re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition

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Andres Fox makes interesting comment about Auburn

Let’s clear up some of the confusion around Andres Fox’s recruitment.

The 3-star defensive lineman from Mobile Christian (Ala.) made an interesting claim when he left the Auburn-Ole Miss game. He accepted the term silent commitment to describe his recruitment. Fox didn’t want to reveal that school of choice, or really dive deep into that side of the conversation, but he wanted it out there that he knew where he was leaning.

Earlier this week, Fox stepped off that slightly, but still gave SEC Country the impression he knows what school he’s most likely to end up attending.

“I know where I want to go. It’s probably them and one more school. That’s probably it,” Fox said. “I’m not like silently committed to them, but I told them that I’m going to come. I haven’t told them that I am committed. Just to go ahead and get me one [of those spots]. So I know where I want to go. Not necessarily save my spot. Time is running out, so I need to pick one and have a backup.”

That doesn’t eliminate the confusion, of course.

Several questions linger about the school of choice. What’s clear, however, is Fox feels confident in his decision — whatever decision that may be. You may ask, “Why wait?” but that has to do with Fox’s dream to have a National Signing Day hat ceremony. It may be a formality at that time, but it’s always a memory Fox has wanted.

Officially, it’s down to Auburn, Alabama, LSU and Stanford. Here’s how Fox describes the two that have a chance.

“They’re just a great place to come in [looking at] the depth chart and the roster. They’re both a great place to play,” Fox said.

He added two important pieces to the decision-making process. Fox said he’s pretty confident in his No. 1 choice and said he’s “been working with them for a long time now.” He also indicated it’s “probably where I’m needed the most.”

You can make strong arguments for all of the programs regarding the needed-for-most category. Alabama is as thin as it’s been at the position. LSU and Stanford have both indicated Fox could come in and start Day 1. Auburn will has depth issues when the contingent of Marlon Davidson, Derrick Brown, Nick Coe and others bolt for the NFL a year down the line.

But when it comes to the time frame Fox has been “working with them,” no one comes close to Auburn. Kevin Steele and Rodney Garner have laid out a plan for Fox from the beginning, which started in December before most of the other programs began regular communication.

Strangely, however, as Fox described his contact with the schools involved, he said Auburn had backed off a little.

“They kind of have backed up a little bit [in recruiting effort]. It’s probably Alabama at the top now [recruiting the hardest]. Alabama and Stanford. Auburn is probably the lowest now,” Fox said. “They haven’t been talking to me much. I don’t know. They text me every once in a while, but it’s weird. It’ll just be like a one text thing. Coach Garner said he’s coming to my game tomorrow, so I think it’ll pick back up with them. … They’ve already made their message to me. They’ve been recruiting me for like a year. They just want me to come in and play and be like Marlon Davidson.”

Before Auburn fans hit the panic button, my confidence that Fox ultimately picks Auburn hasn’t wavered. The Tigers want Fox, and my sources have indicated they still feel like they’re in a good spot to land Fox when he turns his decision public. But it’s certainly not a guarantee.

Alabama, as my colleague Chris Kirschner has written about, also has a sense of confidence with Fox who grew up in a Crimson Tide household. According to Fox, Alabama is recruiting him the hardest right now, so that indicates the desperation the Crimson Tide feel after missing on Coynis Miller and Bobby Brown to other SEC programs.

Fox knows he has official visits set in December to Alabama and LSU after the SEC Championship game. He’ll go to Stanford in January most likely. Fox knows he’ll take an official visit to Auburn, but he doesn’t have a timeframe on that set yet.

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Jaylen Waddle

The skinny: Waddle has announced a top six and has already taken official visits to Florida State and TCU. He has another scheduled to Alabama this weekend, and will choose among Oregon, Texas and Texas A&M for his final two. Meanwhile, he’s yet to announce when he plans on making his commitment.

The favorite: Alabama

Things have seemingly been trending in a positive direction for the Tide over the past few months in regards to Waddle, and of the teams seriously thought to be in the running for him, Alabama seems to offer the best combination of success and stability. This weekend looms large to really put some distance between the Tide and the other teams in the running for Waddle, who has seen some rumors swirl around the future of some of the coaches at the other schools he’s considering as of late.

The other option: Texas A&M

Had A&M beat Mississippi State last weekend and helped head coach Kevin Sumlinfurther quell the questions about his future in College Station, the Aggies would have had a much stronger case. Now with the seat warming up again and a tough matchup this week against Auburn, things could get even worse if the Aggies don’t find a way to win. If all things were equal, Texas A&M would have had as good a chance as any to reel Waddle in, but the uncertainty with the staff at this point makes it an uneasy option.

