Just got to talk to a couple of the freshmen for the first time. I spent most of my time talking to our local guys from the Columbus area, DeRon Furr and D'Antoine Hood, because, frankly, they're the ones I need to get to know the best. Had good conversations with both of those guys, some of which will even make it to print. Got a story on Hood coming tomorrow that I found fairly interesting about how workouts with former Auburn commit Jarmon Fortson, who switched to Florida State on signing day, prepared him for covering Alabama WR Julio Jones in practices for the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game in Mobile -- a set of performances that Hood believes earned him extra notice as a college prospect.

*In total, 29 newcomers officially reported today. That included nine invited walk-ons:
Justin Albert (ATH, 5-8, 168, Prattville, Fr.)
Charles Bates (OL, 6-4, 281, Gadsden, Fr.)
Kevin Carroll (OL, 6-1, 263, Lassiter, Ga., So.)
Clay Clark (OL, 6-1, 253, Auburn, Fr.)
Watson Downs (LB, 6-0, 215, Dothan, Fr.)
Bryan Harris (TE, 6-3, 242, Florissant, Mo., Sr.)
Cameron Hunt (OL/DL, 6-0, 215, Auburn, Fr.)
Andrew Parmer (OL, Dalton, Ga., Fr.)
Brent Poole (QB, 6-2, 216, Troy, Fr.)

* DE Andre Wadley and RB Reggie Hunt did not report. Tommy Tuberville said last week that Wadley was in Auburn, but said they were taking things slowly with him after he suffered a serious heat-related illness earlier this summer. So he was not among the players to officially report. As I mentioned yesterday, Tuberville said Hunt is still waiting to hear from the NCAA Clearinghouse.
* I didn't hear this myself, but Charles Goldberg from the Birmingham News was telling the other beat writers about how freshman safety Neiko Lipscomb now wants to be known as Neiko Thorpe. I spoke with Neiko for a minute, but believe it or not, his name change didn't come up. We talked about his high school, Tucker High near Atlanta, and one of his former
classmates, Asher Allen, whom I used to cover at Georgia.
* Philip Pierre-Louis surprised me with two things he had to say. One, that he's not related to Wondy, the all-SEC cornerback at Florida. I would have thought that was the case for sure. Two, they don't even pronounce their names the same. I believe Wondy pronounces his name Loo-is. Philip said his name is Loo-Wee. So there's your little pronunciation guide for the day.

Since I'm talking about our local guys, here are some pics, courtesy of Auburn University photographer Todd Van Emst. Two are of Mr. Hood, talking to reporters and moving into his room at Sewell Hall. The other is of, from left to right, Darvin Adams, Derrick Lykes and DeRon Furr: