re: 2018 Football Recruiting Thread -- Final OP Update Edition

We used to have a pipeline to Olive Branch MS, Brentwood TN, and St Aquians. Those three are the ones I had in mind. And a few schools in Miami.

Because you're wrong

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I was just looking at the state of Florida recruits, and we basically have zero presence there. We used to pull some great talent out of the state.

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Not sure about that.... Under Malzahn FL has always been one of our 3 top states we pull talent out from

2013 (4) - 4* Tony Stevens, 3* Dominick Walker, 3* Mackenro Alexander, 3* Marcus Davis
2014 (2) - 4* Sean White, 3* Raashed Kennion
2015 (8) - 5* Byron Cowart, 4* Jeff Holland, 4* Ryan Davis, 4* Tim Irvin, 4* Javaris Davis, 4* Chandler Cox, 4* Carlton Davis, 3* Jeremiah Dinson
2016 (7) - 4* Nate Craig-Myers, 4* Eli Stove, 4* Woody Barrett, 3* Jayvaughn Myers, 3* Marquis McClain, 3* Tashawn Manning, 3* Daquan Newkirk
2017 (4) - 5* Calvin Ashley (originally from FL moved to DC senior year), 4* Nick Brahms, 4* Devan Barrett, 3* Traivon Leonard
2018 (3) - 4* Joey Gatewood, 3* Shaun Shivers, 3* Jamien Sherwood


FL is our #3 state really when it comes to recruiting which isn't that much of a change from AU's past. Obviously when we had Muschamp/T-Rob on staff we had better fortune down there because of their time at UF but AU still has a presence down there. Specifically in Jacksonville. AU could end up with five guys from FL if we get Schwartz & Oladele, throw in fact Newkirk is originally from FL & that's 6.

Our main recruiting issue is lack of big wins & questions marks around coaching staff

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Our recruiting base has been shrinking for the better part of a decade.

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In some ways, yes I would agree. AU has really honed in on AL/GA/FL under Malzahn. However, those states produce plenty of talent that it isn't a bad strategy

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We have abandoned the state of Mississippi.

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Some of that has been the poor talent coming out of there recently. We have gone after a few guys like CJ Avery, Cam Akers (never gave us time of day), D.D. Bowie, Javon Patterson

But I mean overall that state isn't putting out much. Here's how many 4/5* under Malzahn's watch they have produced

2018 - 4* (1)
2017 - 5* (1) 4* (6)
2016 - 5* (2) 4* (6)
2015 - 4* (7)
2014 - 4* (8)
2013 - 5* (2) 4* (3)

Now compare that to AL in same timeframe

2018 - 4* (10)
2017 - 5* (1) 4* (15)
2016 - 5* (2) 4* (6)
2015 - 5* (1) 4* (11)
2014 - 5* (4) 4* (7)
2013 - 5* (2) 4* (11)

As you can see AL consistently produces more talent & it's #3 of our top 3 states in talent. We have gone after the few MS guys worth anything but haven't been able to pull them out. The truth is MS really isn't worth too much effort. If there a guy you like go after them but overall not really a state that is pumping out a ton of talent

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No longer recruit in tennessee

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Tennessee has never been a huge hotbed for AU recruiting but I will agree that it doesn't seem like we have much of a presence there anymore. This cycle we have gone after a few guys like Master Teague & Brendon Harris that we just didn't get.

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Amd our presents in florida is diappearing

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That's just wrong like I posted above. We still very much have a presence in Florida

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I've been pointing this out for a while, but no one listens.

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You say a lot of things, a lot of them are not worth listening too...

KN has two notes on AU targets

- 4* Richard Jibunor told KN plans on having a decision sometime in November. KN continues to think AU is in a good spot. With the coaching turnover at UF & the expected turnover at TEN, looks like AU in driver's seat. Jibunor won't be an EE but plans to sign early in December

- 3* DE Andres Fox plans to be at AU/UGA game

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On queue, Gus said in his presser today they focus in AL, GA, and FL for recruiting

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As we should.

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Home state and 2 of the the most fertile recruiting grounds in the country, at least we are using common sense there

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Ya there's plenty to knock Gus for but I am baffled by the recruiting grounds argument some appear to be making. Obviously you would love to recruit who you want from wherever you want but that's often not the case. AL/GA/FL produce a ridiculous amount of talent every season & if AU can get the guys they want from there we will be fine

If ppl wanna say we aren't getting enough of the guys we want from those 3 states then I think that's a very valid criticism. But WHERE we are getting guys seems like a weird complaint

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Just to be clear, I am not knocking him. I just made the observation that we aren’t pulling guys from areas we typically do. No implying that is good or bad.

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Fair enough

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And AU reporters must troll our board because they basically asked the question this morning.

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Thought same thing



247 board is on fire right now because that Niziolek dude wrote an article where he interviewed Kam Martin's dad who, shockingly, wants Kam to play more. It's amazing how bad AU beat is

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I'd have liked to see Kam playing more too.

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Don't disagree but seems kinda dumb for AU beat writer to ask father of a player if he thinks his son should be playing more. Pretty obvious the response you are going to get