Tuberville weighs in ...

[RunInRed 16,360]

Spare us, Tommy ...

If there is anyone who knows what it’s like to be Auburn coach Gus Malzahn this week, it’s Tommy Tuberville.

Reports Auburn “powerbrokers” met with former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, first reported by Josh Moon, bring back memories of the infamous JetGate.

The year was 2003, and after dropping three straight SEC games, then-Auburn booster Bobby Lowder, Auburn President William Walker and athletic director David Housel flew to Louisville to gauge then-Cardinals coach Bobby Petrino’s interest in the Auburn job. The meeting took place prior to the 2003 Alabama game, which Auburn won.

Fast forward to 2018 and now reports surface that representatives have reached out to Stoops, which the former Sooners coach denies.

Tuberville joined me and Lee Shirvanian during “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 to discuss the headlines of the past 24 hours at Auburn.

“Unbelievable, isn’t it?” Tuberville asked.

He said he had heard three weeks ago that there “was someone” visiting Stoops, but said it was not a credible source. “It was just kind of rumor.”

That’s not to say he dismisses it.

“There’s problems in Auburn,” said Tuberville, who led the Tigers to an undefeated season in 2004. "There’s always been problems in Auburn. And, for some reason, they will continue to be problems in Auburn.

"That being said, the things I’m hearing out of Auburn is if they do pay Gus Malzahn $32 million (for a buyout), they want to have somebody in place that can settle the troops down.

“It’s a complete mess, to be honest with you. There are too many people up there trying to make a decision. Obviously, they don’t have a clue what they are doing.”

Tuberville isn’t necessarily bitter. He “survived the storm” as he put it, running off six straight wins against Alabama. Still, the week leading up to the 2003 Iron Bowl was no picnic. He has a pretty good idea what Malzahn is going through this week.

“You feel like you’re out on an island,” he explained. "There’s no boat. There’s no life preserver to get to a safe place. You’re just there. No one is talking to you. You have your assistants, but they’re out on the road. He probably doesn’t have anyone really talking to you.

“When I had my JetGate it was during the week of the Iron Bowl. I couldn’t get people I talked to 24 hours before on the phone or into their office. ... You’re closed out.”

Tuberville made it clear that he has no idea what the future holds for the Auburn head coaching position. He simply can relate. In addition, he isn’t sure who wants to step into the current situation on the Plains.

“I don’t know anyone out there that wants to get into this mess,” Tuberville said. "Do you think Bob Stoops wants to get into this mess? He dropped a better job than this.

“Jeff Brohm would be my first choice. He could get the job done. Is it good enough to catch the runaway train in Georgia and Alabama? No, because no one is going to catch them.”

Tuberville insists you don’t necessarily have to compete with Saban and Smart, you just have to make Auburn the best it can be.

“You want somebody to come in and run Auburn like it needs to be run,” he explained. "Get people on your side. Help raise money. Make Auburn the best you can make it. And, if you can beat the people you need to beat, then you beat them.

“You can’t beat them with everyone trying to add their own ingredient on how they think things ought to be run. You can’t do it.”

https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2018/11/jetgates-tommy-tuberville-on-bob-stoops-reports-this-is-typical-auburn.html

[RunInRed 16,360]

I laughed ...

 

[DAG 33,955]

Tubs is not wrong but I don’t want to hear he doesn’t feel some type of way. 

[RunInRed 16,360]

 

[Linayus 676]

Quote

"Tuberville insists you don’t necessarily have to compete with Saban and Smart, you just have to make Auburn the best it can be."

There are many on this forum who disagree. If you can't win against the best then you can't be our coach. 

[jAUSon 2,836]

Where's he coaching now?

[DAG 33,955]

8 minutes ago, RunInRed said:

 

Oh boy 

[TigerFanAU 586]

1 minute ago, jAUSon said:

Where's he coaching now?

He doesn't need to, this "mess" known as Auburn made him handsomely rich. I remember his sweet pad up on Lake Martin.

