Phillips Leaves and Other Notes

Sorry I have not been updating very often lately.

• Rivals is reporting that offensive lineman Aubrey Phillips has left the team and Auburn. He suffered a heat related illness.
• They are also reporting that Philip Pierre-Louis could see action at receiver this weekend.
• Auburn worked indoors today due to large amounts of rainfall.
• Auburn seems to be preparing for Randall Cobb to contribute greatly for Kentucky this weekend. He started the last four games at quarterback of the season last year.
• There are still tickets available for Saturday night's game.
• Auburn Undercover is reporting that visitors this weekend include Ed Christian (official), Michael Thornton, C.J. Mosley and 2011 defensive end LaMichael Fanning. Numerous current commitments will also be visiting.

Notes

• Trooper Taylor says to expect to see DeAngelo Benton, Emory Blake, Travante Stallworth and Anthony Gulley all to see action.
• Tracy Rocker plans to rotate a ton of defensive linemen. We could see up to nine.
• Darvin Adams is not a sure thing to play Saturday. He has been hindered by an off and on ankle injury. More to come on this...
• During today's practice, Aubrey Phillips was at study hall.

Practice Notes

• Practice was in full pads.
• Dee Ford is back at defensive line.
• Philip Pierre-Louis cannot participate in full contact until later this week due to NCAA rules.
• Chizik said the Tigers could have a third scrimmage this Saturday.
• Daren Bates did indeed work with the first team opposite of Zac Etheridge.
• Aubrey Phillips is rehabbing but Chizik is confident Phillips will play.
• Tyrik Rollison will continue to get a ton of reps with the second team.
• Eltoro Freeman missed practice due to a hamstring injury.
• Spencer Pybus is out with a concussion.

Small A. Phillips Update

Aubrey Phillips is still undergoing medical testing and has not been cleared to practice yet. He was at Fan Day today signing autographs. He is expected to be cleared but it is unknown how long it will be.

More From Practice

• Vance Smith has moved from right tackle to left tackle.
• Chizik says Mike McNeil has made great progress but is not sure of a return timeframe. He is day to day.
• The team will practice in full pads in one of tomorrow's practices and scrimmage in Jordan Hare on Tuesday.
• Zach Clayton is working at defensive tackle and defensive end.
• Aubrey Phillips did make it to practice today but did not participate.
• Montez Billings says he is not sure if he will be back for the LA Tech game. He says the academic issue that held him out of spring is ongoing even though he got his degree this summer.

Early Sunday Practice Notes

• DeAngelo Benton was dressed out and practicing. He did not have a brace on.
• Aubrey Phillips was not at practice again.
• Practice was in shells again today and practice again was not split.
• Phillip Lutzenkirchen was doing some snapping in special teams.
• T'Sharvan Bell, Adam Herring and Rudy Odom were all on bikes today.
• Wes Byrum was 7-7 on field goals. He was the only kicker kicking.

Early Practice Notes

• All five quarterbacks are practicing on the same field together (Caudle, Burns, Todd, Rollison and Moseley).
• Practice is completely shut off to media today.
• Aubrey Phillips missed practice due to a non-football related issue. He is "undergoing tests". He also missed yesterday. Phillips is "out indefinitely".
• The practice was not split up at all. Chizik says this could differ from practice to practice.
• Practice was better than yesterday's practice according to Chizik.
• DeAngelo Benton missed practice with a hand injury but is fine.
• Clint Moseley believes he will redshirt this season.

Thursday Wrap-Up

• Auburn does not appear interested in transfer DE Sidell Corley.
• Practice has been split into two groups. The first group seems to have the more experienced and more likely to play players. Demond Washington and Nosa Eguae have impressed and moved to the first group. Other newcomers in the first group include Emory Blake, Philip Lutzenkirchen and DeAngelo Benton.
• Travante Stallworth and Anthony Gulley were taking reps at receiver.
• Aubrey Phillips has been taking reps at left tackle.
• Lutzenkirchen has moved to the number 5 position after playing the number 3. He is now behind Tommy Trott. Gabe McKenzie is playing the number 3 behind Mario Fannin.
• DeAngelo Benton got reps with the first and second group today.
• Mike McNeil was dressed out but not participating in drills. He did not appear to have a limp.

More On Phillips

• Phillips says he is currently 326 lbs.
• He did show up at Florida State around 340 lbs.
• Coach Rick Trickett reportedly picked on Phillips constantly.
• Trickett belitted Phillips and told him he was not a lineman anymore but was only still on the team because of his Letter of Intent.
• Phillips says he is confident he will be eligible to play this season.

Phillips Ends Up At Auburn After All

Auburn entered the battle for Aubrey Phillips late in the game last season. Phillips ended up at Florida State after taking his last official visit to Auburn. But after reportedly showing up to FSU at around 340 pounds, Phillips has gone back to his Mississippi home and has decided he will play football at Auburn after a visit Sunday.

The All-American offensive tackle is a big pickup for an Auburn line that is thin. Phillips was ranked the 25th best OT by Rivals and given a four star rating and rated a 75/100 on ESPN.com. Phillips was high school teammates with 2009 signee Daren Bates, big time 2010 lineman prospect Damien Robinson and 2010 commitment Shon Coleman in Olive Branch, MS.

