DyeCampAlum

I could walk away from Auburn football if it were Freeze or Daddy Briles. It would hurt, but could do it.

After a single player called him out for not saying anything about the racial strife in 2020, Harsin issued a fairly bland statement about how we can all do better, and Boise's basketball coach issued a statement too. That's all I know about.

I'm not in a place to say Harsin has failed or should be fired. I'm just concerned, where I was feeling pretty positive just a few weeks ago.

I thought that was an entirely appropriate initiative on the part of these players. As someone with higher ed experience in diverse settings, it's usually a no-no to approach the board directly--for everyone but students. And these guys have a lot at stake. The president can share with players what's public knowledge: they're concerned about departures and want to ensure the program is healthy. They don't have to say anything else, but it would be terrific if they'd listen. If they're interviewing players who complain, they'd darn sure better hear out those who are happy.

Clearly this whole thing was started to drum up participation in the donor board. If you can’t see that, I don’t know how to help you.

Things we know. Some players complained about him; others love him. Lots of players left. Mason left and Davis did whatever he did. Lots of other coaching transition. 6-7 but momentum in recruiting until there wasn’t. Things we don’t know. Everything else. Let’s not run off assuming things on the basis of rumors.

I agree. But I’ m as sure as I can be that Mason is a bad loss. That’s the thing sticking in my head.

That Tony Fair post is fire. I admit: I don’t know what to believe. I do think it’s a failure when good people leave, and some good ones left. But I won’t claim to know the issues.

This crisis is not the media’s fault, and it doesn’t look like it stated with boosters. It began warming when Derek Mason walked away, and it accelerated when players started commenting. So it is not artificial. The sex rumor is just a distraction unless there’s something to it. The issue is, lots of employees are leaving the firm, and others are saying it’s working conditions. When that happens, the board has to decide what to do about the CEO.

I’ve been supportive of Harsin all along, but this situation has me alarmed. It wasn’t a good thing when he fired Cornelius Williams, but I assumed there had to be a good reason. He failed as a leader with respect to Covid, but I didn’t turn negative. The five straight losses didn’t set me against him, and I was thrilled by the recruiting comeback. Losing Bo Nix isn’t good, but hey, kids want new experiences. Not for a second have I engaged the salacious rumor. I assume it isn’t true. (Most of us here have done the same.) But when Mason left, and when about 20 players left, I’m now prepared to believe there’s a problem. The reporting worries me. The social media posts do too. Here’s how I’m thinking about it now. If some of my students aren’t learning, I try to reach them. If a lot of my students aren’t learning, then I assume I’m doing something wrong. If a politician isn’t reaching their constituents, they need to change their approach. If your business is losing customers, you don’t blame the customers. In other words, I don’t think it’s as simple as soft players versus resilient players. Smoke Monday is in no way soft. I imagine there may have been resentments, communication failures, bad assumptions, misunderstandings, a few unhealthy personalities, all sorts of stuff. But in 2022 if you can’t keep your coaches and players, you can’t compete. In the NFL, if a coach “loses his team,” it’s over. In college, there may be a chance of learning and growing. I’ve not given up yet, but I’m convinced Harsin has some role in the problems.

This one I actually know. I don’t know when they’ll communicate, but actual lawyers will work on the weekend for an urgent investigation, and this is that. Investigation at this level means lawyers. When they’ll be done, when they’ll announce, I don’t know. But I’d be pretty sure they’re moving fast.

Wes Neighbors was the best football player I ever played against. (High school.) And we played against a half-dozen NFL players. Every time I hit him, I literally just bounced off. Completely disruptive.

This is getting a little dumb. In every post I’ve indicated that I don’t know what’s true. Not once have I called for Harsin to be gone. None of us know what’s going on, except that Auburn is clearly investigating it. What I have said is that that Advertizer story is very, very bad for Harsin and for Auburn.

If you mean “dismissed with cause,” I’d probably agree. If the quotes are legit, it’s every reason to move on. Every coach who recruits against Auburn would have this story up on their tablet.

“If that’s true….” There’s some smoke in what players are saying. I don’t know if it’s true. I’ll tell you this, and I posted it a bit back, I am concerned that he’s fired two widely loved Black coaches (or run one off) and replaced each with White friends. I didn’t draw conclusions then and I won’t now, but I promise you the Auburn people who are making calls about this are asking about it.

No way to know how much truth is in the quotes from this article. But I know two things. (1) You very rarely see an article like this one. And (2) when you do, the coach doesn’t last long. This is bad news. https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburn/2022/02/04/bryan-harsin-auburn-football-toxic-dysfunctional-program/6664062001/

If that’s true, and if it’s part of a pattern, I could see it described as racism. Yikes.

From the story: "People affiliated with the legal affairs of Auburn have been reaching out for answers as to why there's been a staff exodus and why there have been so many issues within the program, a source told ESPN."

This is an important conversation. We use the word racism in a lot of ways, and depending on how we use it, it may fit or it may not. Here's what I want to know: did coaches (esp. Mason) leave for reasons adjacent to why players are leaving? If the answer has anything to do with Harsin failing to connect with Black players, then we have two choices: (a) help Harsin do better or (b) part ways. I realize quite a few of the voices supporting Harsin are Black players. These conversations are really messy.

Chris Low & Pete Thames (I know) reporting that Auburn has been interviewing people, players and coaches, who have left. That includes legal people doing the interviews. Story

Guys who enter the portal in late January/early February…. How can they possibly actually transfer now? I mean, it’s too late to register for classes almost everywhere. So they can’t work out or practice with new teammates till summer. On the other hand, I suppose they could sign papers with another school? Asking because maybe, depending on how this is handled, some could stay in class and stay. Surely some would stay in class?

This could mean lots of things. With what’s going on, it’s appropriate for the AD to tell players what to expect.

I don't know, but I think I know? (Was on a D1 faculty athletics committee.) I would think the president can fire anyone who's not tenured or protected, but they would want the board behind them with a head football coach. Just like it's the AD's job to fire a coach, but they want the president behind them.

Well, I’m confused. I won’t talk about the salacious rumor. If it‘s true, we’ll know. But the culture thing, that’s hard. That’s a lot of players who feel a certain way, and some amazing testimonials for Harsin from others. It’s possible Harsin has learning to do, it’s possible he’s the problem, and it’s possible he’s bringing a culture change we need. The one thing that worries me: the coach departures. I don’t know about that.

One other thought.... I wonder if any staff conflict involved the vaccination thing? It wouldn't be hard to imagine. I hate poo-stirring, but here I am doing it. Reporters should ask.