Auburn football: Steven Ruzic instrumental in Georgia recruitment

While most of the attention as of late has been focused on head coach Bryan Harsin’s on-field hires, one new staffer off the field will be key in helping Auburn football recruit in the Peach State.

The Tigers brought on Steven Ruzic to be the Director of Player Personnel back in January, and the former UNC staffer will have a major impact on the upcoming recruiting cycle according to Keith Niebuhr of Auburn Undercover.

Ruzic grew up in Warner Robins, Georgia, where his father was a high school coach for over 20 years. Niebuhr reports that Ruzic has important ties to high schools in that area but also around Atlanta and in the 7-on-7 community, which is extremely valuable to the Tigers having lost their two Georgia natives, Nick Eason and Mike Bobo.

When it comes to recruiting in high schools, building relationships with both the prospects and their coaches is key in getting players to commit, and as someone who grew up around a high school coach Ruzic should be able to relate to and understand these coaches and build strong ties between them and Auburn football.

Auburn Undercover also reports that Ruzic and the Tigers’ director of recruiting Darren Uscher have formed a strong team on the Plains:

"At Auburn, we are told, Ruzic and Dir. of Recruiting Darren Uscher has meshed well. Intel suggests Ruzic has great respect for the role Uscher (whom one source said works as hard as anyone in college football) has played at Auburn in terms of building the structure and organization of the department in a way that fits the vision of head coach Bryan Harsin."

Going forward, Steven Ruzic will be vital in competing with UGA and Alabama for the top recruits in the southeast, especially in the state of Georgia.