After rampant speculation, initially that Tuberville would be retained and then that his departure was imminent, the Birmingham News is reporting this evening that Tuberville is out at Auburn. Nothing is certain until there's been an announcement (especially when we're talking about the Birmingham News) but this is about as close to a sure thing as it gets in internet rumor-land.Much will be made of the timing and circumstances, but there are a few things we know for sure. A few of the bigger openings (Tennessee and Clemson) have already been filled while a number of the big names this coaching season are still on the table. We also know that Tuberville has had a rocky relationship with certain Auburn boosters and you can bet that they were crowing for Tuberville to be fired starting sometime in the third quarter of Saturday's Iron Bowl.
One thing that you'll hear a lot of in the coming days is the sentiment that nobody would want to coach at Auburn, they're washed up, their dominance in the conference is over, and so on. I implore you not to believe a word of it. It might not be 2009 and it might not be the next head coach (see, e.g., Alabama circa 2000), but the Tigers will be back in the hunt for the West soon enough, and there will be no shortage of competent and qualified candidates ready and willing to take over the job.
In fact, this may be just what Auburn needs. It was pretty clear by the middle of the season that Tuberville was more loyal to his buddies on the coaching staff than he was to building a successful team on the Plains. There's just no other way to explain handcuffing an offensive coordinator like he did to Tony Franklin from Day 1.
The intriguing questions that remain: is this going to be reported as a firing or a resignation? In reality it makes no difference, but it will be interesting to see. Why on earth does it take three days to fire a guy -- who wouldn't have wanted to be a fly on the wall in those meetings? And where is Tuberville going to land? There is some speculation that Mississippi State is interested, although the notion that he would have more success in Starkville than he's had in Auburn is curious.
At least he won't have a cadre of hyperactive boosters to constantly appease.
More on this as it develops.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
12-03-2008 @ 6:01PM
mahhrblzisfrozn said...
I heard Terry Bowden's looking for a coaching gig, LOL.
Reply
12-03-2008 @ 6:19PM
Clay said...
Good riddance Tubbs! He has been and always will be in my eyes a jerk of epic proportion. You will not be missed.
Reply
12-03-2008 @ 11:43PM
Cheryl Stoddard said...
Apparently you know nothing about Tommy Tubberville. He has had a great career at Auburn. He has won the Iron Bowl 6 years straight. He had a vision for the football team with his spread offense. The boosters and athletic department at Auburn are too stupid to realize that takes TIME to build. And if he had been given time it would have paid off. As an Auburn fan and a gal homesick for the state of Alabama I can tell you ALOT of people will miss him. I can also tell you that he is not the first to be fired over the Iron Bowl. If he had beat Alabama he would not have been fired. Just like if Saban had not beat Auburn his neck would have been on the line. It is that serious. All Alabama residents know it. Everyone in Alabama also knows Tubby was considering retiring anyway because of his health and a recent stroke. So he is probably better off. The athletic department at Auburn has already tried to stab him in the back once and Gov. Riley stepped in. So this time they got their way. We WILL miss you Tubby!!!!
12-03-2008 @ 6:40PM
miles said...
tommy is quirkie but he has beaten bama 6 out of the last 7 years and don't forget he has beaten florida 2 years in a row
Reply
12-03-2008 @ 6:44PM
Clint said...
I'm an Alabama fan, but I always thought Tubby did a good job. It's a shame that a guy can't have one bad season without getting his head cut off. Really? I hope Auburn can't find a decent coach and just falls off the face of the earth till Lowder dies off. Then it would be ok for them to make a comeback.
Reply
12-03-2008 @ 7:59PM
Katie said...
Look who's talking! How many coaches did Alabama have and fire in the last 10 years? How many of them got an extra year to "prove" themselves? NONE! You need to look at your own house cleanings before you spout off on anyone else!
12-03-2008 @ 6:46PM
AUfootball said...
He resigned and was not fired, to answer the question in the article.
Reply
12-04-2008 @ 2:47AM
kjb241 said...
To say Tubby resigned is incorrect. You really think he would give up 6.3 million dollars? Would you? No, he was fired. If anyone heard the initial breaking story about it, they said he would be paid for the remainder of his contract. NOT by University funds or state funds. Thats the reason it took 3 days to fire him. They had to come up with the 6.3 million to buy him out.
12-05-2008 @ 10:09PM
zach said...
