Quick Thoughts on the Searels and Garner Rumors

I'm in meetings most of the day, but here are my quick thoughts on the contrived Searels and Garner rumors.

1. Georgia has more money than Auburn. We're posting profits north of $20 million per year. The only wildly unwanted staff defection was Brian Van Gorder to the Jacksonville Jags as LB coach, and how do you stop a guy from taking a *worse* job? It's hard to argue with someone who is doing something irrational. If we want someone, we usually keep them.

2. Georgia has more stability than Auburn because of Mark Richt. An assistant coach was privately asked by one of my parents, "Why did you come to Georgia?" His answer, "Mark Richt's 8 year contract. This is the most stable place in America because of who Mark is and because of that contract."

3. Rodney Garner recently interviewed for the head coaching job at Auburn. Rodney Garner didn't lose 19 games over the past two seasons, and it's hard to imagine him not being insulted by the hire of Chizik. Several people in the media that I've heard pontificate about the situation think Rodney would likely be offended by an offer to work for Chizik.

4. To quote the Birmingham News...."Angry Auburn fans want to know how [Chizik] is now going to lure a top-notch staff to Auburn. By promising them he'll prepare them for future jobs on Mack Brown's staff?"

5. Chizik has no prior history with Garner or Searels.

6. Chizik's LB, DB and DL coach at Iowa State are all likely coming with him to Auburn. Two are Auburn grads and the other guy played for Pat Dye at East Carolina. Why would Rodney Garner go to Auburn and be his defensive coordinator if he can't pick his own assistant coaches? And he has no prior history of working with those assistants.

7. Gene Chizik needs a spectacular hire at offensive coordinator to settle the Auburn people down and to fill his own resume gaps. Does he really want Searels for that role given that Stacy has never called plays before? Why would Searels leave if it weren't for a coordinator-level position?

This is a hire that's getting universally panned as desperate, confusing and non-sensical. ESPN says it the best. It's simply a downgrade from Tuberville. When the hire goes predictably poorly over the first two years, Chizik will have to sacrafice cooridinators and other assistants to save himself. That's the Auburn way, and that's what Chizik had already done at Iowa State.

Auburn would be stupid to not call on Rodney and Stacy. They have to. But to think that they're just going to jump up and leave because they are alums is a very limited view of the situation. They've been alums for a long time, and neither has coached there yet.

That's not to say they won't leave. It's just that it's very far from a no brainer or a lock that they would like Aubies want you to think.

See Also:
-- Auburn's back and forth - Get the Picture

PWD