Ranking The SEC...Stadiums...

Jeremy Hillman, a columnist for SouthernPigskin.com, has ranked the football stadiums of the SEC. He took size, noise level, aesthetics and home field success into consideration. The ranking are as follows: 1) Florida, 2) Georgia, 3) Tennessee, 4) LSU, 5) Auburn, 6) Alabama, 7) South Carolina, 8) Arkansas, 9) Ole Miss, 10) Kentucky, 11) Vanderbilt and 12) Mississippi State. Link here. I have not been to all 12. What do you think?

A Few Things

• Corey Grant was back in Auburn today on an unofficial visit.
• Izauea Lanier apparently still has not received his score on the ACT (or has not made it public yet). I am not expecting him to qualify.
• John Cullen says Utah, Tennessee and Hawaii have recently offered. His top three are Auburn, Tennessee and Utah. Cullen plans on graduating in December. He is teammates with Joel Bonomolo.
• As of now, Scout.com ranks Auburn's 2010 recruiting class 24th. This is only because of the smaller number of current commitments (8) for Auburn versus schools like Texas (19) and Stanford (21).
• Rivals has been counting down their top 120 in the nation for the 2009 season. They rated Auburn 52nd. Auburn finished last season 67th.

Press-Register Elite 18

The Press Register's list of the top talent in the state of Alabama. Complete article here.

1) DeMarcus Milliner (Alabama)

2) Jarrick Williams (Alabama)

3) C.J. Mosley

4) LaDarius Owens

5) Solomon Patton (Florida)

6) Jeremy Richardson (Auburn)

7) Corey Grant

8) Nick Perry (Alabama)

9) Jawara White (Auburn)

10) Jalston Fowler (Alabama)

11) Craig Sanders (Alabama)

12) Jake Holland (Auburn)

13) D.J. Howard

14) Nigel Terrell

15) Jeremiah Jackson (Arkansas)

16) Deion Belue (Alabama)

17) Sam Gibson (LSU)

18) Wilson Love (Alabama)

C.J. Mosley And July 17

Linebacker C.J. Mosley says that his top four are Alabama, Auburn, Stanford and LSU. He recently visited Alabama and says he will go to Auburn on July 17 for a camp. Many targets have stated that they will be in Auburn that weekend which is leading many to think that weekend will be the next big bang of recruiting. Mosley also said that a major factor in his decision will be depth chart at linebacker which definitely helps Auburn and hurts Alabama. I do believe Alabama is his leader and it appears it will be an in state battle for him. Also, he stated that he lowered his 40 time from 4.58 to 4.47.

Bonomolo Is High On Auburn

Fullerton Community College defensive end Joel Bonomolo has Auburn at the top of his list. He says his top two are Auburn and Utah but said Auburn is "definitely" ahead of the Utes. He plans on taking an official visit to Auburn next week. He says that since his visit to LSU he has not heard from them but they would be be in his top three if he received an offer. Bonomolo has said he would not commit anywhere without visiting and I feel that after this visit a commitment could follow. He currently has offers from Auburn, Utah, Arizona, Arizona State, San Diego State and Washington. Bonomolo is a stud. Video included. Sorry for the music, I did not make the video. Music IS EXPLICIT.

Know A Signee: DeAngelo Benton

• Four star wide receiver on Rivals, rated 81/100 on ESPN.com. Rated the seventh best receiver in the nation out of high school in 2007.
• Listed number 41 on the 2007 Rivals 100
• Bastrop, Louisiana (Bastrop High School) and Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia.
• Born November 17, 1987
• Committed on National Signing Day
• 6'3", 210 lbs., 4.4 sec 40 yard dash
• Senior year stats: 40 catches for 947 yards and 15 touchdowns; as a junior he caught 41 passes for 869 yards and 11 touchdowns.
• Led his team to a second straight state championship.
• Earned Louisiana 4A all-state honors as a junior and senior, named a high school All-American by Parade Magazine and SuperPrep. On the Baton Rogue Advocate Super Dozen, New Orleans Times Picayune's Blue Chip List and Atlanta Journal Constitution Super Southern 100.
• Out of high school and Hargrave combined, had offers from many schools nationwide including LSU, Ole Miss and Florida State.
• Took official visits to Auburn and LSU.
• He has previously signed with LSU. He did not qualify and ended up at Hargrave Military Academy. He was planning on signing with LSU again but rumors swirled that LSU pulled his offer to assure that Rueben Randle would sign with LSU. He calls Auburn his perfect school but rumors recently came out that he wanted to transfer to Arkansas. These are unproven.
• He is a Signing Day Surprise if I have ever seen one...
• Trooper Taylor played a big role in getting Benton to Auburn.
• Benton has been cleared to play and is enrolled in Auburn. I have heard he showed up to workouts very out of shape but the staff will have him in shape.
• Looks to be a major contributor at receiver.

Catch Up

• Hey guys...took the weekend off. I will usually try and post a couple of things a day but just didn't today.
• Jeffrey Whitaker plans to visit July 18th. I've heard rumors that the next big recruiting event could either come this weekend or that weekend (of the 18th). He has no top schools but Tracy Rocker is helping us stay high on his board.
• It appears that Tim Jackson will want to go to Auburn for one of his official visits.
• 2009 UNC signee and old Auburn target Johnnie Farms did not qualify and will go to Hargrave Military. This could end up as good news for Auburn. The new staff hardly got to recruit Farms and we were still one of his top teams. Maybe the staff can try and steal him.
• Marcus Lattimore says he has no favorite and he wants to take all five of his official visits.
• DeMarco Cobbs says he is leaning toward USC right now. He wants to trim his top 10 down to a top 5 soon.
• Arkansas dismissed second string linebacker Khiry Battle after a weekend of drunk driving. I cannot see this affecting us really but just thought I would add that.
• Roy Finch has committed to Oklahoma.
• Jay Tate says as far as he knows, Cameron Henderson and Philip Pierre-Louis are in good standing with the team.
• More a little later on.

