Brent Venables on why he passed on the AU job...

[woodford 3,751]

30 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

People always just assume that we have it so bad despite the fact that our region is absolutely dripping with talent. According to 247, there are 96 4-5* recruits in the '22 class in GA, FL and AL alone. Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas combined have 61, with 51 of those coming from Texas. It's pretty remarkable what Oklahoma has been able to do. 

Unless we perfect teleportation, geography will always matter.  

It's a factor, but overall it's pretty overrated imo. It certainly helps to be closer, but it's not the dominant factor everyone believes it to be. The state of Florida has 4 national championships since 2001. Norman is only 3 hours from the Metroplex. It's not like they're flying 5 hours to visit. 

[AUght2win 7,079]

There's no need to speculate. He literally said the alignment of the administration and power brokers is what he was referring to.

[tbone4jc 2,393]

Their alignment - that schedule is way too hard every year, so no thank you

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AUght2win 7,079]

5 minutes ago, tbone4jc said:

Their alignment - that schedule is way too hard every year, so no thank you

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's not what he meant. Idk why people think that's what he meant. Serious denial.

[Sizzle 3,948]

4 hours ago, RunInRed said:

Pretty sure he's talking AU's power structure.  Still, he was like option #4 ... stupid sound bite on his part, especially with OU heading to the SEC.

He was option #4? What number was Harsin?

[au3488 5]

I mean people on the inside have been saying this for quite awhile now, not like it's really news. JABA and their is nothing we can do about it. 🤷

[steeleagle 2,945]

31 minutes ago, AUght2win said:

There's no need to speculate. He literally said the alignment of the administration and power brokers is what he was referring to.

Exactly. 
 

If he didn’t want to play Saban he would have a pretty good job in another conference. 
 

he just didn’t feel Au and he were 100% aligned on who was the top and only candidate. 
 

OU must have had him at top of their list without any dissenters. 

[JerryAU 1,891]

1 minute ago, steeleagle said:

Exactly. 
 

If he didn’t want to play Saban he would have a pretty good job in another conference. 
 

he just didn’t feel Au and he were 100% aligned on who was the top and only candidate. 
 

OU must have had him at top of their list without any dissenters. 

Well, he likely wasn't at the top of Auburn's list at any time during the search.  Auburn got their man and he will be fine.

[AUght2win 7,079]

10 minutes ago, steeleagle said:

Exactly. 
 

If he didn’t want to play Saban he would have a pretty good job in another conference. 
 

he just didn’t feel Au and he were 100% aligned on who was the top and only candidate. 
 

OU must have had him at top of their list without any dissenters. 

From al.com article:

"In referencing “alignment,” Venables’ apparent apprehensions about the Auburn job had to do with the power structure behind the scenes — from the university’s board of trustees to its president, to the athletics director."

[1auburn1 1,131]

BV’s daughter - “Daddy, what about the Auburn job?”

BV - “JABA”

BV’s daughter - “Thank you, daddy.  I understand now.”

[WarEagleHunter1221 1,710]

This is an interesting statement. Here’s one thing I’ve gather from this years crazy ass coaching carousel. Schools want to win NOW and are willing to shell out the funds and the freedom to the head ball coach in order for it to happen. On the board we always discuss if the Auburn job is desirable or not but IMO Auburn could have whomever they wanted (So long as that coach wants to compete and if not we don’t want them) however Auburn doesn’t seem willing to do what it takes to get that guy. Look at what USC, LSU, and UM just did to get back to winning. Paid top notch to proven coaches and gave them the freedom to run their programs. Hell even Notre Dame made the right decision with Marcus Freeman, something it feels Auburn would have NEVER chosen to do. In recently years the tides have really turned on how schools are choosing to run their football programs and Auburn is swimming against it. Feels the exact same way when it comes to this NIL stuff or even something as simple as having a brand with Under Armor instead of Nike. 
 

