11/1/22 Auburn Articles

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whnt.com

 

Who will replace Bryan Harsin as Auburn’s head coach?

Zach Hester

5-6 minutes

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AUBURN, Ala. (WHNT) — Less than 24 hours after Auburn chose to fire Head Football Coach Bryan Harsin, the horse race has already begun to find his replacement.

Harsin, who came to Auburn from Boise State, served as head coach for less than two seasons with the Tigers. His record at Auburn stands at 9-12, with the Tigers only winning three out of eight games so far this season.

Former Auburn running back Carnell “Cadillac” Williams will serve as interim head coach for the rest of the season, according to a statement from the university Monday.

However, the bidding war over who will be the next permanent head coach is just beginning.

News 19 compiled a list of frequently mentioned contenders for the job, with candidates ranging from coaches working in the SEC to former rivals, and even a coach with the National Football League (NFL).

Deion Sanders – Jackson State

Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders poses with the trophy after the Orange Blossom Classic NCAA college football game against against Florida A&M, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Deion Sanders became a household name during his time in the NFL. From 1989 to 2005, the (mostly) cornerback played for five teams, including the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, and Dallas Cowboys. During his time on the field, he earned several nicknames, but none more known than “Prime Time.”

Sanders’ coaching career began in 2012 as a high school coach, but his first, and so far only, stint as a college coach came in 2020 with Jackson State.

While his first season was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sanders led the Tigers to a program record of 11 wins in 2021, and earned the Eddie Robinson Award, recognizing him as that year’s top FCS head coach.

Lane Kiffin – Ole Miss

Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin looks on during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Lane Kiffin has led Ole Miss as head coach since 2020, but the right opportunity could make him move.

Kiffin is a familiar face to those who pay attention to Alabama football, serving as offensive coordinator for the Tide under Nick Saban for three seasons between 2014 and 2016. He then moved to a head coach role at Florida Atlantic.

During his time at Ole Miss, Kiffin led the team to a 10-2 season in 2021, marking the first time in school history that Ole Miss won 10 regular season games.

Matt Rhule – (formerly) Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule leaves the field after their loss against the Arizona Cardinals during an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Matt Rhule is a free agent, making his case for the Auburn job much easier than other contenders.

After ending his career as a player, Rhule started coaching at Albright College before stints at Buffalo, UCLA, Western Carolina, and Temple. In the professional arena, Rhule worked with the New York Giants in 2012, one year after the team won their 4th Super Bowl title.

Rhule returned to Temple as head coach in 2013, landing there for four seasons before moving on to Baylor.

He became the fifth head coach of the Carolina Panthers in 2020, holding the job until he was fired on October 10, 2022.

Jeff Grimes – Baylor

Auburn offensive line coach Jeff Grimes is pictured during the first day of fall practice for the Auburn Tigers in Auburn, Ala., Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2011. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Jeff Grimes should be a familiar name to those on the Plains.

Grimes served as an offensive line coach at Auburn from 2009 to 2012, hired by then-head coach Gene Chizik. During his tenure, the Tigers won the national title in 2010. Grimes was later fired by Guz Malzahn when he took over as head coach in December 2012.

Since leaving Auburn, Grimes has worked with Virginia Tech, LSU, BYU, and Baylor, all as offensive line coach or offensive coordinator.

Kevin Steele

Miami defensive coordinator Kevin Steele watches his defensive during warmups before the start of an NCAA college football game against Texas A&M on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)

Kevin Steele was reported to be the runner-up for the head coaching job at Auburn in 2020 when Harsin took over.

Steele began his coaching career in 1980 at Tennessee, and had several stints with the Vols over the years, including a short tenure as interim head coach in 2021.

He should be a familiar name to Auburn lovers, serving as defensive coordinator from 2016 to 2020, and briefly as interim head coach later that year. Since 2022, Steel has served as defensive coordinator at the University of Miami.

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No, Auburn should not hire former Texas head coach Tom Herman

Joey Hickey

3-4 minutes

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The Auburn Tigers are looking for a new football coach after firing former Texas offensive coordinator Brian Harsin. Tom Herman is one name circulating, despite his failed culture and tenure at The University of Texas.

Despite Herman’s unimaginative offense, poor game management skills and immaturity, his name has been brought up as a possible replacement for Auburn. The move would be a terrible one for multiple reasons.

The last time we saw Tom Herman lead a team, he displayed unearned bravado, lack of humility and lack of introspection. On top of that, his antics indicated he lacks the maturity to coach at a championship level.

There are plenty of other worthy candidates that Auburn should target. Here are a few coaches they might consider.

Deion Sanders

USA TODAY Sports

Sanders is arguably the greatest cornerback of all time. He’s proven to be a great recruiter and winner at Jackson State so far. At the now famous HBCU program, Sanders hauled in the top recruit in the nation. His team is 8-0 this season. The move to hire Sanders seems like a no-brainer.

