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PODCAST: Free agency begins at Auburn, across college football · The Auburn Undercover Podcast

0:02
And welcome back everybody. Another
0:03
edition here of the Auburn Undercover
0:05
podcast on the 247 Sports Network. My
0:08
name is Nathan King joined here by Jason
0:10
Caldwell as always presented by AU Club.
0:13
I guess this is technically Thursday and
0:15
we're not live but uh we're here on
0:17
Thursday night. Um a week until
0:19
Christmas
0:20
>> which is kind of crazy to think about.
0:21
Jason's got a more festive
0:23
>> had to give a little little background
0:24
for Christmas background today. So I
0:26
moved I moved a little bit. So,
0:28
>> I had a Well, there's my plant, my
0:30
bonsai tree that is out of that is out
0:32
of sight. It's not doing well.
0:33
>> Put one ornament on there. You've been
0:35
fine. So,
0:35
>> h Yeah, he he it would actually probably
0:37
die immediately if I tried to hang
0:38
anything on it. Um, but you know, this
0:41
time of year, as we'll get into, I guess
0:43
now with the with the single portal
0:45
window, this is going to be the
0:47
pre-portal process where obviously guys
0:50
can't enter yet, but they can say that
0:52
they're going to enter. Um, and
0:54
obviously that opens up back channels
0:55
and makes it just a little bit clearer
0:58
honestly for coaches is the main thing
0:59
so that they can look at guys who have
1:02
announced on social media and things
1:03
like that and say, "Okay, we know that
1:05
guy's going to go in. We know that guy
1:06
and you can just kind of prepare." So,
1:08
we'll get into that. That's kind of our
1:09
main topic of discussion today. I'm
1:11
trying to think when we did that show
1:12
last week with Christian, the staff had
1:15
not been completed. Um, I believe the
1:17
two hires since then to round things out
1:20
are the two Larry's if I'm not
1:23
because because Coleman Hutsler was
1:24
there. So, uh
1:26
>> it it happened while Coleman Hudsler,
1:28
>> correct? Correct. I think I think Yeah,
1:30
I think both Larry's are the only guys
1:32
since then. So,
1:33
>> yes, Larry's Porter and Scott. Uh Larry
1:36
Porter we know from the Gus Mison era.
1:39
He was the tight end's coach for four
1:41
years, I believe, from 2017 to 2020. Um
1:44
and now he comes back as the running
1:46
back's coach, which he held that role at
1:48
West Virginia most recently. Um, he's
1:50
held that role at a lot of different
1:51
places as I as I understand it. Um, and
1:54
then Larry Scott, that's a it was
1:56
definitely one that caught your eye.
1:57
Like I can't claim to have known much
1:59
about him before that hire, but a
2:02
sitting head coach from from Howard
2:04
University. Their season just ended over
2:07
the weekend. So, I guess it was the day
2:09
a day or two after their season ended.
2:11
>> Um, you hire a sitting head coach, a guy
2:13
who's got a lot of SEC experience as
2:15
well. Coached at Florida, coached at
2:17
Tennessee, coached at Miami. Um, and his
2:20
son, we maybe should have like had him
2:21
on our radar a little sooner.
2:23
>> Yeah, I know. I thought about that, too.
2:24
Go like it probably should have been a
2:25
hint, but but you just never really
2:27
know.
2:27
>> His son, Larry Scott III, played for
2:29
Golish at USF. He is a defensive analyst
2:31
on this Auburn staff. So, we can start
2:33
with Larry Porter, Jason, somebody I I'm
2:36
sure he he was he was here before I
2:37
started covering the team, but I'm sure
2:39
that you know from from his time under
2:40
Gus Melon. Um, recruiting. Look, he was
2:43
a lot younger when he won recruiter of
2:45
the year, but still just as I understand
2:47
it, a very likable um personality and a
2:49
guy who comes in to be focused on that
2:52
Auburn running back room taking over for
2:53
uh forh for Derek Knicks.
2:54
>> Yeah. No, absolutely. You look at I
2:57
think one of the keys you mentioned
2:58
earlier is that look, he's he's got
3:00
experience coaching multiple positions.
3:02
I think that's a big deal when you start
3:03
to talk about kind of fitting in an
3:05
offense. You understand because
3:07
everything has to work together. If you
3:08
co you're you're a veteran, you're
3:10
experienced and you coach multiple
3:11
positions. I think that's a big deal.
3:13
And so, yeah, Larry Porter is a guy that
3:15
will recruit heavily. Um, he's a guy
3:17
that has a ton of ties up the East
3:19
Coast, you know, a lot of places he's
3:22
been. Obviously was at West Virginia. He
3:24
been in North Carolina before. So, he's
3:26
got some ties in those areas. And now,
3:29
those are things you can do. But I think
3:30
you you think about Tennessee is a is an
3:33
ever growing football market. I think
3:35
those are some areas you can reach into.
3:37
Matter of fact, Auburn has a couple
3:39
offers out in Tennessee today from the
3:40
27 class. Um, so you start to think
3:43
about kind of the places he touches and
3:45
and and you know, same thing with Larry
3:47
Scott. I think it's East Coast Florida
3:50
um heavy for both those guys. And um I
3:53
think really strong additions on both
3:56
sides because of the veteran aspect of
3:58
it to go along with some of the youth
4:00
you've got, some of the experience, and
4:02
some of the guys that have ties
4:03
together. I think it's a really good mix
4:05
of of guys that you're bringing in.
4:08
>> I wrote about this earlier this week,
4:09
but so now the the on staff the onfield
4:11
staff is the onfield
4:14
assistant staff. You know, guys can
4:16
special teams coordinators mixed in
4:17
there. Uh Brad Wilson, we talked about
4:19
him on the last podcast, but we
4:20
understand that he will be over the
4:23
outside linebackers. Uh while Coleman
4:25
Hutzer will coach the uh the edge guys.
