to bring in one speed back and one big back. The top speed back target was Mike Blakely who, after multiple early trips to the plains seemed to be leaning hard towards committing early. It was, once again, and Auburn-Florida battle, and once again Florida won out. Coincidentally both of these recruits committed to Florida before Florida's disappointing season, before Urban Meyer retired and before Auburn won the National Championship; one has to wonder if a little patience would have led to a different decision. After Blakely Auburn had a host of speed backs that they were confident in their ability to get commitments from so running back recruiting was slowed down until they could see more senior film, further evaluate their targets and also try and work their way back into contention with other top targets who may have been impressed by Auburn's impressive season. One time top big back target Rodney Coe fell out of favor with the coaches when they believed he was better suited to play linebacker. But, while Coe was dropping new names such as Savon Huggins, Marlin Lane and Jeremy Hill were popping up. Also, the top running back in the nation, Isaiah Crowell, who had previously ruled out Auburn early on was beginning to reconsider the tigers. Everything changed however when long time Alabama commit Brent Calloway pulled a huge shocker and switched his commitment to Auburn during the US Army All-American game. His commitment filled the big back position and the coaching staff turned their focus to either Crowell or the player who had emerged as the top speed back target, Tre Mason. As the final weekend before signing day approached word began to leak that Crowell had made his decision to stick with the home state Georgia 'dawgs and would not be making his previously scheduled trip to Auburn. At that point Tre Mason got the call he was waiting for and made his commitment to be a part of this recruiting class. What happened next with Calloway may not ever be completely known but to the best of my knowledge Brent's heart was in Auburn however his adopted father was more enamored with Alabama for one reason or another. Rather than Calloway spending the weekend with his future teammates in Auburn, his dad "Peaches" drove him to Tuscaloosa. While the coaches received assurances from Calloway during his visit that he was "all in" at Auburn, something changed by Sunday when Calloway cut off all communication to the outside world. By the time signing day rolled around most hope had been lost and he made it official when he signed with Alabama. This left the class short one big back which isn't ideal but Mason's versatility should allow him to see the field early and often in 2011.
Tight End - Brandon Fulse [6'4" / 250] - While the tight end is not an essential part of Malzahn's offense, when he finds a good one he knows how to use it. Fulse became a top target early on and while he wasn't sure if he wanted to leave the state of Florida one huge advantage Auburn had was having his former teammate Onterio McCalebb already on the roster. This was primarily an Auburn-Miami battle but when Randy Shannon was fired Fulse was all but set on committing to Auburn. Recruiting is always a numbers game and since tight end was not a top priority Auburn had to be sure there would be room before accepting Fulse's commitment. Once the targets were narrowed down in the week leading up to signing day it became clear there would be room for Fulse and on January 27th he pulled the trigger giving Auburn one of the top tight ends in the nation.
Wide Receiver - Jaylon Denson [6'3" / 200], Sammie Coates [6'3" / 175] - While Coates and Denson aren't the highest rated receivers in the country (Rivals.com ranks Denson the #24 WR and Coates the #71 WR) it would be hard to say they weren't this staff's top targets. Both players received early offers from the coaching staff after impressive showing in summer camps. Denson didn't just impress at Auburn's camps. At the Palmetto State Showdown Denson was named the MVP of the tournament; a week later he was ranked the 9th best player in the National Select 7-on-7 tournament in Hoover. Coates became a message board superstar when it was reported that the small school star no one had previously heard of ran a blistering 4.31 40-yard dash. At that camp he earned an Auburn offer and immediately accepted it. He went on to lead his team to a state championship victory in which he was named MVP and also was ranked as the 5th best player at the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game. Auburn had their shot at higher ranked receivers but they saw Denson and Coates in person and were more than happy to make them the future of our receiving corp.
Offensive Line - Christian Westerman [6'5" / 290], Greg Robinson [6'5" / 295], Thomas O'Reilly [6'3" / 315], Reese Dismukes [6'4" / 290] - This was the money-maker position for this signing class. If games are won and lost in the trenches than things are looking good for Auburn going forward. Oddly enough, what kick-started and perhaps molded our offensive line recruiting this year was the commitment of Spencer Region. Region, a life long 'Bama fan was set to make his commitment to the Tide however something Nick Saban told him rubbed him the wrong way and when he made his announcement he shocked the local state media by committing to Auburn. Region was friends with Dismukes who was also reportedly set to commit to Alabama a couple weeks later and when Region announced for Auburn, Dismukes decided to take a harder look at what we had to offer. Dismukes ultimately committed to Auburn and also convinced O'Reilly to join him. In addition to bringing in O'Reilly, Dismukes became one of Auburn's biggest recruiters, helping anyway he could with other recruits across the nation. Region and Auburn ended up splitting ways and he ended up at Clemson, but Dismukes stayed along with the #1 ranked offensive line class in the country. Robinson, a US Army All-American, was a huge steal out of Thibodaux, Louisiana who followed his good friend and former teammate Trovon Reed to the Plains. Westerman, ranked the third best tackle in the country and number one player in Arizona, was long committed to the Texas Longhorns but this staff never gave up on him. When Texas had their disappointing season and fired their offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Westerman decided it would be a good idea to at least visit Auburn to know his other options. The visit went well and when he met up with multiple other Auburn commits and targets at the Under Armour All-American game he was able to further solidify his bond with his potential teammates. The nail in Texas' coffin was when they attepted to lure Auburn offensive line coach Jeff Grimes to fill that slot on their staff but were turned down in favor of remaining at Auburn. Shortly there after Westerman made the switch and made his commitment to Auburn.
