War Eagle! I usually finish each post with those two lovely words, today however, I will start with them also.
Today we embark on an adventure that incorporates two blogs, and numerous web sites plus an email notifier together to bring you an unprecedented event in the history of our two sister blogs. Track Em Tigers and Auburn Tiger Bloggin’ will join forces to bring you all the news of today’s events.
It’s a new day at Auburn University where a much needed infusion of new blood will pour in from all over the country. After the dismal 0-8 campaign through the SEC schedule last season, athletic director Jay Jacobs decided to pull the plug on the Gene Chizik experiment.
Making that change has sparked a new philosophy at AU. Gus Malzahn, who Jacobs tabbed to replace Chizik, his former boss, has led to the complete overhaul of the coaching staff. And a new philosophy in recruiting. Today we get an initial glimpse at that philosophy, and take the first steps toward a return to championship level football at Auburn.
We will be here all day today, giving you the latest news on which athlete has sent in his Letter Of Intent (LOI) and try and give you a quick profile of each of them. As you can imagine, with the changes that have taken place at Auburn, we are trying furiously to provide as much information as possible on each new student athlete as we get word of their commitment.
We will not be the first to get you this information, we will leave that up to the guys at Rivals.com, 247sports.com, and our two news sources at wareagleextra.com and al.com. So, if you need to know before anyone else, we won’t be the ones to watch, but if you want friendly discussion, and as accurate as possible updates, then by all means please make yourself at home.
We have previously posted the most likely prospects o sign with AU today for your convenience.
Here are some projected time slots for potential Auburn recruits to make their announcement public.
Montravius Adams – 8:45 a.m. CT
Mackensie and Mackenro Alexander – 10:15 a.m. CT
Johnathan Ford – 11 a.m. CT
Tashawn Bower – 9:00 CT
Reuben Foster – 10:00am CT
Reports via twitter indicate that Jovon Robinson is on the AU campus and enrolling in classes. His name pops up in the student search section of the AU website.
Robinson was rated a four star Running Back out of high school, and had to be dismissed from the team due to the grades changing scandal at his Memphis, TN high school. Is he cleared to play? I don’t know that answer. I am sure he isn’t at Auburn for the weather.
Also of note, last night Jimmy Hutchinson revealed that he has accepted a Grey Shirt Scholarship from Auburn University, and will sign it tomorrow and enroll in class in the Spring of 2014.

Tags: Auburn Football, Auburn NSD, auburn Tigers, KoolBell, Track 'em Tigers











Thanks for being on the job this morning Kool. Looking for a good day.
War Eagle !
Thanks ATM,
It’s a pleasure to be here with you guys and dolls..
WAR EAGLE!
Yes thanks KB. We appreciate you running this thread.
Go Big Blue!
Who remembers this gem/load of imported sun shine from 2008. Man I hope this years predictions are better and if it doesn’t turn out like we want it, god grant us the ability to say, well that sucked!
By Jay Coulter
jccoulter@gmail.com
… see this link http://trackemtigers.com/?p=12233
Elijah Daniel fax is in, he is now an Auburn Tiger! And now, so is Tony Stevens.
What? No reaction on Elijah? Thats HUGE!
Welcome aboard ED! (god help you in the locker room son…you better come up with a wicked nickname quick!!)
Hot Damn ! … 5* Elijah Daniel committing right out the gate. Yeah that’s huge Col.
3* WR Dominic Walker has sent in his LOI. Welcome to the family and WAR EAGLE!
I expect Auburn to finish well. Thanks for providing the recruiting news. ESPNU has a good recruiting show this morning. Cheers!
Chizik just came on ESPNU. He will be on today talking about recruiting along with Derrick Dooley. Both guys are now set for life.
While we have a minute, I want to congratulate all the football coaches across America that donate their time at YMCA’s and in leagues coaching these guys when they just wanted to play. Your love and commitment to the game is the reason these kids are where they are today.
I am not going to forget the Jr. High coaches, and High School coaches that mold these young kids into football players, and work their tails off trying to keep these players thinking the right thoughts, and developing into true athletes, and young men.
