Dear Santy Claws

[The Prowler]

Bob Stoops maybe?

[jmar]

We need someone capable of pulling off the whole sweater vest thing.

[jmar]

Franklin has 40 point lead and calls time out to ice the opposing kicker.

[AUJarhead]

Bob Stoops maybe?

I don’t think any established coach would walk into the shit show that is the Auburn Athletic Department. We are going to have to overpay for an unqualified third or fourth tier candidate.

[jmar]

Just want an established guy that does all of the required shit, doesn't embarrass us, recruits well and allows his coordinators to do their job. Nobody out there would be a splash hire from active coaching possibilities that are available.

[Buzz Killington]

Give me Jon Gruden or give me liberty.

[jmar]

Give me Jon Gruden or give me liberty.

Haven't you got some happiness to pursue?

[wesfau2]

Call me when Jay and Saban are gone.

Until, enjoy 8-5.

[GH2001]

Call me when Jay and Saban are gone.

Until, enjoy 8-5.

Pretty much where we're at.

[Godfather]

I think that’s the problem. Anyone we replace him with, are they really a step up?

I’m done with coaches with less than 2 or 3 years experience as a head coach.

So...  and this is in no way in order:

Jeff Brohm from Purdue
Kyle Wittingham from Utah
PJ Fleck from Minnesota
Derek Mason from Vandy
Willie Taggart from Oregon

None of those really thrill me, and I don’t know if they are a step up or not, but I think if we went after any of those guys, we’d have a realistic chance of getting.

I believe I already started this after the Mercer debacle. 

I love Kyle Wittingham but he is mormon, no disrespect against the religion but he isn't leaving Utah.
Problem with Brohm and Fleck is they only have a few years HC experience.
Taggert just started at Oregon.

You have hot shot names like PJ Fleck, Chad Morris, Brent Venables
Fleck and Morris have HC experience but IMO are still wet behind the ears in that department. Venables has no HC experience.  None of these are any more experienced than Gus was IMO.

You have the experienced guys that will be everyone's new coach next year in Chip Kelly, Bob Stoops, Les Miles....Jon Gruden
Kelly to me would be ok. I have concerns about the type of offense he runs.  I do think he is a my way or the highway (Saban type) coach.  He has the experience built Oregon from nothing.

Unlike Snags I think Stoops is done coaching, I suppose I could be wrong.  This is a whole lot of meh either way to me, He could never win the big game. 

Les Miles, while I think he is a great head coach and certainly light years above what we have, there are still concerns of offensive development. 

I was kidding on Gruden. 

Honest truth I think the only one we might have a shot at would be Miles and I don't think he would be good for our long term future.

Guys that I would have on my short list to contact... Justin Fuente, Bryan Harsin, Chris Creighton or perhaps an NFL Coordinator like a Josh McDaniels ( I have no idea if he would be interested in being a HC in College.)

- Fuente is HC at Virgina Tech, he is 41 years old and has been a HC for 6 years (HCR:39-27), currently making 3.5 at VT.  The challenge here would be would leaving the ACC for the SEC be more tempting.  Is Auburn a better job? Realistically, probably not when you consider what he has to do to win in the ACC vs the SEC West.  Plus VT is a lot easier on their coaches than Auburn would be.   Money does talk though and obviously recruiting and facilities are better.  Tough call.

- Harsin is HC at Boise State, he is 40 years old and has been HC for 5 years (HCR:40-15), currently making 1.6 at Boise.  Is Auburn a better job? Solid yes here.  However, Harsin is a BSU Alum born and raised in Boise.  Would he want to see a new challenge?  He has an outstanding record at Boise, and has coached under Chris Peterson and Mack Brown.  Solid Pedigree here.

- Chris Creighton is HC at E. Michigan, he is 48 years old and has been a HC for 21 years (HCR:151-73), currently making 525k at E. Michigan.  He's a bit of a dark horse here. Obviously, has the most coaching experience out of the other three guys. However, most of the coaching was at very small schools. Drake, Wabash, Ottawa. Is Auburn the better job? Most Assuredly YES! He has consistently won at every stop. Including currently turning around a directional school going 2-10, 1-11 to 7-6 and 2-0 for the start of this year. It's not a spicy name but an intriguing one.

