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Woodson out

Auburn rebuffed two attempts by rivals programs attempting to lure Marcus Woodson away from the Plains.

The third advance ended differently.

Woodson on Tuesday night agreed to terms with Florida State and now is in the process of leaving for Tallahassee. Woodson will be reunited with head coach Mike Norvell, who hired him at Memphis in 2016.

Florida State initially offer Woodson a job in December, but he turned it down. New Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin also offered him a job last week, but Woodson declined that offer as well.

Woodson's loss is a big one for Auburn. In addition to coaching defensive backs, considered one of the team's biggest strengths last season, Woodson has been a central figure in the Tigers' overall recruiting effort during the past two years. He was especially effective in Mississippi; Woodson served as lead recruiter for Magnolia State standouts Derick Hall, Charles Moore and Jaren Handy.

Woodson also led the recruitment of junior-college, four-star cornerback Marco Domio, who signed with the Tigers last month.

Malzahn won't waste time searching for a replacement. The top candidate is expected to be Al Pogue, a former Auburn off-the-field assistant who now coaches outside linebackers at West Virginia. Pogue is from Mobile, made his name coaching high school ball in Montgomery, recruited the state and region while coaching defensive backs at Troy from 2014-18.

Former Auburn defensive back Zac Etheridge, a Troy native who now coaches cornerbacks at University of Houston, also may receive a look.

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