How did Coach Dye lose his pants?  Read below...

By Jay Coulter
jccoulter@gmail.com

Has any school ever locked up next year's recruiting class prior to the start of fall camp? Auburn is seven commitments away from doing just that.  On Monday, Auburn added its 18^th commitment of the year when it received word that Parkview (Ga.) High School running back Brandon Jacobs was headed to the Plains in 2009.

From all indications, Jacobs is a good one.  The three-star back missed two games last year due to injury, but still managed to rush for 950 yards and eight touchdowns.  Jacobs ran a 4.5 40-yard dash earlier this spring. He hails from the same high school as current starting Auburn tailback Brad Lester.  He is the nephew of former Auburn and NFL lineman Steve Wallace.

Having 18 commitments is a long ways from having 18 players signed.  Still, you have to be impressed with how the Auburn coaching staff has responded to the challenge laid down by Alabama in recruiting.  Give a lot of the credit to Auburn linebackers coach James Willis. He's turning into a star within the coaching profession. Willis has taken back much of the Mobile area that was lost last year.  Don't be surprised to see Auburn sign upwards of 30 players before National Signing Day in February.

I came across a great story last week while in Florida.  Perhaps you saw it.  Shannon McDuffie, who lives in the Emerald Shores area near Still Waters was looking around the nearly drained lake last December when she discovered something out of the ordinary.  It was a pair of Madress pants sitting at the bottom of the lake.

Examining the pants, she found an alligator leather wallet inside, complete with credit cards and other information that dated back to the mid 80's. There was also a set of Toyota car keys in the pocket. 

Who did they belong to?  Patrick Fain Dye.

At this point you've probably already drawn a lot of conclusions about this story.  After all, it has been rumored that Coach Dye was as colorful off the field as he was on it.  According to Dye, he has no recollection of losing his pants (no pun intended) or his wallet and car keys.

Now 25+ years is a long time.  But I do believe that if I ever lost my pants, wallet and car keys - assumingly at the same time, I would remember it - even 25 years later. "Well, I had a place in Still Waters in the early 80s," said Dye. "I don't remember losing it, but now listen, that was a long time ago," he said in a telephone interview with Lake Martin Magazine.

The legend of Pat Dye grows.  I love that man.