Nothing Great Today

• Wes Rea will have time to have an extended visit to Auburn in July. He has a baseball tournament in Auburn and plans to meet the football coaches.
• Alec Ogletree has committed to UGA.
• Another school that will for sure be in Khairi Fortt's top 5 is Penn State.
• Auburn leads for OL/TE Dakota Mosley. Auburn is recruiting him as an offensive lineman. He visited Illinois this past week. He is teammates with Michael Dyer.
• Jarrick Williams has committed to Alabama. Go figure.
• Tyrik Rollison will wear number 17 at Auburn.
• I will not have a signee profile today or tomorrow. I will pick back up with Deangelo Benton on Sunday.

Dee Ford In

Dee Ford has been cleared and will arrive in Auburn sometime this weekend. The second "minimester" of summer begins on Monday.

LaVoyd James

I am hearing that LaVoyd James has not been cleared by the NCAA and plans to enroll in a community college or JUCO according to a source close to his family. Awaiting confirmation...

Update

• Khairi Fortt says he will announce his final six at the end of the summer. After a visit to UNC this weekend, he says they will be one of them.
• The SEC Media Days will be July 22-24 at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, AL. Vandy, MSU, Arkansas and Kentucky will be the 22nd, Alabama, UGA, Ole Miss and Florida will be the 23rd and Auburn, South Carolina, Tennessee and LSU will be the 24th.
• Student-athletes representing Auburn at Media Days will be Tommy Trott and Antonio Coleman.
• Marcus Lattimore says he had a great visit to South Carolina. He says he cannot name a leader currently. He will cut his top 8 to a top 5 at the end of summer.
• Davis Dudchock committed to Vanderbilt. The Auburn legacy had an offer from Auburn.
• Kyle Prater would like to trim his list to five soon. Already in are Oklahoma, USC and Illinois.
• That's all for now. Getting some studying in...

Know A Signee: Daren Bates

• Two star safety according to Rivals. Considered the "sleeper" of the class. Rated a 77/100 by ESPN.
• Olive Branch, Mississippi (Olive Branch High School)
• Born November 27, 1990
• Committed on January 29, 2009
• 5'11", 195 lbs, 4.5 sec 40 yard dash, 2.7 GPA
• Teammates with 2010 offensive line target Damien Robinson
• 2008 stats: 90 tackles and four interceptions in his senior season. Also had almost 900 offensive yards.
• Named to the MHSAA All Region 1 Class 5A team. Selected to the Commercial Appeal Shelby Metro All-Suburban team. Named BankPlus Player of the Week after a win in which he had 107 total yards, three touchdowns, ten tackles and an interception.
• Had offers from Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas State, Tennessee, Louisiana Tech and Central Arkansas.
• Took official visits to Auburn and Arkansas State.
• He was previously committed to Arkansas State. When Auburn offered, he changed his commitment within two days. Right before he committed, Alabama tried to get him to visit and he told them was was "all Auburn" now.
• Says he never spoke to the previous staff. Trooper Taylor began recruiting him at Oklahoma State and played a major role in pulling him to Auburn.
• Says if he did not go to Auburn he probably would have chosen Tennessee.
• Bates may need to take another class this summer before he can gain admittance. He will likely be ready to play in the fall.

Phillip Marshall Apologizes

Phillip Marshall of Auburn Undercover has made a public apology to Cam Henderson and Philip Pierre-Louis for his inaccurate reporting that the two were no longer with the team. Read it here.

Rivals Reports Three Gone

A thin defense gets even thinner. AuburnSports.com is now reporting that three players were dismissed from the team for disciplinary reasons and will not return. They are sophomore safety Christian Thompson, redshirt freshman linebacker Marcus Jemison and redshirt defensive lineman Jomarcus Savage. The reasons have been reported as disrupting classrooms, missing classes, missing workouts, etc...

Regarding the Players Leaving Rumor

I have gotten confirmed that the players have class room issues. We will probably get real confirmation today of which players will be gone.

Recruiting Round Up

• LaDarius Owens seems to be torn between Auburn and Alabama. He called the schools even. He seems to really like coach James (Benedict) Willis but could be turned off by the Alabama depth at linebacker. This could end up being the biggest in-state battle of 2010. All these new articles about Owens remind me of Oku Watch...not again!
• D.J. Howard says he would prefer to play running back in college but would be fine playing safety. He could be near a decision. His top two seem to be Auburn and Clemson.
• Michael Thornton's top three are Auburn, Ole Miss and Miami. His top three previously included South Carolina instead of Ole Miss.
• I've heard Corey Grant could visit this weekend.
• Also, anyone who posts or lurks on the Auburn Football Message Board on Yuku, we lost a great guy and great Auburn fan, Andrew Frederick, who went by the username theplainstruth. Prayers are requested for his family...

Jamar Travis Cleared

Jamar Travis has been cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse. He will be in Auburn on Sunday.

Four Players Gone?