Athletes - Kris Frost [6'3" / 210], Quan Bray [5'11" / 180], C.J. Uzomah [6'5" / 230] - Auburn was after a few guys who could project at multiple positions but it is safe to say that they got all of their top targets. Frost, another US Army All-American, is a unique athlete coveted by schools across the country. Growing up a fan of Michigan it was difficult for Frost to pass up the opportunity to play for his childhood favorite, however after Rich Rodriguez was fired Frost made the decision to commit to Auburn. He could project as a big, physical wide receiver where he will likely get his first shot since that is his preference, however the coaching staff has been up front with him in that they believe his future is at linebacker. Quan Bray was highly recruited out of LaGrange finally picking Auburn over offers from Georgia, Florida and Alabama. Considered one of the more electric athletes in Georgia Bray played quarterback, running back and wide receiver in high school and projects in a similar role at Auburn. He will likely line up in the slot as a receiver, run the jet sweep from the backfield, and even get carries as a wildcat quarterback. Uzomah is another Georgia product, hailing from North Gwinnett High School. More of a jumbo-athlete, Uzomah played quarterback and receiver in high school and could also get reps at QB, be an oversized wide receiver or, more likely, grow into a tight end.
Defensive End - Devaunte Sigler [6'4" / 250], Keymiya Harrell [6'5" / 235] - Defensive end was not a high priority in this year's recruiting class with two sophomores starting at each end spot next year and sufficient depth behind them. Harrell was an early commitment as a raw prospect that this coaching staff could really fit what we are looking for at rush end down the road. Similar to Justin Delaine who was brought in last year (and who now is reportedly measuring in at 6'6" 260) Harrell will likely redshirt while he adjusts to the college game and puts on some weight. Sigler is a versatile prospect who played linebacker in high school but will play with his hand on the ground in college. He will start his career at end and could grow to be a powerful strongside end with the frame to carry much more weight. That being said, if he adds too much weight than moving inside to tackle isn't out of the question. While Sigler was a long time target of this staff there was one player higher on the board that could have taken Sigler's spot. Ray Drew. Drew was the top defensive end in the country not named Jadeveon Clowney and while he grew up a fan of the Seminoles the battle ended up coming down to Georgia and Auburn. With only weeks to go until signing day it seemed like a 50/50 shot, Drew even went as far as to name Auburn his leader. But, knowing that Drew wanted to have his announcement be a surprise most knew that something was amiss. As his announcement date grew closer word began to leak that he would be heading to Georgia. That's when Sigler got the green light and he didn't hesitate to pull the trigger. It will be interesting to see how their careers measure up against each other.
Defensive Tackle - Gabe Wright [6'3" / 275], Angelo Blackson [6'5" / 290], JaBrian Niles [6'2" / 270] - Where defensive end was not a priority, tackle was just the opposite. After losing Mike Blanc and Zach Clayton to graduation and Nick Fairley decided to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL the depth chart at defensive tackle is wide open. True freshmen Jeff Whitaker and Kenneth Carter got playing time last year in a reserve role and figure to be the favorites for the starting roles next year. Blackson, an early commitment is potentially a hidden gem. From a small private school in Delaware Blackson is a freak of an athlete. At nearly 300 pounds Blackson played middle linebacker in high school. It's hard to imagine how Auburn found this small school star but once they did and brought him down to visit it didn't take long before he made his pledge to Auburn. It may take him some time to adjust to the speed of the SEC but his size and athleticism should allow him to contribute early in his career. Niles is a versatile lineman who actually began his career as a quarterback. As he continued to grow his size became impossible to ignore and he eventually ended his career as a defensive end but this staff doesn't believe he is done growing. While he could play some strong side end, line coach Tracy Rocker believe Niles could be a disruptive force from the inside. Niles choose Auburn over offers from Alabama, Florida and Florida State.
Linebacker - Chris Landrum [6'2" / 215], Justin Garrett [6'2" / 185] - Auburn lost two veteran linebackers to graduation and while their immediate replacements are likely already on campus it was important to restock the depth chart. Landrum was an early in state target who received offers from both Auburn and Alabama but after visiting both he decided he wanted to be an Auburn Tiger. Though Landrum suffered a broken ankle early in his senior season he was able to return before the playoffs and help lead his team to the state 1A championship where he was named MVP. Reportedly already up to 6'3" 235, Landrum has the size to contribute immediately but if he doesn't redshirt the majority of his contributions will likely be on special teams as he adjusts to the speed of the SEC. Garrett is a speedy outside linebacker from Tucker, Georgia. With offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia and Tennessee, Garrett is perhaps the most underrated recruit in this class. He is a bit undersized but he really fits the mold of a weakside linebacker in Chizik's Tampa 2 defense. Ultimately Garrett choose Auburn over the summer after a visit that convinced he and his parents that it would be the best place for him.