Lane Kiffin

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Kiffin probably doesn’t want Auburn, but Auburn should definitely want Kiffin.

Matt Rhule

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Rhule proved to be an elite program builder at Baylor. The only question is, can Auburn give him enough time to develop his team?

Jeff Grimes

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Baylor offensive coordinator has resurrected the Bears’ offense. His experience at Auburn and LSU could allow him to succeed as a head coach in the SEC.

Chip Kelly

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Don’t look now, but Chip Kelly has UCLA ranked in the Top 10. It’s clear Auburn cares more about football than UCLA. If they want to hire Kelly, they should have the money to make it happen.

Mark Stoops

Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY

Stoops has made Kentucky into a formidable SEC squad. With Auburn’s resources, he could experience a higher ceiling as the Tigers’ head coach.

Luke Fickell

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

If Fickell can take Cincinnati to the College Football Playoff, he can probably elevate the Tigers, too.

James Franklin

Mark Alberti-USA TODAY Sports

Franklin put on a show in front of the Auburn faithful this season. The Tigers might make an attempt to hire the successful head coach.

Garrett Riley

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

If the Tigers are looking for a difference-making hire, they may have one in Garrett Riley. Lincoln Riley’s brother has TCU competing for the College Football Playoff in his first season as offensive coordinator in Fort Worth. Auburn could stand to improve offensively.

Story originally appeared on Longhorns Wire

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Is it me or do Matt Rhule and Jeff Grimes look like the same person? 😂

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Auburn promotes Rich McGlynn to deputy athletics director

Published: Oct. 31, 2022, 7:10 p.m.

Andy Burcham Interim AD Rich McGlynn and Brad Law. Tiger Talk at Baumhhower’s Victory Grill on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022 in Auburn, AL. Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics

NEW!

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Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

John Cohen’s top priority as Auburn’s new athletics director will be hiring a replacement for Bryan Harsin, but that wasn’t his first directive after being named to the post Monday evening.

Cohen’s first directive as the 16th athletics director in program history was to promote Rich McGlynn to deputy athletics director, a role in which the two will work in concert to “further elevate the Auburn athletics department,” the university announced.

Read more Auburn sports: Auburn hires John Cohen as new athletics director

Auburn fires Bryan Harsin after 21 games, losing record

Auburn fires several football staffers with Boise State ties, including OC Eric Kiesau

It’s a promotion for McGlynn, who stood in as Auburn’s interim athletics director for the last seven weeks as university president Dr. Chris Roberts executed a thorough national search for Allen Greene’s replacement.

McGlynn was named Auburn’s interim AD on Sept. 13, taking over after athletics chief operating officer Marcy Girton spent 12 days as the program’s acting athletics director. Prior to stepping in as interim AD, McGlynn served as Auburn’s executive associate athletics director for compliance, a role he has served in since 2006. He previously spent five years working for the NCAA before arriving on the Plains.

During his time working for Auburn athletics, McGlynn has overseen the compliance department. He played an integral role in guiding Bruce Pearl and the men’s basketball program through the NCAA investigation stemming from the 2017 FBI investigation that ensnared former assistant coach Chuck Person. He was also instrumental in helping the program navigate the Cam Newton eligibility saga during the 2010 BCS national championship season.

McGlynn has been a well-liked figure within Auburn’s athletics department, with Pearl as one of his chief proponents. While he served as Auburn’s interim athletics director for 49 days, McGlynn was a strong internal candidate for the full-time position.

He said last week that he enjoyed his time serving as interim AD -- “I’m having a blast,” he said -- noting that his primary objective was to help steady the ship amid the uncertainty of change.

“I was just making sure that people know it’s going to be OK,” McGlynn said last Thursday. “No matter what’s going to happen in the future, the Auburn family’s going to stick together. We’re family, we’re going to take care of each other, and we’re going to ensure that no matter who leads the athletics department, we’re going to be in good hands, because as the Auburn family together, we can do anything.”

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

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Murphy Column: Program went backwards on Bryan Harsin's watch

Mark Murphy

3-4 minutes

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Without a doubt the Auburn football program regressed on Bryan Harsin’s watch and it was no surprise on Monday when the word came down that he was finished prior to the end of his second season on the Plains.

With the Tigers on a four-game losing streak, which should actually be a six-game losing streak if not for the generosity of the Missouri Tigers, the outlook for the rest of the season is not good. If Harsin was allowed to keep coaching into 2023, the outlook for that season would be even more bleak.

Auburn opened up the checkbook, giving him the resources to run the program and hire a massive staff of support personnel and whatever else is needed to be successful in the Southeastern Conference. What should be a big bonus for the program is that the Tigers’ new state of the art football complex is expected to be ready for occupancy before the end of the year, but he wasn’t able to use that to generate much excitement about the future of the program.