Auburn Undercover is confirming rumors that at least four players have been removed from the team, while Rivals states that they are still with the team and going through summer workouts. The players involved are Cameron Henderson, Philip Pierre-Louis, Jomarcus Savage and Christian Thompson. In spring practice, Tommy Thigpen was raving over Thompson and Pierre-Louis looked to return after an injury in the first game of last season that held him out all year.

West Virginia Time/TV Set

The Auburn vs. West Virginia game has been set for 7:45 ET/6:45 CT on either ESPN or ESPN2.

Know A Signee: Dontae Aycock

• Four star running back (16th best RB overall) but considered an athlete. Listed 165th on the Rivals 250.
• Tampa, Florida (Chamberlain High School)
• Born: October 15, 1991
• Committed on National Signing Day (Feb. 4, 2009)
• 5'10", 216 lbs., 4.5 sec 40 yard dash, "good student"
• Brother of Detroit Lions free safety Dwight Smith, who was the first player ever to return two interceptions for touchdowns in a Super Bowl (XXXVII).
• 2008 stats: 1,406 rushing yards for 28 touchdowns; as a quarterback he completed 77 of 152 passes for 1,491 yards and 17 touchdowns with 6 interceptions. Full stats here.
• Led his team to an 11-2 record, a district championship and class 5A region final appearance.
• Led his county in rushing and scoring.
• FSWA 5A First Team All State, First Team All Suncoast Team, honorable mention for 2007 all state team,
• Had offers from Auburn, Duke, Cincinnati, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Indiana, Northwestern, Rutgers, Tulane, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Louisville, Kansas, Ole Miss, New Mexico, South Carolina, West Virginia, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Iowa, and South Florida.
• He took official visits to Georgia Tech, Louisville and Auburn.
• He was committed to Georgia Tech. He was told if he visited Auburn that Georgia Tech would pull his offer. He took an official visit to Auburn the weekend before National Signing Day. Georgia Tech pulled his offer and lost out on a great running back.
• Major factors in his decision to come to Auburn included Curtis Luper and the offense of Gus Malzahn.
• Aycock says that, looking back, he would have never committed to Georgia Tech. Tech was recruiting him at quarterback.
• It is believed he could turn into a high carry, "slashing" type back who can still make a big run. Probably will contribute on special teams this season if he is not redshirted.
• He is qualified and arrived in Auburn on this past Saturday.

A Few Things Regarding The Site

• Anyone have any polls you would like to see to the left? This one has been overwhelmingly one option.
• Since I have had a few requests, I will put together a mock recruiting class sometime this week. I want to point out that it will be only of guys who have offers right now and it will be a very preliminary look.
• Also, soon I will begin profiling a 2009 signee every day.
• That is all for now.

Rollison Cleared!

Tyrik Rollison has been cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse and is now on campus, planning to take summer classes next week.

Mincy Commits!

Jonathan Mincy, a top CB prospect, has become Auburn's eighth commitment of 2010. To me, Mincy looks to be very underrated. He is a three star on Rivals and Scout. Scout rates him as the 40th best corner back in the nation and Rivals rates him as the 25th best. He also had offers from LSU, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Ole Miss, UNC, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. More to come.

Mondayyy

• I have heard multiple rumors that Tyrik Rollison is on campus but as of now I do not believe he has been cleared. I have contacted him and did not immediately get a response.
• Michael Dyer says that Notre Dame is now firmly in the mix for him. He did say Auburn is still his leader. He says his decision will probably come during the season. Sorry if everyone gets excited and expects an announcement soon...these kids keep changing their minds...I just report what I hear.
• Corey Grant will decide between Auburn, Alabama and Florida before the start of his senior season. Everyone thinks he is a Florida lock but I have heard rumors that Alabama has been making a big impression on him.
• Joel Bonomolo has named Auburn as his leader. He will visit Auburn at the end of the month and will then make his decision. I think a visit will lock him up for us. He is JUCO teammates with another Auburn target, John Cullen.
• Dimitri Orr is hoping for an offer from Auburn. He has Auburn and Arkansas as his top two and currently holds an offer from the Hogs and Vanderbilt. He came away from the Auburn senior camp with an MVP award. He wants to make his decision before his senior year begins.
• Bradley Roby named his top three as Auburn, Vanderbilt and Ohio State.
• I also read somewhere that Lache Seastrunk plans to have his decision made by July but may indeed hold off a public announcement until January.
• WEEI Radio in Boston is reporting that the Red Sox will follow Brandon Jacobs' wood bat tournament this summer and see if it would be worth signing him to a bonus.
• Scout.com has come out with their Alabama top 50 and surprisingly Jeremy Richardson is not even in the top ten or the best wide receiver. Solomon Patton is ranked ahead of him. The only Auburn commitment on this list is Jawara White who ranks tenth. LaDarius Owens is 9th and Corey Grant is 6th.
• I've been hearing that new Rivals evaluations could come out at the end of the month so a ton of prospects (L. Owens, J. Curry...etc.) will get stars or have their ratings improved.

Father's Day

Okay okay...I know it's not Father's Day anymore but happy belated Father's Day! Nothing too big happened today so anything I would have posted today will be in tomorrow's post because I am going to sleep. Shout out to my dad! I know he reads! Happy Father's Day!

