This is Shaun Kitchens, a 6-3, 211-pound (!) wideout from College Park, Ga., that became Auburn's second commitment for the class of 2010 last Saturday. There's a couple of free quotes from Kitchens here--not surprisingly, the idea of playing for Trooper Taylor in a Malzahn-directed offense was pretty appealing.
Kitchens's offer list (as any Alabama fan would be happy to tell you, I'm sure) doesn't have any of the SEC's heaviest hitters on it, but as with previous commit Jake Holland, it's nothing to sneeze at, either: West Virginia, Michigan State, South Carolina, both Mississippi schools. Also worth noting is that Kitchens continues the new staff's course reversal towards Benton-style tall outside receivers rather than Frenchy-type slot jitterbugs. The instruction from Malzahn to players like Kitchens will be pretty clear: go deep, young man.
Another huge positive from Auburn's very early recruiting returns: no academic risk. Holland and Kitchens both had Duke offers, which should tell you something, and Kitchens says he's on track to graduate and enroll early. Tubby had a reasonable share of academic achievers to go with the many (many) non-qualifiers of his final two classes, and I'm sure there'll be at least a couple of guys on the academic fence in this class when all is said and done. But after watching so many guys from the Tubby era fail to ever arrive on campus, starting off 2-for-2 in terms of kids who have their head on perfectly straight is quite the welcome sight.
More. Tiger Insider has a variety of recruiting links and info for you hyah, hyah, and hyah. Probably the biggest development, given the serious dearth of linebackers on the Auburn roster at the moment, is LaDarius Owens allegedly trimming his list to Auburn and Alabama. Given Saban's unfortunate success in keeping top-shelf in-state linebacking prospects away from the Plains the last couple of years, Owens would be, as they say, a big get.
7 comments:
I unfortunately live in LSU Tiger coon ass country. Today on their low budget, cajun call in radio show, they were whining about Phelan Jones and boasting that they will win 10 games next year(not happening, they play at Bama, at UGA, at Ole Miss, vs Fla all which they will be underdogs) Jones must be a pretty good player for them to whine so much. Have you heard about this or mentioned this? Thanks.
Anyone else realize how interesting the SEC West will be this year? In the west: Two crazy, unpredictable, high flying, new-fangled offenses in AU and MSU. Arky will be much better with Ryan(Matt Stafford Jr)Mallett. LSU is extremely talented, yet unpredictable as is Ole Miss. Bama is the most solid overall but has a new QB and got their arse kicked by Utah last year(that still makes me smile). The SEC West has become much more difficult since Tuberville's heyday.
Homer, I covered Jones's apparent attempt to sign up with Auburn, Foreign Legion-style, over the weekend:
http://www.warblogeagle.com/2009/04/works-weekend-update-style.html
He had the recruiting goods. I'm expecting Auburn will welcome him aboard.
The West--honestly, the entire SEC--is so much tougher than it used to be, it's not even funny. That Bobby Petrino--as recently as 2006, aguably the hottest coach in the entire country--is toiling in relative anonymity at Arkansas says a lot about how unbelievably loaded the head coaching position is in the SEC. We've got plenty of time to dither over it, but my early favorite for the West is LSU--Miles corrected the mistake at DC and they won't be playing QB-go-round this season.
Thanks, sorry I missed the Phelan update.
You mentioned Bobby Petrino, the best offensive coordinator AU ever had, former NFL head coach and assistant, the man who built Louisville into a formidable BCS team is at Arkansas and is now armed with a QB that is more talented than Brian Brohm. Add a rabid fanbase at a state school with no in state rival=sleeping giant. Um, not good. AU will struggle to get near the top of the SEC West again in the near future.
Just reread my post and I know it seems negative, but I am just being realistic. AU is really up against it the next few years.
Dan Mullen, one of the archetect's of the vaunted UF offense, Tim Tebow's former QB coach, and Urban's top right hand man is now at Starkvegas. They may struggle this year, but watch out by next year and especially year three. I think MSU will become one of those dangerous teams(similar to Arky with Nutt over the past decade, or Jackie Sherrills cheating MSU teams) than can easily beat you when your looking ahead to the next week, especially on the road with all those damn cowbells.
Regardless of the crazy Nutt, Ole Miss should be very good the next few years thanks to the recruiting of old coach O(now recruiting at UT, dammit) and their impressive season last year which has netted a good recruiting class.
I haven't even mentioned the recruiting juggernauts of Bama and LSU whom I could even coach to a few wins.
AU probably has the best offensive mind this side of Mike Leach, but he will become a head coach somewhere if the offense has any success. AU will be extremely lucky to get back near the top of the SEC West over the next few seasons I am afraid. But it will be interesting at least. Like you said Jerry, there will be plenty of time to talk about this. Only 5 months until the start of football season. LOL. Just letting all that out made me feel better. OK, I am finally done now.
Hey, it's called competition folks. Bring it on. The cream will rise to the top again this year in the west. There is a reason why they play the games.
Somebody has to be bad, and I'm sure the rest of the SEC West thinks it will be us. Usually one team/coach completely shocks us with a wretched season. Auburn last year. It might be fun to guess which team will totally implode this season. Hopefully its not us.
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