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

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Today's the big day for Breiden Fehoko.

The former Texas Tech defensive lineman has decided to transfer and is expected to announce his new commitment Monday.

Fehoko's finalists are Auburn, Georgia, LSU and Ole Miss. He took official visits to all four schools, wrapping things up last weekend in Athens, Ga.

"Really, I just needed to see how I fit in," Fehoko told 247Sports. "I did not need to see a recruiting spiel, I just wanted to see how I could make their program better and how they would help me reach my ultimate goal of making it to the NFL. I wanted to see how I would be developed - I played in the Big 12 and wanted to play in the SEC. This redshirt year will be big for me before the 2018 season so I just want to see how much development I would get as a player. That is really what factors my decision."

Auburn was the first school to host Fehoko for an official visit in March. He said he was "speechless" by what he saw on the Plains.

"First and foremost, I enjoyed the hospitality," he said at the time. "Second, I really enjoyed how everybody was really transparent and just real honest about seeing me play here and how they can better my skill set and how they develop me as a football player. ... I asked a dozen questions, and coach (Rodney) Garner having the track record he has makes it a lot easier."

Fehoko will be forced to sit out the 2017 season due to the NCAA transfer policy and will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

As a freshman and sophomore at Texas Tech, he started all 25 games for Red Raiders and had 38 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and two sacks.

At Farrington High School in Honolulu, Hawaii, Fehoko was ranked as a four-star prospect and the nation's No. 50 overall recruit in the 2015 recruiting class by the 247Sports Composite.

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Fehoko to LSU

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Back when he was an assistant at Missouri, Greg Brown got to know a defensive back from Tampa Jesuit (Fla.). The player’s name: Kendrick Torain.

Last week, the two got reacquainted. It started with a phone call. Then, a couple days later, Auburn, where Brown is now secondary coach, offered.

“I think Coach Brown is a good coach,” Torain said. “He knows what he is talking about. Before he was at Auburn, he was at Missouri. I was already on his radar.”

Torain is unrated by 247Sports at this time, but claims 20-plus offers. He recently visited Georgia.

Although he has no official leaders, when asked which teams stood out Torain replied, “Georgia, Auburn, Tennessee and North Carolina.” He holds offers from each.

Most schools likely are intrigued by Torain’s size. He’s 6-feet-2, 200 pounds and can play corner or safety. Auburn “probably” wants him at safety, but Torain prefers corner because “I’ve just been playing it my whole life.”

“Coach Brown said he liked the way I played,” Torain said. “He likes that I’m a long defensive back with a big frame.”

Torain had four interceptions in 2017 for a Jesuit team that reached the state semifinals.

For now, Torain has “medium” interest in Auburn.

“It’s a big program,” he said. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about them. I’ll know more when I go up there. I’m trying to visit. I’m not sure exactly when the date will be, but I know I’m going up there soon.”

Also, Torain expects Brown to visit him soon. Jesuit begins spring practice April 24.

As for a commitment timetable, Torain said it’s 50-50 he could do something before his senior season begins.

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Tim Horton never gets tired of his job. There's an element to it, even after nearly three decades, that he has come to appreciate.

For college coaches, the annual calendar is cyclical, and it helps keep job duties fresh throughout the year and devoid of monotony.

"The one great thing about our job is about the time you get tired of spring practice, you go spring recruiting," Horton said last month. "About the time you get tired of spring recruiting, you go into the camp season. About the time you're sick of camp, you go to vacation. Then vacation you go to fall camp and then you go to the season."

It's a series of routines, and the seasonal shifts in focus are part of what Horton -- a 28-year coaching veteran -- said keeps the job fun after all this time.

With spring practice now wrapped up for Auburn, and the NCAA evaluation period underway, it's again time for the Tigers' coaching staff to shift their focus toward offseason recruiting -- and plenty of time on the road.

"Your favorite recruiting trip stories are when you get the fish," Horton said. "It's like you go fishing and you go to special spot and it's a special spot because you caught that big bass there. For me, just being able to get that guy, when he tells you, 'Coach, I'm coming,' that's the best kind."

With so many recruits often making their commitments while on campus or on National Signing Day, however, those "big bass" moments are more rare -- leaving coaches with plenty of room for other memories during these road trips that they have come to embrace.

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