Mitchie

1 minute ago, gr82be said:

No flaming at all. It was a case of both blowing the lead and some poor officiating. When both of our big men have 4 fouls each and theirs have 1 or 2 them yeah, something's rotten in Denmark but the bottom line is that we can't close a game. A 17 point lead should never be surrendered by a 16-0 run. This team is frustrating. 

I definitely understand the frustration. It was a physical, tight game.

I watched this game. No allegiance. Read this board all the time.

Get ready to flame away.

You blew a 17-point second-half lead at your biggest rival's place in a game you probably shouldn't have been winning.

At some point, stop complaining about "the refs" and "Birmingham."

You do the same thing in football.

Don't you EVER get tired of whining?

Seriously?

At some point, isn't it on your athletes and coaches to get the job done?

7 minutes ago, Zamps1976 said:

I think at this point they should go all in for Dabo, make him an offer he cant refuse.

The only thing about Dabo is I'm not even sure he would leave Clemson for 'Bama. And here's why.

I know he loves Alabama, obviously, and his love for coach Stallings is obvious.

But he basically built Clemson into what it is today. That is a very difficult thing to give up, even after losses like last weekend. He has built something special. He would be leaving that, giving that up, for even more of a pressure-cooker where he would be expected to run with the baton that Saban has carried. 

I could see him following the coach that FOLLOWED Saban. But I can't see him following the man. I'm not sure he'd want to go to Auburn to coach against him or Alabama.

I'd bet if Saban retired tomorrow, or after the bowl game, and Alabama called, that Swinney would say, thank you, I'm honored, but no.

7 minutes ago, AURealist said:

Nope.

The guy gives off weird vibes and he never blinks.  

 

😃😃

Just now, ScotsAU said:

Consider:

He doesn’t recruit.

He was largely responsible for that Cam Newton mess and subsequent media slander that we are still feeling the effects of 12 years later. 
He’s a jerk. 
 

I think Mullen would get an even worse welcome than Freeze would.

All good points on the recruiting thing, and on Cam Newton.

Again, looking at your alternatives:

- Lane Kiffin is not coming.

- Hugh Freeze may, in fact, be coming, and I actually think will be a good head coach and a winner at Auburn, but apparently the fan base is divided on him because of his obvious shady past, which I completely understand.

- Dan Lanning knows the territory but may not want to go head-to-head with Smart, Saban, Kelly and Jimbo right now, after having lost to Georgia by 46 on the field to boot, when he can compete with a weak field in the Pac-12.

- A young NFL assistant that's not proven might be the way to go -- but it's hardly what will excite a fan base that desperately needs it.

- An energetic Cadillac Williams whose only negative seems to be a lack of coaching experience and gravitas on the sidelines, but apparently is a recruiting beast.

- A litany of names that most people don't know, i.e., another Harsin hire.

Fact is, Mullen may not want to coach and has some down side. But he also has ties to Cohen and has been a proven winner in the SEC. I'm trying to think like your leadership might be thinking.

11 minutes ago, caleb1633 said:

The fanbase would lose their minds because of the Cam Newton stuff.

Kind of what I figured. But consider:

- Had Mississippi State ranked number 1 in the nation during the Dak Prescott years, and I covered Mississippi State -- you guys have watched them. Having MSU ranked number 1 in the nation in football is unreal.

- Was the QB coach for some pretty amazing talents.

- Came within seconds of knocking off Alabama in the SEC title game.

Compared to some of the candidates that have been mentioned, he's got far more positives. Has won in the SEC, has beaten Georgia, has competed with Saban and Smart in recruiting, is a fairly charismatic guy, very intelligent, and he's still fairly young. He's had some time to think about mistakes he made at Florida. Seems like he's far, far more of a win than Freeze, one the fans could get behind. And I'm guessing he's got a relationship with Cohen.

How would you guys feel about Dan Mullen?

55 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

thank you for posting and the insight. i would love to see you around more and maybe throw some insider stuff or input on occasion. and you are correct in lane might change his mind if he has not already signed because he seems to have painted himself into a corner. i understand what you are saying and i appreciate it. there is no reason for anyone to treat you like a jerk. it is embarrassing when you just posted your thoughts on a sports board.

Thank you; meant no harm with my posts, only that if Kiffin doesn't come as expected, that Auburn could still end up with a solid coach.

