Auburn saw a mass exodus of coaches and players following the conclusion of the 2021 season.
Both coordinators, the three-year starting quarterback, and 17 other players left the program after what some call an uncomfortable first year of the [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] era on the Plains. Mix that in with a failed coup to remove Harsin from his job, and it would appear to the naked eye that Auburn football would be headed towards dark days that could last for years.
Harsin survived the attempted overthrow, and is now off to a great start on the program’s rebuilding effort. He has a staff that makes him more comfortable, and the players that elected to stay have bought in to his method of leadership.
The fact that Harsin survived a horrendous offseason is impressive, but what’s more impressive, is that he has managed to build positivity around the program despite there being many signs of pessimism says On3’s JD PicKell.
On his podcast “The Hard Count“, PicKell says that he is amazed at how Auburn’s players have bought into Harsin’s attempt to change the way people view Auburn football:
I talk to people close to Auburn and people inside the building. The people that actually matter when it comes to what happens on Saturdays. They believe in what’s going on. And that’s pretty impressive when you look at what they’ve lost. Lost your quarterback. Bo Nix gone to the portal. He’s in Eugene. (Harsin) lost your coordinators and you lost your last five games.
PicKell went on to say that he believes that Harsin has the tools to become successful at Auburn, and wants to see Harsin and the Tigers have a successful season following the tumultuous offseason that the program had to endure.
I am not making a prediction on how many games Auburn’s gonna win this year. I think conservatively they’re a seven win team, which is you know, a game and a half above of their over/under before the season starts at 5.5. I understand 7 wins. We may still not. We may have to do a video about Bryan Harsin leaving Auburn. Or getting fired from Auburn, rather. Because they have a really high standard there. I understand that. I understand the leash is short. But ultimately, Bryan Harsin is made of the right things that you need to be successful at Auburn. I hope he’s the guy to do it. I hope Auburn has a phenomenal year with all that he’s had to go through this past offseason. But Bryan Harsin has got the juice and I hope (Auburn) gives him time.
Harsin and the rest of the coaching staff is hard at work this weekend, as many recruits on Auburn’s radar are on campus for “Big Cat Weekend.” A great weekend on the Plains could light a spark in Auburn football’s recruitng efforts, which will ultimately bode well for the development of Harsin’s culture.
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