This Auburn Coaching Search Keeps Taking Some Wild Turns

If you aren’t keeping up with this Auburn coaching search, you absolutely should be. This situation is chock-full of wild twists and turns.

For those who aren’t familiar, the Tigers fired longtime head coach Gus Malzahn on Sunday. It was somewhat unexpected, but it gave the team’s fan base new hope. Malzahn, on the other hand, was given a $21.7 million buyout for his troubles.

Since then, things have completely gone off the rail. Rumors and speculation have been prevalent, but that’s the nature of the business following a coaching change. The situation on The Plains has gone beyond that, however.

Josh Moon with AL.com highlighted some of the craziness on Thursday in a series of tweets.

The sources said the plan from the outset was to fire Gus, name Steele interim, have a quiet search that ended with Steele as the best, most financially safe option. There was never a serious plan to pursue any other coach. And then word leaked about Steele …

— Josh Moon (@Josh_Moon) December 17, 2020

The #stopsteele campaign and thousands of phone calls and emails have really caused several people to pause. And now there is a renewed sense that an actual search might take place. Might be too late on Cristobal, though. Next options, sources said, are Napier and Clark.

— Josh Moon (@Josh_Moon) December 17, 2020

This certainly sounds like some backdoor shady business to undermine Malzahn. It was a coup, and it worked — assuming Moon’s tweets are accurate. And according to Moon, this plan was a three-year process.

Was just told by 2 very good sources who have intimate knowledge of the Auburn coaching search that the last 24 hours, & #stopsteele campaign, has blown up a 3-yr plan to undermine Gus Malzahn & get Kevin Steele the job. The man they say is behind it: former trustee Bobby Lowder

— Josh Moon (@Josh_Moon) December 17, 2020

This is one of the wildest coaching situations I’ve ever seen. Bobby Lowder allegedly put a plan in place to replace Malzahn with his subordinate, Kevin Steele. And he was willing to pay over $20 million to make that happen.

Think about that for a second. It’s insanity.

Now, Auburn fans are pushing to “Stop the Steele” and the university is obliging them. Instead, there will be now be a legitimate coaching search to determine who will lead the program.

In what world was this plan to replace Malzahn with Steele supposed to work? It could still happen, but how does the university move forward with this? Answer: they won’t — or at least they shouldn’t.

Unfortunately, it looks like Mario Cristobal will not be a part of the equation. The Oregon head coach signed an extension with the Ducks on Thursday, winning the leverage game like he teaches his linemen.

It looks like UAB’s Bill Clark and Louisiana’s Billy Napier could be the next targets.

Clay has some interesting thoughts on Auburn’s coaching search, which is worth checking out.

"The Auburn coaching search is in danger of coming completely off the rails, much like what happened with Tennessee when the hire of Greg Schiano was attempted." –@ClayTravis pic.twitter.com/IEBdMuGInz

— OutKick (@Outkick) December 18, 2020

Follow Clint Lamb on Twitter @ClintRLamb.