[Sully to Beasley 643]

CTT was campaigning for the Auburn AD job last year before Greene was hired. Apparantly Auburn wasn't so much of a "mess" for him just a year ago. CTT is just a bitter man at this point. He had a good run at Auburn and I hate to see him sink to such levels. Auburn has won a NC and played for another this decade. How many other programs can claim this? Are we trending down now, yes. Any old guy like me who has follwed AU football for years can tell you these low times do not last. WE WILL BE BACK!

[cctiger 571]

2 minutes ago, Sully to Beasley said:

CTT was campaigning for the Auburn AD job last year before Greene was hired. Apparantly Auburn wasn't so much of a "mess" for him just a year ago. CTT is just a bitter man at this point. He had a good run at Auburn and I hate to see him sink to such levels. Auburn has won a NC and played for another this decade. How many other programs can claim this? Are we trending down now, yes. Any old guy like me who has follwed AU football for years can tell you these low times do not last. WE WILL BE BACK!

7 to 88, you are so right! Tubs is just bitter right now. There is another Pat Dye out there somewhere just waiting for the opportunity. 

[BigWhiskey91 632]

36 minutes ago, RunInRed said:

 

Shouldn’t we wait to see what else Pearl does in the next few years before we start comparing situations? I think we have the mess on the football side more so than we’ve ever had calling shots with Basketball. I could be wrong though.

 

Sure Tuberville is likely bitter, but I find his comments on what he went through at Auburn more valuable than any of the rumors or online banter about our PTB ive seen. His comments about not catching UGA or Alabama was a bit much, but this conversation likely had him firing off the cuff. I think his statement about making Auburn the best it can be was a good statement. Don’t worry about playing catch-up as the goal, but strive to make Auburn the best Auburn can be. Keeps the eyes downfield and thinking long term. 

[jAUSon 2,836]

He is wrong though on some account. It will stop being a "mess" if and when there's a strong hire. I would assume the admin and ptb have finally learned that lesson. And the job is not to catch the runaway train. The job is to not look stupid, and be in position to beat the runaway train by one point. 

[AURealist 2,185]

Tatertown isn't entirely wrong.  If we can sign a contract/extension clusterfark like we did with Gus last year (without properly procuring proper funding as is rumored) we've definitely got some problems in Auburn.  Now we want to pull some legal jujitsu to weasel out of it.  Sounds like a mess.  Admitting you have a problem is the first step in solving it, folks.

Also, I like his thoughts on Jeff Brohm.

[Win4AU 4,052]

Maybe Tubbs is positioning himself like Fulmer did to come ride in on a white horse when this turns nuclear.  Tubbs for AD 2019!

[around4ever 4,139]

3 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

Maybe Tubbs is positioning himself like Fulmer did to come ride in on a white horse when this turns nuclear.  Tubbs for AD 2019!

Our current AD is great.  He is doing an excellent job and I hope he stays here for a long time.   Tubs is mad because nobody wants him as a HC anymore. 

[AuburnEagle79 2,163]

Spare me. Poor guy on his 49 million dollar island.

 

We can catch and pass UGA. Eventually Saban will leave. We need to be at our best when that happens. 

[alexava 6,973]

I agree with tubbs. Auburn got crucified for going behind his back to hire a coach before he was fired. Now some of the same people who crucified that movement are applauding this rumor. And Bruce pearl has not accomplished a tenth of what Gus has. 

[alexava 6,973]

3 minutes ago, AuburnEagle79 said:

Spare me. Poor guy on his 49 million dollar island.

 

We can catch and pass UGA. Eventually Saban will leave. We need to be at our best when that happens. 

This I agree with. 

[channonc 466]

I'm sure I'm about to state a very unpopular opinion, but I'm not sure he's completely wrong in his assessment. I thought Jetgate was ridiculous and still think that there is a stain on Auburn because of it. I also was not supportive of getting rid of CTT in 2003, so TIFWIW. While I wish we didn't have such strong armed donors, where I think he gets it wrong is to assume that it's not like that at most schools-- at least most schools who expect (and also invest) in facilities, coaches, etc. to compete for championships don't have these types of donors who expect and in turn wield a lot of power and influence around the program. Unfortunately, the good and the bad come with success, and strong-armed donors/boosters can be a mix of both. While I think Auburn has had trouble luring a top coach to Auburn, I don't think it is for the things he cites, but rather our inferiority complex that seems to come out during times like these. Just scroll through a couple of threads and you will see what I mean. Many fans think that "no way would [INSERT BIG NAME HERE] ever come here because..."

