The recent commitment from Reese Dismukes got me thinking. Thinking about how our recruiting has recently ventured into new territory both literally and figuratively. CGC and his staff seem to bring a much more passionate approach to the table than it seems Tubberville ever did. Maybe Tubbs was better and keeping that side of his recruiting under wraps, but I doubt it.

In about two months the Auburn Nation will begin to see the true impact of this staff's recruiting this summer when the entire 2010 class arrives on campus to begin preperation for the season. Auburn has got support coming in for basically every need they have. It certainly isn't the magic bullet into the heart of this program's problems, but it is a giant leap into the right direction. These coaches have done a great job so far of going after guys that can fill voids on offense, defense, and special teams rather than solely relying on ratings and stars to target players.

Looking back on the last several seasons, Auburn has not faired that poorly. (From Scout.com)

2002: 11th

2003: 16th

2004: 31st

2005: 22nd

2006: 9th

2007: 6th

2008: 18th

2009: 16th

2010: 6th

2011: Who knows? Looking like a very solid O-Line class so far.

Now I know Scout.com isn't the only service that rates and ranks a college's recruitment class, but I think this can serve as a basic illustration. The two years that stand out to me are 2004 and 2005. 1: They are the lowest ranked, not much analysis there. 2: Why was the 2005 class so weak nationally? In time (or maybe even now) the 2005 class may be viewed as the first sign of Tubberville's years becoming numbered. The 2004 season should have been a big turning point for this program. Instead, it stands as an isolated triumph for the Tubbs regime.

Moving forward, it appears that Coach Chizik has the minds of his coaches, as well as his current players, in the right places. Events like Big Cat Weekend and the Tiger Prowl have renewed (and in some cases, established) national interest in Auburn. Gene Chizik has succeeded in Auburn where seemingly no one could. He was put in a no win situation and prevailed. Looking at the rankings, the 2010 class doesn't seperate itself from the pack in any special way. But it is different. Auburn fans know it. Alabama fans deny it.

I feel that the next 9 months are very important to CGC's longterm success at AU. He has to be able to maintain an excellent flow recruits to keep pace with Saban while also readying his current players to tackle the season. Saban has figured that out, and so must Chizik. It seems like yet another no win situation, but apparently, that's where this coaching staff thrives.