Greene 'absolutely' wants to stay at Auburn

[aubiefifty 16,823]

Athletic director Allen Greene 'absolutely' wants to stay at Auburn

Nathan King

5-6 minutes

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Auburn enters a new presidential era on its campus Monday. Chris Roberts, the dean of Auburn's Samuel Ginn College of Engineering since 2012, is set to begin his tenure as the university's 21st president, after his hire was announced in early February.

For athletic director Allen Greene, it's more change in leadership he'll have to adapt to.

Greene will now be working under the third AU president since he was hired as athletic director in February of 2018. Steven Leath was the president when Greene was brought in. A year later, when Leath and Auburn parted ways, former president Jay Gogue came out of retirement to fill in as an interim in 2019 — a stint ended up lasting three years.

That's been just one factor that has led to speculation and whispers over the past couple years about Greene's future as Auburn's athletic director. And those comments and rumors don't go unnoticed by Greene, who turned 45 in April.

"I haven't missed it, and I hear people say stuff," Greene said on The Paul Finebaum Show. "I try to remind people: We've gone through a really unique situation at Auburn: I was hired under a different president. We had the interim, who was the former president, come back. He was definitely temporary. He wanted to make sure the new president, when that person came in, had an opportunity to evaluate the athletic department. Chris Roberts is that person; I'm excited and looking forward to working with him."

Finebaum asked Greene directly if he wants to remain at Auburn long term.

"I absolutely do," Greene said. “It's funny that you ask, and it's not loaded at all. In fact, someone said said there was questions about whether or not I wanted to be at Auburn or not. And I said, 'That's news to me.' I said all along that I love being on the Plains. I love Auburn, and my family does too. And we still have work to do. I'm committed to making sure we make progress to represent our university."

A Notre Dame alum who played minor league baseball for a spell after graduation, Greene spent the previous seven years before arriving at Auburn within Buffalo's athletic department — first as deputy AD, then as athletic director, hired in 2015. He routinely credits Danny White, now Tennessee's athletic director, for much of his development in the industry; they worked together in Ole Miss' athletic department in 2012.

In February, following the internal investigation into Bryan Harsin and Auburn's football program that concluded with Gogue retaining Harsin as head coach, Greene's voice was seldom heard. He did not provide a statement to complement Gogue's and Harsin's after the ordeal. Greene has said that he knew he needed to tread lightly and choose his approach carefully during a volatile time for the program.

"One of the things I've shared before is that we are very fortunate to have people at Auburn who care,” Greene said, when asked to address, as best he could, what happened within the football program and university leadership in February. “I've been at places where there's been a little bit of apathy — maybe one place, at the University of Buffalo. Having spent time at Ole Miss and Notre Dame, there are people who take a great deal of pride in their football programs. And we weren't as successful as we should have been last year. Everybody knows that, and Coach Harsin knows that. I think for us, the important part is to address the areas of concern and be able to move forward.

"I'm thankful that Coach Harsin has made changes and is also now in a more stable environment as COVID has, I won't say we've moved on, but as we've gotten more accustomed to it. I know he's engaging with student-athletes, he's engaging with his coaches and fans. He's playing golf in the Regions Tradition and just being more natural in his element. We're looking forward to an exciting football season."

As players and coaches referenced throughout the spring, that week of uncertainty in February, when Harsin's job was in serious question, seemed to unite those within the program heading into spring practices.

Auburn's football season kicks off Sept. 3 against Mercer. Harsin is looking to avoid Auburn's first consecutive losing seasons since 1981.

6COMMENTS

"Every school has challenges they have to work through," Greene said. "Ours happened to be in the media. I'm glad our university went through the process and there was nothing more to some of the the tweets or whatever the social media that were out there. Those were difficult times, but I think they build character. I will tell you: Our team is closer than they ever have been. Our coaching staff is closer than they ever have been."

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[RunInRed 16,438]

Here’s the question I’d like just one reporter to ask him: 

If you love Auburn so much, why have you interviewed for all these other jobs, Allen?

[AuburnEagle79 2,169]

Funny how bad he wants to stay when nobody else will take him.

I don't think the choice is his to make at this point. 

