My biggest problem with Tubs was his incessant flirting with the next best job out there.
When your AD is visibly not in your corner and you're looking over your shoulder? Cuts both ways.
Was Tuberville a true AU man? I wasn't his best friend, but I know enough, saw enough and was told enough to know that he wanted to be. He was happy there, his family was happy there. The shit in 2003 was wrong, the wrong people took the heat and from that point on the relationship was frosty. Administration made it pretty clear they weren't going to reach across the table and embrace him. And he went insular.
Shit happens. I would have been fine with him going in 2003 if they'd done it right. Kudos to Tuberville for enduring that and emerging stronger. But even after 2004, the relationship didn't warm.
If you know your boss is biding time, waiting for you to screw up just enough for him to fire you and not make everybody else where you work mad, how would you handle it?
When did you know Gene Chizik was going to be head coach at Auburn, Jay?
The day he left for Texas.
That tells me all I need to know.