Auburn fires Bryan Harsin

[Eurocat]

It's on ESPN now.

Auburn will now be paying 37 million dollars to two football coaches fired over the past 650 days.

The worlds best job? "Fired SEC Head Football Coach"!

My favorite for that job is Coach Prime Time. Imagine him going up against Saban on the recruiting trail down South?

Did you see him on 60 Minutes?

 

[Sheffielder]

I'm not trying to stir any pots by bringing this up (hey, it's a message board where we talk about nothing), but I wonder how a guy like Harsin would do at a place like Northwestern...

The SEC is a universe all unto itself (not a compliment). If you look behind the curtain at what Harsin was dealing with in the past two years, he was doomed from the start. Many years as a coordinator at one of the most innovative offensive places to do the job (Boise)...his ability to navigate a problem where academics are more than an afterthought are untested, though.

 

[Eurocat]

The internet lowdown (take that for what it is worth) is that he is lazy on the recruiting trail and believe and offer from Auburn in and of itself will bring a kid in.

Auburn also - today - hired the Mississippi State Athletic Director as its new AD, so people are talking about stealing away Mike Leach from MSU - but Leach has never beaten Saban or even come close to it so others are up in arms against it.

Apparently the MSU fans disliked their AD because he has an openly transvestite son and his (the AD's) wife is (was) head of some local LGBT rights group.

 

[Sheffielder]

Apparently the MSU fans disliked their AD because he has an openly transvestite son and his (the AD's) wife is (was) head of some local LGBT rights group.

I find that hard to believe in a place as progressive and accepting as Mississippi. I'm sure it will be a whole new world in Alabama.

😐

 

[Eurocat]

LOL! I know Sheff, I thought the same thing, but I'm just passing around what people are talking about, please don't shoot the messenger!

 

[Eurocat]

 

[EvanstonCat]

View embedded media

Hope Dr. Gragg is taking notes.

 

[KappaKat]

That's how you change coaches. The President states that he made the decision and didn't need an AD to go to the podium. No serious program tells the AD to "man up." The boosters tell him to deliver the message, in most cases. Without a AD on board, they ordered the president to deliver the decision. After all, the boosters are the payers of the 37mil. It takes big money swinging big balls to play big boy football.

 

[loyolacat]

Also foreshadows the removal of the AD as well...was he the AD that hired the coach? But LAZY, probably the one thing you could never accuse Fitz of..but made me think,,,How much energy has been taken away from actual coaching football, having to work as the lead dog on things like the practice facility and the new stadium etc....and then throw in all the new stuff like NIL, transfer portal, New AD, Pres ....maybe just a perfect storm . I guess my point is that Fitz is a pseudo AD, face of NU, fundraiser etc.....and has taken away from coaching

 

[Sheffielder]

Also foreshadows the removal of the AD as well...was he the AD that hired the coach? But LAZY, probably the one thing you could never accuse Fitz of..but made me think,,,How much energy has been taken away from actual coaching football, having to work as the lead dog on things like the practice facility and the new stadium etc....and then throw in all the new stuff like NIL, transfer portal, New AD, Pres ....maybe just a perfect storm . I guess my point is that Fitz is a pseudo AD, face of NU, fundraiser etc.....and has taken away from coaching

Fair points, but THIS IS HEAD COACHING. You stump for donors to get a new facility because it should help with recruiting. You deal with NIL and transfer portal and embrace the BS even when you hate it because it is changing the game and is not going away. Alternatively...you can say the hell with this and go coach D3 or your son's high school team where these things aren't issues...but that doesn't pay as well as college does...and there's a reason for that.

Since Fitz became the head coach, his staff has doubled (tripled?) - he couldn't want for anything when it comes to resources - new practice facility and a new stadium on the way...and he doesn't get to complain about academics being a barrier because that's not suddenly the problem.

All this isn't taking away from coaching - THIS is the job.

Now if you're talking specifically about on-the-field performance and player development...well that's why picking your coordinators is so important.

 

[loyolacat]

Can not prove this but my gut says that at NU it may take more and the amount of off field work may be more at NU....Like some of those SEC schools you snap your fingers and get what you want....like 50 thou for your offensive lineman.

 

[loyolacat]

Can not prove this but my gut says that at NU it may take more and the amount of off field work may be more at NU....Like some of those SEC schools you snap your fingers and get what you want....like 50 thou for your offensive lineman.

 

[Medill '03]

Can not prove this but my gut says that at NU it may take more and the amount of off field work may be more at NU....Like some of those SEC schools you snap your fingers and get what you want....like 50 thou for your offensive lineman.

They have more demands for donor relations and alumni groups than NU expects from Fitz.