Defensive Back - Erique Florence [6'2" / 185], Jonathan Rose [6'2" / 170], Robenson Therezie [5'10" / 180], Jermaine Whitehead [6'0" / 185], Anthony Swain [6'3" / 215] - If the offensive line is the strength of the signing class on the offensive side of the ball than the defensive back class is what is carrying a great defensive signing class. The headliner of the position, Erique Florence (There is no "n" in Erique), did not make his commitment to Auburn until national signing day but after showing up in Auburn for nearly every home game over the past two years and taking an unofficial visit over the summer wearing a bright orange dress shirt with an Auburn tie and an Auburn hat it wasn't much of a secret who was the favorite to land his signature. His mom actually wanted him to get away for college which is why the biggest competition ended up being Southern Cal but ultimately he chose to stay close to his home in Valley, Alabama. A consensus top three safety in the nation Florence should help immediately on special teams and will push for playing time at safety as a true freshman. Jonathan Rose of Leeds, Alabama was the early headliner of the defensive back class. When he committed in August Rose was ranked the #3 cornerback in the nation. His long frame and physical attitude gives Ted Roof exactly what he is looking for in cornerback. Rose will see time on special teams and try to work his way into the rotation at cornerback, likely getting his first shot at the nickel back. The third in state player to join the secondary in 2011 is Gadsden City safety Anthony Swain. Swain was one of the first commitments of the 2011 class when he made his pledge all the way back in March. While he signed as a safety Swain has the size and physical approach to the game that could lead him a step closer to the line of scrimmage later in his career. I would expect, barring injury, Swain to redshirt his freshman year during which time he may grow into a linebacker. While the in state haul was terrific Auburn also added two four star players from out of state in versatile cornerback/safety Robenson Therezie from south Florida and lockdown corner Jermaine Whitehead from Mississippi. Therezie was ranked by Rivals as the "hardest hitter" in the nation. Though he lacks prototypical size, Therezie really knows how to lay the wood at the point of contact. Despite a strong push by his head coach to go to Alabama, Therezie stuck with the commitment he made at the Under Armour All-American game. Jermaine Whitehead's recruitment was an interesting one. He committed to Mississippi State back in April but that didn't slow down other schools from pursuing the top cornerback. While Whitehead continued to stay in contact with the Auburn staff and make occasional trips to the Plains it appeared less and less likely that there would be room for him in this class. Marcus Roberson, ranked the number two cornerback in the nation was long the top cornerback target for Auburn and he had given indication to the coaching staff that we were in good shape. That proved true when on January 31st Roberson pulled the trigger and committed to Auburn. However, the next morning Roberson and the coaching staff had a conversation that didn't leave the coaches feeling great about his commitment. Word out of Florida was that Roberson was already wavering and the in state Gator's still had a chance to pull a signing day surprise. When the coaches didn't receive the reassurance from Roberson they were looking for they pulled Roberson's offer and turned to Whitehead. Whitehead made it official on signing day when he finally made the switch from Mississippi State to Auburn.
As always national signing day was an emotional up and down roller coaster that brought together a second consecutive top five recruiting class for Chizik and company. We had a couple of misses, most notably not getting a second running back, but in the end this staff filled nearly every need with top ranked recruits and gave Auburn possibly the greatest back to back recruiting classes in school history.
As soon as one class is in the books 100% of the focus can turn towards bringing in the next top ranked class for 2012. With one commitment already in the fold a lot of ground work has already been laid.
Michael Flint of Oxford, Alabama didn't waste much time making his commitment for the 2012 class, making his pledge nearly 15 months before his signing day. Flint figures to be one of the top offensive linemen in the nation already holding offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Florida State and LSU. He also has two highly rated teammates at Oxford, linebacker Kwon Alexander and safety Trae Elston.
Though this list is sure to change drastically before signing day 2012, here is an early list of top Auburn targets to keep an eye on:
Zeke Pike - 6'5" / 220 - The Edgewood, KY quarterback has already made a couple trips to the plains and currently has Auburn at the top of his list of favorites. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Southern Cal
Matt Davis - 6'2" / 200 - This dual threat quarterback from Houston, Texas had a phenomenal sophomore season but missed nearly all of his junior year due to injury. Davis is high on the Auburn program and has visited a couple of times already. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Iowa, LSU, Oregon, Texas A&M
Trey Williams - 5'8" / 175 - Williams has been producing highlight tapes since his years in pop warner. A sure fire top 10 running back nationally, the Spring, Texas native has named Auburn among his favorites early in the process. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Miami (FL), Texas A&M
T.J. Yeldon - 6'2" / 205 - Yeldon is a rare balance of size and speed among running backs reminiscent of guys such as Adrian Peterson or Darren McFadden. He has a ways to go to prove he is in that class but the tools are there. Yeldon grew up a fan of Alabama but has spent a lot of time on the Auburn campus. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, Tennessee
Jeremy Richardson - 6'3" / 225 - Richardson signed with Auburn out of high school in the 2010 class. After spending two years at East Mississippi Community College this top wide receiver talent is looking to finally make his way to the Plains. Offers - Auburn
Artimas Samuel - 6'2" / 205 - Carver continues to turn out SEC talent year after year. This top receiver target will be tough to keep away from Georgia but the Auburn staff will be after him hard. Offers - Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina
Caleb Peterson - 6'4" / 295 - This top offensive lineman from Auburn High is a top target for this staff. Though he is currently in Auburn's back yard Peterson actually grew up in Georgia watch mostly NFL football and moved to Auburn just over a year ago. This will be a big in state battle. Offers - Alabama, Auburn
Ty Darlington - 6'3" / 265 - Darlington should be one of the top guards in the nation and has already names Auburn among his favorites out of an impressive group of suitors. Offers - Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Iowa, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech
Jordan Jenkins - 6'3" / 235 - Possibly the top defensive line recruit for Auburn next season. The Harris County defensive end will be a top five player in the state of Georgia and already has named Auburn among his top group of schools. Offers - Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Tennessee
Jarontay Jones - 6'3" / 235 - Jones is best of three D-1A prospects coming out of Stephenson High in Stone Mountain, Georgia in 2012. The top defensive end has visited Auburn a couple of times already and should be a frequent visitor going forward. Offers - Auburn, Miami (FL), South Carolina, Tennessee
Justin Shanks - 6'2" / 256 - This Pratville defensive tackle made it to Auburn for a couple of games over the fall at both Alabama and Auburn building up what should be a big time in state battle. Alabama has already landed his teammate Justin Thomas. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida
Quinteze Williams - 6'5" / 250 - Williams made the trip over from Tyronne, Georgia last weekend and came away with naming Auburn his leader. Williams is rangy defensive tackle with the frame to carry a lot more weight. Offers - Auburn, Florida State, Tennessee
Kwon Alexander - 6'2" / 215 - Likely the top prospect of the Oxford trio, Alexander has already been tabbed as one of the top linebackers in the 2012 class. Alexander will have his pick of schools but like with most Alabama prospects, getting him to leave the state boarders will be a challenge. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Nebraska, Oklahoma
Javier Mitchel - 6'1" / 200 - Jonathan Rose's former teammate at Leeds is an extremely raw prospect but shows very impressive athleticism. Having played just two years of football Mitchel will be an interesting prospect to watch his senior year.