I SALUTE YOU!
Thank you Kool. My niece’s husband is the defensive coordinator for Creekside High School in Jacksonville, Florida.
Good luck guys!
We’re pulling for you with Foster!
Don’t pull for us…I don’t know if we want (even though we might need his talent….his attitude….)
3* Athlete Marcus Davis is now an Auburn Tiger.
Part of the “original” commits Mr. Kamryn Melton is officially a Tiger! WAR EAGLE!
From twitter…
Carl Lawson has officially signed with #Auburn. Now he’ll do it again in 12 minutes for the ESPN cameras. #signingday
Chizik may have a future on ESPN.
Mornin’ all! WDE! What timing. There’s Cheezie.
Thanks for the great coverage. The Baton Rouge Area Auburn “Coaches” Club will meet at Acme Oyster Bar on Perkins Road at 11:30am CT to discuss our signees. Anyone with Orange and Blue blood is hereby invited to attend and join in. It’s tough to live so far from the Plains but, IT’S GREAT TO BE AN AUBURN TIGER AND ALWAYS WILL BE !!!
WAR EAGLE !!!
GO BIG BLUE !!!
It is an honor to do this for you and that great AU Club! WDE!
Man. I’m impressed with Ole Siss. In this day and age, can’t help but wonder…
Peyton Barber is officially a Tiger. He is a 3* RB with tremendous potential. WDE!
Nick Marshall is officially a Tiger also! A 4* DB who is also a 3* QB out of JUCO. He is going to get a shot at QB for sure!
He can play. He was number 27 for UGA before he left the team.
Happy Morning everyone! It’s a lovely sunny 34 degrees outside up here on the Great Plains. A fantastic break from the brutal cold!
I’ll be popping in on a regular basis…Thanks, Klell!!!
War Eagle!
5* DLCarl Lawson and now 4* OL Deon Mix have signed their LOI’s to attend Auburn! What a steal for Auburn to steal Mix from Miss State!!!!!!!!!
How many spots are left??
Man, were all 9 of those kids from Alpharetta wearing college hats because they signed there? I don’t care if they were all Div III, that’s impressive!
Khari Harding is officially in! A 3* safety that is projected to have a chance at the “Talon” position! WDE!
Carl Lawson will be playing on Sundays after a great career at Auburn. I saw him play in Georgia.
Boy I hope he has three great years in him as opposed to a one fair, one good, and one great….and then gone. I have no delusions that he will be with us in 2016.
This day is starting off very well! If we could get Montravious and the Alexander brothers it would be perfect.
Alabama’s 2012 Mr. Football, and Captain of the recruiting among the athletes, Mr. Jeremy Johnson is now an Auburn Tiger. Welcome JJ to the AU family and WAR EAGLE!
Can we steal Montravius Adams and the Alexander twins? What a morning so far folks, and it only gets better from here. WAR EAGLE!
Looks like they just added a name after jeremy johnson in the #11 spot. Just can’t read it!
4* WR and overall talented athlete Earnest Robinson is officially an Auburn Tiger! WAR EAGLE!
He’ll be a good one. Welcome Mr Robinson.
Kenny Flowers is now a Tiger!
One of the best recruiters Auburn had this year, Mr. Cameron Tony has signed his LOI and is officially a Tiger! WDE!
Any lingering verbals or is it all stealing gravy from here?
Yeah KB, inquiring minds want to know.
Tashawn Bower still has to sign, some are saying he will switch to UF. Let’s hope he picks the proper Orange and Blue, not those washed out colors….
Come on Tashawn, you’d be better as a Tiger
Landing Elijah Daniel may affect his decision.
The #1 JUCO LB in the country has signed with AU. Kenny Flowers, come on down!
And LB’s is a critical need.
Is bower staying with us?
6:39 a.m.: Update: Bower says he hasn’t sent his letter of intent yet. “I never signed anywhere so I have no idea where this Florida stuff idle coming from,” Bower tweeted.
per al.com. take it for what it’s worth…
This Ole Miss class.. it’s just damn odd. That’s all I’m saying.
