The word on the Search

[AuburnGrad97 37]

I am livid at this list,

This proves auburn football is beig ran by an incompetent group of morons. JJ has to GTFO

Also quit telling us money isn't a factor, when you look at coaches like this it's obvious they want a cheap solution.

If they were seriously wanting to make a boom hire their list should include (in no order).

1)Peterson

2)Patterson

3)Bob Stoops

4)Gundy

5)Jimbo

6)Gruden

Not

Petrino- surrounded by controversy, more losses in bowl games than wins, weak defenses almost every year, can't stay at one school, so so recruiting classes, etc.

Gus- No proven HC experience, zero knowledge about defense, a terrible offense if he doesn't have a mobile QB (although it may have been chiziks fault I admit)

Morris- who I'm not sold on at all, I think any offensive coordinator would look good with Boyd, Watkins, and Ellington.

Smart- would at least bring some solid defensive recruits and improve our d, but no proven HC experience.

Only boom thing they could do with that list is let smart be 1/2 HC and let Malzhan be the other 1/2 HC.

Just beyond disappointed we aren't throwing everything we have a bigger names. JJ is going to set us back another 5 years while Alabama is about to get their 3rd championship in 4 years. We need to copy every single thing Alabama is doing and every team should be thinking that. I'd be okay with ring a mirror image of a team who is livid to lose more than 2 games and who is in 3 NC games out of the last 4.

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!! You must have never learned that what you want isn't always what you get. Step away from the ledge and take off the O&B glasses for one second. Other than Peterson, who turned down $4 mill from UCLA just last season, which one of the coaches would be taking a step up to come coach Auburn? At best, it would be a lateral move. Why leave a good thing, uproot your family, to come to an unknown? We all love Auburn to our core but not one of those coaches has ties to Auburn and probably doesn't feel the same way as we do.

Let's see?

Petrino - unemployed - I think this makes Auburn a step up

Gus - HC at Arky St in the Sunbelt - HC at Auburn in the SECW, facilities, resources, recruiting all a step up

Morris - OC at Clemson - HC at Auburn, no comparison this is a step up

Smart - DC at Alabama, in the shadow of weeman - HC at Auburn, able to make a name for himself, chance to go against his old mentor in one of the biggest games in the country every November, definitely a step up

My preferences, if this is the list we are choosing from, would be Petrino, Smart, then Gus. Chad Morris shouldn't be on this list.

The main issue I have with Gus is that he was here during the Chizik era. He saw what was going on with our players getting smaller and weaker, he saw the discipline problems we were having, and he still took Dyer with him to Arky State. I don't think he is enough of a disciplinarian to turn Auburn around right now. He would make the smoothest transition, though. He knows Auburn and most/all the players. He would need a "lights out" DC, though.

[WarEagle10 77]

I am livid at this list,

This proves auburn football is beig ran by an incompetent group of morons. JJ has to GTFO

Also quit telling us money isn't a factor, when you look at coaches like this it's obvious they want a cheap solution.

If they were seriously wanting to make a boom hire their list should include (in no order).

1)Peterson

2)Patterson

3)Bob Stoops

4)Gundy

5)Jimbo

6)Gruden

Not

Petrino- surrounded by controversy, more losses in bowl games than wins, weak defenses almost every year, can't stay at one school, so so recruiting classes, etc.

Gus- No proven HC experience, zero knowledge about defense, a terrible offense if he doesn't have a mobile QB (although it may have been chiziks fault I admit)

Morris- who I'm not sold on at all, I think any offensive coordinator would look good with Boyd, Watkins, and Ellington.

Smart- would at least bring some solid defensive recruits and improve our d, but no proven HC experience.

Only boom thing they could do with that list is let smart be 1/2 HC and let Malzhan be the other 1/2 HC.

Just beyond disappointed we aren't throwing everything we have a bigger names. JJ is going to set us back another 5 years while Alabama is about to get their 3rd championship in 4 years. We need to copy every single thing Alabama is doing and every team should be thinking that. I'd be okay with ring a mirror image of a team who is livid to lose more than 2 games and who is in 3 NC games out of the last 4.

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!! You must have never learned that what you want isn't always what you get. Step away from the ledge and take off the O&B glasses for one second. Other than Peterson, who turned down $4 mill from UCLA just last season, which one of the coaches would be taking a step up to come coach Auburn? At best, it would be a lateral move. Why leave a good thing, uproot your family, to come to an unknown? We all love Auburn to our core but not one of those coaches has ties to Auburn and probably doesn't feel the same way as we do.

Let's see?