Geno Smith - 6'0" / 165 - St. Pius X doesn't produce much top division one talent but Smith certainly fits the bill. This top cornerback has already visited Auburn a few times and has Auburn among his favorites. Offers - Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia Tech
Trae Elston - 6'0" / 175 - Elston is the third member of the Oxford trio and like his teammates figures to be one of the most highly sought after players at his position. This safety grew up a Clemson fan and they will definitely be a major player in his recruitment, but Elston is not in a rush to end the process. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU
Travis Blanks - 6'1" / 180 - This North Florida Christian star is currently listed as an athlete but projects as a defensive back and return man in college. Blanks has already visited Auburn multiple times and is extremely high on the Tigers. Offers - Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Tennessee
Monday, November 29, 2010
Game Review: Alabama
Knee-Jerk Reaction
Sweet eight pound six ounce new born baby Jesus! Why this team insists on playing with my emotions I will never know but, one thing is for sure, I have yet to have a reason to complain about the outcome. Giving credit where it is due, Saban and his gang came out with an amazing game plan on both sides of the ball and their team executed it to perfection for about a quarter and a half. When Trent Richardson dropped an easy touchdown pass that resulted in them settling for a field goal seemed insignificant when it extended their lead to 24-0, little did they know it was the beginning of the end. Coach Chizik and the leaders on this team deserve indescribable credit for being able to keep their cool and never lose faith in the face of adversity and a deficit no Auburn team in their great football history had ever been able to overcome. Knowing we would get the ball first out of the half was critical for me continuing to believe there was hope. Hitting the long touchdown before the half was affirmation that this game was far from over. Most teams down 24-7 at the half would come out of the locker room hoping to play for pride though few usually do. This Auburn team is different if you hadn't noticed yet. Trailing by 17 at the break is nothing to fear. I said at halftime if we come out and get a score than it is a 10 point game and Alabama will tighten up. They know we have been coming back all year and as soon as we are within striking distance they will be playing not to lose which usually results in a loss ironically. Not only did Auburn overcome the early deficit but they did so in a flash. Auburn scored their third touchdown of the night with over four minutes left in the third quarter. What was thought by many to be an insurmountable deficit was brought to a three point game less than eight minutes out of the break. The only gaff of the second half was Quindarious Carr's fumble on an ill advised no fair catch decision. The previous punt he fair caught was well blocked and he had room to run and clearly that was in his mind. Alabama's gunners were running free right at him and he was hit in succession by two players moments after he fielded the punt. The second hit jarred the ball loose which led directly to the only points Alabama would score in the second half. A defense that had been shredded in the first half was lights out in the second half. Nick Fairley did his thing along the line, Eltoro Freeman had his best game as an Auburn Tiger and T'Sharvan Bell was the best defensive back on either team Friday afternoon. The game winning drive had a little bit of everything from this offense. There was balance in the running game with Cam, Dyer and McCalebb all getting carries. There were creative play calls hitting McCalebb in the flats after the fake to the jet sweep. There were gutsy play calls with the decision to go for it on fourth and three from mid-field. Best of all, it culminated with the best touchdown dance of the 2010 season when Philip Lutzenkirchen jigged his way into the end zone with the game winning score.
Positives
T'Sharvan Bell - No player on defense stood out to me as much as Bell did on Friday. With all the struggles we have had in the secondary it was nice to finally see a corner who can come up and lay a lick on a wide receiver (or quarterback) and even break up a couple passes along the way.
Nick Fairley - Another great game from possibly the best defensive player in the country. His poise to overcome the worst unsportsman like celebration penalty I've ever seen was as impressive as the two sacks he had on the afternoon. On the second sack he drove their guard four yards deep into the pocket and bulldozing McElroy, forcing a fumble and having the awareness to realize no one was there to recover it, crawling around the pile of crimson he created and jumping on the loose ball.
Cam Newton - With all of the hype about Cam's scrambling ability it is hard to fathom that in the same season that he set the SEC rushing record for quarterbacks he also broke Auburn's single season passing touchdown record. Never in our lifetime will we again see a player who breaks the single season rushing touchdown record and passing touchdown record in the same game. Remarkable statistic. Anytime you break a record currently held by Bo Jackson and Cadillac Williams you know you've done something special. Four total touchdowns while leading your team to a come from behind win in the 75th Iron Bowl on enemy turf just made it all the sweeter.
The team - Congratulations. You've just completed an undefeated regular season in the SEC. You are the #1 ranked team in the BCS. You have earned your spot among all the great teams in Auburn history. This is a special group of individuals who appear to trust and love each other as much if not more than the 2004 team which is saying A LOT. War Eagle!
