Auburn Fires Harsin After Less Than 2 Seasons

Mediocrity on the gridiron can’t survive long in the rough-and-tumbled Southeastern Conference (SEC). In less than two seasons at the helm of Auburn’s football program, head coach Bryan Harsin found out the hard way.

After a 9-12 record in a season and a half, Harsin was fired this week — just two days after the Tigers lost to Arkansas at home by two touchdowns. Auburn is in danger of missing out on a bowl appearance for the first time since 2012. The team opened the season with two straight wins, over Mercer and San Jose State, but has gone 1-5 since.

The decision comes just before the school named John Cohen, the former Mississippi State athletic director, to the same position for the Tigers.

A recent report from ESPN.com detailed the decision and what to expect from the changes in leadership. Below is an excerpt from the ESPN.com story.

“Auburn University has decided to make a change in the leadership of the Auburn University football program,” the school said in a statement. “President [Christopher] Roberts made the decision after a thorough review and evaluation of all aspects of the football program. Auburn will begin an immediate search for a coach that will return the Auburn program to a place where it is consistently competing at the highest levels and representing the winning tradition that is Auburn football.”

Per terms of his contract, Harsin will be owed $15.5 million in buyout money with 50% due within 30 days and the remaining half in four installments.

Two years ago, the school decided to pay a $21.7 million buyout to fire Gus Malzahn, who had gone 68-34 in eight seasons.

Harsin, 45, came to Auburn on a six-year, $31.5 million deal after seven seasons as head coach at Boise State.

His record as a head coach, including one season at Arkansas State, is 85-36.

Running backs coach Carnell “Cadillac” Williams will serve as Auburn’s interim coach, the school later announced. He’s in his fourth season at his alma mater, where he was an All-America selection at running back and set team records for carries (741) and rushing touchdowns (45). Williams was selected at No. 5 overall by Tampa Bay in the 2005 NFL draft, and played seven NFL seasons, rushing for 4,047 yards and 21 touchdowns.

To read the full story from ESPN.com about the change at head football coach for Auburn, click here.