10/31/22 Auburn Articles

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Robby Ashford shows growth, but Auburn can’t capitalize on QB’s best start

Published: Oct. 30, 2022, 12:39 p.m.

6-7 minutes

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Robby Ashford spent the bye week rewatching eight of his mistakes, over and over again. Watch. Rewind. Repeat.

Ashford was responsible for eight of Auburn’s FBS-leading 19 fumbles through its first seven games, though only two of them resulted in turnovers. Ball security was an issue for the redshirt freshman quarterback, and it played into the team’s worst-in-the-nation turnover margin.

He knew something needed to be done, and the bye week afforded the former Oregon transfer a chance to pinpoint the cause of some of those unresolved issues.

Read more Auburn football: Double-digit loss to Arkansas leaves Auburn feeling deflated

Grading Auburn’s 41-27 loss to Arkansas

Talty: New Auburn AD must deliver right football coach. It’s not Bryan Harsin

“It was good to be able to just go out there and just during the bye week and just work like I said, work on the things I was lacking in,” Ashford said.

After reexamining those eight fumbles, Ashford noticed the biggest trouble came at the mesh point with Auburn’s running backs. Eagerness was the main culprit. Ashford’s eyes, he said, often got too wide; he’d see a hole in the defense he wanted to take advantage of, and he’d pull the ball too quickly or grip it incorrectly at the mesh, and it would result in putting it on the ground.

“I was just rushing,” he said. “…But I mean, you got to mesh it first.”

Ashford was perhaps the biggest benefactor of the bye week for Auburn, and it showed during Saturday’s game against Arkansas. The Tigers suffered their fourth straight loss, this one a 41-27 beatdown that wasn’t as close as the final score showed, but Ashford’s performance — and the development he has shown — provided somewhat of a silver lining for Auburn on what was an otherwise frustrating and disappointing Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Ashford turned in his best performance of the season, completing 24-of-33 passes (72.7 percent) for 285 yards and a touchdown while running for a team-high 87 yards. He also managed to not fumble the ball a single time and or commit a turnover, as Auburn managed to win the turnover battle for just the second time this season (the Tigers forced and recovered a Razorbacks fumble for the lone takeaway of the game).

“I’m feeling more comfortable,” Ashford said. “Just the experience I’m getting, just the reps, like you said, it’s just — just got to keep working. Just keep getting in the film room, keep working at practice and just how can I improve my game every week? I think I’ve improved in that aspect every single week, and it’s just how can I put it all together?”

Ashford, for the most part, put it all together against Arkansas. His 285 passing yards were his second-most this season, behind only the 337 he had against LSU. Saturday’s game was also just the second time he threw for more than 200 yards in a game.

His 72.7 percent completion rate was a career high, surpassing his clip from the overtime win against Missouri (12-of-18; 66.7 percent). Ashford’s 8.6 yards per pass attempt also represented his best mark since that LSU game (8.9 yards per attempt), while his quarterback rating of 155.27 was his best in a start this year, and it trailed only his college debut against Mercer, when he finished with a rating of 177.14 while attempting just seven passes.

Ashford’s 87 rushing yards were also a career-high, and Saturday snapped a streak of four straight games in which he fumbled the ball at least once (with seven total fumbles during that stretch). It was the first career start for Ashford in which he didn’t put the ball on the ground.

“It’s a testament to him and being willing to learn and do things,” tight end John Samuel Shenker said. “He’s done an excellent job with that. I’m really proud of him in that way and being coachable. Just learning how to do the right things in practice and being a leader too, I tip my hat to him. We need to be surrounding him and being positive to him in this scenario because everyone is going to go to the quarterback after losses. He’s done a great job.”

For as much growth as Ashford showed in his performance against Arkansas, it wasn’t enough for Auburn to overcome a swell of issues in a double-digit home loss that sent swaths of fans toward the exits at the end of the third quarter. Auburn’s offense amassed 468 total yards and averaged 6.6 yards per play against Arkansas — two of the best marks of the season — but only had 14 points to show for it until garbage time, when the Tigers scored two touchdowns in the final 5:28 to avoid their most lopsided defeat ever at the hands of the Razorbacks.

Outside of its three touchdowns, Auburn had four other drives that got to inside the Arkansas 35-yard line, with just six points to show for it, as finishing possessions remained an issue for the Tigers. That included just three total points on its first two possessions of the game, which started near midfield and produced just 40 yards on 14 plays.

“It’s always frustrating just when we know we can get out there and put the ball in the end zone and we don’t, and I mean, at the end of the day, we just got to execute,” Ashford said. “I mean, it’s frustrating; like I said, every loss, it stings. This one stings, but this team ain’t going to give up. We’re not gonna give up. We still got four more games, four games. So, we just got to go out there and just keep getting better and just we got to put it all together.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

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Auburn football: What’s left to play for?

Glenn Sattell Glenn Sattell is an award-winning freelance writer for Saturday Down South.

5-6 minutes

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The losing streak now is 4 games. In the 2021 season Auburn finished with 5 consecutive losses. Those aren’t streaks that inspire confidence within a program, especially one with a new head coach – especially one for a program not known for its patience.

The Tigers are now 3-5 and there’s really no salvaging the season save for a 4-game win streak to end it. That would mean victories against Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Western Kentucky and Alabama. The chances of that, given how the season has played out to this point, don’t even register.

Where does Auburn go from here? What can be expected from head coach Bryan Harsin moving forward? Harsin is coaching for his job – not the one at Auburn, but for his next stop. More accurately, he’s coaching for his career. He’ll get another opportunity somewhere else, perhaps with a program not as thin, with more overall talent than Auburn.

Being honest, the talent level at Auburn doesn’t stack up with that of its brethren in the SEC West. It’s not as deep and it has a problem at its most important position. Harsin will never get the chance to bring in “his guys” to the program. He’s done what he can with what he has. The effort certainly isn’t the problem.

A talented and/or experienced quarterback is a big part of it. Is redshirt freshman transfer Robby Ashford the answer? Perhaps. The product of Hoover, Ala., who came in by way of Oregon, has flashed signs of a basic ability to get the job done. That’s a nice way of saying that eventually he could become serviceable.

Going head-to-head with Arkansas’ KJ Jefferson on Saturday, there were visible similarities, athletically speaking. Ashford completed 24 of 33 passes for 285 yards and a touchdown. He led the Tigers in rushing with 87 yards, including a 34-yard scamper.

Confidence-wise it was like night and day with Arkansas’ veteran QB. But that comes with experience. That and confidence in your offensive line.

Ashford isn’t there yet. His inexperience will not allow him to stay in the pocket and execute the game plan. Not yet, anyway. With playing time comes that confidence, and perhaps that’s what the focus should be for the remainder of the season. Again, the impatience within the program might not be conducive to such a tactic. But right now, that’s all they have to work with.

Until and unless the Tigers can recruit the next Cam Newton, or find him in the portal, patience in developing what could turn out to be a pretty good quarterback is a necessity. A necessity that Auburn big-money donors have shown they don’t have the stomach to wait for.

That’s the dilemma Auburn faces. It’s a program that needs time to develop with Harsin, but won’t take the time to see it through.

