Will New Chad Morris of SEC Last Until Halloween?

Auburn's Bryan Harsin's hot seat will give their fans what Hogs edured

Author:
Andy Hodges
Updated:
Oct 1, 2022 2:27 PM EDT
Original:
Sep 30, 2022

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — For whatever reason, Chad Morris was a disaster at Arkansas.

In case you're wondering, yes, everybody knows why it was a train wreck but we could spend more time than you want to read detailing all of that. The bottom line was he didn't win games.

That bottom line is what's causing Bryan Harsin to be in a situation where everybody is assuming he'll be the first coach out in the SEC this year.

The former coach at the community college in Jonesboro might have been fired last weekend if Missouri hadn't fumbled away an overtime win on 1-yard line.

Nathaniel Peet-Missouri — Missouri Tigers running back Nathaniel Peat (8) is hit by Auburn Tigers cornerback Keionte Scott (6) and fumbles the ball before crossing the goal line during the first overtime at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn recovered the fumble in the end zone to win the game. (John Reed / USA TODAY Sports)

Coaches have been fired before Halloween. Tommy Bowden at Clemson leaps immediately to mind.

Harsin has struggled mightily. For whatever reason he has gotten crossways with the powers that be down on The Plains because they launched an investigation last year that failed.

The Tigers may have waited too long to show him the door. By the time all that happened last year, the available pool of coaches that might have an interest in coaching there already had other jobs.

Now he has no support with athletic director Allen Greene announcing he was stepping down from his role.

“The Auburn money people, they never wanted Harsin to get hired, and the AD that hired him, he got forced out last month,” Feldman said. “They’re ranked number 55 in recruiting and that is last in the SEC.”

That last part was enough to get Morris ousted in Fayetteville before he finished two seasons. The fact he ended up in Auburn as offensive coordinator ended up costing his buddy, Gus Malzahn, fired.

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn and offensive coordinator Chad Morris walk off the field at Jordan Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. Auburn defeated Arkansas 30-28. — (Jake Crandall / USA TODAY Sports)

Harsin is getting to the point he can't afford losses. You wonder if he got much credit at all for last week's win over Missouri.

The only way he could explain that away is the excuse that Missouri is a good team, which probably wouldn't even pass the laugh test.

The Tigers' Eli Drinkwitz may actually be worse than Harsin, but that's just a subjective view from a distance.

There is a common thread for those two guys and Morris, though — none of them appear to have a clue about reading the room and relating to fans, players or the media.

These days that may be the most important thing of all.

And if you don't think Harsin has an easy path to keeping his job, look at the schedule.

After LSU this weekend, the Tigers go on the road to Georgia and Ole Miss followed by a home game against Arkansas to finish October.

That game with the Hogs is two days before Halloween.

Whether Harsin is coaching by then is likely to depend on how many wins he gets.

You wonder if some people at Auburn are starting to have divided loyalties.