Gus Malzahn fired (and (laughable) coaching search...)

[CoolBreeze]

Someone mentioned the Barn wanting to find the next Pat Dye... Clark would be the next Pat Dye.

Or beyond. I'll stop posting about this because I am a Bama fan. The reason is because Coach Clark is the real deal...the real deal.

 

[bamafaninbham]

Gus always celebrates a win by going to Waffle House. I suspect he and Kristi are there tonite celebrating 21 million dollars to get to move away from the smell of Auburn.

 

[Tider n LA]

Freeze worries me alot more than most of the realistic candidates going around places, but ultimately I doubt anyone is going to take the state away from Saban or making Auburn a legit contender. Who I actually worry more about is Jimbo. LSU is fading and Texas is now casting uncertainty about their current coach's future. I dont know how fast Jimbo will have aTm as a legit threat, but with those factors listed its inevitable. They made a big stride this year.

aTm is currently the first one out of the CFP. I don't think they lose to Tenn this week and who knows what happens if one of those teams above them lose. If Clemson loses, I believe their in.

 

[uafan4life]

In fairness, he was a hell of an innovator early on. His offense was incredible.

But emphasis on "was." The game caught up to him and he could not adjust.

Personally, I think it was more the officiating catching up to him...

 

[Tidesq]

Since 2014 this is how Gus has recruited.
National Rank
2014: 6th
2015: 8th
2016: 9th
2017: 9th
2018: 12th
2019: 11th
2020: 7th

AU signed seven 5* and ninety-five 4* players and a vast majority came from AL, GA and FL. He has had some talent to be competitive with but he can't develop the talent. His average recruiting class since 2014 is 8.86. Gus done better than I thought at recruiting but not at coaching. Could Freeze or MC do better with those players? We will never know.

Problem is if you are 8th in the nation in recruiting, you are 6th in the SEC.

 

[81usaf92]

aTm is currently the first one out of the CFP. I don't think they lose to Tenn this week and who knows what happens if one of those teams above them lose. If Clemson loses, I believe their in.

Yes but do you think they are going to stick with us in the Superdome on New Years night? That’s my point. They aren’t where they want to be yet. Where they want is to be Bama’s clear rival for the western crown and get to Atlanta a few times. I think they are well on their way in replacing LSU and Auburn but they are still years behind the Bama machine.

 

[TideEngineer08]

I am utterly underwhelmed by the prospect of Auburn hiring Mario Cristobal as HC.

 

[81usaf92]

I am utterly underwhelmed by the prospect of Auburn hiring Mario Cristobal as HC.

I’m trying to figure out why you would pay and excess of 30 million (Gus and Mario buyout) to hire an unproven coach. I know the barn does crazy stuff but I have a feeling that it’s not Cristobal that is coming to the plains.

I really don’t know if they have some realistic long shot at someone like Urban or Joe Brady, or they feel they got Freeze for cheap. But 21 million is a lot to spend to fire a coach for an unproven coach.

 

[Keldeo]

Cristobal leaving Oregon makes 0 sense to me. I doubt Auburn can win a bidding war right now after just spending $21 Mill to fire Gus (and Oregon doesn't lack cash either). Its much easier to make the playoffs in the Pac 12 while at Auburn he would have to Saban ,Kirby, Coach O, Kiffin, Leach every year. Also I don't think its even a upgrade compared to Gus. Another thing I've heard is that he has already turned down his alma mater Miami apparently. He also has $8 Mill buyout.

 

[Jkl0802]

Crimson audio said this: “.....And if he (Gus) didn't catch Saban before CNS realized modernization was needed (Freeze might have been part of that realization), then we'd hardly remember his name. Guys that win <50% of their conference games don't last long in the SEC...”.

Much like Gus, I think other SEC schools have caught up to Freeze’s offensive production ability too. Freeze beat Alabama when the Tide was still a 3 yard a carry offense. Things have drastically changed.

I think Auburn is all in to get Freeze...hoping his past at Ole Miss can be replicated at Auburn. Very dangerous proposition for them to bet on. What they will get is a program gone wild..recall the smoking dope video in a gas mask? And although the NCAA didn’t prove Freeze was dirty, is their any doubt money was not the cause of Ole Miss landing 5 stars that Alabama and LSU were after?