And so the school will continue to try to catch lightning in a bottle. It’s an odd aftereffect of Gene Chizik winning a national championship in his 2nd year, followed by Gus Malzahn reaching the national championship game in his 1st year after replacing the faltering Chizik.

It gave an unrealistic impression that shuffling through coaches who don’t win a national championship in their first two seasons is the way to go.

That’s not how Nick Saban did it at LSU. It’s not how Saban did it at Alabama. It’s not how Dabo Swinney did it at Clemson. Heck, it took him 9 seasons to build the program to national-championship level.

The difference? Patience. Unfortunately, that’s a luxury any Auburn coach doesn’t have. Swinney never experienced the losing proposition of chasing an in-state rival like Saban year after year for recruits and titles. Sure, Swinney battled with Steve Spurrier. But that was the South Carolina Spurrier, not the Florida Spurrier. Different animals.

No, Harsin is chasing the ghost of Malzahn, who tried Auburn’s last nerve with 8 years of failing to get across the line. Chasing the ghosts of Auburn’s past 2 coaches, each playing in the national championship game by their 2nd seasons on the Plains.

So where does that leave this program? Currently, it leaves it floundering through the final games of 2022 just hoping for the long shot of becoming bowl eligible.

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Auburn opens as 2-score road underdog against Mississippi State

Published: Oct. 30, 2022, 1:39 p.m.

3-4 minutes

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Oct 29, 2022; Auburn, AL, USA; Colby Wooden (25) and Derick Hall (29) celebrate a play during the game between Auburn and Arkansas at Jordan Hare Stadium. Todd Van Emst / AU Athletics Todd Van Emst / AU Athletics

Auburn will be an underdog for the fifth time in as many games when it travels to Starkville, Miss., in Week 10.

Auburn opened as a 12-point underdog against Mississippi State for the teams’ matchup Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium, according to Circa Sports. The Tigers and Bulldogs will meet at 6:30 p.m., with the game airing on ESPN2.

Read more Auburn football: Robby Ashford shows growth, but Auburn can’t capitalize on QB’s best start

Double-digit loss to Arkansas leaves Auburn feeling deflated

Talty: New Auburn AD must deliver right football coach. It’s not Bryan Harsin

Auburn has not been favored in a game since its SEC opener against Missouri back on Sept. 24, with Bryan Harsin’s team dropping each of its four games since that narrow overtime escape at Jordan-Hare Stadium -- losing at home to LSU, then on the road against Georgia and Ole Miss before the most recent loss at home to Arkansas after the bye week.

Auburn (3-5, 1-4 SEC) will try to snap that skid Saturday in Starkville against Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are 5-3 overall and 2-3 in SEC play, and Mike Leach’s team is mired in a losing streak of its own. Mississippi State has lost each of its last two games, at Kentucky and at Alabama, but will be coming off its bye week when it hosts Auburn in Week 10.

The Bulldogs are 4-0 at home this season, while the Tigers are 0-2 on the road this fall. Mississippi State will also be aiming for its second consecutive win against Auburn after rallying from a 28-3 deficit for a 43-34 win at Jordan-Hare Stadium last fall. That collapse set off Auburn’s season-ending five-game losing streak in Year 1 under Harsin; a loss Saturday would give the Tigers another five-game skid under the embattled coach.

Auburn leads the all-time series with Mississippi State, 62-30-3, but the division rivalry has been relatively even over the last decade, with the teams splitting the last 10 meetings. Neither team has won more than two in a row against the other since Auburn strung together four consecutive wins between 2008-11. Auburn also holds a 14-7-1 advantage on the road in the series, but the Tigers have not won consecutive games in Starkville since 2008 and 2010.

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

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Grading Auburn’s 41-27 loss to Arkansas

Published: Oct. 30, 2022, 7:01 a.m.

7-9 minutes

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Bryan Harsin was apt in his assessment of his Auburn program after its latest loss, a double-digit setback against an Arkansas program the Tigers had dominated for much of the last decade.

Auburn fell to Arkansas, 41-27, in a game that got away from Harsin’s team in the second half, sending fans to the exits in droves by the end of the third quarter and the Tigers to their fourth straight loss. It’s Auburn’s second four-game losing streak under Harsin, and it dropped the team two games below .500 on the year and to 1-4 in SEC play.

Read more Auburn football: Auburn’s defensive decline continues in loss to Arkansas

Instant analysis: Auburn throttled by Arkansas for fourth consecutive loss

Auburn finalizing deal to make Mississippi State’s John Cohen next AD

“We’re just not good enough,” Harsin said. “…We got to be better, and we need a lot more action then just hope and wanting to, and all that. You’ve got to work for it.”

There’s no shortage of work and improvement needed for Auburn after Saturday’s loss, even after an off week to refocus and self-assess. With that in mind, let’s hand out some position-by-position grades for the Tigers after their latest loss:

Quarterback: A

Kudos to Robby Ashford, who seemed to be the biggest benefactor of Auburn’s off week. The redshirt freshman quarterback took a step back to reflect during the week off, and he honed in on some areas that have caused him trouble during the first half of the season. The result was by far the most well-rounded performance of his young career. He completed 24-of-33 passes (73 percent) for 285 yards and a touchdown, adding another 87 yards on the ground while finishing as Auburn’s leading rusher. He was 6-of-9 for 80 yards on third downs, converting five of those for first downs. Most importantly, he took care of the ball and didn’t commit a turnover (or a near-turnover) against Arkansas.

Running backs: B

The numbers didn’t jump off the page, but Tank Bigsby was Auburn’s best weapon against Arkansas. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry, though he finished with just 11 runs for 63 yards, and he added a season- (and team-) high six receptions for 37 yards. His 41-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter sparked some life to an Auburn offense that couldn’t capitalize on some good early field position. Jarquez Hunter added 30 total yards on 10 offensive touches, between carries and catches, and he scored a garbage-time touchdown to close the final margin with four seconds to play.

Wide receivers: B-

For Ashford to have his best day passing the ball, it only makes sense that Auburn’s receivers stepped up to make some plays. The most impressive was freshman Camden Brown, who had four catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. Ja’Varrius Johnson, Shedrick Jackson and Koy Moore also made some key receptions, but Auburn’s offense needs to do better to sustain and finish drives if it wants to fully find its footing offensively.

Tight ends: C

John Samuel Shenker was the only tight end to get involved in the passing game, hauling in two catches for 25 yards. On the plus side, both receptions converted third downs. On the other hand, Auburn needs more from a position it considered a deep one that would be heavily involved in the offense entering the season.

Offensive line: C

On paper, this looked to be one of Auburn’s best offensive games: 468 yards of total offense (the most since Week 1 against Mercer) and 6.6 yards per play (second straight game hitting that mark or better), as well as a strong passing game from Ashford and some big plays from Bigsby. But Auburn’s offense lacked some consistency, with an inability to finish drives and too much boom-or-bust situations. While the offensive line got some good push at times, allowing the Tigers to run for 183 yards, the team averaged just 3 yards per carry without Bigsby’s touchdown and a 34-yard scramble by Ashford. Add in three sacks allowed, and it there was plenty for Auburn’s offensive line to improve upon.