Even with Auburn having so much going for it, under Harsin’s watch the Tigers have not  been even remotely close to keeping up with their rivals on the recruiting trail. Harsin talked about recruiting being important, but sure didn’t show it with his actions.

High school coaches around the state can tell you that the lack of interaction with the Auburn staff has been puzzling, especially in a year with lots of outstanding prospects in Alabama.

In the SEC coaches like Kirby Smart at Georgia and Nick Saban at Alabama realize the importance of signing bluechip recruits and understand to make that happen it is a 12-months a year type of commitment for evaluation and building relationships with the prospects, their families and high school coaches. "It just means more" is more than just a slogan in the SEC.

The on-the-field product fans are seeing on Saturdays leaves a lot to be desired. This is the poorest tackling team and the least physical overall team I remember seeing in Auburn uniforms. My take is it is not a lack of talent, although the talent is not what it should be. There has been a lack of emphasis on developing the physicality needed to win on a consistent basis in the SEC and it shows on Saturdays.

Examples of the Tigers’ shortcomings are numerous such as allowing more than 500 yards in three consecutive games. Checking records dating back more than six decades, we can’t find another example of that happening.

Although it wasn’t a problem in the most recent loss, all too often there have been questionable in-game coaching decisions that began in 2021 and continued into this season. There have been a variety of other questionable decisions about how the program has been managed that led me to the conclusion long before today that the Harsin Era of Auburn football was not going to end well.

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Auburn fans have been very loyal to the program and have done a good job of supporting their team this year, even though they are highly stressed by the product they are seeing. To say that they are ready for a coaching change would probably be an understatement.

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Auburn coaching candidates: Lane Kiffin, Hugh Freeze among leading options to replace Bryan Harsin

Dennis Dodd

22-27 minutes

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The Tigers' job is opening for the second time in less than three seasons

Getty Images

It's another week in the middle of the 2022 college football season, so it must have been Auburn's turn. Bryan Harsin on Monday became the sixth coach fired, this following a 41-27 loss to Arkansas that dropped him to 3-10 across his last 13 games and 1-9 in his last 10 against Power Five opponents.

Harsin's teams were competitive but just not good enough where, in the SEC alone this season, Tennessee has turned itself around, Ole Miss is making waves, and both Alabama and Georgia remain the cream of the crop.

Harsin would likely still be employed had he beaten Bama last season. That seems like 37 years ago. In a position it frequently finds itself, Auburn is ready to move on. 

Athletic director Alan Greene, the man who hired Harsin, resigned a week before the season. The Tigers appear to be in the process of naming Mississippi State's John Cohen to the same role.

Harsin seemed like a misplaced hire from the beginning. A coach who had spent most of his career out West was descending into the belly of the Southern beast. In the end, it ate him up. Good news for Harsin: He would seem to be a good fit at Arizona State or Colorado, a couple of programs with open jobs both in need of a turnaround.

The coaching search is going to be a wild one with agents trying to slot their guys for extensions, raises and some major national jobs. Insiders will be lobbying for their guy. Anything is possible at a place that is looking for its second coach since 2020.

Auburn coaching candidates

Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss coach: Something tells me super-agent Jimmy Sexton is going to use this listing alone for a giant extension for Kiffin -- at least. Auburn probably has more resources and more tradition than Ole Miss, but this is a big decision for Kiffin if the Tigers hierarchy centers on him. That's two straight turnarounds we've seen Kiffin execute at FAU and Ole Miss. The Rebels are off to their best start to begin a season since 1962. Auburn would be the toughest of all because Kiffin's old boss is right up the road.

Hugh Freeze, Liberty coach: Freeze wants it so bad he would crawl on his hands and knees to Auburn. Some might say the 53-year-old has paid his penance for misdeeds; others would perhaps disagree. More than that, though, he has been successful at Liberty going 33-12 overall with a 7-1 record in his fourth season. This is a match made in Jimmy Rane's back room. Freeze desperately wants back in, which gives those shadowy boosters a bit of leverage over him. But the guy can coach. Isn't that what Auburn needs more than anything right now? Freeze recently agreed to a new eight-year contract that will pay him $40 million guaranteed through 2030.

Kenny Dillingham, Oregon offensive coordinator: If you want to take a chance, this is your guy. In 2019, as a 29-year-old, Dillingham was the offensive coordinator for Gus Malzahn's last good team at Auburn. The Tigers won nine games, beat three top 20 teams (including Alabama) and averaged 33 points a game. Dillingham birthed the Bo Nix era (16 touchdowns as a freshman). The two reunited at Oregon where Nix has matured with the Ducks as a fringe Heisman Trophy contender. There's plenty to like there for Auburn if they want to go extremely young.

Jamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina coach: I'll ask again: Why Chadwell doesn't have a better by job? Nearing the fourth anniversary of his hiring, the Chanticleers are 37-20 under Chadwell with a 7-1 mark this season. Auburn would probably make Chadwell change his assistants to look more like an SEC staff, but there's no questioning what he's done taking a 5-7 team in 2019 to a program that is 29-4 since.