[DAG 33,997]

20 minutes ago, AuburnEagle79 said:

Funny how bad he wants to stay when nobody else will take him.

I don't think the choice is his to make at this point. 

Well they could always fire him, like a loud few said would happen to our current head coach. 

[eaglenest 332]

2 hours ago, RunInRed said:

Here’s the question I’d like just one reporter to ask him: 

If you love Auburn so much, why have you interviewed for all these other jobs, Allen?

here's why no one has asked because he hasn't, it's a simple question, why can't you take him at his word? why are you trying to run him out of here is my question to you?

[RunInRed 16,438]

Oh he hasn’t interviewed anywhere else? Oh please, do tell us more …

Its known fact ADAG has interviewed at Michigan State, Northwestern and UCLA … just to name those that are widely known about.

He didn’t get any of those jobs.  Ever wonder why?  

He’s in way over his head. I want him gone because we can and should expect to do better.

 

[RunInRed 16,438]

1 hour ago, DAG said:

Well they could always fire him, like a loud few said would happen to our current head coach. 

Would you bet the farm on Harsin being here long-term? I wouldn’t …

[AuburnNTexas 7,157]

2 hours ago, RunInRed said:

Here’s the question I’d like just one reporter to ask him: 

If you love Auburn so much, why have you interviewed for all these other jobs, Allen?

I can answer that question. Because of not having a President in place who could tell him his job was safe or not safe in the year his contract was up he was in Limbo. If you are working for a company in any business and you have no idea of your future status with that Company it is always better to interview when you have a job  rather then after they have let you go.  One way you look upwardly mobile the other way you look desperate.  

I see this in the business world all the time when a company is in flux people look out for themselves.  As an example if your company was downsizing and your boss couldn't tell you if you would be kept or not then you would start putting out feelers and interviewing.  Then if you get a great offer but would rather stay you can put the shoe on the other foot guarantee me a job or bye bye. I have seen this in the business world many times. Auburn Athletic Department is a business.

[RunInRed 16,438]

1 hour ago, AuburnNTexas said:

I can answer that question. Because of not having a President in place who could tell him his job was safe or not safe in the year his contract was up he was in Limbo. If you are working for a company in any business and you have no idea of your future status with that Company it is always better to interview when you have a job  rather then after they have let you go.  One way you look upwardly mobile the other way you look desperate.  

I see this in the business world all the time when a company is in flux people look out for themselves.  As an example if your company was downsizing and your boss couldn't tell you if you would be kept or not then you would start putting out feelers and interviewing.  Then if you get a great offer but would rather stay you can put the shoe on the other foot guarantee me a job or bye bye. I have seen this in the business world many times. Auburn Athletic Department is a business.

What if I told you Auburn help setup these interviews for him ...

[augolf1716 21,221]

1 minute ago, RunInRed said:

What if I told you Auburn help setup these interviews for him ...

That would make me happy but sad he can get that other job soon

[Hank2020 3,212]

16 minutes ago, RunInRed said:

What if I told you Auburn help setup these interviews for him ...

Is that what you are telling us or are you just starting rumors. Had enough of them from people with “inside” information that really hurt the program when they aired and didn’t receive near enough air time when they turned out to be untrue.

[RunInRed 16,438]

You can judge for yourself whether I know what I'm talking about or not ...

[AuburnEagle79 2,169]

4 hours ago, DAG said:

Well they could always fire him, like a loud few said would happen to our current head coach. 

They'll just let his contract run out, right? 

[RunInRed 16,438]

2 minutes ago, AuburnEagle79 said:

They'll just let his contract run out, right? 

Correct, it won’t be renewed.

[AuburnNTexas 7,157]

1 hour ago, RunInRed said:

What if I told you Auburn help setup these interviews for him ...

I would be glad they did.  With him being in the position where he didn't have any way of knowing his status it would be the right thing to do and I would be glad they did it. I like most of his hires. I was glad the way he stood up in the Harsin search. Now since I don't see any thing that goes on at the internal level I really can't say whether he is doing a good job or not. Basically as a bystander we see his hires and how they do. I know other then Harsin every new coaching hire appears to have been an improvement. Woman's basketball has improved, Volleyball has improved, Swimming and Diving seems to have improved. As to Harsin time will tell if it was a good hire.  If he rights the ship and we start becoming relevant then it was a good hire if even with all the changes Harsin has made we still don't recruit well then it won't have been even if it is not all Harsin's fault.  It could turn out Harsin is a really good coach but not enough of a politician to handle the non-coaching part of his job, time will tell.