 

[DrollTide]

I thought Gus was a perfect fit for Auburn - moderate recruiting classes, cheeseball/misdirection/no-development play calling, and no long-term threat to Alabama. I'm sad to see him go.

In terms of replacement - my biggest concern would be to see Sark go there, followed at a distance by Freeze or Lane. There are a score of lower tier candidates who will not be able to make an impact while the state of Alabama is under Saban's proprietorship. Having laid down $20M to fire Gus, I guess they already have a bead on one of those 3, presumably Freeze.

 

[81usaf92]

I thought Gus was a perfect fit for Auburn - moderate recruiting classes, cheeseball/misdirection/no-development play calling, and no long-term threat to Alabama. I'm sad to see him go.

In terms of replacement - my biggest concern would be to see Sark go there, followed at a distance by Freeze or Lane. There are a score of lower tier candidates who will not be able to make an impact while the state of Alabama is under Saban's proprietorship. Having laid down $20M to fire Gus, I guess they already have a bead on one of those 3, presumably Freeze.

Sark isn’t going to Auburn. Kiffin absolutely give me some legitimate concern. The dude is a great recruiter and quarterback whisperer. Yes we know the limitations of Bo Nix, but we also thought we knew the limitations of Johnathan crompton and Blake sims too. He is a better coach than many are willing to give him credit for. The move would almost guarantee Steele would stay on staff and an upgrade at OC. But it’s going to be tough to get Lane out of Oxford after one year.

if Kiffin is put on a legitimate team with no sanctions he could have some real success. Out of all the Saban disciples still coaching I think he is one of 4 that is head coach material at a major program.

Again I don’t really have any fears of the state ultimately turning orange and blue with their more realistic options. It’s the ones that make sense that no one is talking about that concern me. Lane is one of those latter ones.

 

[RammerJammer15]

Sark isn’t going to Auburn. Kiffin absolutely give me some legitimate concern. The dude is a great recruiter and quarterback whisperer. Yes we know the limitations of Bo Nix, but we also thought we knew the limitations of Johnathan crompton and Blake sims too. He is a better coach than many are willing to give him credit for. The move would almost guarantee Steele would stay on staff and an upgrade at OC. But it’s going to be tough to get Lane out of Oxford after one year.

if Kiffin is put on a legitimate team with no sanctions he could have some real success. Out of all the Saban disciples still coaching I think he is one of 4 that is head coach material at a major program.

Again I don’t really have any fears of the state ultimately turning orange and blue with their more realistic options. It’s the ones that make sense that no one is talking about that concern me. Lane is one of those latter ones.

I don't see Lane leaving for Auburn, Ole Miss is the perfect fit for him.

Besides, Auburn is gonna do the tone deaf thing and hire Hugh Freeze in the middle of an NCAA investigation within their basketball program.

 

[81usaf92]

I don't see Lane leaving for Auburn, Ole Miss is the perfect fit for him.

Besides, Auburn is gonna do the tone deaf thing and hire Hugh Freeze in the middle of an NCAA investigation within their basketball program.

That’s more of my thinking but I still would be more concerned with Kiffin there than Freeze. I don’t think Kiffin has a high buyout due to ole miss paying for his FAU buyout. Could be wrong on that last point.

but I would put Lane leaving at less than 10 percent chance. I think he will eventually use Ole Miss as a spring board but I don’t think he wants to face both Bama and Georgia every year potentially lose some coaching capital.

But Auburn would be better off hiring Kiffin than Mario or Freeze.

 

[Crimson1967]

Gus is the only coach in barn history who never had a losing season

The last coach of theirs to win his last game was a guy in 1942 who left to join the Navy. (They didn’t field a team in 1943).

 

[TitleWave]

So the question is...

Would Coach Saban take on Malzahn as a grad assistant rehab project?

Also, won't the boogs have spent about $50mm on paying coaches that no longer coach for them? That could be a pretty nice addition to their athletic facilities that didn't get built.