June 21st

June 21st has been the date to expect 2009 signees to show up but AuburnSports.com is listing a few who arrived a day early. Today's arrivals include Dontae Aycock, Travante Stallworth, Robert Cooper, Clint Moseley, Nosa Eguae, Emory Blake and Harris Gaston. Tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday, they are expecting Anthony Gulley, Terrance Coleman and Josh Jackson. Freeman, McCalebb, Fairley, Benton and Lutzenkirchen are all already on campus and have been taking spring and/or summer classes. Demond Washington and Taikwon Paige are expected in July. All others have not officially been cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse yet, except Brandon Jacobs who may go to the MLB and Reggie Taylor who we already knew will go to JUCO.

Not A Ton Going On Today...

• Deion Belue committed to Alabama. He had previously named us his leader as recently as late May.
• Right now, I am watching the 2004 Auburn-LSU game on CSS. Anybody else?
• 2010 DB/WR DeMarco McNeal says he hopes to get an offer from Auburn soon. He seems very interested in Auburn.
• Anthony Williams recently said he could be making a decision soon but it appears now, after speaking with his parents, he will hold off a bit longer. He plans to visit Florida, LSU and Auburn in July and expects to have a decision after that. His favorites are Florida, LSU, Auburn, FSU and Georgia Tech, in no particular order.
• Wide receiver target Antonio Goodwin will now play in the Under Armour All-American Game. A lot of people like our chances with him.
• Marcus Lattimore says he will narrow his top 8 down to five at the end of July. He has recently visited Clemson and Georgia.
• Michael Dyer is planning a summer decision. He says he plans to go back on the road in mid-July. He said he "needs" to visit LSU, Notre Dame and Auburn again. He did not mention Arkansas at all...

Parkey...Our Best Commitment?

According to Scout.com, Cody Parkey, our kicker commitment for 2010, is our best commitment. He is the first commitment that Scout has ranked as a four star. They also ranked him the second best kicker in the nation for 2010. Rivals named him a three star but quickly took down kickers' stars for a reason I do not know (which is the ranking I use to the left). Rivals has ranked Jeremy Richardson as our only four star commitment thus far. Congratulations to Cody. I honestly was not expecting a kicker to be named a four star at all.

Fortt Update

Khairi Fortt will visit UNC, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida over the next month. He plans to cut down to a list of about 6-10 after that. Mike Farrell from Rivals believes Penn State could be the team to beat.

Lost Ayers

Ryan Ayers has committed to Georgia Tech. He is their 8th commitment.

Howard Could Be Close

D.J. Howard could be very close to committing to Auburn according to Auburn Undercover. He and his mother visited with Gene Chizik on Wednesday. He is listed as a running back but is being recruited by Auburn as a safety, I believe. He just picked up his offer last week and when he got it he said it was what he was waiting on.

Hello All

• First off I would like to welcome my new follower which brings my grand total of followers to 6, haha.
• If you have a Rivals subscription, you have read the War Room most likely. If not, it could be a good time to try a 7 day free trial. Bryan Matthews and Jeffrey Lee could just be blowing smoke but there was some positive information in there.
• I will respect their requests not to spread any of the information on there however. All I will relay is that a rumor has been confirmed to me. Lache Seastrunk appears very close to having a decision even though he wanted to hold off and announce at the Army All-American game. This early decision could be very good news for Auburn.
• I will also point out that Jonathan Mincy, LaDarius Owens and Michael Dyer could very easily all have decisions within the next month, but this has been known.
• Jay Tate also has an interesting "mock press conference" with Luper and Trooper on his blog. Check it out here.
• In 2012 or 2013, it appears Auburn will play Jacksonville State according to school officials.
• Great article here about what the university is going to do with money made from the SEC television deals.
• That is all for now. I'm driving to Atlanta for the weekend but I will keep updating the blog. Everybody have a good, safe weekend.

Thursday Update

• Coach Trooper Taylor was on Sports Call today. He made it sound as if July's big event could be the Fourth of July weekend. He said an upcoming holiday will be very enjoyable for Auburn fans and to save money by not buying fireworks because this unknown event will be "the fireworks".
• He also said he thinks he can sign 6 of his 8 wide receiver targets.
• Still no concrete information about Aairon Savage.
• Chad Slade visited last weekend. He said if he is offered he will likely accept. His only offer right now if from Mississippi State.
• Everyone now is raving over Jessel Curry. He is being called "freakish". Looks like he is very underrated. I think he will have stars up next month.
• Markeith Ambles' recruiting is beginning to fall apart. He has had offers withdrawn from Southern California and Auburn. He also had his offer to play in the Under Armour All-American Game withdrawn. I've also heard that Florida might have withdrawn theirs. I am not exactly sure but I have heard there are off the field issues.
• Long time coming, but Lamarcus Joyner officially eliminated Auburn. He named his top six as Ohio State, Alabama, Florida State, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.
• Also, not football related, but the Village, the new dorms being built across from Beard-Eaves, will not be finished on time. Two of the eight buildings will not be completed until September or October. Students scheduled to live in these two buildings will be in the Extension until they are ready.

A Couple Of Notes

• Auburn has offered 2011 OT Brey Cook. He currently holds offers from Auburn, Oklahoma and Tulsa. He is from Springdale, Arkansas.
• 2011 tackle Travis Bodenstein says he loves Auburn right now. Gus Malzahn coaches his older brother in high school. Auburn could be close to offering. He is also from Springdale, Arkansas.
• Curry says he is 100% to Auburn. Of course, he also was previously committed to West Virginia but I would still call him a solid commitment.

