Gus Malzahn Fired From Auburn, Buyout is $21.7 million

Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

The news keeps coming in hot and heavy this Sunday afternoon. Earlier today, Auburn announced the firing of head coach Gus Malzahn with a buyout of $21.7 million. Half of that $21.7 million is due within the next month, just in time for Christmas.

Auburn Director of Athletics Allen Greene announced Sunday a leadership change for Auburn football as Gus Malzahn will no longer direct the program.

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) December 13, 2020

Malzahn took the Auburn team of destiny to a loss in the final BCS championship game against Florida State in 2013. That run, of course, was fueled by two of the unlikeliest and miraculous plays to ever happen on a college football field–the Prayer at Jordan-Hare and the Kick Six.

https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/1312482603136548866?s=20

"AUBURN'S GONNA WIN THE FOOTBALL GAME!"

Seven years ago, the legend of the "Kick Six" was born. pic.twitter.com/7w96kF6KDz

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 30, 2020

Following that season, Malzahn went 56-33 (.589) including an appearance in two New Year’s Six games and another appearance in the SEC title game in 2017. After that 2017 season, Auburn signed Malzahn to a seven-year extension worth $49 million.

In the last two seasons, the Tigers finished fifth and third in the SEC West and Malzahn went a combined 8-17 against Alabama, LSU, and Georgia, which certainly didn’t sit well with the Tiger Faithful. Malzahn also has the worst postseason win percentage among SEC West teams since 2014, going 2-5 in that span.

Malzahn finished 2020 with a 6-4 record, which is good for third in the SEC West. He was 2-0 against Kentucky in his tenure at Auburn.

$21.7 million for Malzahn is a nice bonus after being terrible at his job…