Jeff Grimes, Baylor offensive coordinator: The tie for Grimes to Auburn is being the Tigers' offensive line coach from 2009-12 under Gene Chizik. That run includes a national championship. Since then, Grimes has bounced around but has become one of the more respected play callers in the game. In his last year as BYU's offensive coordinator, the Cougars averaged more than 43 points. Last season, Baylor won the Big 12 averaging 31 points per game. Offensive tackle Connor Galvin was all-Big 12. His star may have dimmed as the Bears have slipped to 5-3 this season.

Matt Rhule, former Baylor, Temple, Carolina Panthers coach: All indications are Rhule is going to sit out 2023, review his options, and maybe do some TV. This turnaround artist should be Auburn's No. 1 target, but he's smart enough not to get involved with the meddlers on The Plains. His next job should be at a place where it's absolutely set up to win (think Lincoln Riley at USC). Still, Auburn has to call and make Rhule say no for what would have to be $7 million to $8 million per year. 

Deion Sanders, Jackson State coach: On "60 Minutes" a couple weeks ago, Coach Prime said he would "straight up" have to consider a Power Five job. The question: Would Auburn consider Coach Prime. We chronicled Sanders' candidacy for a Power Five role. Despite his flamboyant exterior, he has the recruiting and tactical ability to take over a major program. Jackson State is currently fourth in FCS scoring offense and first in scoring defense.

Kevin Steele, Miami defensive coordinator: Steele is the former Auburn interim coach who some say was promised the job after Malzahn was fired. While things haven't gone swimmingly at Miami this season, Steele's body of work is impressive. He will have powerful support, but at age 64, is this the guy with whom Auburn wants to rebuild?

Check out what our experts at 247Sports' Auburn Undercover have to say about replacing Harsin in their Hot Board 1.0 now that the Tigers' coaching search has officially begun.

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Auburn fires 2 assistants, support staffers after Harsin's exit

Nathan King

 

 

A few of Bryan Harsin's Boise State-based hires have been fired along with him. 

Auburn offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau, tight ends coach Brad Bedell, recruiting coordinator Darren Uscher, chief of staff Brad Larrondo and general manager and director of scouting and development Drew Fabianich were fired later in the day Monday following Auburn's decision to move on from Bryan Harsin, sources informed Auburn Undercover. Defensive coordinator Jeff Schmedding was retained.

It's unclear who will replace Kiesau and Bedell as on-field assistants.

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Earlier in the day, Auburn Undercover learned running backs coach Cadillac Williams has been named Auburn's interim head coach, meaning there are now three openings on the assistant staff to be occupied before Saturday's game at Mississippi State (6:30 p.m. CST, ESPN2).

Auburn Undercover will update this story. Check back for additional information.

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Harsin out as head coach, search for replacement effective 'immediately' - The Auburn Plainsman

 

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Auburn's 41-27 loss to Arkansas was the blow that sent head coach Bryan Harsin's tower tumbling to the ground. On Monday, Auburn announced that Harsin has been fired as the head football coach midway through his second season.

Harsin's tenure at Auburn got off to a promising start at 6–2 through his first eight games, but second-half collapses last season led to a 6-6 record that preceded repetitive late-game letdowns this season. He went out on a four-game losing streak and was 3-10 in his last 13 games with the only wins being over Mercer, San Jose State and an overtime victory over Missouri in 2022.

He was 3-5 in 2022 and finished his last 13 games 3-10, tied for last in the SEC West at 1-4 in conference play.

But that's not the end of the story. For example, Nick Saban went 6-6 in his debut season, but the result for him has been a long, prosperous career with six National Championship rings to show for it.

So what happened in Auburn? 

It was over before it started, like a Jenga set with only one log on the bottom row. Saturday's loss wasn't necessarily Harsin choosing the wrong piece to pull out, but it was the failure to insert a missing piece — one that was never there.

It was a standard that was never set, and it led to a problem that even he was unable to identify even after the team's fourth straight loss to Arkansas.

"Yeah, well, we don't quite have our finger on [why Auburn has struggled]," Harsin said.

The resignation of Auburn Athletic Director Allen Greene knocked loose another piece holding the tower together, and then each game in 2022 seemingly slid away another piece. Greene was the one in Auburn Athletics who had a relationship with Harsin before he arrived, so Harsin lost his day one supporter with Greene's departure. 

Unhappiness with Harsin and Greene goes back to when the coaching search was announced, following the firing of Gus Malzahn. 

Still, a win versus UGA might've put some pieces back in the tower, keeping things intact temporarily, but the 32-point beatdown pulled out the final piece on the bottom layer, and the tower went crashing to the ground.

