Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn was given a vote of confidence Tuesday afternoon.
Auburn athletic director Allen Greene said that, despite the Tiger’s struggles this season, Malzahn will return for the 2019 season.
“He’s our coach for the future,” Greene told reporters Tuesday. “He’ll be the coach next year. He’s already proven that he can get through adversity.”
Auburn (6-3), which entered the season at No.10, dropped out of the AP Top 25 after dropping two straight games to Mississippi State and Tennessee. Since then, the Tigers have beaten Ole Miss and Texas A&M, one of which was won in the final minutes, to reclaim their bowl game eligibility.
The majority of Auburn’s struggles can be traced back to the offense’s ineffectiveness to this point in the season. After losing 30-24 at home to Tennessee, a number of fans, alumni and donors were calling for Malzahn to be fired. Greene said Tuesday that a program like Auburn supporters deserve to be disappointed.
“You expect to be successful more than a normal team,” Greene said. “When that doesn’t happen, it’s frustrating. We expect more. I know that we’re young in some positions. He (Malzahn) is going to continue to be a really good coach here for us.”
After losing to LSU last October for their second loss of the season, Malzahn led the Tigers to five straight victories and an SEC Championship birth. The head coach owns a seven-year, $49-million contract.
Auburn travels to Sanford Stadium Saturday night to take on No. 6 Georgia.
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.
