Auburn Football: Gene Chizik, Tigers Make Final Signing Day Push

While there isn't much recruiting action going on about campus this weekend, the chase for top recruits is on for Gene Chizik and his Auburn staff. 

Four out of the five recruits I have highlighted remain uncommitted at this point.

Chizik is in South Carolina along with four other assistants to recruit running back prospect Marcus Lattimore.  The Lattimore Watch is almost over for fans of Auburn and South Carolina. 

Shon Coleman, who has said he is verbally committed to Auburn, has taken several stops including Ole Miss, Alabama, and Miami.

Defensive tackles Jeffery Whitaker and Byran Jones are also on Auburn's watch list as the weekend turns.  Defensive end Corey Lemonire is also making his decision soon.

With the addition of a couple of these recruits, Auburn could push for No. 2 or No. 3 in the recruiting rankings amongst several experts. 

Many see Auburn's jump into the top of the recruiting charts as a start.  Others can't comprehend why the Tigers have been in the mix for so many high profile recruits.

The recruits mentioned earlier have everyone's attention, but it shouldn't matter too much in the grand scheme of the recruiting class. 

For the most part, Auburn has already gotten what it has needed.  The big holes Auburn needed to fill were linebackers, offensive lineman, and defensive lineman. Linebacker Jessell Curry and Defensive end Craig Sanders are already enrolled at school.

As of today, including the currently enrolled students, Auburn has four linebackers, five offensive lineman, and four defensive lineman.  Chizik is looking to add more defensive lineman over the weekend.

Auburn also has five athletes on their verbal committed list: Ryan White, Trovan Reed, Shaun Kitchens, D.J. Howard, and Chris Davis.

While the addition of more recruits will be nice (and there will be more commitments), it needs to be viewed as icing on the cake. 

If none of the other recruits change their minds and no one else commits to the Tigers, it shouldn't be viewed as a failure.  Even if a couple recruits do change their minds, it won't be the end of the world.  Auburn will have what it needs to prosper in the coming seasons. 

Some players will be able to contribute immediately, and other recruits will be waiting in the wings. 

It is all a matter of where they are needed.  Chizik and his staff will make those determinations in the spring and fall.

When the recruiting whirlwind settles, everything shall return more or less to normal on the Plains.

Then the real work can begin.