Despite the joy surrounding me with Alabama fans high-fiving and taking celebratory fireball shots - a thought hit me.
This has to be the worst season ever to be an Auburn fan.
Now, I'm talking the Auburn fans that just cannot stand Alabama. Finebaum Tammy-esque. Or how Phyllis from Mulga felt about Tennessee. That's the kind of hate I'm talking about. This year has to be terrible for these folks.
1) Auburn is terrible.
On their way to a winless SEC season, a team that could not figure out their quarterback situation until late October. The celebrated offensive coordinator bails on the team to go to... Arkansas State? Head-scratcher there. His replacement brings the team to the 115th offense in the nation. (Ahead of Tulane, behind... Temple.)
The head coach, less than two years off of a national title, finds himself firmly planted in the Top 3 of the Coaches' Hot Seat Rankings week after week.
Losses to Georgia and Alabama were and have been foregone conclusions.
2) Alabama back doors it.
One week after seeing Bama blow their national title hopes, Kansas State and Oregon choke on the opportunity. Just when Auburn fans had something to celebrate, this happens. Those guys get all the breaks.
3) For the second year in a row.
Makes it even worse. Like Oklahoma State a year ago, the people who couldn't lose - lost.
Now, a win over the Tide in the Iron Bowl would go a looonnng way to salvaging some positivity from the year. But that ain't happening.
The thoughts now are over whether the athletic director will be fired, and who Auburn can bring in to coach this team back to being an SEC contender. (Where it should be.)
Even more problems here - because of the instability of the athletic department, Auburn's behind the curve on the coaching carousel. This shit needs to get figured out and FAST.
Jeremy Foley, the beyond excellent athletic director at the University of Florida, has a very wise philosophy - "What must be done eventually, must be immediately." President Gouge should have adopted this policy. If a coaching change/AD change is going to be made, then make it.
With the news this morning, Auburn is now behind Tennessee, Kentucky, and (everyone knows it) Arkansas. Early birds get the worms.
There is no sense in waiting around. I wrote a month ago that there was nothing remaining on the schedule that would change anything.
And here we are, a month later. Nothing has changed. Only the inevitable.
There needs to be a plan in place. And to Auburn fans, there had better be. Otherwise, the Auburn powers that be are waisting a lot of time. And worse, the track record of Auburn having a plan isn't too shiny. That's how they ended up with Gene.
This season is the worst to be an Auburn fan.
Twitter me up, yo. @harry_long
