Report: Carnell 'Cadillac' Williams will serve as Auburn interim coach after Bryan Harsin firing

On3-Social-Profile_GRAYby:On3 Staff Report•10/31/22

Following Auburn’s firing of coach Bryan Harsin on Monday, the Tigers have tabbed Carnell Cadillac Williams as the program’s interim coach, according to Auburn Live’s Justin Hokanson. Auburn has four games remaining, including the annual Iron Bowl against archrival Alabama.

Williams had previously served as the running backs coach on Harsin’s staff.

He will take over a team on a four-game losing skid and needing three wins to become bowl eligible. Auburn’s remaining games are against Mississippi State (on the road), Texas A&M, Western Kentucky and Alabama (on the road).

Harsin was fired not even two full years into his tenure following a tumultuous start.

At 45 years old, Harsin was 9-12 as Auburn’s head coach, having lost eight of his last nine to Power 5 teams. Auburn will owe him more than $15 million, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, with half of that due within 30 days of his firing.

In the meantime, Auburn will begin its search for a new football coach after hiring a new athletics director.

The Tigers reportedly agreed to hire Mississippi State athletics director John Cohen on a five-year deal expected to pay him $1.5 million per year.

More Auburn coaching changes on Monday

Along with the news of Carnell “Cadillac” Williams’ promotion to interim coach, AuburnLive on the On3 Network also reported on a number of other staff changes for the Tigers on Monday.

According to a report from Jeffrey Lee of AuburnLive, Auburn has fired offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau, tight ends coach Brad Bedell, associate AD and football chief of staff Brad Larrondo and director of recruiting Darren Uscher.

Lee tweeted the news Monday evening.

Those moves come shortly after news of Williams’ promotion, which followed the dismissal of Harsin after less than two years in charge of the program.

Auburn is set to return to the field Saturday on the road at Mississippi State. The new-look interim coaching staff will be tasked with getting the team ready to play. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET with a broadcast on ESPN2.