4:27
Sorry, I got a text about a player and I
4:30
just terrified at all moments.
4:32
>> Yeah. All the time. Um, but uh I I think
4:34
Jason, this is this is a a staff that is
4:37
very clear what Alex Golish was trying
4:39
to accomplish. Um, the brain trust on
4:42
offense was just bring over that system
4:46
that worked at USF and hope it works
4:49
here. I mean, he's got his play caller,
4:52
he's got his right-hand man, Cody Burns,
4:54
he's got his very young upand cominging
4:55
offensive line coach. Uh, brought one
4:57
guy on defense, Demarcus Van Djk, that
4:59
he just thinks is is a rising star. But
5:02
everywhere else, other than that
5:03
offensive identity, that group that's
5:06
been doing it for a while, everywhere
5:07
else is just a ton of SEC experience and
5:10
a ton of experience in general. And I
5:12
think that was important for Alex Gish
5:13
to go out and go,
5:14
>> "Yes, I've been in the SEC, but I don't
5:16
know this place. I don't know this job."
5:18
It's guys who have been in the league,
5:19
but also now with Larry Porter, it's
5:20
it's guys and Cody Burns obviously as
5:22
well. It's guys who have been at Auburn.
5:24
>> Yeah. You know, you have a there's a
5:26
again I like the mix and and we'll see
5:29
what it looks like in two or three
5:30
years. That's that's the only way to
5:32
judge it. But on paper, you look at it
5:34
and you go, man, you like the pieces
5:36
that are put together because you're
5:37
right, there's connections at different
5:38
levels. You have the connection of, hey,
5:40
these guys are with me, familiar with
5:42
me. They know the system. I know exactly
5:44
what they're going to do every day. So,
5:46
you have that trio of of offensive guys.
5:48
Then you go, look, okay, what do you you
5:51
go experienced with Larry Scott, uh,
5:54
experienced with Larry Porter to go
5:56
along with some younger coaches on that
5:58
offensive side of the ball. So you go
5:59
like, man, that's that's a good mix.
6:00
Defensively, you keep DJ Durk and you
6:02
keep Montreal King Williams. So you have
6:04
a connection there. Bring in Coleman
6:06
Hustler who has coached with DJ Durk
6:08
before. So you have another connection.
6:09
Then you bring in another coordinator
6:11
and then you bring in a young guy. U
6:13
then you bring in a guy that was a
6:15
coordinator in this league as well on
6:16
the back end of Tim Banks. And so you
6:18
have a mix of experience, you have a mix
6:20
of [snorts] guys that know the
6:22
Southeastern Conference and then youth
6:24
and energy. Um, you know, you like you
6:27
said on paper you look I like it and you
6:31
mentioned on the field that there'll
6:33
probably be a few more assistant
6:35
whatever coach assistant whatever coach.
6:37
Those guys will be on the field now
6:38
because you there's no limit to it, but
6:40
these are the guys that we feel like
6:42
will be on the road recruiting for the
6:44
most part. You may have a a player
6:46
personnel guy that goes on the road a
6:48
little bit here or there too, but this
6:50
feels like in the old days what would
6:52
consist of your staff um is in place now
6:55
for Alex Golish and the Auburn Tigers.
6:58
[snorts]
6:58
>> Yeah, I mean you can sub those guys out
7:00
who guys who go on the road. Um
7:02
>> and like you said, I mean it's so so
7:04
Wilson will coach the linebackers or the
7:06
outside linebackers that that leaves DJ
7:08
Durkin probably just to the middle guys.
7:11
Um, which makes sense is you want to
7:14
streamline. Um, I meant to mention this
7:15
by the way when Larry Porter Derrick
7:17
Nicks by the way will be at Alabama next
7:19
season. Um, he's taking their vacant
7:21
wide receivers's coach position that was
7:23
left vacant by uh I'm blanking on the
7:26
name, but went to go become the Oregon
7:28
State head coach.
7:30
>> Yeah. Uh, and and what's really
7:32
interesting is is Nath you mentioned it,
7:34
but look, you try to get in touch with
7:35
Will Muschamp to get a gets on on
7:39
Hustler who's coming in and look up Will
7:41
Mus Champamp today is going back to
7:43
Texas to be the defensive coordinator.
7:44
So, hey, it's movement all over the
7:46
place. Um, you have to keep your head on
7:48
a swivel in every single capacity right
7:52
now in college athletics. It is it's it
7:55
it's a neverending thing. And that
7:57
includes coaches moves and and assistant
7:59
coaches as well.
8:01
>> Yeah, I I I texted Ronnie as well. I was
8:03
like, "Oh, it makes sense why he's not
8:04
returning my text messages."
8:07
>> I thought he I thought he was just
8:08
sitting on the couch enjoying enjoying
8:10
being retired and watching his son play
8:12
at Vanderbilt.
8:13
>> Coach Coach Boom is back in the game at
8:15
Texas. Um yeah, I mean, you mentioned
8:17
it, Jason. This is uh this is going to
8:20
be I think for the foreseeable future
8:22
until things change in a major way. This
8:24
is going to be black December for a lot
8:27
of a lot of places. Um
8:30
>> we mentioned the pre-portal. That's kind
8:31
of what we'll get into. There have been
8:33
positives and negatives for Auburn so
8:35
far, which is to be expected. Uh as we
8:38
understand it,
8:39
>> all those conversations are done. they
8:41
they they kids went home on on holiday
8:43
break and just to get down to the
8:45
nitty-gritty of it, uh their offers were
8:47
made because that's what this is
8:48
nowadays. Obviously, it's it's it's all
8:50
a money thing. And so, um you're
8:52
starting to see not only at Auburn, but
8:53
around the country, guys ressigning and
8:57
that is just the wording of it. That's
8:59
just what it is nowadays. Uh was talking
9:01
to you earlier today like USC has been
9:03
the most transparent with it, like
9:05
straight up saying, "We have ressigned
9:06
this player." And then I was going to
9:08
get your thoughts on the Mario Craraver
9:10
today. His his agency saying he's going
9:13
to be the highest paid receiver in Texas
9:15
A&M history. Whatever that means because
9:16
we only started getting this officially
9:18
a few years ago.
