Coach Candidates Thread (OP Updated 12/22)

[AUscw2011 40]

This morning. 

[jAUSon 2,836]

46 minutes ago, Zeek said:

I don't know if anyone mentioned this earlier but someone confirmed with the flight tracker the university plans was in New Orleans...

Orgeron? That's would be just perfect.

[AUGunsmith 666]

17 minutes ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

its 8 plays 

this discussion is probably going to wind to a point where I make the case...it's just a passing version of the Gus offense. and like that offense...it always gets figured out, bc you can't just do the same thing YoY. He averaged like 14 rushing carries a game this season. That's not going to win in this conference, the same way it didn't win in any other conference

 

also can't recruit guys that could maybe make that system just overpower the other team, like Gus (sparingly) did 

The pirate took garbage ttech and wazzu and made them relevant. Hell at wazzu they had 9 wins in the previous 4 years. 

 

We may never win a natty with him, but if we're stuck in mediocrity, might as well have a fun coach. Which was my point all along 🤷🏼‍♂️

[woodford 3,655]

1 hour ago, Tigerbelle said:

If you think the nickster and yabodabo don't have massive egos....then you either don't understand what ego means or you're a poor judge of people. Or both. 

When it comes to adapting in order to maintain success, they definitely don't.  I'm sure they have egos, but not that brash. They're a little more self aware unlike Gustavo.

[Jaba4ever 112]

2 hours ago, AUFriction said:

Even if I let it go, Kiffin wouldn't last here. There are a lot more fans like me that would not accept a Kiffin hire. So, even if you think he's a good coach and the moral stuff doesn't matter to you, he's not the best option for the program. 

Honestly, I don't think so. Using this forum as a population sample, you're pretty well one of a kind.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,366]

It’s going to be Steele. Other than Cristobal, there’s literally been no other legitimacy to any other name mentioned. 
 

The sooner we all understand this, the sooner we can move the **** on. 

[AURealist 2,185]

1 minute ago, ShocksMyBrain said:

It’s going to be Steele. Other than Cristobal, there’s literally been no other legitimacy to any other name mentioned. 
 

The sooner we all understand this, the sooner we can move the **** on. 

... to the Basketball Forum. 

[ShocksMyBrain 9,366]

@AuburnTiger4Life You’re welcome to rebut my comment instead of downvoting and proving me wrong. 

[ShocksMyBrain 9,366]

Just now, AURealist said:

... to the Basketball Forum. 

100%

[AuburnTiger4Life 2,225]

1 minute ago, ShocksMyBrain said:

@AuburnTiger4Life You’re welcome to rebut my comment instead of downvoting and proving me wrong. 

Nothing to rebut lol it won’t be Steele 

[sevenlee36 1,654]

If we be real nice and let him keep the buyout money AND pay him a 10 year contract at say $5MM-$7MM per year, with a large buyout... do you think Gus would comeback?

[jAUSon 2,836]

Couple questions though- and damned If I know what thread to pop them in honestly: 

Does the hiring climate of today even allow the possibility of having a lock on a guy before dismissing the other guy? Extensions, agents, rumors, contract gamesmanship etc- is there really a such thing as a predetermined coach transaction at the upper(ish) level?

Does anybody (sources) really know anything? Is it inherent for us to go through all this realling no matter what, during the coachless window? The media isn't gonna stop. Doesn't make a damn if theyre right or wrong. 100% chance of max attention for them with almost no fall-out for just pure making s*** up.

Last, and least favorite. If it's actually not possible to have a replacement standing at the door, is KS really just a safety net, a fall back considered to be safe enough to make the move Auburn made Sunday? Is "ending up with Steele" the floor Auburn used to force all this?

 

[TigerTaz 109]

55 minutes ago, AUwent said:

Technically Tubs didn't have any Auburn connections.

Yep I know. A rare moment. And Tubs did okay. 

[Tiger4life25 74]

2 minutes ago, ShocksMyBrain said:

It’s going to be Steele. Other than Cristobal, there’s literally been no other legitimacy to any other name mentioned. 
 

The sooner we all understand this, the sooner we can move the **** on. 

So Oregon offers Mario a 6 year 27.3 million dollar contract? What was the rumors we all heard that we had offered? 

[ShocksMyBrain 9,366]

Just now, AuburnTiger4Life said:

Nothing to rebut lol it won’t be Steele 

Then who? Like seriously? The only two names anyone had been throwing around has been Cristobal and Steele. And obviously Cristobal is out. 

[ShocksMyBrain 9,366]

1 minute ago, Tiger4life25 said:

So Oregon offers Mario a 6 year 27.3 million dollar contract? What was the rumors we all heard that we had offered? 

$7.1m was our rumored offer. 

[Maverick.AU 13,279]

5 minutes ago, ShocksMyBrain said:

It’s going to be Steele. Other than Cristobal, there’s literally been no other legitimacy to any other name mentioned. 
 

The sooner we all understand this, the sooner we can move the **** on. 

