Jay Bee
01-20-2006, 08:23 AM
http://www.al.com/sports/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/sports
/1137752666193590.xml&coll=2
Lineman Ricks decides he'll play for Tigers
Friday, January 20, 2006
AUBURN -- Tommy Tuberville has coached a little football and
made a lot of recruiting calls from Hawaii this week, but it
was his assistants on the mainland who brought home a prized
prospect Thursday night.
Colbert County High School defensive lineman Jemarcus Ricks
chose the Tigers over Alabama after a visit by assistants Don
Dunn and Terry Price to end three days of inactivity on the
Auburn recruiting board.
It might still be wise to give Tuberville an assist, though,
for calling from the tropics is always nice. The casual
passerby should also note that Ricks' brother is a linebacker
at Auburn.
Tuberville used both to his advantage with Ricks; and has been
working the phones with the 15-or-so other players remaining
on the big board from his base in Honolulu where he will be
coaching in the Hula Bowl on Saturday. Not a bad sales pitch.
There is no urgency to finish up recruiting in the coming
days, but there is a sense the Tigers want to make their final
push sooner than later. They have concluded some players are
wearing down from the daily bombardment of schools, media and
recruiting analysts.
Tuberville's tropical adventure will officially end when he
arrives home Sunday. His assistants will have him working
overtime with in-home visits after that.
Auburn is hoping to sign about half of the 15 players it is
still actively recruiting.
Ricks' commitment figures to give Auburn some momentum after -
gasp! - not receiving a commitment since Sunday.
The Tigers' wish list still includes two of the top players in
the state: defensive end Deantwan Whitehead of West End High
School and wide receiver Tim Hawthorne of Homewood.
Linemen, in general, will likely fill out most of the
remaining slots. The Tigers are still hot after defensive
lineman Charles Deas of Fort Lauderdale; lineman Byron Isom,
prep teammate of big-time Auburn commitment Mario Fannin; and
offensive lineman Mike Berry of Brentwood Academy in
Nashville, which is already an Auburn feeding ground.
Auburn has plenty of time to fill up its dance card before the
Feb. 1 signing day, and is willing to wait on players to call
their last-minute press conferences if necessary. But it is
still moving to add commitments some time next week when
Tuberville known as the "closer" by his assistants - hits
town.
Call the final push a series of road games for the coaches.
After hosting a season-high 21 players last weekend, the
Tigers weren't expecting any recruits in this weekend.
Auburn has 18 commitments and has shaped its recruiting board
to eliminate longshots. Almost all of the players remaining
say, at least privately, they have narrowed their selections
to Auburn and one other school. Some are down to three.
But that doesn't mean anybody is hands off.
Auburn, for example, hosted Tennessee commitment Michael
Goggans last week. This week, Florida State playing host to
wide receiver Alex Rose, an Auburn commitment.
Turnabout remains fair play.
/1137752666193590.xml&coll=2
Lineman Ricks decides he'll play for Tigers
Friday, January 20, 2006
AUBURN -- Tommy Tuberville has coached a little football and
made a lot of recruiting calls from Hawaii this week, but it
was his assistants on the mainland who brought home a prized
prospect Thursday night.
Colbert County High School defensive lineman Jemarcus Ricks
chose the Tigers over Alabama after a visit by assistants Don
Dunn and Terry Price to end three days of inactivity on the
Auburn recruiting board.
It might still be wise to give Tuberville an assist, though,
for calling from the tropics is always nice. The casual
passerby should also note that Ricks' brother is a linebacker
at Auburn.
Tuberville used both to his advantage with Ricks; and has been
working the phones with the 15-or-so other players remaining
on the big board from his base in Honolulu where he will be
coaching in the Hula Bowl on Saturday. Not a bad sales pitch.
There is no urgency to finish up recruiting in the coming
days, but there is a sense the Tigers want to make their final
push sooner than later. They have concluded some players are
wearing down from the daily bombardment of schools, media and
recruiting analysts.
Tuberville's tropical adventure will officially end when he
arrives home Sunday. His assistants will have him working
overtime with in-home visits after that.
Auburn is hoping to sign about half of the 15 players it is
still actively recruiting.
Ricks' commitment figures to give Auburn some momentum after -
gasp! - not receiving a commitment since Sunday.
The Tigers' wish list still includes two of the top players in
the state: defensive end Deantwan Whitehead of West End High
School and wide receiver Tim Hawthorne of Homewood.
Linemen, in general, will likely fill out most of the
remaining slots. The Tigers are still hot after defensive
lineman Charles Deas of Fort Lauderdale; lineman Byron Isom,
prep teammate of big-time Auburn commitment Mario Fannin; and
offensive lineman Mike Berry of Brentwood Academy in
Nashville, which is already an Auburn feeding ground.
Auburn has plenty of time to fill up its dance card before the
Feb. 1 signing day, and is willing to wait on players to call
their last-minute press conferences if necessary. But it is
still moving to add commitments some time next week when
Tuberville known as the "closer" by his assistants - hits
town.
Call the final push a series of road games for the coaches.
After hosting a season-high 21 players last weekend, the
Tigers weren't expecting any recruits in this weekend.
Auburn has 18 commitments and has shaped its recruiting board
to eliminate longshots. Almost all of the players remaining
say, at least privately, they have narrowed their selections
to Auburn and one other school. Some are down to three.
But that doesn't mean anybody is hands off.
Auburn, for example, hosted Tennessee commitment Michael
Goggans last week. This week, Florida State playing host to
wide receiver Alex Rose, an Auburn commitment.
Turnabout remains fair play.