Signing Day to be bustling at Auburn High

John Wild-Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau Offensive lineman Caleb Peterson initially committed to Southern Miss to play alongside his older brother Taylor, but switched to North Carolina to follow head coach Larry Fedora when was hired away from Southern Miss in December.

When football coach Tim Carter first came to Auburn High School 11 years ago as an assistant, coaches used VHS tapes to share film of their players with prospective colleges.

Now, Carter can be on the phone with a college coach and send film in an email. That film can be sent from his office in the gymnasium at AHS to the West Coast in mere seconds.

Carter said the way technology has been incorporated into recruiting has changed the way every coach operates.

"There used to be no way you could hit every school in the country because of the cost of postage," Carter said. "Now, we can solicit the services of a recruiting group and they send it nationwide. I had some kids two years ago that got offers from Boise and Colorado State. I've never met those coaches at either of those institutions."

Carter's group of seniors this season had offers from Arkansas all the way to Stanford.

During his six-year tenure as Auburn High's head coach, the least number of players Carter sent to the next level was four. The most was nine in 2007. This year, eight are anticipated to sign with colleges.

Carter's staff works constantly to provide the best opportunities for players.

"We work awfully hard at recruiting," Carter said. "We have a recruiting service we use that really puts our kids out there. I made myself available to college coaches through my cell phone, which is inconvenient at times, but I do it for the kids. We'll have as many as 30 colleges visit in spring training. But I think our success, and the success that our kids have had playing collegiately, has made coaches come in here and check us out."

Carter's role in each recruitment varies. Traditionally, he plays the role as the middle man. Carter said he establishes the communication between the school, then tries to stay out of it unless the athlete asks for help.

"I try to help the kid evaluate his choices, but I never try and put my personal opinion in the decision," Carter said. "I'm not the one who's going to have to go there and work for four to five years."

Caleb Peterson

Offensive lineman

Carter's highest profile recruit this season is Caleb Peterson. The 6-foot-4, 295-pound offensive lineman had offers from schools across the nation from Auburn to Stanford.

Peterson committed to the University of Southern Mississippi in hopes of playing with his older brother, Taylor.

But after several coaches departed for the University of North Carolina in December, Peterson followed them to Chapel Hill.

"When the staff changed, I think he started reflecting on his decision," Carter said. "Caleb had offers from Stanford and Ohio State. And of course, the two in-state schools in Alabama and Auburn. So really, Caleb could have went anywhere that he really wanted to go. But the family was drawn to Southern Miss because of his brother and the coaching staff, but when the coaching staff left, I think he reevaluated his decision."

Carter said Peterson was the "total package" as an offensive lineman. One of the main strengths for the Tigers this past season was their offensive line. Peterson, who was voted a team captain by his teammates, was the anchor of that line.

"He's been a very physical player for us," Carter said. "In 6A football, you need powerful lineman. By the number of Division-1 schools he was offered by, he was kind of the prototypical offensive lineman: Big, tall, strong and smart."

Cody Core

Wide receiver

Wide receiver Cody Core has been a hot commodity this season.

After committing to Troy at the beginning of the fall semester, Core began to draw more and more attention from higher profile schools.

Core, listed as a soft verbal to Troy, also has offers from Kentucky and Arkansas State.

Carter said Core shared the receiving load with other star receivers last season, but was the main target in Auburn's offense.

"He had a great senior season and played against top competition at the Alabama/Mississippi game," Carter said. "I think his star shined a little brighter this year since he was the go-to-guy.

"A year ago, we had three really good receivers. One signed with West Alabama, Jason Webb, one signed with Delta State, D.J. Holley, but as this season emerged, Cody was our go-to-guy offensively. There were games he showed where he was very dominant. I think the college coaches picked up on that."

On the horizon at AHS

When asked what makes Auburn High school produce such top talent compared to other high schools, Carter said the school works hard on and off the field to prepare each player for the next phase of their career.

"It's such a transition from high school to college," Carter said. "But I think programs who are really instilling a strong work ethic in the kids, those kids have a better chance of making it. Also, I think a strong academic institution gives kids a leg up on going collegiately and playing. I think at Auburn we've been fortunate to have both of those. We work them hard academically and athletically."

Carter's younger players also benefit from the attention the seniors receive from top colleges year after year. Carter mentioned a specific time when coaches from Ole Miss and North Carolina were in his office during a fourth period weight training. He noticed an immediate change in the workouts.

"Those kids aren't stupid," Carter said. "They see those guys peering in there, looking at the underclassmen looking for that physique or that guy who's really getting after it. It makes them see a sense or urgency. It makes them realize 'now's our time.'

"It also helps them realize that the qualities that those guys displayed here like hard work and leadership is paying dividends for them. They want to copy that."

A few years from now, technologic advances might have Carter sending film an entirely different way.

But if Carter's track record is any indication, big-time colleges aren't going to stop requesting the footage anytime soon.