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Who would replace Malzahn (merged threads again)


tigerbrotha12

Coaches  

361 members have voted

  1. 1. Which coach would you like to see at AU next?

    • Bob Stoops
      63
    • James Franklin
      42
    • Mario Cristobal
      27
    • Brett Venables
      33
    • Hugh Freeze
      12
    • Art Briles
      10
    • Kevin Steele
      19
    • Lane Kiffin
      45
    • Bill Clark
      53
    • Other (Specify in comments)
      56


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Ok, I feel like one of us has to make this post at least twice a week but here goes....the whole “we better have a big name lined up” and “we might get someone worse than Gus” and “there just aren’t many good names out there” BS is just maddening.  First of all, you shouldn’t continue to wander in mediocrity just because you are scared of striking out on the next hire.  We can wait around for 20 years and no Saban, Meyer, Dabo or Bob Stoops is walking through that door at Auburn.  So being as that’s the case nearly any hire we make is risky.  Because of the situation Auburn is in it has pretty much always been that way. There are no sure things but we shouldn’t just keep this disaster because of that fact.  Second, Auburn has enough resources and enough recruiting base to pretty much keep any competent coach from coming in and having a really bad run like say Doug Barfield.  Coach Dye changed the program enough where that should no longer be a concern.  And our last 4 coaches are testaments to that fact.  I wouldn’t call Bowden, Tubs, Chiz or Gus “elite” coaches by any means and yet each one of them letft Auburn with a winning record and a special season/SEC Title/Natty.  So even if we don’t hire the next Lombardi I doubt very highly that we hire someone who will completely strike out either.  What these last 4 have shown is that if we do happen to hit on the right guy then he can take what Auburn has been in the past, and elevate it to a new standard.  Auburn is not the only program that goes through this.  The bams wandered through the wilderness between Stallings and Saban for a full decade making bad hire after bad hire.  Heck one of their hires never even made it to opening day.  The days of Bobby Bowden, Paterno, Shug, Bear, Dooley etc. are long gone.  Coaches change.  It happens.  Do I wish Gus had been the man? Of course I do. I like the guy on a personal level I beleive he wants to win and is disappointed with how this has turned out.  But I also want to enjoy Auburn football again.  Not just in spurts but consistently.  I don’ t mind losing.  But losing the way we have been losing is not acceptable and is certainly not fun to watch. So no, there are no guarantees with a new coach but it seems there is a guarantee with our current one...

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29 minutes ago, OnthePlains said:

Ok, I feel like one of us has to make this post at least twice a week but here goes....the whole “we better have a big name lined up” and “we might get someone worse than Gus” and “there just aren’t many good names out there” BS is just maddening.  First of all, you shouldn’t continue to wander in mediocrity just because you are scared of striking out on the next hire.  We can wait around for 20 years and no Saban, Meyer, Dabo or Bob Stoops is walking through that door at Auburn.  So being as that’s the case nearly any hire we make is risky.  Because of the situation Auburn is in it has pretty much always been that way. There are no sure things but we shouldn’t just keep this disaster because of that fact.  Second, Auburn has enough resources and enough recruiting base to pretty much keep any competent coach from coming in and having a really bad run like say Doug Barfield.  Coach Dye changed the program enough where that should no longer be a concern.  And our last 4 coaches are testaments to that fact.  I wouldn’t call Bowden, Tubs, Chiz or Gus “elite” coaches by any means and yet each one of them letft Auburn with a winning record and a special season/SEC Title/Natty.  So even if we don’t hire the next Lombardi I doubt very highly that we hire someone who will completely strike out either.  What these last 4 have shown is that if we do happen to hit on the right guy then he can take what Auburn has been in the past, and elevate it to a new standard.  Auburn is not the only program that goes through this.  The bams wandered through the wilderness between Stallings and Saban for a full decade making bad hire after bad hire.  Heck one of their hires never even made it to opening day.  The days of Bobby Bowden, Paterno, Shug, Bear, Dooley etc. are long gone.  Coaches change.  It happens.  Do I wish Gus had been the man? Of course I do. I like the guy on a personal level I beleive he wants to win and is disappointed with how this has turned out.  But I also want to enjoy Auburn football again.  Not just in spurts but consistently.  I don’ t mind losing.  But losing the way we have been losing is not acceptable and is certainly not fun to watch. So no, there are no guarantees with a new coach but it seems there is a guarantee with our current one...

