Auburn in tight battle for 4-star OLB

AUBURN | Auburn is in a tight battle with South Carolina for the services of one of the South’s top outside linebackers.

How close?

“I'd say like a one-second win,” four-star linebacker Channing Tindall said. “They're battling real close right now.”

Tindall, from Spring Valley in Columbia, S.C., gives the Gamecocks a slight lead at the moment.

“I love Coach (Will) Muschamp,” Tindall said. “If I go to South Carolina I could change the culture and be with family.”

Tindall attended Auburn’s Big Cat recruiting event Saturday, his second trip to the Plains this year. His close relationship with linebacker coach Travis Williams has the Tigers a close second.

“Defensive scheme and better relationship with the coaches,” said Tindall on what stands out about Auburn. “I talk with T-Will about once a week. Especially with him coming from my high school, I have a really good relationship with him.”

Williams was a record-breaking linebacker at Spring Valley in Columbia, S.C., before becoming an All-SEC linebacker at Auburn. Tindall is determined to break Williams’ single-game record of 25 tackles this fall. And he could eventually follow in Williams’ footsteps to Auburn.

“Stepping in from senior year out to college is like your first step because you're kind of still like a child living with your parents. It's like the first time stepping into manhood,” Tindall said. “Coach T-Will being from someone I know from Columbia it's kind of like another father figure on your shoulder so you're not there by yourself.”

Florida and Georgia round out the top four teams on Tindall’s list. A final decision is still at least a few months away.

“I'm probably making my decision within the first two games of the college season,” Tindall said.

Tindall plans to visit Notre Dame June 8 before competing in the Rivals Five-Star Challenge in Indianapolis the following two days. He also plans a trip to Georgia within the next week.