news of past few days 1217

News of the past few days, 12/17

Hey everyone. No blog yesterday because my wife Courtney, HABOTN

director of employee relations, said I needed to take a day away. I

acquiesced as any good husband would. Anything that needed to be said

yesterday can be said below.

I'll do just that.

Look at Ben Tate (right) promoting No. 6, reserve cornerback Walt

McFadden, for the Thorpe Award. I guess that's what Tommy Tuberville

means when he says Auburn is a big family.

We're available if West Virginia wants us; We're the HOTTEST Auburn

blog on the 'net.

at slot receiver now. If you recall, he spent some time out there

early in his college career and rolled out in there in motion a few

times against Georgia and Alabama. Since Auburn ditched Jerrel

Jernigan, I guess the best thing to do is find your own Jernigan and

use him the same way.

Marcus Jemison of suburban Birmingham. He was known as a quarterback

at McAdory High, but will play defensive back at Auburn. He picked the

Tigers over Clemson and Arkansas.

received a commitment from junior college quarterback Chris Todd. He

was a hot-shot prep quarterback and a good prospect at Texas Tech in

2005 and '06. Todd spent the 2007 season at a Kansas junior college.

His numbers in Kansas were terrible. The company line here is that

Todd wasn't a good fit for that offense (obviously) and will produce

at a much higher level under offensive coordinator Tony Franklin.

Charles Deas, a large defensive tackle. He spent the fall at the same

New York prep school that Bo Harris attended a year earlier. Deas is a

big man. Not Greg Smith, but bigger than anybody Auburn has right now.

Pat Sims is a reasonably close comparison. Deas will have four full

seasons of eligibility.

offensive coordinator Al Borges, who was pushed to resign last week. I

feel for Cox: Sixth-year senior preparing for his final college game

as a new offensive coordinator installs a completely new system that

doesn't match Cox's skill set. Tuberville said last week that "this is

Brandon Cox's game," but surely Kodi Burns will run some of this new

stuff in Atlanta. Right?

walked at graduation today. Center Jason Bosley, offensive tackle King

Dunlap, fullback Danny Perry and former long snapper Pete Compton

became college graduates on Monday.

Also of note: former baseball player Cory Dueitt earned his degree

today after participating in the athletic department's "Operation

Follow Through" program. He was a senior in 2004. Not that my opinion

on this issue matters, but going back to school is a noble endeavor.

Dueitt gets official propers from the entire HABOTN family.

Rodriguez's proclamation that he ignored agent Scott Boras in his

recent negotiations with New York intrigued me. Agents have become too

powerful and too much of a spectacle, Boras in particular, and it's

cool to see an agent get owned like this. I'll have more respect for

Rodriguez if he dumps Boras altogether.

I can't believe a rift like this even gets out. As Tuberville might

say, it demonstrates who has leverage in that relationship.

Questions? Comments? You can email me at jgtate@gannett.com or post a