9:19
>> Yeah. Like one of the highest paid
9:20
receivers in the country is like, well,
9:22
okay. Um my guess, we just don't know.
9:24
Um
9:25
>> that's the part of this you don't really
9:27
know anything. Um you think you know,
9:29
you don't really know. And that that's
9:32
leads us into, you know, some potential
9:36
losses cuz right now it's that's all it
9:38
is. We don't know who exactly will
9:41
absolutely be gone and not on the team
9:44
next year. But you you start to hear and
9:47
two names really jump out. I mean,
9:48
there's two names that you go, you know,
9:50
those jump out when you look at Auburn.
9:52
There's other guys, you expected those
9:54
things. Um Jay Crawford is wasn't out of
9:57
the blue. Um we' we'd been getting some
10:00
some buzz that hey that that's a guy
10:03
that might be looking at this but the
10:05
the one that came out on Thursday and
10:07
Malik Blackton was was a shock. There's
10:09
no question about that when you think
10:11
about Nathan just the history, him
10:14
growing up, never backing off the
10:16
program, being committed even through
10:18
coaching change, all um to see him say,
10:21
"Hey, I'm going to go go look." It just
10:24
shows you the world we're living in
10:26
right now, which is man, um it is 100%
10:30
year after year renegotiating free
10:33
agency in college athletics and it's
10:35
it's a very very difficult time.
10:38
>> Yeah. And and this conversation will not
10:40
be obviously intended to to to go after
10:43
any one.
10:44
>> No, I mean you and I couldn't think more
10:46
of Malik Block.
10:47
>> Absolutely. Jay Crawford, both these
10:49
guys and and everybody like it's it's
10:52
the position that you've been put in now
10:54
where you're going look
10:57
if you have this available to you. Um
11:00
you know, who knows? I I might have been
11:03
in the same situation going, "Look,
11:05
somebody else may they're going to tell
11:06
me they're going to pay we're going to
11:07
double my salary." Um I think we we both
11:10
probably, you know, over the years some
11:12
going, "Hey, would you be interested?"
11:14
And I'm like, "Yeah, I might be
11:16
interested, but you know, I don't I
11:17
don't know. I really like where I am,
11:19
but nobody's come to you me and said,
11:20
"Hey, would you be interested in in
11:23
doubling your salary?" And you know,
11:25
then I'm like going, "I like where I am,
11:27
but man, I might like that even better."
11:28
Um,
11:29
>> yeah,
11:30
>> that's that's the world we're in right
11:31
now because somebody's out there is
11:32
going to be willing to pay more than
11:34
than Auburn can pay for just about
11:37
everybody. Um, there'll be some guys you
11:40
go, "Nope, we're not letting that guy
11:41
go, but most of these guys you have,
11:44
Nathan, we I know we've talked about
11:45
this a bunch, but you have to at some
11:48
point go, "Hey, how much do we think
11:49
this guy's worth?" Because in the end,
11:52
that's that's what this is. NFL teams do
11:55
it. College teams now have to do it. You
11:57
have to figure out how much you I mean,
11:59
not everybody's going to be able to go,
12:00
"Hey, we're going we're going to go
12:02
spend $70 million on a football roster."
12:05
Um, I think you look around the country
12:07
and most people are pointing towards a
12:09
similar number that Auburn has, which is
12:10
about that $30 million range. Um, but
12:15
Nathan, I I'm thinking about it today.
12:18
Four years ago when this thing first
12:20
started and we started first getting NIL
12:23
and even the last couple of years, there
12:26
was probably 25 teams that you felt like
12:28
had enough money to go and compete in
12:31
that role. Now, everybody that's a group
12:33
of f that's a group of four program now
12:36
is going to have enough money to go get
12:38
guys. And that's that's the difference.
12:40
and somebody. Okay, so you you mentioned
12:43
there are a certain [clears throat]
12:44
number of players on your team and you
12:47
are not going to be able to pay every
12:49
single person when you make somebody
12:51
like Xavier Atkins a priority. That's
12:54
somebody we haven't touched on yet.
12:55
Auburn's all-American linebacker
12:57
>> by by all accounts best player on the
12:59
team um last year will be back and
13:03
Auburn announced it or he he he
13:05
announced on social media that is
13:07
completely the same as what USC what
13:09
I've been saying resigning. It's all the
13:10
same. They just
13:11
>> other than other than USC looking like
13:13
it's the Washington Commanders
13:14
announcing their signings after draft. I
13:16
mean you know but it look but yes but
13:18
yes
13:19
>> yes these things are all the same. Um
13:22
but yeah, so that's that's one you get.
13:25
Cam Coleman is a massive priority for
13:28
this staff right now. Uh we believe
13:30
Deuce Knight is a massive priority for
13:32
this staff and you and I were talking
13:33
about today. Um yeah, million plus
13:37
easily for somebody like Atkins. Uh the
13:40
quarterback number we just hear drives
13:41
up every single year. That's not going
13:43
to change until we get a collective
13:45
bargaining agreement in the sport. But
13:47
you and I were talking about today, you
13:49
you cannot
13:50
if somebody wants to be paid the same as
13:52
Xavier Atkins and gets word of what his
13:54
contract is, you can't pay everyone on
13:57
the roster, Xavier Atkins, because $30
13:58
million is a lot of money. Well, when
13:59
you start paying every single person 1.5
14:01
million, that money goes up.