Petrino - unemployed - I think this makes Auburn a step up

Gus - HC at Arky St in the Sunbelt - HC at Auburn in the SECW, facilities, resources, recruiting all a step up

Morris - OC at Clemson - HC at Auburn, no comparison this is a step up

Smart - DC at Alabama, in the shadow of weeman - HC at Auburn, able to make a name for himself, chance to go against his old mentor in one of the biggest games in the country every November, definitely a step up

My preferences, if this is the list we are choosing from, would be Petrino, Smart, then Gus. Chad Morris shouldn't be on this list.

The main issue I have with Gus is that he was here during the Chizik era. He saw what was going on with our players getting smaller and weaker, he saw the discipline problems we were having, and he still took Dyer with him to Arky State. I don't think he is enough of a disciplinarian to turn Auburn around right now. He would make the smoothest transition, though. He knows Auburn and most/all the players. He would need a "lights out" DC, though.

So you go to his "not hire" list to make your points? I see what you did there. (didn't think I would have to explain this but..... my point was for the names of the A+ listers he named)

[channonc 466]

I am not just underwhelmed, I am depressed with that list.

[AUTimmy 0]

I am not just underwhelmed, I am depressed with that list.

nothing wrong with current list. With JJ track records we should be glad they are not interview Ellis Johnson, Shawn Watson, Patrick Nix or Sonny Dykes.

[aucanucktiger 1,789]

Thank you for the valid update, what are your personal perceptions at this juncture?

Thanks Ellitor but just curious, why can't you name your sources? I don't know you from Adams housecat and those are board rules anyway, yes? Although "one source says it's Petrino, the other says it isn't" and "this could change at a moments notice" sounds like a guy that hangs out here a bit named "Metafour" anyway. Not exactly cutting edge insite.

[taylojo 0]

Why aren't we interviewing John Chavis? Winning SEC coordinator, hard nose, no B.S., looks really scary, etc....

[WarEagle10 77]

Why aren't we interviewing John Chavis? Winning SEC coordinator, hard nose, no B.S., looks really scary, etc....

Chavis' name rarely comes up with HC searches. I have wondered why that is myself. He is a fantastic DC IMO.

[mdp5150 167]

I am livid at this list,

This proves auburn football is beig ran by an incompetent group of morons. JJ has to GTFO

Also quit telling us money isn't a factor, when you look at coaches like this it's obvious they want a cheap solution.

If they were seriously wanting to make a boom hire their list should include (in no order).

1)Peterson

2)Patterson

3)Bob Stoops

4)Gundy

5)Jimbo

6)Gruden

Not

Petrino- surrounded by controversy, more losses in bowl games than wins, weak defenses almost every year, can't stay at one school, so so recruiting classes, etc.

Gus- No proven HC experience, zero knowledge about defense, a terrible offense if he doesn't have a mobile QB (although it may have been chiziks fault I admit)

Morris- who I'm not sold on at all, I think any offensive coordinator would look good with Boyd, Watkins, and Ellington.

Smart- would at least bring some solid defensive recruits and improve our d, but no proven HC experience.

Only boom thing they could do with that list is let smart be 1/2 HC and let Malzhan be the other 1/2 HC.

Just beyond disappointed we aren't throwing everything we have a bigger names. JJ is going to set us back another 5 years while Alabama is about to get their 3rd championship in 4 years. We need to copy every single thing Alabama is doing and every team should be thinking that. I'd be okay with ring a mirror image of a team who is livid to lose more than 2 games and who is in 3 NC games out of the last 4.

None of those names compares with Malzahn.

You forgot your sarcasm gif

[AuburnGrad97 37]

I am livid at this list,

This proves auburn football is beig ran by an incompetent group of morons. JJ has to GTFO

Also quit telling us money isn't a factor, when you look at coaches like this it's obvious they want a cheap solution.

If they were seriously wanting to make a boom hire their list should include (in no order).

1)Peterson

2)Patterson

3)Bob Stoops

4)Gundy

5)Jimbo

6)Gruden

Not

Petrino- surrounded by controversy, more losses in bowl games than wins, weak defenses almost every year, can't stay at one school, so so recruiting classes, etc.

Gus- No proven HC experience, zero knowledge about defense, a terrible offense if he doesn't have a mobile QB (although it may have been chiziks fault I admit)

Morris- who I'm not sold on at all, I think any offensive coordinator would look good with Boyd, Watkins, and Ellington.

Smart- would at least bring some solid defensive recruits and improve our d, but no proven HC experience.

Only boom thing they could do with that list is let smart be 1/2 HC and let Malzhan be the other 1/2 HC.

