Auburn coaching candidate says he hasn't been contacted by Tigers
When the Auburn Tigers fired coach Gus Malzahn on Sunday afternoon, some names quickly started circulating regarding his replacement.
There was Hugh Freeze, Kevin Steele, Billy Napier and others, including Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal.
But, on Monday night, Cristobal spoke with the media and said he has not been contacted by the Tigers in their coaching search thus far:
Here's Mario Cristobal's full response when asked about the Auburn rumors. #GoDucks #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/ODQxxG6Kwa
— Brandon Kamerman (@B_Kamerman) December 15, 2020
Mario Cristobal said he hasn't been contacted by Auburn. Said he doesn't know if his agent has. Said he trusts Oregon can get his contract extension done.
— Tyson Alger (@tysonalger) December 15, 2020
Of course, coaches aren’t always the most forthcoming people when it comes to coaching rumors, so we’ll see what happens with the coaching search moving forward.
Where will the Tigers turn if Cristobal is indeed out of the running for the open job?
I don’t think i would want this guy if i were an AU fan. AU needs to make a big time hire . If it isn’t Freeze,Kiffen or Big game Bob Stoops i would be disappointed if i were an AU fan. Au boosters came up with Gus’s 21 million buyout. They may as well break out there checkbooks and get a name they feel can beat Saben and make it to the playoffs.
Cristobal is a good coach with a lot of time and contacts in this part of the country for recruiting. He was one of Bama’s top recruiters. If you think Bob Stoops is going to come to AU you do not deserve to even be a part of the discussion.
If you don’t think the money that Auburn is throwing around would not garner the attention of Bob Stoops or any other coach, you do not deserve to be a part of this conversation.
Don’t think for a second that the idiots that run our program won’t make a terrible decision here. I’m just waiting on the disappointment of Cristobal or, God help us, Steele getting named HC. According to the rumor mill, those are the only 2 names because the money guys always pick who they like, not who is best for Auburn (see Gene Chizik and Gus Malzahn)
Lol at freeze and kiffin being big time hires
I wouldn’t want either especially Lane. 1 year at UT and 1 year at OM? Just for him to jump ship after 1 year at AU?
I don’t want Kiffin at Auburn either. Bad enough he’s back in the SEC… sumbeach put up 647 yards on Bama’s defense… ya know what I mean. :)
Man if you think Stoops is going to coach again let alone Auburn then I agree with Tidefan. Cristobol is a great coach.
What he really means is he isnt at liberty to talk about how much money hes been offered lol
Of course he’s not at liberty- he is at oregon and freeze is at liberty. I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist.
If an offer has been made I’m assuming it has to be a big number. Equal to or more than Gus was making. Then again he’s only making 2.5 at Oregon. We could offer 5 a year and that would be enough as The Oregon program are a bunch of penny pinchers.
You know our society is jacked when you refer to a coaches salary as Only $2.5 million. I do get what your saying and am not busting you personally for the comment. It’s just hard for most people to think anyone is ONLY making $2.5 million. I would ONLY take 1/2 and be satisfied.
Bring back Terry Bowden!
Schools do not talk to coaches until the details are worked out. For major programs, every coach that interviews, the details are worked out in advance, then if hired they are transferred to a contract for both parties to sign, the the school’s Bot approves or disapproves the contract for it to be binding.
I’m not sure what you are trying to say here. No way schools are investing millions of dollars and not talking to the guy they are paying. Any contract that gets to the BOT is getting approved as they give the go ahead before an offer is made.
I can’t imagine paying someone 21 mil to go away and not have another coach locked up. If for some reason they don’t, this hire could be as entertaining as UTK’s was.
I know most Auburn fans don’t want Steele because of his record from Baylor, but that was a long time ago and it was Baylor. He’s well traveled now with ALOT more experience than back then. He’s done very well as the DC for Auburn in both recruiting and running the defense. He’s well known and liked, fits the culture, he’s proven he understands modern offenses and can adjust with the times. I wouldn’t mind Auburn giving him a chance.
It just doesn’t make sense to dish out $21 million to get rid of Gus and keep everyone else. What is going to change? What’s been missing the last few years is some excitement and energy. I don’t see Steele as the answer to the recruiting woes or getting the players motivated. I hope I’m wrong if he’s the guy.
Great point.
Maybe Steele will do a better job in who to recruit. Maybe he won’t ignore the O-line so you don’t have to move people from the defense. Maybe he identifies needs instead of stars. The defense does a good job reloading. What did Gus replace an experienced but mediocre line with? An inexperienced mediocre line?
Uh… Mario, how about a follow-up question … Has your agent been contacted by Auburn?
There’s more tot hat quote that was left out “I don’t know if my agent has and I talk to him every day.”
Yeah, that’s my point. Prior to making this statement, I’d think Mario would *know* and have a definitive answer.
Head scratcher for sure. You’d think he’d know considering they talk every day. His agent has 100% been contacted.
Yeah, I think so too. His statement is just a lame attempt at plausible deniability for the sake of negotiations with Oregon and Auburn.
Yeah….and Saban wasn’t going to leave the Dolphins to go to Bama, AIGHT?
Have you, two weeks after saying something, ever changed your mind?
I don’t think Saban changed his mind as much as there’s just no good way to publicly answer the question he was constantly being asked. If he said he would listen to Bama or anything that leaves that door kind of open then the media would immediately turn that into him not being a loyal while still the Dolphin HC and go straight to the FO and players for their take on Saban not sounding “committed” to them while still their HC. But because he didn’t then he ends up being a big fat liar. It’s a lose/lose situation no matter how he handled it.
I think Mal Moore making the trip to Miami with 3.5 million dollars and carte blanche program control changed his mind.
Well that probably sealed the deal, but it wasn’t like he was telling Bama “No I’m not interested, don’t even call me” I mean he took the call, listened and agreed to meet. I think he was interested the whole time, not necessarily had his mind made up one way or the other but like I said, there’s no good way to say that publicly to the media as the process is going on.
Knowing the Nick Saban we’ve all come to know over the last 14 years, it’s safe to say he had his mind made up at the time of saying ‘I’m not going to be the head coach at Alabama.’ He’s too accomplished at coach-speak to make such a statement if he didn’t mean it.
Two weeks later Mal Moore changed his mind.
Ok Dave, sounds good.
I’d like Cristobal or Freeze. Sadly, they don’t seem to be on the table for the athletic board.
Bob Stoops speculation is hilarious. Why would he quit retirement and risk his legacy taking over Auburns black hole of a job? He banked plenty at OU so he doesn’t need the cash. Until Saban retires, Auburn will be Bamas bee atch and every prospective coach knows it.
Nobody I know has even mentioned Bob Stoops. Who would want him? Not me.
Ahhhh XFL
Man if you think Stoops is going to coach again let alone Auburn then I agree with Tidefan. Cristobol is a great coach.
Truth about Saban leaving Miami? Mrs. Terry thought the place was a h*’ll hole with all the depravity there. She didn’t want her daughters there any longer.
Auburn will do the most Auburn thing possible hire Steele.