One sign read “stop division, start support.” Another had the words “Bryan Harsin, Allen Greene > Good Ol’ Boys, Board of Trustees.”
They were raised high into the air by two of the nearly two dozen Auburn fans who organized at Toomer’s Corner early Sunday afternoon for a rally in support of embattled coach Bryan Harsin, whose immediate future with the program remains in flux amid an inquiry into his first 13 months on the job by president Jay Gogue and university administration. The #IStandWithHarsin rally reflected the support of one segment of a fanbase that has been torn apart by more sudden unrest surrounding the football program, and it lasted nearly 45 minutes on a pleasant winter afternoon.
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Two police officers were onsite to oversee the rally, which turned out to be a rather tepid showing from a vocal group who wanted to demonstrate their support of Harsin, who has come under scrutiny following a disappointing Year 1 on the Plains and a tumultuous offseason. The group of concerned Harsin advocates gathered on the southwest corner of the famed intersection in downtown Auburn, their chants interspersed with honks from other supporters as they drove by.
They chanted Bodda Getta. Another chant included cries of Harsin’s last name and ended with a lengthy “War Eagle.” Passersby lowered their car windows and offered more words of support. A motorcycle repeatedly drove past the corner, a small dog perched on the back of it while wearing a red vest and ski goggles featuring a unicorn horn.
It was a scene out of a fever dream as fans rallied for Harsin, similarly to how a small group marched through campus 14 years ago following the resignation of then-coach Tommy Tuberville.
“No Harsin, no peace,” one supporter shouted, grinning as others in the group let out a laugh. A moment of levity during an otherwise frustrating weekend for the fervent supporters of the first-year head coach.
The Tigers went 6-7 last season, Harsin’s first on the Plains, going from the cusp of a top-10 ranking at the end of October—when they sat at 6-2 following back-to-back wins against ranked opponents — to ending the year on a five-game losing streak that included three blown double-digit leads. It resulted in Auburn’s first losing season since 2012.
Since the calendar flipped to November, seemingly little has gone right for the program under Harsin. Eighteen players, including three-year starting quarterback Bo Nix and leading receiver Kobe Hudson, have entered the transfer portal. The coaching staff has undergone an inordinate amount of turnover, with offensive coordinator Mike Bobo fired at the end of the regular season and his replacement, Austin Davis, resigning after just 43 days on the job. Defensive coordinator Derek Mason also resigned, only to take the same position at Oklahoma State a few days later. Defensive line coach Nick Eason departed for his alma mater, Clemson.
Those were on top of the firing of wide receivers coach Cornelius Williams just four games into the season, as well as the departure of Tracy Rocker — Harsin’s original hire for the defensive line coach position last year — who left for an NFL job less than two weeks after joining Harsin’s inaugural staff.
That staff volatility, paired with the exodus of players to the portal and a weak finish to the recruiting cycle did little to put Harsin on solid footing at Auburn. As pressure mounted in recent days and uncertainty about his short-term future with the program grew, several former players came out publicly to share their experiences from the last year and address concerns about Harsin’s approach as head coach. All agreed that he was a great coach but believed he lacked interpersonal skills and did little to harness relationships with them away from the field. Other players, both current and former, came out strongly in support of Harsin on social media in recent days.
So, too, have many fans online. While Harsin’s first year has brought about detractors among the fanbase, others have remained steadfast in their support of the 45-year-old coach. Many expressed it with the hashtag #IStandWithHarsin on social media, which led to Sunday’s rally downtown.
Despite the sizeable segment of the fanbase supporting Harsin, only about two dozen showed up for the event at Toomer’s Corner before dispersing shortly after 2:40 p.m.
“This is a sad showing,” one supporter said as the crowd trickled off in various directions, lamenting the turnout compared to the more vocal support shown online.
Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.
