Hey everyone.
So President Chris Roberts' search for a new, full-time athletic director continues today — and I don't think we're really all that close to the finish line just yet.
Why do I think that?
Some new candidates have emerged during the past, say, two or three days. If Auburn is adding candidates, that almost certainly means Rich McGlynn is out and it also means there's still work to be done as far as MAKING THE ACTUAL DECISION.
New candidates:
• John Cohen of Mississippi State. He's a Mississippi State guy through and through. He was an outstanding baseball coach at MSU for years before taking over as AD in 2016. The fact that he was such an accomplished coach makes him a bit unique in this era of markerters and bean counters being in charge of Power 5 athletic departments.
• Shane Lyons of West Virginia. He's a West Virginia guy through and through, those he's also worked at the NCAA and at Alabama from 2011-15. I don't know much about him, honestly.
So we'll add them to the two candidates we already know: John Hartwell of Utah State and Eddie Nuñez of New Mexico.
*******
THINKING OUT LOUD: I'm all for patience when it comes to finding and hiring the right person for this complicated, nuanced job. With that said, something happened behind the scenes that wasn't expected. Was it blow-back against Second Interim AD Rich McGlynn? Hartwell seemed like a slam dunk at one point, but this process has expanded since then. Is something about Hartwell dissatisfying to elements within the Auburn sphere?
I don't have a good answer for you there.
I'm just saying this timetable is approaching farcical. No matter who gets the job, how will that person have enough time to assess Bryan Harsin before this recruiting cycle hits its apex on Dec. 21? It feels like the president is far more worried about making the correct AD hire than protecting the football team's 2023 cycle. Which begs the question: Are we at the low-water mark for the program?
If we are, then Roberts' deliberate pace makes sense. There is nothing more to lose.
If we aren't, then Roberts' deliberate pace is a potential problem. There is more to lose.
So President Chris Roberts' search for a new, full-time athletic director continues today — and I don't think we're really all that close to the finish line just yet.
Why do I think that?
Some new candidates have emerged during the past, say, two or three days. If Auburn is adding candidates, that almost certainly means Rich McGlynn is out and it also means there's still work to be done as far as MAKING THE ACTUAL DECISION.
New candidates:
• John Cohen of Mississippi State. He's a Mississippi State guy through and through. He was an outstanding baseball coach at MSU for years before taking over as AD in 2016. The fact that he was such an accomplished coach makes him a bit unique in this era of markerters and bean counters being in charge of Power 5 athletic departments.
• Shane Lyons of West Virginia. He's a West Virginia guy through and through, those he's also worked at the NCAA and at Alabama from 2011-15. I don't know much about him, honestly.
So we'll add them to the two candidates we already know: John Hartwell of Utah State and Eddie Nuñez of New Mexico.
*******
THINKING OUT LOUD: I'm all for patience when it comes to finding and hiring the right person for this complicated, nuanced job. With that said, something happened behind the scenes that wasn't expected. Was it blow-back against Second Interim AD Rich McGlynn? Hartwell seemed like a slam dunk at one point, but this process has expanded since then. Is something about Hartwell dissatisfying to elements within the Auburn sphere?
I don't have a good answer for you there.
I'm just saying this timetable is approaching farcical. No matter who gets the job, how will that person have enough time to assess Bryan Harsin before this recruiting cycle hits its apex on Dec. 21? It feels like the president is far more worried about making the correct AD hire than protecting the football team's 2023 cycle. Which begs the question: Are we at the low-water mark for the program?
If we are, then Roberts' deliberate pace makes sense. There is nothing more to lose.
If we aren't, then Roberts' deliberate pace is a potential problem. There is more to lose.