Defensive line: D

Credit to Colby Wooden and Derick Hall, who continue to show up on a weekly basis, but Auburn’s defensive front needs more than just those two to deliver. Lack of depth is wearing on the unit, and it’s showing in the stat sheet. Auburn allowed 286 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground against Arkansas, which averaged 6 yards per carry; it was the third straight game an opponent has rushed for at least 200 yards on Auburn, as the defensive front is struggling to contain teams from getting to the second level in the run game.

Linebackers: D

Owen Pappoe led Auburn with eight tackles and had 1.5 sacks—including one on the first play of the game—but run fits remain a problem, as opponents have been able to pick up yardage in chunks running the ball against the Tigers. On Saturday, it was Arkansas’ turn, with Raheim Sanders leading the way with 171 yards on 16 carries.

Defensive backs: D

Though no fault of his own, Zion Puckett will likely find himself on Arkansas’ highlight reel the remainder of the season after taking a fierce stiff-arm from KJ Jefferson on the second of two rushing touchdowns from the Razorbacks quarterback. Not only did Jefferson impact the game with his legs (and that stiff-arm), he picked apart Auburn’s pass defense. He completed 16-of-24 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown, and his 9.75 yards per pass attempt were better than his average entering the game (9.1), which was already 12th-best nationally. Six of his completions went for 18 or more yards, and he was 4-of-5 passing for 60 yards on third downs.

Special teams: D

It was another rough game at home for Anders Carlson, who was 2-of-4 on field goal attempts, had a kick blocked and booted a kickoff out of bounds. Carlson missed a 46-yarder on his first attempt of the game before connecting on his second try from the same distance one drive later. He made a 24-yard chip shot but then had a 52-yarder blocked on the opening drive of the second half — part of a pivotal sequence during which the game got away from Auburn. Add in a miscue by Keionte Scott, who let a punt bounce and turn into a 78-yarder for Arkansas (though Auburn scored on its ensuing possession, which started at its own 7-yard line), and it was a tough day for specialists. Even Oscar Chapman, who had a pair of 50-yard punts (with a long of 55 yards) and pinned four of his five attempts inside the 20, had a misstep in the kicking game that resulted in a 24-yard punt late in the first half.

Coaching: F

Things haven’t gotten better for Auburn, and even when one phase of the game starts to find its footing, the Tigers can’t get alignment in other aspects. Even with the added preparation time, coming off the bye week, Auburn couldn’t lay that first stepstone on the path toward salvaging its season. You can find fault in plenty of areas, but it all ultimately falls to the feet of Harsin, who has not been able to show he has what it takes to successfully run a program like Auburn. The Tigers are now 9-12 during his tenure and just 3-10 in the last calendar year, including a 1-8 record in SEC play during that stretch. As he said after the game, the Tigers aren’t good enough right now. That’s on him and his staff, because they aren’t good enough at this juncture, either.

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

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10 things I’m absolutely overreacting to after Week 9 in the SEC

Chris Wright

9-11 minutes

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God bless Bo Nix.

He wants Georgia, huh? Not nearly as much as Georgia would love another shot at Bo Nix. Instead, the Dawgs will spend next week worrying — with good reason — about Hendon Hooker.

Nix’s overreaction to Oregon’s resurrection is just 1 of the 10 things I’m absolutely overreacting to after Week 9 in and around the SEC while counting down the seconds until Georgia-Tennessee in Week 10.

10. Apparently, Bo doesn’t know his history vs. Georgia

We get it. The first Playoff rankings will be released Tuesday night. Bo Nix had another big day Saturday (6 total TDs) vs. another non-descript Pac-12 defense. Oregon is playing well and trying to make everybody — including and most importantly Playoff committee members — forget all about that 49-3 Week 1 drubbing.

But NIx’s comment earlier this week is the overreaction of the year.

Agree or disagree with Oregon's QB1? ? pic.twitter.com/kRrvqWKRgB

— 247Sports (@247Sports) October 28, 2022

Bo Nix might be virtually unbeatable vs. the Pac-12. But he is 0-4 vs. Georgia. His teams (Auburn and, this year, Oregon) have been outscored by a combined 131-33 in those 4 losses. The past 3 losses were all by 21 or more points.

Nix has averaged 203 passing yards per game against the Dawgs. He has thrown just 1 TD pass and has been picked 4 times.

He wants more of this?

We all like confident QBs, but, sorry, Bo, the only thing different about a hypothetical 5th Dawg bite would be Oregon’s uniform combination.

9. Hungry Dawgs are the best Dawgs

Georgia hasn’t been elite lately.

They were Saturday in the Cocktail Party. Mostly. Or, at least when they needed to be.

You knew they would be, too. Will Muschamp vs. his old school? Yeah, those Dawgs were going to hunt.

Brock Bowers vs. Florida’s inability to cover even average tight ends? Take the over.

We didn’t really learn anything new about Georgia’s offense Saturday. It played as expected, right down to another curious drop from Ladd McConkey. (Is it me, or does that guy get more targets than his shaky hands deserve?) The defense, just like last year, ultimately will tell the tale of whether this story ends with another confetti parade.

8. Why doesn’t Georgia throw it to Brock Bowers every time?

Sorry, that’s not an overreaction.

That’s just an honest question after watching Bowers torch another defense, disappear, block, disappear, torch the defense, disappear, etc., etc.

That’s been the pattern all season — and not because he can’t get open. Georgia, for whatever reason, just decides to go away from him for long and puzzling stretches.

He had 5 catches Saturday — for 154 yards and 1 TD.

He’s absolutely uncoverable.

Whenever Stetson Bennett looks anywhere else, he’s doing the defense a favor.

7. You weren’t worried about Ohio State, were you?

I wasn’t. Oh, I saw the “OSU overrated” tweets midway through the first half of their game at Penn State.

I’ve had the Buckeyes at No. 1 most of the season. I expected them to play a bit better in the opening half at Penn State, but this offense still is operating without arguably the best receiver in the country, Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

CJ Stroud was effective, if not explosive, as OSU traded blows for almost 3 quarters before the defense sparked a 28-point 4th quarter to turn the lights out on the White Out.

That was the best part if you’re a Buckeyes believer: The defense won this game.

It’s been awhile since Ohio State had a Playoff-caliber defense. That doomed the Buckeyes’ Playoff hopes last year, when the defense allowed 30 or more points 5 times.

Saturday, OSU scored 3 TDs off 4 turnovers — including a sealing pick-6 off Sean Clifford.

This might be the most complete team in America and is the biggest threat to the SEC’s title quest. Smith-Njigba’s eventual return will simply amplify that fact.

6. Syracuse getting crushed was the last thing Clemson needed

A lot of people wanted to give Clemson credit last week for its gutty comeback victory over Syracuse — at Death Valley, no less.

I was on the other side, waving the warning signs, alerting Tigers fans that they were on the brink of making the wrong kind of Playoff history.

Now, after a mediocre-at-best Notre Dame team steamrolled Syracuse — at the renamed Carrier Dome, no less — I’m more convinced than ever that even if Clemson goes 13-0, the ACC’s overall lack of quality will keep the Tigers out of the Playoff. That will be a first, as every undefeated Power 5 champion has made the Playoff.