Usually people who money is not being directly effected make the argument about waiting around because  no one else out there is better. It is not practical and is the main reason we are in this position right now.

if you hired a contractor to do work for you and they were doing an half ass job, would you keep that contractor just because you fear you might not get another contractor that lives up to your expectations? Heck no , they can end up burning down your house, building, business, etc. 

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6 minutes ago, OnthePlains said:

Ok, I feel like one of us has to make this post at least twice a week but here goes....the whole “we better have a big name lined up” and “we might get someone worse than Gus” and “there just aren’t many good names out there” BS is just maddening.  First of all, you shouldn’t continue to wander in mediocrity just because you are scared of striking out on the next hire.  We can wait around for 20 years and no Saban, Meyer, Dabo or Bob Stoops is walking through that door at Auburn.  So being as that’s the case nearly any hire we make is risky.  Because of the situation Auburn is in it has pretty much always been that way. There are no sure things but we shouldn’t just keep this disaster because of that fact.  Second, Auburn has enough resources and enough recruiting base to pretty much keep any competent coach from coming in and having a really bad run like say Doug Barfield.  Coach Dye changed the program enough where that should no longer be a concern.  And our last 4 coaches are testaments to that fact.  I wouldn’t call Bowden, Tubs, Chiz or Gus “elite” coaches by any means and yet each one of them letft Auburn with a winning record and a special season/SEC Title/Natty.  So even if we don’t hire the next Lombardi I doubt very highly that we hire someone who will completely strike out either.  What these last 4 have shown is that if we do happen to hit on the right guy then he can take what Auburn has been in the past, and elevate it to a new standard.  Auburn is not the only program that goes through this.  The bams wandered through the wilderness between Stallings and Saban for a full decade making bad hire after bad hire.  Heck one of their hires never even made it to opening day.  The days of Bobby Bowden, Paterno, Shug, Bear, Dooley etc. are long gone.  Coaches change.  It happens.  Do I wish Gus had been the man? Of course I do. I like the guy on a personal level I beleive he wants to win and is disappointed with how this has turned out.  But I also want to enjoy Auburn football again.  Not just in spurts but consistently.  I don’ t mind losing.  But losing the way we have been losing is not acceptable and is certainly not fun to watch. So no, there are no guarantees with a new coach but it seems there is a guarantee with our current one...

Agreed on the embarrassment that we have seen this year and there should definitely be accountability in place. Also agree, we need consistency. And personally, I've never settled for mediocrity in anything in my life.

Do not be afraid to strike out but why not strike out first going after a bigger experienced coach?

Theres some contradiction to all this. We want consistency but yet we currently have a precedent at AU that we can throw big bucks at "mediocre" coaches that we hope can be "the guy" to change our program and bring an elite status. We screw ourselves up, when after the first bit of notion with success, we throw money at a contract extension and buyout just so he can be let go the following year and ride off into the sunset. That has actually been consistent. All I am saying is, big name or not, better have a plan in place. Don't have a short lived reaction to something if the solution is part of the problem.

I will say this, I'm not a Gus supporter. I feel like hes too stubborn to change his offensive mindset and allow it to grow, live and breathe, rather than be suffocated and die to fit a premise/scheme that's predictable and outdated. With all that said, we have still been in each game we have lost til the end (as ugly as it may be). Is the solution firing him? Only if we have something better to turn to unless you want to settle for a Mike Shula and hope it works out?

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Just now, AUTiger25 said:

Agreed on the embarrassment that we have seen this year and there should definitely be accountability in place. Also agree, we need consistency. And personally, I've never settled for mediocrity in anything in my life.

Do not be afraid to strike out but why not strike out first going after a bigger experienced coach?

Theres some contradiction to all this. We want consistency but yet we currently have a precedent at AU that we can throw big bucks at "mediocre" coaches that we hope can be "the guy" to change our program and bring an elite status. We screw ourselves up, when after the first bit of notion with success, we throw money at a contract extension and buyout just so he can be let go the following year and ride off into the sunset. That has actually been consistent. All I am saying is, big name or not, better have a plan in place. Don't have a short lived reaction to something if the solution is part of the problem.

I will say this, I'm not a Gus supporter. I feel like hes too stubborn to change his offensive mindset and allow it to grow, live and breathe, rather than be suffocated and die to fit a premise/scheme that's predictable and outdated. With all that said, we have still been in each game we have lost til the end (as ugly as it may be). Is the solution firing him? Only if we have something better to turn to unless you want to settle for a Mike Shula and hope it works out?

