Scarbo, taking pot shots

[JR4AU]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/05/tommy_tubervilles_off_the_hook.html

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - If you're into kicking a man when he's gone, put on your steel-toed boots and have at it, Auburn fans. This is your last chance to blame Tommy Tuberville.

At least for anything of substance. Your program's worst showing in the NFL Draft since 2003 is mostly on him.

Four years after Tuberville's last signing class with the Tigers, when some of the 2008 signees should've been 2012 draftees, they had exactly one player drafted.

And that player, offensive line­man Brandon Mosley, who was chosen in the fourth round by the Super Bowl champion New York Gi­ants, didn't even sign with Tuber­ville. He signed out of junior college with Gene Chizik.

Chizik shares a bit of the respon­sibility for the near-shutout. He and his staff could've signed a player or two in his first class in 2009 and made them draft-ready in three years.

It can be done.

Nick Saban's first Alabama class in 2007 landed two players that be­came more than NFL Draft picks in three years. Rolando McClain and Kareem Jackson became first­rounders in 2010.

But enough about Saban. Auburn is probably sick to death of hearing about Saban and his NFL pipeline in Tuscaloosa.

Auburn has signed and developed plenty of future pros itself in the last three decades, which makes last weekend's underachievement by Team Under Armour all the more glaring.

How bad was it for the NFL to se­lect 253 players over seven rounds and choose just one from Auburn?

That was the same number of draftees as UAB (offensive tackle Matt McCants) and Samford (cornerback Corey White). It was Auburn's worst draft performance since 2003, when it didn't have a single player selected. It marked just the fourth time since Pat Dye arrived as head coach before the 1981 season that the Tigers didn't have multiple NFL draft picks in a single year.

According to NFL.com, they also turned out just one pick in 1983 and 1997 to go with the 2003 shutout.

Every SEC school had at least one player drafted Thursday, Friday or Saturday, but Auburn, Tennessee and Ole Miss were the only SEC schools with just one draftee. Auburn was the 11th of the 12 SEC schools to see one of its players come off the board. Mosley was the 131st overall pick. Tennessee's lone selection, defensive lineman Malik Jackson, was No. 137.

If the Tennessee program that changed hands from Phillip Fulmer to Lane Kiffin to Derek Dooley is the only one you can look down on, something went terribly wrong in your own house.

For Auburn, it was that 2008 signing class.

It's the gaffe that keeps on giving.

Only a handful of players from that class got in school and stayed there long enough to play in 2011. That's beyond attrition.

How much did Auburn's recruiting drop off toward the end of Tuberville's tenure? The Tigers have had five NFL Draft picks in the last two years. Two of them (Zach Clayton and Lee Ziemba) were signed by Tuberville. Two (Mosley and Cam Newton) were signed by Chizik. One (Nick Fairley) was signed by both coaches.

Fairley signed with Tuberville in 2007, detoured to junior college and then signed with Chizik in 2009.

The ability of Chizik and his staff to recognize, recruit and develop NFL-level talent will begin to be put to the test next year. Some of their 2009 signees such as Emory Blake and Philip Lutzenkirchen could be -- no, should be -- 2013 draft picks.

With the exception of the last holdovers from the 2008 signing class, Onterio McCalebb and T'Sharvan Bell, the book on Tuberville at Auburn is closed. It's a good story overall, but the ending left a lot to be desired.

At least he's off the hook. Chizik, to use an NFL phrase, is now on the clock.

Although I can't argue with the way Tubs' recruiting efforts ended, this fucking bullshit about Chizik not getting players ready in 3 years then launching in to a knob slobbing of Saban is so fucking typical.  And let's give credit where it's due.  Yeah, Tubs recruited Fairley initially, but Chiz and Rock re-signed him and took him from mediocre to the best of the best in college and a 1st round pick in just 2 years.  Chiz and staff too a JUCO TE and made him a 4th round pick at OT in just 2 years.  Lutz was draft ready, but chose to stay.  Oh, and what were the records of Ole Miss and UT with their lone draft pick on the field?  Fuck you Scarbo. 

[Townhallsavoy]

I do wish we had a few more Auburn players representing in the draft.  However, look on the bright side.  The following players will/could be drafted next year:

Corey Lemonier
Jeffrey Whittaker
Phillip Lutz
Emory Blake
Onterrio McCalebb

And that's pretty damn good considering we'll still chock full of < seniors.

[JR4AU]

I do wish we had a few more Auburn players representing in the draft.  However, look on the bright side.  The following players will/could be drafted next year:

Corey Lemonier
Jeffrey Whittaker
Phillip Lutz
Emory Blake
Onterrio McCalebb

And that's pretty damn good considering we'll still chock full of < seniors.

Add T'sharvin Bell to that list as well.  Lutz will for sure.  Blake most likely if he is healthy and our QB can get him the ball.  Whittaker is at that point it's time to shit or get off the pot.  I hope, for Auburn's sake, the light suddenly comes on.  Not that he's been bad, but he's not live up to his billing.  I'll give him a pass for now based on the non aggressive style Roof played, and see what he can do getting after it under BVG.  D. Bates may even get a look as a Safety, but not likely.  I can't see O Mac getting drafted.  Maybe a FA look at KO returner, but with the new kick off rules in the NFL, IMO, those become less valuable in terms of having a guy take up a roster spot just to return kicks.   

[Snaggletiger]

I honestly have no problem with that article other than the need to compare with Lord Saybinz. Scarbinsky is an equal opportunity offender.  He calls it like he sees it and I can't count the times the unwashed have wanted to tar and feather him because he dared speak ill of The Dark One.

Tuberville did way more good things at AU than bad.  But his last 2 years were awful on the recruiting front and it has put this program in somewhat of a rebuilding mode.  And putting players in the pros matters.  Plain and simple!!!  I know it means nothing with regard to wins and losses but if your program is churning out NFL players, that's what these kids look at as much as anything. 

[JR4AU]

I honestly have no problem with that article other than the need to compare with Lord Saybinz. Scarbinsky is an equal opportunity offender.  He calls it like he sees it and I can't count the times the unwashed have wanted to tar and feather him because he dared speak ill of The Dark One.

Tuberville did way more good things at AU than bad.  But his last 2 years were awful on the recruiting front and it has put this program in somewhat of a rebuilding mode.  And putting players in the pros matters.  Plain and simple!!!  I know it means nothing with regard to wins and losses but if your program is churning out NFL players, that's what these kids look at as much as anything.

Not too many college teams turning out NFL players and losing, or even being mediocre at the same time.  Maybe under performing, ie UGA, but not losing. 

[RWS]

Sure, Tuberville screwed the pooch his last 2 years. But overall, I would have taken him in a heartbeat over the dumbasses Alabama hired over the same span. I think you will see AU well represented in the years to come due to some of the talent that Chizik has signed, and also a shift to a more NFL friendly scheme on both sides of the ball.

[GH2001]

Sure, Tuberville screwed the pooch his last 2 years. But overall, I would have taken him in a heartbeat over the dumbasses Alabama hired over the same span. I think you will see AU well represented in the years to come due to some of the talent that Chizik has signed, and also a shift to a more NFL friendly scheme on both sides of the ball.

The lesser of 2 evils is still an evil.