From the desk of Allen Greene

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Never rush an important decision. Christy and I didn’t get engaged after our first date. We took the time to get to know each other. When we were both committed to pursuing our partnership permanently, that’s when we met at the altar.

In the same way, the search for a new coach needs to be deliberate, not done in haste. When the right candidate has been identified and both parties are equally committed to moving forward together, then you formalize your covenant.

As President Gogue said when we introduced Coach Bryan Harsin on Christmas Eve, during this coaching search Auburn aimed high and hit high.

The same things you heard during Coach Harsin’s introductory press conference, we heard during our visits leading up to that moment.

He’s the ultimate competitor. You have to be in this league. The opportunity to coach in the SEC West isn’t for everybody. It takes something and someone special to want to compete in the toughest division in college football, with a strength of schedule every year that equals or exceeds anyone’s.

Not only does Coach Harsin accept that challenge, he embraces it.

When you have the success that Coach Harsin enjoyed at Boise State, opportunities are plentiful. After every season, schools in the market for a new head coach reached out to Bryan. He turned them all down.

Until Auburn called. “How could you not?” he said to reporters.

His willingness to say “yes” to Auburn after saying “no” to many others speaks to Auburn’s well-earned reputation, and the alignment between Coach Harsin’s values and Auburn’s.

He’s a family man. We’re the Auburn family.

He’s demanding. His teams are disciplined. We believe in work, hard work.

He believes, and I concur, that young people still want to be challenged, strained and held to a high standard. That’s how he will build a program that consistently competes for championships.

He has extensive experience recruiting and developing quarterbacks, and producing high-powered offenses. In his five seasons as Boise State’s offensive coordinator, his teams led the country in scoring, averaging more than 40 points per game.

With Coach Harsin calling the plays, Kellen Moore finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2010, the year Cam Newton won. Moore won 50 games as Boise State’s starting QB, the most in college football history.

Here’s what Kellen, who’s now the offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, said about Auburn’s new coach:

“Bryan Harsin is a phenomenal coach and person who will bring an exciting and successful brand of football to Auburn University. He has been a great mentor to me and I know he will make a positive impact on everyone in the Auburn program.”

Coach Harsin is an elite teacher who will be keenly invested in the holistic development of our players, helping them compete and succeed in every aspect of their lives.

As the proverb says, there is wisdom in many counselors. Our advisory group provided valuable counsel during the process. On behalf of everyone who cares deeply about Auburn football, we offer our gratitude to these seven Auburn women and men for their service. (Lieutenant General Ron Burgess, Quentin Riggins, Dr. Beverly Marshall, Tim Jackson, Bo Jackson, Randy Campbell and Michelle McKenna). This was a total team effort.

A few days ago in a letter to the Auburn Family, President Gogue addressed the process that led to the hiring of Coach Harsin as the leader of our football program. If you have not had the opportunity to read his message I encourage you to do so.

In the days since we announced the hiring of Coach Harsin, I’ve sensed a renewed enthusiasm among many of our fans. Now is the time to unite and put our shoulder to the wheel.

It will take all of us – Coach Harsin, his staff, student-athletes, donors and fans - pulling in the same direction to take Auburn where we all want to go.

Let’s pull together – and stay together – and make it happen. Together.

Thank you for believing in Auburn and loving it!

War Eagle & Happy New Year!


Allen Greene

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