14:03
>> It doesn't last very long. No,
14:06
>> that that that's and that's that's the
14:08
world now because it it honestly didn't
14:11
hit me really until yesterday
14:13
because I started thinking about it. Um,
14:16
in in NFL terms, you go in NFL terms,
14:19
how many guys are are negotiating
14:21
contracts after the season heading into
14:25
the next year. So, you go there may be a
14:26
few free agents on your roster and
14:29
you'll draft some guys, but that's down
14:31
the road. And then you'll have some free
14:33
agent time, but it's all segmented. You
14:36
go like, look, this is when you sign
14:37
these guys. This is when you sign these
14:39
guys. So, it's probably in essence six
14:42
or seven guys at a time at the most.
14:44
That's for an NFL team. Right now,
14:47
Auburn and most every other team in the
14:49
country right now has 60 players on your
14:52
current roster. All at the same time
14:56
wanting to to negotiate or renegotiate a
14:58
contract. All of them. Because it don't
15:00
matter who you are, you either,
15:02
especially when you have a coaching
15:04
change because now you got look, I I
15:06
know what you were paid last year. Well,
15:08
here's what we think that we can pay you
15:11
this year. Um, now you're renegotiating
15:14
an entire roster, not to mention trying
15:17
to figure out what it's going to look
15:19
like. What do you need out of the
15:21
portal? Who do you scout? Who do you do
15:22
those things? Um, I don't know how you
15:25
do it. Um, I don't know how it works to
15:28
be able to to to do that 60 times for
15:31
players on your roster when you're
15:33
trying to figure out who they are, first
15:34
of all, and then you're dealing with
15:37
agents. And I'm going to do agents
15:39
sometimes this way. um that who knows
15:44
the agenda. This is not the NFL where
15:46
it's very regulated in terms of agents
15:48
and the way they do things. It is not
15:50
the case in college athletics. Um it's
15:54
it's unfortunate that that we're sitting
15:56
here having to talk about this over and
15:58
over again and it's not going to get any
16:00
better unless something changes dra
16:02
drastically. But, um, it's a no-win
16:05
situation for most schools and it's a
16:08
no- win situation for a lot of players
16:11
cuz a lot of guys are going to go, "Hey,
16:13
I'm going to go search for more money."
16:14
They're going to find out it's not
16:15
there. Um, so again, it's uh it it makes
16:20
for not a very merry Christmas for for
16:24
most folks that are either covering or
16:26
having to do this and and having to deal
16:27
with it. That's for sure.
16:29
>> Yeah. Yeah, and I think what you said
16:30
about the NFL hit home for me as well
16:32
and and and it's something to think
16:33
about like you have all those guys
16:35
knocking down your door to renegotiate
16:38
and they have a hard deadline and they
16:40
can easily say, you know, this is, you
16:43
know, this is what we're doing. This is
16:44
what we're negotiating. This is the
16:46
number I want and uh you don't get it to
16:47
me, well, portal is coming right up on
16:49
January 2nd and I'm going to announce.
16:51
And whether that's a true declaration of
16:54
wanting to enter the portal, whether
16:55
that's leverage, because like we said,
16:57
that doesn't mean these guys are gone.
16:59
These guys aren't gone gone until even
17:02
when they're in the portal, they're not
17:03
gone gone. Um the coaching staff, once
17:05
they're in the portal, coaching staff
17:06
can choose, I believe, is the rule. Once
17:08
you're in the portal, they can say,
17:09
"Okay, no, you're good." Um but these
17:12
kind of guys you would want to bring
17:13
back. And so, I mean, yeah, it's it's
17:15
tough to see it as anything other than
17:17
free agency negotiation. Um because guys
17:21
like especially a guy like Malik
17:23
Blockton. I mean not to I love Jay
17:24
Crawford as well but guy like Malik
17:26
Blockton who has been all Auburn for so
17:28
long. Um I can't imagine this isn't a
17:31
place he wants to be. Now you brought up
17:33
something that I think more people need
17:35
to think about. You brought up earlier
17:36
today. Do you want to go somewhere you
17:37
can win a national championship? Because
17:39
I think we have to start talking in
17:40
those terms as well because that's what
17:42
you talk about when you talk about pro
17:43
players. You say oh well Aaron Rogers
17:45
whatever he wants to go where he can win
17:47
a Super Bowl before he retires. like
17:49
it's not to that degree, but now now
17:53
that it is now that it is basically free
17:54
agency, you have to consider every
17:56
single factor that a player might be
17:57
thinking of.
17:58
>> And I think it I think it's something we
18:00
talked about. Look, in wins and losses
18:03
in the short term,
18:05
one individual game doesn't really have
18:08
a factor. Look, you go, "Hey, man, that
18:10
one game that doesn't really factor my
18:12
decision." Look, we have to face facts
18:15
like like like Auburn's on a run
18:18
unprecedented run of lack of success.
18:22
Players like guys want to win. Um that's
18:25
still part of it. And people because I
18:26
said, "Look, everybody's going to lose
18:27
players." I had kind of somebody kind of
18:30
responded say, "Well, what about this
18:32
team and this team?" Well, that team,
18:34
that team, and that team are in the
18:35
playoffs and have been for the past four
18:36
or five years. It might be easier to
18:39
talk a guy into stay in if you're in the
18:40
playoffs than as opposed to hey look you
18:43
just went five and seven again. That's
18:45
reality. That's that's the difficulty
18:48
right now of this going look hey you
18:51
know you guys some of these guys have
18:52
been here four years they've heard from
18:53
two different coaches to ask it's going
18:54
to be different
18:57
and and it may be this time. I sure hope
18:59
it is. I hope it's different. Um but for
19:03
them you know it's like hey I I need to
19:05
see it a little bit. And so I think
19:07
that's part of what you're dealing with
19:09
now at Auburn going, "Look,
19:11
okay, I've got a vision. I got a vision.
