Another Sign Of The Apocalypse Of Nick Saban? Auburn Flips Top WR From Alabama

Alabama coach Nick Saban settled for the No. 31-ranked quarterback in the NCAA Transfer Portal last April in Notre Dame's Tyler Buchner. And he could be the starter.

Saban let go and went on a vacation in Europe in June.

Last month at the SEC Media Days, he endured trending talk that his dynasty was nearing its death valley days. And Georgia became the first program other than Alabama to be picked to win the SEC since 2015.

And over the weekend, Auburn - of all also-rans - and new coach Hugh Freeze flipped five-star wide receiver commitment Perry Thompson of Foley from Alabama. That just has not happened much - if at all - since Saban became Alabama's football coach after the 2006 season.

New Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze flipped a pair of 5-star prospects from Georgia and Alabama over four days last week. (Auburn Athletic Department photo).

Is this the end of days for Saban?

Could The End Be Near For Alabama's Saban?

"I don't buy any of that," said Tiger Bait publisher Mike Scarborough, who would like to see that as his LSU audience surely would. Alabama was still picked to win the West at SEC Media Days over rising LSU, which beat the Tide and won the West last year.

"Alabama will still be very good this season," Scarborough told OutKick. "Nick Saban is still recruiting too well. The difference in the SEC is getting a couple more difference makers. Georgia has done that. Auburn is starting to do that. And that's where Alabama is falling. But there is plenty of time before the Class of 2024 is done."

There is also plenty of time for Freeze to keep gaining ground in his first season.

So, is Alabama about to be surrounded?

After Auburn to the east in-state, Georgia is already in control as Alabama's east border rival, with back-to-back national championships. And its 2024 class is No. 1 at the moment in the Rivals rankings.

To Alabama's west is LSU fresh off its West title under first-year coach Brian Kelly with the No. 8 class in the nation. Kelly just flipped offensive guard Joseph Cryer (6-4, 300) from Ole Miss on Monday. Cryer is the No. 22 player in Louisiana from Natchitoches Central. He committed to Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin on June 2.

To Alabama's north is Tennessee, which beat the Tide last year for the first time since 2006 in coach Josh Heupel's second year. The Vols' 2024 class is ranked No. 7.

To Alabama's south is Florida, which may be another year or two from making a move on the field. But second-year coach Billy Napier has the No. 3 class in the nation by Rivals.

Could Alabama coach Nick Saban be telling his coaching career goodbye soon? (Photo by Chris McDill/Getty Images)

Alabama's class is ranked No. 22.

Auburn Coach Hugh Freeze Making Major Move

Auburn is right on the Tide's heels at No. 24, but that represents a major leap from the 40s just a week ago at this time. What happened was a remarkable four days from last Wednesday through Saturday.

On July 26, Freeze flipped the nation's No. 2 outside linebacker in Demarcus Riddick from Georgia to Auburn. Riddick (6-foot-3, 206 pounds) is the No. 2 player in Alabama out of Chilton County High in Tuskegee. He is the No. 30 prospect nationally, according to Rivals.com. Riddick is a five-star prospect, according to 247 Sports. Word was if he was going to flip, it was going to be to Alabama and Saban. But Auburn said no.

Then on Saturday, Auburn flipped Thompson (6-3, 205), who had committed to Alabama on June 24, 2022. Alabama signed four-star wide receivers in its Class of 2023, but wide receiver is still considered a need as the position dropped on the field in the 2022 season.

Will Auburn's Perry Thompson Be Like Alabama's Julio Jones

Some are comparing Auburn's lasso of Thompson to Alabama's signing of five-star Julio Jones out of Foley High in 2008. The No. 1 wide receiver in the nation at the time, Jones chose Alabama despite Saban's hum-drum, opening, 7-6 season there in 2007. Jones had also visited Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Oklahoma or Texas Tech. Jones was the kingpin of Saban's first No. 1 class at Alabama and a key reason the Tide won Saban's first national title at Alabama in the 2009 season.

"I don't believe Thompson is as good as Julio, but getting a player like that away from Alabama is something that could really help turn Auburn around," Bryan Matthews of Rivals' AuburnSports.com website told OutKick. "If everything works out, you could look back and say it started at this point. I can't remember the last time Auburn flipped a player from Alabama like Thompson. It's been a minute. And it's a legitimate flip. There have been others where Auburn fans say they flipped a guy from Alabama, but that was not the case."

Hugh Freeze Recruits With Personal Touch

In addition to Thompson and Riddick, Freeze also gained a commitment from No. 11 outside linebacker Joseph Phillips (6-3, 230) of Booker T. Washington High in Tuskegee. Phillips had been viewed as a lock to Georgia.

"Those are three big wins for Auburn, and it's all because of Hugh Freeze," Matthews said. "He gets personally involved with recruiting top level players like these. Auburn has not had someone like that in some time. He recruits like Saban and Kirby Smart and Dabo Swinney (Clemson coach). They call the recruits themselves. They don't just do that late in the process to close."

Can Saban, who will be 72 on Halloween, catch up?