Kirby Smart, perhaps along with Nick Saban, has the most job security as the SEC’s coaches descend upon Atlanta for media days, but which coach will step to the podium at the College Football Hall of Fame under the most pressure?
Expectations are high in College Station and some wonder about the fit for Brian Kelly in Baton Rouge, but look no further than the Plains for the answer to that question. Following a 6-7 record in 2021 and a rocky offseason, Bryan Harsin is entering just his second season as the head coach at Auburn, but Randy McMichael believes that a slow start for the Tigers may lead to a quick end to Harsin’s tenure.
There were questions regarding Harsin’s job status in February ahead of the SEC coaches meetings amid an internal investigation into his leadership practices, but he was ultimately retained. Following a five-game losing streak to end the 2021 season, 20 players and five assistant coaches—including DC Derek Mason—left the program.
On the field, the Tigers’ starting quarterback position is a question mark following Bo Nix’s decision to transfer to Oregon. T.J. Finley and Texas A&M transfer Zach Calzada will likely compete for the job in the weeks leading up to kickoff. Whoever starts will have the luxury of Tank Bigsby accompanying them in the backfield after he decided against entering the transfer portal this offseason.
After opening the season with Mercer and San Jose State, the Tigers welcome Penn State, Missouri and LSU to Jordan-Hare. If Auburn struggles in their five-game homestead to begin the season, could a big loss on the road in Athens in Week 6 bring change to Auburn? We’ll see.