How about ...

[NOLATiger 0]

So we often hear the, "If you fire him, who you gonna hire?" line as a reason never to make a move. How 'bout this.

1) Gogue has to let Jacobs go, along with Tim Jackson.

2) Ask Hal Baird to return as acting (NOT Interim), while also chairing the search committee, which would include the board's athletics committee chairperson, the president of the Letterman's club and the faculty athletics representative.

3) If the new AD was in place by season's end, he and Gogue would together evaluate Chizik. If not, Baird and Gogue would do it together.

4) If they make a move, here's a top shelf list:

Bert Bielema, 42, seven seasons as head coach at Wisconsin. Proven winner from a big-time conference. Might relish a jump into the SEC. Still young enough to be hungry. Plays a physical brand of football but would clearly benefit by SEC recruiting prowess among defenders, which, honestly, is the ONLY thing that sets the league apart nationally.

Mark Richt, 52, head coach at the University of Georgia for 12 years. Do I need to expound. Yes, he hasn't won a national championship as a head coach. But he's demonstrated that he can put a national champion contender on the field. No worries about his character -- he'd fit right in with the Auburn ethos. And, I'd submit that it's time for him to move on, just on the general principle of itinerant ministry, if you will. Fresh start for him, for us, for Georgia.

Chris Petersen, 47, in his seventh season as head coach at Boise State. His record speaks for itself. Not sure about he cultural/political fit. But he is an absolute winner. And he also would relish being in an "underdog" kind of position. Clarification: Auburn is not a small fish, but we are the historical underdog against Alabama and, whether we like it or not, that history is in full force at the present.

SECOND PREFERRED LIST (I'd be happy with these, but they wouldn't be my first calls):

Gary Patterson, 52, in his 13th season at TCU. His resume speaks for itself. It was rumored -- perhaps true -- that he was on Jacobs' short list last time but insisted on bringing his entire staff. The way I heard it, that was a deal breaker for Jay. Again, can't speak to the accuracy. But Auburn could do worse.

Art Briles, 56, head coach at Baylor. Prolific offenses. Less sure about his style would fit in the SEC or at Auburn. But he's an innovator and a winner.

----------------

Listen folks, Auburn can get good candidates, even with Saban at his peak across the state (though let's not kid ourselves, that makes both harder and more critical). Now, I don't know how deep the deepest pockets are in terms of buying out Gene and the staff. Again, the mere fact that the institution is locked in that kind of pickle is more of a reason that Jay Jacobs cannot be allowed to make another major hire at Auburn.

As for prospective athletics directors, I'm not sure. Don't have a ready list there. But I'm not a university president. Dr. Gogue should run in circles where he doesn't need any of our help on that. It's not important that we have a flashy personality in that post. At a place like Auburn, the football coach is the front-man anyway. Just give me competence, vision and accountability. In fact, the less ego the better. I'd rather have an out-front president than an out-front athletics director any day of the week. It is a university, after all.

Penny for your thoughts.

War Eagle.

[mcgufcm 4,109]

I don't think Jay should be retained, but if your plan on replacing Chizik is four guys we probably can't get and one that we may not want... I don't think this is a good plan. There is almost a zero percent chance Bielema or Richt would leave. I mean, maybe 1% if they made a rash decision on a bad day. So those are silly. Peterson, by many accounts, turned down the Florida job two years ago. Highly unlikely Auburn's going to sway him. I think we'd have a shot at Patterson, but he's been wooed before. Briles, meh. I'd rather look elsewhere.

Personally, I'd like to see a new AD and one more year for the head coach.

[JMassie11 1,691]

That list is 200% fictional...none of those names would even be mentioned sorry...good wishful thinking

[TheBlueVue 177]

Pretty lame list, that is, if you're actually being serious! LOL, Really? Please tell me you're kidding!

[texastiger09 0]

Art briles has been my #1 guy for awhile now. Guy can flat out coach.

