Thigpen: Etheridge Will Return

The Opelika-Auburn News is reporting that Zac Etheridge will return 100 percent and he will play again, quoting Tommy Thigpen. For more, click here.

Region Shocks Bama

Big time 2011 offensive lineman Spencer Region was considered an Alabama lock by most but he shocked the entire state today by committing to the Auburn Tigers. He is expected to be one of the top offensive linemen in the 2011 class and says he planned on committing to Alabama Friday night but made a switch Saturday. Region says Alabama's coaches took him for granted and Auburn's coaches never pressured him. Region says he may visit other schools but he will sign with Auburn.

2010 Is Over! 2011 Begins!

Auburn picked up their first commitment for the 2011 class from former signee Izauea Lanier. Lanier signed with the Tigers out of high school in the 2009 class but failed to qualify and attended East Mississippi Community College. The safety had 66 tackles last season. For more on his previous commitment to Auburn, click the tag below.

Signing Class Cliffs Notes

• Joel Bonomolo - DE - 6'3", 245 - Fullerton Community College (CA) - Metaire, LA - Four star on Rivals, three star on Scout, NR on ESPN.com
• Kenneth Carter - DT - 6'5", 267 - Greenville High School - Greenville, AL - Four star on Rivals, four star on Scout, three star on ESPN.com
• Ed Christian - OT - 6'5", 280 - Lowndes High School - Valdosta, GA - Three star on Rivals, three star on Scout, four star on ESPN.com
• Steven Clark - P - 6'5", 230 - Park Hill High School - Kansas City, MO - Two star on Rivals, two star on Scout, three star on ESPN.com
• Shon Coleman - OT - 6'7", 285 - Olive Branch High School - Olive Branch, MS - Five star on Rivals, four star on Scout, three star on ESPN.com
• Jessel Curry - OLB - 6'2", 215 - Buford High School - Buford, GA - Three star on Rivals, three star on Scout, two star (FB) on ESPN.com
• Chris Davis - CB - 5'11", 177 - Woodlawn High School - Birmingham, AL - Three star on Rivals, three star on Scout, three star on ESPN.com
• Justin Delaine - DE - 6'5", 225 - Linden High School - Linden, AL - Three star on Rivals, two star on Scout, three star on ESPN.com
• Michael Dyer - RB - 5'8", 201 - Little Rock Christian - Little Rock, AR - Five star on Rivals, five star on Scout, five star on ESPN.com
• Tunde Fariyike - OL - 6'3", 295 - Upson Lee High School - Thomaston, GA - Two star on Rivals, two star on Scout, NR on ESPN.com
• Roszell Gayden - OL - 6'7", 310 - College of the Sequoias - New Hope, MN - Four star on Rivals, four star on Scout, NR on ESPN.com
• Antonio Goodwin - WR - 6'2", 170 - Washington High School - Atlanta, GA - Four star on Rivals, four star on Scout, four star on ESPN.com.
• Jake Holland - MLB - 6'1", 228 - Pelham High School - Pelham, AL - Four star on Rivals, three star on Scout, three star on ESPN.com
• Shaun Kitchens - WR - 6'3", 211 - Banneker High School - College Park, GA - Three star on Rivals, three star on Scout, four star on ESPN.com
• Corey Lemonier - DE - 6'5", 223 - Hialeah High School - Hialeah, FL - Four star on Rivals, five star on Scout, four star on ESPN.com
• Eric Mack - OL - 6'4", 315 - Calhoun County High School - St. Matthews, SC - Four star on Rivals, four star on Scout, four star on ESPN.com
• Demetruce McNeal - S - 6'1", 176 - Banneker High School - College Park, GA - Three star on Rivals, three star on Scout, three star on ESPN.com.
• Jonathon Mincy - CB - 5'10", 175 - Southwest Dekalb High School - Decatur, GA - Three star on Rivals, three star on Scout, three star on ESPN.com.
• Brandon Mosley - OL - 6'6", 285 - Coffeyville C.C. - Jefferson, GA - Four star on Rivals, three star on Scout, NR on ESPN.com
• Dakota Mosley - TE - 6'4", 252 - Little Rock Christian - Little Rock, AR - Three star on Rivals, three star on Scout, three star on ESPN.com
• Cameron Newton - QB - 6'6", 247 - Blinn College - Atlanta, GA - Five star on Rivals, four star on Scout, NR on ESPN.com.
• LaDarius Owens - OLB - 6'2", 225 - Jess Lanier High School - Bessemer, AL - Four star on Rivals, four star on Scout, four star on ESPN.com.
• Cody Parkey - K - 6'2", 195 - Jupiter High School - Jupiter, FL - Three star on Rivals, four star on Scout, four star on ESPN.com.
• Ladarious Phillips - FB - 6'1", 275 - Handley High School - Roanoke, AL - Two star on Rivals, two star on Scout, NR on ESPN.com.
• Trovon Reed - WR - 6'0", 173 - Thibodaux High School - Thibodaux, LA - Four star on Rivals, five star on Scout, four star on ESPN.com.
• Jeremy Richardson - WR - 6'4", 220 - Springville High School - Springville, AL - Four star on Rivals, three star on Scout, three star on ESPN.com.
• Craig Sanders - DE - 6'4", 230 - Ariton High School - Ariton, AL - Four star on Rivals, four star on Scout, three star on ESPN.com.
• Chad Slade - OL - 6'6", 315 - Moody High School - Moody, AL - Three star on Rivals, three star on Scout, three star on ESPN.com.
• Ryan Smith - S - 6'2", 208 - Cordova High School - Cordova, AL - Three star on Rivals, three star on Scout, two star on ESPN.com.
• Jeffrey Whitaker - DT - 6'3", 295 - Warner Robins High School - Warner Robins, GA - Four star on Rivals, four star on Scout, four star on ESPN.com.
• Jawara White - OLB - 6'2", 220 - Henderson High School - Troy, AL - Three star on Rivals, three star on Scout, four star on ESPN.com.
• Ryan White - CB - 6'0", 185 - Lincoln, HS - Tallahassee, FL - Three star on Rivals, three star on Scout, three star on ESPN.com.

