Auburn Tigers

[hedge]

It would be better if his name was Grundy....

[bluetick]

I heard it was with Arkie?

Bret Bielema to Arky.

[hedge]

Bulemia??

[aTm]

Auburn hires Gus Malzahn

[bluetick]

Yep.

That was crazy...Patterson AU lock to Petrino AU lock to Gundy AU lock...within hrs

outta nowhere comes news that Malzahn is the man.

[DDAL]

I'm a man; I'm now 44!

[DDAL]

I like the Malzahn hire. He was the obvious choice from the beginning.

[Professor Tiger]

I'm happy with Malzahn. I would have had Smart or Jimbo ahead of him, but he's still a good hire. He is obviously an offensive guru. The question remains whether he can go from being a successful OC to a successful HC. Not everybody can do that. For example, Chizik was an excellent DC, but a miserable HC.

First, Malzahn needs to find a top notch DC. Next, he needs to hold the current recruiting class together. Our best recruits are all on defense, and a defensive head coach like Smart would have had a better chance at holding onto them. But oh well. Maybe he can get some great offensive players.

[GBJs]

Gene just needed more time. Didn't he have YEARS left on his contract???

[aTm]

I'd be surprised if Gundy leaves oSu and it looks like he wont this year. If he wanted a pay raise to jump to an SEC west school, he'd have taken the A&M job when it was offered last year.

[DDAL]

Rodney Garner finally said yes to Auburn. I hate it because we need him to help us close on the type of DL recruits we have grown accustomed to in Athens over the last 15 years. That is a huge hire for Auburn. I don't blame him though; Auburn really needs him.

[Professor Tiger]

I am REALLY excited about the Rodney Garner hire. Great to have him back home where he belongs. Lord knows we need help at D-line. There is plenty of raw talent at that position that has never been developed. Pretty much the same story at every position.

Maybe his addition will help us hold on to Dee Liner.

That Auburn-Georgia connection that has been going since the 50's, continues.

[hedge]

What about the Auburn-incest connection that has been going on since day one?

[Professor Tiger]

Shug was an assistant at UGA when he was hired at AU.
Vince Dooley played for AU and coached at UGA.
Pat Dye played for UGA and coached at AU.
Joel Eaves was an AU grad and Bball coach who became UGA's Athletic Director
Erk Russell was an AU grad, then became a legendary UGA Assistant
Jim Pyburn played for Auburn but assistant coached for Dooley at UGA.
Brian Van Gorder and Willie Martinez were both Defensive Coordinators at UGA before moving to AU
Hugh Hugh Nall played on Georgia's 1980 National Championship team and assistant coached at AU.
Will Muschamp played and coached at UGA then coached at AU.
Stacy Searles played for Auburn and coached for UGA.
Now Rodney Garner returning from UGA to AU where he was a star player.

[hedge]

That proves it...

[Professor Tiger]

I am concerned that Auburn commit Jeremy Johnson just got named "Mr. Football" by the Alabama Sportswriters Association today. This is a sure sign he just silently flipped to Alabama.

Saban was at Auburn High today, so there goes Foster too.

[AlabamAlum]

I thought Foster had de-committed long ago>

[Professor Tiger]

He's listed by Scout - the more reputable of the recruiting services - as a "soft verbal." He went soft when Trooper left. I assume his commitment to Auburn is hanging by a thread. I'll be pleasantly surprised if he signs with us.

You might be thinking of Dee Liner. He also went soft when Trooper left, but did not officially decommit from Auburn until a couple of days ago. He recently got downgraded from 5 to 4 stars, so I thought that meant he was staying with Auburn, or at least turned down Alabama, but I guess not.

To be honest, I can't really blame any great athlete for going with Alabama right now. They certainly present an enticing picture to a kid dreaming of the NC's and the NFL. Thank God the NCAA has schollie limits that even apply to Nick Saban.

[AlabamAlum]

Soft? I think when they come out say "I am considering other schools" it's hard to call them a 'commitment'.


Anyway, here is the article from last month, Perhaps it's wrong or he's re-committed since then:

Five-star linebacker Reuben Foster decommits from Auburn, considering Alabama again


http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012 ... en_fo.html

[AlabamAlum]

And re: Dee Liner. I hope he goes someplace other than Bama.