19:13
I got a vision."
19:15
All right. Um, some guys will be good.
19:17
Some guys, and there's going to be a
19:18
bunch of guys that go, "Hey, I I love it
19:19
at Auburn. I don't want to go anywhere."
19:21
And we're going to hear from a lot of
19:22
those guys, too. There are going to be
19:24
some guys that go, "Look, there's
19:25
something else I'm looking for, whether
19:27
that's money, chance to to to go to a
19:31
maybe a team that's more proven. Who
19:32
knows?" But um that's the that's what
19:35
happens when you have the ability to
19:37
leave every year. You're going to have
19:39
those opportunities and you're going to
19:41
have those losses.
19:42
>> Yeah. And they just you [clears throat]
19:45
you you mentioned the agent side of
19:47
things and I was talking to somebody
19:48
today. There's no question to me who has
19:51
more influence in this sport, who has
19:53
the most influence in this sport from
19:55
the months of December to July.
19:57
>> It's not even close.
19:58
>> And it it's not even close. that that
20:00
that is where we are right now until
20:02
like you like you mentioned regulations
20:05
you know a CBA is really the the thing
20:07
that I am come back to as as what's
20:09
needed um right now but these not only
20:11
those people but you you hear it from
20:13
everywhere and you said something
20:15
earlier you don't know what you don't
20:16
know and you can just you can just say a
20:20
number and and and look this isn't any
20:23
different than any other sort of job
20:25
negotiation but I mean you and I there's
20:27
a there's an anecdote that I won't go
20:29
into detail tell about but of a really
20:31
good Auburn player hearing it from from
20:33
somebody about the new coaching staff
20:36
and it's like there people have agendas
20:38
that they want um for different players
20:40
and so yeah I mean it's it's
20:43
like you said it's the world we live in
20:45
and uh Auburn is not immune to it but at
20:48
the same time Auburn is not the only
20:50
Auburn's far from the only one I mean
20:51
there was there have been some really
20:54
>> I hesitate to even say surprising
20:55
because
20:57
>> look look at Missouri um they re They
20:59
they they sign an extension and you lose
21:01
your quarterback and and and three of
21:03
your top four receivers, I mean 75% of
21:05
your receivers are gone from last year.
21:07
And you start in TCU, Josh Hoover goes
21:10
in the portal, the guy for three for
21:12
3,500 yards and 29 touchdowns.
21:15
They're going to be losses in this
21:16
because of the opportunities out there
21:18
or the perceived opportunities out there
21:20
and there are going to be some because
21:22
look everybody and and I come back to
21:24
this one because this is the one that
21:25
gets lost a little bit. Now
21:29
listen, I'm going to I'm going to throw
21:30
a name out there. I'm going to say look
21:32
Malcolm Simmons. Malcolm Simmons, he
21:34
might be your two. He's not going to be
21:36
your one because Cam's Cam's your one
21:38
guy. Malcolm might be your two. Two or
21:40
three. Go. Hey, that's a good that's a
21:44
good payday.
21:46
But for 60% of the teams, maybe he he's
21:50
going to be one. You start going to
21:53
Kansas and and Iowa State and Maryland
21:56
and Purdue and well, those teams now
21:58
have money to spend for the first time
22:01
and all of a sudden they're going to go,
22:02
"Look, hey, we're paying you Cam Coleman
22:04
money cuz you are our Cam Coleman."
22:07
Well, if you're Auburn, you can't have
22:08
three of those guys. um you can't pay
22:10
three of those guys. And so that's the
22:13
part of this now that that I think
22:15
people have to realize somewhat is that
22:17
look, there's going to be money to be
22:19
spent from a lot of teams that have
22:20
never been in this market before. And
22:23
and and as that old saying goes, look,
22:26
they're not going to come after your
22:27
one, but they might get your two and
22:29
three. Um and so that's the part of this
22:33
now where have to be very very strategic
22:35
in in doing this. And hey, you also
22:38
can't get caught up in again just just
22:41
matching because you can't win a
22:44
football game with with 14 players. Not
22:47
you might can't in 1A football in in
22:49
Alabama, but in the SEC like you can't
22:52
pay 14 players $30 million and win
22:54
football games.
22:56
>> Yep.
22:56
>> You're going to have to get a lot of
22:58
value on down the line. And right now,
23:02
the only way to to try to figure that
23:04
out is to jump in feet first and and see
23:06
what happens.
23:07
>> Yeah. And I was talking to somebody
23:09
today about just about this whole
23:11
craziness and kind of asking me there
23:13
kind of asked me, you know, well, it's
23:15
just the it's just the the transfer
23:16
rules, right, have been super lenient
23:18
and it's like yes, but something you
23:20
mentioned earlier, the lack of
23:23
multi-year contracts, which cannot be
23:26
they nobody can put the hammer down on
23:28
it right now. And again, that goes back
23:29
to regulations. But that's why with this
23:31
with Michigan's coaching change,
23:33
>> people are having an interesting
23:34
conversation about Bryce Underwood at
23:35
quarterback because remember, he made
23:36
all that NIL money and it was a historic
23:38
deal or whatever,
23:40
>> but it was historically it was a
23:41
two-year contract and that was very
23:43
public. And so now it's like that's got
23:45
to be hard to get out of.
23:46
>> Correct. Well, now coach is gone and you
23:48
go, "Hey, who do you make the deal with?
