New CBS article about Malzahn and his hot seat

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/is-auburns-49-million-man-actually-on-the-hot-seat-criticism-of-gus-malzahn-grows/

 

 

 

 

Is Auburn's $49 million man actually on the hot seat? Criticism of Gus Malzahn grows

• By Barrett Sallee
• Oct 18, 2018 • 3 min read

Auburn came into the season as the defending SEC West champions with a top-15 ranking and hopes of building off last season's success with redshirt junior Jarrett Stidham back to take the snaps. Instead, the fall from grace on the Plains has been as quick as lemonade is downed at Toomer's Corner.

Citing sources close to the program, Brandon Marcello of 247Sports went on "The Paul Finebaum Show" earlier this week and noted that the new seven-year, $49 million contract that Gus Malzahn signed in the offseason won't be hard for the program to get past -- should it decide to do so -- despite the hefty price tag.

On the surface, that's eye-opening and sounds incredible considering this guy just beat Nick Saban and Kirby Smart a year ago. That buyout figure seems like it would cause permanent damage not only to a football program but an entire athletic department. But Auburn was the nation's eighth-most valuable college football program in 2017-18, according to Forbes, raking in $112 million in revenue and $61 million in profit. 

A $38 million buyout is expensive, but it is also doable considering the paychecks television networks and the SEC cut each school at the end of the school year. The bottom line is that it might be necessary no matter the price tag.

Malzahn got the job for being an offensive genius, but you wouldn't know it based on this season's results. SEC Network analyst Jordan Rodgers showed on Twitter just how vanilla this offense has been.

That predictability became even more apparent last week in the 30-24 home loss to Tennessee when Volunteers coach Jeremy Pruitt was heard off camera calling out where an Auburn pass play was headed.

From the moment toe met leather in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game against Washington, it was clear that the Tigers offense was going to be a liability -- not a strength -- in 2018. The offensive line has struggled against every FBS program that it has faced, giving up 15 sacks this season (11th in the SEC), and the rushing attack -- typically a strength for Auburn -- is 12th in the conference with 158.43 yards per game. In its three of its last four games, the Tigers haven't even eclipsed the 100-yard mark on the ground.

Stidham has regressed, which isn't helping matters. Some of those sacks are squarely on his indecisiveness in the pocket; he has thrown four picks and has been careless with the football. On top of that, he consistently hasn't even seen wide open receivers deep downfield -- even in the season-opening win over Washington when he threw for 273 yards. He is 59th in the country in passing plays of 30 or more yards with just six on the year. For comparison's sake, Ole Miss signal-caller Jordan Ta'amu leads the nation with 27.

That offensive ineptitude has put Auburn in a very tough spot. If it doesn't beat Ole Miss this weekend, it's hard to imagine Malzahn leading the program to a bowl game in 2018. Liberty is the only sure-fire win on the schedule; the Tigers have Alabama and Georgia on the road and Texas A&M is the only home conference game left on the slate. But the road team in the Auburn-Texas A&M series has won every game since conference expansion in 2018. 

If a team like Auburn -- that has legitimate national championship caliber talent -- can't even make a bowl game, you could probably pass a hat around the next home tailgate and raise enough money to cover that cost. After all, it's clear that the program isn't getting its proper return on investment

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

The main point of posting this, is I'm wondering if anyone can tell me who the guy on the right is in the video. The video works but here is his picture. It's the older bald guy I'm asking about...

[around4ever 4,139]

10 minutes ago, Auburn2Eugene said:

The main point of posting this, is I'm wondering if anyone can tell me who the guy on the right is in the video. The video works but here is his picture. It's the older bald guy I'm asking about...

Dennis Dodd. 

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

24 minutes ago, around4ever said:

Dennis Dodd. 

Thank you. Man alive his look has changed. Time hasn't been friendly to him. Thanks A4E

[kevon67 2,368]

1 hour ago, Auburn2Eugene said:

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/is-auburns-49-million-man-actually-on-the-hot-seat-criticism-of-gus-malzahn-grows/

 

 

 

 

Is Auburn's $49 million man actually on the hot seat? Criticism of Gus Malzahn grows

• By Barrett Sallee
• Oct 18, 2018 • 3 min read

Auburn came into the season as the defending SEC West champions with a top-15 ranking and hopes of building off last season's success with redshirt junior Jarrett Stidham back to take the snaps. Instead, the fall from grace on the Plains has been as quick as lemonade is downed at Toomer's Corner.

Citing sources close to the program, Brandon Marcello of 247Sports went on "The Paul Finebaum Show" earlier this week and noted that the new seven-year, $49 million contract that Gus Malzahn signed in the offseason won't be hard for the program to get past -- should it decide to do so -- despite the hefty price tag.

On the surface, that's eye-opening and sounds incredible considering this guy just beat Nick Saban and Kirby Smart a year ago. That buyout figure seems like it would cause permanent damage not only to a football program but an entire athletic department. But Auburn was the nation's eighth-most valuable college football program in 2017-18, according to Forbes, raking in $112 million in revenue and $61 million in profit. 