How exactly do you know they wouldn’t go after a better experience coach? I am pretty sure we would do that but why would Saban , UM, Dabo, etc just love their institutions for ours when they are already the highest paid and have programs that are highly successful? Explain that to me?

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1 minute ago, AUTiger25 said:

Agreed on the embarrassment that we have seen this year and there should definitely be accountability in place. Also agree, we need consistency. And personally, I've never settled for mediocrity in anything in my life.

Do not be afraid to strike out but why not strike out first going after a bigger experienced coach?

Theres some contradiction to all this. We want consistency but yet we currently have a precedent at AU that we can throw big bucks at "mediocre" coaches that we hope can be "the guy" to change our program and bring an elite status. We screw ourselves up, when after the first bit of notion with success, we throw money at a contract extension and buyout just so he can be let go the following year and ride off into the sunset. That has actually been consistent. All I am saying is, big name or not, better have a plan in place. Don't have a short lived reaction to something if the solution is part of the problem.

I will say this, I'm not a Gus supporter. I feel like hes too stubborn to change his offensive mindset and allow it to grow, live and breathe, rather than be suffocated and die to fit a premise/scheme that's predictable and outdated. With all that said, we have still been in each game we have lost til the end (as ugly as it may be). Is the solution firing him? Only if we have something better to turn to unless you want to settle for a Mike Shula and hope it works out?

I agree with some of your view and you state your points well.  I will only say this, I think we have a large enough sample size on Gus to know what we are and are not getting so holding on to him any longer is pointless and will only run down our recruiting as our rivals show them how high schoolish our offense is and use negative recruiting talk about Gus’s job security to poach our targets.  Also I have never understood the concept of “well we were in every game til the end before we LOST”...There’s no points for second place boys...the plaque for the alternates is down in the ladies room....

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1 minute ago, DAG said:

How exactly do you know they wouldn’t go after a better experience coach? I am pretty sure we would do that but why would Saban , UM, Dabo, etc just love their institutions for ours when they are already the highest paid and have programs that are highly successful? Explain that to me?

Question #1- I don't know. I don't think anyone knows.

Question #2- Personally, I said Bob Stoops who is available is my first call. But I would say there's coaches who have/had success at a current school (Jimbo Fischer maybe?) but for the right price and notion of being put in a whole new tier with competing in the SEC and against Saban, why not? You want to be the best, then you have to beat the best. It's a mindset.

This is all just my opinion anyways, I by no means think or say that I know it all or have all the right answers.

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Just now, AUTiger25 said:

Question #1- I don't know. I don't think anyone knows.

Question #2- Personally, I said Bob Stoops who is available is my first call. But I would say there's coaches who have/had success at a current school (Jimbo Fischer maybe?) but for the right price and notion of being put in a whole new tier with competing in the SEC and against Saban, why not? You want to be the best, then you have to beat the best. It's a mindset.

This is all just my opinion anyways, I by no means think or say that I know it all or have all the right answers.

Bob stoops is retired man and getting paid good to stay that way haha. This dream world. He is not coming out of retirement to fix Auburn’s problems.  I am not saying AU wouldn’t put a call out to some of these people but you got to be realistic too.

Same thing with Jimbo Fisher. He is already the highest paid coach. The aggies would probably match anything anyone is offering. 

I get shooting for the stars but let’s be realistic 

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7 minutes ago, OnthePlains said:

I agree with some of your view and you state your points well.  I will only say this, I think we have a large enough sample size on Gus to know what we are and are not getting so holding on to him any longer is pointless and will only run down our recruiting as our rivals show them how high schoolish our offense is and use negative recruiting talk about Gus’s job security to poach our targets.  Also I have never understood the concept of “well we were in every game til the end before we LOST”...There’s no points for second place boys...the plaque for the alternates is down in the ladies room....

The last statement was golden about the ladies room. Got a good laugh.

I don't like losing and not sure who does..?

Have any of our current recruits/commits jumped off the ship? Only thing I've read (since I don't know any of them personally) is that they are excited to get to Auburn and help them get this thing turned around.

And, agreed whole heartedly on the offense. It's been absolutely embarrassing and I feel extremely bad for these players who keep going out there and hitting their head against the wall. It's sad when there are a lot of coaches who took the philosophy from Malazahn but yet made it better. Why? They evolved, he didn't.

