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Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Tiger Prowl crosses state line into Columbus

Auburn's Tiger Prowl recruiting tour crossed over the state line for the first time in its two-year history, stopping at Columbus' Carver High Tuesday morning.

Six Tigers assistant coaches made the trip -- Tracy Rocker, Tommy Thigpen, Phillip Lolley, Trooper Taylor, Curtis Luper and Jay Boulware. They arrived in a white Hummer limousine.

Carver, as some might know, has two of the top prospects around in running back Isaiah Crowell and defensive lineman Gabe Wright. Both are considering Auburn and have visited the campus this spring.

Here's what Carver coach Dell McGee had to say about the visit from Auburn's coaches:

(On the Tiger Prowl)
"I guess it's a little something they're doing to make a different influence on the kids in a sense. It shows camaraderie on their part, trying to show prospects that they're on a united front together and they're targeting some of the better kids in Georgia and Alabama. They weren't here long. They just kind of eye-balled the kids, introduced themselves and kind of talked as coaches amongst one another, just giving out information about their home life and grades and test scores and football ability. Things of that sort."
(On Gene Chizik and his staff's attention to Columbus)
"Last year when coach Chizik initially got hired, he made a trip over the day after he got hired. From that day forward, he says he'll make a commitment to recruiting the city of Columbus and making the city of Columbus a priority and just trying to get things back the way things used to be. Coach (Pat) Dye had a big, big influence and had a big hand over here in Columbus. So he's kind of stayed true to his commitment in that regard."
(Was that lacking before?)
"I wouldn't necessarily say that. We've had kids go to Auburn and ... I can't speak for every school, of course, but they've been recruiting Columbus since I've been here. And I just think it's just a different focus. Coach Chizik and his staff have made it a point to make it a recruiting spot for them."
(Did the kids have a positive reaction to the Tiger Prowl?)
"Yeah, they did. A lot of kids have different values and different impressions that they get from those type of things. But that's not going to be the basing of why they go to a school or not go to a school. They want to make sure they get comfortable with their position coach and the head coach, also look at academics and comfort with their family, so they can have that influence on that decision, and feeling comfortable with the university."

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