Where do we go now?

They are immortal words to me, sung by one Axl Rose of Guns n’ Roses: “Where do we go, where do we go now?“

Consider the class we inked last Wednesday, Rivals naming two of our coordinators Top recruiters in the nation and the surprise verbal commitment of Spencer Region for 2011.

Conventional wisdom says Auburn is a program on the rise and the sky is the limit. The class of 2010 is a sign of even better things to come in recruiting. The results of 2009, at 8-5 overall, are a foundation for 10+ win season in 2010 and beyond. The coaching staff Gene Chizik assembled is a potent force, linked arm in arm against the dark forces north and west of the Plains.

I wouldn’t call the counter to this argument wisdom of any sort. In Boston, they referred to is as the Curse of the Bambino. In Auburn I’ve heard it sometimes called, “snakebit.” In the business world, they call it “cautious optimism.”

It’s tough looking back and predicting the future and Mr. Woodberry isn’t going there with his post about the 2005 Auburn signing class as much as he’s just rehashing and asking the VH1 question, “Where are they now?”

However, there are likely some kids in the 2010 class who won’t qualify academically. There are some who simply won’t pan out. There are others who will make names for themselves, on-field or off and all we can do is hope for the former.

If, and it is a big IF you assume the hype around Auburn during 2004 has a common denominator to what developed in Team Chizik’s first year, then consider these numbers from ‘05:

23% of the signees never played at Auburn

36% played sparingly and / or left early

23% played a role at Auburn, largely as a backup

18% played a starring role at Auburn or are now in the NFL

Or, viewed as either a Player or Not, 59% never contributed while only 41% earned their Tiger stripes

Sure, there are lots of statistics and articles about Coach Tuberville’s attrition, particularly later in his Auburn career, but the class of 2005, while not a Top 10 in most publications was supposed to signify a new foundation for Auburn.

However, all signs point to Chizik & Co., recruiting players who can make the grade and will stand by one another from the moment they step on campus as a student athlete. Call it orange and blue colored glasses, but this class only has two signees which I personally feel may not make it: S. Coleman and J. Richardson. Coleman because I don’t believe he wasn’t a last minute shopper and isn’t fully on-board and Richardson because he has a lot of outside detractors which could ultimately negatively influence him.

Take those two, or any other two away, and you’ve still got one helluva class trotting the track. Where we go and what we do along the way are what makes the wait for first A-Day and then summer workouts all the more excruciating. War Eagle!

If you ain’t first, you’re last!

Izauea Lanier becomes the first commitment for Auburn’s 2011 recruiting class.

He’s been on the roster of the East Mississippi Community College who won an impressive 11 games on their 12 game schedule. Izauea wore number 8 on his jersey and listed at 6′1″, 185 lbs., as a DB.

Some of you may remember he originally signed with Auburn in 2009 with a questionable academic background. His academics seem to be in order and he’ll redshirt at Auburn this fall and have 3 years of eligibility remaining.

Nothing “Plains” about this list

Consensus Top 5 recruiting class….

….#4 on Rivals and ESPN and #5 on Scout

27 players signed yesterday on NSD along with the 5 in January that counted back to 2009….

….Three 5-star players and thirteen 4-star players

A recruiting class that averages 3.5 stars overall….

….under Coach Tuberville, no class averaged better than 3.0 overall

The number one player out of three states: Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas….

….11 players out of the state of Alabama

Coach Gene Chizik’s quotable moment yesterday afternoon:

We laid down a blueprint of what we were looking for … for Auburn. It’s not always about getting the best player. He has to be the right player. I’m as much or more proud of that than the talent we brought into this class.

We need more Bandwidth Captain!

We’re about 1.5 hours away from what many now expect to be Marcus Lattimore’s announced decision to attend the University of South Carolina. Jay is there and countless others are hosting online forums to follow the action if not tonight, all day tomorrow.

I hope you have a stable broadband or better connection Auburn family, cause the excitement is generating heat the likes of which Charter Communications (in Auburn) hasn’t seen since…..ever?

She can't take much more Captain!

In other related news, and = / > the Lattimore speculation, Lemonier and Jones appear to be big questions marks now on most of the national wires, opting towards in-state choices over Auburn.

As we said earlier today, good luck sleeping tonight – and no, it won’t be Loco’s Trivia Night induced.

A survey of sorts, Social Media and web usage related

If you’ve got 4-6 minutes of spare time and want to share your thoughts on a survey geared towards Social Media, web sites and how you use them, please check out this survey sponsored by outsourcing shop KPGS.

