Auburn fires coach Harsin after less than two seasons
AUBURN,ALA.— Auburn fired coach Bryan Harsin on Monday after less than two seasons, ending a rocky tenure in which the Tigers struggled to compete in the Southeastern Conference.
Harsin went 9-12 overall and 3-5 this year. Auburn has lost four straight games while struggling against Power Five opponents, including a 41-27 loss to Arkansas on Saturday. Auburn will owe Harsin 70% of his remaining contract — more than $15 million — and half of that must be paid within 30 days.
“President (Chris) Roberts made the decision after a thorough review and evaluation of all aspects of the football program,” the school said in a brief statement announcing the move.
“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,” the statement said.
Auburn canceled its weekly football news conference about 90 minutes before Harsin was scheduled to speak.
Harsin was hired away from Boise State in December 2020 and Auburn gave him a six-year, $31.5 million deal. He never came close to replicating his past success and failed to keep up with rivals Georgia and Alabama on the field or on the recruiting trail.
Those results were unacceptable to a program that won a national title in 2010 and is accustomed to contending for SEC championships. The Tigers struggled throughout the season, with the normally reliable defense giving up 40-plus points three times while the offensive issues never resolved. The biggest struggles came in the second half, when Auburn failed to score a touchdown against both Missouri and LSU.
The heat on Harsin rose after a 41-12 loss to Penn State and didn’t cool off too much after a 17-14 overtime win over Missouri. That game was only salvaged by Missouri’s goal line fumble in overtime. Then came a listless 42-10 loss to No. 1 Georgia that emphasized the talent gap facing the Tigers and losses to Mississippi and the Razorbacks. After the loss in Athens, Harsin said he focuses on the things under his control but added that the enjoyment of coaching “never goes away.”
Auburn had a chance to take the lead in the third quarter against Arkansas, but the drive ended with a blocked field goal. The Razorbacks then scored 21 unanswered points, prompting fans to leave the stadium.