Keeping an open mind

AUBURN, Ala. | Jack WestClick [rl]Here to view this Link. has grown up an Alabama fan. He's attended games at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

But when it comes to recruiting, the standout 2018 quarterback from Saraland (Ala.) High plans to push his fandom to the side.

"That will not play a factor at all," West said. "I'm completely open and I'm going to take this day by day. Being a fan of a team is not going to affect my college decision. It's going to be a place where I want to go and a place that will help prepare me for life in general and not just a football player, but be a good person."

In just the summer before his sophomore season, West already has plenty of options. He has offers from Auburn, Alabama, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Kentucky, UCLA, Troy, South Alabama, Arkansas State and Tulane.

"It's an honor and a blessing, it really is, but at the same time I still have three years of high school left," West said. "I'm going to keep reiterating that because right now that's what my focus is on.

"Obviously. last year our team made it to the state finals and lost so we're going to get back again in the coming years and bring one back home to Saraland."

West, 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, was a standout at Auburn's camp last Sunday and picked up the offer from the Tigers shortly thereafter. He spent a lot of time with assistant coach Dameyune Craig, offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee and head coach Gus Malzahn.

"I'm just going there to get better and learn because you don't get that many opportunities to learn from guys like Coach Lashlee and Coach Malzahn, who are two of the best coaches in football today," West said.

"It was the first time I have gotten to work with (Lashlee). I have talked to him a couple of times before and he definitely knows what he's doing. What they've done with quarterbacks, Nick Marshall obviously; he was a DB and changed to quarterback. They definitely know what they're doing with quarterbacks there. The biggest takeaway I got was how they do things. They are predominantly a gun (shotgun) team and I thought I learned a lot about what they do and how I would fit."

West's only trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium was last December when Saraland lost to Clay-Chalkville 36-31 in the Class 6A state championship game. He plans to see an Auburn home game for the first time this fall.

"Me and my parents have talked about it and we're thinking about coming to the Iron Bowl this year," he said.