re: Auburn Flirting WIth Bobby Petrino

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Per FootballScoop.com Should Auburn lose to Bama there is growing buzz within the inside that Gus may "reset his clock" and take the Arkansas job. Gus would likely get a fresh 5 year 30 million or more deal. At AU he has 3 years left making just under 5 million per year. There's no instate rival at Arkansas where he would be constantly compared to and the fanbase is a lot more docile. It's also thought he would have a voice in choosing Arkansas new AD. Many in the business see this as a no brainer for Malzhan. The issue is timing. If AU loses to Bama Saturday and Arkansas loses to Mizzou Friday then Malzahn could leave as early as Sunday. Should AU win things become a little more unclear. Beat UGA who AU has already blown out and Malzahn is in the playoffs and well past the early signing period in December. We're told Auburn is doing some diligence preparing for the possibility of his departure. Multiple sources have relayed that Auburn seems to have Bobby Petrino as a backup plan. Petrino's buyout dropped from 8 million to 4 million after Tom Jurich was fired. This isn't to say Petrnio is AU's next man but it is interesting to hear that Auburn is already inquiring. TT's will be happy

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More Jimmy Sexton noise. Not happening.

If you're Auburn, why would you let a 9 to 10 win coach walk out the door? Just match/beat the best offer on the table and make him stay.

If you're Gus, why would you leave? Sure, you have to win at least 8 to 9 games a year to keep the fans happy (ideally 9+ with at least one being Bama or UGA), but you're frequently a legit contender to win the SEC and make the CFP (neither of which is happening anytime soon at Arkie). Sure, he might be expected to ONLY win 7 a year in Fayetteville, but the talent base to get there is a lot smaller.

OTOH, if Gus really isn't interested in chasing the brass ring that hard anymore, do we really want him anyway? I'd wish him the best and bid farewell. And hiring Bobby P., Scumbag would save me a lot of money every year as we'd give up our season tickets.

For the record, I am a Gus fan...been riding the Gus Bus since literally the second we let Chiz go (my reflex reaction to that news was "Gus Malzahn"). Not saying he's not without faults, but I like his introverted goofiness, and I think his offensive philosophy is a near perfect counter to LSU, Bama, and UGA. Many of you may not agree, but two of the three best Auburn seasons, in what, the last 60 years have one thing in common: Gus Malzahn.