Auburn coaching hot board V2

[aubiefifty 17,100]

Auburn coaching hot board V2: A new west-coast name has entered the ring

Lance Dawe

6-8 minutes

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AP Top 25 Recap: Week 10

AP Top 25 Recap: Week 10.

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There's a new name on the Auburn coaching hot board.

Auburn's head coaching search continues, and we have a new updated coaching hot board - including a new addition and a couple of removals from the list. We've trimmed it down to a few specific names that Auburn is interested in.

OUT: Matt Rhule, Dave Aranda, Chip Kelly, Todd Monken, PJ Fleck, Luke Fickell, Urban Meyer

Here's a look at the updated list.

Lane Kiffin - Ole Miss

Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Record at Ole Miss: 23-9

Overall Record: 84-42

Head coaching experience: Oakland Raiders, Tennessee, USC, Florida Atlantic, Ole Miss

Other experience: Fresno State (assistant), Colorado State (GA), Jacksonville Jaguars (DQC), USC (TE, WR, PGC, OC), Alabama (OC/QB)

Kiffin is currently at the top of Auburn's target list and will remain there until the end of the season when the Tigers can finally go after him. He has mastered the transfer portal with the Rebels and would immediately provide a boost to Auburn's relatively thin roster.

He's one of the best offensive minds in the game and has a Twitter game that is unrivaled. Kiffin has made a couple of public remarks about the position but has not fully shut down the possibility of coming to the Plains. He was reportedly interested in the position back in 2020 and may find interest in Auburn now.

It's also evident that Auburn can afford to pay him much more than Ole Miss can. The question is, does the university want to invest that much in a coach that has never stayed at one school for longer than four seasons? What does the university's long-term plan look like with Oklahoma and Texas moving to the SEC in 2025? 

Deion Sanders - Jackson State

© Barbara Gauntt / USA TODAY NETWORK

Record at Jackson State: 20-5

Overall Record: 20-5

Head coaching experience: Jackson State

Other experience: Trinity Christian High School (OC)

Sanders has proven that in the NIL era of college football, anyone can recruit anyone to play anywhere. After earning the commitment of Travis Hunter (No. 1 overall player in the 2022 recruiting cycle, highest-ranked prospect to ever commit to a HBCU or an FCS program) national attention surrounding the Tigers skyrocketed, with discussions about Deion's potential as a head coach forming quickly.

Even before the Auburn job opened up there were several national media outlets that were calling for Prime Time to make his way down to the Plains. ESPN, The Athletic, and Fox Sports media members all suggested that the Tigers take a look at him.

While it is clear that Sanders does provide an insane amount of potential for recruiting, NIL, and overall attention, there is pause about whether or not he is ready to coach at the D-I level. Regardless, Auburn would be insane if they haven't taken a look at him already/in the very near future.

Hugh Freeze - Liberty

Robert McDuffie-USA TODAY Sports

Record at Liberty: 33-12

Overall Record: 75-44

Head coaching experience: Lambuth, Arkansas State, Ole Miss, Liberty

Other experience: Ole Miss (TE), Arkansas State (OC)

Freeze has well documented baggage that comes with him wherever he goes. However, that has not stopped many from pointing out that he has won everywhere he has coached, and currently has the Flames (a program that has only been at the D-I level for four and a half seasons) inside the AP Top 25. He is also one of three college coaches to have ever beaten Nick Saban in back-to-back years (Ole Miss, 2014-15).

According to several reports, Freeze wanted the job a while back and still wants it now - even though he signed an extension with Liberty just a week ago, Freeze would be willing to come to Auburn if they came knocking.

He's a solid option that does not possess the same "splash hire" vibes that Kiffin and Sanders do.

Jeff Grimes - Baylor (OC)

Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire

Overall Record: 0-0

Head coaching experience: NONE

Other experience: Rice (GA), Texas A&M (GA), Hardin-Simmons (OL), Boise State (OL), Arizona State (OL), BYU (OL), Colorado (AHC/OL), Auburn (OL), Virginia Tech (OL), LSU (OL), BYU (OC), Baylor (OC/TE)

Grimes has the SEC connection as well as the Auburn ties - but he's never been a head coach before. Schematically, he's a versatile play-caller that has seen success in his two stops as OC. One would assume Grimes would immediately improve the offensive line play, but outside of his interesting scheme and strength in the trenches, there's not a lot to go off of here, especially considering he's never been a head coach anywhere.