I disagree heavily with this, as it’s been said the backlash caused some pause within AU. They know this would be a PR nightmare

[TigerTaz 109]

7 minutes ago, ShocksMyBrain said:

It’s going to be Steele. Other than Cristobal, there’s literally been no other legitimacy to any other name mentioned. 
 

The sooner we all understand this, the sooner we can move the **** on. 

Wrong. The Auburn Tiger fans have flooded the phones and emails it’s just not gonna happen. 

[AUStew87 326]

From the beginning of this search, I’ve figured Auburn would screw up the Cristobal deal and hire Napier. 

1. screw up Cristobal hiring: ✅ 

2. screw up Napier hiring... to be determined

[AuburnTiger4Life 2,225]

1 minute ago, ShocksMyBrain said:

Then who? Like seriously? The only two names anyone had been throwing around has been Cristobal and Steele. And obviously Cristobal is out. 

You haven’t been paying attention then. Back to the basketball forum you go. 

[sevenlee36 1,654]

Likely candidate pool:

Rhett

Chip

Will

[Maverick.AU 13,279]

1 minute ago, AuburnTiger4Life said:

You haven’t been paying attention then. Back to the basketball forum you go. 

I mean I’m fine with letting BP coach both sports and spending the best money on staff 😂

[toddc 13,194]

Hot Board 4.0: Leading candidates in Auburn coaching search

VIP  ByNATHAN KING 35 minutes ago 

Share52 Comments

 

 

 

 

Who are the names to keep an eye on in the race to become Auburn's next head coach? Auburn Undercoverwill update this hot board with our top candidates as the search heats up.

VERSION 4.0

We're updating the board Thursday evening with our tier listing of candidates, ranked by what we deem to be their current likelihood of becoming the program's next head football coach. Those at the top are hot, those at the bottom are not.

We've added a handful of new faces, and have moved some names up and some down following some new intel received over the past 24 hours.

TIER 1

 

(Photo: Auburn Athletics)

Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele

Spot on Hot Board 3.0: Tier 1

Intel: Steele has been our frontrunner for a few days now, and even as the search committee has been solidified and other candidates are being more closely examined, we believe he's still the man to beat. He's been making friends at Auburn since he arrived and is heavily supported by many involved with the decision. 

Steele will receive an interview.

Background: Currently the highest-paid assistant coach in college football and the team's current interim head coach, Steele is in his fifth season directing Auburn’s defense to being one of more consistently strong units in the SEC.

He worked under college football greats Johnny Majors at Tennessee, Tom Osborne at Nebraska and Bobby Bowden at Florida State. Now in his 40th year in the industry, the Tennessee alum has also held assistant defensive positions with the Carolina Panthers, Alabama, Clemson, LSU and now on the Plains. Auburn thinks very highly of his ability to develop talent and implement a standard.

He was last a head coach 18 years ago at Baylor, where he was fired after going 1-31 in the Big 12.

—> Head to The Bodda Getta message board for the most recent intel on Steele and other candidates here <—

TIER 2

 

 

(Photo: Stuart McNair, 247Sports)

Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian

Spot on Hot Board 2.0: Tier 2

Intel: Sarkisian showed interest in the Auburn job earlier this week, and the committee will now grant him an interview.

Background: Is Sarkisian ready to be a head coach again? The Alabama offensive coordinator has spurned a few big jobs over the past couple years — like Colorado and the Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator opening — to stay on Nick Saban’s staff. 

Many think he’s waiting for a bigger opening, and Auburn certainly qualifies as such.

Following an ugly exit at USC, he went from Alabama offensive analyst to Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator, and now back to Tuscaloosa, running the best offense in the nation.

Sarkisian went 46-35 in seven seasons as both Washington and USC’s head coach, and had at least four losses in each of his six full campaigns as a head coach. But he’s been one of the nation’s top assistants recently and has put his energy toward rebuilding his career over the past five years. 

If he isn’t given the keys at Auburn, he’ll likely land somewhere else in the near future.

Louisiana head coach Billy Napier

(Photo: Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)

Spot on Hot Board 3.0: Tier 4

Intel: It appears Auburn's committee will grant Napier an interview.

Background: Could Napier’s success in the Sun Belt translate to the SEC?

In three years at Louisiana, Napier’s first head-coaching job, the Ragin’ Cajuns have won their division each season, including a program-record 11 wins last year.

Prior to Napier’s arrival, Louisiana had never won double-digit games in a season. At 9-1 in 2020, it looks set up to do so for the second straight year.

Napier’s resume before landing the Louisiana job included quarterbacks coach at South Carolina, wide receivers coach at Alabama, and offensive coordinator at Clemson and Arizona State.

Napier was reportedly linked to the Mississippi State and Baylor openings last season, and he parried the South Carolina job earlier this month with a public statement that he was staying put in Lafayette.

Auburn would undoubtedly be the biggest job Napier’s been tied to yet. The question would be where he wants more time to develop with little-to-no pressure at Louisiana.

TIER 3

 

 

(Photo: Icon Sportswire, Getty)

UAB head coach Bill Clark

Spot on Hot Board 3.0: N/A            

Intel: We can confirm Clark and Auburn have been in contact this week.

