Losses like these should be expected for any coach starting out. He had to install a new system on both ends, with new coordinators, and several player departures. This was a loss to a top 10 team on the road at night with a raucous crowd. No one is judging Auburn any poorer for losing the way we did last night. If anything, the program actually gained respect from those who had discredited it as we almost won against a team that could beat OSU and possibly be in the playoffs at the end of the season.
Yet Harsin's position is a bit more precarious than it appears. He doesn't have the benefit of previously acknowledged success in the SEC. The AD that hired him is by all accounts on the way out to being fired. He was an unpopular choice to start with by those that really hold the power in Auburn's Oligarchical BOT rulership and the death knell of every departing AU HC has always been a lack of success on the recruiting trail.
This team has glaring weaknesses at multiple positions that can't be fixed by players currently on the team. The defensive line has no pass-rushing threat of note against any offensive line with a pulse. The secondary is clearly unsuited to playing zone, as are the linebackers. Yet this is not necessarily anything new as we gave up plenty of passing yards last year as well. The receivers are dismal. A 3rd string wide receiver transfer from Georgia came in and claimed a starting spot. Our offensive line is literally a patchwork of Ivy league transfers, lower-ranked recruits, and players with perennial injury issues.
Then you have the question of Bo Nix. A 5-star junior, seemingly lauded as improved so much under better coaching. The improvement is there to be sure, but what can he do with his -talent-. Bo Nix isn't going to break a 50 yard rush for a touchdown. His deep passes last night were in the air for what seemed forever as something was off with his arm strength. I'm not sure if it was the possible injury early in the game, but he's clearly still unable to convert the deep ball with any sort of regularity. He's simply nothing more than an average at best QB who was pre-lauded as a messiah due to how he overcame high school competition with what in his experience had been college QB coaching.
So I look at our recruiting and I just have to ask, does Harsin think it will get better without studs? I'm not talking about the low to mid-range 4 stars and high 3 stars. I'm talking about guys that are top 10 minimum at their position. We're ranked 41st right now and at first, I thought well it will get better and we still have talent, but now after last night I realize that we need these players now, not later. What's to excite these players into coming to Auburn? Lane Kiffin brings star allure to Ole Miss. Nick Saban is Nick Saban and can promise the NFL. Kirby Smart as much as it pains me can say the same. 41st won't get it done here. Perhaps Harsin thinks it will because it got it done at Boise and there were some magical wins against more talented squads. It won't be the same at Auburn. It never has.
Yet Harsin's position is a bit more precarious than it appears. He doesn't have the benefit of previously acknowledged success in the SEC. The AD that hired him is by all accounts on the way out to being fired. He was an unpopular choice to start with by those that really hold the power in Auburn's Oligarchical BOT rulership and the death knell of every departing AU HC has always been a lack of success on the recruiting trail.
This team has glaring weaknesses at multiple positions that can't be fixed by players currently on the team. The defensive line has no pass-rushing threat of note against any offensive line with a pulse. The secondary is clearly unsuited to playing zone, as are the linebackers. Yet this is not necessarily anything new as we gave up plenty of passing yards last year as well. The receivers are dismal. A 3rd string wide receiver transfer from Georgia came in and claimed a starting spot. Our offensive line is literally a patchwork of Ivy league transfers, lower-ranked recruits, and players with perennial injury issues.
Then you have the question of Bo Nix. A 5-star junior, seemingly lauded as improved so much under better coaching. The improvement is there to be sure, but what can he do with his -talent-. Bo Nix isn't going to break a 50 yard rush for a touchdown. His deep passes last night were in the air for what seemed forever as something was off with his arm strength. I'm not sure if it was the possible injury early in the game, but he's clearly still unable to convert the deep ball with any sort of regularity. He's simply nothing more than an average at best QB who was pre-lauded as a messiah due to how he overcame high school competition with what in his experience had been college QB coaching.
So I look at our recruiting and I just have to ask, does Harsin think it will get better without studs? I'm not talking about the low to mid-range 4 stars and high 3 stars. I'm talking about guys that are top 10 minimum at their position. We're ranked 41st right now and at first, I thought well it will get better and we still have talent, but now after last night I realize that we need these players now, not later. What's to excite these players into coming to Auburn? Lane Kiffin brings star allure to Ole Miss. Nick Saban is Nick Saban and can promise the NFL. Kirby Smart as much as it pains me can say the same. 41st won't get it done here. Perhaps Harsin thinks it will because it got it done at Boise and there were some magical wins against more talented squads. It won't be the same at Auburn. It never has.
