Leadership, vision hard to find in stormy times

[aubiefifty 16,760]

  ByPhillip Marshall AuburnUndercover Column

AUBURN, Alabama – Even before last Saturday’s 21-14 loss to Georgia, the storm clouds were gathering over Auburn football coach Gus Malzahn. Today, they are dark, ominous, threatening.

Will those clouds dissipate? Will they grow darker and darker until the storm hits, resulting in Malzahn’s departure, be it forced or be it voluntary? I don’t know, and I don’t know who does.

That’s where leadership and vision come in. I don’t see enough of either of those things in enough places. The buck at Auburn, apparently, stops nowhere.

The focus ought not to be on the $27 million buyout that would be owed to Malzahn, or on what Arkansas does or on personalities. It certainly shouldn’t be based on winning or losing one game. It should be based on nothing other than what is best for the young men who play football for Auburn today and those that will in the future.

Who will make that decision? That I can’t answer that question is part of the problem. Interim president Jay Gogue inherited this mess and isn’t likely to want to wade too deeply into it. The Board of Trustees seems to be divided. Athletics director Allen Greene, who prefers to operate behind the scenes, has given no indications of his feelings. How much will he even influence the decision? It’s hard to say.

What is the right decision? Is it to get behind Malzahn and move forward? Is it to make a change and start anew? Either way, what is the plan that would bring more success more often against the best teams Auburn plays, that would make Auburn a frequent championship contender?

Making the wrong decision could cost far more in the long run than paying any buyout. Really, the buyout should be low on the list of reasons to make a decision, whatever it is.

That brings us back to leadership and vision, where it will come from and whether it will come at all. An announcement is not enough. Silence is surely not enough. Where are you going? How are you going to get there? Everyone from Malzahn to Auburn players to Auburn supporters deserves an honest answer.

Tuesday was Malzahn’s press conference day. Saturday’s game against Samford at Jordan-Hare Stadium got only cursory mention. Most of the questions were about Georgia, about decisions made or not made, about three quarters of nothingness on offense and a fourth-quarter rally that was so close to becoming a comeback for the ages. The subject of Malzahn’s job status didn’t come up.

It’s become a regular thing this year that Malzahn chats with reporters for 15 minutes or so after his press conference. It is understood that those sessions are off the record, and I won’t violate that. But I will say that Malzahn seemed almost melancholy. He understands the rage that is out there. He understands that, when things go badly, it comes with being the head coach at Auburn. He understands it does not go unnoticed that has become very wealthy coaching football at Auburn. He knows there is resentment and lots of it.

Knowing those things doesn’t make dealing with them easy. And these aren’t easy times.

I have made dozens of phone calls over the past week and talked to people who are decision-makers or are very close to the decision-making process. There is a great deal of unhappiness about Auburn football, and it goes beyond a 7-3 record against an extremely difficult schedule. There are those, though their number is seemingly dwindling, who look at the brighter side, at big games won, at a program that appears to be scandal-free, at the quality young men who have come to play for Malzahn and Auburn.

Malzahn, by all appearances, is or at least has been, strongly in the mix at Arkansas. Lots of important people wish that would come to fruition and he would leave. Other important people want him gone today, the buyout be damned. Still others believe he should stay, that the cost of a breakup is simply too high.

116COMMENTS

Malzahn believes he can win more championships at Auburn. He believes he has the quarterback to do it in Bo Nix. He believes this team can finish with 10 wins. That, as he says, would be quite an accomplishment against the schedule the Tigers have faced.

And so on we go, to a nothing game against Samford on Saturday and then on to the Iron Bowl. Meanwhile, Auburn people can only hope for someone to step forward, sell a vision of how to achieve the greatness that is the goal of everyone involved and move on together.

Comments (116)

[Butthead 525]

this may or not be true --- my hope is that Greene is firmly in charge and that he is running the show with the BOT.  we may have great leadership that us fans do not see.  at least that is my hope.

[lost 452]

Marcello gave us these stats.  In the 5 ranked opponents Auburn has faced this year they have scored an average of 20.4 points.  The defense has given up 21.8 points.  That is how close we are from being undefeated .  So far we played these opponents at neutral sites or away, except for one.  Malzhan has faced an uphill battle ( not all of his doing) with the SEC strength around him.  Look at who has won the SEC west in the last 15 years!  

Auburn needs to be careful and allow Gus to decide on his own, especially if he continues to compete.  If he beats bama and wins 10, AUBURN would look like fools to run him off.

[bigbird 60,498]

8 minutes ago, lost said:

Marcello gave us these stats.  In the 5 ranked opponents Auburn has faced this year they have scored an average of 20.4 points.  The defense has given up 21.8 points.  That is how close we are from being undefeated .  So far we played these opponents at neutral sites or away, except for one.  Malzhan has faced an uphill battle ( not all of his doing) with the SEC strength around him.  Look at who has won the SEC west in the last 15 years!  

Auburn needs to be careful and allow Gus to decide on his own, especially if he continues to compete.  If he beats bama and wins 10, AUBURN would look like fools to run him off.