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2 minutes ago, DAG said:

Bob stoops is retired man and getting paid good to stay that way haha. This dream world. He is not coming out of retirement to fix Auburn’s problems.  I am not saying AU wouldn’t put a call out to some of these people but you got to be realistic too.

Same thing with Jimbo Fisher. He is already the highest paid coach. The aggies would probably match anything anyone is offering. 

I get shooting for the stars but let’s be realistic 

I was referring to him leaving to go to aTm.

And yes, shoot for the stars. Without it, that's part of being in the "mediocrity" mindset right? I mean, I get it, there will be a lot of push back and a lot of "no" but why not? What do you have to lose? If a lower tier coach is all we can get, so be it. But if I am administration/PTB, you better believe I'm not leaving a rock unturned, all I'm saying.

Reality is basically perception anyways. What you think the outcome would be before it ever happens. So I say realistically, who ever is in charge, should be balls to the wall, promoting Auburn as an elite program and we accept nothing less.

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32 minutes ago, AUTiger25 said:

Bob Stoops

His dad died of health problems, and he was experiecing the same symptoms. He's done and shouldnt be on the list.

Bill Clark is the right hire. Program builder and excellent defensive mind.

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12 minutes ago, TigerFanAU said:

His dad died of health problems, and he was experiecing the same symptoms. He's done and shouldnt be on the list.

Bill Clark is the right hire. Program builder and excellent defensive mind.

Admittedly, did not know that about Stoops. And unfamiliar with Bill Clark other than he's at UAB.

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2 hours ago, Gowebb11 said:

I agree that Chizik and Malzahn reflect the current AU culture. Attain excellence. Then fail to sustain it. Then have the wheels fall off. I’m tired of that culture. It’s time for a change. I’m tired of reading articles about underdeveloped players, seeing guys go from all SEC to undraftable, and hearing about 5 star talent who at AU are waiting for “the light to go on”. I’m ready for our culture not to be one of a constant roller coaster ride, but of one where excellence is attained and sustained over a long period. I get it if Kiffin is not your guy. And I appreciate your desire to find good Auburn men. But we have to quit doing what we’ve been doing for the past 30 years. 

I'm talking about the culture of Auburn University, independent of football results. People keep misconstruing that I want to ONLY find a good man. I don't. I won't him to be a good guy who also is dominant on the football field. I've already listed plenty of examples that show both can be done. 

Seriously, imagine an egotistical a-hole like Saban or a slimy guy like Urban Meyer being the face of Auburn University. Wouldn't you feel like we sold our soul a bit to win? That we lost a part of what Auburn is all about? That will defeat the whole purpose, to me. 

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2 hours ago, DAG said:

If Lane kiffen won here , all would be forgotten. I want winners.

For one, he isn't a winner historically. But what happens when he gets caught doinking a Tiger hostess? Kiffin IS a mess waiting to happen, from what I've seen.

Also, the guy left Tennessee for USC. I don't like how his brain works. 

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I don't want Bill Clark. That just screams local hire and we need a splash that will keep top recruits wanting to come here. I'm not doubting his ability to coach, but it feels like we can and should do better.

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Just now, AUTiger25 said:

unfamiliar with Bill Clark other than he's at UAB

He's a very, very well-connected coach within the state of Alabama, and across the Southeast. He's extremely successful. He went 107-11 as a head coach in HS, and was beating Hoover & Jeremy Pruitt at the time. He made Prattville the #2 HS team in the nation in 2007. He's a defensive mastermind, and always has his teams defense ranked near the top. He also watched as his UAB program was shut down in 2015 by UAT because UAT feared the program was building up and would take money and fans away from UAT. Clark stuck with them and the program was revitalized in 2017. He finished 2nd last year and his current team is 5-1, with the 6th best defense in the nation.

But lets get real here... Auburn is going to take a financial hit from this  Gus buyout disaster. We can't afford a $5.5-$6 million dollar coach right now. Clark is a good coach who could be had for relatively cheap imo.

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Are UA Trustees Scared Of Bill Clark?

Quote

Everyone knows what happened next, with the slashing of the football team and the beginning of the #FreeUAB movement.

Jacksonville State went on to win ten games last season after Clark's departure under Grass, who was the offensive coordinator there in 2013. The Gamecocks swept through the Ohio Valley Conference unbeaten, but fell in the second round of the FCS playoffs.

