Troxell has to make selfish decision

AUBURN | Austin Troxell will talk it over with his parents and maybe his high school coaches but when it comes to a final decision, the mammoth four-star offensive tackle knows it’s on him.

“Some people in my family might want me to go here and some might want me to go there, but most importantly it’s about me,” Troxell said. “It’s selfish but it’s got to be a selfish decision. You can’t let anyone make that decision for you.

“They say, ‘I want you to go where you want,’ but deep down I know where they want me to go.”

Troxell, from Madison (Ala.) Academy, narrowed his list to Auburn and Alabama a while ago and plans to choose one before the start of his senior season.

“It’s still the same — 50/50 right now,” he said. “It’s getting tough. If you would have asked me two years ago, I wouldn’t have considered Auburn. But the work they put in opened my eyes that I have other options.”

The bulk of that work has been put in by Auburn assistant coach Tim Horton.

“I’ve known him since probably freshman year,” Troxell said. “He’s been on me for three years now and he hasn’t slowed up one bit. He’s a good guy, great coach and just a really, really good recruiter.”

Troxell has visited Auburn a number of times over the past three years including last Saturday’s Big Cat recruiting event. The feeling he gets during each visit is another reason the Tigers have remained in such a close battle with the Tide, his childhood favorite.

“It’s probably just the fit,” Troxell said. “Everyone says family at Auburn but truly it is family here. A lot of people try to say it but Auburn really has that family feel. That’s what keeps me coming back.”

Troxell, who has grown to 6-foot-7 and 325 pounds, visited Alabama Sunday and plans to return to Auburn at least one more time this summer.

A final decision could come at anytime.

“Honestly, I don’t even know,” he said. “It’s day to day, I don’t know. I’ll switch back and forth.”