But don’t count out: Texas

In some ways, this is an even further longshot, as the Longhorns have reportedly extended offers to a few other receivers as the fall has progressed. Much of the conversation around Texas in relation to Waddle was tied to the commitment of Rondale Moore, who essentially holds Waddle’s theoretical place in the class. Waddle is a significantly better option than Moore, but the fact that the Longhorns he's remained in Texas' class hasn't helped to lure in the Rivals100 prospect at this point.

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Coming off of a stellar senior season and with the uncertainty facing the coaching staff in Knoxville, it's not a surprise that some of the nation's top programs are coming after Rivals250 Manchester (Tenn.) Coffee County and Tennessee wide receiver commit Alontae Taylor. Last month he added offers from Notre Dame and Ohio State but even he was shocked when Alabama assistant coach Derrick Ansley officially extended an offer from the Tide on Friday.

"Dream school," Taylor said in reference to the offer. "They are going to get an official visit for sure."

After visiting Notre Dame last weekend, Taylor had recently shuffled his deck to include official visits to Georgia (Nov. 18) and Wake Forest (Dec. 2). He said he's unsure which weekend he will visit Tuscaloosa but that will be sorted out soon.

"I'm looking to visit sometime in December but the date is undecided," Taylor said. "But before I sign on December 22."

Despite being a longtime Tennessee commit, Taylor said he grew up admiring the Tide from afar.

"Growing up I thought I would be a baseball player my Little League baseball coach was a big Alabama fan," Taylor said. "He showed me some things with Alabama and I started to watch them play and I said one day I'll play for them. They were my childhood dream school."

Taylor, who plays primarily quarterback for his high school team but is committed to the Vols to play wide receiver said Alabama is recruiting him to play safety. Notre Dame is also pursuing Taylor as a defensive player. He said regardless of where he could potentially play for the Tide, the offer holds a lot of weight.

"This offer means a lot to me because like I said dream school but if you see the talent 'Bama brings in every year you have to be elite," Taylor said. "Just the fact that 'Bama offered me means a lot. I'm very thankful and shocked."

Taylor will be back in Knoxville this weekend for the Vols game against Southern Miss. He's set to enroll early and will announce his final decision during the early signing period window (Dec. 20-22).

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Apparently Armoni Goodwin from Florence, who will be the best RB in the country in the class of 2021, ran for 395 yards and 4 TDs tonight. As a freshman.

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Hewitt-Trussville completed its second consecutive undefeated regular season with a 45-35 victory over visiting Florence.

But the Falcons (5-5, 4-3) didn’t make it easy.

The two teams combined for 80 points on 1,069 yards in a game that took nearly three hours to complete. Florence running back Armoni Goodwin rolled up a whopping 393 yards on 35 carries with two 85-yard touchdown runs, a 75-yard touchdown run and a 6-yard score.

But the Class 7A No. 3 Huskies (10-0, 7-0) had plenty of their own offensive firepower to answer. Quarterback Paul Tyson completed 21 of 29 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns, and senior running back Elliott McElwain added 135 yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns on the ground and another 133 yards on nine catches and a touchdown receiving.

Cameron Bledsoe rushed for 89 yards on 15 carries with a touchdown run and Dazalin Worsham had 105 yards on 6 catches with two touchdowns.

There was no shortage of offense.

Florence struck first on the 75-yard Goodwin touchdown run with 9:10 remaining in the first quarter, and the Falcons managed to hold a 14-7 lead after the first. The Huskies didn’t secure their first lead of the game until Parker Colburnconnected on a 35-yard field goal as time expired in the first half. 

The two teams continued trading scores until McElwain got two in a row -- the second of which was an 8-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter. Worsham sealed the victory with a 67-yard touchdown grab with 11:06 remaining in the game. 

Play of the game: Worsham’s 67-yard touchdown catch was more significant, but Goodwin’s touchdown runs of 75, 85 and 85 yards were jaw-dropping. Not often do spectators see one player tally 245 yards and three touchdowns on three runs.

They said it: "It was a good night, but getting a win is the most important thing that happened tonight.” -- Elliott McElwain on his 268 total offensive yards and three touchdowns.

Coach speak: “Spain Park will be well coached and disciplined. The two times that we’ve met up with them, it’s been a dogfight. That’s the reward we get for finishing the season 10-0: (a great team like) Spain Park.” -- Hewitt-Trussville head coach Josh Floyd

Next week: Hewitt-Trussville hosts Spain Park and Florence travels to Pinson Valley in the first round of the AHSAA playoffs.

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The house I bought has an in ground pool so if anyone wants to come to a pool party once the weather heats back up you're invited.

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