* We are told by very reliable sources that Arkansas State head coach Gus Malzahn is very much in the mix at Arkansas. Auburn also has interest, though it's not clear where he stands in relation to other candidates.
11:50 a.m.
* We are told the search for a replacement for Gene Chizik could, in the best-case scenario, be over in 3-4 days but is more likely to take 7-10 days.
* Despite rampant conspiracy theories, Pat Dye was not involved in putting together the search committee and will not be involved in the search or the eventual decision.
* Athletics director Jay Jacobs' search committee of Pat Sullivan, Bo Jackson and Mac Crawford have agreed to what amounts to vow of silence. First-hand information is not going to be easy to get.
* The biggest question being asked today is if Bobby Petrino will get an interview. We don't have a confirmed answer. If he does, obviously his chances of being the next head coach increase dramatically.
* To the best of our knowledge, no interviews are being conducted today. That does not mean there aren't indirect talks through agents in progress.
So, after the announcement was made that Chizik had been fired, Jay Jacobs immediately went to work searching for a new coach. The benchmarks that Dr Gogue laid out entailed the coach be: established with a record of winning and succeeding; recognized; no up and comer; ethically and morally sound (rules out Petrino); and a leader & disciplinarian for the young men coming to Auburn. While Chizik was All In, one of the biggest complaints was that he and the whole staff were more of a buddy type system instead of a coaching system where there was accountability, leadership, and discipline. This is one thing that Dr. Gogue stressed was important in our next coach. Earlier today I posted a blog that listed some coaching names currently being considered as candidates for Auburn. Well the good news is, Jacobs has done something right in his time at Auburn University, in my opinion anyway. He has selected 3 former Auburn players to help him choose the next coach at Auburn.
Those men are:
Bo Jackson
Pat Sullivan
Mac Crawford
What more could you ask for in finding our next beloved coach than 2 former Heisman winners and a bruising fullback who is CEO of CVS Pharmacy? Personally, I love the choices Jacobs made because to me, he is just incompetent when it comes to picking coaches for our teams. Swimming, basketball, and baseball have gone down since he has taken over (even if they started that way before Housel was booted). His hiring of Chizk was questionable at best but it was a gamble that turned out perfect in 2010. I wasn't sold on Chizik when he was picked but the more he spoke in his first two years, the system he had in place, and the hard fought games I started to think he was a pretty good selection. [Who could forget the guy from the video?] Seems like the gentleman from the video, while rude, was spot on in his assessment. With that being said, who could be upset with his choice to help him find our next coach?
What does make me worry is that these are Pay Dye players, which is no knock on their ability to lead (Pat Sullivan is coaching at Samford and instilling values and hard work to the team there. Bo Jackson is now a motivational speaker with a degree from Auburn and gives back much to the university and community.) Mac Crawford is an unknown quantity but seems to be a good man who just wants what is best for Auburn. Let's look a bit further at each man shall we?
Pat Sullivan Sullivan, an All-American quarterback at Auburn Tigers, won the Heisman Trophy in 1971 and then played six seasons in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins. He is currently the head coach at Samford University; he was previously the head coach at Texas Christian University (TCU) and the offensive coordinator at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).
Bo Jackson Jackson, a former baseball and football player at Auburn was the first athlete to be named an All-Star in two major American sports, and he also won the Heisman Trophy in 1985. He was a running back for the Los Angeles Raiders and he played left field and was a designated hitter for the Kansas City Royals, the Chicago White Sox and the California Angels. Bo knows football. Bo knows coaching. Bo knows Heisman. Bo knows success, etc. you get the idea.
Mac Crawford Crawford was a two-year letter winner at fullback for Auburn from 1968-69. Recognized as one of the country's most successful businessmen and turn-around experts , he was the Chairman of the Board of CVSCaremark and CEO and Chairman of the Board of CaremarkRx, Inc. Currently he is a private equity investor in the healthcare services industry.
Overall, I think that is a nice group of guys to have helping select our next coach. What I would love to see was more people involved though not the power brokers at Auburn. Ultimately, this is the litmus test for our beloved university and for Jacobs. The wrong hire could set us back a decade or more. We don't need another Saban, we need someone who isn't afraid to look him in the eye, laugh, and say, "Good luck to you coach, you're going to need it." I think we can make that hire. So what do you all think? Leave your coaching comments below with who you would like to see and why?
Here are a list of names as possible coaches at Auburn. Remember we got Sullivan and Bo (Bo knows coaches and coaching search committees). In no particular order: Jimbo Fisher, Jeff Fisher, Gus Malzahn, Kirby Smart, and Charlie Strong. Bob Stoops has also been mentioned along with Larry Fedora and Bobby Petrino. Only the last name here seems to be a real long shot and pretty much guaranteed (though his chances have went up slightly) to NOT be our coach next year.
This is a preliminary list that has been confirmed as being candidates. There are other names that have NOT been discussed anywhere and not out in the public forums. This gives me a good feeling and I am hoping, as my friend mentioned in his latest blog, that the coach they secure will from the NFL. WDE!
Auburn head coach Gene Chizik has been fired. After a horrible season and the second worst loss in Iron Bowl history this is a move that had to be made. It was a questionable hire when Chizik was named head coach, but with Cam Newton, Gus Malzahn and Tommy Tuberville's players he won the National Championship.
It's my opinion that Auburn needs to look toward the NFL for the next head coach. There are several coaches that aren't currently coaching. The opportunity to coach in the SEC is a deal maker. If you can win the conference title then you're almost assured a spot in the championship game, or playoff when they start that in 2014. Auburn has a rich history and will be a great job worthy of a great coach.