Clemson travels to Notre Dame next week. The Irish lost to Marshall and Stanford, folks. Please don’t convince yourself that winning in South Bend this season is a quality win. We’re at the point where Clemson’s toughest remaining game might be … South Carolina.

And, no, it didn’t help Clemson’s case — or the ACC’s — that Louisville laid it on Wake Forest, either.

We’re smart enough to know what high-end, NFL-ready parity looks like.

This is just average football.

5. 5 notable numbers from the 5 SEC games

1,041: That’s Rocket Sanders’ rushing total after running for 171 more yards Saturday. Sanders, who leads the SEC in rushing, became the first SEC back to cross the 1K mark this season. Sanders barely leads Ole Miss freshman Quinshon Judkins, who ran for 205 yards Saturday to push his season total to 1,034.

2012: That was, until Saturday, the last time Auburn failed to score 30 points against Arkansas. The Tigers got to 28 Saturday — thanks to a TD with 4 seconds left. That’s not a good omen for Bryan Harsin. Gene Chizik was fired after the 2012 season.

32: That was South Carolina’s rushing total in a strange, dishearteningly home loss to Mizzou. That was a season-low, something the Gamecocks thought they’d already set when they ran for just 40 against Arkansas in Week 2. Silver lining? The 2019 Gamecocks only ran for 16 yards against Mizzou.

14: That’s how many TD receptions Tennessee star Jalin Hyatt has. That’s a program record. He still has at least 5 more games to build on that number and potentially make a run at DeVonta Smith’s SEC record of 23 TD catches in a season.

338 yards and 4 TDs: Those were Texas A&M freshman phenom Conner Weigman’s passing numbers in a loss to Ole Miss. Aggies fans have been waiting for the 5-star to get some run. Final score aside, his starting debut couldn’t have gone much better. For context, his 338 passing yards are tied for 4th-most in the Jimbo Fisher era and his 4 TD passes are tied for 2nd-most. There might actually be hope in Aggieland, after all.

4. The 4 Playoff teams are …

1. Tennessee, 2. Ohio State, 3. Georgia, 4. Alabama

There’s a new No. 1, just in time for Tennessee’s biggest game this century.

The Vols mauled Kentucky, doing whatever they pleased in their final tune-up for next week’s showdown at Georgia.

The Buckeyes beat a ranked rival on the road by 2 touchdowns — but Tennessee looked even more dominant in taking down another (former) Penn State QB.

Georgia beat an unranked rival kind of on the road by 3 touchdowns. AP voters might continue to keep the Dawgs at No. 1. I’m not moving off Tennessee until somebody stops Hendon Hooker and this offense.

Alabama slides in at No. 4 despite not playing. Call it a happy early birthday present to my birthday brother, Nick Saban. Michigan played but didn’t impress in a home win over Michigan State, so the Wolverines dipped to No. 5, just ahead of TCU and idle Clemson.

3. Auburn has a new AD … start the clock on its next coach

Will new AD John Cohen’s first or second phone call be to tell Bryan Harsin, “Thank you, and good luck in your next endeavor?”

The timing of Cohen’s hiring announcement Saturday seemingly coincided with Auburn’s latest home loss — a 41-27 drubbing against Arkansas.

Cohen, of course, hired Mike Leach at Mississippi State. I wouldn’t necessarily draw any connections from that relationship.

Auburn is a different gig with different dynamics.

Whenever Auburn parts ways with Harsin and (cough, cough) begins its search, I still think Lane Kiffin would be the most natural, take-that-Bama! hire, but Kiffin has the same exact opportunities at Ole Miss with far fewer in-state hurdles and booster headaches.

2. Georgia is favored by how much?

Kirk Herbstreit heard the number and wondered whether it was a mistake.

I don’t know enough about gambling to describe what an “early” number is, or when or how it is derived.

But I’ll say this about Georgia being an “early” 12-point favorite over Tennessee.

Actually, I won’t. It’s Sunday morning. But you know what I was thinking …

1. “This win goes to Coach Dooley …”

Legendary Georgia coach — and human — Vince Dooley died peacefully this week at the age of 90.

Like always, Coach Dooley was never far from the Dawgs’ sidelines.

Immediately after beating Florida, Kirby Smart said, emphatically, that this win was for Coach Dooley. You could feel the emotion in Smart’s words.

"This win goes to Coach Dooley."

Kirby Smart dedicates @GeorgiaFootball's win over Florida to the legendary Vince Dooley. pic.twitter.com/F0lavamNux

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) October 29, 2022

A lot of coaches win games. Some win titles. The best of the best do it in a way that not only elicits respect … but admiration.

More than anything, that was Vince Dooley’s legacy.

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Five winners from Auburn's loss to Arkansas

Andrew Stefaniak

 

Auburn was boat raced by Arkansas, losing by a score of 41-27. A touchdown in garbage time made the score appear closer than it should have been. 

It was a rough day to be an Auburn fan as the stands cleared awful quickly when Auburn got down big. 

While this was a bad loss, some players had good days on the field. 

Let's look at five Auburn players that played well against Arkansas. 

Camden Brown

Trey Lee/ Auburn Daily

Camden Brown was the biggest bright spot in this game for the Tigers. He caught four passes for 83 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown Brown caught you will be seeing on Sports Center tomorrow as it was a circus catch. Brown has a really bright future ahead of him and could be an absolute stud for the Tigers next year. 

DJ James

Trey Lee/ Auburn Daily

DJ James has emerged as the Tigers shut down corner. He is excellent at batting down passes and doing so without drawing a pass interference call. James had a few of these pass breakups in this game. James is in for a big year next year and has a chance to be a person hearing his name called in the NFL Draft in the future. 

Tank Bigsby

Trey Lee/ Auburn Daily

Tank Bigsby was a real gadget guy in this game for the Tigers, as he added six receptions to his work on the ground. Bigsby had a 41-yard touchdown scamper in the second quarter, where he showed a great burst of speed. Auburn fans need to root for Bigsby to finish the year strong so he can raise his draft stock over these last few games of the season. 

Robby Ashford

Trey Lee/ Auburn Daily

Robby Ashford continues to look better and better as the season goes on. He is still you and makes some poor throws and decisions at times, but overall he played well in this game. He had 285 yards through the air and 87 yards on the ground. He also threw a touchdown in this contest. It is still to be seen if Ashford is the quarterback of the future, but he will continue to develop as the season progresses. 

Colby Wooden

Trey Lee/ Auburn Daily

Colby Wooden sacked Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson in this contest. Wooden is a very talented football player that has had a good year for the Tigers. He is another player like Bigsby that Tiger fans need to root for as he tries to make a name for himself in the NFL Draft. Wooden has four games left to try and make a case for why an NFL team should take a shot on him. 

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Paul Finebaum sees a clear favorite to be Auburn's next football coach

Chris Wallace | 17 hours ago

 

 

 

Auburn was blown out at home by Arkansas on Saturday, 41-27.

The loss dropped the Tigers to 3-5 on the season and they are now just 3-10 in their last 13 games dating back to last year.

 

At this point, Bryan Harsin’s seat at Auburn can’t get any hotter. In fact, many are surprised that he’s still employed by the school.