Just beyond disappointed we aren't throwing everything we have a bigger names. JJ is going to set us back another 5 years while Alabama is about to get their 3rd championship in 4 years. We need to copy every single thing Alabama is doing and every team should be thinking that. I'd be okay with ring a mirror image of a team who is livid to lose more than 2 games and who is in 3 NC games out of the last 4.

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!! You must have never learned that what you want isn't always what you get. Step away from the ledge and take off the O&B glasses for one second. Other than Peterson, who turned down $4 mill from UCLA just last season, which one of the coaches would be taking a step up to come coach Auburn? At best, it would be a lateral move. Why leave a good thing, uproot your family, to come to an unknown? We all love Auburn to our core but not one of those coaches has ties to Auburn and probably doesn't feel the same way as we do.

Let's see?

Petrino - unemployed - I think this makes Auburn a step up

Gus - HC at Arky St in the Sunbelt - HC at Auburn in the SECW, facilities, resources, recruiting all a step up

Morris - OC at Clemson - HC at Auburn, no comparison this is a step up

Smart - DC at Alabama, in the shadow of weeman - HC at Auburn, able to make a name for himself, chance to go against his old mentor in one of the biggest games in the country every November, definitely a step up

My preferences, if this is the list we are choosing from, would be Petrino, Smart, then Gus. Chad Morris shouldn't be on this list.

The main issue I have with Gus is that he was here during the Chizik era. He saw what was going on with our players getting smaller and weaker, he saw the discipline problems we were having, and he still took Dyer with him to Arky State. I don't think he is enough of a disciplinarian to turn Auburn around right now. He would make the smoothest transition, though. He knows Auburn and most/all the players. He would need a "lights out" DC, though.

So you go to his "not hire" list to make your points? I see what you did there. (didn't think I would have to explain this but..... my point was for the names of the A+ listers he named)

EGG ON FACE!!! Sorry, I didn't catch the "Not" on there. Re-reading the entire post, I still say Petersen and Jimbo would be making "step ups" coming to Auburn. Petersen would get a chance to put his talent to the test in the SEC, as would Jimbo. The MAC and ACC are not very competitive week in/week out, and therefore don't get as much respect. The other names would mostly just move for the money.

[BARNER 3]

I played for Chavis in 1988 before transferring to Auburn. He is not a HC, Would tell you the same thing himself.

[EagleReedle 14]

From what I can garner from all the speculating among mods & the mystery sources who know sources that are trusted but saying different things is that it comes down to Malzahn & Petrino and the scale is more than likely leaning towards Bobby Petrino. Makes sense going back to Louisville and even before then plus he would bring a nice blend of spread offense while still having the testicular fortitude to line up and run it. Which is exactly where our offense is: in-between spread & pro. Either way, both great hires.

[H8UA 0]

I don't think its an embarasment to be seriously talking about almost all the names on the list, with the exception of Petrino. Mainly because it smacks of desperation, and a particularly pathetic desperation at that. He is a great coach but not for us. I think that if Patterson, Peterson, & Strong are out then Kirby Smart is the best option. He doesn't have the HC experience but that is much less of a concern with him than the others because of the track record of former Saban Assistants (Sweeny, Muschamp, Fisher). Gus would be fine but I think the discipline issues along with the inexperience should probably keep him out of serious contention unless we do not have an option. The major issue that I see with Smart is that he runs a 3-4 system and we do not have enough quality LBs to have any depth. Although, I wonder if Lenonier or Ford would be able to play hybrid LB/DE Jack position. Also we do not have a NT of sufficient heft to be effective on the line, so it might take a couple of years to get the right personel into his system and I do not think the fan base has the patients for that with Bama doing so well. I think we should go with someone with proven HC experience but if we take a chance on an unproven commodity, then Smart is the least dangerous hire we could make from the lists that I have seen.

[danno 2]

I would like to know who generated this list of coaches to begin with and then it would be worth discussing. Everytime a coaching job comes open a list of names come out nowhere. Did I miss something and the university publish a list of candidates?

[mdp5150 167]

If the press conference is supposed to happen Wednesday then we should start knowing something soon because usually the coaches that do not get the job start issuing statements that they are "withdrawing" their name. Many also sign extensions in order to show their commitment.

I'm hoping Petrino but I am feeling less confident these days.

[Allen_D 72]

Gus has no HC experience? Are we talking about the Gus Malzahn that won his conference's championship in his first year?

My concerns about Gus, may be okay...but I just have not follwed Arky St. football other than watching a game or two:

• How did Gus do at recruiting, and how is this coming class looking at Arky St. (Can he recruit as a head coach)?
  
