JerryAU

Most definitely. Auburn benefits from having the Right Reverand Hugh Freeze. Every program operates with whatever gives them the upper hand. Selling faith, family, football works and so does selling a stocked trophy case and a clear path to the NFL, etc. I believe Hugh knows what sells Auburn and he uses what he has in his arsenal.

He specifically says he's weighs NFL over NIL AND he wants to be with a program will build his NIL brand. I think it'll be a business decision and he'll choose a proven team that annually stocks the NFL with players and that lays out a solid NIL/marketing plan on the table.

Sounds like Hugh possesses the personal touch when dealing with people and while others keep it a strictly business concept. This is a great quality to have at a place like Auburn, it just makes him "fit" better here than most because at Auburn it's all about Family. Any way he chooses to ingratiate himself to the nation's top talent and get them signed in December is a positive for AU.

How could this not be a lock for AU compared to his other offers?

Timing was everything though. There was master level maneuvering by Jimmy Sexton as the Arkansas team tanked, Sexton HAD to puff up the "Malzhan to Arkansas" headlines to lofty heights so that Gus could then bend the AU Administration a barrel and scare the $#!t out of AD Leath. They had to get that contract extension cleared and inked by the BOT. It simply had to transpire while Gus had Auburn winning big, otherwise the whole thing stood the chance of fizzling out after the SECCG. Sexton/Malzhan's timing was absolutely perfect, and the 7 yr guaranteed contract was brilliant. Leath/AU could sell the fanbase and likely the BOT that Gus had to have job security to justify the guaranteed contract, that Gus needed to be able to operate uninhibited by the annual 'Gus is on the hot seat' diatribe that fans regurgitated every year. Sexton is the best of the best.

Saban's doing fine, Kirby's doing fine, Ryan Day is doing fine and even Billy Napier at UF is blowing & going in recruiting with a lot of top out-of-state recruits. I can see where NIL isn't fun for them because they having to more seriously manage their rosters. I'm sure trying to tell a 5* hot shot who's had smoke blown up his arse and people on social media chirping in his ear that he's going to have to work hard to earn his spot on the uat/uga roster isn't fun. When grown men are pitching everything under the sun and the recruit's agent & parents are shopping his services to the highest bidder before he ever sets foot on campus, the kid may have an over inflated opinion of himself. That's probably not fun to an already proven NC winning head coach & his staff.

A LOT of schools wanted this kid's services and AUBURN Got Him!

I think that notion comes from the older generation honestly. The one's that want players that love Auburn and are "Auburn Men", etc. They place high importance on the O&B uniform and they want athletes that love Auburn. College sports changed many years ago, and cash money rules the day. Personally, I blame Saban when he pulled the outrageous salary at uat over 15 yrs ago, and when he literally put recruiting on the collision course it's on now. He professionalized football in the SEC and re-wrote the history books causing other programs to have unrealistic expectations for their programs. Now SEC HC's and coordinators are some of the highest paid in the country and if a coach can't consistently win enough games and put a competitive product on the field then he's toast. NS showed the nation's top HS talent what they can achieve and not that's what they set their eyes on, the pro's and big payday's. Of course, they don't all pan out and make it to the next level, but there are a handful of programs in that country provide a solid foundation and a path to get to the pro's.

THIS is going to happen; it won't be this season because Hugh is having to operate with one hand tied behind his back relative to the talent levels. But I have no doubt the Right Reverend will have an AU team that shows ability very soon and the gap that looks as wide as the Red Sea will narrow greatly over the next 2-3 yrs. At which time Nick will get older, more decrepit and take to the rocking chair.

I heard uat's contingent aren't really having to talk too much to recruit this guy. They're pointing to the NFL rosters/salaries and to 'Auburn hasn't had a WR within 100 yrds of a 1,000 yrd season since 2013'. It's going to be a "business decision", I think both programs will match his $$ demand.

LOL, bama sending in the closer.

