Report: Auburn HC Bryan Harsin Not Told He'll Be Fired Despite A.J. McCarron's Claim

Auburn head football coach Bryan Harsin reportedly has not been told that he will be fired after the 2022 season despite comments from former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron.

During an appearance on Slow News Day with the Ringer's Kevin Clark, McCarron said sources told him that Harsin was already informed he is coaching in his final season:

However, Nubyjas Wilborn of AL.com reported that is not the case, as Harsin hasn't even been told "his job status is in peril" let alone that he is done after the 2022 season.

McCarron's comments are not the first time Harsin's job security has recently been under the spotlight.

Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman reported during Big Noon Kickoff that last Saturday's game against Missouri was something of a must-win for the head coach (h/t Barkley Truax of On3).

"If they get beat today by Missouri, I'm told there's a really good chance that they could pull the plug on him as early as tomorrow," Feldman said. "It has felt like a real inevitability that he will get let go at some point this year, but that feels like now it's got ramped up."

The Tigers escaped that game with a 17-14 overtime victory that only happened because Missouri missed a chip-shot field goal at the end of regulation and fumbled in the extra period.

It was an ugly win, but that is still better than the ugly loss Auburn experienced the previous game when it fell at home by 29 points to Penn State. McCarron indicated it was after that defeat that Harsin was told he would eventually be fired.

The idea Auburn could fire him after the season is notable because Feldman said his buyout would be $15.3 million if he was fired during the campaign.

Last season was Harsin's first with the Tigers, and they went just 6-7 with a Birmingham Bowl loss to Houston. This season could be a daunting one for Auburn as well if the Penn State game is any indication considering it still faces Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Texas A&M.

There have been issues during Harsin's tenure outside of the wins and losses, as Auburn investigated his handling of the program after an exodus of players and assistant coaches following his first season.

"There was an inquiry," Harsin told reporters at SEC media days. "It was uncomfortable. It was unfounded. It presented an opportunity for people to personally attack me, my family and also our program. And it didn't work."

It has been a rocky start at Auburn for the head coach, but he can at least take solace knowing it reportedly isn't a surefire thing that he will be fired after the season.