Just now, DAG said:

You can do whatever you feel. I am just saying, what you are saying is things that has been repeated on several threads. Not trying to be rude, but it is not groundbreaking.

I know, and didn't mean to be groundbreaking. Was just lending some insight into what I was hearing, and confirming many of you were on the right track, not to break news, simple as that.

Just now, DAG said:

Yes he is another poster like me. He is not considered an insider. 

I see. 

Could easily clear this up by posting my identity, photo and a website. Didn't mean to be a nuisance. Wish you the best of luck.

2 minutes ago, DAG said:

I have never seen an insider here say Freeze is not a candidate. In fact, most have said Freeze is our last option in case we miss on our initials

Actually, in this thread, someone named autiger88 said Freeze wasn't a candidate.

Just now, AUINSY said:

You’re not telling any of us anything we don’t already know, while claiming to have insider knowledge and insight that is unique and special. And then leaving yourself a back door to say “it very well could happen”. That and that alone is why you’re getting thumbs down. 

Not claiming to have any insider knowledge. Telling you straight out that I am a reporter in Texas. My friends at ESPN believe that Kiffin is Auburn's first choice and Freeze is their second. Your insiders say Freeze is not a candidate. I don't have insider knowledge. I'm telling you what I'm hearing. Period. Telling you that my guys at ESPN are telling ME that Kiffin is literally on the fence and may very well stay at Ole Miss. NEVER said I had insider knowledge. Not once. I'm telling you not to get your hopes up like some of you did before Harsin was hired. I think it will probably be Kiffin as your new head coach.

Just now, DAG said:

I wasn’t being serious. You are repeating several items that has been said here already. It’s not over till it’s over. I am not stressing over it. 

Simply saying that you guys are on the right track. Only noting that the SEC reporters I know that are truly covering the story are telling me that Kiffin is really on the fence and is weighing his options. I just know that there has been some disappointment here before. And I hate to see that. There are some good coaches that have been mentioned here. Kiffin is likely to take this job, but if he doesn't, it is FAR from the end of the world.

Just now, DAG said:

What I really want to know is are you hearing anything ? 

I'm removed from your situation. What I've heard is that Kiffin has the Ole Miss offer and is anticipating an offer from Auburn, as their first choice, that will top the Ole Miss offer. Like you've said here, the Auburn NIL war chest is pretty substantial. He would be hard-pressed to say no. But he likes Oxford and has stability there. You've noticed he's been careful how he's wording his media appearances, and that he told his team tonight that he "hasn't accepted" any other jobs. That's present-tense. I'm also familiar with the WCBI reporter. Started my career in Columbus, Mississippi at the Commercial Dispatch in Columbus. He's a bit of a goof. But he is good friends with your new AD. Where there's smoke, there may be fire.

1 minute ago, gr82be said:

So what are you hearing about Jimbo? Are the boosters pooling their money? What's the word in Texas? 

That Jimbo is safe for a year but may have to give some of his assistants the boot -- including former AU standout Dameyune Craig. That's what I'm hearing. I covered A&M-Ole Miss a few weeks ago. Obviously things have gotten some worse since then.

OK, I did not post to stir things up. I have said you guys may very well have Kiffin as your next coach. This is precisely what I was saying: some of you do not want to hear it, but he may stay at Ole Miss, and you need to be ready to accept that. Hitting thumbs down on my comments isn't going to change it. He also may leave Oxford and take the job. I literally am hearing he is wrestling with it. I've been wrong before.

2 minutes ago, TXaubie said:

Just curious, is what you just did how sports reporting is done these days?? 

In all honesty, I've just been reading here, and been intrigued by what's been said. I know what I'm hearing, and I am hearing that Kiffin is on the fence. I'm also hearing that Kiffin has his formal offer from Ole Miss on the table and will be presented a formal offer from Auburn. I'm also hearing he's Auburn's first choice. I just normally am here observing, and sometimes I tire of observing. That's all. I'm simply saying Auburn has a good chance to land Kiffin, from what I'm hearing, but you -- as longtime Auburn fans -- should know above all else the dangers of getting your hopes up.