- Insert NFL Coordinator: Personally, I like Josh McDaniels, he works under arguably the GOAT HC in the NFL Belichick.  He has 2 years of NFL HC experience going 11-17 with the Denver Broncos. He was originally hired by Belichick (in 2001) worked as OC and QB coach from 2006-2008 left for the HC job at Denver and was brought back as OC and QB coach under Belichick in 2012. I have no idea how much he makes.  Is Auburn the better job?  Again no idea here, I don't even know if he would want to coach in college.

My #1 with a bullet would be Gary Patterson.
Head Coach TCU
Age: 57 years old
HC for 17 years
Salary: 4.8 Million
HCR:151-54

Supposedly rumored to have interviewed for the job before Malzahn.  I don't care if he came in half nekkid with a frog on his head, how you could choose Malzahn over him is mind-boggling.  Patterson has built recruited, re-recruited the TCU program into what it is.  Out of the 17 years he has been there he has had 3 losing seasons. Is Auburn the better job?  Unlike Justin Fuente at VT I have to think yes. Yes TCU has grown exponentially since being in the Big 12, but, they are still the dormat to Oklahoma and Texas as far as notability.  With Auburn's resources I would think that Patterson would do an even better job for our program.

On this list my #1 would still be Gary Patterson, but I would make a strong push on Fuente and Harsin.

[GH2001]

I believe I already started this after the Mercer debacle. 

I love Kyle Wittingham but he is mormon, no disrespect against the religion but he isn't leaving Utah.
Problem with Brohm and Fleck is they only have a few years HC experience.
Taggert just started at Oregon.
On this list my #1 would still be Gary Patterson, but I would make a strong push on Fuente and Harsin.

He's who I wanted in 08 and 12 along with a few others. His consistency and what he gets out of lesser players is pretty amazing.

[dallaswareagle]

Fuente
Taggert
Fleck
I would say Franklin, but after the way he left Vandy and the whole rape thing up there a few years back,nope. I think he is a helluva good coach, but don't want that associated with our program.

The raping we are taking from our current coach is so much fun right now.

[jmar]

I'm with you guys. Patterson gets the most from his players in all phases and everybody has to hate going against him. Always liked him just didn't think we had a shot but how would we know with Jacobs pulling an end run in the interview process.

 

[CCTAU]

Whatever.
You will all get GUS for Christmas. And you will like it!

[Snaggletiger]

You have to ask what Patterson's motivation would be for leaving.  And the question has nothing to do with the perception by some that big name coaches wouldn't want to come to this program.  I think Auburn is a top 10 coaching destination no matter how you slice it. 

But where Patterson is concerned, he's the winningest coach in TCU history. (155-54) I have no clue about the Horny Toad fanbases' mindset, but I imagine he has god-like status.  In addition, he's making $4.75 million per year.  He's top 5 right now and undefeated. 

So, what's the incentive to come to Auburn?  He's 57.  One last challenge?   

[jmar]

You have to ask what Patterson's motivation would be for leaving.  And the question has nothing to do with the perception by some that big name coaches wouldn't want to come to this program.  I think Auburn is a top 10 coaching destination no matter how you slice it. 

But where Patterson is concerned, he's the winningest coach in TCU history. (155-54) I have no clue about the Horny Toad fanbases' mindset, but I imagine he has god-like status.  In addition, he's making $4.75 million per year.  He's top 5 right now and undefeated.

So, what's the incentive to come to Auburn?  He's 57.  One last challenge?

Always had my doubts about him leaving there being dug in and as you say 57 but maybe the challenge, the conference, the talent.
More money? He's worth it. 
Don't care what the media thinks because many probably think Va Tech is a better job than Auburn.
Much the same could be said for Gundy ever leaving Ok. State.

[jmar]

Whatever.
You will all get GUS for Christmas. And you will like it!

Does he come with a box of Crayolas or is that separate?

[Buzz Killington]

Does he come with a box of Crayolas or is that separate?

Visor, sweater vest and crayolas sold separately.

[Godfather]

Visor, sweater vest and crayolas sold separately.

For $85.99

[AUChizad]

Yeah, before this week I was firmly in the "The devil you don't know is worse than the devil you know" camp.

That loss broke me.

Him telling the media it "wasn't a big deal" that we blew a 20 point lead against a clearly inferior opponent with a clearly inferior coach for a chance to beat one of our three primary rivals at home for the first time since some of the players were born...broke me.

I need him gone. Rolling the dice is worth it to me at this point.