Injury May Not Be That Bad

Gene Chizik is now calling Aairon Savage's injury a "slight" injury and said that it is not a "big concern" right now. Chizik did seem to be quite vague. He said he could not even say where the injury occurred. Waiting to find something officially released...I originally published that there was a tear to the Achilles but this might not be completely accurate. One news source has confirmed that surgery has already taken place....

Statement From Chizik

"Aairon Savage did suffer an injury while working out, and at this time, the extent of the injury is still being evaluated by our medical staff."

Sorry To Spoil The Good News...

...but the rumor I posted last night has been confirmed. Aairon Savage has suffered torn achilles heel. No real details have been released other than the fact that he has already undergone surgery for it. No decision yet as to if he will give up football overall. Bad news for a guy who missed the entire 2008 season. More to come when it is actually released.

New Commitment!

Everything good happens while I am in class. This morning I heard rumors that it was coming but of course it went down while I was sitting in class. Jessel Curry has committed. He is a three star on Scout and is yet to be evaluated on Rivals. He was previously committed to West Virginia but this change was a long time in the making. He is the son of former Falcons linebacker Buddy Curry. He currently attends Buford. Although listed as a fullback, Auburn has recruited him as a linebacker. He runs a 4.49 40 and benches 320 lbs. More to come.

Video here. It is FB video though I believe.

More News From The Weekend

• I do not know if we are seriously pursuing a tight end in this class but if we are it looks like our goal is Travis Dickson. He says he thinks he would be a good fit at Auburn and his recruitment by Auburn seems to have really flourished. I think he really does like us and could return in July for camp.
• Dakota Mosley finally picked up an offer from Auburn after this weekend. He is a teammate of Michael Dyer. He is being recruited as an offensive lineman and not a tight end. His only other current offers are Tulsa and Louisiana Tech.
• Auburn is still the leader for Chase Hughes, an offensive lineman who plays with commitment Jeremy Richardson. He also likes Vanderbilt and may look at Alabama. His brother currently attends Auburn.
• Nigel Terrell says he will have a list of his top schools by the end of the month. I am not sure that he has a committable offer from Auburn right now but Auburn has been near the top of his list.
• A new name, Jared Morse, attended camp this weekend and really seemed to enjoy it. He currently holds offers from Vanderbilt, Arkansas and Kentucky. He says Auburn has the "whole package".
• LaDarius Owens visited this weekend with his uncle, James Owens, who was the first black football player at Auburn. Owens could be nearing a decision but still plans to visit Florida State, Clemson and Auburn, once again, and possibly others this summer.
• The only quarterback I really could have seen us going for in the 2010 class, Barry Brunetti, ended his recruitment by committing to West Virginia. We were hardly pursuing him.
• I do not like supporting rumors but I will inform you that there is one swirling involving Aairon Savage and a pretty bad injury that occurred during conditioning. Again, rumor, so do not take that as even half-true, but you will know when I do if there is anything to this. Last I have heard is that he was recovering very well from last season's injury. I will probably know tomorrow.
• It's late. I'm going to bed.

Auburn Football Comes In Sixth

The Street and Smith's SportsBusiness Journal has released the top ten most profittable college football teams for the 2007-2008 season. Auburn brought in $59.67 million in revenues. Texas ranked number one overall, racking in $72.95 million. The rest of the top ten, in order, are Georgia, Florida, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Auburn, Michigan, Alabama, Penn State and LSU. Article here.

Sorry For The Delay, Five Star Close

Five star running back Michael Dyer is very close to committing, it appears. He visited Auburn this weekend, staying until today. He says Auburn is his number one and has been for some time. He will make his decision sometime this summer. He also said his visit to Auburn this weekend will be his last visit. Big news for Auburn. He called the visit perfect. I had this information before I went to class but I was also hearing he may have committed so I held off. Note that he has not committed but right now it looks good for us. WDE.

Big Weekend Wrap Up

• Jessel Curry has asked to be released from his commitment to West Virginia. He says he will decide between Auburn and West Virginia within a week or two. I see a commitment coming for the good guys...
• Jarrick Williams made his first ever visit to Auburn. He appears to still be a 'Bama lean...
• Michael Dyer is staying until Monday.
• Shaun Kitchens and Tres Houston are still at Auburn. No word if they are staying another night.
• The top defensive lineman at the camp was Xzavier Dickson and the top offensive lineman was Taylor Peterson.
• LeVander Liggins was at the camp. He could end up being a top prospect in the 2011 class. He attends the same school that Travante Stallworth attended.
• Also, Solomon Patton made it official and committed to Florida.

What A Difference A Year Makes...

Former defensive tackles coach Don Dunn is now coaching defensive line at Auburn High School. He will also be an ISS instructor.

Jackson

Jeremiah Jackson, who was trying to decide between Auburn and Ole Miss the last time we checked, has made a decision. He's going to Arkansas? Where did that come from? Oh well.

Today's Visitors

Jarrick Williams, Garrison Smith, Travis Dickson, Michael Dyer, LaDarius Owens, Jessel Curry and Jeremy Richardson. That's one five star, four four stars, one who will be a four star (Owens) and one unranked...

Jacobs To MLB...Not So Fast...

I would like to make my status clear regarding my potential professional baseball career.

As of now, I am still committed to Auburn University until there is an agreement made with the Boston Red Sox. As you know, all players must give a final number value before anything is done and then the organization needs to negotiate the numbers before signing. We are in the middle of negotiating with the Boston Red Sox at this time.