Sweet eight pound six ounce new born baby Jesus! Why this team insists on playing with my emotions I will never know but, one thing is for sure, I have yet to have a reason to complain about the outcome. Giving credit where it is due, Saban and his gang came out with an amazing game plan on both sides of the ball and their team executed it to perfection for about a quarter and a half. When Trent Richardson dropped an easy touchdown pass that resulted in them settling for a field goal seemed insignificant when it extended their lead to 24-0, little did they know it was the beginning of the end. Coach Chizik and the leaders on this team deserve indescribable credit for being able to keep their cool and never lose faith in the face of adversity and a deficit no Auburn team in their great football history had ever been able to overcome. Knowing we would get the ball first out of the half was critical for me continuing to believe there was hope. Hitting the long touchdown before the half was affirmation that this game was far from over. Most teams down 24-7 at the half would come out of the locker room hoping to play for pride though few usually do. This Auburn team is different if you hadn't noticed yet. Trailing by 17 at the break is nothing to fear. I said at halftime if we come out and get a score than it is a 10 point game and Alabama will tighten up. They know we have been coming back all year and as soon as we are within striking distance they will be playing not to lose which usually results in a loss ironically. Not only did Auburn overcome the early deficit but they did so in a flash. Auburn scored their third touchdown of the night with over four minutes left in the third quarter. What was thought by many to be an insurmountable deficit was brought to a three point game less than eight minutes out of the break. The only gaff of the second half was Quindarious Carr's fumble on an ill advised no fair catch decision. The previous punt he fair caught was well blocked and he had room to run and clearly that was in his mind. Alabama's gunners were running free right at him and he was hit in succession by two players moments after he fielded the punt. The second hit jarred the ball loose which led directly to the only points Alabama would score in the second half. A defense that had been shredded in the first half was lights out in the second half. Nick Fairley did his thing along the line, Eltoro Freeman had his best game as an Auburn Tiger and T'Sharvan Bell was the best defensive back on either team Friday afternoon. The game winning drive had a little bit of everything from this offense. There was balance in the running game with Cam, Dyer and McCalebb all getting carries. There were creative play calls hitting McCalebb in the flats after the fake to the jet sweep. There were gutsy play calls with the decision to go for it on fourth and three from mid-field. Best of all, it culminated with the best touchdown dance of the 2010 season when Philip Lutzenkirchen jigged his way into the end zone with the game winning score.
Positives
T'Sharvan Bell - No player on defense stood out to me as much as Bell did on Friday. With all the struggles we have had in the secondary it was nice to finally see a corner who can come up and lay a lick on a wide receiver (or quarterback) and even break up a couple passes along the way.
Nick Fairley - Another great game from possibly the best defensive player in the country. His poise to overcome the worst unsportsman like celebration penalty I've ever seen was as impressive as the two sacks he had on the afternoon. On the second sack he drove their guard four yards deep into the pocket and bulldozing McElroy, forcing a fumble and having the awareness to realize no one was there to recover it, crawling around the pile of crimson he created and jumping on the loose ball.
Cam Newton - With all of the hype about Cam's scrambling ability it is hard to fathom that in the same season that he set the SEC rushing record for quarterbacks he also broke Auburn's single season passing touchdown record. Never in our lifetime will we again see a player who breaks the single season rushing touchdown record and passing touchdown record in the same game. Remarkable statistic. Anytime you break a record currently held by Bo Jackson and Cadillac Williams you know you've done something special. Four total touchdowns while leading your team to a come from behind win in the 75th Iron Bowl on enemy turf just made it all the sweeter.
The team - Congratulations. You've just completed an undefeated regular season in the SEC. You are the #1 ranked team in the BCS. You have earned your spot among all the great teams in Auburn history. This is a special group of individuals who appear to trust and love each other as much if not more than the 2004 team which is saying A LOT. War Eagle!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Here We Are...
What a wild ride it has been. Looking back through some of my ramblings from earlier this year remind me of just how far we have come. The word I used to describe our win over Arkansas State was "ugly" and Cam Newton was listed in my "Negatives" section for the first three weeks of the season. I went as far in the Clemson Game Review to say "I think its safe to say Cam Newton isn't going to win the Heisman this year."
HAHAHAHA
Ok... that's enough.
The South Carolina game was the game that turned my attitude about this team. Seeing Newton completely take that game over and lead the team with a Tebow-esque attitude really proved that every time this team took the field they would have a great chance to win. I concluded the month of September with an article titled Expectations, They're A Sonuvabitch which laid out my belief that this team had what it took to go undefeated this year.
By the time Arkansas and LSU had been dismissed Cam Newton had reached superstar status. Alabama already had one loss on their record and we merely needed to survive the Rebels on the road and a struggling Georgia team at home (oh yeah, there was a scrimmage with Chattanooga in between there).
Unfortunately I can't talk about the roller coaster of this season without discussing the media onslaught we were bombarded with in the beginning of November and still lingers today. No sooner than we were celebrating being 9-0 there were stories beginning to break of potential NCAA violations during the recruitment of Cam Newton. Stories have been written, stories have changed, changed back and changed again. Sources have been quoted and other anonymous sources continued to leak "information" for weeks while Auburn stayed quiet and Cam continued to play. I have maintained my faith but it seems the rumor and innuendo have left few outside the Auburn family believing that we will come out of this situation clean. The fact that the story has died down (outside the obtuse local Alabama shock jocks) during our off week leading up to the Iron Bowl tells me that the unnamed sources and breaking news should be finished and all that remains is an official decision from the NCAA.
So in the end we are 11-0, have secured a birth in the SEC Championship game and if we win out we are in the BCS National Championship game. Perhaps the past month has soured an otherwise magical season but there is still plenty of football left to make this season possibly the best in school history.
