College Football

Auburn fires head coach Bryan Harsin

Updated Oct. 31, 2022 1:52 p.m. ET

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The Auburn Tigers football program is in the market for a new head coach, after the school announced that it had fired Bryan Harsin on Monday. 

Harsin was hired before the 2021 season and compiled a 9-12 record at the helm of the program. He went 6-7 in his first season, and through eight games this season, the Tigers sit at 3-5, having lost four straight after beginning the season 3-1.

"President (Chris) Roberts made the decision after a thorough review and evaluation of all aspects of the football program," the school said in a brief statement announcing the move.

"Auburn will begin an immediate search for a coach that will return the Auburn program to a place where it is consistently competing at the highest levels and representing the winning tradition that is Auburn football," the statement said.

The Tigers' latest loss came on their home field Saturday, a 41-27 defeat at the hands of Arkansas. In his nearly two seasons, Harsin put together a 4-9 record in the SEC.

Auburn canceled its weekly football news conference about 90 minutes before Harsin was scheduled to speak.

Harsin arrived at Auburn after spending seven seasons as head coach at Boise State, replacing longtime Tigers coach Gus Malzahn in the process. In those seven seasons at Boise State, Harsin went 69-19 overall, overseeing five 10-win seasons, including four bowl wins. 

Four times the Broncos finished the season ranked in the top 25 under Harsin.

Auburn gave Harsin a six-year, $31.5 million deal. However, he never came close to replicating his past success and failed to keep up with rivals Georgia and Alabama on the field or on the recruiting trail.

The Tigers struggled throughout this season, with the normally reliable defense giving up 40-plus points three times while the offensive issues never resolved. The biggest struggles came in the second half, when Auburn failed to score a touchdown against both Missouri and LSU.

The heat on Harsin rose after a 41-12 loss to Penn State and didn’t cool off too much after a 17-14 overtime win over Missouri. That game was only salvaged by Missouri’s goal line fumble in overtime. Then came a listless 42-10 loss to No. 1 Georgia that emphasized the talent gap facing the Tigers and losses to Ole Miss and the Razorbacks.

Harsin said after the loss in Athens that he focuses on the things under his control but added that the enjoyment of coaching "never goes away."

Auburn had a chance to take the lead in the third quarter against Arkansas, but the drive ended with a blocked field goal. The Razorbacks then scored 21 unanswered points, prompting much of Jordan-Hare Stadium to empty out.

"Obviously from the outcome of the game, nobody’s going to feel what we did was good enough," Harsin said. "I think everyone is in there hurting, which we should be. When you lose a football game and one against a team we felt like we put a lot of preparation into preparing ... we prepared ourselves, put a lot of preparation time in and wanted to play a lot better than what we did.

"So I’d say frustrated, but you’ve got to go back to work."

Harsin survived a school investigation into his program in the offseason that was initiated by then-President Jay Gogue following heavy turnover on his roster and coaching staff. The Tigers lost their final five games in his debut season.

Three-year starting quarterback Bo Nix left for Oregon. Defensive coordinator Derek Mason left for the same job at Oklahoma State, and Harsin fired offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.

His first choice to replace Bobo, Austin Davis, accepted the job and then changed his mind, citing personal reasons. Auburn wound up standing by Harsin — at the time.

With all that as a backdrop, Harsin struggled to bring in top recruits. His 2023 class was ranked last in the SEC halfway through the season, according to the 247Sports composite ratings.

When spring opened, Harsin said he wasn’t bitter.

"I’m a guy that wants to move forward, that wants to get better, that wants to keep moving," he said at the time.

One former player had said Harsin treated them "like dogs," though others rose to Harsin’s defense. The investigation ended with Gogue decrying the "wild speculation" and misinformation in the "feeding frenzy" surrounding Harsin, whose contract ran through the 2026 season. He didn’t specify the nature of that speculation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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