JUCO OG earns AU offer, will visit, possibly commit

Junior college offensive lineman Matthew Tanner received the news Wednesday morning that he’d be waiting to hear.

Auburn offensive line coach Herb Hand delivered it.

“(Hand) called me and extended an offer,” Tanner said. “It felt great.”

Hand and Auburn offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey made an in-home visit with Tanner on Tuesday. The meeting between the three worked in Tanner’s favor.

“Coach Hand told me that he really enjoyed the visit at my house and thought I was a good person,” Tanner said.

Auburn is recruiting Tanner, who is 6-foot-7 and weighs 345 pounds, to play guard.

“Coach Hand said they really need guards,” Tanner said. “He told me if I come in and work hard, there’s a good chance I could be starting. It’s really all up to me.”

Tanner is leaning heavily towards taking Hand up on the offer. He’ll visit Auburn for the first time this weekend, and could make a commitment before he leaves.

“I’m looking forward to meeting with Coach (Gus) Malzahn, seeing the facilities and meeting some of the players and just getting a good feel for things,” Tanner said. “If the visit goes well, and I know it will, I’ll be committing either Sunday or Monday.”

Tanner, who is from Jacksonville, Fla., played at Eastern Arizona Community College in Thatcher, Ariz. He has three years left to play two.