It's abundantly clear what's happening at Auburn with Bryan Harsin
Auburn Tigers head coach Bryan Harsin appears to be on the hot seat after salacious rumors started spreading on Thursday that he had an affair with a staffer. Harsin addressed the rumors (kinda) on Friday. The whole situation at Auburn right now is really strange. Harsin has lost two coordinators in recent weeks. Defensive coordinator […]
Auburn Tigers head coach Bryan Harsin appears to be on the hot seat after salacious rumors started spreading on Thursday that he had an affair with a staffer.
Harsin addressed the rumors (kinda) on Friday.
The whole situation at Auburn right now is really strange.
Harsin has lost two coordinators in recent weeks. Defensive coordinator Derek Mason left Auburn to take the defensive coordinator job at Oklahoma State (some would view that as a downgrade). Offensive coordinator Austin Davis resigned this week for "personal reasons".
From the moment Harsin was hired, it felt like a bad fit. He's an Idaho guy trying to exist in the SEC.
The rumors last winter were that Auburn boosters wanted to hire someone else (interim head coach Kevin Steele was a possibility), but Tigers athletic director Allen Greene went against their wishes and hired Harsin.
That move automatically led to some unhappiness on the plains.
Fast forward a year later and there are some behind the scenes at Auburn that want Harsin out.
AL.com's John Talty reported on Friday that there's been a concerted effort to make it "untenable" for Harsin to return in 2022.
That certainly seems to align with comments that Harsin made to ESPN on Thursday night.
Harsin alluded to folks behind the scenes working against him.
It's obvious this isn't going to work out.
I think this is a situation where Harsin knows his reputation is at stake. He wants to get out, but he needs a good second year at Auburn so another program will come calling.
People at Auburn, however, want to push Harsin out — apparently by any means necessary. And possibly avoid paying his buyout (which is around $17 million according to AL.com).
Harsin, though, wants to go out on his own terms.
But I'm not sure that's going to happen.
It's really hard to see Harsin continuing as Auburn's head coach. Especially with former players slamming Harsin on social media.
"I chose to leave Auburn because we got treated like we wasn't good enough, and like dogs," wrote former Auburn defensive lineman Lee Hunter in an Instagram post on Friday. "I love you Auburn nation. … Coach Harsin has the true mindset for a winner but has a terrible mindset as a person."
247Sports noted that the post was liked by multiple current and former Auburn players.
This is an ugly situation and I don't see Harsin surviving it. He might want to go ahead and get packed.
Featured image via Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
