Is Big Cat Weekend returning to Auburn under Hugh Freeze?

Big Cat Weekend has been one of the most creative and successful recruiting ideas in the last decade, not only for Auburn, but around college football.

Could it return under first-year head coach Hugh Freeze?

According to one of Auburn’s top recruiting targets in the class of 2024, 4-star linebacker Bradley Shaw from Hoover (Ala.), it more than likely will happen this summer.

“I’m really trying to get up there for Big Cat,” Shaw told Auburn Live.

Shaw was not sure of when Big Cat Weekend will take place, but reassured his interest in the event. “I’ll be there,” he said.

Auburn Live has since learned it will take place on July 29, 2023.

While no other recruits have mentioned the big event, it sounds as though Freeze and his staff have already started to prepare for it.

Big Cat background

Big Cat Weekend first started with former Auburn head coach Gene Chizik and his staff in 2009. It was then picked back up by former Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn who was on Chizik’s staff as offensive coordinator. Then it was picked up by the next Auburn head coach, Bryan Harsin.

It was a relatively new idea in the recruiting world. It was designed as a weekend for fun and games with recruits and their families. The idea was to have a day without the business of recruiting while getting around other top recruits.

Some notable visitors from the first installment of Big Cat Weekend became household Auburn names: Former 5-star receiver Trovon Reed, former 5-star offensive tackle Shon Coleman, and former 4-star linebackers Jake Holland and LaDarius Owens.

Also on hand for the event were a pair of 5-star running backs in Lache Seastrunk and Marcus Lattimore which added to the buzz. Auburn would instead end up with 5-star running back Michael Dyer who was not in attendance.

A viral video surfaced of Seastrunk sending a message to Alabama head coach Nick Saban while rolling Toomer’s Corner.

“Hey, tell Nick Saban he’s S.O.L.,” Seastrunk said in the video.

College football fans who weren’t aware of the recruiting event quickly became aware of it.

An event that helps secure commitments

Auburn has been known to secure a commitment, or two, during the event. In 2023’s version of Big Cat Weekend, the Tigers landed a pair of 4-star 2024 commitments in quarterback Adrian Posse and defensive back A’Mon Lane. Lane remains committed while Posse has since backed off of that commitment.

Two years ago, Auburn landed 4-star running back Damari Alston, who is possibly poised for a breakout season for the Tigers in 2023.

Even when Auburn was unable to secure a commitment the day of Big Cat Weekend, the event was sometimes seen as the turning point in many recruitments.

Many recruits that have attended Big Cat Weekend over the years ended up signing with the Tigers. That remains the goal for future events as well.

Fifteen Auburn recruiting targets sure to get an invite

As Auburn continues to work on its top high school recruiting targets, here are a few names we expect to get an invite.

— QB – 4-star, Walker White, Little Rock (Ark.) Little Rock Christian – Auburn commit
— RB – 4-star, J’Marion “Phat” Burnette, Andalusia (Ala.) — Auburn commit
— DB – 4-star, A’Mon Lane, Moody (Ala.) — Auburn commit
— DB – 4-star, Jayden Lewis, Anniston (Ala.) — Auburn commit
— TE – 3-star, Martavious Collins, Rome (Ga.) — Auburn commit
— WR – 5-star, Cam Coleman, Phenix City (Ala.) Central
— WR – 4-star, Perry Thompson, Foley (Ala.) — Alabama commit
— LB – 4-star, Bradley Shaw, Hoover (Ala.)
— DL – 4-star, Jeremiah Beaman, Birmingham (Ala.) Parker
— LB – 4-star, Joseph Phillips, Tuskegee (Ala.) Booker T. Washington
— LB – 4-star, Demarcus Riddick, Clanton (Ala.) Chilton County — Georgia commit
— 2025 WR – 5-star, Ryan Williams, Saraland (Ala.) — Alabama commit
— LB – 4-star, Sterling Dixon, Mobile (Ala.) Mobile Christian — Alabama commit
— 2025 RB – 4-star, Alvin Henderson, Elba (Ala.)
— DL – 4-star, Justin Greene, Lawrenceville (Ga.) Mountain View