Ranking potential coaching openings (ESPN)
Got this from aubs board. AU behind Oregon because of Nike money and just ahead of UT and Arky. I don't have ESPN subscription to see what was said about UT.
2. Auburn Tigers
Current status: Not open
Odds of opening: 9.9
Even if Cam Newton was necessary for a national title two seasons ago, it isn't as if this program is bereft of resources or recruiting fertility.
Gene Chizik, presuming he's done, recruited top-flight classes the past three years; it's just a matter, beyond Newton, of what he did with them.
As a result of recent failures, AD Jay Jacobs is on a short leash as well. This becomes a crucial hire for him. The resources are present, and the fan base is drooling for a consistent winner. Even if Nick Saban is setting the standard, all the Tigers want to do is be competitive. Given the landscape and ability to regionally recruit, there's no reason for that not to happen.
One drawback with the job is the insular nature of the community. It works for it, the whole "family" concept, but it also works against it because Auburn becomes a fishbowl for whoever is in charge. Tommy Tuberville did a nice job managing everything, and you see where that got him: Lubbock, Texas.