The missing pieces began to make themselves known on Nov. 6, 2021. Auburn was 6-2, won three SEC games in October and was ranked No.13 heading into a matchup with Texas A&M after beating Ole Miss. That's when things began to fall apart.

The Auburn defense showed up to College Station and kept it to a 3-3 game at halftime, but that November afternoon opened the door for Harsin's exit from his tenure on The Plains.

Bo Nix fumbled a snap in the fourth quarter, and the Aggies scooped the ball up and took it to the house for the only touchdown of the game. Texas A&M took the second half by storm to win 20-3 and started the chain of five straight Auburn losses to finish Harsin's debut 2021 season.

Auburn looked like it was rebounding in a big way the next week against Mississippi State, but the Bulldogs exposed Harsin's struggles to find a strong second-half game plan. They outscored Auburn 33-6 in Jordan-Hare Stadium to complete the comeback after being down by 18 at halftime.

The Tigers then lost to South Carolina, lost the Iron Bowl in 3OT after leading 10-0 at halftime and lost the Birmingham Bowl to Houston to end the season at 6-7.

This was a historically bad ending to a season, but Auburn made a bowl game and nearly dethroned the national runner-ups in the Iron Bowl. 6-7 only nips at the bud of what was the beginning of the end for Harsin.

In January of 2022, things went from bad to worse when allegations were brought against Harsin, spurring an internal investigation that ultimately found no cause for disciplinary action or firing. Harsin stood firm, players either voiced support or transferred and his time at Auburn lived on. Things were never quite the same after that.

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Harsin entered his second season on the hot seat, with an expectation that the program would look better than it did during the late-season skid of 2021. With each loss in year two, and even in the underwhelming wins, the flame grew.

Auburn started out 2-0 despite a less-than-impresive 24-16 win over San José State in week two, but when Penn State ventured into Auburn, the struggles couldn't be hidden behind a "W" any longer. The 41-12 defeat at the hands of the Nittany Lions made it obvious that the program was spiraling out of control.

Penn State came to Auburn and earned four takeaways while Auburn got none. Auburn is 124th in the nation in turnover margin (-1.1), with Robby Ashford having the second-most individual fumbles in the nation (8).

Once again, Auburn seemed to have changed its fate the next weekend when Derick Hall intercepted Missouri's opening-drive pass for Auburn's first takeaway of the year.

Wrong. After going up 14-0, Missouri shut out Auburn for three quarters to force overtime. It seemed the Tigers were going to take a loss in its SEC opener until Anders Carlson hit an overtime field goal to lift Auburn to a miraculous win, sealed by recovering a Missouri fumble that rolled out of the running backs' outstretched hand and into its own end zone.

The issues lingered, though. The next week, Auburn once again got out to a big 17-0 first-quarter lead versus LSU, but it did not score again while LSU racked up 21 consecutive points to hand Auburn another loss that had the markings of a win early on.

Harsin's job survived another heartbreaking loss in week five, but each SEC loss seemed like a moment where Harsin could be dismissed. The coach continued to respond to the inevitable questions about his job future with Auburn by responding that he was focusing on what was in his control.

But when Auburn was outscored in the second half once again by Arkansas, 24-14, the Tigers fell to two games under .500 in 2022, and the head coaching job at Auburn went out of his control. The Harsin era is officially over for Auburn, and the Tigers will now search for a new bottom piece to anchor the tower.

Though yet to name Harsin's replacement, Auburn's next men up within the program are offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau, who came to Auburn with Harsin from Boise State, and defensive coordinator Jeff Schmedding.

Being midway through the season, it seems likely that Auburn might name an interim head coach to fill the gap left the firing of Harsin, unless it already has a pre-meditated replacement. According to Auburn associate athletic director of communications, Kirk Sampson, the search for a replacement head coach is "immediate."

In either case, Auburn is 3-5 with a brutal conference schedule ahead of them with Mississippi State, Texas A&M and Alabama being its next three SEC opponents. 

Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.

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Noah Griffith | Assistant Sports Editor

Noah is a senior in journalism from Salem, Alabama. He joined the Plainsman in August of 2021 after transferring in from Southern Union Community College.

Twitter: @NoahGG01

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What they’re saying nationally about Bryan Harsin’s firing at Auburn

Published: Nov. 01, 2022, 7:15 a.m.

3-4 minutes

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Former Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin reacts after a turnover during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Penn State, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)AP

The Bryan Harsin era on the Plains is over.

Less than two months after he was hired to revitalize Auburn’s football program, Harsin was fired on an eventful Monday around the Tigers’ athletics complex. Harsin, as well as six staffers (five of whom had Boise State ties) were shown the door on the same day Auburn officially tabbed John Cohen as its new athletics director.