Dan Mullen upped the ante at MSU. It’s odd that either place can attract anything above a 3 star.
Some services have Cameron Tony as a 3* and others have him as a 4* take it for what it’s worth…
I would guess Bower is going with UF from all that I have read.
with the surprise pickup from elijah daniels do we need bower? We have a deep group of D linemen. I guess it is very possible that one or more turns into an LB though…
Good point Tigertracker
I hope not. Maybe he’ll fool some folks.
There are 25 spots on the big board not counting the january enrollees. Only 13 filled as of now. Anyone know if they are planning to fill all 25? Do the january guys count toward a past class?
4* WR/QB Jason Smithhas signed with Auburn. War Eagle!
What the hell is up with ole miss? Another big pick-up
Hugh Freeze is trying to turn them around. They’ll be better, but they’ll still be ole miss. Our trip to the bottom of the west will be as brief as their rise from it.
Blurry video, but that looks like Jason Smith is in.
Aaron Brenner is saying that Gus Malzahn is calling Jason Smith a QB.
I’m going out on a limb and saying that he might be given the opportunity to try QB for about 3 practices. Gus probably promised him that much, but he will quickly realize that between johnson, king, frazier, and wallace that he stands a better chance of touching the ball elsewhere on the field. Or maybe king will be on D and they seriously give smith a shot. Will be an exciting A-day this year I think.
WOW! What a great morning!!!!
Buckle up, sports fans!!!
Come on Adams be a tiger
5* DT Montravius Adams is going to AUBURN!!! BOOM!
Another goes to the UNIVERSITY of Auburn…..that place gets some great players!!
Col. you have been cracking me up lately! But I also cringe every time I hear that. I blame it on nervousness rather than being uninformed.
nothing but smiles on the big board cam!
HUGE pick up!
Yes baby !!!!!! Adams is with us
It’s good to be an auburn tiger!!!!!!
I hope Bowers sticks with us, but for being a 4 star, its got to be deflating to be an afterthought on a truly GREAT incoming D-Line.
Rebuilding that defensive line. Auburn should be back sooner than later. The Atlanta sports talk stations all said that Adams was headed to Clemson yesterday. Adams knows Foster well.
Props to the new coaching staff for holding this class together!
Carl Lawson, and Rodney Garner were the biggest factors in Adams coming to AU.
Whoop! Wasn’t expecting that one! And…of course they follow up one of our sinings with tricky nick…
Ok. you can doubt no more that ESPN is TOTALLY in Alabamas hip pocket.
Montravious Adams….our second biggest get, and the biggest undecided get goes on TV to announce Auburn as his school and right after they talk to him, ESPN does a segment with Saban.!!?? WTF???
If something good happens to Auburn, it appears that Saban has it in his contract with ESPN to get equal time, with his crystal ball in the background, to talk up HIS program!!
I am friggin furious!
That and the fact that 3 5 star athletes doesn’t put AU in their top 10….SMH!
Rivals has us at #9 with only 2 5 star signees. Maybe the AU check to ESPN bounced.
That’s the reason I haven’t watched an event on ESPN since 2004.
If Auburn didn’t play most of their games on ESPN, I’d be right with you.
I choose radio over ESPN. That network and none of it’s spawn will EVER grace any of my communications or entertainment apparatus.
I’m sure they thought Adams would sign with bammer, and were going to follow up. Heh.
Wow, that is awesome. Gus and staff have definitely done wonders with the situation. Feels eerily familiar because of CGC’s recruiting but hopefully Gus can actually develop this talent.
Now Vonn Bell did it right…thats how you have a signing day announcement. You dress the part, you speak clear, intelligently and coherently. If you aren’t prepared to do that, you REALLY shouldn’t subject yourself to the media scrutiny. Just because ESPN wants to put on a show doesn’t mean you have to participate.
Just sayin.