If we are [fortunate] to make an agreement with the Boston Red Sox, I will make my final decision at that point.

--Brandon Jacobs

A Quick Couple Notes

• Jonathan Mincy and Antonio Goodwin both just left Auburn. Auburn is both of their leaders.
• And to "Anonymous" who commented last night, yes Michael Dyer is visiting this weekend. He is joined by Garrison Smith.

McNeal Brothers Pick Up Offers

Banneker teammates and brothers Demetruce and DeMarco McNeal both picked up offers from Auburn this weekend. They play with current commitment Shaun Kitchens.

Howard

D.J. Howard picked up an offer from Auburn on Monday. He visited Auburn Friday. Auburn is in his top two. I will just leave you with a quote:

"There's a good possibility that I'll come here (Auburn)". - D.J. Howard

Grant Ready To Decide

Corey Grant is about ready to make his decision. He just visited Auburn for passing camp and then will make his first ever visit to Florida next week. He will make his final decision after that between Auburn, Alabama, Florida and Georgia. He claims no leader right now. I see Florida in his future but we have a chance.

Thursday Update

• Unofficial visitors for tomorrowinclude Jarrick Williams, Antonio Goodwin, Qudral Forte and D.J. Howard.
• Not a lot has been going on. Today has been run by the Alabama probation announcement. I am trying to stay away from it because this is an Auburn blog but if you have not heard about it (you obviously do not live in Alabama) you can read the report here.
• Shaun Kitchens is also on campus for passing camp. Other teammates of his camping are DeMarco McNeal, Demetruce McNeal and Tres Houston. Jawara White, Pee Wee Cobb, Calvin Jenkins, Corey Grant, Jacolby Hardnett, Terrance Slaughter, Quinton Hill, Raheem Billington and Brian Bailey are all also camping.

Quick Passes Away

Former swimming coach and six time NCAA coach of the year Richard Quick has lost his battle with cancer. Quick lead 13 teams to national titles. Since originally taking over at Auburn from 1978-1982, he lead Stanford to seven national titles and Texas to five. Quick is in the International Swimming Hall of Fame. He lead the 2009 men's team to the National Championships. He was the coach of the US Olympic teams in 1988, 1996 and 2000 and an assistant in 1984, 1992 and 2004. Prayers are requested. He is survived by his wife June, children Michael, Kathy, Tiffany and Benjamin and his grandchildren, Blake and Emily. He was 66. Please pray for the family....

Great Kid

I hope all of you will take the time to read this article. Jeremy Richardson really is a CLASS ACT...thankful to have him at Auburn.

Jacobs Picks Baseball

Brandon Jacobs has officially picked Major League Baseball over college football. He signed for second round compensation which is around a contract between $500,000 to $800,000.

2011 QB Offered

Kiehl Frazier, who looks to be a top quarterback in 2011, picked up an offer from Auburn this weekend following his camp. Videos can be viewed on his website. He plays for Shiloh Christian which is where Gus Malzahn coached. Frazier called Malzahn "(every HS player in Arkansas)'s dream coach to play for". He likes everything about Auburn and would fit right into the offense because he runs it at his high school. He said he liked Auburn before they offered and now they are near the top of his list. His only other current offers are Tulsa and Western Michigan. Keep in mind, he just finished his SOPHOMORE year of high school. I am expecting him to be one of the higher recruited QBs for 2011.

Jacobs Drafted

Brandon Jacobs was drafted 318th overall today by the Boston Red Sox in round number ten. Now he will decide if he will stick with Auburn for football or if he will enter the minors. He recently said if he was drafted in rounds seven and up he will likely go. I will let you know when he makes a decision.

More Notes

• Nigel Terrell now has a top three of Auburn, Arkansas and Florida State. He recently was listed as on the ESPNU 150 Watch List.
• DeMarco Cobbs recently named his top eight. They are Auburn, USC, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Texas.
• Tyrone Cornileus recently said he will announce at the end of the month. Today his top three were announced as Miami, South Carolina and Georgia Tech.

MLB Draft and Other Notes

• Today the Major League Baseball draft begins and runs through Thursday. Brandon Jacobs is likely to be drafted and Clint Moseley is a possibility. Jacobs has visited the Red Sox, Yankees, Royals and Brewers. He has been projected to go in the 3rd through the 6th round. The draft just began with Stephen Stasburg going first overall.
• Anthony Williams said he did not want to name a top school right now but that he really likes Auburn right now. He will make a decision in the fall.
• Athlete Sam Gibson committed to LSU.

Jawara White Commits

As expected, three star linebacker Jawara White has become Auburn's sixth commitment for the 2010 recruiting class and second big in-state commitment in the last four days. White announced at Charles Henderson High School this afternoon. White is a three star on both Rivals and Scout and was given a ranking of 79 on ESPN.com. Rivals ranks him the number 28 ranked outside linebacker while Scout ranks him 25th.

In 2008, he racked up 88 tackles, one interception, six forced fumbles with two recoveries, five batted balls, four sacks and scored one defensive touchdown. He is 6'2", 220 lbs and runs a 4.58 40 yard dash. Others offers he held are Alabama, UAB, Arkansas, Florida State, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Southern Miss and Troy. He visited Auburn, Alabama and Florida State this summer. He is the second linebacker commitment for the Tigers for this class.

Another Quick Note

Evan Washington named a top 8 this weekend. The DeSoto, TX offensive lineman named the following, in no particular order: LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama, Auburn, Oklahoma State, Miami (FL), Baylor and Nebraska. I've heard rumors he is likely a LSU lock and could have even already committed to them.

