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Dont forget who we couldnt hire last time

Posted on 10/14/25 at 12:04 am
Posted by AUjim
America
Member since Dec 2012
3763 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 12:04 am
Auburn was such a dumpster fire last time around we couldnt even get Brent Venables, Billy Napier, or Lane Kiffin. There is a reason we got stuck with Hugh F'ing Freeze. Napier has obviously not fared well, but at the time, he was one of the best names available.

If we are going to get someone who isnt damaged goods, and has had some level of success, the behind the scenes folks are going to have to guarantee that person total control and a lot of money.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk

This post was edited on 10/14/25 at 12:05 am
Posted by greygoose
Member since Aug 2013
14030 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 4:13 am to
Don't know why anyone would downvote your post, it's factual.

When Freeze was hired, he was the best on paper, that we could get. That says a lot about the reputation off the power brokers that are in charge of our program. Sad thing is, super rich guys willing to fork over large sums of money, are hard to come by. Not much will change until that dynamic does. The term "good fit" comes up during every hiring cycle. I'm starting to think that may be the thing that needs to be reevaluated the most.
Posted by LRB1967
Tennessee
Member since Dec 2020
22863 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 6:13 am to
Sunbelt Billy is not good enough for Auburn
Posted by CorchJay
Member since Nov 2018
20878 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 7:38 am to
Some coaches are scared of playing bammer and UGay every year. It’s that simple
Posted by AUIH1
Logan Martin Lake, Talladega, AL
Member since Oct 2012
114 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 7:55 am to
I thought that we only approached Kiffin before we went for Freezus in 2022. I remember Napier being in the conversation in 2020 and that's when Venebles and Cristobal (with Cristobal being the favorite) were also considered.

This time; I would make Kiffin say no again and then move to Oregon's OC/DC; Sumrall, Georgia's DC, Hartline and maybe even Ryan Grubb. The worst thing AU can do is keep Freeze.
Posted by pdfield34
Member since Aug 2022
538 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 8:04 am to
The Venebles and Napier chatter / comments were during the hiring of Harsin.

Obviously the Allen Green situation wasn't the best.

Well known that he insiders were going to go with Freeze if unable to obtain Kiffin.

Cohen's outside choice was most likely Mike Elko.

So we basically had options of Freeze and Elko - not bad (considering there WAS a lot of hype around Freeze). You miss and move on.
This post was edited on 10/14/25 at 8:49 am
Posted by Ccslimm
DC
Member since Nov 2016
732 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 8:16 am to
Saban being at bama played a roll back then as coaches didn’t want to deal with that, he is gone and they are pedestrian af so you only have to worry about Kirby.

We sit in a recruiting hotbed and passionate fan base. Don’t get desperate
Posted by Luke
1113 Chartres Street, NOLA
Member since Nov 2004
14111 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 9:07 am to
Damaged goods? Hire grud3n… he wants the AU job
Posted by slacker130
Your mom
Member since Jul 2010
8925 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 9:13 am to
quote:

When Freeze was hired, he was the best on paper, that we could get.


That's BS. Freeze sucked on paper and we could have done better.
Posted by Pettifogger
I don't really care, Margaret
Member since Feb 2012
85787 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 9:45 am to
I think smart prospective coaches will look at the support Hugh got and take note.

It's a better job than it was then.

I still think we've got challenges, but I think we'd get consideration from the iffy prospects at least - Key, etc.
Posted by Auburn1968
NYC
Member since Mar 2019
24991 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 10:12 am to
Freeze has delivered on recruiting, but he can't put all of that talent into gear on the field. Freeze has no energy on the sidelines. It's like he is in a daze.

If there are no good options for HC, a major upgrade at an OC who actually controls the offense and calls plays could work. A QB coach and an O-line coach upgrade are also very doable.
Posted by SingleMalt1973
Member since Feb 2022
21952 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 10:40 am to
quote:

to have to guarantee that person total control





This will never happen, it’s why every new hire we have made since Dye had numerous former players/ coaches on the staff in some capacity. It’s why basketball accomplished so much cause they didnt give a shite and let Bruce do whatever he wanted. So what’s the point of running Freeze off to,get another Harsin, Gus, Freeze coach. It doesn’t matter who we hire unless they get to run the show.
Posted by AUjim
America
Member since Dec 2012
3763 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 10:46 am to
AU has to make Lane Kiffin say no (again).
Posted by SingleMalt1973
Member since Feb 2022
21952 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 10:54 am to
He is never coming to AU sorry.
Posted by kung fu kenny
Birmingham
Member since Sep 2017
2006 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 10:57 am to
quote:

there WAS a lot of hype around Freeze)



Are you high right now?
Posted by higgs_boson
State College, PA
Member since Sep 2014
22949 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 10:59 am to
quote:


AU has to make Lane Kiffin say no (again).


Win/Win to me. We either get him or reduce the salary cap Ole Miss has for their players.
Posted by AUjim
America
Member since Dec 2012
3763 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 12:23 pm to
quote:


He is never coming to AU sorry.


I agree - But I think this time around AU has to make damn sure that is the case. He could legitimately be for football what BP has been for basketball. Not sure who else we could say that about. There's certainly other names out there, but Kiffin is proven at this point.
Posted by kung fu kenny
Birmingham
Member since Sep 2017
2006 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 12:51 pm to
He said he largely turned down AU because his daughter was at OM. She has to be close to graduating at this point right?
Posted by metafour
Member since Feb 2007
4283 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 12:52 pm to
quote:

This will never happen, it’s why every new hire we have made since Dye had numerous former players/ coaches on the staff in some capacity. It’s why basketball accomplished so much cause they didnt give a shite and let Bruce do whatever he wanted. So what’s the point of running Freeze off to,get another Harsin, Gus, Freeze coach. It doesn’t matter who we hire unless they get to run the show.



Both Harsin and Freeze have had essentially full autonomy. Freeze even pushed Carnell off the staff so that he could bring in Derrick Nix to pretend to be the OC, all so that he could go back to calling plays. You seem to have forgotten Bryan Harsin pushing/firing Bobo and Derek Mason out the door and replacing them with his two buddies from Boise State. Harsin was left to fail on his own terms, nobody told him how to run his program (as proven by the fact that he did nearly zero recruiting). Don't forget that Harsin was hired without the blessing of the "PTB" - they weren't involved with his program.

Gus Malzahn is a weirdo and needed all of the help that he got with staff building. The other side of the "meddling" you bring up is all of the actual times that it worked out in the coach's benefit, which was most obvious with Malzahn. His first staff at Auburn would have been a complete joke without help: he had very few connections and he wanted to bring a bunch of G5 coaches onto his staff because he had no high-end SEC contacts. Someone like Rodney Garner would never be on his staff without "help". Muschamp and Steele being brought on as DC's was also driven by the "PTB", and these two guys basically saved Malzahn's job considering that defense was the only reason why we were even winning games in the final ~third of his tenure as the HC.

By the way, you seem to have forgotten someone by the name of Chuck Person who was hired onto Bruce Pear's staff from the very onset. Marquis Daniels has also been employed by Bruce Pearl since 2019. So was Bruce Pearl told to hire Chuck Person, or did he consciously make that decision himself?

This post was edited on 10/14/25 at 12:53 pm
Posted by wareaglepete
Lumon Industries
Member since Dec 2012
17264 posts
Posted on 10/14/25 at 2:23 pm to
quote:

He said he largely turned down AU because his daughter was at OM. She has to be close to graduating at this point right?


She repaid him by starting to date some knucklehead LSU player that has a habit of throwing up on himself.
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