2020-21 CFB Coaching Carousel

So apparently Auburn DC Kevin Steele has emerged as the top candidate. The hashtag #StopSteele is trending on Twitter because Auburn fans apparently don't see the excitement in paying $21.4M to get rid of a coach to hire his top assistant.

 

Can't say I blame them.
They want a name. History says they probably won't get one.
The truth is that very few successful coaches move from one Power 5 program to another. Bear Bryant and Nick Saban are exceptions, and their success inflames Auburn passions.
Of the past 10 Auburn head coaches, only two took the job directly from other top head coaching gigs. Tuberville came from Ole Miss and Gene Chizik from Iowa State.

 

I can't be the only one who thinks that Oregon could actually come out ahead here. Don't throw more money at Mario Cristobal. He's taken an "exciting brand" and turned it into boring football with very questionable late-game decisions. If he leaves, the schools gets $8 million and can do a full reset. They hired Willie Taggart and then rushed to hire Cristobal.

 

I’ll take Cristobal over Helfrich.

Remember that Chizik went 3-9 and 2-10 in two years at Iowa State.

 

There are as many Oregon fans you would be pissed off if Cristobal left as who likely "blame" him for the Ducks coming up short this year (and probably a lot in both groups). The Program is now bigger than any coach who might be on the sidelines. Hope he stays, if only to avoid the "Bring Chip Back" stories. Also - Saban isn't going to coach forever.

 

I figured Briles will end up at Liberty anyway. I was thinking Arkansas State, but they pulled the trigger on Jones fast.

 

I think Kevin Steele would be a decent hire. The bottom line is that AU's big mules wanted Gus out, but had no real plan for what was going to happen next. There were Hugh Freeze rumblings but too many folks found that hire distasteful. There are some better than decent coaches they could target, but none of them will light up the fan base. We're back around to unrealistic expectations. "But we're Auburn!"

 

Sounds like Tennessee and Greg Schiano all over again.

 

As long as Kevin Steele takes a knee at the end of a game. #1999

 

Steele had a stellar 9-36 record as head coach at Baylor from 1999-2002.

 

Steele is also 62. He doesn't have a great shelf life. That being said...I don't see a bunch of guys racing to battle the Saban machine head on. So maybe Steele can hold them over for five years or however long it takes for Saban to retire.