A Few Notes

• LaDarius Owens named his top five in order of favorites. They are: 1) Auburn, 2) LSU, 3) Alabama, 4) Tennessee, 5) Florida State
• Jonathan Mincy also named his top five. In no particular order: LSU, Georgia, Auburn, Ohio State and Tennessee. He said that Auburn is still up there and that he feels comfortable whenever he is on the Plains.
• Victor Beasley picked up an offer from Alabama this weekend and says he came close to committing to them. Not the best news.
• I'm hearing rumors that, after his Thursday visit, Corey Grant returned to Auburn on Friday to watch some of the passing camps. Looks like better news for us.
• Good news regarding Lache Seastrunk: He decided against showing up to the Texas camp this weekend like he was supposed to. Apparently he was not too interested in giving an interview to Texas' Rivals site either.
• Make sure you come back around 5:35 to see Jawara White's decision.

Owens: Top Three

LaDarius Owens has named a top three: Auburn, Alabama and LSU. He visited LSU this weekend. Owens recently also named Tennessee in a top four but he did not mention them in the latest article. On Rivals he currently does not have a ranking but expert Jamie Newberg said he will most likely be a four star once the new rankings come out. He plans to visit Florida State and South Carolina next.

Time Set For White

Jawara White's announcement will come at 5:30 CT at Charles Henderson High School.

Congrats To Gulley (Baseball)

2009 football signee Anthony Gulley was named the class 1A hitter of the year, 1A MVP and named to the Super All-State Team. His Brantley Bulldogs won their first state title this season.

Two Notes

• Jawara White will announce Monday. He visited Auburn today. I see Auburn in his near future...
• Solomon Patton will commit to Florida next week. He has shown minimal interest in Auburn of late and Auburn had stopped recruiting him all together.

A Couple Of Things

• Peachtree Ridge won the passing camp today over John Carroll, 28-26.
• Peachtree Ridge's top player, Bradley Roby, picked up an offer from the Tigers today and now considers them one of his top teams. He is a three star WR/CB who also has offers from Ole Miss, West Virginia and South Carolina, among others.
• Jawara White visited today. We will likely hear more about that later on today.

Rumor

I am hearing rumors that we could hear of Tyrik Rollison's qualification status for sure some time next week. As of now, it appears he will qualify.

Vote

For best team in the state of Alabama for ESPN College Football Live (which will show on Monday and Tuesday about the state of Alabama)...click here

Jacobs Update

2009 signee Brandon Jacobs is still a toss up as to if he will play college football or play Major League Baseball.  It all likely comes down to where he is drafted.  In a recent chat on BaseballAmerica.com, John Manuel was asked about possible sleepers out of the state of Georgia.  He said he did not know if there were actual sleepers but that he liked Jacobs and called him a "toolbox" if he wants to play baseball.  

Other Notes

• I am pretty sure that Lache Seastrunk did not end up going on the Round Table.
• LaDarius Owens recently named Auburn as his leader but he has added two other teams into consideration.  LSU and Tennessee joined Auburn and Alabama in the battle for the in-state linebacker.
• Tyrone Cornileus said he will announce his decision by the end of the month.  Currently, Miami leads.
• A name that we have not seen in a while, Dale Trimble, recently came up.  He named his leaders as Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee and Clemson.
• Some interesting articles for your reading pleasure:  Tony Franklin breaks the silence and Chizik brings new energy to Auburn.
• ESPN's College Football Live has been having a 50 states tour lately.  Monday and Tuesday will both be devoted to the state of Alabama.

Richardson

Okie dokie let's look at the new commitment.  Jeremy Richardson is a 6'4", 220 lb wide receiver from Springville, AL.  He is a four star on Rivals and a three star on Scout.  I would not be surprised to see him pick up another star on Scout or possibly a fifth on Rivals although it is unlikely.  He also had offers from Alabama, LSU, Tennessee and Mississippi State (even though some sites have taken down listing of an offer to him).  Coming into recruiting this year, Chizik and the staff just about named Richardson as the top priority overall.  In 2008, as a junior, Richardson caught 61 passes for 1,228 yards and 18 touchdowns.  He was first team all-state by ASWA and Birmingham News.

He called the decision an easy one once he got to know the coaches.  He announced at the UAB Hospital in Birmingham along side his grandfather.  Rivals ranks him as the number 26 wide receiver in the nation.  ESPN.com gave him a grade of 78.  One of his teammates, Chase Hughes, also recently named Auburn as his leader.  

Top Receiver Commits!

The top wide receiver in the state of Alabama and Rivals 250 wide receiver Jeremy Richardson has become the fifth commitment of the 2010 class. Much more to come when I get out of class.

Round Table

Rumors have swirled that Lache Seastrunk would be on the Round Table tomorrow on WJOX in Birmingham.  As of right now I do not think he will be on there.  Nothing has been confirmed either way.  I will try and let you know if I hear something.  Also, Seastrunk apologized to Nick Saban over the phone and through a Rivals article today.  Classy kid.

Note From Former Swimming Coach Quick's Family

The Quick family needs prayers right now more than ever.