NATIONAL SIGNING DAY

• 6:55 AM - Cody Parkey and Antonio Goodwin are the first two faxes to come in to the complex.
• 7:26 AM - Steven Clark's fax has arrived.
• 7:38 AM - Kenneth Carter and Jeremy Richardson have signed with Auburn.
• 7:45 AM - Eric Mack and Jonathan Mincy are in.
• 7:57 AM - Ed Christian in.
• 8:00 AM - FIRST NEW COMMIT! Ladarius Phillips, FB and here is highlight video
• 8:41 AM - BIG ONES! Shon Coleman, Shaun Kitchens, Demetruce McNeal! Ryan Smith also switches from Kentucky to Auburn!
• 8:53 AM - Jeffrey Whitaker and Jawara White have signed.
• 9:16 AM - Michael Dyer has signed.
• 9:22 AM - Dakota Mosley is in.
• 9:26 AM - Chris Davis has signed.
• 9:38 AM - Justin Delaine has signed.
• 10:09 AM - LaDarius Owens has signed.
• 10:14 AM - Former commitment D.J. Howard has signed with Clemson
• 11:20 AM - Jake Holland, Chad Slade and Ryan White have all signed
• Corey Lemonier set to announce in around 20 minutes. He only has an Auburn hat with him. Joel Bonomolo and Trovon Reed are the only commitments left who have not signed.
• Watch Corey Lemonier's decision LIVE here now!
• 11:50 AM Corey Lemonier has committed to and signed with Auburn!
• 12: 35 PM Auburn has signed uncommitted center prospect Tunde Fariyike.
• 12:54 PM Trovon Reed has signed with Auburn.
• 1:15 PM Joel Bonomolo's papers are in. The signing class is done.