Can we beat Alabama? Of course. Looking at our five common opponents this year there is no doubt which team has performed better. Auburn's point differential in those five games is +14, Alabama's is +4. Auburn's yardage differential is +112.4, Alabama's is +32.2. On a per play basis Auburn's offense is averaging nearly a full yard more than Alabama's in those five games while, surprisingly, Alabama's defense is holding teams to a mere tenth of a yard less than Auburn's defense. Perhaps most importantly Auburn went 5-0, Alabama went 3-2.
Here's the catch: Alabama has played much better at home this year. They have gotten off to fast starts in the first half and then lean on solid defense and grind it out offense to take home easy victories. The closest game they have had at home all year was a 23-10 victory over Ole Miss. In Auburn's three road games thus far we have avoided falling into the same first half holes we have tended to stumble into at home. That is likely attributed to the fact that our road competition hasn't been nearly as stiff as those who have visited the Plains. If Auburn gets down two touchdowns early again, climbing out of that hole in front of 102,000 fans cheering against them against a Nick Saban coached defense may be too tall of a task.
Alabama's offense is far more balanced this year than last. In their 2009 championship season they leaned heavily on Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram with a fair amount of Trent Richardson mixed in. Greg McElroy has evolved from game manager to a quarterback capable of carrying his team when the running game runs dry. Auburn's defensive line is capable of containing Alabama's rushing attack much like they did last year. What Ted Roof's crew may struggle with is preventing McElroy and Julio Jones from playing catch up and down the field against our porous secondary.
No one has been able to stop Cam Newton and this offense all year and I don't believe that will change on Friday. This offense has progressed all year long and with a bye week to rest and perfect our game plan there is no reason it shouldn't come out firing on all cylinders.
This is a match up for the ages and no outcome would shock me. It is possible that Auburn could lose this game and still make it into the BCS Championship game but I doubt that thought has even crossed the mind of a single player or coach.
We're coming to win and Cam is coming with us.
HAHAHAHA
Ok... that's enough.
The South Carolina game was the game that turned my attitude about this team. Seeing Newton completely take that game over and lead the team with a Tebow-esque attitude really proved that every time this team took the field they would have a great chance to win. I concluded the month of September with an article titled Expectations, They're A Sonuvabitch which laid out my belief that this team had what it took to go undefeated this year.
By the time Arkansas and LSU had been dismissed Cam Newton had reached superstar status. Alabama already had one loss on their record and we merely needed to survive the Rebels on the road and a struggling Georgia team at home (oh yeah, there was a scrimmage with Chattanooga in between there).
Unfortunately I can't talk about the roller coaster of this season without discussing the media onslaught we were bombarded with in the beginning of November and still lingers today. No sooner than we were celebrating being 9-0 there were stories beginning to break of potential NCAA violations during the recruitment of Cam Newton. Stories have been written, stories have changed, changed back and changed again. Sources have been quoted and other anonymous sources continued to leak "information" for weeks while Auburn stayed quiet and Cam continued to play. I have maintained my faith but it seems the rumor and innuendo have left few outside the Auburn family believing that we will come out of this situation clean. The fact that the story has died down (outside the obtuse local Alabama shock jocks) during our off week leading up to the Iron Bowl tells me that the unnamed sources and breaking news should be finished and all that remains is an official decision from the NCAA.
So in the end we are 11-0, have secured a birth in the SEC Championship game and if we win out we are in the BCS National Championship game. Perhaps the past month has soured an otherwise magical season but there is still plenty of football left to make this season possibly the best in school history.
Can we beat Alabama? Of course. Looking at our five common opponents this year there is no doubt which team has performed better. Auburn's point differential in those five games is +14, Alabama's is +4. Auburn's yardage differential is +112.4, Alabama's is +32.2. On a per play basis Auburn's offense is averaging nearly a full yard more than Alabama's in those five games while, surprisingly, Alabama's defense is holding teams to a mere tenth of a yard less than Auburn's defense. Perhaps most importantly Auburn went 5-0, Alabama went 3-2.
Here's the catch: Alabama has played much better at home this year. They have gotten off to fast starts in the first half and then lean on solid defense and grind it out offense to take home easy victories. The closest game they have had at home all year was a 23-10 victory over Ole Miss. In Auburn's three road games thus far we have avoided falling into the same first half holes we have tended to stumble into at home. That is likely attributed to the fact that our road competition hasn't been nearly as stiff as those who have visited the Plains. If Auburn gets down two touchdowns early again, climbing out of that hole in front of 102,000 fans cheering against them against a Nick Saban coached defense may be too tall of a task.
Alabama's offense is far more balanced this year than last. In their 2009 championship season they leaned heavily on Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram with a fair amount of Trent Richardson mixed in. Greg McElroy has evolved from game manager to a quarterback capable of carrying his team when the running game runs dry. Auburn's defensive line is capable of containing Alabama's rushing attack much like they did last year. What Ted Roof's crew may struggle with is preventing McElroy and Julio Jones from playing catch up and down the field against our porous secondary.
No one has been able to stop Cam Newton and this offense all year and I don't believe that will change on Friday. This offense has progressed all year long and with a bye week to rest and perfect our game plan there is no reason it shouldn't come out firing on all cylinders.
This is a match up for the ages and no outcome would shock me. It is possible that Auburn could lose this game and still make it into the BCS Championship game but I doubt that thought has even crossed the mind of a single player or coach.
We're coming to win and Cam is coming with us.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Game Review: Georgia
Knee-Jerk Reaction
11-0, SEC West Champs. What else needs to be said? The Iron Bowl still looms large with national championship hopes on the line but this team's goal was to get to Atlanta and bring home an SEC Championship. They had to fight through the most difficult division in college football to get there but were able to lock it up before even traveling to play the pre-season favorite.
