Bryan Harsin buyout: What Auburn would owe head coach if fired
Bryan Harsin entered Saturday on shaky ground. It’s no secret that the Auburn head coach was considered to be on the hot seat even before beginning the 2022 season. Hours before Auburn’s Saturday game against Mizzou, college football insider Bruce Feldman reported that Harsin could be fired as soon as Sunday with a loss.
Thanks to some incredible luck, Auburn escaped Saturday with a 17-14 win over Mizzou. A narrow win thanks to a missed chip-shot field goal and fumble on a potential game-winner is unlikely to do much to cool Harsin’s seat.
If Auburn fires Harsin this season, the coach is reportedly owed $15 million.
Harsin signed a 6-year deal at Auburn when he was hired in December 2020. His starting salary for 2021 was $5 million with $100,000 increases every season. If fired without cause before Dec. 31, 2022, Harsin is owed 70% of his remaining contract, which comes to approximately $15 million.
Buyouts can be negotiated for early exits. Nebraska, which created the first Power 5 coaching vacancy of the 2022 season, notably did not negotiate a settlement with Scott Frost. Arizona State also fired Herm Edwards earlier this month.