Just now, autiger88 said:

Freeze isn't a candidate or atleast not on our list at moment according to my sources so there you go on that one... 😒

That might be correct, but I have a connection at ESPN (not Chris Low), one of their college writers, who believes Freeze IS a candidate at Auburn. You may be more in-the-know than my ESPN connection. I don't mind name-dropping; it's Dave Wilson. I don't think he would mind me telling that here. They do believe it's Kiffin and Freeze and pretty much a big chasm after that.

No offense, but from someone who is an innocent bystander -- I'm a sports reporter who lives in Texas, have been reading your board forever, just hardly ever post -- it really seems like some of you have your heart set on Kiffin and are unwilling to accept the possibility that he isn't coming. And when someone (in this case, Low) reports something you don't like, you're shooting the messenger. In this case, it's kind of with soft arrows (can't this just go in one of the other threads, etc), but it's shooting the messenger, nonetheless.

I think you should come to terms with the possibility that it's barely possible that Kiffin isn't coming. It's a strong possibility that he IS in fact going to accept the job. But you should be prepared for the outside chance that he's not, and that your coach could be Freeze, which is what my sources are saying, or maybe even another candidate that hasn't really been talked that much about. It is, after all, possible that Kiffin accepts the deal from the Rebels that is already on the table.

17 minutes ago, CR said:

Dale from Boise?

Great to pile on someone who was trying to have a good take on an awful situation.

This whole thing is turning Harsin into George Costanza, and Auburn into Play Now.

I don't think they're saying Harsin entering the side door is the news; it's that he's there at all.

If the PTB at Auburn were going to get rid of him, or if they had a "smoking gun," then he would've already been gone and wouldn't be there.

It looks like -- and I know 80 percent won't want to hear this -- that Harsin will be back or has won the inner power struggle. Starting to look more and more like it. Unless they can get him to just go away. To do that, if they want to bad enough, they may have to pony up the entire $18 million.

Question is, if Hugh Freeze is the pick and for WHATEVER reason says no, who in the world would want to walk into this mess without guarantees that something similar won't happen to them in two years?

8 minutes ago, TeamZero77 said:

I agree with everything this article said. Of course 75% of our fanbase will keep the wool pulled over their eyes and call everybody else a Bammer if they agree with this article. Our fanbase really needs to wake up and quit living in la la land. If people would step outside of Auburn for a few minutes they would see that our school and athletics dept is viewed this way by most of America. Why is every firing of a football coach at Auburn got to be so messy? Dye was a scandal, Bowden was a scandal, Tuberville had Jetgate and then the very 1st losing season he had after Jetgate he was axed. Chizik fired 2 years after a Natty, fans wanting Gus fired from 2015 until it actually happened and now this fiasco with Harsin. 

Our fanbase talked crap about Alabama when they had the Dubose scandal, Mike Price, Franchione leaving, Shula struggling, etc. but if ANYBODY says the same things about our beloved Auburn than they're just a Bammer or they're journalist that are secretly paid by the REC, etc. 

Our fanbase always makes fun of Tennessee fans, the Mississippi schools fanbases, Bammers and every other fanbase when ours is just as bad and alot of times even worse. 

 

And many of them think they're firing Harsin today, and hiring Sean Freaking Payton tomorrow, and if not Payton, surely Urban Meyer.

27 minutes ago, TeamZero77 said:

You've got to think about where Auburn stands currently. After we pay a new coach and his staff to come here, we could be looking at $60 to $70 million dollars over the past 15 months because of Gus and his staffs buyouts, Harsin and his staffs buyouts and the new coach and his staff. That's insane!!! Because of that, I don't see Auburn paying a huge contract for the next coach. 

Also, Auburn has usually went with a coach that has Auburn ties. They went away from that practice when they hired Harsin and with the end result of that mess, I see them going back to the old ways of Good Ol' Boy Network. 

They'll definately want a coach with strong recruiting ties and a coach who has a good reputation with his players. 

