Auburn football: SDS believes Nick Saban would have been fired from LSU in today’s climate
Saturday Down South’s Glenn Sattell has an opinion that most Auburn football fans don’t likely share — that being if Bryan Harsin is fired anytime soon, it’d in fact be too soon. Sattell took that idea further in his piece titled ‘His firing seemingly imminent, Bryan Harsin was never given a chance.’
According to the SDS writer, Harsin has not lost the respect of his players but rather simply has players that aren’t as talented as the competition. That is up for debate in underperformances against San Jose State and Missouri and is even more so up for debate after the Tigers built a 17-0 lead against LSU and gave up three unanswered touchdowns. Still, Sattell’s heart is in the right place, and quite frankly it takes some courage to stand up for Harsin at this point in time. Especially from a national media source.
What takes even more courage is calling out Nick Saban in the process. Saban has become an untouchable figure in college football, for good reason, but he wouldn’t be in the situation he is in if LSU didn’t have a little patience.
In fact, Sattell said something that should fire up any Auburn football fan with even a smidge of hope left in the Harsin era:
"“But given today’s climate, given the rules in which Harsin is forced to toil under at Auburn, it’s a real possibility that Saban’s coaching career may not have made it out of LSU alive. His 1st team at LSU lost to UAB, at home, in his 4th game in Baton Rouge. LSU was 3-3 in his first 6 games on the bayou.”“By today’s standards, he would have already been on the hot seat. He finished that season 8-4, but he started the following year 2-2. He was 4-3 by the end of October. Given today’s climate, he may not have made it beyond that point.”"
What could save the Bryan Harsin era of Auburn football at this point
It’s not over until it’s over, and after the Tigers blew a three-score lead against LSU this past Saturday, it seemed like the Bryan Harsin era had reached the finish line — especially given the September 24 report that revealed if Missouri beat Auburn, Harsin would have been toast.
At this point, massive victories with season-shifting narratives would be the last hand to play for the Boise native. Beating Georgia is a long-shot, but that would qualify. As a four-score underdog against the Dawgs, that’s almost not worth putting on the table. Ole Miss the ensuing week, if the beating Between the Hedges isn’t too hellish and Harsin isn’t let go then, would certainly qualify as well.
If neither of those games goes well — and again, Harsin somehow survives — beating any two of Arkansas, Texas A&M, and/or Mississippi State would be necessary to at least become bowl eligible because losing to Western Kentucky is off the table, full stop. Should all else fail, an Iron Bowl win would be the last best chance to save face and stay in this state for Harsin.
It’s unclear when the AU brain trust will make a decision on any of this, but massive underdog upsets, if not multiple, is all Harsin has left at this point.