18Champs
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AUBURN, Alabama - I am not in the business of evaluating coaches. I donāt know why a play works or doesnāt. I donāt blame coaches when a quarterback makes a bad throw, a receiver drops a pass, a running back puts the ball on the ground, a defensive lineman gets blocked or a defensive back blows a coverage.
I donāt know why ā other than in 2017 when Auburn coach Gus Malzahn really did turn things over to offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey after a loss at LSU ā offense has been such a struggle since 2013 and 2014. But Iāve been around Auburn football for a long time. Things just donāt feel right, and things have to be right for Auburn to keep up - or maybe I should say catch up - with very committed rivals.
Contending for championships is a collaborative venture. It starts with the coach being able to say to the masses āFollow me and Iāll get you where you want to go.ā And then there has to be belief in what he says and buy-in from administrators, players, donors, ordinary fans and the students who are the real substance of the university.
Auburnās football family is in turmoil, and not because of Saturdayās 31-20 loss to Texas A&M. Auburn people ā at least the ones to whom I talk ā are convinced things can be better, and they are growing increasingly impatient and frustrated. They are convinced that losing four or more games a season and watching their rivals pull away is not something that should be normalized. Even winning by 50 at Mississippi State next Saturday wonāt change that.
Maybe thatās not fair, but it is reality. And Iām not talking only about social media warriors. It goes much deeper than that. As things stand today, energy and optimism among those who care so deeply are rapidly evaporating.
Has the Malzahn-Auburn marriage reached a breaking point? Would both sides be better off with an amicable parting? Malzahn could get his money and maybe move on to a more comfortable environment. Auburnās program could have an opportunity to be energized.
Malzahn has faced a massively difficult challenge at Auburn. He has played more regular-season games against No. 1 teams and against top-5 teams than anybody in college football. He arrived as head coach just as Nick Saban was hitting his stride at Alabama. Soon, Kirby Smart was winning big at Georgia, LSU was winning a national championship, Texas A&M was rising out of the ashes and Florida was becoming like the Gators of old. But then there are those maddening losses - at South Carolina this season, to Tennessee in 2018, in numerous bowl games.
Over his eight seasons, Malzahn has done some great things. Turning Auburn from a 3-9 disaster in 2012 into an SEC champion and national runnerup in 2013 was one of the great coaching feats I have witnessed. In 2017, he beat two No. 1 teams in three weeks. For those things, he should always be loved at Auburn.
But sometimes, programs need to have a jolt of energy. Sometimes, hanging on to avoid a buyout can cost more in the long run than paying the buyout would cost. Sometimes, the only answer that will work is to move on.
Has Auburn reached that point? That is for others to decide, but Auburn football is in a precarious place. Recruiting has suffered. A slide toward the bottom of the league, if it happens, might take years to reverse. Auburn people are not happy, and that will eventually show up on the bottom line if it hasnāt already.
Auburn has been pretty good most seasons since Malzahn arrived. It was great in 2013, but that season is fading into history. It seemed to have earned that label in 2017 but lost a lopsided game to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game and then lost to Central Florida in the Peach Bowl. Malzahn was rewarded for that season, essentially for wins over Alabama and Georgia when they were ranked No. 1, with a seven-year contract worth $49 million. Former president Steven Leath and trustee Raymond Harbert led that effort. They will be long remembered for it, and not in a good way. With all that money came more demands for instant success, more pressure.
Meanwhile, Malzahn has lost four or more games in seven consecutive seasons, going 8-5, 7-6, 8-5, 10-4, 8-5, 9-4 and, so far this season, 5-4.
The decision Auburn power-brokers have to make is whether that is enough and, if itās not, if Malzahn is the man to get the program to where Auburn people so desperately want it to be. After that, the question will be if they are willing to make the same commitment to success that their rivals have made. The outcome of Saturdayās game at Mississippi State should have no impact either way.
Auburn administrators seem to want to simply ignore the angst and the frustration and say nothing. That is the worst option of all.
I donāt know why ā other than in 2017 when Auburn coach Gus Malzahn really did turn things over to offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey after a loss at LSU ā offense has been such a struggle since 2013 and 2014. But Iāve been around Auburn football for a long time. Things just donāt feel right, and things have to be right for Auburn to keep up - or maybe I should say catch up - with very committed rivals.
Contending for championships is a collaborative venture. It starts with the coach being able to say to the masses āFollow me and Iāll get you where you want to go.ā And then there has to be belief in what he says and buy-in from administrators, players, donors, ordinary fans and the students who are the real substance of the university.
Auburnās football family is in turmoil, and not because of Saturdayās 31-20 loss to Texas A&M. Auburn people ā at least the ones to whom I talk ā are convinced things can be better, and they are growing increasingly impatient and frustrated. They are convinced that losing four or more games a season and watching their rivals pull away is not something that should be normalized. Even winning by 50 at Mississippi State next Saturday wonāt change that.
Maybe thatās not fair, but it is reality. And Iām not talking only about social media warriors. It goes much deeper than that. As things stand today, energy and optimism among those who care so deeply are rapidly evaporating.
Has the Malzahn-Auburn marriage reached a breaking point? Would both sides be better off with an amicable parting? Malzahn could get his money and maybe move on to a more comfortable environment. Auburnās program could have an opportunity to be energized.
Malzahn has faced a massively difficult challenge at Auburn. He has played more regular-season games against No. 1 teams and against top-5 teams than anybody in college football. He arrived as head coach just as Nick Saban was hitting his stride at Alabama. Soon, Kirby Smart was winning big at Georgia, LSU was winning a national championship, Texas A&M was rising out of the ashes and Florida was becoming like the Gators of old. But then there are those maddening losses - at South Carolina this season, to Tennessee in 2018, in numerous bowl games.
Over his eight seasons, Malzahn has done some great things. Turning Auburn from a 3-9 disaster in 2012 into an SEC champion and national runnerup in 2013 was one of the great coaching feats I have witnessed. In 2017, he beat two No. 1 teams in three weeks. For those things, he should always be loved at Auburn.
But sometimes, programs need to have a jolt of energy. Sometimes, hanging on to avoid a buyout can cost more in the long run than paying the buyout would cost. Sometimes, the only answer that will work is to move on.
Has Auburn reached that point? That is for others to decide, but Auburn football is in a precarious place. Recruiting has suffered. A slide toward the bottom of the league, if it happens, might take years to reverse. Auburn people are not happy, and that will eventually show up on the bottom line if it hasnāt already.
Auburn has been pretty good most seasons since Malzahn arrived. It was great in 2013, but that season is fading into history. It seemed to have earned that label in 2017 but lost a lopsided game to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game and then lost to Central Florida in the Peach Bowl. Malzahn was rewarded for that season, essentially for wins over Alabama and Georgia when they were ranked No. 1, with a seven-year contract worth $49 million. Former president Steven Leath and trustee Raymond Harbert led that effort. They will be long remembered for it, and not in a good way. With all that money came more demands for instant success, more pressure.
Meanwhile, Malzahn has lost four or more games in seven consecutive seasons, going 8-5, 7-6, 8-5, 10-4, 8-5, 9-4 and, so far this season, 5-4.
The decision Auburn power-brokers have to make is whether that is enough and, if itās not, if Malzahn is the man to get the program to where Auburn people so desperately want it to be. After that, the question will be if they are willing to make the same commitment to success that their rivals have made. The outcome of Saturdayās game at Mississippi State should have no impact either way.
Auburn administrators seem to want to simply ignore the angst and the frustration and say nothing. That is the worst option of all.