I like Green from what I have seen but as I said I don't know what happens behind the scenes so I can only go on what I have seen. 

[Hank2020 3,212]

In my mind certain positions must fit correctly for football to progress. President must buy into AD /HC for it to work.

[DAG 33,997]

5 hours ago, RunInRed said:

Would you bet the farm on Harsin being here long-term? I wouldn’t …

Well I know you wouldn’t after all of the for sure “he is gone” commentary last summer. Surely that taught everyone here a lesson. But that is neither here nor there. My point was, Auburn is in as much control as our current AD. People are upset with him for staying put. Why? If he isn’t a good fit, then fire him, otherwise I am all for supporting him. Same with the ole ball coach.

[DAG 33,997]

2 hours ago, AuburnEagle79 said:

They'll just let his contract run out, right? 

Probably so and if I am our AD I will sit pretty and let them do that , while I do my job. 

[Didba 5,256]

IMO, everyone should listen to this video before making any final judgements on ADAG.  Hear from the man himself.

 

 

[DAG 33,997]

Just now, Didba said:

IMO, everyone should listen to this video before making any final judgements on ADAG.  Hear from the man himself.

 

 

Well you know that’s not how this works 

[au4life77 74]

This forum is unbelievable. Lots of toxic bitter people here now. No wonder it isn't as busy as it used to be.

 

Lets take a minute to look at the state of the Auburn athletic department under Greene. Almost all of our programs are heading in the right direction. Almost all of the coaching hires Greene has made have been good ones. Greene is popular with the student athletes and coaches. There is now a real family atmosphere between the different sports with student athletes supporting other student athletes from different sports. Overall the athletic department at Auburn University is doing real good right now, and its certainly better  than when Greene got here.

 

Yeah, I know our starting quarterback got hurt last year and we didn't have a good backup. That led us to finish with only 6 wins instead of 9 and this got the Harsin haters into a frenzy. All I'm asking these people is to calm down and see the big picture.

[Didba 5,256]

8 hours ago, RunInRed said:

Here’s the question I’d like just one reporter to ask him: 

If you love Auburn so much, why have you interviewed for all these other jobs, Allen?

Because its good business? I have never understood this "loyalty to the company even in detriment to yourself" mentality.

In every field of work, people continue to interview elsewhere even if they have no plans of leaving their current position.  Interviewing elsewhere sets up relationships for the future, allows you to keep your interviewing skills sharp, is a metric for how valuable you are to others in the industry, allows you to leverage yourself into better positions for the future, etc.

I have no fault in ADAG interviewing elsewhere, it would be more concerning to me if he wasn't interviewing elsewhere. 

 

[Didba 5,256]

3 minutes ago, au4life77 said:

This forum is unbelievable. Lots of toxic bitter people here now. No wonder it isn't as busy as it used to be.

 

Lets take a minute to look at the state of the Auburn athletic department under Greene. Almost all of our programs are heading in the right direction. Almost all of the coaching hires Greene has made have been good ones. Greene is popular with the student athletes and coaches. There is now a real family atmosphere between the different sports with student athletes supporting other student athletes from different sports. Overall the athletic department at Auburn University is doing real good right now, and its certainly better  than when Greene got here.

 

Yeah, I know our starting quarterback got hurt last year and we didn't have a good backup. That led us to finish with only 6 wins instead of 9 and this got the Harsin haters into a frenzy. All I'm asking these people is to calm down and see the big picture.

The issue is the toxicity comes from the top and nothing can be done about it besides UB:O.

[Didba 5,256]

These insiders are batting .150 after all the swings and misses during the scandal this past off-season.  I personally wouldn't put much stock into anything they have to say regarding the football program.  However, they tend to be more reliable on basketball and overall auburn stuff.

[DAG 33,997]

3 hours ago, RunInRed said:

What if I told you Auburn help setup these interviews for him ...

If this is the case, then why did you feel the need to ask “why has he been interviewing?”