National Signing Day Chat

• Link to live stream of Lattimore announcement here.
• 2011 offensive lineman Spencer Region set to announce this Friday at 10 a.m. I think he is leaning toward Alabama.
• Marcus Lattimore picks USC over Auburn.
• Corey Lemonier will announce between Auburn and FSU around 11 am CT tomorrow. He will notify the coaches of his decision tonight according to Phillip Marshall.
• Byran Jones' teammate Alan Turner was offered by Arkansas a while back and that could be enough to seal the deal of Jones to Arky even though Turner is not likely to qualify.
• I am still going to predict Coleman will sign with Auburn. He will announce at 9 a.m. CT along with his teammate Damien Robinson.
• Many think D.J. Howard will end up at Kentucky.
• Markeith Ambles will announce at 10 a.m. CT and Rivals lists Auburn, Tennessee, UNC and USCw as his finalists.

Howard Gone

As expected, D.J. Howard has de-committed according to Goupstate.com.

NSD

Hey guys. I will be putting a chat up tonight for the Marcus Lattimore announcement and will leave it up throughout National Signing Day while putting updates under it...as of now I am expecting Lattimore to USC. Also, keep an eye on a new name: Ryan Smith.

Whitaker Picks Tigers

Jeffrey Whitaker has committed to Auburn. The four star defensive tackle chose Auburn over UGA and Miami. He is the second defensive tackle commitment and the 29th overall commitment for 2010.

My Updated Predictions

• All reports point to Auburn and South Carolina being even for Marcus Lattimore. I no longer have a great feeling regarding Marcus. I will put it at 55-45 Auburn right now because I am not near as confident as I used to be.
• All indications are that Shon Coleman has not contacted anyone at Auburn to tell them he was considering switching commitments to Alabama. At any rate, I will say there is a 60% chance he signs with Auburn.
• I still predict Jeffrey Whitaker to Auburn.
• I am going to predict Byran Jones to Arkansas because I have heard he is leaning there heavily.
• I am predicting Corey Lemonier to Auburn still.
• Markeith Ambles may visit Auburn after NSD but it looks doubtful. I think he will end up at Southern Cal or UNC.
• I think D.J. Howard ends up at Clemson.
• We may see some new names pop up in the next couple of days. Dimitri Orr, a defensive tackle Auburn previously recruited, could be one of those but I have heard he has academic issues. Another is UAB commitment Maurice Hayes and Stockbridge, GA defensive tackle Brandon King.

Lattimore Update

Gene Chizik and Gus Malzahn visited Marcus Lattimore in home last night for around 45 minutes. Steve Spurrier is expected to visit Lattimore today. Marcus will announce between Auburn and South Carolina Tuesday night at 6 PM at his church. For more information on his announcement click here.

A Name To Watch

I threw a name around recently that I thought we might see near the end of recruiting. Now it seems it may come to fruition. Patrick Swilling, Jr., the son of former Pro Bowl linebacker for the Saints Pat Swilling, is seriously considering a visit to Auburn this weekend.

Swilling may be a diamond in the rough like Daren Bates last season. Swilling is a 6'3" corner back with 4.5 speed could help boost Auburn's secondary if he receives a committable offer. Also a basketball star, Swilling would prefer playing football and at the safety position in college but his future might be in basketball. Swilling apparently has all the intangibles but he is not known as one to want to make the big hit.

With a 3.2 GPA and a 22 on the ACT, Swilling is expected to qualify. If he makes the trip to the Plains this weekend, he could be a replacement for D.J. Howard if Howard switches to Clemson or Kentucky since Darius Robinson now says he is 100% to Clemson.

