Auburn football: Tigers fans and players react to Gus Malzahn’s firing
Auburn football made a landmark decision on Sunday afternoon to let go of head coach Gus Malzahn. In the aftermath of his departure, Tigers fans react.
Everything seemed fine for Auburn football on Saturday night. The Tigers had handled Mississippi State 24-10, covering the spread and seemingly setting the stage for a potential redemption game this bowl season for Gus Malzahn and his squad.
As fate would have it, that was the final night Malzahn could call the Tigers his.
On Sunday afternoon, the program sent out the following press release:
"Auburn Director of Athletics Allen Greene announced Sunday a leadership change for Auburn football as Gus Malzahn will no longer direct the program. Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele will serve as interim head coach.In eight years, Malzahn compiled a 68-35 record including a 39-27 mark in Southeastern Conference play. He led the program to an SEC Championship and BCS National Championship appearance in his first season and an SEC West title in 2017.Greene recommended a change in the football team’s leadership to Auburn President Jay Gogue after a “thorough analysis” of the program. Gogue accepted Greene’s recommendation.Malzahn will be paid the remainder of his contract. A national search for his replacement will begin immediately."
It was, in many ways, a shocker. Malzahn was dancing in the locker-room just the night before in one of the feel-good videos of Week 15 of the college football season:
We win..
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) December 13, 2020
WE DANCE, BABY! pic.twitter.com/pBDrHIrTbj
It seemed for a night that everything was okay in the Plains. Even though the team was 6-4, losses to Alabama, Georgia, and Texas A&M were not exactly the kind of losses that get you fired. Losing to Will Muschamp’s South Carolina Gamecocks, before he was shown the door himself, was the likely nail in the coffin.
While this season was far from a good one for the Tigers, it is clear that a great man lost his job–regardless of what you think about Malzahn as a coach:
A quick story: When I got laid off by The Athletic earlier this year, the first call I got was from my parents.
— Justin Ferguson (@JFergusonAU) December 13, 2020
The second call was from Gus Malzahn.
Maybe it was time for a change, maybe it wasn’t.
— Allie Davison (@Allie_Davison) December 13, 2020
I do know that Gus and Kristi Malzahn were and remain two of the best people I met at Auburn - & continued to support me years later in charities, career moves and everything in between. Will always be thankful for that.
In 2020, l found out something most of these coaches don’t care about their players, just the money. Find another college coach to care about their players as much as @CoachGusMalzahn did for us and ill be a fan. Its bigger than a record, its more in a locker-room than a record.
— Kj Britt (@K_Britt10) December 13, 2020
Whatever comes next, the War Eagle will always appreciate Malzahn’s contributions to the program, including a National Championship appearance in 2014. He will land on his feet, and hopefully, the Tigers will spread their wings as a new era in Auburn football begins.
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