The Bodda Getta

Surely we can find a replacement for this kid in state or in juco.

Here's an idea... if kids decommit because Chizik/Taylor/Luper et all were fired, then might there be a possibility that somewhere in this great land of ours another kid might decommit from HIS chosen school for the priviledge of playing under Malzahn in the SEC. If this is so, I imagine such a kid would be an offensive player.

Not really. I wasn't privy to the conversation so I don't know what was said. Bowers is a defensive player from NJ and Stills is classified as an "athlete" from MD. Maybe they decided they don't fit into the system that CGM is installing. If that's the case, then maybe they don't. Remember, the types of players needed to run CGM and CEJ's offensive and defensive schemes are different from the ones that CGC and CMVG needed to run their schemes (or what there was of it). I'm not really going to worry too much about who commits or decommits this early. I want to give the coaches time to actually re-recruit these guys instead of just making initial contact. They basically have to start the whole recruiting process all over again. The advantage is that almost all of our commits have taken their official visits to AU so they know that part of it - although too bad this season really sucked so they didn't get the full game day experience. Now what they have to work on - and I know the coaches know this - is rebuilding relationships and trust.. Some we can and some we won't. I happen to think that we players we already have - you know, all those 4 and 5 star players who never saw the field - will contribute in a big way this year - at least the ones who are willing to put in the work. Those that don't need to find another place to play anyway. The cupboard's not bare at AU. We have the talent - can't wait to see what these new coaches do with it.

He has to be evaluated and sold again, if that is Harbison's suggestion. Even the great Gus needs to have some more data at this point in time. Remember, he canned the lot of the old coaches. There was not pass off of information after the piss off took place, I can guarrantee you that.

It's not looking good on the defense side.

Gus wants this kid---sending Harbison.
This is the kid that BVG scouted in person and offered immediately (to play CB in college).

When I was growing up, I would agree with you completely. Now, we are not just recruiting North Florida, West Georgia, and Alabama. We are recruiting nationally, and many of these kids know little about Auburn and how the Auburn Family really feels about our university. As for in-state kids, I wholeheartedly agree.....if they don't want to come to Auburn, let 'em go elsewhere.

AGREED, I have seen people griping about high school guys "decommitting" and wondered if they were the same fans who decommitted from our head coach by bashing Chizik for everything wrong with the world. I am by no means trying to argue that we should have retained CGC but to illustrate how it does work both ways and much of commit/decommit thing comes from the media. IMO-commitment is when you sign the papers the first week of February and if plan to go to a certain school you say its your "intention to committ to Auburn in February".

If we only recruited players who already "Love" Auburn, who as kids had some reason to start liking and eventually loving Auburn before they even graduate High School, then we would only recruit in 3, maybe 4 SouthEastern states...including our own. Forget about the Juco RB and all of the other outstanding out of state recruits...They have to be sold on our school by someone and this usually means forming a bond and Trust with the face of Auburn ...ie....the man doing the recruiting ....along with the program, school and total package.
Lets have faith that the new relationships being forged by CGM and company do the trick.