What a difference a week makes. Prior to SEC Media Days, Auburn was being labelled a ‘dumpster fire’ in some quarters. Just four recruits had committed to The Plains for the 2023 cycle against a backdrop of drama, dysfunction and discontent. Since then, those on the outside looking in are beginning to get a feel for the true state of this football program. Firstly, Bryan Harsin stole the show at media days, essentially turning the page on an offseason of adversity. Then, on Wednesday, John Carroll (FL) 4-star edge rusher Wilky Denaud committed to the Tigers. And to finish off a near perfect ten days at Jordan-Hare, Big Cat Weekend arrived and saw all the coaching staff’s recruiting work come to fruition.
Founded back in 2009 under former head coach Gene Chizik, Big Cat Weekend is The Tigers’ yearly bonding session for friends, family and a host of high school talent considering Auburn as their future home. It’s a laid-back event that allows coaches and potential commits to build relationships over barbecue and games. There are no football-related activities over the two days, but it’s proved a real hit when it comes to recruiting.
As predicted two weeks ago, This year’s Big Cat Weekend looked set to give Auburn the filip their hard work deserved. And it certainly didn’t disappoint – with two 4-star prospects from the 2024 cycle using the event to confirm their allegiance to The Tigers…
‘Face Of The Class’
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Hailing from Moody just outside of Birmingham, Amon Lane sits pretty much equidistant between Tuscaloosa and The Plains. But growing up, the 4-star cornerback had his grandmother to thank for making Auburn his childhood team. That put the Tigers in the box seat for the DB’s commitment, and visiting Jordan-Hare for BCW, Lane committed early on Saturday. Talking to Auburn Undercover, Lane talked about his childhood memories following the blue and orange:
“When I was little I didn’t get the chance to go to an Auburn game, but I remember when they had the Kick Six on Alabama and that was crazy. Me and my grandma were going crazy and we were the only two Auburn fans in my family at that time, so it was pretty special.”
Lane is currently the No. 11 ranked prospect from the state of Alabama for the 2024 cycle, and the No. 26 CB in the nation. He was effusive in the praise of the effort that Auburn had put into recruiting him; another excellent piece of work from DB Coach Zac Etheridge following his return to The Plains. He also appreciated being made ‘the face of the (2024) class’, an honor he isn’t taking for granted:
“That was my first in-state offer, so they’ve just been recruiting me really hard. And you know, with all that happened to coach Harsin, they backed off a little bit… coach Harsin talked to me and made me feel very special, and they told me that they wanted me to be the guy to start the class off, and I felt like that was something I needed to do.”
And just like that, Big Cat Weekend was off with a bang. But it was far from over…
QB Of The Future
With Brock Glenn slipping the net, Harsin and his staff had all but moved on to the 2024 class when looking for their future quarterback. To that end, they had been pushing hard on two talents who both attended Big Cat Weekend yesterday. Prentiss ‘Air’ Noland (Fairburn, GA) might have been the name on every diehard Tigers’ lips. But it was 4-star QB Adrian Posse (Miami, FL) that followed Amon Lane in committing to AU on Saturday.
The significance of this commitment is hard to overstate. Posse, currently ranked the No. 13 quarterback in the 2024 class, is already highly coveted. 6’4” & 205lbs, the pocket passer has 15 offers on the table. Teams courting him include SEC heavyweights Texas A&M, LSU, Georgia, Florida & Arkansas, as well as Ohio State, Notre Dame and hometown team Miami. Auburn landing him this early is a testament to the recruiting prowess of Eric Kiesau and Roc Bellantoni.
Despite hailing from South Florida, Posse has always been an Auburn fan. And once he had visited Jordan-Hare he had no doubts. Posse attended a Hurricanes minicamp a month ago but left unconvinced – but Big Cat Weekend was a different story. Posse noted how complimentary the coaching staff was of his skillset, saying he ‘looked like a real quarterback’. That skillset now looks destined for Auburn in a couple of year’s time.
As for Air Noland, The Tigers are still very much interested. And Harsin has been candid with both recruits, alluding to the possibility of signing two quarterbacks in 2024. Noland seemed unfazed by Posse’s commitment, and still has Auburn as one of his top schools. Watch this space.
Still Working On 2023
Big Cat Weekend, as Noland himself said, is all about ‘good vibes’. But despite the relaxed family atmosphere, Harsin & Co. were still putting in the recruiting grind. That included some names in the 2023 class that have recently committed elsewhere, but still used BCW as an opportunity to visit The Plains.
Coach Roc continued his hot streak, luring Nebraska commit Ashley Williams to Jordan-Hare this weekend. Staying overnight, sources suggest that Williams is seriously considering flipping to The Tigers. The 4-star edge out of Zachary, Louisiana would offer a scary tandem with recent commit Wilky Denaud.
Offensive Tackle Jatavius Shivers, currently committed to Vanderbilt, received an offer from The Tigers yesterday. The 3-star Georgia behemoth said the offer ‘meant a lot’, and he would be considering his options. O-Line is a huge area of focus for this coaching staff, which made the next attendee all the more exciting…
Bo Hughley has been committed to Georgia for some time, but that hasn’t stopped Auburn putting the effort in. Hughley hails from Langston Hughes, GA – a hotbed for The Tigers, and has appreciated the attention. With a quicker route to playing time, the 4-star tackle is seriously considering flipping to AU. His presence at BCW showed the interest is mutual, and would be quite the coup.
Another Langston Hughes prospect – tight end Jelani Thurman – also attended. His recent commitment to Ohio State is still fresh, but it’s notable he still chose to visit. If committed corner Terrance Love can convince his teammates Hughley and Thurman to change destination, Big Cat Weekend 2022 can be considered an enormous success. WDE!