Auburn enjoys Benton’s decision to change course

By David Moorman  |   Tuesday, February 10, 2009  |  Comments( 1 )

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How much leverage does a college football recruit have during national signing day? Apparently that depends on which athlete it is.

The father of prized recruit Rueban Randle publicly expressed reservations about having his son play collegiately with a former high school teammate.

Coincidence or not, wide receiver DeAngelo Benton followed that revelation with his shocking decision to sign with the Auburn Tigers. Benton originally signed with the LSU Tigers in 2007 and '08, but academics kept him from enrolling. Benton visited LSU the weekend before national signing day, and the day before reaffirmed his commitment to sign with the Tigers.

He did so in light of comments that day from Randle’s father, Emmett, who mentioned Benton by name in an interview with a Monroe, La., radio station. The elder Randle said LSU had too many wide receivers on its roster, or at least headed to the school. Emmett Randle hinted that his son might look elsewhere if LSU signed Benton again.

Benton overshadowed Randle when both were wide receivers at Bastrop (La.) High School in 2005 and '06. With Benton’s departure, Randle flourished. Although forced to play quarterback this past season, Randle’s value continued to skyrocket. He was one of five Parade All-Americans to sign with LSU, which helped give the program the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class according to at least one service. Southeastern Conference rival Alabama, under former LSU coach Nick Saban, shared a similar ranking in some circles.

As for Benton, he helped give Auburn a surprisingly stout recruiting class after a lackluster season under former coach Tommy Tuberville. Apparently the hiring of new coach Gene Chizik already has paid dividends.

Randle’s signing was a coup for LSU, whose efforts to woo him included a tour of the Louisiana state capitol building. Yet, it also raises questions.

If that’s actually the case here, should a recruit be so influential as to dictate who signs and who doesn’t? It doesn’t set a good example, if that’s the way it went down.

In any event, LSU and Auburn landed wide receivers who promise to reward their respective schools with worthwhile careers.
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About David Moorman

Dave Moormann is an award-winning journalist, who has covered LSU athletics since 1980. He began his coverage with the Baton Rouge Advocate, where he was a writer and editor from 1980-98. In 1996, he authored a book on the history of LSU football entitled, "Fighting Tigers Handbook: Stories, Stats ...
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