Top Candidates to Replace Bryan Harsin at Auburn
The inevitable has finally happened.
Auburn announced it has fired Bryan Harsin, who leaves the program with a 9-12 record in less than two seasons.
Harsin's dismissal ends an awkward stretch for the school. After mustering a 6-7 mark in 2021, he survived an unsuccessful coup from Auburn boosters. But the effects of that odd situation led to Harsin entering 2022 on a hot seat, which only warmed as the season continued. Four straight SEC losses in October sealed his fate.
Where does Auburn go from here? Matt Rhule, the former Carolina Panthers coach, is certain to receive a call. However, he's simply one among a handful of sensible candidates.
Auburn has its issues, but it's a well-supported program in the strongest and richest conference in college football. There won't be a shortage of interest in the job.
Coordinators with Connections
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Charles Kelly, Alabama ADC: The associate defensive coordinator at Alabama, Kelly was a defensive back at Auburn from 1986 to '89 and was a Tigers graduate assistant in '93. He would be a first-time head coach.
Jeff Grimes, Baylor OC: Grimes spent 2009 to '12 as the offensive line coach at Auburn, winning a national title in 2010 and playing a key role in assembling the protection for 2013's national runner-up team. Most recently, he's called plays for the prolific 2020 BYU offense and Baylor's run to a Big 12 championship in 2021.
Dell McGee, Georgia RGC: McGee, an Auburn linebacker in the 1990s, was a Tigers analyst in 2013. His lone experience as a college head coach was in 2015 as the one-game interim boss at Georgia Southern. McGee is the running game coordinator at Georgia.
Will Muschamp, Georgia co-DC: The former Florida and South Carolina coach was a grad assistant (1995-96) and defensive coordinator (2015) at Auburn. Will he receive a third chance to run an SEC program?
Kevin Steele, Miami DC: Steele, the Tigers defensive coordinator from 2016 to '20, surely has old friends in high places. The major question is whether Auburn wants to hire a 64-year-old who hasn't been a head coach in two decades—and it's a fair one to ask.
Kenny Dillingham, Oregon OC: Speaking of fair questions, when is the right moment to hire a first-time boss? Dillingham, 32, has been a coordinator since 2018, including a successful one-year stint with Auburn in 2019 and a tremendous debut season (to date) at Oregon in 2022.
Travis Williams, UCF DC: Williams is practically an Auburn lifer. After playing linebacker for the Tigers from 2001 to '05, he served as a grad assistant from 2009 to '11. He held various roles from 2014 to '20, including the co-coordinator role for the last two years. He's since followed Gus Malzahn to UCF, which ranks tied for 16th in scoring defense.
Hugh Freeze
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At best, Hugh Freeze is either an uncomfortable or controversial pick.
Despite a successful on-field run at Ole Miss, his tenure ended with an NCAA investigation that resulted in sanctions. Freeze also harmed his personal reputation with records showing he placed at least a dozen calls to numbers associated with escort services.
It's not for me to decide whether Freeze should get another shot in the SEC.
Strictly on the field, the results are there. Freeze went 39-25 with two victories over Alabama in five years at Ole Miss, and Liberty is 33-12 in his three-plus seasons. He's among the few candidates who've led prolific offenses in the SEC, which is clearly a plus.
But the decision goes back to whether Auburn's administration feels a second chance for Freeze is justifiable.
Deion Sanders
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You're not required to like the idea, but Deion Sanders simply must be mentioned here.
At some point in the near future, the Jackson State coach will probably make the jump to a top-level opportunity. While it's uncertain if Auburn will interview him, the connection is nonetheless sensible.
Calling him "well known" is a gross understatement; he's a Hall of Famer in both college football and pro football. And that's undoubtedly a part of his appeal.
Sanders is charismatic, which would be immensely beneficial in recruiting. Harsin struggled on the trail during his tenure, and Auburn has to compete with Alabama, Georgia and plenty of other brand-name SEC teams—plus Oklahoma and Texas in a few years. Sanders could also bring Tim Brewster, a well-respected recruiter, from his current staff.
On-field results are not a deterrent for Sanders, either. Jackson State finished 11-2 with a SWAC title in 2021 and, heading into November, holds and 8-0 record in 2022.
Prime Time has earned serious consideration, and Auburn—at the very least—should be interested.
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Matt Rhule
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You want a proven rebuilder in college? Matt Rhule fits the billing.
Temple had a solid recent history when he took over in 2013 but finished 4-7 in the season prior to his arrival. Along with consecutive 10-win years in 2015 and 2016, the Owls won an AAC championship in the latter season.
Then he headed to Baylor—which needed to rebuild both its roster and perception. The university had mishandled allegations of sexual assault against multiple athletes. Baylor went 1-11 in 2017, his first season, but made the Big 12 Championship Game in 2019. He laid the foundation for Baylor's success in 2021, recruiting most of the team's key contributors before heading to the Carolina Panthers.
Rhule had an unsuccessful run in the NFL, sure, but that should not be a disqualifying factor.
The main concern is Rhule's philosophy. He's not scared of roster turnover, and he's less worried about landing top recruits than targeting a certain athletic profile. In other words, his coaching style demands patience for development. Auburn boosters haven't exactly offered that lately.
Rhule's fit is questionable, but he's easily one of the most attractive names on the market.
Jamey Chadwell
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Among the names featured here, Jamey Chadwell feels like the least likely candidate to land the Auburn job.
But that's more a commentary on Auburn than him.
As for Chadwell specifically, he's a fast-rising name in the coaching realm because of his success at Coastal Carolina. Since the 2020 season, the Chanticleers are 29-4 with a Sun Belt title and have boasted one of the nation's most efficient offenses each year.
The negative side is largely out of Chadwell's control. Harsin arrived from Mountain West powerhouse Boise State and failed miserably. The optics of hiring a coach with a similar profile—someone who comes from a Group of Five program—likely would not sit well. More likely (and understandably), Auburn is looking for a splashy hire.
Chadwell is fully deserving of a jump to the Power Five level, and Auburn would be foolish to not consider him. That, however, is not meant to suggest he must be hired.
Mark Stoops
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Mark Stoops is mentioned for basically every significant Power Five opportunity that opens, yet he's never left Kentucky.
Expect the same again. But he's undeniably a great option.
Stoops has taken a traditional non-power and built UK into a competitive program. Kentucky has four 10-win seasons in its history, and two of those years (2018 and 2021) have occurred during Stoops' tenure.
Money won't necessarily lure Stoops, as he's already well-compensated at Kentucky. His salary will rise to $7.6 million by the 2027 season.
Kentucky and Stoops are seemingly content to stick together and win eight games per year. But if he wants to take a serious shot at chasing a title, history shows Auburn is a more likely place for that to happen.
Lane Kiffin
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On paper, Auburn is a more prestigious job than Ole Miss.
Ole Miss is formally recognized with one shared national title in 1960 and hasn't won a conference championship since 1963. Auburn secured a national crown in 2010, made the BCS title game in 2013 and owns seven SEC championships in the last 40 years.
Tradition is not the only meaningful thing, though.
Kiffin, an elite offensive coach, has sparked Ole Miss with an 18-4 record over the last two seasons. Would he really leave a rising program in favor of a rebuild within the same conference?
That answer isn't a certain no, which is why Auburn needs to call. Kiffin might end up using Auburn's interest as a leverage play for a higher salary at Ole Miss, but—love him or hate him—he's on the shortlist.
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