"We ask for your prayers of peace, comfort and safety. We are preparing to take Richard home to Austin. He has yet to respond to treatment. We will leave by ambulance Friday or Saturday and take him to Querencia, a skilled nursing facility in Austin since he can't take his medicines orally anymore. We have heavy hearts and rely on thr Lord to carry us on this part of our journey. May we all find the peace that goes beyond understanding. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27 May the Lord hear our cries and fulfill the promise of John 14;27, Love June and Richard"

Grant Visiting

Corey Grant was unable to make it to the Big Cat Weekend and will take in an unofficial visit to the Plains today.  

Crawford Tidbit

Carver defensive end Corey Crawford has said that of all the schools recruiting him, Auburn stands out.  He will likely wait until signing day to make a final decision.

Milliner

Demarcus Milliner committed to Alabama today as expected.  I figure we will counter some time this week or next with a commitment.  No guarantees but it looks that way.

Scools Participating In Passing Camp

As I previously reported, the first passing camp begins this week.  The schools participating are Creekview (GA), Peachtree Ridge (GA), Callaway (GA), Abbeville (AL), John Carroll (AL), Turner County (GA), Booker T. Washington (AL), Terrell County (GA) and Prattville Christian.  

Big Cat Rewind

On Rivals, for FREE.

Quick Note

While Chris McCain has not officially released a top five, it appears Auburn could very possibly make it.  When he narrows it down I will let you know.

Officially In The Prater Sweepstakes

Just two days after Trooper Taylor hinted that he wanted a chance to get one of the best wide receivers in the nation, Kyle Prater released his top ten and Auburn is listed there.  This is pretty big considering Auburn has never been listed as in the running for him.  His top ten are, in no particular order, Illinois, Oklahoma, USC, Michigan, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Alabama, Auburn, Missouri and Miami.

SEC TV Deal Update

Here is an article about the changes to TV broadcasts because of the change to ESPN.

A Couple of Notes

• Auburn target Ryan Ayers has been named to the Under Armour All-American Game.  ESPN.com says Georgia Tech is the team to beat.
• Gibbs High School (St. Petersburg, FL) defensive end Tim Jackson has put Auburn at the top of his list.
• Curtis Luper commented on the SEC limit of 28 signees per class.  He said: 

"The NCAA has standards and parameters that we operate within, and the SEC has standards that are sometimes more stringent, and for good reason," Auburn recruiting coordinator/running backs coach Curtis Luper said. "The cap on signees is good because it prevents oversigning, and keeps us all on a level playing field. It's a definite plus and a good thing for the SEC."

Tuesday Update

• EDITED: Yeah...that was not an actual quote...forget what used to be right here...
• Tank Sessions says that Auburn is now at the top of his list with a few others.  He previously listed Georgia as his favorite but now says he is looking around again.
• LaDarius Owens officially named Auburn as his leader.
• Joel Bonomolo says Auburn is his favorite right now but that could change if LSU offers him.
• Auburn's first team passing camp will begin Thursday.
• Carlos Thompson, Quentin Groves' step-brother, said the staff would offer him when he visits this summer.
• Trooper Taylor spoke in Monroe County last night and hinted that he wanted to get in on the Kyle Prater sweepstakes.  Coaches are not allowed to directly speak of players who have not signed a letter of intent.
• This morning on the radio Curtis Luper said that coming next will be bigger than Tiger Prowl and Big Cat Weekend combined.

Interesting For Any Alumni

The Auburn Library has digitalized the first 105 copies (1897-2003) of the Glomerata.  They are now available online here.

Another Name That Flew Under The Radar

Tank Sessions was in Auburn this weekend also and his name did not show up on many (if any) lists that I saw.  Maybe I am just dumb and overlooked it.  He is considered a strong UGA lean as of now.  That's all for now one of the main sites should be putting an update on him soon.

Seastrunk Quote

From an ESPN.com article:

Seastrunk sure left Auburn gushing: "I can't reveal all the information, but you guys will be surprised when I commit [in early January]. And I think y'all might like where I choose," he told Auburnundercover.com. "This is the best ever," Seastrunk continued. "They just welcome you in. I feel the warmth of everyone. I love the environment here and I feel at home."

That is all...

Milliner Set To Announce

Demarcus Milliner, the number one player in the state of Alabama, will make his announcement Thursday at 1 PM at his school.  His finalists are Auburn, Alabama, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU.  I am fulling expecting another Alabama commitment but stranger things have happened.

Lattimore Writes An Article

Click here for a free article written by Marcus Lattimore regarding his recruiting.

More Reaction To The Weekend

• Damien Jacobs says that after the visit, if he picked up an offer from Auburn, he would put the Tigers second on his list behind Florida State.
• Jawara White was quoted as saying, when asked about a timeframe of making a decision, "I may have already made (my decision).  You never know."
• Commitment Shaun Kitchens says he has become friends with Marcus Lattimore and says that he is trying to recruit Lattimore to join the recruiting class.
• Jamie Newberg, one of the top writers for the Auburn staff, was interviewed on 680 The Fan in Atlanta and said he believes that Marcus Lattimore will be an Auburn Tiger and called Big Cat Weekend an overall success.
• JUCO defensive end Ken Adams said that Auburn is still at the top of his list. He originally signed with the Tigers out of high school.
• Jeremy Richardson apparently had a great trip this weekend.  At the beginning of recruiting, he was named as one of, if not THE number one target for the coaches this year.
• Also, a lot is being made about this if you have not seen it yet.  Basically it is Lache Seastrunk saying into a camera that Nick Saban is "sh*t out of luck" with recruiting LaDarius Owens, followed by "What's up Nick Saban? Wait 'til we get here".
• More to come later today most likely regarding Big Cat Reactions.