Auburn president speaks out about speculation surrounding Bryan Harsin
The future of Auburn Tigers head football coach Bryan Harsin is in doubt. Since Thursday, there have been rumors and speculation about Harsin running rampant. On Friday, Auburn president Jay Gogue provided some clarity on Harsin’s current status.
“There have been a lot of rumors and speculation about our football program. I just want you to know we’re involved in trying to separate fact from fiction,” Gogue said of Harsin’s future, via ESPN’s Chris Low. “We’ll keep you posted and make the appropriate decision at the right time.”
Auburn went 6-7 in Harsin’s first season, losing to Houston in the Birmingham to wrap up the year. Since the end of the year, Auburn has seen a lot of turnover on the roster and coaching staff.
In his first season, Harsin’s staff consisted of Mike Bobo at offensive coordinator and Derek Mason at defensive coordinator. Neither are with the program now. Austin Davis was hired as Auburn’s next offensive coordinator, but a month later he stepped down from his new position.
Lee Hunter, a former Auburn defensive lineman, shared a telling statement on his social media on Friday morning, where he slammed Harsin.
“The reason I chose to leave Auburn because we got treated like we wasn’t good enough and like dogs,” Hunter said. “I love you Auburn nation war eagle forever.
“Coach Harsin has the true mindset for a winner but has a terrible mindset as a person.”
Gogue, Auburn must make a decision quickly on Harsin
National Signing Day is in the books. But these types of distractions will only harm a program. Gogue and Auburn will need to act quickly, whichever way they decide to go, to shift the focus back to the season that awaits in the fall.
Harsin spoke with ESPN’s Chris Low and Pete Thamel amid the speculation, addressing his stance on his future with Auburn.
“I’m the Auburn coach, and that’s how I’m operating every day,” Harsin told Low and Thamel. “I want this thing to work, and I’ve told our players and told everybody else there is no Plan B. I’m not planning on going anywhere. This was and is the job. That’s why I left the one I was in, to come here and make this place a championship program and leave it better than I found it.”
Auburn brought in the 18th-ranked recruiting class this recruiting cycle, which is the eighth best in the SEC, according to the On3 Consensus Team Rankings.
“This is where I want to be,” Harsin said. “This is what I want to do. That’s why I came here. I didn’t come here to fail. We’ve got to build something, and right now I feel like when you hear some of these things, that there’s a lot of things building against me.
“Certainly, I’m the right man for the job. There’s no doubt about it. No one is going to have a better plan than I do, but we’ve got to change some things. This place is not going to be a championship program until we change some things. You’ve got to let the head coach be the head coach and support him.”