But most believe his termination is coming sooner than later, which of course has generated plenty of speculation about who might replace Harsin on The Plains.

It was a topic that ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum touched on with colleague Matt Barrie on Sunday during the network’s “Week 9 Recap” show on YouTube.

“Every time I look down at my phone there’s another ‘Harsin could go any minute’ (story),” Finebaum said. “(Auburn) is on the verge or they have already hired John Cohen as the athletic director. He’s coming over from Mississippi State. Why is that important? Well, they need an athletic director to technically hire the next coach.”

So who might that next coach be? Finebaum believes there’s one candidate who should be seen as the clear favorite.

“So Harsin is gone, whenever that is,” Finebaum said. “… He just did a miserable job. Hugh Freeze I think is going to be the coach to watch. (Lane Kiffin’s) name comes up, but I do think there’s a lot of interest for Hugh Freeze there.”

Freeze is currently the head coach at Liberty University and just signed a contract extension with the school. He is 33-12 overall in his 4th season with the Flames.

Of course, Freeze was previously the head coach at Ole Miss, where under his direction the school was cited for multiple recruiting violations, which ultimately led Freeze to step down.

Would that be an issue for Auburn? Finebaum doesn’t think so.

“One thing that Auburn boosters like about Hugh Freeze, and this may sound irrelevant to people around the country, but he has something in his back pocket that resonates in Alabama,” Finebaum said. “He’s beaten Nick Saban twice. … Not many people have beaten Nick Saban twice.”

[EagleEye67 1,948]

Quote

That’s the dilemma Auburn faces. It’s a program that needs time to develop with Harsin, but won’t take the time to see it through.

hE jUsT NeEdZ mOrE TiMe  

Edited October 31, 2022 by EagleEye67

[aubiefifty 18,250]

2 minutes ago, EagleEye67 said:

hE jUsT NeEdZ mOrE TiMe  

read this next article i am posting. this guys gets it exactly right!

[aubiefifty 18,250]

AuburnSports - BMatt’s Monday musings

Bryan Matthews AuburnSports BMatt’s Monday musings 20m ago

4-5 minutes

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AUBURN | Just watch, he said.

Well, I have coach and here’s some of the things I’ve seen over the last couple of months and years…

** I’ve seen a team that can’t block, can’t tackle and can’t hold onto the football. A failure of the fundamentals that are supposed to be the bedrock of your program.

** I’ve seen a team completely collapse in second halves over and over and over again. Your halftime adjustments completely inept or falling on deaf ears or perhaps both.

** I’ve seen a coach that needed a fortuitous finish last December to bring in the SEC’s ninth-best recruiting class and will enter this November with the league’s No. 11 class. A coach that went 0-for-6 on targets in the late signing period, went 1-for-27 on high school official visitors this summer and has secured just three of the top 30 in a loaded in-state 2023 class.

** I’ve seen a coach inexplicably make a bad offense even worse. Gus Malzahn was fired in 2020 after his offense averaged 25.7 points against 10 SEC opponents. Auburn has averaged 20.9 points against 16 Power 5 opponents since.

** I’ve seen a once proud, tough and fierce defense wither away into one of the nation’s worst units. It takes a special kind of ineptitude to dismantle in two short years what Kevin Steele, Rodney Garner and Travis Williams built.

** I’ve seen you secure a place in Auburn history by becoming the first coach in 130 seasons to give up 40 or more points four times in a season, and there’s still four games left to add to your legacy.

** And when rightly asked about the collapse of your defense Saturday, I saw you reply, “In comparison to everybody else? And all the other teams that we didn't coach when we were here? That were here?” Yes coach, Auburn has historically had good to great defenses. It was part of the culture that you inherited and then completely decimated.

** I’ve seen a coach that’s on track to make more history as the first at Auburn since Earl Brown in 1949-50 to have back-to-back losing seasons. Perhaps the best argument for Auburn continuing your employment over the next month is to make sure you wear every single one of the remaining losses and not pass them off to some hapless interim coach.

Frankly, I’ve seen more than enough of Bryan Dale Harsin.

Seems like most Auburn alumni and fans have too. It remains to be seen how much more patience AU’s leadership has left for Mr. Just Watch over the next four weeks.

Regardless, an end point is coming and then comes renewal and hope. Man, this place could sure use some hope.

That's how I see it.

 

this article tells it exactly like it is................

***

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[Tigers77 281]

13 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

Auburn football: What’s left to play for?

Glenn Sattell Glenn Sattell is an award-winning freelance writer for Saturday Down South.

5-6 minutes

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The losing streak now is 4 games. In the 2021 season Auburn finished with 5 consecutive losses. Those aren’t streaks that inspire confidence within a program, especially one with a new head coach – especially one for a program not known for its patience.

The Tigers are now 3-5 and there’s really no salvaging the season save for a 4-game win streak to end it. That would mean victories against Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Western Kentucky and Alabama. The chances of that, given how the season has played out to this point, don’t even register.

Where does Auburn go from here? What can be expected from head coach Bryan Harsin moving forward? Harsin is coaching for his job – not the one at Auburn, but for his next stop. More accurately, he’s coaching for his career. He’ll get another opportunity somewhere else, perhaps with a program not as thin, with more overall talent than Auburn.

Being honest, the talent level at Auburn doesn’t stack up with that of its brethren in the SEC West. It’s not as deep and it has a problem at its most important position. Harsin will never get the chance to bring in “his guys” to the program. He’s done what he can with what he has. The effort certainly isn’t the problem.

A talented and/or experienced quarterback is a big part of it. Is redshirt freshman transfer Robby Ashford the answer? Perhaps. The product of Hoover, Ala., who came in by way of Oregon, has flashed signs of a basic ability to get the job done. That’s a nice way of saying that eventually he could become serviceable.

Going head-to-head with Arkansas’ KJ Jefferson on Saturday, there were visible similarities, athletically speaking. Ashford completed 24 of 33 passes for 285 yards and a touchdown. He led the Tigers in rushing with 87 yards, including a 34-yard scamper.

Confidence-wise it was like night and day with Arkansas’ veteran QB. But that comes with experience. That and confidence in your offensive line.

Ashford isn’t there yet. His inexperience will not allow him to stay in the pocket and execute the game plan. Not yet, anyway. With playing time comes that confidence, and perhaps that’s what the focus should be for the remainder of the season. Again, the impatience within the program might not be conducive to such a tactic. But right now, that’s all they have to work with.

Until and unless the Tigers can recruit the next Cam Newton, or find him in the portal, patience in developing what could turn out to be a pretty good quarterback is a necessity. A necessity that Auburn big-money donors have shown they don’t have the stomach to wait for.

That’s the dilemma Auburn faces. It’s a program that needs time to develop with Harsin, but won’t take the time to see it through.

And so the school will continue to try to catch lightning in a bottle. It’s an odd aftereffect of Gene Chizik winning a national championship in his 2nd year, followed by Gus Malzahn reaching the national championship game in his 1st year after replacing the faltering Chizik.

It gave an unrealistic impression that shuffling through coaches who don’t win a national championship in their first two seasons is the way to go.

