Candidate for Auburn coaching job signs big extension with his current school
It looks like one name can be taken off the list in the search for Auburn’s next head coach.
Oregon coach Mario Cristobal is receiving a 2-year extension, according to Football Scoop. Cristobal’s extension makes his current contract worth $27.3 million over 6 years and includes a $1.5 million raise in each of the next 3 seasons. Cristobal’s buyout terms will go up by $1 million to $9 million total if he elects to leave Oregon.
Cristobal has amassed a 24-9 record during his time at Oregon.
Meanwhile, it appears Auburn found a “leading candidate” to replace the fired Gus Malzahn. Auburn is zeroing in on current defensive coordinator/interim head coach Kevin Steele, according to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman.
Steele last served as a head coach at Baylor, where he amassed a 9-36 record from 1999-2002.
Auburn fired Malzahn on Sunday and will have to pay him $21.5 million in buyout money. Malzahn tallied a 68-35 record during his 8 seasons at Auburn.
Auburn has posted a 6-4 record this season and will find out its bowl destination on Sunday.
I believe a round of Congratulations are in order here, Auburn should get a percentage of this new deal, because Auburn was the pawn in this deal.
Arkansas was the pawn for Gus….twice.
Yep, Auburn just got Gustled.
And that makes it so sweet. Pay back… I think I’ll send a nice Xmas card to Cristobal.
I have a hard time believing the PTBs were that stupid. I hoped that all of the idiotic hiring shenanigan’s went away with Leath and JJ. But it appears Auburn has no leadership in the AD or BOT. It was obvious Cristobal was trying to get a new deal at Oregon from the get go. The firing of Gus seems more and more likely that there was a bunch of internal conflicts that never got publicized. Someone must have thought the only way to keep certain coaches was to get rid of the guy causing the conflict. Expensive choice that does not seem to have helped Auburn much.
This is from the 247 site. Marshal wanted to give some clarity of why Malzahn was never able to sustain success.
–Coordinators were presented with new assistants they had not even interviewed and without their opinions being sought.
–For eight years I have heard complaints from Auburn assistants about Auburn’s recruiting operation being rampantly disorganized.
–Defensive coaches and offensive line coaches have pleaded to no avail for more physical practices. Outside of spring and sometimes in preseason camp, Auburn never went best-against-best. Most programs – Alabama, Georgia, etc. – devote at least a period to that on every full-contact practice day.
–Malzahn made every recruiting decision on offense – who to recruit, who to offer, who to sign, everything.
–Malzahn decided who started every game on offense, until this year at least, made every substitution. My opinion is that was a vestige of his time as a high school coach that he never really shed.
–Malzahn flip-flopped from calling plays to not calling plays and back at least six times. Coaches tell me that behind the scenes it was actually more than that. He would stay out of it for a while and, invariably, get involved again. This season was no exception to that, though I really did think it would be.
–Malzahn did not like to connect with fans. What was once a tour of Auburn clubs in the state and surrounding states during the summer became only a small handful. Auburn fans – like others – want to feel like their know their head coach and have a connection with him.
–Like it or not, making big donors happy is part of the job in any big-time football program. Malzahn had no interest or little interest in that. Big-money donors and trustees are necessary. They have a say. They have say at Auburn. They have it at Alabama. They have at any big-time program you can name.
–There were plenty of good things about Malzahn’s time at Auburn, too, but those are some answers, at least, about the dysfunction in the program.
Interesting. Between this one and the article on ESPN by Alex Scarborough on Tuesday, Malzahn essentially himself fired.
His arrogance finally caught up with him.
I read that Cristobal’s new deal was in the works after the Rose Bowl, but was put on hold because of The Rona. This probably expedited it, though.
This is a misleading title to this article and flat out wrong. This is the offer Oregon came up with and is just on the table as of now. Cristobal hasn’t signed anything. The Oregon Board hasn’t even met yet to approve this extension. They meet at Noon local time. Auburn insiders seem to think Cristobal won’t sign it just yet. Waiting to see what Auburn offers.
Agreed, it’s still too early to rule it out. My cousin married into one of the biggest money families at AU and he swears Cristobal to AU is already a done deal. Oregon going to the PAC12 championship just slowed down the timeline. I’m not sure that I believe it 100% but he was adamant that the press release was coming sometime soon depending on when Cristobal was okay with it going public. I’m afraid the Auburn faithful may bring new meaning to the term “barn burner” if Steele gets the nod.
I have no doubt that his agent said he would be willing to go to Auburn. And that there are several people in high up places in Auburn that believe they were getting him. I just don’t think it is really being considered by Cristobal unless Oregon gives him the shaft on pay and resources.
Agents say what they need to say to get their client more money. Anyone who believes a word an agent says also believes in the tooth fairy and the integrity of used car salesmen.
Let’s see, Cristo has AMASSED a 24-9 record while Steele has AMASSED a 9-36 record…you’d think one would be a mass and one would be a mess…
Technically Cristobal is 51-56(?) as a HC.
My brother lives in Oregon. He told me to follow a guy named John Canzano on Twitter. He’s a sports journalist who writes for their paper. If he is openly speculating that Cristobal is going to Auburn then it’s probably happening.
I’ve been following him since we played last year against Oregon. Oregon fans HATE him.
I’m unable to find where he’s speculating Cristobal is going to Auburn. Do you have a link? Thanks!
He told me that IF he speculates then it’s probably happening. He broke the Taggart story open back when he flew the coop to FSU.
Hey Rolando, its articles like this that mislead the population and spread things that just aren’t true. The title of your article is completely false. Cristobal hasn’t signed anything. The BOT for Oregon just approved the extension minutes ago. I feel like “journalists” need to be accountable for things like this so I am calling you out. Please be better.
He just signed all but one player in his recruiting class. If he were to leave for Auburn after that it would be the biggest scumbag move since Petrino.
You don’t jump out of the airplane unless you know you have a chute. There’s no way a HC is going to tell players he isn’t staying until he has a contract in his hand. He has no control over when job openings come up and when signing day is. Having said that…I don’t think he’s planning on leaving.
I just read on their football website that it’s a done deal. There’s a quote from MC thanking the administration, etc, etc.
It’s also on the ESPN website. My guess done deal. I think you guys should retain chaggles and have KS be head coach.
This is starting to look like the Tennessee mess a couple of years ago. Hope it turns our better for the A-barns than it has on Rocky Top. Time will tell, but for the life of me, I can’t see a Steele hire being met with anything but a bazaar combination of disbelief, confusion, and outrage from the Tiger faithful.
Les Miles is probably available, so is Gary Pinkel for that matter.