My guess is AU's gunning for some 4-5* LB's and banking on them flipping?

First of all, I haven't said Pat pushed anyone anywhere and I haven't accused or assumed Pat is guilty of doing such. I am saying with the likes of Jimbo Fisher, Dameyune Craig, Bobby Petrino and with all the old AU connections between those 3 + Pat Nix, I'm not naive enough to think some dealing didn't occur before this was announced. To think Pat has one of the top players in the state yet he wasn't part of the recruiting process and had no clue about what Coleman's decision seems illogical to me. This commitment is a huge need for AU's class, he's top talent in the state and his commitment would kick off the momentum boost this staff needs.

Call me a cynic, an antagonist or whatever. IMHO, it's too coincidental that Dameyune Craig/Bobby Petrino/Jimbo Fisher + Pat Nix didn't do some maneuvering behind the scenes with Coleman's recent announcement. This thing blindsided every AU recruiting guru and insider.

Relationship building is easier now than ever before. As long as the staff effectively communicates the NIL package to the agents, the relationship gap is bridged very quickly. Pad the pockets and show 'em a good time when they're on campus, then let the agents relay the NIL info to momma & daddy. The agent knows how much $$ secures the services of top talent.

Does Pat Nix have some ill will towards his alma mater? Does Dameyune Craig have some ill will towards his alma mater? Does Bobby Petrino have some ill will from the old "Jet Gate" fiasco from years ago? There are just entirely too many folks eerily familiar or connected with Auburn football to get a comfort feeling for why Cam Coleman chose aTm. Blindsiding Auburn in the process, slapping our coaches, writers and "insiders" upside the head with this commitment.

I don't have faith that Auburn recruiting will catch up to the elite level of uga/uat, and now Florida's decided to act like they know how to recruit again. The addition of Texas & OK joining will be too steep a hill to conquer. Historically Auburn's record tells the tale and as long as they get back to being a competitor and fielding a product no one wants to face, I'm ok with it. I can easily swallow consistent 9-win seasons with 10 wins mixed in and +10 wins at least once every 5 years... that just may be good enough to get a spot in the 12 team CFP.

Miami's on-the-field product is worse than UF's. Is Ga Tech's product attractive? 🤮 Every kid & parent has their own list of what's most important to them. The handlers/agents should be more than able to give our staff an inside scoop on what the parent needs and what kind of $$ they're looking for to gain Auburn serious consideration. This relationship building has to start at the ground level and sadly that ground is full of handlers. Folks with their hands out for their piece of the pie, folks that know the bidding process and the going rates.

It takes a perfect mix to operate at an elite level and very few programs in the country are able to do it consistently. Now add in the portal's wide open transfer rules + NIL millions to the mix. It's a dang near impossible task.

Very true. With coaching salaries + coordinator salaries + position coaches salaries + support staff + analysts + constant facility upgrades to 'keep up with the Joneses' in the arms race that is college sports. Program donors, boosters and fans in general have no patience with an operation that doesn't compete for championships in a very short time frame. There's just too much $$ poured into the program and a staff that returns middling (8-4) type seasons or makes the post season (March Madness/CWS, etc.) then fizzles out early in post season competition won't last anywhere as long as they used to. Coaching tenures are shorter than ever before.

Jaquezz din do nuffin main. He good to go, jus watchin see.

Well, he's got 1 season to win the West and that's this year.

Caddy has said he's not ready. He's seen firsthand the inner workings of AU athletics; he knows how the politics work too. It's probably best to wait and see which programs come gunning for Caddy after this season. Lets see if he's a hot commodity anywhere else other than as an Auburn position coach.

It's been decades and Rush is just a man that can't stay focused and keep 100% of his energy and attention on the field. He conjures up trouble off the field and his own actions have retarded any career aspirations he may have once had. Pell City is in the cellar and there's no doubt Rush will get improvement quickly, but what kind of trouble will he stir up this time?

Agree 100%.