Link: Recruiting Update (4/20)

[Crimson Surfer]

The link below is from a South Carolina perspective but it has some good info on Bama prospects.

GoGameCocks.com: Recruiting Update

Offensive lineman Eric Mack (6-4, 310) of Calhoun County attended Alabama’s spring game Saturday and plans to spend one of his official visits on the Crimson Tide. Mack also attended USC’s spring game and has made recent visits to Clemson, Auburn and Georgia Tech.

Manning defensive back John Fulton (6-0, 180) recently visited Florida and says the Gators are very serious about him. He also has offers from USC, Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Maryland, N.C. State and Tennessee. Fulton planned to visit Tennessee this past weekend. He has Georgia, Alabama and Florida on his favorites list.

 

[BigEasyTider]

The Auburn / Lattimore stuff is pretty interesting.

I honestly doubt he ends up there, but they do have a decent chance, and I've said for a while now that Lattimore is a bit of an odd read. There is no powerful in-state school, he doesn't fit in at Florida, and Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas have all loaded up on stud tailbacks, so he isn't going to any of those schools, IMO.

I still think he ends up at FSU if their offense shows any signs of life this Fall, but again, he's an odd prospect in a sense, and anything is possible with him.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

The Auburn / Lattimore stuff is pretty interesting.

I honestly doubt he ends up there, but they do have a decent chance, and I've said for a while now that Lattimore is a bit of an odd read. There is no powerful in-state school, he doesn't fit in at Florida, and Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas have all loaded up on stud tailbacks, so he isn't going to any of those schools, IMO.

I still think he ends up at FSU if their offense shows any signs of life this Fall, but again, he's an odd prospect in a sense, and anything is possible with him.

Actually it is very strange and kinda scary that Lattimore, Seastrunk, and Dyer all three are listing AU at or near the top of their lists. Apparently the down home family approach and Malzahn are working out for them. Hopefully none of those three RBs end up at the barn but right now they are considering them.

 

[BigEasyTider]

Actually it is very strange and kinda scary that Lattimore, Seastrunk, and Dyer all three are listing AU at or near the top of their lists. Apparently the down home family approach and Malzahn are working out for them. Hopefully none of those three RBs end up at the barn but right now they are considering them.

Ah, I'm not too worried about it.

Seastrunk is realistically a three-way battle between LSU, Texas, and USC, while Dyer is an Arkansas lock. Neither of those two kids will end up at Auburn, regardless of what they may say now, and even with Lattimore the odds are definitely against it.

Don't get me wrong, I actually think Chizik and company are doing a pretty good job on the recruiting trails. They are active, high energy recruiters, and they are doing pretty dang well. Moreover, they can sell immediate playing time to any prospect they come across.

Still, though, it's a huge gap to go from being near the top for someone and then actually getting them to sign a LOI with your school's name at the top. Just look at Shula... how many five-stars did we finish in the final three for? I can think of probably seven or eight off the top of my head. Ultimately, though, close doesn't count.

The other problem AU has right now is that if they struggle in 2009 like most expect, that will greatly curtail their chances on the recruiting trail, especially if Chizik moves immediately to the hot seat like many expect.

 

[BigEasyTider]

A couple of more points on that front...

I find it funny that Chizik / Malzahn is selling Seastrunk and Lattimore on the notion of turning them into the next McFadden / Jones combo like Malzahn had at Arkansas. That's funny because Malzahn recruited neither, and McFadden established himself as a stud while Malzahn was still a high school coach. Furthermore, Malzahn tried to move the Hogs to a wide open passing attack which would have limited McFadden / Jones' role in the offense, and then left after Nutt wouldn't allow him to do it. To think that Malzahn is now trying to sell stud recruits in the notion that he was the brainpower behind those two is laughably absurd at worst, and ridiculously revisionist history at best. And it also shows that Seatruck and Lattimore have no clue as to what was really going on in Fayetteville at the time, aside from what the Auburn people have told them. It's just amazing sometimes how ill-informed and unaware some recruits can be.

Second, I'll also point out that regardless of what stud tailback Auburn may or may not sign, it's not going to do them a whole lot of good until they make some serious upgrades to the quarterback position and the offensive line. You are never going to have a good running game with a below average offensive line and struggles at the quarterback position, regardless of how good your tailbacks might be.

 

[kausman]

A couple of more points on that front...

I find it funny that Chizik / Malzahn is selling Seastrunk and Lattimore on the notion of turning them into the next McFadden / Jones combo like Malzahn had at Arkansas. That's funny because Malzahn recruited neither, and McFadden established himself as a stud while Malzahn was still a high school coach. Furthermore, Malzahn tried to move the Hogs to a wide open passing attack which would have limited McFadden / Jones' role in the offense, and then left after Nutt wouldn't allow him to do it. To think that Malzahn is now trying to sell stud recruits in the notion that he was the brainpower behind those two is laughably absurd at worst, and ridiculously revisionist history at best. And it also shows that Seatruck and Lattimore have no clue as to what was really going on in Fayetteville at the time, aside from what the Auburn people have told them. It's just amazing sometimes how ill-informed and unaware some recruits can be.

