Many SEC teams are known to focus their recruiting efforts within the state and the rest of the conference footprint while sometimes taking a select few from other regions of the country.

Bryan Harsin has coached in SEC states Arkansas and Texas, but the bulk of his experience comes from his time at Boise State in Boise, Idaho. In his introductory press conference Thursday, Harsin shared that he intends to sell Auburn to familiar west coast programs while taking an “all over the country” approach recruiting his Tigers roster.

“We have to make sure that we are going out there and getting the best of the best. And so where do we do that? Well, all over the country,” Harsin said in his introductory press conference. “I’m coming from a long ways away, I can tell you that when I flew in today, that’s a long flight. All right, but I’m going to tell you now those guys from the west coast, myself included, they’re going to come here, they’re gonna want to be a part of this.”

Before Auburn fans get too worried, Harsin said AU’s “backyard” would remain the top priority in recruiting.

“So we’ll be right here in our backyard, No. 1, and making sure that the best players that are right here surrounding us that they want to be at Auburn University, and then the other players in the country that want to come play and play for championships and be a part of the best program in the country,” Harsin said. “We’re gonna go after them as well. But I want them to believe in what they’re getting into. And I want them to know what they’re getting into. And to know that this is challenging, it’s hard. It takes tremendous discipline takes tremendous toughness and takes tremendous conviction to be successful. And that is not just our players, that is everybody in this program, understanding that and making that a part of their everyday process.”

Harsin’s initial recruitments will likely get underway soon (if not already) with February’s National Signing Day just around the corner.