SEC analyst Paul Finebaum reveals way Bryan Harsin can save his job
Since the conclusion of the 2021 season, which ended with Auburn losing five straight games after starting the season 6-2, head coach Bryan Harsin’s job has been in jeopardy.
After fighting an offseason coup to remove him from the job in the offseason, Harsin led Auburn to a 2-0 start with wins over Mercer and San Jose State to begin the 2022 campaign. While the games were not played perfectly, it appeared that Harsin had his team trending in the right direction.
That all changed when Penn State visited Jordan-Hare Stadium on Sept. 17 and handed Auburn their most lopsided loss since the 2012 Georgia game. Last week, Auburn avoided their second loss in as many weeks thanks to a missed field goal and a fumble before the goal line that allowed the Tigers to escape with a 17-14 win over Missouri.
Now, it appears that Harsin’s seat is hotter than ever.
It does not help Harsin’s case that there are Power Five jobs opening around the country just four weeks into the season. That could put pressure on Auburn to make a move so that they can hire a quality replacement before all of their options have secured new jobs.
The job is not open, however. There is still time for Harsin to take strong leadership of this prestigious program that competes in the nation’s best conference. How can he do that? One college football expert weighs in.
Paul Finebaum of the SEC Network was a guest on the radio show “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning” on Jox 94.5 in Birmingham Monday morning to share his thoughts on the weekend that was in the SEC. As is customary for an Alabama-based radio show, Harsin was discussed.
Finebaum criticized several of Harsin’s coaching decisions in last weekend’s win over Missouri but went on to say that the pressure that he has been dealt at Auburn is not entirely his fault. He says that Auburn has struggled in recruiting, dating back to the previous era.
“(Gus) Malzahn had moments. I think he was able to get some real, difference-making players on that roster as we all know. But, with Malzahn, it caught up to him at the end. His recruiting trailed off,” Finebaum said. “As Georgia became a juggernaut on top with Alabama and LSU has always made a difference, it just became more difficult.”
Last recruiting cycle, Auburn reeled in the No. 21 class according to 247Sports and sits currently at No. 56 in the 2023 rankings with 10 commitments. Harsin’s recruiting efforts have also been condemned, but Finebaum believes that if Harsin can put life back into recruiting, that could be one step towards keeping his job.
“You can overcome bad coaching decisions if you have a little bit of talent. But there just isn’t any talent,” Finebaum said. “I realize Auburn was shorthanded from a quarterback standpoint… but I’ve never seen less imagination and more sandlot ball than (vs. Missouri) in my life.”
Out of the 10 commitments that Auburn has received for the 2023 cycle, seven of them are rated as four-star prospects according to 247Sports. The class is headlined by running back Jeremiah Cobb, wide receiver Adam Hopkins, and safety Terrance Love.
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The full Auburn depth chart for Week 5