It's not the losses. It's the absolute lack of progression over the last 6 years, the same baffling coaching mistakes, and the lack of program development. Each year is year one. We never progress or improve from year to year.

[creed 1,635]

Leadership and vision in athletics start at the AD’s door. I’m surprised PN doesn’t know this. 

[rophle 256]

33 minutes ago, lost said:

Marcello gave us these stats.  In the 5 ranked opponents Auburn has faced this year they have scored an average of 20.4 points.  The defense has given up 21.8 points.  That is how close we are from being undefeated .  So far we played these opponents at neutral sites or away, except for one.  Malzhan has faced an uphill battle ( not all of his doing) with the SEC strength around him.  Look at who has won the SEC west in the last 15 years!  

Auburn needs to be careful and allow Gus to decide on his own, especially if he continues to compete.  If he beats bama and wins 10, AUBURN would look like fools to run him off.

Easy now, you’re treading in dangerous territory with that kind of common sense approach. 

[Tiger 8,818]

Some people just like losing against our peers I guess

[AuburnEagle79 2,165]

37 minutes ago, lost said:

Marcello gave us these stats.  In the 5 ranked opponents Auburn has faced this year they have scored an average of 20.4 points.  The defense has given up 21.8 points.  That is how close we are from being undefeated .  So far we played these opponents at neutral sites or away, except for one.  Malzhan has faced an uphill battle ( not all of his doing) with the SEC strength around him.  Look at who has won the SEC west in the last 15 years!  

Auburn needs to be careful and allow Gus to decide on his own, especially if he continues to compete.  If he beats bama and wins 10, AUBURN would look like fools to run him off.

If Gus wins 10 with this talent, imagine what a coach with a pulse could've won. 

[auburnphan 6,050]

Interesting, some want him to leave, some want him gone today, some want him to stay because it is too expensive.........

Apparently nobody wants him to stay base on his performance.

[gr82be 14,423]

42 minutes ago, lost said:

Marcello gave us these stats.  In the 5 ranked opponents Auburn has faced this year they have scored an average of 20.4 points.  The defense has given up 21.8 points.  That is how close we are from being undefeated .  So far we played these opponents at neutral sites or away, except for one.  Malzhan has faced an uphill battle ( not all of his doing) with the SEC strength around him.  Look at who has won the SEC west in the last 15 years!  

Auburn needs to be careful and allow Gus to decide on his own, especially if he continues to compete.  If he beats bama and wins 10, AUBURN would look like fools to run him off.

The 3 losses to the 3 ranked opponents are by an average of 7 points per game. That's how close and how far we are from being undefeated. An offensive guru should be able to find a way to score more than 15-16 points per game. The defense is close to being undefeated, the offense is not. 

[JBiGGiE 2,488]

25 minutes ago, lost said:

Marcello gave us these stats.  In the 5 ranked opponents Auburn has faced this year they have scored an average of 20.4 points.  The defense has given up 21.8 points.  That is how close we are from being undefeated .  So far we played these opponents at neutral sites or away, except for one.  Malzhan has faced an uphill battle ( not all of his doing) with the SEC strength around him.  Look at who has won the SEC west in the last 15 years!  

Auburn needs to be careful and allow Gus to decide on his own, especially if he continues to compete.  If he beats bama and wins 10, AUBURN would look like fools to run him off.

I've given him much the benefit of the doubt, but I believe the writing is on the wall... Defense has looked like the '85 Bears this year and yet against any defense with a pulse we have barely managed more than 20 points. That just won't win games.

I'm not saying it's all on Gus, or on Bo Nix, or anyone in particular. But the offense just isn't getting it done. I won't necessarily even say it's time for Gus to go, but it is time for him to let go of Gus' offense. Personally I do think Gus is a good coach and a great recruiter and for the sake of maintaining continuity in the program I would have no problem retaining Gus on the condition that, like Jay Jacobs did, Allen Green forces Gus yet again to hire a real coordinator. I would also levy that condition with the stipulation that his job is on the line at the first sign of meddling.

We need an overhaul on offense but I've lost the confidence that Gus Malzahn can provide it.

[lost 452]

It's how you lose?   I thought a loss was a loss?  Saban plays his qb up 35-7 and gets him knocked out for the year and he is given a free get out of jail card, but Gus plays in a league that is dominating football and it's how he loses....  Silliness.   Look i am disgusted with Gus's pride and stubbornness just like others, but if he wins 10 with the hardest schedule in football you have to just stop the whining.   Bo missed all the open receivers, except the other team-- not Gus.  And the OL IS THE ONE'S who can't get a push against the weakest opponents, more less a Georgia or Bama....

Stop the whining

[1auburn1 1,110]

1 minute ago, auburnphan said:

Interesting, some want him to leave, some want him gone today, some want him to stay because it is too expensive.........

Apparently nobody wants him to stay base on his performance.

This and "appearances".   Some don't want him gone because the "appearance" of Auburn firing what some would consider a successful coach would just be intolerable.    