• Keep in mind Hugh Freeze won his conference or ended up a one loss team there last year....there is a certain amount of Gus winning with a similar system, using someone else's players.
  

Again, when Gus was hired at AU I was excited about an attacking offense. When he got interference or whatever happened and thinks weren't humming along in 2011...rumors that his O was getting "figured out"....it became a little more concerning. I can live with GM, but there are questions that keep him from being an automatic...and keep him in the fallback selection list for me...

Petersen is the name I've heard mentioned that I think I'm most excited by, but he may not really be on the list. ....figures.

[WarEagle10 77]

I played for Chavis in 1988 before transferring to Auburn. He is not a HC, Would tell you the same thing himself.

I got ya. Mickey Andrews was the same way. Thanks for that info. I didn't know if it was his personality, or if he just had no desire, as for why I never hear his name associated with coaching searches. Dude flat out knows D though!

[MontanaAubie 0]

The last 11 national championships have gone to head coaches who had previously head coaching experience. In the 21 years of the SEC Championship game coaches with previous head coaching experience have won the game 16 times.

There is just a lot less risk with a proven head coach.

[WDEAUDAD 8]

So, Gus, Smart, Morris? This is almost embarrassing. Seems to be going the inexpensive route rather than top quality coaches.

What top quality coaches are we ignoring? ...and how do you know? And how do you know this is the "short list" ?

I see this crap all the time but when it comes down to it..."top quality coaches" usually stay where they are. It's rare for a top coach to leave a good job, even for money, unless he is in some kind of trouble that the general public is not aware of. It really frosts me to see supposed AU fans ragging our AD and administration.

Do you read what you are responding to? Did you notice the question mark? I am going off of what is being reported here by insiders. If you have better info, let's hear it.

[mdp5150 167]

The last 11 national championships have gone to head coaches who had previously head coaching experience. In the 21 years of the SEC Championship game coaches with previous head coaching experience have won the game 16 times.

There is just a lot less risk with a proven head coach.

I cannot believe you would try to bring "facts" into this discussion..

Sounds like it needs to be Petrino to me.

[minus200 0]

Why would we be interviewing coordinators from ANY school - we might as well interview a HC with a 5-19 record. Seems like we knew one that was very successful at several as a coordinator. Do we need a big name coach? Who ever heard of Pat Dye - Wy- East Carolina?? We need a solid head coach that can handle the pressure of a SEC job. There is more than one solid choice out there that has shown he can win - It is a HUGE jump from coordinator to HC at a big name SEC school and there are very few that can handle both steps. Before deciding, take a look at young head coachs that are winning (usally at a low profile school with a moderate or losing record before he arrived). There are more than a few and now the search committee must interview and make a "guess" that he can win and handle the pressure he will quickly see in a high profile SEC school.

[autan 737]

I think Gus would be the biggest BOOM hire of them all. He is the only one who can accomplish all the objectives we seek.

I agree. I don't understand the love for Smart. The same people who bash the evil one now want his clone.

Gus could turn us around quicker than anyone on the list IMO. One thing we AU fans agree on: we're are impatient. I think KF could be much better than Todd next year under CGM tutelage. I think the talent is there on OL. We just need better coaching. Heck I believe Gus could lead us to 9-4 even if he brought his entire staff fromn Arky St..

[JMassie11 1,610]

PETRINO DID NOT WIN GAMES VS RANKED OPPONENTS AT ARKY....WHAT DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND

[msg6367 1]

I would be okay if they would announce Smart as the new head coach this week.......just to interfere with the turds bowl preparation. We can fire him after the NC game.

There's no way I want Kirby Smart or any other turd in Auburn and leading Auburn football.

[PoetTiger 1,896]

The last 11 national championships have gone to head coaches who had previously head coaching experience. In the 21 years of the SEC Championship game coaches with previous head coaching experience have won the game 16 times.

There is just a lot less risk with a proven head coach.

I cannot believe you would try to bring "facts" into this discussion.. :drippingsarcasm7pa:/>

Sounds like it needs to be Petrino to me. :wareagle:/>

Or gene Chizik...since he actually won championships and been part of another...lol

[MontanaAubie 0]

How come when people use Muschamp and Fisher as examples of Saban coaches working out no one every mentions Bobby Williams or Dooley...or mentions how quickly Sunseri and Kevin Steele got fired from their jobs. Didn't they learn how to run a program or defense from Saban?!?! Didn't Nallsminger have Petrino's playbook?

Smart may be the next great coach...but just too much of a risk. It is a roll of the dice. Would much rather have a Patterson, Anderson, Strong, Petrino, or maybe even Malzahn(though I wish he had a few more years experience as HC to judge by).