I also agree that Auburn is a mess right now, but again, I think that is a temporary situation. Look at Alabama during the Shula years. They were a mess. They ended up getting out of it and dominating. We have the same opportunity to turn it around provided that we are willing to do what it takes.

I like and admire CTT, and will always be grateful for what he has done at Auburn. All that being said, I'm fine with him stating his opinion and think he was bound to be asked all things considered.

While I rooted against the PTB in 2003 because I thought they were making a huge mistake, I'm rooting for them now. Clearly, a naive President signed a mediocre coach to a contract extension that shouldn't have even been considered.

[aubaseball 2,585]

TT is Gus light.    He was at Auburn during Alabama’s worst time that they have ever been in.   He Still lost 3 to  4 games a year on average.    Sure he had one glorious year, but so has Gus.   And Gus is going up against the quite possibly the best college football coach of all time.    If AU had any guts,  they would have gone ahead and fired TT and hired Petrino.   Because at that time (can’t look at what he has done since) Petrino was a better coach

[milehighfan 1,239]

1 hour ago, Linayus said:

There are many on this forum who disagree. If you can't win against the best then you can't be our coach. 

I remember when Terry Bowden was head coach at his press conference before the 95 Iron Bowl I believe, he had a very interesting quote. 

He said you're not going to beat Alabama every year, even the PTB know that but he added you better beat them some of the time or you won't have a job as Auburn's head coach for very long.

I always remembered those words.I also remember prior to Tubervile being let go former head coach Pat Dye said quote, "Tommy stopped recruiting." 

I know there have been some head scratching moments as far as coaches being let go at Auburn  but this Malzahn situation is the ultimate head scratchcher.

 

 

[milehighfan 1,239]

10 minutes ago, aubaseball said:

TT is Gus light.    He was at Auburn during Alabama’s worst time that they have ever been in.   He Still lost 3 to  4 games a year on average.    Sure he had one glorious year, but so has Gus.   And Gus is going up against the quite possibly the best college football coach of all time.    If AU had any guts,  they would have gone ahead and fired TT and hired Petrino.   Because at that time (can’t look at what he has done since) Petrino was a better coach

I still remember the 05 IB and Auburn could have beaten bama as bad as they wanted but Tubervile took his foot off the gas in the second half. I kept wondering why? I still don't know the reason.

[johnnyAU 3,630]

Ole Tubbs *&^% the pooch in 2003 when he tried Nallsminger 1.0 instead of hiring an established OC after Petrino. He did it again in 2008 when he tried the Tony Franklin experiment for a half year then ended with Nallsminger 2.0. 

Malzahn keeping "his" guys around instead of getting established assistants is reminiscent of Tubbs and the Barbecue boys. 

[AUApostle 7,648]

30 minutes ago, milehighfan said:

I still remember the 05 IB and Auburn could have beaten bama as bad as they wanted but Tubervile took his foot off the gas in the second half. I kept wondering why? I still don't know the reason.

Isn't that when Borges got knocked in the head and was never the same after?  Bama made a game of it in the 4th and it never should have been that close.

[SouthGATiger 64]

I agree with most of Tubs info. Think of it this way.....The PTB is ready to fire Gus over a 7-5 season.  It doesn't help the situation that we were ranked in the pre-season top 10 and everyone had very high expectations.  Everyone is very disappointed for sure. But this is also the same PTB that had to "ok" the big raise and contract extension only a year ago.  So in only one year, the same group that gave you a raise want to fire you and run you out of town. 

So what "big time proven successful coach" would run to AU given this chain of events. IMO....I don't think many, if any, that would. It is what it is.