This year, Jacksonville State started off with a big win over Chattanooga before the near-miss at Auburn. Say what you will about Auburn's performance in that game, but it is evident that Clark built something special at JSU, just like at his other stops.

Could this be what the University of Alabama system trustees are afraid of? That Bill Clark may have turned UAB into the next Boise State? Is this why they seem to be doing everything within their power to prevent UAB football from coming back?

The answers to these questions may never be known, but one thing is certain: Bill Clark can flat-out coach.

Another thing is also highly likely: Bill Clark could lead UAB football to unprecedented heights if given the chance.

But will he be allowed to?

https://www.underdogdynasty.com/uab-blazers/2015/9/15/9327977/are-ua-trustees-scared-of-bill-clark

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Hiring Bill Clark would be like signing Eli Jenkins or hiring Mike Pelton. Locally feels warm and fuzzy but nothing indicates they would be a good acquisition for a power like Auburn

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3 hours ago, AUght2win said:

Then batter up! Let's see yours!

Sure, in no particular order:

Ryan Day

Brent Venables 

Justin Feunte

Dave Aranda

Mel Tucker

Pat Fitzgerald 

Mario Cristobal 

And that's after I made Bob Stoops tell me no multiple times.

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28 minutes ago, AUght2win said:

For one, he isn't a winner historically. But what happens when he gets caught doinking a Tiger hostess? Kiffin IS a mess waiting to happen, from what I've seen.

Also, the guy left Tennessee for USC. I don't like how his brain works. 

Didn’t say he was a winner historically. I said if he won here it all would be forgotten. I don’t care about what people do in their personal life , as long as they are achieving what they are paid to do. Not looking for a soul mate here.

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57 minutes ago, AUTiger25 said:

I was referring to him leaving to go to aTm.

And yes, shoot for the stars. Without it, that's part of being in the "mediocrity" mindset right? I mean, I get it, there will be a lot of push back and a lot of "no" but why not? What do you have to lose? If a lower tier coach is all we can get, so be it. But if I am administration/PTB, you better believe I'm not leaving a rock unturned, all I'm saying.

Reality is basically perception anyways. What you think the outcome would be before it ever happens. So I say realistically, who ever is in charge, should be balls to the wall, promoting Auburn as an elite program and we accept nothing less.

Heck why don’t we go after Bill belichik then . Might as well if we are talking fantasies .

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3 minutes ago, Tiger said:

Locally feels warm and fuzzy but nothing indicates they would be a good acquisition for a power like Auburn

He's won at every level. He's built UAB from the ground up. And your BOT sank every dollar into Gusatv's buyout. Good luck landing a sure-fire head coach. there aren't that many around and they are very expensive. Coordinators are hit or miss. Steele & Chizik are/were good coordinators, but made bad headcoaches.

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35 minutes ago, TigerFanAU said:

He's a very, very well-connected coach within the state of Alabama, and across the Southeast. He's extremely successful. He went 107-11 as a head coach in HS, and was beating Hoover & Jeremy Pruitt at the time. He made Prattville the #2 HS team in the nation in 2007. He's a defensive mastermind, and always has his teams defense ranked near the top. He also watched as his UAB program was shut down in 2015 by UAT because UAT feared the program was building up and would take money and fans away from UAT. Clark stuck with them and the program was revitalized in 2017. He finished 2nd last year and his current team is 5-1, with the 6th best defense in the nation.

But lets get real here... Auburn is going to take a financial hit from this  Gus buyout disaster. We can't afford a $5.5-$6 million dollar coach right now. Clark is a good coach who could be had for relatively cheap imo.

You just did a complete 180 in your opinion in the last hour lol

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10 minutes ago, DAG said:

You just did a complete 180 in your opinion in the last hour lol

 

How? This was my post on Clark on Tuesday:

 
Quote

 

  On 10/16/2018 at 2:45 PM, Deemer 47 said:

It's been the same old song and dance w him since his first year. He's not brilliant and definitely not hard to read. My opinion! 

He's washed up and won't adapt, its that simple. 

 

Bill Clark is the guy we need. Very good at defense, and very cheap. He's coached all over Alabama would be able to recruit top Alabama prospects.

 

 

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24 minutes ago, DAG said:

Heck why don’t we go after Bill belichik then . Might as well if we are talking fantasies .

Currently making $7.5 mil a year at Patriots. Just made my stomach turn after knowing Gus makes close to that..

I wonder if Pete Carroll has any interest at all in coming back to collegiate level..

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