As for the game... this team has done it to us all year, why would we have thought this game would be any different? Cam did his thing and the defense did theirs. I was unfortunately tied up at a wedding (blasted fall weddings!!!) and the service began just as we went down 21-7 (I was streaming it live on slingbox on my iPhone in the church - Sorry God, I hope you understand). Seeing that we tied it by halftime was a relief and obviously the second half was what we've come to expect from this team. I did record the game and was able to watch it last night. The first quarter was almost worse than I remember. This team had everything going against it from penalties that were our fault (Isom head butting a UGA player uncharacteristically) to penalties that were bad calls (Mosley's holding call on McCalebb's 40 yard statue of liberty run), combined with dropped passes that became interceptions returned inside our ten (Emory Blake) in addition to dropped passes that would have been easy touchdowns (Mario Fannin). Considering those were two of Cam's three incompletions on the night give a little insight into the greatness he had on display Saturday. Multiple passes that Newton through were absolute laser beams put right on target, sometimes 30 yards down field, sometimes between three defenders. This was perhaps the first game that I believe Newton's passing ability showed legitimate NFL potential sooner than later which is an unfortunate thought for our chances of retaining his services through 2011. Another junior who is unlikely to stick around for his senior year is Nick Fairley. He was an absolute beast yet again and I don't give a rats ass about anyone calling him dirty. Was Lawrence Taylor dirty? Was Mean Joe Greene dirty? Was Warren Sapp dirty? Play hard. Play with aggression. Go after the quarterback with bad intentions. This is football and the best players know how to harness their ferocity and take it out on their opponent during every play. Yeah, maybe he shouldn't have planted his helmet in Murray's back a couple seconds after he released the ball but that is honestly the first late hit I've seen him commit all year and is not indicative of the type of player he is. I am glad he is on our team and everyone else wishes he was on theirs. Seeing Dyer embraced by Bo Jackson after he broke his freshman rushing record was one of the more special moments of a season filled with special moments. As Jackson lifted his arm in the air it was hard not to think of that as a figurative passing of the torch from Auburn's greatest running back of all time to the most highly rated running back ever signed by Auburn. To hear Zac Ethridge recount circling the stadium four times to celebrate with the fans one last time nearly brought tears to my eyes. This group of seniors have been through the gauntlet and they deserve this season as much as they all deserved to get the feeling of beating UGA for the first time in their careers.
Positives
Cam Newton - I mentioned his passing efficiency earlier but as usual he was an all-star running the ball as well. He was there to grind out the tough yards whenever they were needed and broke his share of big runs on his way to over 150 yards rushing and two TD's on the ground.
Onterio McCalebb - Easily the unsung hero of this offense this year. Cam gets the headlines, Dyer gets the hype, even the offensive line have been given as much credit as any offensive line can expect to get. But, McCalebb, who is averaging 8.8 yards per carry and has scored nine touchdowns on the year has not been mentioned at all. His speed to the outside stretches defenses wide and much of the space Cam is given in the middle is due to defenders chasing McCalebb to the outside on the fakes. His speed is elite and the other attributes of his running game are catching up. His 71 yard, three touchdown performance on Saturday was one of his best outings of the year despite having a 40 yard run negated by a penalty. He got it done blocking on the outside on some of Cam's long runs and he also showed the ability to cut it inside on a few occasions which hasn't been his forte this season.
Gus Malzahn - All the credit needs to go to Malzahn for keeping this offense moving all year. Obviously having Cam helps but too many times you hear about how a coordinator isn't using his team's talents to the best of their abilities. That maybe so and so should be getting the ball more or that so and so shouldn't be getting the ball so much. He has kept it balanced, kept Dyer fresh all year, kept McCalebb healthy all year, and kept defenses off balanced despite what the media tells you about this being a one man team. The offense clearly has evolved as the year progressed and Malzahn deserves all the credit for that.
11-0, SEC West Champs. What else needs to be said? The Iron Bowl still looms large with national championship hopes on the line but this team's goal was to get to Atlanta and bring home an SEC Championship. They had to fight through the most difficult division in college football to get there but were able to lock it up before even traveling to play the pre-season favorite.
As for the game... this team has done it to us all year, why would we have thought this game would be any different? Cam did his thing and the defense did theirs. I was unfortunately tied up at a wedding (blasted fall weddings!!!) and the service began just as we went down 21-7 (I was streaming it live on slingbox on my iPhone in the church - Sorry God, I hope you understand). Seeing that we tied it by halftime was a relief and obviously the second half was what we've come to expect from this team. I did record the game and was able to watch it last night. The first quarter was almost worse than I remember. This team had everything going against it from penalties that were our fault (Isom head butting a UGA player uncharacteristically) to penalties that were bad calls (Mosley's holding call on McCalebb's 40 yard statue of liberty run), combined with dropped passes that became interceptions returned inside our ten (Emory Blake) in addition to dropped passes that would have been easy touchdowns (Mario Fannin). Considering those were two of Cam's three incompletions on the night give a little insight into the greatness he had on display Saturday. Multiple passes that Newton through were absolute laser beams put right on target, sometimes 30 yards down field, sometimes between three defenders. This was perhaps the first game that I believe Newton's passing ability showed legitimate NFL potential sooner than later which is an unfortunate thought for our chances of retaining his services through 2011. Another junior who is unlikely to stick around for his senior year is Nick Fairley. He was an absolute beast yet again and I don't give a rats ass about anyone calling him dirty. Was Lawrence Taylor dirty? Was Mean Joe Greene dirty? Was Warren Sapp dirty? Play hard. Play with aggression. Go after the quarterback with bad intentions. This is football and the best players know how to harness their ferocity and take it out on their opponent during every play. Yeah, maybe he shouldn't have planted his helmet in Murray's back a couple seconds after he released the ball but that is honestly the first late hit I've seen him commit all year and is not indicative of the type of player he is. I am glad he is on our team and everyone else wishes he was on theirs. Seeing Dyer embraced by Bo Jackson after he broke his freshman rushing record was one of the more special moments of a season filled with special moments. As Jackson lifted his arm in the air it was hard not to think of that as a figurative passing of the torch from Auburn's greatest running back of all time to the most highly rated running back ever signed by Auburn. To hear Zac Ethridge recount circling the stadium four times to celebrate with the fans one last time nearly brought tears to my eyes. This group of seniors have been through the gauntlet and they deserve this season as much as they all deserved to get the feeling of beating UGA for the first time in their careers.