Dan Lanning - Oregon

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Record at Oregon: 7-1

Overall Record: 7-1

Head coaching experience: Oregon

Other experience: Pittsburgh (GA), Arizona State (GA/RC), Sam Houston State (DB), Alabama (GA), Memphis (ILB), Georgia (DC/OLB)

Lanning is a first-year head coach that holds a lot of promise. He oversaw one of the best defenses of the 21st century at Georgia before moving to Oregon in the offseason. He picked up a quarterback and offensive coordinator with Auburn ties (Bo Nix, Kenny Dillingham) and has produced one of the best offenses in the entire nation.

Since the blowout loss to his former team in the season opener, Lanning's squad has gotten progressively better - and has torn through the Pac-12 slate thus far. He picked up six five-star commitments during his time at Georgia and has a solid recruiting track record. He produced two top-three defensive units with the Bulldogs and has all the things an SEC school would want - league experience, two national titles as GA and DC, recruiting talent, and the proven ability to develop talent.

There are rumors currently flying around about Auburn's interest in Lanning. While he is only in his first year with the Ducks, who is to say the Tigers aren't interested in making some arrangements to get him?

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[dyehardfanAU 2,117]

Plot twist.  Lanning brings Nix back as a Grad Transfer.

[3rdgeneration 6,471]

2 minutes ago, dyehardfanAU said:

Plot twist.  Lanning brings Nix back as a Grad Transfer.

Crossed my mind.  😁

[woodford 3,678]

So no Urban or Fickell? Smh

 

This hire will be meh

[SuperAUsome09 738]

I always hate the phrase “holds a lot of promise” pertaining to coaches. 

[autiger88 3,777]

What's the point? We have an AD who doesn't want anything to do with NIL so any coach we get will be going uphill trying to win... Atleast that's what some are putting out there 😒

[AU-24 3,118]

19 minutes ago, SuperAUsome09 said:

I always hate the phrase “holds a lot of promise” pertaining to coaches. 

I agree! Get someone who has fulfilled promises!

[Taker 494]

Of the 5 names on that list 2 would be considered a splash (Prime, Kiffin), 2 would be considered solid but not sexy (Lanning, Freeze), and 1 is the guy that is going to get the job(Grimes) and send 98% of the fan base in a downward spiral and allow the claims of JABA and PTB Boogeymen are out to ruin us. 

Time will tell but I think that unless they hire Coach Hardon 2.0 we should be good with any of these 5 names. 

Now 🔥 on 

[Taker 494]

3 minutes ago, autiger88 said:

What's the point? We have an AD who doesn't want anything to do with NIL so any coach we get will be going uphill trying to win... Atleast that's what some are putting out there 😒

Haven't heard that Johnny doesn't like the NIL.... Better get that in check if it's so.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,389]

1 minute ago, autiger88 said:

What's the point? We have an AD who doesn't want anything to do with NIL so any coach we get will be going uphill trying to win... Atleast that's what some are putting out there 😒

We do? I missed those remarks. 

[autiger88 3,777]

20 minutes ago, Taker said:

Haven't heard that Johnny doesn't like the NIL.... Better get that in check if it's so.

It's being spread by people, I don't believe it at all I was just being sarcastic. Mainly due to the surge in Mississippi State donors donating a lot of money over the last 48 hrs to there NIL since Cohen left. 

Edited November 4, 2022 by autiger88

[autiger88 3,777]

22 minutes ago, ShocksMyBrain said:

We do? I missed those remarks. 

 

2 minutes ago, autiger88 said:

It's being spread by people, I don't believe it at all I was just being sarcastic. Mainly due to the surge in Mississippi State donors donating a lot of money over the last 48 hrs to there NIL since Cohen left. 

 

[WarrrEagleHey 268]

2 hours ago, Taker said:

Coach Hardon 2.0

Are you H.A.R.D? 😅

[JBiGGiE 2,488]

12 minutes ago, WarrrEagleHey said:

Are you H.A.R.D? 😅

HRD

[Taker 494]

29 minutes ago, WarrrEagleHey said:

Are you H.A.R.D? 😅

H.A.R.D. 4 harsin.... 

