Paul Finebaum has noticed that Auburn fans have backed off their typical expectations in recent years as multiple coaching changes have led to the current state as Hugh Freeze looks to re-build the program.

He explained it on WJOX and “McElroy and Cubelic In the morning” on Monday.

“Greg it has a lot to do with the last 2 years,” Finebaum said. “To start the conversation, I can’t ever remember a time when Auburn fans expected this little. It has to do with the absolutely terrible decision to hire Bryan Harsin, and on top of that, I think you go back even a year or 2 beyond that, and argue what you want about Gus Malzahn, but his time was up. He probably should have been let go at least a year, maybe 2 years earlier. But the money situation was so overwhelming.”

Overall, Finebaum said it’s simply been a calamity of errors for Auburn for the last 5 years or so.

“I think fans are immune now to mediocrity,” he said. “And they just can’t demand more until they give someone time.”

It all started with Malzahn’s contract extension, and then the hire of Harsin, and Finebaum points to that as something fans recognize. Harsin didn’t understand recruiting in the SEC, or day-to-day management of an SEC program. Now they have the right coach in Hugh Freeze, Finebaum said, but the reality is it’s just going to take longer to get the program back.