Christmas comes early on the plains
Oh, what can eight to nine months do for the Auburn Soul. If you are one of the unlucky to have suffered as Auburn fans through the Brian Harsin “hard candy Christmas” phase, then I have some good news for you! It is not raining successful recruiting right now for Hugh Freeze and staff, it is a full-blown White Christmas in July!
This past week the Tigers have managed to flip the commitment of all-world linebacker recruit, Demarcus Riddick, from their oldest rival and complete thorn in their recent side, The University of Georgia. You remember them, the two-time defending national champion.
Riddick, an Alabama native from Chilton County, just for extra measure also chose the reborn Tigers over Nick Saban and The University of Alabama. You remember them also, possibly “The GOAT” and a program which has dominated Auburn in-state in recruiting at the linebacker position since Nick Saban’s foot hit the tarmac at Tuscaloosa Regional Airport in December of 2006.
Can you say “Merry Flipmas’’?
But wait, it gets better, Recruiting Santa has decided to fill up the stockings to the point of overflow for Auburn also.
After the mid-week brouhaha caused by the Riddick flip died down, Hugh Freeze decided to ice down the competition by hosting Auburn’s annual Big Cat Weekend. If you do not remember what that is, no worries, I had forgotten about it also after the previous staff let that concept die on the vine.
Historically, Big Cat Weekend has been a summer weekend gathering in Auburn for some of the top recruits in the country. The weekend is more fun than anything. Families of recruits are encouraged to visit also, and all sorts of wholesome activities are planned for participants to see the more personal side of the staff recruiting these prospects.
Look at the above link and tell me if you think they are having fun with football in the loveliest village again.
As of Sunday Morning, from the recruiting weekend, Auburn has an additional two commitments from top in-state prospects to back up the Riddick commitment.
Wide Receiver Malcolm Simmons from just up the road in Alex City pledged to Auburn early Saturday. Then an atomic bomb was dropped Saturday afternoon when Freeze and company flipped wide receiver and longtime Alabama commitment, Perry Thompson, to Auburn.
Can you say “Merry Flipmas,” again?