Updates

• Shon Coleman did indeed show up in Tuscaloosa for his official visit to Alabama. Coleman will also visit Miami this weekend. He has been quiet about his recruitment lately but some are starting to think he is Alabama's to lose.
• Also visiting Miami this weekend is Jeffrey Whitaker. He will announce his decision on Monday. It is likely that Whitaker is deciding between Auburn and Georgia. I still think Whitaker signs with the Tigers.
• Jonathan Mincy will not take any visits this weekend. He originally planned on visiting South Carolina but has decided against it.
• All signs point to Arkansas having a slight lead for Byran Jones. Jones could make an announcement tomorrow.
• Vic Beasley is still considering a visit to Auburn.
• No word yet on if Markeith Ambles will visit Auburn this weekend. I believe he will and I would keep an eye on him. Auburn could definitely steal Ambles.
• Gene Chizik will make an in-home visit to Marcus Lattimore tomorrow. South Carolina will visit him Saturday.
• Auburn Undercover says that Lane Kiffin and Southern Cal made a late push for Joel Bonomolo but got nowhere.
• Right now it appears D.J. Howard will not sign with Auburn but rather Kentucky or Clemson. He may visit Kentucky this weekend.

RUMOR: Savage Gets Sixth Year

Rumor has it that Aairon Savage has received a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. The corner back tore his Achilles during summer workouts, missing the entire 2009 season. He had previously missed the entire 2008 season.

Seastrunk Picks Oregon

Lache Seastrunk has officially committed to Oregon. I hope this will kill the nonsense of him still possibly coming to Auburn. He has been off Auburn's radar for some time. I wish him the best of luck.

AC Gets His Invite

Antonio Coleman has received an invitation to the NFL Combine. Coleman appeared to have been overlooked and Ben Tate was the only Tiger who received an invitation when they were initially sent out. Walt McFadden still has not received one.

New Coleman Update

Shon Coleman will host Alabama head coach Nick Saban on an in-home visit tomorrow. He will visit Alabama officially from Wednesday-Friday. Many think that if James Stone goes to Tennessee, Saban will try his hardest to steal Coleman. I will keep you updated.

Catch Up On All Targets and Wavering Commitments

Targets:

• Marcus Lattimore appears ready to remain silent until February 2nd. I still think he signs with Auburn.
• Lache Seastrunk will make an announcement tomorrow. Barring a surprise, Lache is expected to choose the Oregon Ducks.
• There were rumors that Markeith Ambles committed to Southern Cal this weekend but his father says that is not true. According to Auburn Undercover, the coaches will in-home visit Ambles tonight. He may visit Auburn this weekend. USC is the team to beat. Keep an eye on this.
• James Stone has cancelled his visit to Auburn and will decide between Alabama and Tennessee.
• I am expecting Damien Robinson to choose Mississippi State. I do not believe he has a committable offer from Auburn currently.
• Corey Lemonier has eliminated Miami according to AuburnSports.com. He has already made his decision but will announce between the Tigers and the FSU Seminoles on National Signing Day. I still think he picks Auburn.
• Jeffrey Whitaker visited Georgia this weekend but didn't strike me as blown away. I still see him picking Auburn.
• Mike Thornton told the AJC recently that he has not eliminated Auburn but I still believe Georgia is the team to beat for him. I do not believe he has a committable offer.
• Byran Jones visited Arkansas this weekend. As of now, he says the two teams are so even. Some moderators for Auburn sites project him to Auburn but I say it is way too close to call.
• Darius Robinson is a new name to watch for. The four star Clemson DB commitment is rumored to have visited Auburn this weekend. He played at the same high school as Cam Newton and contacted the staff when Newton signed. Auburn could steal Robinson if he is offered.

Commitments:

• Shon Coleman visited Arkansas and Ole Miss last weekend. He is reportedly 100% solid to Auburn according to AuburnUndercover.
• Trovon Reed visited LSU and appears solid to Auburn. He says LSU gave him something else to consider but I believe most of Reed's interest in LSU is made up by his high school football coach.
• Jonathan Mincy plans to visit South Carolina this weekend following the news of interest in Darius Robinson. If Auburn offers Robinson, Mincy could bolt for the Gamecocks.
• D.J. Howard visited Clemson this weekend. He may switch considering he is likely to get a chance to play running back at Clemson. The Auburn coaching staff did not find out about the visit until he was there and were disappointed. Rumors are swirling that the staff has pulled Howard's offer but those are unconfirmed and not likely.