All I know about NSD I learned on Xmas Eve

In about 24 hours from now, most of what we now know about Auburn’s 2010 recruiting class will be confirmed. Of the approximately 24 players who have verbally committed, all signs point to that commitment being honored in ink when they sign and fax in their letters beginning Wednesday morning.

We already know 5-star JUCO player, Cam Newton, is enrolled as are four others who count towards the 2009 class.

We know that according to various and sundry recruiting publications, Auburn has a Top 5 class if NSD was today. And although few publications outside of the state will declare it so, we, the Auburn family believe this is the best overall class ever recruited to the Plains.

By tomorrow (actually today shortly after 5 pm CST), we’ll know if Marcus Lattimore leaves the Palmetto State in favor of Running Back U. And, if you’re so inclined and have the time, I recommend you take part in a full on NSD assault by participating in TWER’s 2nd Annual Signing Day LiveBlog Extravaganza.

So we know these things, and we suspect a few more, and are more hopeful for even a couple of more things….

I helped my son write a letter to Santa Claus this past November. And yes, I did it just prior to the Iron Bowl, and shortly after the last tasty tidbit of turkey passed my lips. My words to him, “Son, you may not get everything on this list, and you’ll probably get a few things not on the list, but you’ll certainly get more than most. And for all that, you should be thankful.”

I can’t help but notice the similarities to recruiting and lists and the verbal commitments of 18-year olds to the hopes of a young child at Christmas time. Add to the fray the uncertainty of these aforementioned 18-year olds who most likely have been passed through academic systems and coddled for much of their post pee-wee football years. In other words, they are about as predictable as March weather patterns in east central Alabama.

Auburn will get their share of prized recruits as expected. We’ll wait anxiously for the intentions of players like Lattimore, Lemonier, Coleman and Jones. We’ll even stick around to see if there are any “surprises” under the tree. And, we’ll no doubt give a passing nod to anyone who doesn’t sign but visits campus between now and mid-May and decides to walk on during the summer.

And then the real fun begins. The number of Christmas ‘09 toys my son still plays with not even two months later? Roughly 50%.

The number of 2010 recruits who will make the grade, endure “voluntary” workouts, pass two-a-days in the hell that is Alabama late summer and then translate that into measurable and meaningful playing time in the Fall? Yeah, unknown.

But still, you have to hope. You have to look at this list and the promise of a better list and dream. It is fun in Auburn right now. It is electric in a way that can best be compared to the week in August when portable toilets and parking barriers get installed on campus. Partial skepticism about the coaching staff after the Outback Bowl near miss win has been replaced with a love affair Harlequin would envy: folks are plain excited about all the work Coach Chizik and company have done leading into tomorrow.

Coach Chizik, you’ve given us quite a list to keep us awake tonight. And, by making the old ball coach nervous in Columbia, you’ve put us in a prime spot for an early present at the end of today. Tomorrow holds lots of promise, most of which will hold true come, tomorrow.

Sleep well Auburn family. *Yeah right!*

Playground Picks

One of my very selfish and favorite elementary school memories was the daily ritual of picking teams for football at recess. I label it “selfish” because I enjoyed being the number one or two pick once the captains were chosen. A good day on Monday and you were assured a top spot on Tuesday and so on and so on. Multiple weeks of top picks did allow you the occasional bad day without too much penalty.

And so too the college football recruiting season plays out in the two weeks now leading up to national signing day.

Auburn sits in a unique position. The Tigers find themselves a Top 5 recruiting class by most of the popular choices for sites who conduct such things as ranking High School athletes. Add to that, Coach Chizik and staff still have some very high-profile, and ranked, players on the boards to close out before February 3rd.

Where I personally think the Auburn family needs to take a collective breath is, there are still over seven months before most of us see the 2010 Tigers take the field in meaningful combat.

All these recruits need to make it to campus. They need to get enrolled, schedule classes, make “voluntary workouts” and adjust to living away from home for the first time. They need to manage the wave of young women who are going to literally come out of the foundations of the surrounding buildings and attach themselves. They need to grow up in ways most of us don’t think about, and they need to do it in 100 degree Alabama heat with a humidity level approaching DevCon 1.

The Auburn coaches and Athletic Department knows all this and they are prepared. There are tutors and advisors and resources aplenty to help ease the transition. But much the way the US Military brings in recruits and gives them a collective, “welcome to the real world” in the form of basic training, the Auburn coaches will do the same to try and level out the collective ego’s of the newbies.