23:49
Make it with Michigan." Well,
23:52
>> um, again, I don't know. That's the part
23:54
of this. Here's the thing for me and I
23:57
and I mentioned this in my my mailbag
23:58
which will be out on Friday as well but
24:00
somebody asked about this process and I
24:03
said for
24:05
much of our lifetime and my lifetime the
24:08
schools and coaches held all the power
24:11
all of it. Then you once the transfer
24:15
rules got lenient a little bit, you
24:16
started to even back out and then you
24:18
started going cost of attendance money
24:21
and you started doing Austin money and
24:23
you started doing things going, okay,
24:25
this is shifting a little bit to the
24:26
players. Now it's totally 100% player
24:29
driven and agent driven 100%. Because
24:32
they have all the power and and people
24:35
got a lot of coaches can leave too.
24:36
Yeah, they can. But right now you're and
24:40
people wonder about portal timing and
24:42
portal rules. Look, players and coaches
24:46
both want to have guys on their roster
24:48
that they know who they are in the
24:49
spring. That's that's the that's why
24:51
we're doing what we are now. Um I don't
24:55
think that anybody wants to go, well,
24:56
we're going to wait till after the
24:58
spring to do a portal period because
24:59
that makes more sense from a timing
25:01
standpoint. It does. It's also going to
25:03
limit your effect. like you're not going
25:05
to be as effective if you haven't gone
25:06
through the spring and you haven't done
25:07
those things. The only caveat is you
25:10
freeze Nathan. Remember how he talked
25:12
about for years? I'd love to just do a
25:15
mini camp
25:16
>> and do OTAAS in the summer.
25:20
If you did that, then you could wait
25:22
till after after spring
25:25
football season's over with. You could
25:26
have a portal period, sign guys in May,
25:30
have OTAAS in June, come back, practice
25:34
into July, start in August, and hit the
25:36
ground running. Um, that may be the only
25:39
way this thing works to where you could
25:41
go, guys aren't opting out before bowl
25:43
games. We're going to see guys opt out
25:46
before playoff games. It's going to
25:48
happen. um
25:50
that something has to get fixed and
25:53
collective bargaining and maybe that
25:56
movement of the calendar and eliminating
25:57
spring football might be two ways to
25:59
help it out.
26:00
>> Yeah. All that we know is that it's far
26:02
from over for Auburn. I mean, shoot,
26:04
it's December 18th.
26:05
>> It hadn't even started. [laughter]
26:07
>> Started. Uh January 2nd to January 17th
26:10
is going to be um unlike anything we've
26:15
ever seen because we've never done the
26:16
one portal window. Um, we've never had
26:19
this much buildup and Auburn just so
26:20
happens to be in a new coaching staff
26:22
that is going to have to hit the portal
26:24
really hard because um, far from over in
26:27
terms of guys leaving Auburn. I' I'd be
26:29
stunned.
26:29
>> I got to ask Nathan, somebody said, "How
26:32
how many guys can Auburn sign and how
26:34
many will they sign out of the portal?"
26:36
I I how many would you guess right now
26:39
portal editions Auburn has for the 2026?
26:43
Okay. So, I just I just graded last
26:45
year's and they had 20 guys.
26:48
>> 42.
26:50
>> I'm I said the same thing. I said I
26:52
think it's at least 35.
26:53
>> Yes.
26:53
>> I think you're at least 35 portal
26:55
editions because you now have more
26:57
roster spots, too. You're going to have
26:59
105.
27:00
>> You're going to lose a few more guys.
27:02
There's going to be more turnover. Yes.
27:04
I think this is going to be a 35 to 40
27:07
person
27:09
portal window for this roster. I do.
27:12
>> Get ready to learn a lot more names on
27:14
the back of the jersey, everybody.
27:15
>> For one year and then we'll do it over
27:17
again
27:17
>> and then we'll do it all over again.
27:19
Very sustainable. Uh good sport. Good
27:22
work, everybody. Got to a good point. Uh
27:23
before we sign off here, talk a little
27:26
Auburn basketball just a bit. Um
27:29
very interesting response today from
27:30
Steven Pearl Jason to something you and
27:32
I have kind of tossed around the idea of
27:34
and people have asked about, you know,
27:35
asked him today. Hey, could you add
27:38
another big man? Not even I didn't even
27:39
ask him big man, but like are y'all
27:41
considering the process of of adding
27:43
somebody midyear. Like what does that
27:45
look like? Um because obviously a
27:47
mechorum is is out for the season with a
27:49
with an undisclosed medical issue and
27:52
not even from a playing perspective. And
27:53
that's something Stephen talked about at
27:54
the Chattanooga game which I think was
27:55
important. Like it's not even about guys
27:57
in the rotation. Mecha wasn't even gonna
27:59
play. He wasn't playing against high
28:01
major teams. It's about practice. It's
28:03
about you. You do not have a center on
28:04
this roster who's available to practice.
28:06
You don't. like there's no true centers
28:08
left. So just from that perspective
28:10
alone, um can you go get a guy in the
28:13
middle of the year? It sounds like from
28:15
what Stephen said, they they can if they
28:18
get some exceptions. And so the the the
28:20
biggest thing is that all their
28:21
scholarships are filled out. Um that was
28:24
news to me, Jason, that all 13 of them
28:27
were filled out. Uh that just signals to
28:29
me, and I'd love to get some more
28:30
clarity on it. Maybe I will. That
28:32
signals to me that some of these
28:33
walk-ons, they just went into the
28:35
season, they're like, "Well, we have
28:36
these spots available." Um, Stephen says
28:38
he will not do that in the future for
28:40
situations such as these. Yes. But, uh,
28:42
we mentioned USC, they signed Cam Woods
28:45
today. He's a guy who's like the 2020
28:46
class, a highly rated recruit. He's a
28:48
grad transfer. He's ready to play right
28:49
away.
