With the departure of Gene Chizik, all eyes are on these prospective coaches to see who will lead the Tigers next year.
Bobby Petrino - Free agent
• Petrino’s most recent position was as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks.
• His tenure was cut short when he was fired for having an affair with former All-SEC volleyball player Jessica Dorrell.
• Before Arkansas, Petrino coached the Atlanta Falcons for the majority of the 2007 season.
• During his eight years as a head coach at Louisville and Arkansas his record was 75-26.
• Pat Dye has said on numerous occasions that it is not in the best interest of the Auburn program to hire Petrino.
Kirby Smart - DC, Alabama
• He has been the Alabama defensive coordinator since 2007.
• In 2009, when Alabama won the BCS National Championship, Smart received the Broyles Award, which is earned by the nation’s best assistant coach.
• Smart is a former defensive back for Georgia, where he began his assistant coaching career in 1999.
• He is currently the highest paid defensive coordinator in the nation.
• Hiring Smart would be a blow to Alabama and a boost to Auburn at the same time.
Gus Malzahn – HC, Arkansas State
• Malzahn coached Auburn’s offense during the team’s 2010 BCS National Championship season.
• Malzahn left Auburn after the 2011 season and took a head coaching position at Arkansas State.
• He led that team to an 8-3 regular season this year and has insisted that he wants to see his work completed there.
• Though he has gotten off to an excellent start at his new post, a head coaching job at an SEC school is one of the most desired positions in college football, and coaches in the past have retreated on former statements and accepted SEC positions eagerly.
Gary Patterson – HC, TCU
• A recent addition to the list of potential Auburn head coaches, TCU’s Patterson would bring a mentality of success to the slumped Tigers.
• Patterson, in 13 seasons with TCU, has a record of 116-34.
• TCU has been in the WAC, Conference USA, the Mountain West Conference and now the Big 12 during that time, but the Horned Frogs notched two undefeated seasons and won the 2011 Rose Bowl.
• Patterson was interviewed by Auburn in 2008, but was eventually set aside for Gene Chizik.
James Franklin – HC, Vanderbilt
• He has raised Vanderbilt in only two years from the hovels of the SEC to a team that won eight regular season games this season.• Franklin has made himself one of the more sought after coaches in a conference that has several head coaching positions up for grabs.
• He clearly knows what it takes to win football games in the SEC, and his Commodore team won its last six games this season, including four SEC teams in that stretch.
• The main thing that counts for a prospective Auburn head coach is his ability to make a bad team good, and Franklin has proven that he can do that.
Jimbo Fisher – HC, FSU
• The Florida State head coach has had quick success after inheriting Bobby Bowden’s job in 2010.
• The Seminoles team is 29-10 with Fisher at the helm, and after a 10-2 season this year, FSU will play for an ACC title.
• Fisher coached the Auburn quarterbacks from 1993-1998 and coached quarterbacks along with LSU’s offense from 2000-06.
• He has said that he is looking forward to remaining
with FSU, but situations have been known to change rapidly during the college football offseason.
Charlie Strong – HC, Louisville
• Strong is currently the head coach for Louisville, a team he has led to three straight winning seasons.
• This year the Cardinals are 9-2.
• Stong was the defensive coordinator for the Florida Gators from 2002-09.
• During that time he served as the interim head coach and assistant coach some years.
• The Louisville athletics department has stated that it will match any offer a larger school makes for Strong.
• He has also said that he is committed to the Cardinals.
Chris Petersen – HC, Boise State
• Petersen has been with the Boise State Broncos since 2001 and was promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach for the 2006 season.
• Petersen has an 82-8 record during seven seasons as the head coach.
• In 2006 and 2009, he coached the Broncos to perfect seasons. They won the Fiesta Bowl both years.
• Petersen’s teams have never lost more than three games in a season, though his teams are playing against competition from the Mountain West Conference and formerly the WAC.
• Petersen recently said that a move from Boise State is just a rumor.
Jeff Fisher – HC, St. Louis Rams
• This wildcard pick is an 18-year NFL coach and has a record of 150-132-1 during those seasons with the Oilers, Titans and Rams.
• He took over as the Rams head coach this season.
• Fisher is connected to Auburn through his son, Trent, who was a walk-on safety who earned a scholarship at Auburn.
• Jeff Fisher has been involved in the NFL as a player, defensive coach and head coach since 1981, though he did not coach in 2011.
• He was part of the Super Bowl winning Bears team in 1985 and coached the Titans to a Super Bowl in 1999.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
