Is there something about Auburn that makes it unlike any other SEC football program? The current disconnect between Auburn fans and Auburn's decision-makers is over firing Hugh Freeze. The disconnect indicates a leadership vacuum. LSU is currently swirling in a similar situation, but it can be credited for taking action. In comparison, Auburn is the SEC's most 'un-serious' football program.
On Saturday night, watching a pathetically stagnant Auburn offense, former Auburn Tiger Cole Cubelic said that the only thing standing between Auburn and greatness is Auburn. He was later asked to "make sense" of the decision to return Auburn QB Ashton Daniels to the game. After a pause, Cubelic said, "I don’t believe I can do that for you right now."
There are three things Auburn should do immediately. Fire Hugh Freeze; fire John Cohen; and offer Cubelic the Auburn Athletic Director position. Freeze and Cohen may get axed, but Cubelic as AD will not happen. Instead, Auburn will continue to stumble as a football program.
Why, with Auburn's football tradition, has stagnation become Auburn football's norm? At least, the situation can be traced back to JetGate in 2004. Auburn's president and athletic director flew north in Auburn board member Bobby Lowder's plane to meet clandestinely with Bobby Petrino. They wanted to lock down Petrino (the then-current Louisville head coach) so they could fire Tommy Tuberville. In one of the few examples of Tuberville doing something smart, he outsmarted the Auburn powerbrokers and kept his job. The Auburn president and athletic director lost their jobs in the backlash when the 'secret' meeting became un-secret.
Auburn has become the most dysfunctional SEC football program
Auburn has suffered from a lack of clear leadership ever since. Fly War Eagles' Andrew Hughes states that Hugh Freeze "wants to be fired or just doesn't care anymore." Hughes is likely correct, but Freeze is far from being Auburn's biggest problem. Auburn's greatest problem is not knowing how or refusing to accept how a winning program must function.
For Auburn, bad coaching decisions have caused a decay that is worse now than it was when Kirby Smart, years ago, said thanks, but no thanks. Lane Kiffin, as he did once before (through Jimmy Sexton or another intermediary), has either recently said the same or he will soon. James Franklin and Jimbo Fisher might be desperate enough for a new gig to accept the Auburn job. Either one would make Alabama fans happy.
More likely is that a lesser coach will be hired to replace Freeze. And Auburn, as perfectly explained by Cole Cubelic, will continue to stymie any chance for success.