28:50
>> So, if they were to pull off something
28:52
very creative, I I would say chances of
28:55
it right now are very slim. It
28:57
[clears throat] would have to be a Jo or
28:58
a grad transfer guy. But, you can do
29:00
that nowadays. So, it sounds like from
29:03
what Stephen was saying, they are
29:04
actively looking into this,
29:06
>> seeing if they can get some sort of NCAA
29:08
exception for uh for a red shirt because
29:11
they said he can't get a medical red
29:12
shirt because it didn't happen before
29:14
the season, which is kind of that's sort
29:16
of bizarre. Like he he made the example
29:18
he said if a guy blows out his knee in
29:19
the first game of the year, you cannot
29:22
get a retroactive medical red shirt.
29:24
>> You can't you can't get it till the end.
29:25
I think
29:27
his eligibility is over with. then he
29:30
would he would then try to get it. Um
29:33
same thing we heard about like with
29:35
ratio fields they're like well we can't
29:36
wait the season's over with once he is
29:38
done with eligibility then you could go
29:40
and go look can we get this year back
29:42
and then can we get that year back too.
29:44
Um but yeah, so right now you you don't
29:46
know what it looks like with him, but um
29:49
I I like the the the potential maybe of
29:51
a Jo route if you could find a big body
29:55
guy who's maybe a freshman who's played
29:58
well this first semester and you go look
30:01
this guy's 69 250 and he can rebound and
30:04
be physical and he's playing right now.
30:07
Hey, you want to come come in and we'll
30:08
take care of you next year? We'll give
30:10
you some NIL money now. Um, no question
30:13
that you need a you need a body um to
30:16
come in and give you some support. For
30:18
sure.
30:19
>> Yeah. And I think the workaround because
30:20
Stephen said today, number one, he was
30:22
like, "Well, bigs don't go on trees." I
30:23
didn't even ask him about bigs, but I
30:24
think that, you know, that's obvious
30:26
here.
30:27
>> Um, but then the other thing he said,
30:28
you know, we can't just kick a guy off
30:29
the team. They've got 13 scholarship
30:31
spots, two walk-ons, and then three
30:33
designated student athletes. I'm not
30:34
going to sit around and act like I know
30:36
what that is. Um, but so you'd have to
30:39
have the available space. There'd have
30:40
to be some sort of exception, but you
30:42
would love a guy like an AD Scott.
30:43
Remember him from the last couple years?
30:45
Like that guy. I was thinking about that
30:46
today. If he had never portalled, which
30:47
it makes sense why he did, but like he
30:50
was the exact blueprint of the type of
30:51
player you'd want right now. A guy who's
30:53
sat on your bench, work scout team, 69,
30:56
240, can go get rebounds, can go
30:58
practice. And so, um, we'll see how that
31:00
goes. But, um, of course, another huge
31:02
challenge for this team on Saturday,
31:04
they play I was gonna say they play at
31:06
Purdue. They basically play at Purdue.
31:07
They play at Indianapolis. like it's
31:09
it's it's like when Auburn played him in
31:10
Birmingham. This is the fourth team this
31:12
season that is either has either been AP
31:15
ranked number one at some point or has
31:16
been analytically ranked number one by
31:18
Chem Pom at some point. So, uh pretty
31:20
big challenge for Auburn basketball on
31:22
Saturday. They are no stranger to it
31:24
now, Jason. They have lost all three of
31:26
those games previously. But Stephen
31:28
brought up a good point um today and
31:31
that is that Michigan and Arizona he
31:34
said quote are different beasts. and
31:36
that you and I talked about that earlier
31:37
today, like those are those are wagons.
31:40
Those are teams that are absolutely
31:41
tremendous. Houston's really good, but
31:43
Auburn was able to hang with them for a
31:44
little bit. The question is which of
31:47
those buckets does Purdue fall in? Are
31:49
they do they have the potential to just
31:51
run all over this Auburn team or is it
31:53
going to be a little bit closer like the
31:54
Houston game? I tend to like this
31:55
matchup for Auburn better than Arizona
31:58
and Michigan because those this
32:01
>> nobody's like Arizona and Michigan
32:03
except for Arizona and Michigan. But
32:04
correct.
32:04
>> Um this team first and foremost is going
32:06
to have to play way better defensively
32:08
to have a chance in this game.
32:09
>> Yep. Um you look at at
32:14
really the differences in these teams
32:15
like Purdue's I mean everybody's bigger
32:17
than Auburn. Uh they have more size but
32:20
you look and go look Auburn is is not
32:23
very good at assist to field goals made.
32:25
Purdue is really good in assist to field
32:27
goals made. That's one of the things
32:28
they do with one of the best point
32:30
guards in the country. um not shooting
32:33
it particularly well, but they've been
32:34
really good inside the paint and and you
32:37
look at at, you know, a guy like Trey
32:39
Coffman Rim, but Oscar Kluff, I mean,
32:41
they got two two guys that can go get
32:43
it. And Braden Smith on the outside, um
32:45
it's a really good basketball team.
32:47
You're right. I don't think physically
32:50
they're as imposing as Arizona and
32:52
Michigan were, just the way they play.
32:54
Uh but this team went into Tuscaloosa
32:57
and won. Um and you look at what they've
32:59
done. Um, it's it's going to be a
33:02
challenge and look, you got to you're
33:04
going to have to really rebound and
33:05
you're going to have to to avoid
33:07
turnovers. You turn the ball over
33:08
against Purdue and give them extra
33:09
possessions, you're going to be dead in
33:10
the water. And so, um, this team can go
33:14
out and make shots. I do think from an
33:15
athleticism standpoint, Nathan, I think
33:17
it's a pretty good matchup. Um, I think
33:19
Auburn has guys that can go take
33:20
advantage of some of these things, but
33:22
man, you'll have to have some really
33:24
good minutes um from from, you know,
33:28
Sway and and those guys, Yoic inside. I
33:31
mean, they're they're going to have to
33:32
play some big minutes on Saturday.
33:34
>> It's just, you and I are going to say
33:35
this a lot this season, but if they get
33:37
good Keshan Murphy on both ends of the
33:39
floor, it just makes it just makes such
33:41
a huge difference.