I’ve had a meh feeling for Auburn football for years now but I rarely get truly discouraged by it…. Until it comes to my faith in the Auburn University keeping up with the times.

 

Side note: Not saying Harsin is not that guy. I am rooting for him to succeed. This was just my opinion on the school, not a shot at him. 

[oracle79 3,569]

4 hours ago, Auctoritas said:

My favorite part of this is that we get to see who here are closet nerds. 

Side-thread: is AU chaotic neutral? If not, what alignment are we? Answer the question in the form of a bardic saga. 

Busted here.

With our compliance department we have to be lawful something. Creed would lend to lawful good.

[meh130 1,057]

5 hours ago, Tiger said:

 

Venables will lead OU into the SEC. He is just talking smack. Or smacking people.

Perhaps AU and Venables did not align on Venables "issues".

[meh130 1,057]

14 minutes ago, WarEagleHunter1221 said:

This is an interesting statement. Here’s one thing I’ve gather from this years crazy ass coaching carousel. Schools want to win NOW and are willing to shell out the funds and the freedom to the head ball coach in order for it to happen. On the board we always discuss if the Auburn job is desirable or not but IMO Auburn could have whomever they wanted (So long as that coach wants to compete and if not we don’t want them) however Auburn doesn’t seem willing to do what it takes to get that guy. Look at what USC, LSU, and UM just did to get back to winning. Paid top notch to proven coaches and gave them the freedom to run their programs. Hell even Notre Dame made the right decision with Marcus Freeman, something it feels Auburn would have NEVER chosen to do. In recently years the tides have really turned on how schools are choosing to run their football programs and Auburn is swimming against it. Feels the exact same way when it comes to this NIL stuff or even something as simple as having a brand with Under Armor instead of Nike. 
 

I’ve had a meh feeling for Auburn football for years now but I rarely get truly discouraged by it…. Until it comes to my faith in the Auburn University keeping up with the times.

 

Side note: Not saying Harsin is not that guy. I am rooting for him to succeed. This was just my opinion on the school, not a shot at him. 

My gut says Auburn is probably #6 in the SEC in terms of jobs. LSU, Bama, Georgia, Florida, Texas A&M, and then Auburn.

That can change. We know what Bama looked like in the Shula years.

But nationally, Auburn is easily in the top 20, perhaps the top 15. How many teams matter in the B1G? Four at most. How many in the ACC? One. How many in the Big 12? 1.5. How many in the Pac 12? One.

People forget how influential Auburn is. We have the CEO of the most valuable corporation in the history of Earth. We have generals and astronauts, and CEOs, and engineers, and lots of other things. And we have a storied football program. Sure Purdue has more astronauts, and Wisconsin more CEOs, but we have better football. And we have some astronauts and CEOs.

As I like to point out. I may want an Alabama lawyer or a UAB doctor, but Bama wanted an Auburn architect to design the upper decks of Bryant-Denny Stadium.

[boisnumber1 2,947]

Just as I thought - he was scared. 

[meh130 1,057]

So now that Venables has dissed us, can we make public the "issue" he is purported to have?

I would love the AU athletic department to issue a statement that simply says: "Brent Venables failed our vetting process, so we moved on to other candidates."

Edited December 6, 2021 by meh130

[WarEagleHunter1221 1,710]

6 minutes ago, meh130 said:

My gut says Auburn is probably #6 in the SEC in terms of jobs. LSU, Bama, Georgia, Florida, Texas A&M, and then Auburn.

That can change. We know what Bama looked like in the Shula years.

But nationally, Auburn is easily in the top 20, perhaps the top 15.

And I could agree with this, however, this year goes to show that with the right amount of money any school can be destination number 1 to any coach. Two weeks ago I would have laughed if you told me Brian Kelley would leave Notre Dame. Now look. I’ve got no problem with them hiring Harsin and maybe I’m overthinking it with my doom and gloom but Auburn is not adapting to this change of pace and historically speaking they won’t. If you settle for mediocrity you will be mediocre and these people who have their hands in the honey jar seem more concerned about having it their way instead of getting it right. Give the man his keys and let him drive. 