Read more Auburn football: Auburn promotes Rich McGlynn to deputy athletics director

Auburn fires several staffers with Boise State ties, including OC Eric Kiesau

Top candidates to replace Bryan Harsin as Auburn’s coach

For Harsin, it brought an end to a tumultuous 22-month tenure. The Tigers went just 9-21 during his tenure, with a 3-5 record this season amid a four-game losing streak, and a 3-10 record over the last 12 months. He is due north of $15 million in buyout money, with half of that due within 30 days. Harsin is the first Auburn coach to finish his time on the Plains with a losing record since Earl Brown finished with a 3-22-4 record from 1948-50. Auburn named Cadillac Williams as interim head coach for the remainder of the season as a search for the program’s next head coach gets underway.

As Cohen prepares to make a crucial hire just as he begins his tenure as athletics director, here’s a look at what’s being said nationally about Auburn’s decision to part ways with Harsin.

-- Bryan Harsin never had a shot (AL.com)

-- Auburn coaching job pluses, minuses and candidates (The Athletic)

-- Harsin and Auburn “was a marriage that was bound for divorce, born of the dysfunction of internal Auburn politics” (The Athletic)

-- “Regardless of the reasons, the hefty buyouts such as $15.5 million for Harsin don’t seem to be much of a deterrent” for programs when it comes to making midseason changes (ESPN)

-- “Despite its internal strife, Auburn proves every so often that it can field a championship-worthy football team” (Sports Illustrated)

-- “Harsin would likely still be employed had he beaten Bama last season. That seems like 37 years ago. In a position it frequently finds itself, Auburn is ready to move on” (CBS Sports)

-- “After Auburn ousted Bryan Harsin in another multimillion dollar mistake, what’s next for this wild-card program?” (Yahoo Sports)

-- Can the SEC stop Auburn from hiring Hugh Freeze? (USA Today)

-- The Harsin era featured “a fracturing of the fan base amid off-the-field drama and a terrible spiral on the recruiting trail” (247Sports)

-- Harsin is the latest former Boise State coach to struggle to find success at his next stop (The Idaho Statesman)

-- Harsin survived February’s inquiry, but he couldn’t survive the on-field results (ESPN)

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

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flywareagle.com

 

Auburn football: Former Tiger in NFL doesn’t want Lane Kiffin or Matt Rhule as head coach

Andrew Hughes

2-3 minutes

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Former Auburn football star Darius Slayton's suggestion for the next Tigers head coach would disqualify Lane Kiffin and Matt Rhule Mandatory Credit: Nashville

 

Former Auburn football star receiver-turned-Daniel Jones target with the New York Giants, Darius Slayton, has weighed in on who he would like to see become the next head coach of the program after Bryan Harsin’s dismissal following just 21 games on the Plains.

The Tigers’ 2019 fifth-round NFL draft pick had a specific requirement for the job that would disqualify two of the most popular names to pop up for the head coaching search — with one of them even being deemed the top name to watch by 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello.

Slayton only wants a man from the south to be considered for the head coaching position after the Pacific Northwest’s Harsin came to the Southeast and failed to connect with the players Gus Malzahn recruited.

With that qualification, Slayton has ruled out recently-fired Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule, a New York City product, and Lane Kiffin, who is native to Lincoln, Nebraska:

The popular Auburn football option among players would be Deion Sanders

Many Auburn football recruits, current Tigers, and former players on the Plains likely idolize ‘Prime Time’ Deion Sanders. That is true for just about any NFL locker room, and most collegiate locker rooms across the country. Sanders was a legend at the pro level, and would be an ace in the hole recruiting for defensive backs in the talent-rich states of Georgia and Florida as the local legend with deep-seated roots.

The former Florida State Seminole and Atlanta Falcon would be in a perfect spot in football-centric Alabama as the rival coach of his Aflac sponsored co-star Nick Saban. It’d have every Class of 2023 recruit excited, and would entice new ones to come from the high school circuit and transfer portal.

Bo Jackson believes Sanders could coach anywhere, and pondered whether Auburn football was ready for ‘Prime Time.’ If John Cohen and the AU brain trust don’t believe he is, they don’t share the opinion of most Tiger fans.

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cbssports.com

 

Auburn fires Bryan Harsin: Tigers end awkward, unsuccessful tenure of second-year coach

Barrett Sallee

7-8 minutes

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Auburn fired coach Bryan Harsin on Monday following a 41-27 loss to Arkansas, putting an end to an awkward and unsuccessful tenure on The Plains. Harsin was relieved of his duties as the Tigers fell two games below .500 to 3-5 on the season with the program dropping 10 of its last 13 games and nine of its last 10 against Power Five opponents dating back to last season. Running backs coach Carnell Williams, a former star running back for the Tigers, will serve as the interim coach. 

"Auburn University has decided to make a change in the leadership of the Auburn University football program," the school said in a statement. "President Christopher 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."

Also dismissed are several assistants who came with Harsin to Auburn from Boise State. Offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau, tight ends coach Brad Bedell, director of recruiting Darren Uscher, and strength and conditioning coach Jeff Pitman are among the coaches who have been let go, according to multiple reports. 