Say what you will but don’t call Woeburn a deadbeat sugar daddy. Intel is that dead coaching money will be invested by Gurse in giving birth to a new G5 program at Athens State with ambitions for joining the ACC within a decade. Getting some non-denominational and quasi-religious funding for the program that will provide the requisite locker room dance floor for Gorse gettin’ down and dovetailing with the school’s new nickname after big foundational victories over the likes of Millsaps, Philander Smith * and Alverson-Draughon - Let’s boogie, MC HC Malzahn and the Athens State Writhin’ Shakers!

* Possible next landing for Freeze on his own redemption tour

 

[TitleWave]

Guys, we aren't touching Freeze.

You floating this Cristobal trial balloon with the vast amount of methane y’all produce down there? NOT AN SEC HEAD COACH but pretty please, try him and find out. After all, it ain’t like y’all haven’t gone Groundhog Day before...

 

[TitleWave]

I thought Gus was a perfect fit for Auburn - moderate recruiting classes, cheeseball/misdirection/no-development play calling, and no long-term threat to Alabama. I'm sad to see him go.

In terms of replacement - my biggest concern would be to see Sark go there, followed at a distance by Freeze or Lane. There are a score of lower tier candidates who will not be able to make an impact while the state of Alabama is under Saban's proprietorship. Having laid down $20M to fire Gus, I guess they already have a bead on one of those 3, presumably Freeze.

Don’t sleep on Gerry Faust - they’re real poetic down there, cow pattie poetic, you might say, and one high school coach replacing another would be their idea of fambly unity and cow college kismet...

 

[81usaf92]

You floating this Cristobal trial balloon with the vast amount of methane y’all produce down there? NOT AN SEC HEAD COACH but pretty please, try him and find out. After all, it ain’t like y’all haven’t gone Groundhog Day before...

Well... What I have found out is that many fans have many different feeling about candidates until the name eventually is in ink. @AUDub clearly has his preferences and we have our opinions. I remember @Bazza was high on Mac and very against the idea of Mullen until Mullen became the coach (still a little against the idea after Saturday). Im like most Bama fans here in that I dont want dabo and would prefer someone else, but I acknowledge that it may change if Dabo becomes.... not going to say it.

But if you want a real laugh. Check out some of the folks that were not as high on the idea of Saban or Spurrier or did not like the idea of Saban or Spurrier in 2006 altogether. Im going to leave DA baxter off of here because its beaten to death, and he is clearly all about Paul Johnson. Here are 3 good ones....

Q1 "Honestly, my top guy might just be Jim Grobe.

If I thought Spurrier was really a possibility, I'd take him.

If I knew Stoops wasn't going to have NCAA baggage, or that Petrino's former connections to AU wouldn't be an issue, I'd go for either of those. In fact, of the A-list guys, Stoops is my favorite coach.

I like Nick Saban, but I don't think he hung the moon like a lot of people think. Still, he's a solid coach and if hired tomorrow in the SEC would be no worse than the second-best guy in the league behind Spurrier."

Q2 " I hope it's not Saban...he has the personality of a piece of toast. "

@selmaborntidefan 's favorite
Q3 "
Credibility? For what, being absolutely wrong?

I challenge you to a loser leave town match (like the old days of NWA rasslin' with Gordon Solie out of Atlanta). If either of these two (Saban or SOS) are coaching the University of Alabama Crimson Tide come this spring I'll leave this board forever! If either one of them are NOT coaching then you leave the board.

I would be totally disgusted if they hired Saban

I would be sorely disappointed in SOS if he came here after what he has said to the people of Carolina and his players."

There were countless people suggesting Grobe and Levitt should get the job after Rich Rod, Saban, and Spurrier all said no. Get this, a few were suggesting Ed Orgeron and Steve Sarkisian.

My point is there are crazy opinions that go on in fanbases when a hiring process is going on. If the successor isnt immediately known then factions happen. Many Auburn fans I suspect want Freeze, but there are many that want Cristobal. Until a coach is decided there will be hard opinions one way or another within that fan base against specific candidates. We can already see it here with the question on whether Bama should hire Dabo.

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

Malzahn lol

Edit: it’s hilarious that you guys think I’m serious

I know you aren’t........ nobody could be serious about that