[AUwent 3,841]

6 minutes ago, WarEagleHunter1221 said:

And I could agree with this, however, this year goes to show that with the right amount of money any school can be destination number 1 to any coach. Two weeks ago I would have laughed if you told me Brian Kelley would leave Notre Dame. Now look. I’ve got no problem with them hiring Harsin and maybe I’m overthinking it with my doom and gloom but Auburn is not adapting to this change of pace and historically speaking they won’t. If you settle for mediocrity you will be mediocre and these people who have their hands in the honey jar seem more concerned about having it their way instead of getting it right. Give the man his keys and let him drive. 

Yeah I have no idea how we can have such uniquely idiotic boosters. Just makes no damn sense.

We should be roughly a 16-20 job. There is no reason for us to not be able to get someone on the level of Kiffin, Napier or Venables. If we close strong in recruiting I will feel we can put Harsin in that category, of course.

Edited December 6, 2021 by AUwent

[BJCrawford 1,568]

I’m kind of tired of hearing how great all other schools are and the coaches they get. Outside of the big guys (Clemson and Bama) who has really done what we want? Do we want to be Texas A and M? Jimbo fisher guaranteed millions and recruits 4 and 5 star athletes. What does he have to show for it?  LSU stumbled on a QB no one has seen the likes of. No one knows yet how their million dollar guy will do.  We just think we do. Kirby has been great so far “between the 20’s”.   Who has accomplished those home run hires and have championships to show for it??  Incidentally, I hope Venables falls flat on his face.

[WarEagleHunter1221 1,710]

5 minutes ago, BJCrawford said:

I’m kind of tired of hearing how great all other schools are and the coaches they get. Outside of the big guys (Clemson and Bama) who has really done what we want? Do we want to be Texas A and M? Jimbo fisher guaranteed millions and recruits 4 and 5 star athletes. What does he have to show for it?  LSU stumbled on a QB no one has seen the likes of. No one knows yet how their million dollar guy will do.  We just think we do. Kirby has been great so far “between the 20’s”.   Who has accomplished those home run hires and have championships to show for it??  Incidentally, I hope Venables falls flat on his face.

My problem is not that we don’t hire big names. My problem is we hire who we consider to be the right guy and then tie one of his hands behind his back by controlling his decisions and withhold resources. Miami just gave Cristobal the most expendable assistant budget in the nation. He may not be the right guy but damn it they are going to let him fully show them he’s not the right guy. That’s really all I’m asking for.for example

[Randman5000 4,277]

Can't blame him quite honestly.

However looking forward to that first Oklahoma v Auburn game in Jordan Hare now that he opened his big mouth. 

 

[WarEagleHunter1221 1,710]

21 minutes ago, meh130 said:

So now that Venables has dissed us, can we make public the "issue" he is purported to have?

I would love the AU athletic department to issue a statement that simply says: "Brent Venables failed our vetting process, so we moved on to other candidates."

I heard he has to have a certain quota of corn fields around the school he coaches at so he can decompress in his spare time by scaring off the crows. 

[TexasTiger 14,364]

6 hours ago, AUDevil said:

Alignment can mean many things - conference/division alignment?

Spinal

[AUwent 3,841]

26 minutes ago, WarEagleHunter1221 said:

My problem is not that we don’t hire big names. My problem is we hire who we consider to be the right guy and then tie one of his hands behind his back by controlling his decisions and withhold resources. Miami just gave Cristobal the most expendable assistant budget in the nation. He may not be the right guy but damn it they are going to let him fully show them he’s not the right guy. That’s really all I’m asking for.for example

Well, Harsin wants Zak Hill. Just sayin'.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 9,091]

6 hours ago, Bro Johnny Mac said:

I don’t know, he’s fired two coaches in three months, it looks like he’s in control. 

Yes, now, that’s obvious 

Talking about during the hiring process