AUBURN | Bryan Harsin is inheriting a recruiting class currently ranked No. 52 nationally by Rivals. He aims to change that soon.

And with just 11 signees and two commitments, he’s got room to make an immediate impact on his first Auburn team.

“You go after the very best, and you do it every single day,” said Harsin during his introductory press conference. “And at Auburn, we have the opportunity to go after the very best and to share with them the vision and the direction that we want to go and how they fit into that. And more importantly how Auburn University fits into their life.”

Harsin, who was hired by Auburn Tuesday afternoon after a nine-day search to replace Gus Malzahn, flew in from Boise, Idaho with his wife and youngest son on Christmas Eve.

They’ll fly back tonight to celebrate the holiday, but the former Boise State coach will quickly turn his attention to recruiting and building a staff. He plans to cast a wide net when it comes to securing top talent.

“I'm going to tell you now those guys from the west coast, myself included, they're going to come here, they're gonna want to be a part of this,” said Harsin. “So we'll be right here in our backyard No. 1, and making sure that the best players that are right here surrounding us that they want to be at Auburn University.

“And then the other players in the country that want to come play and play for championships and be a part of the best program in the country, we’re gonna go after them as well.”

During a press conference that went for more than an hour, Harsin repeatedly spoke about competing every day, and that includes on the recruiting trail.

“That's part of the excitement about this opportunity,” he said. “You've got to compete. You've got to compete in recruiting. You've got to work. You've got to do it every single day. You've got to be committed to it.”

Harsin said one of the most important jobs for him in recruiting is to have a vision for each player of what they can accomplish on and off the field. It’s also about finding talented players that are willing to work within his system.

“I want them to believe in what they're getting into,” said Harsin. “And I want them to know what they're getting into. And to know that this is challenging, it's hard. It takes tremendous discipline, takes tremendous toughness, and takes tremendous conviction to be successful.”