For the third time this decade, Auburn is looking for a new head football coach after Hugh Freeze was fired following 34 games in charge of the Tigers.
It has been a hectic season for coach firings, with four head coaches in the SEC alone being dismissed from their jobs so far, including at Florida and LSU. Radio host and longtime SEC personality Paul Finebaum knows what a head coach can do on the Plains.
“This job will not rank ahead of Florida or LSU, but … this job is a gold mine,” Finebaum said.
Finebaum could mean two totally different things by saying that. One, he could be referring to the passionate fan base that Auburn has, one of the most intimidating environments in Jordan-Hare Stadium, and that, with the right coach, the Tigers could once again become contenders for SEC and national titles.
The radio host could also be throwing some shade at the buyouts that the last three head football coaches have received from Auburn. In 2020, Gus Malzahn received a $21.45 million parting package from the school, while Bryan Harsin was paid $15.3 million to go away after just 21 games at the helm of the Tigers.
With Freeze's firing on Sunday, the coach will receive $15.8 million.
Yes, the Auburn job is a gold mine for the head coaches who end up getting fired. It might be the best job ever to get, considering how much Auburn is willing to pay coaches to leave.