However! Landing a Top 5 class – and one in which I believe will be ranked much, much higher by sunset on Wednesday, February 3rd – makes transition to campus and sustainable winning a much higher probability.

What the casual observer needs to know is this: Auburn isn’t backing down from anyone. Not Florida, Texas, Southern Cal or even Alabama. Speaking of which, Florida, Texas and Alabama are consistently the three teams between Auburn and a number one ranking by the end of this recruiting season. A mere 0.10 points separates us from the other team in the state on Rivals, and a meager 0.30 keeps us from passing Texas on the same list. ESPN puts us in their fifth spot, but mainly because they have their own system which heavily relies upon their ESPN150 list.

What the more than casual observer needs to know is this: Auburn is filling long-term key needs with the rock stars of the consensus top ranked players. Auburn has enrolled or plans to enroll five players who are 4-star or better up front on the offensive line. Auburn plans to add five players in the “Offensive Firepower” positions (QB, WR, RB) who are 4-star or better. Auburn could add as many as five players in the Defensive front seven who are 4-star or better. The balance of our recruiting roster are 3-star players who have size and / or speed and just itching at the chance to be the next Darren Bates.

What the serious observer needs to know is this: well, you probably aren’t wasting your time reading a free site. Pleaseandthankyouverymuch.

Back to the folks who are reading this now. This is my list of top prospects which IMHO Auburn has the best opportunity to, (a) improve their ranking, (b) a better than average chance of signing and (c) could contribute almost immediately towards a better 2010 and beyond.

5-star RB Marcus Lattimore. Why I like him? Auburn’s competition is a South Carolina team with more questions for a running back than a standardized test.

4-star DE Corey Lemonier. Why I like him? Trooper Taylor is recruiting him. Enough said.

4-star DT Jeffrey Whitaker. Why I like him? Tracy Rocker is recruiting him and by all accounts Whitaker’s visit to the Plains was, “off the chain.”

4-star DT Byran Jones. Why I like him? The Mad Scientist Malzahn is recruiting him and similar to above, his visit to Auburn was impressive. He hasn’t visited Arkansas yet and he is an Arkansas native, but he could very well be in Orange and Blue this summer.

Anyone predicting Toomer’s Corner gets rolled on February 3rd? I am.

The lady isn’t even warming up yet

I don’t remember an off-season where so many coaching changes and controversial departures took place.

Auburn would do well to not laugh so much at Tennessee – with head coaches named at South Florida, Texas Tech and Southern Cal and a coach-to-be-named later in Knoxville, we still have a crop of assistants and coordinators ready for picking.

Joe previously graded Trooper Taylor tops in the Auburn coaching class, and if you think he’s not on some short lists as a full-blown offensive coordinator someplace that doesn’t begin with an “A”, you’re probably also discussing a mortgage for beachfront property in the suburbs of Tucson.

All these post season moves make folks nervous, especially coaches. That in turn makes Athletic Directors itchy and scratchy, and the result of nervous leadership? The good guys go looking. Maybe not overtly, but they’ll still drop a text message, phone call or facebook message to a close friend to say, “what are you hearing about [fill in the blank vacancy]?”

Now to be certain, Auburn has a team full of good guys in the coaching ranks. All the movement, changes, drama and press doesn’t affect the Boulware’s of the world. Nope, those guys know deep down they’re lucky to still be employed and that no one is going to answer their message with, “they’re talking about you!” So, they sit still. The good guys, the Taylor and Malzahn and Thigpen’s of the world, get nervous. Great athletes and subsequently coaches, are all more than a touch insecure, so they wonder if they should be looking?

We’re sitting on G, waiting on O when it comes to recruiting. Auburn has changed coaches after signing day before and it could happen again.

Somewhere off stage, maybe not on the Plains, but somewhere too close for comfort, our proverbial fat lady is powdering her nose.

India Garden spicing up the Auburn landscape

With football season partially over (No, it never ends on the Plains. Thank you.), Josephine and I ventured out to the newly opened, India Garden on Opelika Road. They took over the former location of Breezeway chicken fingers, effectively reducing the chicken finger joints in the area to just under 200.

What sprang up instead was a pure delight for adventurous and open-minded diners.

You probably won’t miss the place if you’re unsure of where exactly to go in the tangled heap of repurposed buildings on Opelika Road. The India Garden stands out as a colorful addition to the Auburn side of Opelika Road.

