Auburn fires Harsin after less than 2 seasons
Auburn has fired football coach Bryan Harsin after less than two seasons, the school announced Monday….
After less than two turbulent seasons, Auburn fired football coach Bryan Harsin on Monday.
The decision comes just before the school was expected to name a new athletic director in John Cohen, the former Mississippi State AD, a source told ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Harsin’s firing comes less than 48 hours after the Tigers lost to Arkansas at home by two touchdowns.
The team dropped to 3-5 and is in danger of missing out on a bowl game for the first time since 2012.
Harsin’s tenure at Auburn ends with a 9-12 record.
“Auburn University has decided to make a change in the leadership of the Auburn University football program,” the school said in a statement. “President [Christopher] Roberts made the decision after a thorough review and evaluation of all aspects of the football program. Auburn will begin an immediate search for a coach that will return the Auburn program to a place where it is consistently competing at the highest levels and representing the winning tradition that is Auburn football.”
Per terms of his contract, Harsin will be owed $15.5 million in buyout money with 50 percent ($7.75 million) due within 30 days and the remaining 50 percent ($7.75) in four installments.
Two years ago, the school decided to pay a $21.7 million buyout in order to fire Gus Malzahn, who had gone 68-34 in eight seasons.
Auburn was coming off a 6-7 season when Harsin’s status was thrown in limbo this past February after the university launched an investigation into his handling of the program.
The inquiry came after a number of players and coaches left during the offseason.
Auburn ultimately cleared Harsin, who later called it a “personal attack” that he said “didn’t work.”
Auburn opened the season with two straight wins, over Mercer and San Jose State, but has gone 1-5 since.
Harsin, 45, came to Auburn on a six-year, $31.5 million deal after seven seasons as head coach at Boise State.
His record as a head coach, including one season at Arkansas State, is 85-36.
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