Auburn football: This assistant could be interim HC before season’s end

Well, game three against the Penn State Nittany Lions was expected to be the biggest home game of the season for Auburn football this year, and it was an especially important event for recruiting the class of 2023.

Unfortunately, what is probably the worst case scenario for the Tigers is what panned out on Saturday. With some of the most important recruits present at the stadium, Auburn got blown out in embarrassing fashion, and head coach Bryan Harsin lost most of the remaining support he had following the offseason drama.

Most people certainly wanted Harsin to get a fair chance, but after the way the team looked on Saturday, Harsin’s days on the Plains could be numbered. Auburn Live reports that sources indicate an unsuccessful early season could result in a coaching change by the bye week:

"Given the events of Saturday, all bets are off when it comes to Harsin’s immediate future. There was a lot wrong with the attempted coup of Harsin after last season…However, after Saturday, and if things don’t look dramatically different in the next two weeks, there won’t have to be any slanderous rumors or underhanded activity needed as ammunition. The on-the-field results, plus struggles in recruiting, will be too much to ignore."

With Allen Greene out of the picture, a brand new president on campus, and an interim-athletic director, there will be rising pressure for changes to be made if the Tigers continue to play the way they have so far, and Auburn Live went on to say that should Harsin be relieved of his duties, it’s most likely that assistant head coach Zac Etheridge would take over as interim head coach.

So, will things change over the course of the remaining nine games, or have we reached the point where we all have to just admit that Auburn football needs a new head coach?