Positives
Cam Newton - I mentioned his passing efficiency earlier but as usual he was an all-star running the ball as well. He was there to grind out the tough yards whenever they were needed and broke his share of big runs on his way to over 150 yards rushing and two TD's on the ground.
Onterio McCalebb - Easily the unsung hero of this offense this year. Cam gets the headlines, Dyer gets the hype, even the offensive line have been given as much credit as any offensive line can expect to get. But, McCalebb, who is averaging 8.8 yards per carry and has scored nine touchdowns on the year has not been mentioned at all. His speed to the outside stretches defenses wide and much of the space Cam is given in the middle is due to defenders chasing McCalebb to the outside on the fakes. His speed is elite and the other attributes of his running game are catching up. His 71 yard, three touchdown performance on Saturday was one of his best outings of the year despite having a 40 yard run negated by a penalty. He got it done blocking on the outside on some of Cam's long runs and he also showed the ability to cut it inside on a few occasions which hasn't been his forte this season.
Gus Malzahn - All the credit needs to go to Malzahn for keeping this offense moving all year. Obviously having Cam helps but too many times you hear about how a coordinator isn't using his team's talents to the best of their abilities. That maybe so and so should be getting the ball more or that so and so shouldn't be getting the ball so much. He has kept it balanced, kept Dyer fresh all year, kept McCalebb healthy all year, and kept defenses off balanced despite what the media tells you about this being a one man team. The offense clearly has evolved as the year progressed and Malzahn deserves all the credit for that.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Say It Ain't So, Cam
I am not going to rehash all the allegations and stories written over this past week but I will make one thing very clear: I am not worried about Auburn.
I believe in my University.
I believe in our coaching staff.
What I can not believe is that our athletic department would be so dumb as to commit career suicide by playing Cameron Newton when there is a looming investigation that could compromise his eligibility.
The most telling sign in this entire story is that Cameron Newton is still playing. Mississippi State reported potential violations to the SEC/NCAA in January and also submitted additional information in July. Auburn's compliance department has been aware of this situation since it began recruiting Newton. Auburn has done their due diligence, the SEC and the NCAA have had ample time to do preliminary investigations and plenty of time to tell Auburn that there could be issues with Newton's eligibility (remember that the NCAA was able to declare the UNC players, Alabama's Marcel Dareus, and Georgia's A.J. Green ineligible for actions over the summer). The only quote to come from the Auburn camp in relation to his potential recruiting violations: "Cameron Newton is eligible to play at Auburn University."
On the surface that is a bland statement, but when you consider everything else surrounding the situation that statement is fairly bold and very telling.
The only school which has been named or implicated by any of these reports is Mississippi State. Perhaps Cam took the advice of his father to choose Auburn due to potential recruiting violations at Mississippi State that could potentially hinder his eligibility at THAT school. I am not sure if that is the case but it certainly would explain a lot of the quotes that have been produced by both sides of the story.
I believe you will see over the next few weeks (or hopefully sooner) that the investigation in fact centers around Mississippi State, not Auburn.
Kenny Rogers said he never contacted Auburn and has no idea about the circumstances of Cam's recruitment with Auburn.
John Bond was quoted saying "this has nothing to do with Auburn."
If you believe in Auburn, than you aren't worrying.
I believe in Auburn and love it.
War Damn Eagle!
I believe in my University.
I believe in our coaching staff.
What I can not believe is that our athletic department would be so dumb as to commit career suicide by playing Cameron Newton when there is a looming investigation that could compromise his eligibility.
The most telling sign in this entire story is that Cameron Newton is still playing. Mississippi State reported potential violations to the SEC/NCAA in January and also submitted additional information in July. Auburn's compliance department has been aware of this situation since it began recruiting Newton. Auburn has done their due diligence, the SEC and the NCAA have had ample time to do preliminary investigations and plenty of time to tell Auburn that there could be issues with Newton's eligibility (remember that the NCAA was able to declare the UNC players, Alabama's Marcel Dareus, and Georgia's A.J. Green ineligible for actions over the summer). The only quote to come from the Auburn camp in relation to his potential recruiting violations: "Cameron Newton is eligible to play at Auburn University."
On the surface that is a bland statement, but when you consider everything else surrounding the situation that statement is fairly bold and very telling.
The only school which has been named or implicated by any of these reports is Mississippi State. Perhaps Cam took the advice of his father to choose Auburn due to potential recruiting violations at Mississippi State that could potentially hinder his eligibility at THAT school. I am not sure if that is the case but it certainly would explain a lot of the quotes that have been produced by both sides of the story.
I believe you will see over the next few weeks (or hopefully sooner) that the investigation in fact centers around Mississippi State, not Auburn.
Kenny Rogers said he never contacted Auburn and has no idea about the circumstances of Cam's recruitment with Auburn.
John Bond was quoted saying "this has nothing to do with Auburn."
If you believe in Auburn, than you aren't worrying.
I believe in Auburn and love it.
War Damn Eagle!
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