A $38 million buyout is expensive, but it is also doable considering the paychecks television networks and the SEC cut each school at the end of the school year. The bottom line is that it might be necessary no matter the price tag.

Malzahn got the job for being an offensive genius, but you wouldn't know it based on this season's results. SEC Network analyst Jordan Rodgers showed on Twitter just how vanilla this offense has been.

That predictability became even more apparent last week in the 30-24 home loss to Tennessee when Volunteers coach Jeremy Pruitt was heard off camera calling out where an Auburn pass play was headed.

From the moment toe met leather in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game against Washington, it was clear that the Tigers offense was going to be a liability -- not a strength -- in 2018. The offensive line has struggled against every FBS program that it has faced, giving up 15 sacks this season (11th in the SEC), and the rushing attack -- typically a strength for Auburn -- is 12th in the conference with 158.43 yards per game. In its three of its last four games, the Tigers haven't even eclipsed the 100-yard mark on the ground.

Stidham has regressed, which isn't helping matters. Some of those sacks are squarely on his indecisiveness in the pocket; he has thrown four picks and has been careless with the football. On top of that, he consistently hasn't even seen wide open receivers deep downfield -- even in the season-opening win over Washington when he threw for 273 yards. He is 59th in the country in passing plays of 30 or more yards with just six on the year. For comparison's sake, Ole Miss signal-caller Jordan Ta'amu leads the nation with 27.

That offensive ineptitude has put Auburn in a very tough spot. If it doesn't beat Ole Miss this weekend, it's hard to imagine Malzahn leading the program to a bowl game in 2018. Liberty is the only sure-fire win on the schedule; the Tigers have Alabama and Georgia on the road and Texas A&M is the only home conference game left on the slate. But the road team in the Auburn-Texas A&M series has won every game since conference expansion in 2018. 

If a team like Auburn -- that has legitimate national championship caliber talent -- can't even make a bowl game, you could probably pass a hat around the next home tailgate and raise enough money to cover that cost. After all, it's clear that the program isn't getting its proper return on investment

Thanks for posting...........I was just about to read this earlier on cbs when I was sidetracked with an article on Pruitt tipping his defense to our plays.....which comes as no surprise because quite easy to do.

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

34 minutes ago, kevon67 said:

Thanks for posting...........I was just about to read this earlier on cbs when I was sidetracked with an article on Pruitt tipping his defense to our plays.....which comes as no surprise because quite easy to do.

YW.

People don't believe that there is any way we fire him. I didn't either until the Tennessee loss. But if some of the things I've read on other forums is true, then we just may. 

I just typed out the entire thing but then decided to delete it because if it is true, it may be premium information. That board doesn't restrict it like this one does. I have no way of knowing if it is or isn't. I don't have any premium subscriptions. Then it could not be true, and with the board rules about rumors, I decided I shouldn't post the story. 

Let's just say I've gone from thinking we could lose every game remaining this season and every game the next season, and he is still around for the  2020 season...to thinking he is all but coaching for his job today.

[AUsince72 11,084]

3 minutes ago, Auburn2Eugene said:

YW.

People don't believe that there is any way we fire him. I didn't either until the Tennessee loss. But if some of the things I've read on other forums is true, then we just may. 

I just typed out the entire thing but then decided to delete it because if it is true, it may be premium information. That board doesn't restrict it like this one does. I have no way of knowing if it is or isn't. I don't have any premium subscriptions. Then it could not be true, and with the board rules about rumors, I decided I shouldn't post the story. 

Let's just say I've gone from thinking we could lose every game remaining this season and every game the next season, and he is still around for the  2020 season...to thinking he is all but coaching for his job today.

As I posted elsewhere, I'm sure there's enough zillionaires attached to Auburn football that they could come together and and each contribute "chump change" (to them) for the $15M "immediate" portion of the buyout.  Then it's a matter of creative financing over the next few years for the balance.

Must be nice to be unhappy with your beloved team and actually have the clout to DO SOMETHING about it...

[kevon67 2,368]

1 hour ago, Auburn2Eugene said:

YW.

People don't believe that there is any way we fire him. I didn't either until the Tennessee loss. But if some of the things I've read on other forums is true, then we just may. 

I just typed out the entire thing but then decided to delete it because if it is true, it may be premium information. That board doesn't restrict it like this one does. I have no way of knowing if it is or isn't. I don't have any premium subscriptions. Then it could not be true, and with the board rules about rumors, I decided I shouldn't post the story. 

Let's just say I've gone from thinking we could lose every game remaining this season and every game the next season, and he is still around for the  2020 season...to thinking he is all but coaching for his job today.

I read what our AD said.........based I what he didnt say was telling to me.........I wouldnt be surprised if he looses today he could be gone..........Auburn is not going to set a contract buyout they cant afford to part with.

[doc4aday 1,887]

Did the win today buy Gus more time?  Let's say we wind up 6-6. Is this enough for Gus to come back in 2019? I think a lot of it depends on how bad our loses are. If we get blown out by the rest of the SEC teams we face, this should be enough to get Gus gone. Who knows folks????

[ChltteTiger 649]

We all know we will get blown out by Bama, but if we get blown out by the other 2 SEC teams then I predict the end is on the horizon.