That’s not how Nick Saban did it at LSU. It’s not how Saban did it at Alabama. It’s not how Dabo Swinney did it at Clemson. Heck, it took him 9 seasons to build the program to national-championship level.

The difference? Patience. Unfortunately, that’s a luxury any Auburn coach doesn’t have. Swinney never experienced the losing proposition of chasing an in-state rival like Saban year after year for recruits and titles. Sure, Swinney battled with Steve Spurrier. But that was the South Carolina Spurrier, not the Florida Spurrier. Different animals.

No, Harsin is chasing the ghost of Malzahn, who tried Auburn’s last nerve with 8 years of failing to get across the line. Chasing the ghosts of Auburn’s past 2 coaches, each playing in the national championship game by their 2nd seasons on the Plains.

So where does that leave this program? Currently, it leaves it floundering through the final games of 2022 just hoping for the long shot of becoming bowl eligible.

There is so much BS and inaccuracy in this one I can’t fathom this guy is even a writer. 

[EagleEye67 1,948]

1 minute ago, Tigers77 said:

There is so much BS and inaccuracy in this one I can’t fathom this guy is even a writer. 

Quote

writer for Saturday Down South.

nuff said

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3 minutes ago, Tigers77 said:

There is so much BS and inaccuracy in this one I can’t fathom this guy is even a writer. 

so what is not accurate? it sounds legit to me.

[Tigers77 281]

9 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

so what is not accurate? it sounds legit to me.

The gist of the article is Auburn isn’t giving Harsin time and is quick to fire coaches. Which is highly inaccurate and that’s just the start.

[aubiefifty 18,250]

2 minutes ago, Tigers77 said:

The gist of the article is Auburn isn’t giving Harsin time and is quick to fire coaches. Which is highly inaccurate and that’s just the start.

i do not see it as a slight but i just woke up. but for the record i often post stuff that does not interest me but might interest someone else. i post it all. the good.the bad. the ugly. so just remember i might have posted it but might not agree with a lot of it. but thanx for reading.

[EagleEye67 1,948]

Just now, aubiefifty said:

i do not see it as a slight but i just woke up. but for the record i often post stuff that does not interest me but might interest someone else. i post it all. the good.the bad. the ugly. so just remember i might have posted it but might not agree with a lot of it. but thanx for reading.

Really appreciate your effort in doing this, I get a lot out of the articles.   Thanks for what you do

[aubiefifty 18,250]

Auburn to pay John Cohen $1.5 million a year as new AD, per report

Updated: Oct. 31, 2022, 11:54 a.m.|Published: Oct. 31, 2022, 11:28 a.m.

3-4 minutes

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New Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach, center, stands between university president Mark Keenum, left, and athletic director John Cohen, as he rings the symbolic cowbell before reporters and school supporters, Friday, Jan. 10, 2020, at the Starkville, Miss., based university, after being officially introduced as the head coach. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)AP

Two months after it last had a full-time athletics director, Auburn’s search for Allen Greene’s replacement is coming to an end.

The Tigers are set to make Mississippi State athletics director John Cohen the 16th all-time athletics director on the Plains. AL.com confirmed Saturday that Auburn was zeroing in on Cohen and working to finalize a deal. Cohen informed Mississippi State president Mark Keenum of his resignation, effective immediately, the university of announced late Monday morning.

Read more Auburn football: New Auburn AD must deliver right football coach. It’s not Bryan Harsin

Scarbinsky: Is hope on the horizon for Auburn?

Statistically speaking: The areas where Auburn is at its worst since 2012

“We thank John and Nelle for their long and dedicated service to MSU,” Keenum said in a release. “In many ways, MSU is a victim of our own success in that several former MSU athletics directors have transitioned into similar roles at peer institutions in the Southeastern Conference. That fact speaks to the growing culture of success among our student-athletes and the commitment of our university, our alumni and friends and our fans to competing at the highest levels of collegiate athletics and doing so in the right way. Together as the Bulldog family, we will move purposefully to find a new leader who can both embrace and build on that culture of success.”

According to a report from Sports Illustrated, Auburn is set to ink Cohen to a five-year contract worth $1.5 million annually to take over the Tigers’ athletics department. That represents a significant raise for Cohen, who was making $1.1 million annually after agreeing to a four-year extension at Mississippi State back in July.

Cohen’s reported $1.5 million deal to come to the Plains also represents a significant investment by Auburn and new president Dr. Chris Roberts. Former athletics director Allen Greene made $625,000 annually over the course of his five-year deal after then-president Steven Leath poached him from Buffalo.

AL.com will update this post.

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

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Bryan Harsin fired as Auburn coach after 21 games, losing record

Updated: Oct. 31, 2022, 12:54 p.m.|

Published: Oct. 31, 2022, 11:59 a.m.

Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin reacts to a play during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Arkansas, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)AP

NEW!

303

shares

By

Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

Bryan Harsin stood defiantly on the stage inside the College Football Hall of Fame and delivered the words that will forever be intertwined with his tenure on the Plains.

It was uncomfortable. It was unfounded…. And it didn’t work.

At the time, Harsin was referring to the February inquiry into his handling of Auburn’s football program, but as time wore on, it was apparent those same words aptly summed up his stint as the Tigers’ head coach, which abruptly ended Monday following a 41-27 loss to Arkansas that dropped the Tigers below .500 for the first time since 2012. Auburn fired Harsin less than two years into his six-year, $31.5 million contract amid a 3-5 start to the season, university president Dr. Chris Roberts announced Monday.

Read more Auburn football: Talty: New Auburn AD must deliver right football coach

Scarbinsky: Is hope on the horizon for Auburn?

Auburn to pay new AD John Cohen $1.5 million annually

“Auburn University has decided to make a change in the leadership of the Auburn University football program,” a release from the university said. “President Roberts made the decision after a thorough review and evaluation of all aspects of the football program. Auburn will begin an immediate search for a coach that will return the Auburn program to a place where it is consistently competing at the highest levels and representing the winning tradition that is Auburn football.”

An interim coach was not immediately named in the university release. Auburn will owe Harsin 70 percent of the remaining salary – approximately $15 million – on his contract, which runs through Dec. 31, 2026. Half of that buyout is due within 30 days of his termination.

Harsin’s tenure on the Plains lasted just more than 22 months, and he finishes with a 9-12 record at Auburn that included a 4-11 mark against Power 5 opponents. He’s the first Auburn coach to finish his tenure with a losing record since Earl Brown’s three-year stint wrapped with a 3-22-4 record between 1948-50.

Harsin’s stint at Auburn wasn’t as bleak, but things quickly unraveled for the 45-year-old after his somewhat surprising hiring on Dec. 22, 2020. The former Boise State coach was lured away from his alma mater by then-athletics director Allen Greene during a coaching search that played out like a high-stakes game of tug-of-war between influential Auburn boosters and Greene and then-president Dr. Jay Gogue. Greene, in a power play, seized control of the search and ultimately landed on Harsin, who went 69-19 in seven seasons as Boise State’s head coach but who had no ties to the region, much less experience coaching in the SEC.

