Auburn fires head coach Bryan Harsin

The tumultuous Bryan Harsin era on the Plains has come to an end.

Auburn fired its head football coach on Monday after nearly two seasons with the program. Harsin posted a 9-12 record during his short stint with the program and was pushed ultimately pushed out after a mediocre start to the 2022 season, one that included an embarrassing 41-12 home loss to Penn State. The move coincides with the program set to hire Mississippi State athletic director John Cohen as its next AD.

Harsin was hired at Auburn in December of 2020 in the aftermath of the program firing Gus Malzahn. The former Boise State head coach arrived in the midst of a reported booster struggle within the program where several powerful donors reportedly pushed for defensive coordinator Kevin Steele to be promoted to the top job. Former athletic director Allen Greene took control of the chaotic coaching search, hiring Harsin to the chagrin of the power brokers in east Alabama.

From inconsistencies on the field to the refusal to disclose his COVID-19 vaccination status, Harsin’s first season at Auburn was a roller coaster and the Tigers finished the 2021 campaign with a 6-7 mark. Coaching and player departures following the season raised questions over his viability at the job and that led to a very public coup attempt being made on his job in February. The head coach survived it, but it was clear that he’d enter the 2022 season on the hot seat. And with Greene stepping down after his contract wasn’t renewed, it became abundantly clear that Harsin’s days were numbered barring an SEC title run.

One of the premier SEC jobs is now open for business but with the chaotic influence of the boosters on the Plains, there’s a question of who they will be able to attract to take the job.