Auburn’s Gus Malzahn doesn’t feel like he’s coaching for his job
AUBURN — Naturally, the question came up during Gus Malzahn’s weekly news conference on Tuesday.
“It’s weird to think you’re seven games into this contract,†one reporter said, “but I have to ask you, do you feel you’re playing for your job at this point? That your performing for your job?â€
Malzahn’s answer was “No.â€
“I feel like I’m coaching for my players for the next game,†the sixth-year head coach continued. “We have to finish this thing the right way. I really expect us to do it. Are we disappointed? Yes, we’re disappointed, I’m disappointed and our players are disappointed, I know our fans are disappointed, but we have to get through this and we are going to get through it. The way you get through it is finish strong, and that’s what we’re going to do.â€
It seems like a crazy question to ask, given that Malzahn is barely more than halfway through the first season of the seven-year, $49-million contract he signed in January. Seventy-five percent of that contract is guaranteed, so if Auburn decided it wanted to make a change after this season, it would owe the coach a buyout of $32.1 million.
But after a 30-24 loss to Tennessee this past Saturday, the Tigers are 4-4 since Malzahn agreed in principle to that contract following last year’s SEC Championship Game and 4-5 since knocking off eventual national champion Alabama in last year’s Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
“I recognize that football and Auburn football and the standing of a coach is a hot topic, considering we’re not really where we want to be and not where we expected to be,"
athletic director Allen Greene told reporters Monday in Birmingham. “But as I’ve shared with coach, my responsibility is to support him and his team, and we’ll continue doing so.
"Part of our responsibility is to make sure that we’re getting the right things in place, sticking with that process and understanding that this isn’t a week-to-week deal here. I know that fans go up and down depending on the outcome of a game, but it’s our responsibility to really look down the road and make sure that we’re continuing to put the pieces of the puzzle together be successful for a long time.â€
Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn walks the field after Tiger Walk before the Tennessee game Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018, at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. (Photo: Julie Bennett)
The Volunteers’ win over Auburn snapped their 11-game losing streak against conference opponents, which dated back to 2016, and gave them their first victory over an SEC West team since 2010.
The Tigers are now 4-3 overall and 1-3 in SEC play with losses to LSU, Mississippi State and Tennessee. On Monday, they fell out of the national rankings, marking the second time of the Malzahn era that they have gone from preseason top 10 in the AP Top 25 Poll to unranked altogether.
If Auburn’s dreams of repeating as SEC West champions weren’t dead after the loss in Starkville, Mississippi, two weeks ago, they certainly are now. Now, the team’s focus turns to getting itself bowl-eligible, which will take at least two wins over the final five games of the regular season.
Those final five games start with a trip to Ole Miss on Saturday and finish with consecutive games against No. 18 Texas A&M, No. 6 Georgia, Liberty and No. 1 Alabama following an Oct. 27 bye.
“I don’t think anybody expect us to be where we’re at. I didn’t, our players didn’t. We’ve been close, and the reality is we are here and you’ve got to own that, and I own it,†Malzahn said. “We’re at a point now where there’s no more championships, but we’re going to play for Auburn, we’re going to play for each other, we’ve got a staff and a group of players that are close and they’re going to keep fighting. We’re going to finish this thing on a positive. We’re going to be as good as we can be moving forward.â€
Malzahn promised Tuesday that “there will be some tweaks†made before Saturday’s game in Oxford, Mississippi, though he declined to go into detail about what those might be.
They won’t be to the team’s play-calling hierarchy or at quarterback: Offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey will continue calling the plays, and Jarrett Stidham will continue running the offense despite committing three turnovers against the Volunteers.
Pretty much everything else could on the table.
“We’re going to roll up our sleeves this week,†Malzahn said. “This is a big game for us, obviously, going on the road and get a victory before we get to the off week.
“Our guys are playing extremely hard. They’re competitive. I’m not going to say the ball hasn’t bounced our way, because I believe you create your own fortune and your own success. I’m proud of my team for that, and we just need to figure out a way to take that next step to make the plays and seize the moment when we have the opportunity.â€
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