Where were you when?

[Kaos]

Where were you when you knew Harsin was not going to work out?  At what point did optimism/hope evaporate. 

I like to think I knew it when I saw the creepy family photo before he coached a single game. That's only partially true. I had a bad feeling, but it wasn't quite a full-on rejection of him/his methods.  If I'd known then what I know about those Beverly Hillbilly Housewife whores now? It would have been enough. But I didn't. The AD should have, though, before he hired those grifters. The second domino fell when he fired a coach early in season one and the rumors immediately started that he was banging the fat ass Harsin baby (who was almost immediately sent back to Idaho). That was a huge red flag, but we ignored it.

The actual end for me was the complete whiff on signing day.  For the first time in SEC history, a school didn't sign a single player on signing day.  Absolute zero. He didn't seem to be concerned.  Was on vacation, taking shirtless selfies. That was the final straw.  Should have fired him that day.  Would have been better off.  Could have been in play for Brian Kelley if we had. 

[Snaggletiger]

This year's Penn State game. 

I started a thread after last year outlining all the negatives after year one.  Firing coaches. Coaches leaving.  Mass exodus of players.  Some not saying very flattering things about Breland Hurtfins.  Recruiting the worst in a decade.  First losing season in a decade.  Riding a 5 game losing streak, and some of the losses clearly the result of bad corching decisions.

My point to the thread was that IF this same type of stuff was going on in year two, they really needed to be asking if they hired the right guy. As many argued, I wrote off some of it to growing pains....the change in overall culture.  Weeding out the slackers who didn't want to put in the work.

Admittedly, at the start of Fall camp, it looked more positive. He was saying all the right things.  The players seemed to have his back.  But then the season started.  Two very lackluster wins against cupcakes, and then Penn State came to town.  Overmatched.  Undisciplined.  Not in the same universe talent-wise.  It was a good ole, behind the woodshed ass whoopin'.  That's when I was done.  I believe it was also about that time that another article came out with high school coaches around the State saying they still had never met the man. 

Looking back, yeah, they should have pulled the trigger in February, because this year may have set us back a decade.  If whomever we hire doesn't own the portal, next season may look a lot like this one.

[CCTAU]

Yeah. It was PSU for me also. However, I didn’t think it would devolve so quickly.
I thought we would limp to the end of the season with 5 wins, missing a bowl game.

[Kaos]

Yeah. It was PSU for me also. However, I didn’t think it would devolve so quickly.
I thought we would limp to the end of the season with 5 wins, missing a bowl game.

I think if he'd recruited -- like AT ALL -- that could have happened.  He didn't.

[CCTAU]

I think if he'd recruited -- like AT ALL -- that could have happened.  He didn't.

And that is what’s so odd about the whole situation. How can a coach NOT recruit? And how could the powers that be not know he didn’t recruit?

[jmar]

And that is what’s so odd about the whole situation. How can a coach NOT recruit? And how could the powers that be not know he didn’t recruit?

I don't think Tub's recruited on his way out with the writing on the wall.

[Buzz Killington]

South Carolina last year was it for me...although I had my suspicions long before that.
There was no excuse for that loss whatsoever. 

[CCTAU]

I don't think Tub's recruited on his way out with the writing on the wall.

But that was after ten years and a long battle with board.

I was mostly asking how we did not know Harvansler did not like to recruit BEFORE he got here. 

[AUJarhead]

I thought it was a good, out of the Auburn box, hire.

But when what happened in February/March went down, we had to cut the cords with him at that point.  I wanted him to work out, but with his questionable ability to recruit even more of an issue with the negative recruiting that would have happened...  Auburn should have just taken it on the chin back in Spring....  And I'm pretty sure that even the most rational Hatfield supporter knew that he was a dead man walking...

[GH2001]

2nd half of ole miss last year is where the cracks started to show to me - we've not been the same since halftime of that game....it was his version of Gus and the 14 Aggie game.....and also, the weird firing of Corn, which at the time there seemed to be a lot of confusion as to what was going on but looking back in hindsight, it shows things were getting out of control, especially with perhaps the fam - who ran that show.....and then of course the MSU/SC debacles merely confirmed it all. And here came the avalanche of stuff afterwards (coaches exodus, players exodus, o-NSD, the streak, the bowl, Feb, this year, etc) - other than the mirage that was the first 3 quarters of the Bama game.

[jmar]

I think the curb stomping by State was the realization that Hasbeen was a huge mistake but even then I laid most of the blame on Darek Mason and then of course they stymie Bamer's offense at season's end for which I have no explanation.

[Snaggletiger]

2nd half of ole miss last year is where the cracks started to show to me - we've not been the same since halftime of that game....it was his version of Gus and the 14 Aggie game.....and also, the weird firing of Corn, which at the time there seemed to be a lot of confusion as to what was going on but looking back in hindsight, it shows things were getting out of control, especially with perhaps the fam - who ran that show.....and then of course the MSU/SC debacles merely confirmed it all. And here came the avalanche of stuff afterwards (coaches exodus, players exodus, o-NSD, the streak, the bowl, Feb, this year, etc) - other than the mirage that was the first 3 quarters of the Bama game.

Yep!! From that point on, it was like we scripted the first 20 plays of every game, then had nothing after that.  MSU, Sakerlina, TA&M and Bama.  All early decent starts (Even moved the ball against the Aggies) but shut down the rest of the way in all those.

[GH2001]

And that is what’s so odd about the whole situation. How can a coach NOT recruit? And how could the powers that be not know he didn’t recruit?

True but this wasn't a powers-that-be choice.

This was a Greene and Gogue choice when the talks with Napier and another candidate went south quickly. Yella wanted Freeze, some others wanted Steele. It wasn't really a rogue hire persay but more a panic hire.

[jmar]

True but this wasn't a powers-that-be choice.

This was a Greene and Gogue choice when the talks with Napier and another candidate went south quickly. Yella wanted Freeze, some others wanted Steele. It wasn't really a rogue hire persay but more a panic hire.

Yeah I recall wanting Kyle Whittingham and that might not have played too well in the southeast even if he worked diligently as a recruiter. Also remember somebody mention Mike Gundy but that's all water under the bridge.

[GH2001]

Yeah I recall wanting Kyle Whittingham and that might not have played too well in the southeast even if he worked diligently as a recruiter. Also remember somebody mention Mike Gundy but that's all water under the bridge.

No doubt Gundy is a decent coach. Hard to imagine him leaving OSU, but the last 3-4 weeks....YIKES.

[jmar]

No doubt Gundy is a decent coach. Hard to imagine him leaving OSU, but the last 3-4 weeks....YIKES.

Yeah that was shockingly bad.

And in retrospect I don't think AU ever considered Gary Patterson.

[GH2001]

Yeah that was shockingly bad.

And in retrospect I don't think AU ever considered Gary Patterson.

A-hole supremo like Harvinstein but with a much better method in big ball boy than the Potato.

[chinook]

the moment the guy yelled “we want a leader not a loser”…wait, what?

[jmar]

A-hole supremo like Harvinstein but with a much better method in big ball boy than the Potato.

I liked the way that A-hole coached.