Auburn Football: Pat Dye Should Take a Step Back and Let Auburn Be Auburn

Another week, another instance of former Auburn head coach Pat Dye making headlines.

According to AL.com, the former Tigers head coach spoke candidly with Bo Mattingly of Sports Talk With Bo in Arkansas on all things Auburn, including the job status of current head coach Gene Chizik.

“Listen,” said Dye. “He wouldn’t be in trouble if he didn’t win another game.”

We've stated here numerous times that, barring a complete disaster, Chizk's job won't even be called into question following this season.

But 1-11 with losses to New Mexico State and Alabama A&M would certainly qualify as a total disaster, and losses to those two programs would almost certainly change opinions and agendas in a hurry.

Dye went on to comment on the speculation that former Arkansas head coach and former Auburn offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino would be a candidate if the job, for whatever reason, comes open.

“Bobby Petrino would never get hired at Auburn,” said Dye. “Ever. Ever.”

He's right. Petrino was the key figure in the "Jetgate" scandal of 2003, when Auburn officials infamously interviewed Petrino at a Louisville airport for the Auburn head coaching job, which was held by Tommy Tuberville at the time.

The key players in Auburn's administration may no longer be around, but the incident hasn't exactly forgotten.

Whether it's true or not, perhaps it's time for Dye to take a step back from the spotlight and let Auburn be Auburn.

Dye has been more visible within the program ever since Tommy Tuberville resigned after the 2008 season. Kevin Scarbinsky stated in the AL.com article that Dye sounds more like a shadow general manager than a retired head coach.

Just last week, Dye told the Montgomery (Ala.) Quarterback Club (via: USA Today)  that he wouldn't trade Chizik for "10 Nick Sabans."

Fair or not, he isn't doing himself or the university any favors by continually going on radio stations across the southeast and making emphatic statements about the current and future state of the program.

Whether the phrase "shadow general manager" is completely accurate, a gross misrepresentation or somewhere in between, Dye needs to stay out of the headlines for a while and let Auburn be Auburn.

The program will be healthier as a result.

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