Rivals.com is reporting that Auburn has moved into the 7th spot nationally in recruiting. There are still several highly ranked targets. 4* DL Tashawn Bower 5* Safety MacKensie Alexander, 3* safety Mackenroe Alexander, 4* RB Johnathan Ford and 3* SafetyBrandon King along with Place Kicker Daniel Carlson
If AU gets all of these, we could see a top 5 class. I have to say, I never thought it would happen with this class, but give Malzahn and this staff some credit, they sure know how to recruit!
WAR EAGLE!
247 has us ranked 10th.
My check to confirm these rankings has Auburn 9th in the Rivals.com poll. Sorry for the mistake…
What does ESPN have us at? I know it’s not the top ten…
I’m waiting on the Alexander brothers.
Espn has us at 13
One twitter report has Tashawn Bower to LSU, but I have no confirmation of this.
I saw the same thing on ESPN earlier and was waiting to comment until I could find something more solid. He isn’t set to make his decision until a little later but who knows.
I have to say that Chizik is doing a great job on ESPNU but I still cringe when I hear “no question about it”
Anyone want to bet against Reuben Foster changing his mind again and signing with Auburn? Just kidding, I won’t bet on that flip/flop undecided mess. I would love to have him, if we can get him to mature really quick. Otherwise….
Just saw a shot of Auburn’s coaching staff cheering along with other schools as recruits come in. What strikes me is how much classier ours looks. No grease boards covering every surface there, a big illuminated AU and taste food.
It’s not only great to be an Auburn Tiger, it’s COOL to be an Auburn Tiger!
err, should say tasteful conference room. “taste food” I think I skipped breakfast! LOL
Any chance Dee Liner looks at what we’ve done today and reconciders?
Man, it is awesome to have Garner back.
247sports is reporting Tashawn Bower has chose LSU over competing at Auburn
Like I said earlier, he was no longer a vital cog. That has to mess with your ego.
Jordan Cunningham is my hero today. He just committed to Vandy and when asked whether Vandy’s recent success was behind his decision, he declared that it was the academics that swayed him. To paraphrase, he said “Football won’t last forever, you have to have a back up plan, and Vanderbilt provbided the best academic opportunities for me”
AMEN, young man, AMEN.
Again, he looked sharp, was well prepared and spoke very well. Good for him.
Now Bower doesnt know where he’s going!
Doesn’t sound that way to me…
@rydunleavy Bower: I’m definitely glad that’s finally over and now I can work on getting bigger, faster, strong and becoming a big-time player for #LSU.
Reuben Foster just signed with Alabama.
2nd comming of Brent Calloway.
YEA!!!
Thank god!
Yea !!!!!!
Yeah!! Mackenro Alexander is a Tiger!
Another Ole Miss commit?! No way! I think Old Piss got a nice booster for X-Mas.
maybe Tim Cook went to grad school there.
AntonioConnor …youknowImean…Imeanyaknow…youknowImean…Imeanyaknow…youknowImean…Imeanyaknow…youknowImean…Imeanyaknow… I wanna stay here and youknowImean…Imeanyaknow…youknowImean…Imeanyaknow… Ole Miss…youknowImean…Imeanyaknow…youknowImean…Imeanyaknow…they got a good class..youknowImean…Imeanyaknow…
Good gravy.Cmon MAN!! Up there with Montravious for worst performance so far.
I hope Montravious can qualify, it didn’t look promising from his conference. Hopefully its just nerves like most of these guys. I just don’t understand why you want to get on TV and look like, well, not very smart.
Most of the Adams interview ESPNU had technical difficulties, and he could not hear them. Confusion abounds when there is no communication, it gets worse when there is spotty communication.
Man, if Unite was the only thing on my TV, I’d take a nao.
Nap
I’ll be putting up another post after lunch today with full profiles of all the new Tigers. We are still waiting on a few more announcements.
Look forward to it KB. And thanks again for all you do for us.
Come on Mackensie, do the right thing and follow your brother!
ESPN saying Mackenro Alexander signs with AU, lets get his twin too!
Bower to LSU, again.
Was never not LSU…
5* Safety and highly rated Safety MacKensie Alexander is going to attend Clemson
Too bad, but a great day for our tigers even with out him.
