We can't say we didn't see it coming.
Gene Chizik is a nice guy and a hard worker. He led the Tigers to their second national championship, and he helped pull us out of the Tuberville years. But, unfortunately, we're almost as bad -- if not worse -- than when he started.
The blame cannot rest solely on his shoulders, though.
Brian VanGorder and Scot Loeffler need to go. Considering we are under NCAA investigation for questionable recruiting practices, Trooper Taylor would be another good candidate for a pink slip.
Now we have a chance to start over for the better, but we can't make any positive changes if we stick to the same old type of coaches and staff. We desperately need to get out of the good ol' boy network.
Our solution to that problem? Fire Jay Jacobs.
In the college football industry, the blame always seems to focus on the bigwigs, such as head coaches. Why not put some of that blame on who hires the bigwigs?
Jacobs' time as athletic director has been mediocre at best. Yes, we won a national championship, but that's pretty much all that's happened. Tony Barbee's basketball team is just as bad as the football team. John Pawlowski's baseball team is underachieving.
Both Barbee and Pawlowski were hired by Jacobs -- as were the coaches before them -- and both have shown what we already know about Jacobs' inability to find good coaches.
Jacobs represents the lasting effects of Pat Dye's legacy. He is part of a club of guys whose only real qualifications are their association with former coach Dye.
Don't get us wrong, Dye was one of the best coaches we've ever had. He does a lot for Auburn, and he is a living example of the Auburn spirit. But his background influence over the football program should come to an end as soon as possible.
We need wins next season. We need to return to the glory we had in 2010. But we can't even come close to that if we keep repeating the same mistakes.
What we are saying is harsh, but it's time to be harsh. A 3-9 season should be a wake-up call, not a reason to keep hitting the snooze button. As the guy yelling at Jacobs emphatically said when Chizik first arrived in Auburn, "We need a leader, not a loser."
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