He resigned. You are joking right. You don't get a contract buyout for resigning. Auburn is a good program, 5th or 6th in the SEC. 8 wins a year is good for Auburn, hell any team in the SEC. I hope Auburn has fun with Mike Leach, which will not be successful. Tuberville will coach somewhere else and be successful and the Auburn fans will wonder why they let him go. Auburn is a good school with a good team, but you guys really make stupid decisions. I also think all the fans who agree with this move are idiots. Yeah idiots
12-03-2008 @ 7:04PM
Ronny said...
Wow what a shame! This was a very stupid move by AUBURN. The guy had one bad season and you put all this pressure on him. You just gave Alabama fans there wish.
Reply
12-04-2008 @ 7:56PM
t said...
Are you kidding me!!! Tubby lead us through some of the best seasons in a long time. He worked hard and had a hell of a group of players over time. This is a huge mistake. One bad year and this guy gets the brunt of it all. I wish him nothing but the best and will always pull for my Tigers! WAR EAGLE!
12-03-2008 @ 7:08PM
Jake said...
Are you serious? What is Auburn thinking? Tuberville has done so much for that team and this the way you repay him? Give the guy a break. He a bad year good gosh.
Reply
12-03-2008 @ 7:18PM
Pete Holiday said...
You do realize that Tuberville was making millions of dollars a year, right? And he'll likely get several more as a buy out?
He doesn't need to be "repaid" for anything, he's already been paid once.
12-03-2008 @ 7:28PM
mike said...
Send them charlie weis so us damers can look up again!!!!!!!
Reply
12-03-2008 @ 7:50PM
Laura said...
You can turn it any way you want to, but the facts are that Coach Tuberville is a winner - both on and off the field. He has produced superb teams at Auburn, as well as young men of high character who have done their utmost to represent the university AND its fans. It's a shame when a coach keeps a program that's clean, graduates his athletes, averages 10 wins a season, and is run off - everybody in the state of Alabama knows both who forced Tuberville to hire Tony Franklin and who is coming up with the $6 million to get rid of him. There's only one ego big enough for that in the state of Alabama, and it's just tragic that one fellow can ruin the University that he claims to love so much. Good luck, Coach Tuberville - and thanks for all you've done for AU.
Reply
12-03-2008 @ 7:59PM
Billy said...
Tommy doesn't have many friends at Ole Miss.
He left us for greener pastures and lots more cash....... old news, I know. He is a first class jerk. Hope he gets what he deserves.
By the way Ole Miss was the ONLY team to beat Florida this season.
12-03-2008 @ 7:56PM
BamaBxtch said...
ROLL TIDE ROLL
Reply
12-03-2008 @ 8:34PM
Jerry S. said...
Laura, how does 85 wins in ten years equal 10 a yr? Ten or 11 win seasons are great! Four or 5 SEC and one National Championship in 12 years is EXCELLENCE in action!!! Spurrier did the job at UF! Tubs has One (1) SEC Ch. in 14 yrs in the SEC.
The problem is Tuberville hasn't produced but two 10(+) win seasons in 14 as a head coach. He is a .647 coach that so far is a "one hit" wonder and seems to be returning to the mediocrity that almost got him fired in '03.
Tommy Tuberville the record. Just behind the Iowa coach Tuberville is the most overpaid cfb coach in America!
Season losses as a Head Coach = 5, 6, 4, 5, 6, 4, 5, 4, 5, 0, 3, 2, 4, 7 !!! He ave 4.29 loses a year and is 110W-60L which is a .647 winning %. Greatness? Eleven of fourteen seasons with a minimum of 4 losses, NO WAY!!! A one hit wonder at best. Lost 5 of last 7 to rival UGA, last 3 in a row. The Vandy loss is the LOWEST point of the Tuberville tenure on the plains.
Coaching six wins in a row over Bama was a major plus !!! However, Bama was suffering under NCAA penalties. Tuberville is paid more than Spurrier and 107 other FBS head coaches and frankly with what he's actually done that is INSANITY...
The numbers never lie!
Reply
12-03-2008 @ 8:35PM
Amber Howard said...
I have a question. What does the author mean when he gives the "especially when we're talking about the Birmingham News" bit? I guess I just don't understand why a comment like this would be inserted into a news story. Is there something wrong with the Birmingham News reporting the story?
Reply
12-03-2008 @ 8:53PM
Pete Holiday said...
You might recall when Alabama was last looking for a head coach that the Birmingham News reported that Rich Rodriquez to Alabama was a "done deal" only to have the deal, which was not done, fall through, and that's certainly not the first piece of football news their sources have botched. Put another way: I don't trust the Birmingham News enough to report their articles as fact