An outsider through and through, Harsin struggled to acclimate to the rigors and demand of coaching in the SEC, specifically at Auburn, where going toe to toe with rivals Alabama and Georgia on the recruiting trail is paramount to the job. Harsin struggled to recruit at a consistently high level at Auburn, which only widened the gap between the Tigers and their rivals in the upper echelon of the league.

He finished off the 2021 cycle with the nation’s No. 19 class, though most of the class signed during the early signing period before he was hired. His first full class ranked 21st nationally but ninth in the SEC, while the Tigers’ 2023 class sat at 55th in the 247Sports Composite team rankings and 13th in the SEC at the time of his firing.

Complicating matters were the on-field results. After starting 6-2 in Year 1, Auburn spiraled to close out the 2021 season, ending the year on a five-game losing streak. That skid included blown double-digit leads against Mississippi State, South Carolina and Alabama, ultimately losing the Iron Bowl in a quadruple-overtime classic at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The year was capped with a loss to Houston in the Birmingham Bowl, which solidified the program’s first losing season since 2012 and its first five-game losing streak to end a season since 1950.

What followed was a tumultuous offseason for Harsin and the Tigers. Nineteen players entered the transfer portal between the end of the regular season and the start of spring practice, while Harsin’s staff saw its own share of turnover. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo was fired after the Iron Bowl, while defensive coordinator Derek Mason took a paycut to take the same position at Oklahoma State. Defensive line coach Nick Eason left for his alma mater, Clemson, and edge coach/special teams coordinator Bert Watts left for a job with the Denver Broncos. This, of course, after Harsin fired wide receivers coach Cornelius Williams just four games into the season, elevating former Boise State assistant Eric Kiesau from analyst to on-field coach.

Harsin’s search for an offensive coordinator had its own hurdles before he ultimately hired Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks coach Austin Davis for the role. Davis’ time on staff was fleeting, and he resigned for personal reasons just six weeks after being hired. Harsin eventually promoted Kiesau to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach and Jeff Schmedding from inside linebackers coach to defensive coordinator. Both previously held those roles on his staff at Boise State, as the moves signaled that Harsin was doubling down with familiar faces on staff as he tried to shape the program in his image.

Before Harsin could reshuffle his staff, though, he had to endure the university-led inquiry into his handling of the program. Gogue announced at a February Board of Trustees meeting that the university was “trying to separate fact from fiction” and move quickly in determining Harsin’s future with the program. Harsin planted his flag, vehemently defending himself in an interview with ESPN in which he said “any attack on my character is bull****.”

Former players spoke out publicly about their experience with Harsin last season, while current players rallied around the embattled coach. After an eight-day investigation and uncertainty about whether Harsin would see a Year 2, Auburn announced its decision to retain the coach, with Gogue releasing a statement on the matter, explaining that it “would have been an abdication of the university’s responsibilities” to not investigate concerns raised about the football program. Gogue added that the university was committed to Harsin and providing him the support necessary to achieve his goals as head coach.

Despite the investigation being in the rearview mirror, Harsin entered Year 2 on unstable footing. He spent the offseason trying to rehabilitate his image and reputation with the fan base, alumni and donors, and at SEC Media Days in July he challenged everyone to just “watch” what happens on the field this fall.

That same message has flashed across the videoboard at Jordan-Hare Stadium every Saturday this season during the team’s pregame hype video: Harsin in the middle of the screen with the words “JUST WATCH” on either side.

Everyone watched as Harsin’s vision unraveled. Two uneven performances against opponents from the FCS and Group of 5 to open the season, followed by a humiliating loss to Penn State that marked the program’s worst at home in a decade. Auburn escaped its SEC opener against Missouri in overtime before losing each of its next three. The death knell came in the form of Saturday’s double-digit loss to the Razorbacks, which dropped the Tigers to 3-10 in the last calendar year and brought an end to a coaching tenure that was uncomfortable, unfounded and ultimately didn’t work.

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Bryan Harsin’s Auburn buyout tops Nebraska’s Scott Frost for highest in nation this season

Published: Oct. 31, 2022, 12:54 p.m.

2-3 minutes

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Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin leaves the field after being defeated in an NCAA college football game against Georgia Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)AP

When it comes to buying out coaches, Auburn leads the nation this season.

On Monday, Auburn parted ways with embattled coach Bryan Harsin, leaving the Tigers on the hook for more than $15 million.

RELATED: What is Bryan Harsin’s buyout?

According to Ross Dellenger of SI.com, the buyout is the largest buyout this season, overtaking the $15 million owed to Scott Frost by Nebraska. Per Dellenger, last year, schools spent $94 million on buyouts. This year, that total is $71.8 million as of Harsin’s firing.

Frost was fired Sept. 11, the day after a 45-42 loss to Georgia Southern dropped the Huskers to 1-2 this year and 19-31 in Frost’s four-plus seasons. Mickey Joseph was named interim head coach. Earlier this month, Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts said Frost would have received a one-year contract extension and had his annual salary restored to $5 million if the Cornhuskers had shown improvement, gone 6-6 in the regular season and played in a bowl game.

Alberts and Frost last November agreed to a restructured contract that reduced Frost’s pay to $4 million this year.

Harsin, meanwhile, was fired after less than two full seasons, ending a rocky tenure in which the Tigers struggled to compete in the SEC. Harsin went 9-12 overall and 3-5 this year. Auburn has lost four straight games while struggling against Power Five opponents, including a 41-27 loss to Arkansas on Saturday.

Auburn will owe Harsin 70 percent of his remaining contract, which adds up to more than $15 million. Half of that must be paid within 30 days. Harsin was hired away from Boise State in December 2020 and Auburn gave him a 6-year, $31.5 million deal.

Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.

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Talty: Auburn should get Kiffin because Harsin isn't it

Updated: Sep. 18, 2022, 6:12 p.m.|Published: Sep. 18, 2022, 8:09 a.m.

9-11 minutes

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As it turns out, there are reasons schools stay inside the box when they make hires.

Bryan Harsin was hailed as an outside-the-box hire when Auburn plucked him away from Boise State. He arrived with a sterling win-loss record (69-19) and a Fiesta Bowl win, but there were questions from Day 1 on how a man with no real experience recruiting the South would succeed in the ultra-competitive Southeastern Conference.

The spin at the time, from those involved in the search, is Harsin would do a better job at developing quarterbacks once they got to Auburn, an area Gus Malzahn had struggled with in the post-Cam Newton era. They liked that he was an outsider after spending decades hiring exclusively coaches with ties back to Auburn, the SEC or the state of Alabama.

Even though he’s only 16 games into his tenure at Auburn, it is already time to declare that decision a mistake. Harsin’s track record suggests he’s a good coach, but he hasn’t shown it at Auburn.

The latest embarrassment, a 41-12 loss at home to Penn State, illustrates how doomed Harsin already is as Auburn’s head coach. Harsin hasn’t developed quarterbacks any better than Malzahn, he can’t recruit well enough to compete with the SEC’s upper echelon and he’s not an elite X’s and O’s coach to overcome those deficiencies. That’s a recipe to get you fired long before your initial six-year contract runs out, as Harsin is well on his way to experiencing.