Harsin finishes 9-12 (4-9 SEC) in less than two full seasons on the job after taking over for Gus Malzahn following the 2020 campaign. Malzahn was 67-35 (38-27 SEC) in eight seasons at Auburn. 

Harsin entered the 2022 season on one of the hottest seats in the country despite spending only one year on The Plains. Following a 6-7 debut in 2021 that ended with five straight losses, school power brokers attempted a coup to oust Harsin from his position. Frustrations over roster and coaching staff turnover, as well as Harsin's failure to sign a single player on the traditional National Signing Day in February, kicked off a week-long saga during which powerful people associated with the Auburn athletic department reportedly sought to fire Harsin for cause. The move would have allowed those in power to avoid paying a roughly $15 million buyout. 

The effort ultimately failed. Auburn retained Harsin for a second season, though he was by no means on solid ground. In August, athletic director Allen Greene, who was instrumental in hiring Harsin, announced he was stepping down from the program. With the Tigers needing to hire a new AD, Harsin's survival became even more tenuous.

It's no surprise, then, that Auburn also announced Monday it hired Mississippi State AD John Cohen to the same role. 

Harsin did little to quell the mounting tension in Year 2. Auburn beat San Jose State by just eight points in Week 2, a win that preceded a blowout loss at home to Penn State and a wild overtime win over Missouri on a walk-off touchback. The Tigers followed that with losses to LSU, Georgia, Ole Miss and Arkansas consecutively to send Harsin packing. 

A former quarterback at Boise State, the 45-year-old Harsin arrived to Auburn after a successful run at his alma mater where he went 69-19 and won three Mountain West titles. His stint in Boise came after one season as the coach at Arkansas State where he went 7-5 in 2013 and won a share of the Sun Belt championship.

The product had regressed to unsustainable level

When Malzahn coached the Tigers, they were at least competitive. At best, they were national title contenders. At worst, they were a middle-of-the-pack SEC team. That floor has dropped like a rock in the year-plus under Harsin. This is the worst Auburn team since the 2012 squad that went 3-9 overall and 0-8 in the SEC. The defense is 11th in the SEC in defensive yards per play (5.74), total defense (407.1 YPG) and scoring defense (29.9 PPG).

The offense lacks explosiveness, hasn't developed a go-to receiver, can't seem to get running back Tank Bigsby the ball in key situations and struggles to consistently protect the quarterback. As a result, the Tigers are averaging just 22.9 points per game and have only converted 37.38% of their third-down opportunities. 

Meanwhile, the lack of effort in the recruiting game has been stunning. The Tigers finished ninth in the SEC in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings this past cycle, seventh in 2021 and are currently 12th in the conference rankings for 2023. That's unacceptable at a place like Auburn with so much tradition, passion and available resources.

Product of the new era

In previous eras, it might seem crazy to dismiss a coach before he even finishes his second season. This is a much different era, however. "Program building" isn't about hitting the high school recruiting trail hard anymore. It's about managing the comings and goings of the transfer portal. It's about exposure in the name, image and likeness world. Harsin didn't do any of that. 

More than two dozen players have departed the program via the transfer portal since the beginning of last season, including just last week when several players -- including wide receiver Landen King -- jumped ship. At the same time, he didn't add many impactful players into the program. The most noteworthy incoming transfer last offseason was quarterback Zach Calzada, but he hasn't played a snap this season after suffering a shoulder injury. What's more, the lack of star power across the board, coupled with the absence of Auburn from the national spotlight, hasn't helped matters. That is on Harsin as well.

Timing is everything on administrative side

It was somewhat surprising that Harsin wasn't fired after the 48-34 loss to Ole Miss on Oct. 15 considering the Tigers were headed into the bye week. It's clear now, though, that Roberts was waiting to get all of his ducks in a row before stamping his signature on the future of the athletic department. 

The reports that surfaced that Mississippi State athletic director John Cohen is in discussion to take over in the same role on The Plains are an integral part of this process. It's unclear whether Cohen was involved in any part of the decision to fire Harsin, but it is clear that Roberts -- who began serving as Auburn's president in May -- wants to rip the bandage off and start fresh.

With that said, getting out in front of this coaching search wasn't necessary. It was assumed around the country that the Auburn job would open up at some point, so it's not like coaches, agents and players were surprised by this news. Plus, Auburn isn't likely to have the same candidate list that schools with current vacancies have -- namely Nebraska and Wisconsin.

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Joseph Goodman: Bryan Harsin never had a shot

Updated: Oct. 31, 2022, 8:20 p.m.|Published: Oct. 31, 2022, 4:39 p.m.

6-8 minutes

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He never had a shot.

Finally, Bryan Harsin is gone. He lasted less than two seasons at Auburn, but it felt like he created enough embarrassment to last a decade.

