Commitment #18....

[The Prowler]

WR Dominic Walker (former Nebraska commit). Had offers from all over.

[bottomfeeder]

WR Dominic Walker (former Nebraska commit). Had offers from all over.

I was just about to post this. Coach Craig is busy.

[jmar]

I was just about to post this. Coach Craig is busy.

Yeah this is similar to what was expected of Sammie Coates before being injured.
Kid looks great!

[AUChizad]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/blogs/recruiting/os-dominic-walker-drops-nebraska-commits-to-auburn-20130125,0,4009397.post

Dominic Walker drops Nebraska and commits to Auburn; joining teammate Tony Stevens
 
By Chris Hays | Orlando Sentinel
 
1:13 p.m. EST, January 26, 2013
 
He didn't want to do it out of fear of what people might think of him, but after finally overcoming that notion, Dominic Walker decommitted Nebraska to pledge his newfound allegiance to Auburn on Friday.

The relief could be heard in his voice as he talked about finally making the decision that had been tugging at him for nearly a week.

In the end, however, Walker weighed all of the pros and cons of choosing either Nebraska or Auburn and it was Auburn that came out on top.

"There's more opportunity for my family to see me play because it's closer to home and there's a better chance for me to go in and play right away, which is what I was looking for all along," Walker said Friday night after making the announcement that he would be joining teammate and fellow wide receiver Tony Stevens as newly committed Tigers. "Plus, I get to play another four years with my  teammate Tony and that's great ... everything is just great."

He had said the same thing about Nebraska two months ago after an official visit to Lincoln. That's when he decommitted from a Vanderbilt pledge. He finally committed to Nebraska on Dec. 30, and the overwhelming support he'd seen from Nebraska fans seemed have him locked in to Big Red Nation.

It was hard for Walker to make that call to Nebraska on Friday, but he knew he had to do it. He said he didn't handle the Vanderbilt situation as well as he could have back when he decommitted from the Commodores in October and he wanted to make sure and do the right thing this time.

Even his mom was afraid for him when he made the call to head coach Bo Pelini and his staff on Friday.

"It was a very tough decision. They were [mad]. They were very mad. But I thought I had to call them like a real man shoould," Walker said. "But yeah, they were mad. Coach Pelini said, 'Best of luck, you're going to need it.' "

Wide receivers coach Rich Fisher also was in on the call. 

"Coach Fisher said, 'I can’t believe you,' " Walker said. "It was really awkward."

He had prepared himself for the conversation but nothing really got him ready to face the music. But he did what he felt he had to do.

"At first I was scared to decommit because of what people might think about me since I decommitted from Vandy and then I'd be decommitting from Nebraska," Walker said. "But I just gotta do what I gotta do and not worry about what people have to say. It's my future."

Indeed it is and his future will be spent in Auburn, Ala., for the next four seasons, most likely.

Walker said Stevens committing to Auburn last week did not have much to do with his choice to join the Tigers. He and Stevens both took official visits to Auburn last weekend.

"Not really. I just felt I had to do what’s best for me," Walker said. "He made his decision, but it didn’t really affect my decision.  In the end, it might have affected it a little bit, but overall not really."

Being six hours away from Orlando seems to be the most important factor in the equation, as well as a relentless push from new Auburn co-offensive coordinator Dameyune Craig. The former Auburn quarterback was hired away from Florida State last month by new Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn.

"He said me and Tony can be just like we were in high school. ... Tony on one side and me on the other. We're two different types of receivers, so he said we won't be competing against each other," Walker said. "Coach Craig, they let him kind of go out and recruit his guys since he knows Florida and he really hand picked us. He saw the receivers he wanted to go out and get and he recruited us hard.

"I've gotten to know him real well these past few weeks. We've been talking like three or four times every day. I like how he talks about things and he has a good way of phrasing stuff. He came to my house for the in-home visit and let my mom know what things would be like for me at Auburn and she fell in love with his words, too."

Walker and Stevens were a formidable duo at Evans the past two seasons, during which the Trojans won two straight Class 7A district titles and were 19-5. Stevens was the go-to target and the deep threat, while Walker did most of the dirty work. Over the course of their junior and senior seasons, the pair combined for 141 catches, 2,600 yards and 36 touchdowns

Stevens had 43 catches for 803 yards and 14 touchdowns this past season, and as a junior he had 37 catches for 781 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging almost 20 yards per catch over the two seasons.

Walker, who got off to a slow start this past season, which was somewhat due to some sloppy conditions in a rainy September and the Trojans ran the ball a lot. He had 25 catches for 398 yards as a senior, and as a junior he caught 36 balls for 618 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 16 yards per catch over two seasons.

[jmar]

"There's more opportunity for my family to see me play because it's closer to home and there's a better chance for me to go in and play right away, which is what I was looking for all along," Walker said Friday night after making the announcement that he would be joining teammate and fellow wide receiver Tony Stevens as newly committed Tigers. "Plus, I get to play another four years with my  teammate Tony and that's great ... everything is just great." -Dominic Walker


It has to be much the same for PVHS OLB Zack Cunningham, an Oregon pledge. Autzen, OR has to seem like the land that time forgot in relation to small time Auburn, AL. I've been throughout Oregon and at least Lincoln and I can't imagine an Alabama kid wanting to be that far away from his family, friends and the feel of home. Recruiting is very much sales which I found out by interviewing with Scout in the early '90s. It is targeted toward the family, hs staff and boosters of the hs, whomever comes up with the money. And there are packages that are tiered according to how many schools you as a prospect want to reach. I'm sure it has evolved to suit the current climate but it is at its base money driven and no service better than the other.     