Second, I'll also point out that regardless of what stud tailback Auburn may or may not sign, it's not going to do them a whole lot of good until they make some serious upgrades to the quarterback position and the offensive line. You are never going to have a good running game with a below average offensive line and struggles at the quarterback position, regardless of how good your tailbacks might be.

They should also know that Malzahn was effectively fired by Nutt during half time of the Bama game because Mitch Mustain was throwing to our DB's, instead of handing the ball off to McFadden/Jones combo...

 

[Crimson Surfer]

A couple of more points on that front...

I find it funny that Chizik / Malzahn is selling Seastrunk and Lattimore on the notion of turning them into the next McFadden / Jones combo like Malzahn had at Arkansas. That's funny because Malzahn recruited neither, and McFadden established himself as a stud while Malzahn was still a high school coach. Furthermore, Malzahn tried to move the Hogs to a wide open passing attack which would have limited McFadden / Jones' role in the offense, and then left after Nutt wouldn't allow him to do it. To think that Malzahn is now trying to sell stud recruits in the notion that he was the brainpower behind those two is laughably absurd at worst, and ridiculously revisionist history at best. And it also shows that Seatruck and Lattimore have no clue as to what was really going on in Fayetteville at the time, aside from what the Auburn people have told them. It's just amazing sometimes how ill-informed and unaware some recruits can be.

Second, I'll also point out that regardless of what stud tailback Auburn may or may not sign, it's not going to do them a whole lot of good until they make some serious upgrades to the quarterback position and the offensive line. You are never going to have a good running game with a below average offensive line and struggles at the quarterback position, regardless of how good your tailbacks might be.

I agree with you about Malzahn's offense at Arkansas and especially about the barn QB but Malzahn has promised a run first offense at the barn and so far he is delivering. Now how much of that is a bad barn defense remains to be seen but apparently his offensive philosphy seems to have a changed a bit under Chizik.

At Auburn, new run-oriented offense is off to a running start

Saturday, Auburn showed a small taste of what to expect in the fall. All spring, Malzahn has talked about run first and the spring game was no different.

The running backs shined Saturday. The Tigers ran for 280 yards, averaging 9.7 yards per carry. As encouraging as that was, in the fall, they'll likely go only as far as the Auburn starting quarterback takes them.

 

[BAMAHD]

Second, I'll also point out that regardless of what stud tailback Auburn may or may not sign, it's not going to do them a whole lot of good until they make some serious upgrades to the quarterback position and the offensive line. You are never going to have a good running game with a below average offensive line and struggles at the quarterback position, regardless of how good your tailbacks might be.

Bingo! With nine O-linemen on scholarship who in their right mind would want to be a running back at au right now and get abused every weekend?
The good news for us is that things are going to get worse before it gets better at au. Bottom line is the only way any of these guys sign with au and a 5-19 coach is that the good ole boys are making the rounds again.

 

[BAMAHD]

Crimson Surfer, The Tigers ran for 280 yards, averaging 9.7 yards per carry??? Those kind of stats for a new offense in a spring game that should be dominated by the defense is laughable. Don't suprised now that tubs is gone to see the paper tigers get bulldozed this year.

 

[BigEasyTider]

Crimson Surfer, The Tigers ran for 280 yards, averaging 9.7 yards per carry??? Those kind of stats for a new offense in a spring game that should be dominated by the defense is laughable. Don't suprised now that tubs is gone to see the paper tigers get bulldozed this year.

I DVR'd their scrimmage here at the house, and I can attest that it was more blown defensive assignments than anything else. Ben Tate had nearly a 50 yard touchdown run where he did not even come close to getting touched, and one reverse alone went for about 80 yards. McCaleb had one long run for about 70-80 yards too. They racked up 200 rushing yards on those three attempts alone, and not a single finger was ever laid on them.

If I sound like a homer, so be it, but it had more to do with terrible defensive play than it had to do with a sound rushing attack.

 

[GrandBayTider]

Don't forget AU ran thier first team offense against their second team defense. Not saying their second team defense is terrible but they aren't known for thier depth.

 

[lincoln_osiris]

From what I have seen of the qbs at auburn,I would have a run first offense too.

 

[HITIDE]

Don't forget AU ran thier first team offense against their second team defense. Not saying their second team defense is terrible but they aren't known for thier depth.

They were calling it the first team offense against the second team defense but a lot of the aubies are saying that didn't happen very much. All the big runs and scoring came against third/fourth teamers and a bunch of walkons.
One walkon DB was supposedly responsible for giving up 4 TDs, including the 2 long runs.
'Long about Sept and Oct those 3 RB's are gonna have a much different opinion of the war tiggers.

 

[CapstoneGrad06]

I really like Eric Mack, but where does he fit into our plans in this class? Rivals lists him as an OT, but he seems like a better fit at guard. However, I'm not sure we'll add any more guards in this class.