Hired during a pandemic, Harsin will go down as one of the worst football coaches in the history of the Southeastern Conference. Officially, Auburn University fired Harsin on Monday, October 31, 2022, but know that the business of rebuilding Auburn football without Harsin has been gathering form behind the scenes for months. Better days are ahead for Auburn football, and the future begins with the hiring of a new athletics director.

It has been a busy few days on The Plains.

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On Saturday, during Auburn’s 41-27 loss to Arkansas at Jordan-Hare Stadium, news leaked of Auburn’s interest in John Cohen, a native of Tuscaloosa and a longtime SEC baseball coach who has been the director of athletics at Mississippi State since 2016. Cohen resigned from his post at Mississippi State on Monday morning, and Auburn fired Harsin a few hours later.

The timing of these moves can’t be ignored. Auburn plays Mississippi State in six days, and the Tigers’ loss to Mississippi State in 2021 was the beginning of the end for Harsin. It was during that loss that former Auburn quarterback Bo Nix broke his leg, but remained in the game after the injury.

Nix never played for Auburn again, and transferred to the University of Oregon after the 2021 season. With Nix at quarterback, Oregon is currently ranked No. 8 nationally in the AP Top 25 Poll with a record of 7-1 overall and 5-0 in the Pac-12. Without Nix at quarterback, Harsin’s Auburn teams never won another game against a Power 5 opponent outside of that gift of a victory from Missouri earlier this season.

Going into Mississippi State week, Auburn has lost seven of its last eight games against teams in the SEC, and that lone dub came by way of Missouri running back Nathaniel Peat fumbling untouched at the goal line mere feet away from winning the game in overtime. But Auburn Jesus can only be expected to do so much. With Harsin, the Tigers were cursed from the beginning.

Thankfully, the hex of Harsin is now broken. By trick or treat, Auburn ended the misery of its zombie football coach on Halloween. In my column after Saturday’s game, I wrote these words: “Allow Auburn to wipe its memory clean of these last two years. Harsin had his introductory news conference on Christmas Eve. Release this shadow of a coach on All Hallows’ Eve.”

Done and done.

Let the healing begin, please. It will take money, but Auburn appears ready to spend it. It always is. The school paid Gus Malzahn $21.45 million to go away in 2020, and Harsin’s buyout is reportedly $15.5 million. A new coach will not come cheaply, and it is a short list of candidates who can compete with Alabama’s Nick Saban and Georgia’s Kirby Smart on the recruiting trail. On the top of Auburn’s list should be the name Lane Kiffin, and if the former Mississippi State athletics director can hire away Kiffin from Ole Miss, then Auburn will instantly become the sexiest little village in the SEC.

With Kiffin at the helm of football and Bruce Pearl running basketball, there wouldn’t be a bigger spotlight in the country than the one shining on Auburn.

Cohen, Auburn’s incoming athletics director, is an SEC lifer and he understands what it means to coach in this league. For Auburn football, it means having the players necessary to compete against Alabama and Georgia, and doing what it takes to get them to Auburn. Auburn is amassing its war-chest for the next recruiting class through significant donations to its NIL collectives.

Thanks to NIL and the transfer portal, floundering teams with wealth and prestige can rebuild quickly. Look at USC. Coach Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma for USC and immediately began pulling in elite talent like former Oklahoma quarterback Caleb Williams and former Pitt receiver Jordan Addison. That can be Auburn’s model for success with the right hire.

Someone like Kiffin, in other words.

Auburn restored its status as an elite destination for a marquee coach with the firing of Harsin. Harsin never had the respect for Auburn that it deserves. In this column, Harsin was held accountable for his lack of transparency during the pandemic and then his lack of talent as a coach. Those two things were not unrelated.

Harsin refused to support vaccination for COVID-19, and then he refused to address his vaccination status even when Auburn employees were required by policy to be vaccinated or face termination. The state of Alabama then changed its laws before Auburn’s vaccination deadline.

Harsin displayed a disgusting lack of respect for Auburn, the people of Alabama and the responsibility for a position of power during a crisis. Harsin failed to lead Auburn in all things, and so it was no surprise that Auburn did not show even the respect for Harsin’s name in its brief note announcing his removal. It did mention the word leadership, though.

“Auburn University has decided to make a change in the leadership of the Auburn University football program,” said the release.

Harsin didn’t know how to recruit in the SEC, but he couldn’t even retain the talent he had. His two best assets were Nix and defensive coordinator Derek Mason, and they both left after the 2021 season. Nix was a legacy player and a three-year starter. Mason took a pay cut to leave Auburn for Oklahoma State.

They understood before anyone else. Auburn remains a complicated work of art, challenging to unlock but rare. Harsin painted by the numbers, and wanted people to believe he was Picasso.

Joseph Goodman is a columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of “We Want Bama: A season of hope and the making of Nick Saban’s ‘ultimate team’”. You can find him on Twitter @JoeGoodmanJr.