Keith Farner | 3 hours ago
Bryan Harsin’s future at Auburn appears very much in doubt, and if Auburn moves on from, ESPN insider Chris Low, who spoke to Harsin on Thursday night, has 4 familiar names in mind.
During an appearance on “The Paul Finebaum Show” on Friday, Low listed Liberty coach Hugh Freeze, former Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin and Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy as possibilities. Steele was recently hired at Maryland, but left this week to take the defensive coordinator job at Miami.
Low, who said Athletics Director Allen Greene will likely not be at the school into the future as he didn’t have a contract renewed, and has limited time remaining, outlined how it could play out.
Steele was believed to be a favorite candidate last year after Gus Malzahn was fired, and Low noted that Steele had plenty of support a year ago, though there remains a division, or fracture, in the leadership at Auburn.
“Without question, Kevin Steele would have support there, because he knows the place and much like a Bruce Pearl, there are people that feel like he could come in and be a uniter,” Low said. “I think there’s a lot of people who would want that job.”
Low also mentioned Josh Gattis, the offensive coordinator at Michigan, as a possibility at Auburn. Gattis was seen as a possible internal candidate for the Wolverines if Jim Harbaugh had left for the NFL.
“People that are competitive, and have seen what they’ve done there, are not going to be scared away by that,” Low said.
Finebaum asked Low if Freeze was hirable in the SEC, and Low brought up Bruce Pearl as they discussed him going through SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey to be hired at Auburn a few years ago.
“At some point, hasn’t Hugh Freeze sort of paid his dues and paid his penalty,” Low said.