Inside, the decor is what you might expect: pictures of elephants, jungles, turbaned Indians and the Taj Mahal. A noted and pleasant exception is white linen tablecloths. The staff is very conversant and helpful about the menu. Our waiter was able to steer us away from ordering too much food as he described portion sizes and dishes.

We tried the vegetable samosas to start and followed that with Chicken Korma and Tandoori Chicken. We also added a side of Garlic Naan bread. The samosas were a very nice beginning, taking potatoes and peas and deep frying them. They weren’t greasy or heavy and instead allowed all of the spices in the potatoes to come through in balance.

Tandoori Chicken is a personal favorite and it arrived at the table on a sizzling bed of onions atop a very hot plate. With the Naan bread and rice, it really was an authentic, not too spicy and wonderful lunch.

Josephine’s Chicken Korma stole the show. The yellow gravy with cashews and almonds smelled divine and tasted even better. Again, served with rice and the Naan bread it was hard not to take it away from her after I wolfed down my tandoori chicken. As good as it was in the restaurant, it was even better the next day as leftovers.

Joe and Josephine both highly recommend India Garden the next time you’re looking to spice up your lunch or dinner plans. Don’t forget to try the Kingfisher beer, a staple of the Indian beer selection, while you’re there (time of day permitting of course!).

Proof that final grades are never, final

I could have also titled this one, “Be careful what you wish for.” Our recent post grading the 2009 Auburn Tigers coaching staff appeared destined for Auburn blog anonymity like so many of our others. Read, browsed and curiously passed through the consciousness of most Auburn fans out looking for nuggets on their favorite of pastimes. Unlike other blogs, Joe Auburn has enjoyed a nice click through rate over the past 2 years without many of the comments, and yes praise, other bloggers receive. We stared out our window at the Auburn landscape sighing and wishing for a thought here or there.

And then we decided to grade the coaches using a half-baked, but well-intentioned formula of our own creation. Well, we did have some help from long time friend, Sam Adams. Sam and I decided to try to strip out the emotion that accompanies our love of all things Auburn and well, makes for articles laced with irrational exuberance.

We did get our comments, all two of them and they both made us wince. The emails were even better.

….I’ve always read your blog because you didn’t puff it up with stats like you were trying out for ESPN or try and blow sunshine up our skirts. But this one made me mad. How can you dismiss all Coach Chizik has done using math that remains behind a curtain?

Ouch.

Good lord, i thought only bammers used numbers to their liking. you may as well go join them if your going to try and say our coaches did nothing all year because we didnt stack up to your liking in teh sec.

Not really what I was trying to do, and “bammer” comment aside, I do see a point here.

….if you’re going to use a formula to grade and then similarly rationale not having a failing grade since Auburn finished above .500, how can you then give Coach Chizik a “F”?

Excellent point. I blame Sam for this.

This makes zero sense and you should be ashamed. On one hand you give Chizik credit for intangibles in spades and then grade him out as a failure? ARe you going to flunk the team on A-Day if Auburn doens’t win?

Seriously folks, I understand how exciting starting 5-0 was; how fun following recruiting has been for the first time in, forever; how much we all enjoyed seeing towels waving, coaches showing genuine emotion and Tiger Walk losing some of the sterility it had gathered; but, last year was last year. Grading this year’s team based on last year’s debacle doesn’t make much sense either. At least not to me.

The truth is, we did finish with most of the SEC in the middle. If you displayed the conference on a bell curve, Auburn would be at the tail end. Meaning, Alabama, Florida and LSU distinguished themselves on one end and Mississippi State and Vanderbilt on the other. Six teams, SIX teams in the conference finished 7-5 pre-bowl game, including Auburn. Auburn’s record against those teams? One win, three loses. We did beat out the 8-4 Ole Miss squad which was somewhere up near the LSU band of our “curve.”

Simple plot: woeful story

So, the end of this tale is simple: redo the formula without the assistance of Sam Adams and since we’re creating a fictitious formula anyway, add categories for off-field intangibles, potential and for coordinators and the head coach, game planning/schemes.

Final grades, revisited below without commentary since we’re all probably sick of that anyway.

Trooper Taylor:  B+

Gus Malzahn, Jeff Grimes and Curtis Luper:  B

Ted Roof and Tommy Thigpen:  C

Tracy Rocker and Phillip Lolley:  C-

Jay Boulware: C- (again helped mostly by FG and PAT performance)

Head Coach Gene Chizik: C (76.9%)

At least now we know who the [expletive deleted] was who greeted Gene Chizik when he got off the plane last year.

My personal favorite….