Is Auburn considered a Power Program in the landscape of CFB?     Check

Can you win an NC at Auburn?    Check

Think of the rather short list of schools that can check both of those boxes.    How many of those schools would endure 4 or more losses 6 years running (most likely) without a coaching change?    I can't think of any other than Auburn.    I would say we're a very tolerant fan base.

[lost 452]

Let Gus leave on his own or wait till it is affordable.  Take the top 10 classes and the top 10-15 finishes and live with it.  It beats what i grew up with as a child ( except for a few seasons).  It was rough being an Auburn fan then.  I want to win NC'S TOO, but so do he other 120 schools or so

[lost 452]

8 minutes ago, gr82be said:

The 3 losses to the 3 ranked opponents are by an average of 7 points per game. That's how close and how far we are from being undefeated. An offensive guru should be able to find a way to score more than 15-16 points per game. The defense is close to being undefeated, the offense is not. 

Th offensive Geru---- had the play called many times, but it was not executed.  That is on the players.  Not Gus

[bigbird 60,498]

4 hours ago, lost said:

It's how you lose?   I thought a loss was a loss?

I guess that's where you're mistaken

[bigbird 60,498]

9 minutes ago, lost said:

Th offensive Geru---- had the play called many times, but it was not executed.  That is on the players.  Not Gus

Maybe or the team wasn't prepared enough to execute those plays under those circumstances. That's on the HC

[WalkingCarpet 1,379]

31 minutes ago, Tiger said:

Some people just like losing against our peers I guess

I read some of our boards and I am constantly confused by some of our posters. It's like they think we're Iowa or something and have forgotten we've been to the NCG twice this decade. Auburn competing at the highest level is not some goal that is impossibly out of reach. 

[auburnphan 6,050]

9 minutes ago, lost said:

Th offensive Geru---- had the play called many times, but it was not executed.  That is on the players.  Not Gus

The play caller should call plays that his team can execute, if repeated failure to execute plays is it the practice technique, recruiting players incapable, failure in play scheme?   It really does not matter it falls on the guy behind it.

[lost 452]

4 minutes ago, auburnphan said:

The play caller should call plays that his team can execute, if repeated failure to execute plays is it the practice technique, recruiting players incapable, failure in play scheme?   It really does not matter it falls on the guy behind it.

It is not his fault the QB cannot execute the throw, or the receiver drops the ball or the OL fails to block.

[gr82be 14,423]

3 minutes ago, lost said:

Th offensive Geru---- had the play called many times, but it was not executed.  That is on the players.  Not Gus

I blame player execution on certain things but ten games in he's calling plays the defense know is coming. He's got players not executing certain plays and he is the one making those decisions on who plays and which plays are called. Sounds like Gus has to shoulder most of the blame to me. While other contenders are improving week to week we seem to stand still. Gus is being lapped by his peers in the top half of the league. The opponent knows what's coming and the players (talent) are the only reason we don't lose more games. It's not that Kent St, Tulane, Arkansas and the like don't know what's coming, they just don't have the talent to stop it. 

[lost 452]

5 minutes ago, WalkingCarpet said:

I read some of our boards and I am constantly confused by some of our posters. It's like they think we're Iowa or something and have forgotten we've been to the NCG twice this decade. Auburn competing at the highest level is not some goal that is impossibly out of reach. 

Actually it is the opposite.  Who else got us to the point of competing for these?  Gus Malzhan is connected to it all.  Ignore it, but it is true.   That is why you just don't have hissy fits because every year he does not do it like Saban.  There is only one Saban

[Beenjammin 87]

1 hour ago, bigbird said:

It's not the losses. It's the absolute lack of progression over the last 6 years, the same baffling coaching mistakes, and the lack of program development. Each year is year one. We never progress or improve from year to year.

AMEN!

Outsiders are giving AU fans a stigma of being spoiled, but its not just this year's losses, or even last year's. It stems from the day Tubberville left. $27,000,000 for 6 years of the same exact offense whether is be (Nick, Marshall, J.J, Sean White, Jarrett Stidham, and now the Bo Nix)...  Nothing changes, its the same thing on a different day.... And now we see Jeremy Pruitt calling plays before they even happen. We are THAT obvious. I promise its not just Pruitt that can read us like a coloring book.

[Tiger 8,818]

4 minutes ago, lost said:

It is not his fault the QB cannot execute the throw, or the receiver drops the ball or the OL fails to block.

Then it should not be to his credit that Nick Marshall made every first defender miss, or that Prosch and G-Rob annihilated every defender in their way to let Tre Mason or NM bust big runs every 4 snaps. He's not doing any of those things personally now, is he?

He's losing games he should win. Over and over. That's not meeting the standard that his contract dictates. 

Also, I'd say it may not be his fault that our OL can't block anyone, but it's damn sure his fault for not getting better OL into the program.

[fredst 9,064]

26 minutes ago, lost said:

It's how you lose?   I thought a loss was a loss?

It’s how you lose on average 4.5 games/year and look completely inept in doing so, while winning ~30% of the games against the major rivals on the schedule. Don’t be obtuse, if you can help it.