BM: Gus close to accepting changes to stay at AU

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AUBURN, Alabama – Though no agreement has been finalized and changes remain possible, Gus Malzahn is on the verge of accepting a reduced buyout and other limitations to remain for his seventh season as Auburn’s head football coach, sources told AuburnUndercover. Malzahn’s buyout, sources said, would be reduced by an unspecified amount. Any coaching staff moves would have to be revenue neutral, effectively removing the possibility of paying buyouts for assistant coaches and assuring Chip Lindsey would remain as offensive coordinator unless he chooses to leave. President Steven Leath laid out the offer in a Sunday meeting with Malzahn. Leath left Tuesday morning for a meeting in Washington, D.C., and, according to athletic department sources, left negotiations with Malzahn in the hands of trustee Raymond Harbert. Malzahn was on the road recruiting Monday night and left on another recruiting trip Tuesday morning. He is not expected to return until late Tuesday night. After Auburn beat Georgia and Alabama, when both were ranked No. 1 last November, Leath, with strong support from Harbert, reached an agreement with Malzahn on a seven-year contract worth $49 million with 75 percent guaranteed. Since then, Auburn has gone 7-7 overall and 4-7 against power-five conference teams. After starting this season ranked No. 8, Auburn finished 7-5 overall and 3-5 in the SEC, creating a firestorm among Auburn supporters and donors. To buy out Malzahn’s contract and make a change would cost approximately $32 million with some $15 million due in 30 days and the rest to be paid in four annual installments. Auburn coaches, sources said, have faced questions about Malzahn’s future on virtually every stop on the recruiting trail over the past two days. In six seasons at Auburn, Malzahn is 52-27 overall and 28-20 in the SEC. In 2013, his first Auburn team was 12-2 overall, 7-1 in the SEC, won the conference championship and lost 34-31 to Florida State in the BCS Championship team. His 2017 team went 10-2 in the regular season and won the West Division championship before losing 28-7 to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game and 34-27 to Central Florida in the Peach Bowl to finish 10-4. From 2014-2016, the combined record was 23-16 overall and 11-13 in the SEC. The Tigers finished 8-5 and 4-4 in 2014 after a 7-1 start, finished 7-6 and 2-6 in 2015 and 8-5 and 5-3 in 2016, losing to Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl. Malzahn’s bowl record is 1-4, the only win over Memphis in the 2015 Birmingham Bowl. There remains no word on when an agreement will be finalized.

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