That stinks, we’re going to need some shutdown corners.
Well damn, didn’t expect Mackensie to not follow his brother. Shucks.
Meh, with his antics, I thought “pfff, go somewhere else.”
3* athlete Mackenroe Alexander will go to Auburn. This ends all the talk that these two wanted to play together in college
We are waiting on Johnathan Ford’s announcement
Damn!
Needed the corner.
I really wish we could switch brothers. Oh well, I guess we had to buck the trend for signing brothers that want to play together.
Don’t panic…
5* DL Montravius Adams has yet to send his official LOI.
Why wouldn’t that make us panic? He was a huge get for AU.
Anyone know if the Alexander brothers are identicle twins? If they are, didn’t we sort of get the same guy? just sayin’
Both were first team selections on 2012 Florida High School elite team. They both can play ball. Just sayin’
This is the first year that I have been able to track recruiting on signing day without having to deal with Corporate America. I think that Auburn is laying a good foundation for future success. WDE!
When’s Ford announcing?
11 A.M. CDT on ESPNU. I am expecting an Auburn announcement.
Who is left out there and do we have any spots left? Might we see another late signee?
Ford will announce very soon, at 11:00am and I have not seen any news on Dee Liner yet. Anyone know where he signed today?
247 is saying he will sign 11:00 a.m. central time.
Dee Liner is expected to announce at 11 A.M. CDT this morning on ESPNU.
Just to let you guys know what I have going on here. I am at home at my desk with two laptops an iPad and my desk top PC I am watching twitter, rivals.com, 247sports.com and wareagleextra.com on the mobile units, and TET & ATB on the desktop.
I have sent Bryan Mathews a tweet requesting information about Adams, and any official announcement from AU. When I find out, you will be the first to know.
That sounds like recruiting central. I have my laptop, twitter on my phone, ESPNU, and WJOX streaming from B’ham.
No more Corporate America for me so I now have more time this year.
Dee Liner is expected to announce at 12 noon EST … not sure there’s much hope there. I do however have hope for Jonathon Ford and Toby Johnson.
Liner will be announcing soon on ESPNU.
Montravius Adams, and Brandon King have both faxed in their National Letters of Intent!
whew… after the Kuondjo (don’t care to spell it right) I’m always a little worried till the fax is in.
And Daniel Carlson has signed, giving Auburn one of the top Special team recruits in the country. War Eagle!
Place kickers are undervalued. How many game are won or lost by kickers? Plenty. This kid should be rated a five star in my opinion as the best kicker coming out of highschool.
When all is said and done, this kid may be the most important signee. Could possibly end up being the all time leading scorer in Auburn history, so thats saying something.
4* RB and great potential athlete Johnathan Ford has signed with Auburn
WAR EAGLE!
A huge pick up. If I’m right I believe we have 4 – 5RB’s with Tre Mason ?
Liner to bama. Shocker…
Dee Liner does the expected and goes to Bama. He did a good job on the announcement too, respectful and humble.
No surprise with the Liner announcement to Bama. He was wearing an orange bow tie.
Wearing orange tie and blue sweater vest announces to go to Bummer. Can I say that I really hate that school? Or is that a faux pas?
I do agree. They are an arrogant fan base these days. I am one of the few Auburn grads in my family. Also, I have to deal with my UGA friends in Atlanta. WDE!
How many recruits is AU trying to sign for this class?
According to twitter reports, Notre Dame has released it’s official packet of new recruits, and 4* RB Tarean Folston was not among them. Folston had visited Auburn, and was considered a must get target for the Tigers. Stay tuned….
Just looked at the Rivals list of LOI signees and Foster is still listed as not signed. Maybe…..
Saw a picture of him signing an LOI in front of a fax machine. We will survive and be better for it. War Eagle!
No chance. CBS has a pic of him in a “Saban” hat signing his LOI
Bet Saban gave him that hat personally. Now Ol’ Reub can put it on ebay and sell it to the Updyke bammers for big $$$.
Hey Man, its a business decision. Gotta do whats best for his lil nugget.
