Mark Edwards: Back for Year 2, Auburn's Harsin nails SEC Media Days

Jul. 21—ATLANTA — Bryan Harsin came out hot Thursday at SEC Media Days.

He didn't wait for somebody to ask about February's attempted coup to remove him as Auburn's head coach. Instead, he charged hard, like Tigers edge rusher Derick Hall in search of a quarterback.

"Excited to be here. I know some of you out there looking at me didn't expect me to be here at this time," Harsin said to start his session in the main media room.

I swear he said that with a smile.

He added, "I'm going to dive into that here in just a second, address the gorilla in the room."

The gorilla: In February, Harsin's detractors within the university structure tried their best to try to get him fired. Harsin underwent the humiliation of a school review of his program, which went 6-7 record in his first season. He lost his last five games, and after the season, he lost his offensive and defensive coordinators and about 20 players to the transfer portal.

A social media rumor that just wouldn't die said he had an affair with a woman on his staff. Perhaps Harsin suggested to commissioner Greg Sankey to include this in Harsin's introduction Thursday, "He and his wife started dating in eighth grade."

Harsin survived it all, and the whole episode made him something of a sympathetic figure.

And given a national forum at SEC Media Days, he was clear, concise and straightforward. This wasn't the limp-handshake guy he appeared to be at this time a year ago.

"There was an inquiry," he said. "It was uncomfortable. It was unfounded. It presented an opportunity for people to personally attack me, my family, and also our program.

"And it didn't work."

Finishing on the topic, he closed strong, "That will be the last I talk about that. There's plenty of interviews on it. If you want any more information on it, just go Google it."

After that, he spent the rest of his time mostly light and fun. Seriously. When's the last time anybody described Harsin as light and fun?

This wasn't Bryan Harsin, who usually handles press conferences like a high school principal telling the senior class there will be no funny business at prom. Instead, this looked like a guy who's relaxed, confident and comfortable in his own skin and can handle a major college football program.

When asked about his team's tough schedule, he interrupted and joked, "Does anybody have an easy schedule in the SEC?"

Asked about new quarterback, Texas A&M transfer Zach Calzada, Harsin mentioned that he's dealing with an injury ... suffered last season against Auburn. "It's one of those that you go back and look on it, you're like, 'Damn, I wish that hadn't have happened.'"

Sankey had mentioned Harsin was rebuilding a vintage Ford Mustang, and when a reporter asked the coach which was harder, rebuilding the car or coaching his team, Harsin smiled and said, "Well, there's a lot less pressure in building a car, I can tell you that."

Harsin even talked about his podcast. Sankey mentioned it in his introduction. It's called "Huddle with Hars," and he's done nine episodes. Sankey said it has a rating of 4.9 out of 5 on Apple. It sounds like Harsin has fun doing it.

"The coaches get to come over, we spend four and a half, five hours at my house," he said. "We're just talking. That's time spent with coaches on my staff where I get a chance to know them even better."

He still dealt with one more question about February. (Hey, just because a coach says he's done talking about it, that doesn't mean you aren't allowed to ask a follow-up.)

So, a reporter asked him about how the inquiry changed his attitude. Harsin deflected but still provided an answer: "We're focused on bigger and better things. ... This has brought our team closer. It's made us, in my opinion, a much stronger football team and program. That will continue."

Harsin got another pointed question: "What is the messaging to recruits about why choose Auburn at this point?"

He said his message was this: "Watch."

Harsin spent 30 minutes in the main room, and it couldn't have been more different from his 30 minutes a year ago. Last year, he seemed weak, ineffective and unsuited to handle the intense pressure of the Southeastern Conference.

It was hard not to feel sorry for Auburn. Nick Saban to the left of them, Kirby Smart to the right, and here was Auburn, stuck in the middle with Harsin.

An example: A year ago at media days, the overwhelming storyline was the COVID-19 vaccine. He was unwilling to say much, other than acknowledging his team's vaccination rate at the time was in the "60 percent range." He declined to give an opinion about the vaccine and whether he was telling his players anything about it.

It felt like a belly flop.

Thursday never felt that way.

Last year, he didn't look like a guy who would make it. Now, he does.

Senior Editor Mark Edwards: 256-235-3570. On Twitter: @MarkSportsStar.