The Auburn Tigers could be in the hunt for a new head coach if Hugh Freeze can't get the offense on track soon. Recently fired Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin could be "near the top of the wish list" to replace Freeze if John Cohen's metaphorical car won't start, according to Mike Farrell Sports' Mike Huesmann.
Huesmann sees the former Vanderbilt Commodores head coach returning to the SEC being a possibility if the Tigers don't meet the very modest preseason goal Freeze laid out, making a bowl game.
"Auburn (3-3, 0-3 SEC) can’t win close games against decent teams, can’t throw the ball and are collapsing in the second half of games. They got robbed on a call near the goal line against No. 9 Georgia (5-1, 3-1), but they had over a half to get it right and wilted. In year three 'almost' doesn’t cut it for Freeze," Huesmann wrote.
"He needs to win now and produce results. That isn’t happening yet. Freeze has six games to win three and make a bowl game. If he does that he’s safe. If not, I think he’s gone and Franklin would be near the top of the wish list."
James Franklin's contract can make Auburn a realistic landing spot
Franklin's new job could help offset the cost of Penn State's buyout payment. As Sports Illustrated's Kristen Wong explains, there are situations where Franklin could actually owe Penn State University money.
"...Penn State would potentially only have to pay Franklin the difference between his new job's salary and the roughly $50 million in the buyout. If Franklin gets a higher-paying salary, Penn State would owe him nothing. It's even possible Franklin could end up owing the school if payments have already been made, per the contract," Wong wrote.
Auburn will not be one of the schools in a position to pay the difference in Franklin's salary and buyout figure. No one, besides the big cash-wielding Virginia Tech Hokies, whose own fired coach, Brent Pry, who's a Pennsylvania native himself and an interesting option for the Nittany Lions.
Fired coaching trade, anyone?
A Hokie whopper of a payday aside, Franklin to AU makes a lot of sense if the plan is to not splurge on Freeze's replacement, if it gets to that. Franklin is likely looking for the kind of opportunity the Plains offers: deep pockets and a yearning for winning football after four seasons at .500 or worse, and another in progress that's shaping up to end the same way.