7 things Auburn football should − and shouldn't − do in finding Bryan Harsin's replacement

AUBURN — Auburn football fired Bryan Harsin on Monday, less than two years into his tenure. The school announced "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."

As the university begins a search for its 27th head football coach, here are seven things Auburn should and shouldn’t do when identifying its next hire.

Auburn should: Pay up

Guz Malzahn was fired with a winning record. Bryan Harsin wasn’t even given two years. Why would any accomplished coach want to come to Auburn?

Well, lots of reasons, but if the university wants to attract top-tier candidates, it will require breaking the bank. Auburn gave Harsin a six-year, $31.5-million dollar contract to leave Boise State in 2020. For comparison, Ole Miss extended Lane Kiffin, who could be a potential candidate for Auburn’s vacancy, through 2025 with a deal that paid him $7.25 million in 2022 and is set to increase by $100,000 every season, according to the Clarion Ledger. If the Tigers want a coach like Kiffin, at least matching that deal is likely where negotiations begin.

Auburn shouldn’t: Handcuff John Cohen

With John Cohen expected to become Auburn’s next athletics director after resigning from the same post at Mississippi State, the duty of finding a new coach falls on him, at least in theory. Auburn has a history of boosters meddling in the processes surrounding its athletics programs, but Cohen needs to be given free rein to make this hire.

Of course, those who bring money to the table need to — and probably should be — consulted. But the final decision needs to be in the hands of Cohen so that he can be properly evaluated as an athletics director.

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Auburn should: Hire someone who can recruit

It sounds basic, but this is a must. Previous coach Gus Malzahn’s recruiting classes started to taper off as his time on the Plains came to an end, and Harsin could barely get off the ground in terms of recruiting before he was fired. Whoever the next coach is must be a good recruiter, specifically of offensive line prospects. Not only will high school targets be of importance, but working the transfer portal and pulling in talent from other teams must be an immedaite priority.

Auburn shouldn’t: Settle

This seems obvious when making any coaching hire, but it’s even more important for Auburn this time around. No matter who deserves the brunt of the blame, Harsin’s tenure at Auburn was a failure. This can’t happen twice and in a row, and Cohen needs to do whatever is possible to hit a home run and hire whoever he deems as No. 1 on his shortlist of candidates.

Auburn should: Hire someone with connections

Again, this is an obvious one, but the next coach at Auburn needs to be able to build and maintain a competent staff. To do this, the candidate needs to have people in and around college football who they can target as assistant coaches. Whether it’s finding assistants who have recruiting connections in places like south Florida or within Alabama's borders or landing someone with a knack for getting the most out of a quarterback, the staff as a whole needs to check many, if not all, of the boxes.

Auburn shouldn’t: Rush this

Having a coach installed by early December would be ideal, but it’s not worth rushing through the process to get that done. Sure, it may help slightly in recruiting, but the members of Auburn’s 2023 recruiting class must have seen this coming. The writing on the wall with Harsin was always there, so it’s fair to think his departure may not have the biggest impact on this year’s class. Either way, Auburn must take its time to make the right hire.

Auburn should: Give this coach time

Auburn football hasn’t won fewer than six games since 2012, but with a coaching change in the middle of the season and only four games left on the schedule, it’s likely the Tigers won’t reach that benchmark this year. And with Harsin being fired, every player on the roster has a 30-day window to enter the transfer portal.

Taking all of that into account, this next coach needs to have a long leash. It will take time to build this program back up, but as long as there is progress being made along the way, the coach’s job security should remain high.

Auburn can't afford to be doing this again in two years.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: 7 things Auburn football should − and shouldn't − do after firing Bryan Harsin