[BoKnowsAUFamily 0]

Wow I hope you are joking about your coaches list.

But as for who I would want as a head coach I say we get someone who is a head coach and with a winning record from the FCS Division or a smaller league. I mean one of our best head coaches came from Wyoming why not try that again.

[ausoldiergrad 57]

i like briles

[augolf1716 21,979]

I hat bird

[JMassie11 1,691]

Where do you find hats for birds?

[NOLATiger 0]

Anybody criticizing my list care to expound or are you just rejecting it? By the way, Saban turned down Moore the first two weeks. Engage folks, don't just dismiss.

[NOLATiger 0]

Pretty lame list, that is, if you're actually being serious! LOL, Really? Please tell me you're kidding!

You don't think those guys I listed can coach? Or you don't think Auburn could get them? Seriously, I'm interested.

[JMassie11 1,691]

Anybody criticizing my list care to expound or are you just rejecting it? By the way, Saban turned down Moore the first two weeks. Engage folks, don't just dismiss.

Your list is not realistic sorry

[NOLATiger 0]

Wow I hope you are joking about your coaches list.

But as for who I would want as a head coach I say we get someone who is a head coach and with a winning record from the FCS Division or a smaller league. I mean one of our best head coaches came from Wyoming why not try that again.

You'd rather hire a winning FCS coach than a winning FBS coach? Really. And you're mocking my list?

[BoKnowsAUFamily 0]

Bert Bielema, 42, seven seasons as head coach at Wisconsin. Proven winner from a big-time conference. Might relish a jump into the SEC. Still young enough to be hungry. Plays a physical brand of football but would clearly benefit by SEC recruiting prowess among defenders, which, honestly, is the ONLY thing that sets the league apart nationally.

Why would he leave? Has his team the way he wants it and in a relatively easy conference. Plus he knows he can win there

Mark Richt, 52, head coach at the University of Georgia for 12 years. Do I need to expound. Yes, he hasn't won a national championship as a head coach. But he's demonstrated that he can put a national champion contender on the field. No worries about his character -- he'd fit right in with the Auburn ethos. And, I'd submit that it's time for him to move on, just on the general principle of itinerant ministry, if you will. Fresh start for him, for us, for Georgia.

He can't win it all at Georgia what makes you think he could do it at Auburn?

Chris Petersen, 47, in his seventh season as head coach at Boise State. His record speaks for itself. Not sure about he cultural/political fit. But he is an absolute winner. And he also would relish being in an "underdog" kind of position. Clarification: Auburn is not a small fish, but we are the historical underdog against Alabama and, whether we like it or not, that history is in full force at the present.

Already shot down top schools.

SECOND PREFERRED LIST (I'd be happy with these, but they wouldn't be my first calls):

Gary Patterson, 52, in his 13th season at TCU. His resume speaks for itself. It was rumored -- perhaps true -- that he was on Jacobs' short list last time but insisted on bringing his entire staff. The way I heard it, that was a deal breaker for Jay. Again, can't speak to the accuracy. But Auburn could do worse.

Easy conference and already makes a ton of money.

Art Briles, 56, head coach at Baylor. Prolific offenses. Less sure about his style would fit in the SEC or at Auburn. But he's an innovator and a winner.

Maybe but he just signed a long contract worth $3 mil a year.

[NOLATiger 0]

Anybody criticizing my list care to expound or are you just rejecting it? By the way, Saban turned down Moore the first two weeks. Engage folks, don't just dismiss.

Your list is not realistic sorry

You don't think a visit from a new AD with a check-book would get any of those guys at least interested? ... I could be flat wrong, but I'm coming to this with the presumption that coaches are never as wed to their institutions as the fan bases. I know there are exceptions. Bielema could be one. Petersen clearly has affinity for what's he's built at Boise. But coaches know that this is a fickle business. I can't remember the quote, but when Spurrier left Florida he said something about how, "Twelve years is about enough for anybody at any place. Better to go ahead and leave on my own before they tell me I have to." That, as much as anything, is part of my thinking on Richt.