[Townhallsavoy]

"It was a very tough decision. They were [mad]. They were very mad. But I thought I had to call them like a real man shoould," Walker said. "But yeah, they were mad. Coach Pelini said, 'Best of luck, you're going to need it.' "

Wide receivers coach Rich Fisher also was in on the call.

"Coach Fisher said, 'I can’t believe you,' " Walker said. "It was really awkward."

[jmar]

That's what I'm talking about...and that's why I don't want an overemotional penis like Pelini or Muschamp running the show at Auburn. There is a sort of code (can't remember the term) that one has to maintain.

You must act as an adult when the futures of 17 and 18 year old kids are involved.

[Buzz Killington]

That's what I'm talking about...and that's why I don't want an overemotional penis like Pelini or Muschamp running the show at Auburn. There is a sort of code (can't remember the term) that one has to maintain.

You must act as an adult when the futures of 17 and 18 year old kids are involved.

^^^This^^^

Oh...and fuck Bo Pelini in da mouf

[Tiger Wench]

^^^This^^^

Oh...and fuck Bo Pelini in da mouf

His nose would be a better option.

[Vandy Vol]

Oh...and fuck Bo Pelini in da mouf

Is that a promise?  Because I changed my name to Bo Pelini about three hours ago...

[Vandy Vol]

His nose would be a better option fit for the baby bird.

Fixt.

[Jumbo]

Is that a promise?  Because I changed my name to Bo Pelini about three hours ago...

This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[GH2001]

Nebraska gave up 214 points in their 4 losses - 53.3 ppg. Hell we didn't even give up that in our 4 worst losses. I think Pelini is the one who could use some luck.

[The Prowler]

"There's more opportunity for my family to see me play because it's closer to home and there's a better chance for me to go in and play right away, which is what I was looking for all along," Walker said Friday night after making the announcement that he would be joining teammate and fellow wide receiver Tony Stevens as newly committed Tigers. "Plus, I get to play another four years with my  teammate Tony and that's great ... everything is just great." -Dominic Walker


It has to be much the same for PVHS OLB Zack Cunningham, an Oregon pledge. Autzen, OR has to seem like the land that time forgot in relation to small time Auburn, AL. I've been throughout Oregon and at least Lincoln and I can't imagine an Alabama kid wanting to be that far away from his family, friends and the feel of home. Recruiting is very much sales which I found out by interviewing with Scout in the early '90s. It is targeted toward the family, hs staff and boosters of the hs, whomever comes up with the money. And there are packages that are tiered according to how many schools you as a prospect want to reach. I'm sure it has evolved to suit the current climate but it is at its base money driven and no service better than the other.   

Zach Cunningham will have to look elsewhere other than Auburn and probably uat if he wants to play closer to home. Would've liked to have landed him, but oh well.

[WiregrassTiger]

Zach Cunningham will have to look elsewhere other than Auburn and probably uat if he wants to play closer to home. Would've liked to have landed him, but oh well.

why? Does he not still have an offer from us?

[jmar]

why? Does he not still have an offer from us?

WTF, we outta cash?

[The Prowler]

why? Does he not still have an offer from us?

Not a committable offer, at this time. He wanted to play the waiting game and the Auburn staff apparently told him to go play, we're going to look elsewhere. Something about if a uat offer becomes a committable one that he'd jump on it, regardless if he's committed to play elsewhere...and if you've followed recruiting these past few years, whenever Auburn lands a commitment, Coach Sawed Off comes in with an offer and a duffle bag of cash.

[WiregrassTiger]

Not a committable offer, at this time. He wanted to play the waiting game and the Auburn staff apparently told him to go play, we're going to look elsewhere. Something about if a uat offer becomes a committable one that he'd jump on it, regardless if he's committed to play elsewhere...and if you've followed recruiting these past few years, whenever Auburn lands a commitment, Coach Sawed Off comes in with an offer and a duffle bag of cash.

It seems that there sure are more recruits this year (that were not very highly recruited early on) that have snubbed us.

The OG from Mobile or Pritchard that supposedly grew up an AU fan but had to think about our offer for 3 weeks (he had committed to UCF) and now I understand we pulled the offer. I say we gotta do more of that. I mean, I will wait on Jennifer Anniston but I ain't waiting as long on Lulu Roman.

[Buzz Killington]

It seems that there sure are more recruits this year (that were not very highly recruited early on) that have snubbed us.

The OG from Mobile or Pritchard that supposedly grew up an AU fan but had to think about our offer for 3 weeks (he had committed to UCF) and now I understand we pulled the offer. I say we gotta do more of that. I mean, I will wait on Jennifer Anniston but I ain't waiting as long on Lulu Roman.

Lulu would make a better OG though...

[WiregrassTiger]

Lulu would make a better OG though...

This is true. I don't get me wrong about waiting on her. I'd still roll her around in some flour and stick it in the wet spot.