Allen Greene has stepped down as Auburn University’s Athletic Director just eight days before the start of the 2022 Auburn football season, and quite frankly, it’s the furthest thing from good news the Tigers could receive at this moment in time.
Greene’s contract was up for renewal in January, but with his stepping down, it’s clear that the 2022 Auburn football season was going to be used as a bellwether for whether or not AU President Christopher Roberts would even want him back.
According to Greene, the decision to step away from Auburn athletics ‘is not an easy one.’ He added that it’s ‘the right time for me to begin the next step in my professional journey,’ and that he’s ‘very proud of the work that we have done together to move our athletics program forward.’
With Greene gone, Tiger fans took to Twitter to answer ‘Crain & Company’ co-host Jake Crain’s simple question: “Who should Auburn hire as their next AD?”
Here were some of the most notable responses:
Les Snead. Might be unrealistic, but if I’m in charge, I make him tell me no. And I might make him tell me no every day until I hire someone.
— Blake (@B_Schmidty) August 26, 2022
Open wallet...Hunter Yurachek
— gAUlf (@gAUlf_WDE) August 26, 2022
General Burgess or Scott Etheridge
— Aubiece (@Aubiece) August 26, 2022
Charles Barkley
— Auburn Hippie (@AuburnHippie) August 26, 2022
Well the way we run things phil fulmer probably🤷🏻♂️
— 乇卂Ꮆㄥ乇 ㄖ千 山卂尺🥶❄️👈🏼 (@Tommy12005164) August 26, 2022
It all depends on what Auburn is trying to be… if we are just booster influenced, any puppet will do but if we want to take the program to another level we need someone like Gene Smith or Kevin Warren
— iamENFINITE 🦚 (@ENFINITEPOETRY) August 26, 2022
Alvin Briggs
— CoCo (@weagle22) August 26, 2022
Takeo Spikes
— Sloandogmillioniare (@Sloandogmillio1) August 26, 2022
Truthfully, Roberts could go in a number of ways with his next AD hire. There are options already on the University’s payroll, nearby in similar roles in the state of Alabama, within the SEC, and even at the NFL level.
Who gets the nod could have a major impact on the state of Auburn football for the foreseeable future.