Word is things are going slower than expected. I am not sure that there is anything that could have been done on Tulane's end of this to speed it up. Pretty sure it has to do with the individuals in some capacity handling their business and/or their former schools process of releasing/posting academic information. I know many people close to the situations thought Peeples would take longer than Nixon simply because Peeples did not decide where he was going to go until about a week or so before camp opened. Nixon himself was under the impression he would have been cleared and ready to begin early this week but that didn't happen. From the beginning I thought there was a good chance we would not have seen Nixon, Peeples or Gilbert until close to when classes started so I guess I am not shocked at this. There is positive in this overall I guess. Not by being late to add but just getting these guys overall and then it not being so bad if we can get them in soon. These guys are not some freshman transfer or transfer of a red shirt kid that would be eligible now but has never played college football. The positive is that Nixon played (if not started) two years at Memphis and Peeples did play some at ella shoe and regardless of what people want to say - the practice competition he faced was vs. some of the best players in the country. These guys know college football and should only need to adjust to terminology more than scheme as long as they are in shape and ready to go. There is really no reason either one of them should not be able to come in and still provide quality depth at positions we could use it at. I don't know how good either of them will be (or not) but if you see them as I have - they look the part, really look the part and they look ready to play. From the waist up Peeples looks like a Dwight Howard frame and Nixon, who has/had elite track speed in HS, would easily be the strongest/biggest CB we have on the roster. Sullen or Doss might have an inch on him but in terms of body type he looks like he should be in the box but has the speed/skills of a sprinter.
Again, I am not saying that I would place a million dollar bet that they will come in and be stars or even great contributors but they have experience, they are not rookies and they have the physical appearances of what you would want to see from an experienced transfer/older guy.
Maybe they are out there today or maybe next week, I just hope they are out there period even if it is not until August 26. My guess is Nixon could be any minute now and Peeples could be closer to same time next week at the earliest.
My bigger concern right now would be Ade Aruna. He is a rookie and not familiar with football or the process as it is. He could get a little nervous or even feel a little left out of the family and could just ask for a release or something and pick somewhere else when all this clears up. He has not even been on campus yet except for a visit in January. We need to get him here like yesterday. This has been an issue for months now because if it wasn't he would have been here in June with everyone else. Aruna was always a raw talent but one hell of a talent. If we can get Peeples in here and he contributes I don't think it is a bad thing for Aruna to get here late and red shirt this year, it might be the best thing that could have happened. That is what I keep telling myself anyways.
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