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Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn is still working to build his coaching staff, and he may be eyeing Florida State quarterbacks coach Dameyune Craig, according to CoachingSearch.com.
Sources tell me that Gus Malzahn is considering adding FSU assistant Dameyune Craig to his staff. bit.ly/xpkQEX
— Pete Roussel (@coachingsearch) December 12, 2012
It's likely that Craig is being considered more for his recruiting prowess, as opposed to his coaching abilities. Not that there's anything wrong with Craig's coaching abilities, but offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee will coach Auburn's quarterbacks. If he's hired, Craig will likely coach running backs or wide receivers and act as Auburn's recruiting coordinator. He coached receivers at South Alabama in 2008 and '09, giving Craig a connection to the fertile Mobile recruiting ground.
According to Tomahawk Nation, Craig currently makes $205,000 per season with FSU, a number Auburn should be able to easily top.
As a recruiter with the Seminoles, Craig has earned a sterling reputation. Since his arrival in Tallahassee in 2010, Florida State has finished ninth, second and second in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings. The Seminoles' current class is ranked 11th by 247Sports. Auburn and Florida State have faced off in several battles for high-profile recruits over the last few years, and the players that have committed to the Seminoles, including defensive tackle Eddie Goldman, cornerback Ronald Darby and quarterback Jameis Winston, have all had Craig as their primary recruiter.
Those battles with Auburn have led to some fans in orange and blue to hold ill will toward Craig. Despite being an Auburn alum, he is rumored to have used negative tactics against the Tigers, including allegations of racism.
Craig played quarterback for Auburn from 1994 to '97, starting his final two years. In his senior season, he passed for 3,277 yards, 18 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, leading Auburn to a 10-3 record and its first appearance in the SEC Championship Game. The Tigers fell in Atlanta by one point, 30-29, to Peyton Manning's Tennessee Volunteers.