4-star commit Albert's potential 'unbelievable'
BIRMINGHAM | Kobi Albert was angry. In fact, he was steaming mad.
His coach, Keon Handley, had just told him that he was going to play on the defensive side of the ball along with his role as a wide receiver for the Fairfield Tigers. The four-star safety gave his coach the silent treatment.
“He wouldn't speak to me for the whole week,” Handley said while laughing. “I told him that playing defense will end up being his blessing. The following game after he kind of got out of my dog house, he picks one and takes it to the house and then asked me when he came to the side line, ‘Am I out the dog house?’”
You bet he was.
In front of family, friends and teammates on Wednesday morning in a room just off the main entrance of his high school, Albert announced that he will be traveling two hours down the road to play for Auburn, choosing the Tigers and Bryan Harsin’s program over Michigan and Maryland. The deciding factor, according to Handley, was the people who filled the room in preparation for his announcement.
“Family,” his coach said. “It was important to him to be close to home, making sure that every weekend that they could come to the games and just talk to family.”
Albert formed a good relationship with Harsin and other members of his staff including defensive coordinator Derek Mason and cornerbacks coach Zac Etheridge during his official visit on June 18 and the recent trip for Big Cat Weekend. Despite his ranking as a four-star, Handley knows that his player, who also celebrated his 17th birthday on Wednesday, will continue to get better.
“To be honest, he hasn't even tapped into his full potential,” Handley said. “They [Auburn] are getting a kid that when he is fully polished, he is going to be unbelievable.”
Following the announcement, friends and family gathered around Albert to take pictures commemorating the important moment for the teenager. The future Tiger was all smiles, especially in a picture with Handley.
That move to defense that made him so angry seems to have paid off.
NOT A MEMBER?
JOIN AUBURNSPORTS.COM TODAY to enjoy around-the-clock content including stories, analysis, videos, podcasts, call-in shows and The Greatest Message Board In The History of The Internet.