[BoKnowsAUFamily 0]

Wow I hope you are joking about your coaches list.

But as for who I would want as a head coach I say we get someone who is a head coach and with a winning record from the FCS Division or a smaller league. I mean one of our best head coaches came from Wyoming why not try that again.

You'd rather hire a winning FCS coach than a winning FBS coach? Really. And you're mocking my list?

I'm just saying that those winning coaches had to come from somewhere. Also, why not take a young coach who has won a 'ship or two.

[NOLATiger 0]

BoKnows: Thanks for the thoughts. And, hey, I can't really argue with you. I just think you start with established winners at the FBS level. Period. Auburn is the only major conference school with two perfect seasons in the last decades. That's, at least by an on-the-field measure, TWO national championship products. We're also bringing the money to the table. So why should we settle for anything less.

As for the "why leave since it's easy," I'd say, again, that it's an advantage. Come to the conference where winning the trophy is a de facto ticket to the national championship game. Sure, it's not easy. But it's the most satisfying. The fan bases are the biggest. Risk-reward. Those guys are businessmen. But they are competitors, too, if not first. You offer them the competitive opportunity and pay them accordingly, they'll at least have a conversation.

[BoKnowsAUFamily 0]

I ain't saying I want an FCS coach but I just don't think this anyone in the D1 ranks that is very sexy. There are some coordinators that could be interesting though.

[JDUBB4AU 5,304]

Chizik is going no where folks...atleast for a few more years

[NOLATiger 0]

As for Richt not "winning it all" at Georgia, I think we should all step back a little and remember that actually running the table takes a little luck. Hell, running the table and even getting there takes a little luck. The college football national championship is, ahem, OVERRATED as a sole measure of a coach. Anybody here want to argue that Tommy Tuberville isn't a "national championship" coach? Sure, our opponents do. But we know good and well that he put a national championship product on the field. Mark Richt, from 2002 through 2005 had the same kind of quality run at Georgia. He never completely put together perfection, but he clearly demonstrated that he could. Patterson has had TCU at a high level for a long time. It's a risk to assume he could recruit at the right level, but he can clearly coach a perpetual top 10 program (presuming that talent). Same with Petersen.

We can agree to disagree here. But at this point, should the Chizik era end badly, I don't want to experiment. I want to pay big money for a coach that has already done the things you have to do at this level: Recruit, manage staff, manage egos of talented 18-23 year-olds, game plan, deal with alumni and boosters, operate within the university community. Those are not easy tasks to fit into one job. The coach who has won big at the FCS level hasn't demonstrated that skill set. Neither has a coordinator. My list has. Start with those kinds of guys. (Doesn't have to be those particular ones.)

[Tigerbelle 5,299]

Bielema is a jerk. Can't stand him.

[BoKnowsAUFamily 0]

As for the "why leave since it's easy," I'd say, again, that it's an advantage. Come to the conference where winning the trophy is a de facto ticket to the national championship game. Sure, it's not easy. But it's the most satisfying. The fan bases are the biggest. Risk-reward. Those guys are businessmen. But they are competitors, too, if not first. You offer them the competitive opportunity and pay them accordingly, they'll at least have a conversation.

If this is true, why did Kiffin leave?, why doesn't Kelly leave Oregon, Stoops leave OK.

I'm not saying they ain't competitors but they also realize one lose and they are done. Also, there is the matter of recruiting. Why recruit against 5 giants instead of 1 or 2.

[JMassie11 1,691]

Add in the factor of family and liking where you live those coaches don't budge

[aubaseball 2,860]

Tressal?

[ronniebrownfan 1]

The OP's list is not realistic.

A more realistic list, if one exists, would be coaches like:

1. Paul Rhoads

2. Gus Malzahn

3. Bobby Petrino