Noah.Dreams
09-13-2007, 11:47 AM
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Shorthanded Tigers trace woes to'04
Thursday, September 13, 2007
AUBURN --
Tommy Tuberville knows how recruiting works. The opposition grabs something negative and takes off running. That's what happened to Tuberville and Auburn in 2004 when the double-whammy of an ill-timed trip to Louisville and a SACS investigation hurt his efforts to find the best recruiting class available.
The Tigers are playing a bit shorthanded because of it today.
The Tigers have only four players who initially signed scholarships from that class of 29 players who have full-time starting jobs today.
Maybe that's why all 49 of Auburn's points this year have been scored by freshmen and sophomores. And maybe it is a good thing for Auburn the last two recruiting classes have been top-heavy with talent to pick up the slack. At least 18 freshmen or sophomores played last week, and figure to do it again when the Tigers play host to Mississippi State in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday.
Tuberville says recruiting was hurt by the public relations hit Auburn took from the academic problems created by the SACS investigation (no, the school wasn't put on academic probation and Auburn didn't lose its NCAA accreditation).
What one assistant coach said then holds true today: "The only SACS my players know is when you tackle the quarterback."
But that didn't stop other schools from faxing headlines to recruits that suggested Auburn would wind up on probation, even though the stories talked about academics not athletics.
But SACS and the trip to interview then-Louisville coach Bobby Petrino may be showing up.
Of the players who signed from 2003 (today's redshirt seniors) through last April (the true freshmen of 2007), the 2004 class has produced the fewest current starters other than this year's freshman class. Twelve hardy souls from 2004 - which isn't a bad total for a signing class four years old - are still on the team.
Some of the higher-profile players are younger, though: Tray Blackmon, Mario Fannin and Ben Tate all have signed in the past few years. The ink is still wet on the scholarship papers of true freshman offensive lineman Lee Ziemba, who is starting.
Twenty-one true freshmen, redshirt freshmen and sophomores are listed on Auburn's two-deep depth chart.
Auburn's 2004 season - post-SACS and post-airplanes - attracted them.
Tuberville coached Auburn to a 13-0 record that season, received a new contract and the influx of talent resumed starting with the 2005 signing class.
The 2005 class has two more starters than 2004. The 2006 class has just as many.
The 2004 players who are starting are center Jason Bosley, offensive lineman Tyronne Green, linebacker Merrill Johnson (although he's out with an injury) and defensive lineman Pat Sims. Suspended tailback Brad Lester would bump the total of starters from four to five.
Walk-on Rod Smith would make it six, but wasn't one of the original 29 and only showed up to be with his buddy, James Swinton. He wasn't awarded a scholarship until last April.
Swinton's one catch in the season opener accounts for all of Auburn's offense from the scholarship players from that 2004 class. Sims and Johnson have combined for 10 tackles. Lester, if eligible, would add far more punch to those numbers.
But the offense is really built with other classes. Starting quarterback Brandon Cox signed in'02 (no, not 1802), but the rest of the early offensive stars are young. Leading rusher Ben Tate signed in January 2006.
Second-leading rusher Mario Fannin signed a month later. Some day, true freshman quarterback Kodi Burns may top them all.
News staff writer Charles Goldberg covers Auburn University athletics. Check out Goldberg's blog at The Gold Mine - al.com (http://blog.al.com/goldmine)
E-mail: cgoldberg@bhamnews.com
© 2007 The Birmingham News
© 2007 al.com All Rights Reserved.
Shorthanded Tigers trace woes to'04
Thursday, September 13, 2007
AUBURN --
Tommy Tuberville knows how recruiting works. The opposition grabs something negative and takes off running. That's what happened to Tuberville and Auburn in 2004 when the double-whammy of an ill-timed trip to Louisville and a SACS investigation hurt his efforts to find the best recruiting class available.
The Tigers are playing a bit shorthanded because of it today.
The Tigers have only four players who initially signed scholarships from that class of 29 players who have full-time starting jobs today.
Maybe that's why all 49 of Auburn's points this year have been scored by freshmen and sophomores. And maybe it is a good thing for Auburn the last two recruiting classes have been top-heavy with talent to pick up the slack. At least 18 freshmen or sophomores played last week, and figure to do it again when the Tigers play host to Mississippi State in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday.
Tuberville says recruiting was hurt by the public relations hit Auburn took from the academic problems created by the SACS investigation (no, the school wasn't put on academic probation and Auburn didn't lose its NCAA accreditation).
What one assistant coach said then holds true today: "The only SACS my players know is when you tackle the quarterback."
But that didn't stop other schools from faxing headlines to recruits that suggested Auburn would wind up on probation, even though the stories talked about academics not athletics.
But SACS and the trip to interview then-Louisville coach Bobby Petrino may be showing up.
Of the players who signed from 2003 (today's redshirt seniors) through last April (the true freshmen of 2007), the 2004 class has produced the fewest current starters other than this year's freshman class. Twelve hardy souls from 2004 - which isn't a bad total for a signing class four years old - are still on the team.
Some of the higher-profile players are younger, though: Tray Blackmon, Mario Fannin and Ben Tate all have signed in the past few years. The ink is still wet on the scholarship papers of true freshman offensive lineman Lee Ziemba, who is starting.
Twenty-one true freshmen, redshirt freshmen and sophomores are listed on Auburn's two-deep depth chart.
Auburn's 2004 season - post-SACS and post-airplanes - attracted them.
Tuberville coached Auburn to a 13-0 record that season, received a new contract and the influx of talent resumed starting with the 2005 signing class.
The 2005 class has two more starters than 2004. The 2006 class has just as many.
The 2004 players who are starting are center Jason Bosley, offensive lineman Tyronne Green, linebacker Merrill Johnson (although he's out with an injury) and defensive lineman Pat Sims. Suspended tailback Brad Lester would bump the total of starters from four to five.
Walk-on Rod Smith would make it six, but wasn't one of the original 29 and only showed up to be with his buddy, James Swinton. He wasn't awarded a scholarship until last April.
Swinton's one catch in the season opener accounts for all of Auburn's offense from the scholarship players from that 2004 class. Sims and Johnson have combined for 10 tackles. Lester, if eligible, would add far more punch to those numbers.
But the offense is really built with other classes. Starting quarterback Brandon Cox signed in'02 (no, not 1802), but the rest of the early offensive stars are young. Leading rusher Ben Tate signed in January 2006.
Second-leading rusher Mario Fannin signed a month later. Some day, true freshman quarterback Kodi Burns may top them all.
News staff writer Charles Goldberg covers Auburn University athletics. Check out Goldberg's blog at The Gold Mine - al.com (http://blog.al.com/goldmine)
E-mail: cgoldberg@bhamnews.com
© 2007 The Birmingham News
© 2007 al.com All Rights Reserved.