33:42
>> Um,
33:43
>> and avoid foul trouble.
33:44
>> Yep.
33:46
>> Yeah. that that's been and and I think
33:48
they're mostly healthy now at this
33:50
point. Um Kevin Overton didn't play in
33:52
the second half of the game against
33:53
Chattanooga after turning his ankle in
33:55
warm-ups, but Steven Pearl said he's
33:57
fine. Uh for a guy like Braden Smith,
33:59
it's to me I'm excited to go see, you
34:02
know, Kevin. They haven't had that much
34:03
of guard challenges this season. It's
34:06
been a lot of front court stuff we talk
34:07
about with all these games. Um now
34:09
Kingston Flemings for Houston was just
34:11
unbelievable in that game. But
34:13
>> you know, is Kevin Overton the type? I
34:15
asked Stephen this a few weeks ago. Is
34:16
Kevin Overton like your Denver Jones Zep
34:18
Jasper type where you can just say go
34:20
get that guy and go defend him? And
34:22
Stephen wasn't ready to go there, but he
34:24
was like, I I think he can be like he
34:25
has those defensive skills. And so
34:28
really interested to see that. Uh like
34:29
you said, can you get good sway? Uh can
34:31
you get good Elijah Freeman? I think
34:34
makes such a difference for this team. I
34:35
think back to that Houston game when he
34:37
was poking into passing lanes, using his
34:39
length, um attacking with his
34:41
athleticism. Um, this is a team that
34:43
still Jason, as as we talked about, as
34:45
we knew was going to be the case, we're
34:47
we're picking all these individual parts
34:49
and we're saying, "If you can get this,
34:51
if you can get this, that's a team that
34:54
hasn't played together that that that
34:56
doesn't know how to put all those things
34:58
cohesively together on a consistent
35:00
basis. Um, still still a pretty darn
35:03
good basketball team, Auburn has, but at
35:05
this point, we're still waiting for them
35:07
to put together a complete performance
35:08
against a against a good team, and
35:10
that's not really a surprise."
35:11
>> Yeah. No. And and look, I mean, you look
35:13
at at these teams, Bruce Pearl, Steven
35:15
Pearl, um think about Tennessee, you
35:18
think about it starts defensively and
35:20
can they play that suffocating style of
35:23
defense, uh create some turnovers, um
35:28
and and really limit especially the
35:31
look, we saw touches in the paint. They
35:34
they got to keep people from getting the
35:36
ball inside the paint because Trey
35:37
Coffman Rand will score in the paint.
35:39
But that's the problem is that you got
35:41
to limit the the availability of those
35:43
touches in the paint because then you
35:45
you can help Keshan Murphy stay in the
35:47
game longer and so um can they can they
35:50
force them away from the basket because
35:52
if you do that you'll have a shot but if
35:53
you let Purdue just dump it inside all
35:55
day long then then it's going to be a
35:57
long day.
35:57
>> Yep. It's about cohesion. It's about
35:59
execution of the defensive game plan. Uh
36:01
like you trust Murphy and you trust Sway
36:05
to do what they need to do in the post
36:07
to front the post to deny those touches.
36:09
Do you trust Yoic and Keshan Hall to do
36:11
that consistently? Those guys have not
36:13
been very consistent defenders. So,
36:14
that's just that's what it's about. Um,
36:16
you're going to need good games from
36:17
everybody. And then after that, they
36:19
play Queens uh Monday after Christmas at
36:22
9:00 p.m. Jason. I'm sure that'll be a
36:23
jam be a jam-packed building. Um, then
36:26
it's SEC play. So, came here came here
36:29
really quickly. Um, excited for SEC play
36:31
to get rolling. And with all the
36:33
transfer portal madness, everybody, uh,
36:35
I would like just for everybody to
36:37
remember that you have a ranked
36:38
basketball team, um, that's that's
36:40
pretty darn good that's going to be
36:41
competitive in the SEC this year. So,
36:42
make sure you're
36:43
>> make sure you give yourself a little bit
36:44
of grace there and enjoy that. Um, as
36:46
well, that's 5:30 Central time uh,
36:48
Saturday on Peacock. If you don't have
36:50
your free trial, then go and get that
36:51
ready to go. YouTube, YouTube TV, it
36:54
will be on College Sports Network, I
36:56
think. I mean, excuse me, NBC Sports
36:58
Network. Okay.
36:58
>> So, if you have if you have that
36:59
channel, you can you can watch it as
37:01
well. But yeah, um
37:02
>> gonna be a difficult game to find at
37:05
times probably.
37:06
>> I I have no idea if I if I do, but
37:08
people are gonna have to learn that
37:09
their NB their way around NBC before
37:10
Auburn goes to Notre Dame. So, make sure
37:12
you get that
37:13
>> make sure you get that down. Um thank
37:14
you guys so much for tuning in this
37:16
episode of the Auburn Undercover
37:18
podcast. I hope we touched on a few
37:20
different topics and uh we'll be back
37:22
with you guys next week. Thank you so
37:24
much to AU Club for sponsoring us once
37:26
again. Uh this is another one of those
37:28
nights where it wouldn't be terrible to
37:29
be out there. Um a few day a few days
37:31
ago it would have been absolutely
37:32
brutal. Um a little rainy and wet
37:35
tonight, but uh yeah, I went out for
37:37
lunch earlier this week and and had my
37:39
my favorite my uh my chicken sandwich
37:41
and sweet potato fries. So man, food
37:44
just awesome. So go check them out if
37:46
you haven't and go see everything they
37:47
got going on
37:48
>> for sure. Thank you so much to AU Club.
37:50
For Jason Caldwell, I am Nathan King.
37:52
Thank you guys so much for joining us
37:53
and we will talk to you'all later.