Alabama Football: Best Bryan Harsin replacements ‘for Bama fans’

Alabama football fans enjoy Auburn’s searches for new head coaches. It is not because we yearn for Auburn to fire any coach. Going back to 2008, many Alabama Crimson Tide fans hoped the Tigers would hold on to Tommy Tuberville.

Following Tubs, most Alabama fans wanted to see Gene Chizik and Gus Malzahn retained. Except for Chizik, I can’t say it was because they were respected as coaches or liked as people. It was because, after Saban, outside some Auburn voodoo, the Auburn coaches were of little threat to the Crimson Tide.

Now the Tigers have Bryan Harsin and again, Alabama fans would love to see Harsin coaching on the Plains for many more seasons. Harsin deserves some credit for the Tigers’ plan against the Crimson Tide last season. But not too much credit, given he basically copied what LSU had shone would work three weeks earlier.

It could be that Harsin is a competent coach, but as an SEC recruiter, he is a failure. So, as I did with Malzahn, I am imploring Auburn to not fire Bryan Harsin.

Auburn will, of course, not listen to any Alabama football fan. The small, Auburn group that will make the next hire (after Harsin’s firing) will likely chase some good coaches. Lane Kiffin and Mark Stoops would be good choices, but neither is expected to have an interest.

A persistent rumor is before hiring Harsin, UAB’s Bill Clark was the No. 1 target. Supposedly, Clark required total control over the Auburn football program – and that was a deal breaker.

For fun, let’s consider some guys who might seriously entertain an Auburn offer.

Best Bryan Harsin  Replacements – For Alabama Football Fans

• Kevin Steele – Miami Defensive Coordinator – Steele is perfect for Auburn and would jump at the chance. Auburn power brokers would not have any ‘total control’ discussions with Steele and both sides would be happy. A bonus for Tide fans is Steele as a head coach has a record of 9 wins and 37 losses, including a loss as an Auburn Interim.
• Will Muschamp – Georgia Co-Defensive Coordinator – Muschamp also knows how things work at Auburn, having been on three different Auburn staffs. In his nine seasons as a head coach at Florida and South Carolina, Muschamp’s record is 56-51.
• Hugh Freeze – Liberty Head Coach – Freeze would likely be comfortable at Auburn as a place for continued career rehab. His past problems with the NCAA and other questionable activities are not likely to deter Auburn. For Tide fans, seeing Nick Saban paybacks every season would be a joy. Before Harsin was hired, I recommended Auburn hire ‘The Reverend’.
• Bobby Petrino – With Petrino, Auburn could finally get their man, as they tried to pull off years ago in Jetgate. Auburn might even pull off making Petrino a role model for redemption.
• Dan Mullen – No doubt, Mullen would like to be an SEC head coach again. He is respected as having a solid offensive mind. Alabama football fans would chortle knowing in 11 attempts at Mississippi State and Florida, Mullen was winless against Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide.
• Deion Sanders – Jackson State Head Coach – ‘Neon Deion’ has only coached 23 college football games. But he has won 18 of them, including going 11-2 in 2021. But Sanders would bring sizzle to Auburn and in time might prove to be a home run hire.

Alabama football fans should be pleased if the Aubies choose any of the six coaches. Under a new coach, Auburn, by the 2023 season, might make it back to the Birmingham Bowl.