Auburn reaches deal with new athletic director

Auburn is hiring within the SEC to find its new athletic director.

The Auburn Tigers have reportedly found their new athletic director for the foreseeable future.

Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger reported on Monday that Auburn has selected Mississippi State athletic director John Cohen to head its athletic department. Cohen is slated to resign from his current post with the Bulldogs and could be named as Auburn’s new athletic director the same day.

Cohen reportedly is signing a five-year contract at $1.5 million a year — a notably higher total than what previous athletic director Allen Greene was paid. Greene made $625 thousand a year, so the significant price increase comes as a sign of commitment for the Tigers in getting their replacement for Greene.

Cohen, who was Mississippi State’s baseball coach from 2009 to 2016, became Mississippi State’s athletic director after its former AD, Scott Stricklin, left for the University of Florida. Cohen has served as an assistant baseball coach with Kentucky and Florida prior to becoming an athletic director, so perhaps his SEC experience was a major catalyst for his hiring.

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