- Copyright 2024 © CollegeFootballPoll.com
- About CFP / Contact
- Legal Statements
Coming off the back of a 6-7 losing first season, Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin was already under fire. Once Allen Greene, the Athletics Director who had appointed him, resigned 5 months before the end of his contract - the writing was on the wall. Harsin had already lacked any meaningful support around him, appointed during a turbulent time, with Greene fighting for his job and being increasingly isolated himself. He arrived in the middle of a reported struggle within the program where some powerful donors were reportedly pushing for defensive coordinator Kevin Steele to be promoted to the top job. Former athletic director Allen Greene took control of the chaotic coaching search to hire Harsin, upsetting a section of those very power brokers.
His appointment of Harsin was quietly considered to be a failure and while there had been some discussions around extending his contract, it's believed that these negotiations never went far. Greene resigned 5 months before his contract was up. Harsin was hired from Boise State in December 2020, Auburn gave him a six-year, $31.5 million deal. He could never replicate his past success or make the Tigers competitive in the SEC. While also failing to keep up with rivals Georgia and Alabama with recruitment or on the field. Harsin survived Auburn's university inquiry into the football program in February but he couldn't survive their bad start to the season. With two lukewarm wins, followed by a four-game losing streak, all culminating in a 41-27 loss to Arkansas this weekend - there was only one outcome. With four games to go in the season, they could still turn this into a winning season, however unlikely it may seem.
There has been a lot of betting activity on who will win the Championship this season, while it won't be Auburn - you can still check odds on who the sportsbooks are backing for the championship. If you are new to understanding odds and how betting works, a good place to start is on this handy list of mobile sports betting apps for beginners which will tell you all you need to know about betting on your cell.
The school hasn't immediately named an interim coach. There are a number of coaches in the running for the job- Lane Kiffin of rivals Ole' Miss is one of them - Kiffin, 47, is an elite quarterback developer and play-caller who has revived his career since being fired at USC in 2013. He is a top recruiter with strong tactical knowledge and an understanding of the SEC. Kiffin has done one of his best coaching jobs this season coping after Ole Miss lost quarterback Matt Corral and other standout players.
Hugh Freeze of the Liberty Flames is another option. After being fired from Ole' Miss for a controversy involving an escort agency and a university phone in 2017, Freeze has been out of the SEC longer than most would have anticipated. Freeze's ability to put together top, competitive teams is unquestionable. He could galvanize the support and recruit the kind of players needed to put Auburn back where they believe they should be. He signed a new contract through to 2030 last week but it's believed this wouldn't prevent him from taking the step back up to the SEC.
In February of this year, The Auburn University Board of Trustees unanimously voted to select Dean Christopher B. Roberts of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering as the university’s 21st president. His tenure started on May 16th but it's safe to say he would have been planning and making decisions as soon as he was selected. Roberts will have been aware that he needed to bring in an Athletic Director that had the power to support his coach. For a Football program with the pedigree and history of Auburn, being seen as a second tier program will hurt - it's something that the next Athletic Director and coach will need to address fast. The university has seemingly cleared the way for a reset.