Catching Up With A Former Signee

Former Auburn running back signee Reggie Hunt has committed to Southern Miss as a defensive back. Hunt was a highly sought after all purpose back out of Daphne High School in 2008 with offers from Auburn, Florida, West Virginia and Oklahoma, among others.

After choosing Auburn, Hunt failed to qualify and ended up at Copiah-Lincoln CC in Wesson, Mississippi. He changed into a corner back at CLCC but failed to receive an offer from Auburn this season. He chose Southern Miss over Troy, Memphis and MTSU.

I will have a few more updates this afternoon to catch up on everything I have missed.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Auburn has five spots remaining for the 2010 class but may take only 2-4. Here are the recruits still on the board and what I predict:

***** - RB - Marcus Lattimore - I believe Auburn will land Lattimore over South Carolina and have for some time. The latest I have heard is Auburn has a slight lead.

***** - RB - Lache Seastrunk - I see Seastrunk as an Oregon Duck next season.

***** - WR - Markeith Ambles - Wide receiver has off the field issues. The staff has pulled his offer but he has a lot of interest in Auburn. If you watched the Army All-American game, you know this guy is a game changer. If Auburn has room and will risk offering him, I see him ending up at Auburn, however, I do not see an offer being extended. I see him either going back to UT or switching to UNC.

**** - OG - James Stone - Has said his finalists are Auburn and Alabama. He plans to visit Auburn this weekend. With Mack's commitment today our offensive line may be full. He has been rumored to be 'Bama bound anyways so I expect him on the Tide.

**** - OT - Damien Robinson - Again, I believe we are done recruiting offensive line but we were never a serious contender for Robinson I do not believe.

**** - DE - Corey Lemonier - Has made his decision and will announce on National Signing Day. He has narrowed his choices to Auburn, Miami and Florida State. Has visited Auburn and FSU officially and may take an unofficial to Miami. I say Auburn is the leader for Lemonier but he may want to stay closer to home. I will predict him to be a Tiger.

**** - DT - Jeffrey Whitaker - Whitaker is between Auburn, Miami and Georgia. He visited Auburn this past weekend and was blown away. He will visit Georgia this weekend and Miami the next. Barring an overwhelmingly impressive official in the next two weeks, I think he is an Auburn Tiger on NSD.

**** - DT - Mike Thornton - Thornton has eliminated Auburn. According to sources, there was an incident on the Auburn coaches' visit to the Thornton household in which Thornton's father would not allow the coaches in to talk to him. Apparently the coaches were the ones who backed off of him, not he who backed off of Auburn like he claims in a recent article. Either way, I have always projected him to UGA.

**** - DT - Byran Jones - Jones is down to Auburn and Arkansas. Jones had a great visit to Auburn this weekend and will officially visit Arkansas next weekend. Does not claim a favorite right now. Right now I will call this a toss up. He will make his decision after the Arkansas visit but will not announce until NSD.

**** - DB - Ahmad Dixon - Recently re-committed to Baylor. Has previously committed to Texas, Baylor and Tennessee. Dixon cannot make up his mind but I think he stays with Baylor.

*** - ATH - Vic Beasley - Clemson commit could play linebacker or safety in college. Right now I am not positive that Beasley has a committable offer from Auburn. He claims to be 90% to Clemson right now but plans to visit Auburn this weekend. I will say Clemson right now but will re-evaluate after this weekend.

Now if there is room, where else might the staff look? Here are some names:

CB - Akeem Cunningham - haven't heard much about him lately.

ATH - Eric Russell - if an offer is extended he would accept.

S - Patrick Swilling - if an offer is extended, he would consider.