IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 4-star RB Noah Cain was on Auburn’s radar for the 2019 recruiting class. Cain was interested in the Tigers, but also aware of uncertainty on the Plains.

After the regular season finale, reports indicated that AU powerbrokers were looking to buyout coach Gus Malzahn’s contract and lineup a new head coach. There were also reports that Malzahn had accepted an amended contract to keep his job for the 2019 season. School officials and Malzahn denied the reports. During that time, however, there was a change at offensive coordinator. Cain says all the drama steered him away from signing with Auburn.

“I saw that and I just said, ‘I can’t roll with this,'” Cain told AL.com’s Josh Bean at Under Armour All-American Game check-in in Orlando. “I didn’t know what was going on.”

Auburn still managed to land a 2019 recruiting back. Sebring (Fla.) RB DJ Williams signed with Auburn on Dec. 19. The fact that both Alabama and Georgia were also recruiting Williams suggests that SEC coaches consider the 3-star recruit an under-the-radar prospect.

Cain said he was happy to see Malzahn and the Tigers do well in the Music City Bowl.

“I’m going to root for all of my final schools until they play Penn State,” he said.