[AlaskanFAN 1,666]

We are going to make a lot of coaches rich off extensions. 

[TeamZero77 1,786]

3 hours ago, autiger88 said:

It's being spread by people, I don't believe it at all I was just being sarcastic. Mainly due to the surge in Mississippi State donors donating a lot of money over the last 48 hrs to there NIL since Cohen left. 

I haven't heard that yet but I have read on the Mississippi State message boards and alot of them said Cohen is really tight with spending. He doesn't go after big name coaches because he knows they'll want a big salary. He hired Mike Leach, which I think was a big name for Mississippi State but Leach doesn't come with a big pricetag and he never has. That may just be negative fans at MSU posting that but quiet a bit are saying it.

Their fanbase has been mixed about him leaving. Half seem really happy he left and the others are calling him a traitor.

I'm happy he has experience and is very familiar with the SEC and how things are done here. 

He's our AD and I'll get behind him 100% until he gives me a reason not to. WDE

[auburnatl1 5,253]

20 minutes ago, AlaskanFAN said:

We are going to make a lot of coaches rich off extensions. 

There’s not many coaching vacancies so we’re going to be swarmed by agents. Get ready for a lot of back channel, up the contract rumors.

[JBiGGiE 2,488]

After a little digging, I've sold myself on Curt Cignetti of James Madison

 

[ScotsAU 1,343]

14 hours ago, woodford said:

So no Urban or Fickell? Smh

 

This hire will be meh

Urban wouldn’t be on the list. Fired under rumors of player abuse at Jacksonville. And Auburn specifically won’t touch him because of the Cam Newton stuff

[woodford 3,678]

10 hours ago, TeamZero77 said:

I haven't heard that yet but I have read on the Mississippi State message boards and alot of them said Cohen is really tight with spending. He doesn't go after big name coaches because he knows they'll want a big salary. He hired Mike Leach, which I think was a big name for Mississippi State but Leach doesn't come with a big pricetag and he never has. That may just be negative fans at MSU posting that but quiet a bit are saying it.

Their fanbase has been mixed about him leaving. Half seem really happy he left and the others are calling him a traitor.

I'm happy he has experience and is very familiar with the SEC and how things are done here. 

He's our AD and I'll get behind him 100% until he gives me a reason not to. WDE

If that’s true LOL great hire Auburn

 

[AUinMS9528 1,086]

7 minutes ago, ScotsAU said:

Urban wouldn’t be on the list. Fired under rumors of player abuse at Jacksonville. And Auburn specifically won’t touch him because of the Cam Newton stuff

I’m assuming he was joking.  

[aubietiger14 147]

10 hours ago, TeamZero77 said:

I haven't heard that yet but I have read on the Mississippi State message boards and alot of them said Cohen is really tight with spending. He doesn't go after big name coaches because he knows they'll want a big salary. He hired Mike Leach, which I think was a big name for Mississippi State but Leach doesn't come with a big pricetag and he never has. That may just be negative fans at MSU posting that but quiet a bit are saying it.

Their fanbase has been mixed about him leaving. Half seem really happy he left and the others are calling him a traitor.

I'm happy he has experience and is very familiar with the SEC and how things are done here. 

He's our AD and I'll get behind him 100% until he gives me a reason not to. WDE

Maybe he was tight with spending because the cowbells gave him a tight budget to work with?

[autiger88 3,777]

10 hours ago, TeamZero77 said:

I haven't heard that yet but I have read on the Mississippi State message boards and alot of them said Cohen is really tight with spending. He doesn't go after big name coaches because he knows they'll want a big salary. He hired Mike Leach, which I think was a big name for Mississippi State but Leach doesn't come with a big pricetag and he never has. That may just be negative fans at MSU posting that but quiet a bit are saying it.

Their fanbase has been mixed about him leaving. Half seem really happy he left and the others are calling him a traitor.

I'm happy he has experience and is very familiar with the SEC and how things are done here. 

He's our AD and I'll get behind him 100% until he gives me a reason not to. WDE

It's Mississippi State, not like they have the resources there to spend a whole lot... We just gotta be patient and see how he is I'm not going to say he is like that or believe it 100% until I see it for myself... 

[woodford 3,678]

1 hour ago, AUinMS9528 said:

I’m assuming he was joking.  

Not at all