Saturday was a critically important opportunity for Harsin. Not only did he need to beat Penn State ahead of a brutal SEC schedule, but Harsin badly needed to impress the talented collection of recruits assembled inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn entered Saturday with the nation’s 62nd-ranked recruiting class, according to 247Sports, good for the lowest-ranked class in the SEC. Six SEC schools currently have classes ranked in the top 15, with Auburn’s chief rivals Alabama (No. 1) and Georgia (No. 3) leading the way. That’s the standard Harsin’s held against, and he’s failing miserably. It’s unlikely Saturday’s pitiful performance will have the nation’s top recruits fighting themselves to commit to Auburn.

Harsin entered this season on the hottest seat in the SEC. Former Auburn athletic director Allen Greene bucked the wishes of some influential boosters when he hired Harsin in 2020, throwing him into a precarious situation. When you don’t have the support of the right people, especially at a school like Auburn, you are doomed from the get-go, as we can now see Harsin was the minute he left Idaho for Alabama.

After a disappointing 6-7 first season, there was a well-publicized effort to get Harsin fired, including an inquiry into how he runs his program. That effort ultimately failed and he returned for Year 2 though the scars remained. The people who wanted him fired after that first season didn’t abandon those feelings just because the first try failed, either, putting considerable pressure on Harsin this season to deliver big results.

Before the season started, the perception throughout college football is Harsin would have a hard time getting a Year 3, a feeling that only intensified when Greene left the school after not having his contract renewed. Harsin, to his credit, went on a much-needed PR tour this offseason as he tried to soften his image and build relationships outside of the football building. He finally seemed to realize he badly needed friends if he was going to survive at Auburn. He also needed to win so many games it was impossible to get rid of him.

Don’t bank on Harsin returning for a Year 3 at this rate. Not when Auburn still has to play LSU, at Georgia, at Ole Miss, Arkansas, Texas A&M and at Alabama, among others. It’s a relentless schedule that Auburn has little shot of succeeding with, given the talent and coaching deficiencies. Harsin’s best shot at long-term survival was finding an answer at the quarterback position (he hasn’t) and creating momentum on the recruiting trail (he hasn’t). There is little reason now to believe Harsin is capable of fixing the issues that led to such a sloppy, listless performance against Penn State on Saturday.

Soon attention will turn to who Auburn should hire to replace Harsin when the ax falls. Look for Auburn to stay inside the box in which it has long been comfortable, focusing on a coach that won’t be a fish out of water like Harsin. Despite all the drama surrounding Auburn, it is still one of the better jobs in the SEC and will attract quality candidates.

Auburn shouldn’t have to look too far for one of the best candidates, though, given he resides one state over in Mississippi. Lane Kiffin was very interested in the job in 2020 when Auburn hired Harsin, according to those familiar with the search process, and should be one of the first names Auburn calls when it has its next opening. Kiffin’s issues are well-known, but he’s the shot of excitement Auburn needs right now. He’ll win games, his offense will be fun to watch and clearly he’ll have no problem poking the bear over in Tuscaloosa. Kiffin has publicly talked about his love of Oxford, but those who know him well say there will always be a restlessness to the man who once bailed after a single season at Tennessee. At a minimum, it’ll be worth a call to Kiffin’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, to gauge the Ole Miss head coach’s interest level this time around.

It might feel absurd to already be discussing possible coach replacements only three weeks into the season, but that’s how bad things have already gotten at Auburn. The school’s leadership tried something different, and Saturday was more conclusive evidence that it didn’t work.

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Kickoff time, TV network set for Auburn’s home game against Texas A&M

Updated: Oct. 31, 2022, 11:52 a.m.|Published: Oct. 31, 2022, 11:48 a.m.

2-3 minutes

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Auburn running back Tank Bigsby celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Arkansas during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)AP

Auburn’s final SEC home game of the season will take place under the lights at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The SEC announced Monday the full slate of games for Nov. 12, with Auburn’s home game against Texas A&M receiving a 6:30 p.m. kickoff on the Plains. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network.

Read more Auburn football: Auburn to pay John Cohen $1.5 million annually as new AD

Statistically speaking: The areas where Auburn is at its worst since 2012

Robby Ashford shows growth, but Auburn’s can’t capitalize on QB’s best start to date

For Auburn, it will mark the team’s fourth night game at Jordan-Hare Stadium this season. Auburn previously had evening games against Mercer in Week 1, San Jose State in Week 2 and LSU in Week 5. The evening kick against Texas A&M will represent Auburn’s final home game in SEC play as well as the team’s second-to-last home game of the season. The Tigers’ home finale will take place a week later against Western Kentucky.

This year’s matchup between the Tigers and Aggies will be the 13th all-time between the two programs. Texas A&M leads the all-time series, 7-5, and has won each of the last two meetings. The series is tied, 5-5, since the Aggies joined the SEC. Over those 10 meetings, the road team has held the advantage. Texas A&M is 4-1 at Jordan-Hare Stadium, while Auburn is 4-1 at Kyle Field during that stretch.

Before the teams square off at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Nov. 12, both teams will try to snap four-game losing streaks this week. Auburn (3-5, 1-4 SEC) will take on Mississippi State on the road. Texas A&M (3-5, 1-4) will host Florida at Kyle Field.

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

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Finebaum: Bryan Harsin fired ‘2 weeks late,’ says John Cohen should target Lane Kiffin, Hugh Freeze

Published: Oct. 31, 2022, 1:34 p.m.

3 minutes

(Left to right): Nick Saban, Laura Rutledge, Jordan Rodgers, Roman Harper and Paul Finebaum on set. Alabama football fans flock to the set of "SEC Nation" to see Nick Saban and more ahead of Arkansas kickoff Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)

Auburn’s decision to part ways with football coach Bryan Harsin was the right move, Paul Finebaum said. In fact, it was late.

“Two weeks late but the correct move,” Finebaum told AL.com on Monday, not long after the university fired Harsin. “Harsin had no support left, and it seemed the school was clearing the decks for the new athletic director.”

RELATED: What is Bryan Harsin’s buyout?

As reported by AL.com, the Tigers are set to make Mississippi State athletics director John Cohen the athletics director on the Plains. AL.com confirmed Saturday that Auburn was zeroing in on Cohen and working to finalize a deal. Cohen informed Mississippi State president Mark Keenum of his resignation, effective immediately, the university of announced late Monday morning.

“Hiring John Cohen was very smart, and he’s well respected and someone very capable of conducting a search.

“But I think the hunt for the new coach really involves two people - Lane Kiffin and Hugh Freeze.”

RELATED: Where Harsin’s buyout stands nationally

Harsin went 9-12 overall and 3-5 this year. Auburn has lost four straight games while struggling against Power Five opponents, including a 41-27 loss to Arkansas on Oct. 29 that proved the final straw.

Auburn canceled its weekly football news conference about 90 minutes before Harsin was scheduled to speak. The school didn’t immediately name an interim coach. The Tigers play at Mississippi State on Saturday.

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Harsin was hired away from Boise State in December 2020 and Auburn gave him a six-year, $31.5 million deal. He never came close to replicating his past success or making the Tigers competitive in the SEC, and he failed to keep up with rivals Georgia and Alabama on the field or on the recruiting trail.

Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.