Against Ole Miss, Auburn started with two of their first four properties and finished 21-0 less than a minute into the second half. They made the final score (48-34) somewhat more respectable, but the team, like Harsin’s era, got off to a bad start.
Harsin’s overall record is 9-11 and 4-8 in the SEC at Auburn.
Per Pro Football FocusAuburn (3-4, 1-3 in the SEC) ranks as the worst team in the Western SEC and one of only three SEC teams outside of their top 50. Auburn is currently tied with Vanderbilt and Missouri.
Two of the Tigers’ losses (Penn State, LSU) have been at home to teams that have fallen short of top 10 opponents over the past two weeks. They were overtaken by annual rivals Georgia 76-20 in Harsin’s first two seasons. ESPN’s Soccer Strength Index predict they will finish with a record of 5-7.
Positions at Georgie Tech, Nebraska, Arizona State and Wisconsin have opened. For a show that lately feels like it’s slowing down at every turn, it’s essential that they stay one step ahead. Former Baylor head coach Matt Rhule is is expected to attract considerable interest throughout the sport after being fired from the NFL’s Carolina Panthers earlier this week.
Auburn caught up in the SEC. Playing catch-up schools in the ACC, Big 10, and Pac-12 in the search for a head coach could be a disaster.
Harsin signed a six-year, $5.25 million-per-year contract after the 2020 season. According to ESPNthe university will “ow the coach 70 .” [percent] the rest of his salary “if he is bought out. That will equal $14,700,000 for the 2023-26 season, as well as whatever will be paid to him for the rest of the year. 2022. The same report mentions that the team had a similar deal with former team coach Gus Malzahn.
The purchase of two head coaches within two years would be a costly indictment of the sports department and an indication of how far the tigers have fallen. Even worse would be falling behind.
Auburn’s upcoming recruiting class in 2023 ranks 12th out of 14 SEC schools, ahead of colleagues Missouri and Vanderbilt, each opponent.
According to Yahoo Sports, ESPN’s Pete Thamel told SEC Network’s “SEC Nation” that until the team gets a new athletic director, a move in the head coach position is unlikely. “There is nothing more urgent … to make a move against Harsin than it was a few weeks ago,” Thamel said.
“There’s some optics that they’re interested in at Auburn, and they don’t want to look like Auburn is Auburn.”
The Auburn thing most of all is to wait until it’s too late.