I was talking about Tarean Foster not being on ND list.
You guys feel free to chat, I’m going to fix some lunch, and then get that new post up. Thanks for hanging with me today, I have truly enjoyed it.
WAR EAGLE!
Thanks once again KB for a job well done. Looking forward to the afternoon post.
5 spots still open on the big board. Anyone know if we plan to fill all of them? Who is still out there that we are hoping for besides Folston? With 3 RB in the class that’s iffy.
I’m going to be excited to see Peyton Barber. I think we traded up by 15 pounds when wilkins flipped…or maybe was encouraged to flip to make room?
OOPS, Folston not Foster…gotta get stronger glasses
I hope the , “Reports … that Jovon Robinson is on the AU campus and enrolling in classes” is a positive sign that the big 4* running back will be eligible to take one of those remaining spots.
man that would be SWEET. gotta link to these reports?
I took that from KoolBell’s article above. He said it was via twitter but that Robinson’s name appears on the AU website under student search.
Here’s KB’s quote from above:
“Reports via twitter indicate that Jovon Robinson is on the AU campus and enrolling in classes. His name pops up in the student search section of the AU website.
Robinson was rated a four star Running Back out of high school, and had to be dismissed from the team due to the grades changing scandal at his Memphis, TN high school. Is he cleared to play? I don’t know that answer. I am sure he isn’t at Auburn for the weather.”
found this which to me says memphis is admitting the grades got changed and not answering any more questions. As far as how Jovon goes about becoming eligible again I have no idea. Hopefully he has been working on that for the past few months!
ugh forgot link
http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2013/02/memphis_schools_closes_book_on.html
I do hear that Robinson is on campus to become eligible to play football.
quote:
Memphis City Schools’ investigation into the transcript change that came to light last summer involving former Wooddale High running back Jovon Robinson produced no other evidence of wrongdoing by other MCS employees, the system’s interim superintendent said
“Unless the District is presented with new evidence, we consider the matter to be closed,” interim MCS superintendent Dorsey Hopson wrote in an email to The Commercial Appeal
Case Closed. Suck it SECr
h/t AUtig24 for finding link & quotes
*@WarBlogle: Jovon Robinson is on campus (not sure if in classes), and from what I was told, is very interested in playing football for Auburn. #wareagle
I’m super excited about the D-line class we have pulled in. If you can get a great pass rush and be good at stopping the run it really helps out the rest of the D. Plus since we are only rolling with 2 LB’s, we need a strong D-line.
If you can stop the run….and run the ball yourself…you will win in college. Its that simple.
Being able to stop the run puts teams in long yardage conversion situations which makes thing IMMEASURABLY easier on your DB’s, and give your pass rush an extra second to get to the QB. Stopping the run is Job NUMERO UNO for Johnson and Garner.
I hope Whitaker, Blackmon, Eguae, Ford and the rest are working hard in the weight room, because they are on notice. Any of these incoming recruits could come in and take their job.
Or if your opponents of Auburn for the last 4 years you can always just throw everytime for a first down. Our pass coverage has been atrocious.
Exactly why we need a beast of a D-line.
OT, but Auburn corners have always given too much cushion to receivers. I had hoped we’d get some physical guys on the corners to stall those quick hit passes that spread offenses like A&M and now (once again) AU are so deadly with. 5-6 yards on just a hook route is nothing to sneeze at. After that it’s a simple scamper three to four yards for a first down.
I know NOTHING about coaching and even I could see where AU has gone wrong on defense for four years. Do we need a strong line? Of course! But more importantly the corners and secondary that we already have had better be coached up to a much higher level than last year or we’re looking at 6-6 season in 2013.
Edit: In AU’s “soft” coverage I include the LB’s as the secondary…sad but true.
It looks like thats the goal anyway of what AU is trying to do. Strong front 4 to disrupt the passing the passing game and stop the run while the secondary gets an added cover man. It is a great plan, but the line has to perform or it gonna be another bad defense. Just like the o-line is the key to a good offense, so goes the defense with the d-line.