Good afternoon, everyone.
If you’re expecting a HE’S HIRED thread, go ahead and get the disappointment out of your system right now.
What I want to discuss is some odd pressure being placed upon athletic director John Cohen due to these unusual staffing circumstances. Carnell Williams won his first game as interim head coach last weekend against Texas A&M. It was a highly emotional scene — a beloved, former star tailback returns to the sideline as the Tigers’ coach. We don’t get to see objectively uplifting moments like that very often. We’re all better for having watched it and savored it.
Yet this presents something of a problem.
Can Auburn win this weekend against Western Kentucky? Of course it can. The Tigers are a 5.5-point favorite right now, which isn’t much considering Western Kentucky competes in a depleted and foraged Conference USA. This is a big step up in class for the Hilltopppers, though they clearly have some things figured about their offense. They rank 14th in the country in yards, 15th in points scored. Still, this is Auburn and this is Jordan-Hare Stadium and this is a coach with more passion and enthusiasm than any other.
Auburn has a good shot to win.
That leads us to the Iron Bowl. Alabama cannot win the SEC’s West Division this season after losses to Tennessee and LSU, which may or may not have an effect on those players as they gear up for the clash with Auburn. The Tide will be a big favorite against the Tigers without a doubt, but it’s within the realm of possibility that Williams could get a second SEC victory in Tuscaloosa.
Unlikely, yes, but it’s possible.
Then what? Fan sentiment would sway heavily toward Williams becoming the long-term placement at head coach, which is not what Auburn wants. This program is way off course in a general sense. It needs a proven coach to recalibrate everything to get it in line with an upper-half SEC program. The longer Williams‘ stint as interim head coach lasts, the longer this situation lingers in the minds of Auburn people.
Cohen‘s time is running out. He must get something in place ahead of the Iron Bowl and he MUST let Williams know the score — both because it’s the right thing to do and because Williams is an Auburn legend who has been a loyal soldier despite some difficult circumstances. You don’t treat legends like second-class citizens. Cohen is more respectful than most, in my estimation, so I don’t expect any hiccups here.
With that said, Auburn needs something substantive in place no later than, say, next Wednesday. That’s an arbitrary deadline concocted solely by me, but the schedule is the schedule. The Tigers need some finality and the window to deliver it within an appropriate timeframe is almost here.
Will it be Lane Kiffin? Possibly. I’m leaving him atop our Hot Board for a reason, but I don’t sit here today assuming Kiffin will be the Tigers’ next coach. He’s a non-linear dude who doesn’t think about his career in standard terms. He already has a lot of money and keeps a much closer eye on autonomy and how The Next Prospective JOB sets him up for his ultimate goal.
I think other guys are in play as well.
So let’s see how this plays out for a few more days and then start taking a closer look at where things stand. Cohen has a little time, and he’ll use all of it just to make sure, but he cannot afford to let this thing drag into the second half of next week — at least for Williams and the guy who will take over in December. They may be the only guys who know the score.
Then again, they’re the only two who really need to know.
If you’re expecting a HE’S HIRED thread, go ahead and get the disappointment out of your system right now.
What I want to discuss is some odd pressure being placed upon athletic director John Cohen due to these unusual staffing circumstances. Carnell Williams won his first game as interim head coach last weekend against Texas A&M. It was a highly emotional scene — a beloved, former star tailback returns to the sideline as the Tigers’ coach. We don’t get to see objectively uplifting moments like that very often. We’re all better for having watched it and savored it.
Yet this presents something of a problem.
Can Auburn win this weekend against Western Kentucky? Of course it can. The Tigers are a 5.5-point favorite right now, which isn’t much considering Western Kentucky competes in a depleted and foraged Conference USA. This is a big step up in class for the Hilltopppers, though they clearly have some things figured about their offense. They rank 14th in the country in yards, 15th in points scored. Still, this is Auburn and this is Jordan-Hare Stadium and this is a coach with more passion and enthusiasm than any other.
Auburn has a good shot to win.
That leads us to the Iron Bowl. Alabama cannot win the SEC’s West Division this season after losses to Tennessee and LSU, which may or may not have an effect on those players as they gear up for the clash with Auburn. The Tide will be a big favorite against the Tigers without a doubt, but it’s within the realm of possibility that Williams could get a second SEC victory in Tuscaloosa.
Unlikely, yes, but it’s possible.
Then what? Fan sentiment would sway heavily toward Williams becoming the long-term placement at head coach, which is not what Auburn wants. This program is way off course in a general sense. It needs a proven coach to recalibrate everything to get it in line with an upper-half SEC program. The longer Williams‘ stint as interim head coach lasts, the longer this situation lingers in the minds of Auburn people.
Cohen‘s time is running out. He must get something in place ahead of the Iron Bowl and he MUST let Williams know the score — both because it’s the right thing to do and because Williams is an Auburn legend who has been a loyal soldier despite some difficult circumstances. You don’t treat legends like second-class citizens. Cohen is more respectful than most, in my estimation, so I don’t expect any hiccups here.
With that said, Auburn needs something substantive in place no later than, say, next Wednesday. That’s an arbitrary deadline concocted solely by me, but the schedule is the schedule. The Tigers need some finality and the window to deliver it within an appropriate timeframe is almost here.
Will it be Lane Kiffin? Possibly. I’m leaving him atop our Hot Board for a reason, but I don’t sit here today assuming Kiffin will be the Tigers’ next coach. He’s a non-linear dude who doesn’t think about his career in standard terms. He already has a lot of money and keeps a much closer eye on autonomy and how The Next Prospective JOB sets him up for his ultimate goal.
I think other guys are in play as well.
So let’s see how this plays out for a few more days and then start taking a closer look at where things stand. Cohen has a little time, and he’ll use all of it just to make sure, but he cannot afford to let this thing drag into the second half of next week — at least for Williams and the guy who will take over in December. They may be the only guys who know the score.
Then again, they’re the only two who really need to know.