Phillips originally was committed to Tennessee, ended up at FSU but now has picked Auburn over Alabama and Arkansas.

He will have to sit out a year as a transfer but Auburn can file a waiver to try and make him eligible this season.

Offensive Line Help On The Way?

Auburn lost out on Aubrey Phillips a few days before signing day. Now we may have him after all. Rumors swirled that Phillips showed up to FSU overweight. He now has been released from his scholarship. He visited Auburn today and may stay overnight. He says he will decide tomorrow whether he will go to Auburn, Alabama or Arkansas.

Phillips

Now according to Rivals, Aubrey Phillips has really committed to Florida State. Since there are all kinds of rumors floating around, I will leave it at that. Still, Daren Bates did tell me personally that Phillips did not commit to Florida State tonight so I will wait until an official announcement before I post anything else regarding Phillips.

Update On The Phillips Story

I just talked to Daren Bates myself. He told me that Phillips committing to FSU at halftime is a lie. He said they were in the locker room at halftime.

Phillips: Committed to FSU? Bates Says He Isn't

Warchant.com is reporting that four star offensive lineman Aubrey Phillips committed to Florida State at halftime of his basketball game tonight. Auburn commitment Daren Bates, who is also on the team, says that he was with Phillips the entire halftime and talked to him after the game and Phillips never made any announcement. More to come.

When and Where? UPDATED

With National Signing Day quickly approaching, here is when all Auburn prospects are announcing, where they are looking and what the likelihood of them picking Auburn is:

Dontae Aycock- Will announce on signing day between Auburn and Georgia Tech; 75%

Emory Blake- Will announce on signing day between Auburn and Texas Tech; 50%

DeQuinta Jones- Will announce on signing day between Auburn, Tennessee and current commitment Michigan; 35%

David Oku- Will announce sometime after signing day between Auburn, Syracuse and former commitment Tennessee; 60%

Aubrey Phillips- Will announce at 8 a.m. on signing day between Auburn, FSU and current commitment Tennessee; 70%

Johnnie Farms- Will sign with North Carolina

Tana Patrick- Will announce at 10 a.m. on signing day between Auburn, Alabama, Miami and USC; 30%

Corey Gaines- Will sign with Ole Miss

Greg King- Will announce on signing day at noon between Auburn and Tennessee; 30%

Tracy Moore- Will sign with Oklahoma State

Robert Cooper- Will announce tomorrow between grayshirt at Auburn and UAB; 75%

If Taikwon Paige or Michael Eargle receive offers, expect either to sign with Auburn. Charlie Knipper will likely walk on.

Recruiting News

Here are some tidbits:

Running back David Oku will take his recruitment past signing day and will decide between Auburn and Tennessee. Oku was seen at the Auburn vs. Vanderbilt basketball game holding a sign that read Running Back U and reportedly was very impressed this weekend.

Two surprise visitors showed up this weekend. Four star running back Dontae Aycock out of Tampa visited this weekend. Joining him was three star tight end and Oklahoma State commitment Tracy Moore.

Taikwon Paige did not receive an offer this weekend but could receive one at any time.

Aubrey Phillips will no longer sign with Tennessee as I had previously reported. After his official visit this weekend, it is down to Auburn and Arkansas.

A final decision can be expected Wednesday for Johnnie Farms. The four star lineman is currently committed to UNC.

Charlie Knipper was offered to walk on and Michael Eargle left without an offer but could see one come today. Eargle and Paige could be competing for an offer.

Greg King has narrowed his choices to Auburn and Tennessee. A decision can be expected on signing day.

Predictions

On Sports Call, Bryan Matthews from Rivals listed which players out of this weekend he believed we had a good chance to get:

Aubrey Phillips- He feels very good about Phillips, as do I
Mike Eargle or Taikwon Paige- One of these two will probably end up here
Johnnie Farms- If he does indeed visit, Matthews feels very good about Farms
David Oku- He feels pretty good about Oku

Aubrey Phillips Update

I will not reveal my source right now but someone close to the Aubrey Phillips situation said that Phillips is "falling away" from Tennessee. Whether this has truth to it, time will only tell. I just tell you what I hear.

Official Vistors for This Weekend (1/30/09)

This is by far the biggest weekend in Auburn recruiting, the following prospects are expected to attend (Stars via Rivals):

***** Rueben Randle WR (Bastrop, LA) *LSU is team to beat
**** Jamontay Pilson DT (Greenville, AL) Committed to Auburn
**** David Oku RB (Midwest City, OK) Committed to Tennessee
**** Aubrey Phillips OT (Olive Branch, MS) Committed to Tennesse
**** Taikown Paige DB (Georgia Military College) *No offer yet
**** Corey Gaines DT (Tallahassee, FL) *Arkansas is team to beat
*** Clint Moseley QB (Leroy, AL) Committed to Auburn
*** Greg King LB (Memphis, TN)
*** DeDe Lattimore LB (Athens, GA) *Reportedly commited to USF
** Daren Bates DB (Olive Branch, MS) Committed to Arkansas State

Quickees

• Four star wide receiver Emory Blake will announce on Signing Day, was visited last night by Chizik, Rocker and Malzahn
• Two star defensive back Darren Bates was offered, and will visit this weekend with teammate, big offensive lineman, Aubrey Phillips
• Auburn offered big time 2010 running back Storm Johnson today