In the midst of all the bad news circulating around the Plains, there is some good news regarding Auburn football’s coaching staff. Despite the Tigers’ below-average recruiting class of 2022 and a not-so-great National Signing Day, one assistant on staff earned high praise for his work.
247 Sports’ Brad Crawford ranked the Top 25 recruiters in the 2022 cycle, and Auburn football cornerbacks coach Zac Etheridge made the list. Crawford ranked Etheridge as the #22 recruiter:
"The word: Etheridge aided in convincing five four-star talents to sign with Auburn this cycle, including three cornerbacks and in-state linebacker Robert Woodyard, the top player in Auburn’s haul."
Etheridge was instrumental in the Tigers’ recruiting during his first year on the coaching staff, and has a history of success within the Auburn football program. He served as a team captain on the Tigers’ 2010 national championship team and was a four-year starter during his time in orange and blue. He was recently selected to the American Football Coaches Association 2021 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute.
The CB coach helped the Tigers lock down their most highly-ranked recruit so far in Robert Woodyard, who flipped from the Alabama Crimson Tide on Early Signing Day in December:
Robert Woodyard is the first player to flip from Alabama to Auburn since Stephen Roberts did so in 2014.
— Christian Clemente (@CClemente247) December 15, 2021
This is a HUGE win for the new Auburn staff.
Etheridge was credited for securing five 4-star athletes in the 2022 cycle, including Woodyard, JaDarian Rhym, Austin Ausberry, and Keionte Scott. Rhym was taken from LSU, and Etheridge managed to keep Ausberry from the Bayou Bengals despite his status as a Baton Rouge native.
Although head coach Bryan Harsin’s time on the Plains may soon be coming to an end, losing Etheridge would be a huge blow for the future of Auburn football recruiting.