Tommy Tuberville has been through a massive coordinator upheaval. Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp was stolen away by Texas, and offensive coordinator Al Borges resigned.
Borges was replaced by Troy's Tony Franklin. Muschamp was replaced by Pittsburgh's Paul Rhoads.
Tubby is well-known for grooming fine coordinators. He's so successful that they get their own agents and accept offers for a higher salary somewhere else.
Auburn's coach is one of the best-compensated, winningest, and most consistent coaches in the SEC. Just ask any Alabama fan; even those stubborn bastards can’t say the current streak is pure luck. He is a magnet for young talent, both players and coaches.
To get Will Muschamp from Auburn, Texas had to negotiate with Bob Lamonte, who represents seven NFL head coaches and handful of college coaches, including Notre Dame’s Charlie Weis. This year, Texas will pay Muschamp $425,000 to fill the role of recently demoted Duane Akina.
Akina was demoted to secondary coach after a less than stellar performance from last year’s Texas defense. As long as he improves a defense that was the seventh-worst in Texas history, there will be little for Muschamp to worry about.
Muschamp is relatively young and has a bright future ahead of him. He commands a hard-hitting defensive spread developed at LSU. As an Auburn fan, I will mourn the loss of a great defensive coordinator, not only for his brilliance in coaching, but also for his energetic antics on the sideline.
Muschamp’s vigorous sideline displays were frequently broadcast on television and generated a lot of media attention.
"ESPN has a lot to do with that," Tuberville said. "The exposure is really going to help you.”
Some writers have claimed that Tuberville has been “cutting his own throat” by actively promoting his coordinators. Tubby certainly doesn’t care. He is a classy guy who gives credit where credit is due. The degree of freedom he gives his staff allows them to further develop their talent.
"I let my guys talk to media after practice every day," Tuberville said. "A lot of coaches don't do that. They tie their hands because they don't want them out in front. Sooner or later, you've got to let them speak for themselves."
His replacement, Paul Rhoads, has big shoes to fill and I hope he will. I don’t know much about him, except that a lot of Pittsburgh people are glad to see him go. Expect at least a year for him to completely make the transition.
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