Background: No one on this list knows the state of Alabama like Clark.

Clark played at Jacksonville State before bouncing around Alabama high schools until 2008, when he landed the South Alabama defensive coordinator job. He parlayed five years of success with the Jaguars into a head-coaching job with his alma mater before he took over as UAB’s head coach from 2014 on.

Clark was a guiding force for the UAB community when the football program was nixed in December 2014. He held steady with his commitment to the players and to the program, and vice versa.

Since UAB football was reinstated prior to the 2017 season, the Blazers have gone 8-5, 11-3 and 9-5, with a current record of 4-4 in 2020.

UAB won Conference USA in 2018 with its best season in program history. Clark was named Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year.

(Photo: Sandra Dukes, USA TODAY Sports)

Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm

Spot on Hot Board 3.0: N/A

Intel: Brahms has shown interest in the job this week and desires an interview with the committee.

Background: After cutting his teeth at multiple assistant gigs across the country, Brohm landed his first head-coaching job in 2014 with Western Kentucky after he spent the previous season as the team's offensive coordinator.

WKU went 30-10 under Brohm, including a 12-2 season in 2015 and back-to-back Conference USA titles from 2015-16. His success with the Hilltoppers led to a Power Five head coach opportunity with Purdue, where he's compiled a 19-25 record since taking over in 2017. 

In the four years prior under coach Darrell Hazzel, Purdue won only nine games and had zero bowl appearances. 

When Malzahn's seat was hot in 2018, Brohm was thought to be a possible option should Auburn choose to move on. Tiger fans quickly rescinded those hopes when Auburn blasted Purdue, 63-14 in the Music City Bowl.

TIER 4

 

(Photo: Cory Fravel, 247Sports)

 Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliot

Spot on Hot Board 3.0: N/A

Intel: We know that Elliot is on the search committee's list.

Background: The former Clemson receiver (2000-03) is having one of the most successful starts to a career of any young coach in college football.

He coached around the state of South Carolina before finding his way back to Clemson under Dabo Swinney in 2011 as the Tigers' running backs coach. Since, he's been promoted twice — in 2015, when he added co-offensive coordinator to his running back duties, and this season, when he took over the full-time offensive coordinator role after Jeff Scott left.

In 2017, he took home the Broyles Award for top assistant coach in college football. Elliot has been a part of five consecutive Playoff appearances with Clemson, including two national titles.

 

(Photo: ACC, 247Sports)

 Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables

Spot on Hot Board 3.0: N/A

Intel: The same can be said for Venables that's true for Elliot: He's on Auburn's list.

Background: Programs have long tried to lure Venables, one of the best defensive coordinators in the nation year over year, away from Swinney and Clemson. And for years he's turned them down.

52COMMENTS

After an eight-year stint as Oklahoma's defensive coordinator, Venables has been on Swinney's staff since 2012. His defenses, which consistently produce multiple high-round NFL talents, has been a massive factor in the Tigers' run of five straight College Football Playoff appearances and two national titles.

Auburn would need to view Venables as a significant upgrade from Steele in terms of a program-builder.

 

(Photo: Caleb Saunders/WVU Football)

West Virginia head coach Neal Brown 

 

Spot on Hot Board 3.0:N/A

Intel: We've learned Brown flirted with South Carolina about its head-coach opening, prompting a yet-to-be reported contract extension from West Virginia. He's on Auburn's list, as well.

Background: One of college football's youngest coaches at 40 years old, Brown took the West Virginia job in 2019 after winning double-digit games in three straight seasons — including a Sun Belt championship — at Troy. 

He's also held offensive coordinator roles at Kentucky and Texas Tech. West Virginia is 7-10 in the Big 12 since he took over the rebuilding job.dy took home Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year honors in 2011. 

 

(Photo: Kevin C. Cox, Getty)

Longtime NFL coach Dan Quinn

Spot on Hot Board 3.0: N/A

Intel: Quinn is considered a candidate on the Auburn search committee's list and very well may land an interview.

Background: The former Atlanta Falcons head coach (fired after an 0-5 start this season) has reportedly been flirting with some college programs about coordinator and head coach openings already, and he would surely think the Auburn job to be attractive.

Quinn’s past few years in Atlanta didn’t get the job done, but he did take the Falcons to the Super Bowl in 2016. Prior to taking over in Atlanta, Quinn held the position of D-line coach for the 49ers, Dolphins, Jets and Seahawks, as well as a two-year stint as the Florida Gators’ defensive coordinator from 2011-12.

Comments (52) 

">247Sports

[USATiger 741]

1 hour ago, TigerTaz said:

It’s amazing that the powers that be haven’t put Clay Helton on their list considering his Auburn ties. Seems to be a requirement at Auburn. Drives me nuts. 

Please don't give them any ideas. lol

[TigerTaz 109]

2 minutes ago, AUStew87 said:

From the beginning of this search, I’ve figured Auburn would screw up the Cristobal deal and hire Napier. Box one ✅ 

 

Honestly Napier could end up being a better pick. Sometimes these things just work out for the better.