When all of the above is factored in, plus it is a bad time of the year to find a coach, I realistically see these coaches as candidates. (Not my candidates but who I really think Auburn will wind up choosing from)

Will Muschamp (2 stops at Auburn, strong recruiter, has been SEC coach at 2 schools and wants to be HC again)

Eli Drinkwitz (was on staff at Auburn in 2010, coached under Gus and Harsin at Arky St. if I remember correctly, has recruited really well at Missouri, SEC head coach currently at Missouri)

Kevin Steele (has been at Auburn recently, strong recruiter that put alot of players in the NFL, knows the SEC from decades of experience, coached under Bobby Bowden, Tom Osborne, Saban, Les Miles and Dabo Swinney, players always loved him, he wanted this head coaching job 1 year ago. The PTB wanted him and he would be a Yes Man for them)

Gene Chizik (I could see a scenario where he would be a last resort. Kinda how Mack Brown has came back to UNC)

Rhett Lashlee (just because he knows the school, he is young and would be very cheap and a puppet for the PTB)

In NO WAY would I want any of those candidates but I would about bet you that our next head coach will come from that list. I don't see us hiring Hugh Freeze. We didn't hire him 1 year ago and I don't think you could fire Harsin with all the rumors out there and then hire Hugh Freeze who had the same issues at Ole Miss. 

 

Wasn't trying to be harsh with my last post; I just re-read it. This is simply what I'm saying. Auburn has great tradition and is a good job, one of the best in college football. But you've got things working against you here, IF they fire Harsin or both parties pull the "mutual parting of the ways" thing that's so common now, and that's what I'm thinking will happen. They'll settle and Auburn will look a little better for it not "technically" being a firing.

Freeze and some of the people that have been mentioned, that second tier after the dream candidates, aren't bad at all and Freeze will be great if given another chance. But why expect a pie-in-the-sky candidate like Aranda? That isn't happening for a number of reasons.

Remember what Bill Parcells said: "Perception is reality."

1 hour ago, TeamZero77 said:

Everybody saying Fickell, Kiffin, Aranda, etc. are just setting yourselves up to be disappointed all over again. I've said it in other posts, LOOK AT OUR HIRING HISTORY ALL THE WAY BACK TO SHUG JORDAN. We aren't getting a "big name." The post earlier in this thread that said "it's not about who Auburn wants now, it's who would want Auburn now." As much as it hurts to say that, it's true. We aren't going to break the bank and go all in like Alabama did with Saban, Texas A&M did with Jimbo or LSU has done with Brian Kelly. I know alot of you will say Jimbo or Brian Kelly are overrated but you've got to think like a 17 or 18 year old kid and they've seen Brain Kelly in the playoffs a couple times and seen Jimbo win a Natty and beat Bama. Even the Mississippi schools have "name brand" coaches in Leach and Kiffin. Those 2 are in the news ALOT and on ESPN and they're characters. Sam Pittman is the least known coach in the West and he has done a phenomenal job at Arkansas. We are WAY behind in the SEC West when it comes to the popular coach and exciting offenses, etc. and that stuff matters!!!

As far as Fickell, just stop. He has NEVER been out of Ohio. He grew up in Ohio, went to school in Ohio, did all his asst coaching in Ohio and his head coaching has been all in Ohio. He ain't leaving!!! Especially with Cincy going to the Big12 now. Look at all the offers he has had to leave and he never would. So why would he come to Auburn, in this mess, when he turned down bigger jobs?

Dave Aranda just won the Big12 title and wouldn't budge when LSU came calling recently. And he won a Natty at LSU as DC and still chose to stay at Baylor. He is from Southern California and insiders say USC wanted him a few months ago but he wouldn't leave Baylor. So USC ponied up and got Lincoln Riley. Aranda is a strange cat and he is all about the fit and not the flash or money. We wouldn't offer him anyway and he wouldn't come here.

A large portion of our fanbase isn't grasping just how bad Auburn is looking right now because of firing Gus and his staff, then firing a coach after 1 season and gonna be paying his staff too. We are being viewed as a program with meddling boosters who will fire coaches 2 years after a Natty (Chizik), 8 years without a losing season (Malzahn) and now after 1 year (Harsin). I'm not being negative, just stating facts at how the world outside of Auburn views our football program right now.

This. I am an outsider and have gotten some heat, but here is one of your own guys/ ladies telling you the truth. There is literally no way Urban Meyer, either one of the Stoops, and especially Lane Kiffin are going to Auburn. You are radioactive right now. I think if you can secure Kevin Sumlin (a great recruiter, but may not be interested in the SEC again), Clay Helton, or Freeze, consider yourselves fortunate and blessed. You're already paying Malzahn. You're soon to be paying Harsin and his staff. Money might, might be an issue. Do you REALLY want Urban Meyer after all his baggage? You guys have got to be realistic.