Auburn booster Jimmy Rane reportedly denies any booster interference with Bryan Harsin, football program
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Auburn has historically had an issue with the amount of involvement its boosters have had in its athletics when it comes to making decisions, specifically revolving around the football program.
This past February, Auburn initiated a probe of Bryan Harsin that brought back into light some of the issues that have been plaguing the university for quite some time.
However, according to a report from the Montgomery Advertiser, Auburn booster Jimmy Rane claims that he had "no role in the internal probe that almost got Harsin fired after his first season, or in future decisions."
Here's what Rane told the Montgomery Advertiser on Thursday evening before his annual charity golf event.
"Trustees don't hire and fire football coaches. We hire and fire presidents. So I'm not aware of any role the trustees played in that at all.
I think there were questions that the administration had, and (former Auburn president Jay Gogue) is the kind of a president that wants facts. He's going to do thorough investigations. And so that was a providence of the administration. Certainly not the trustees.
I don't know how to help people with their perception. All I know is facts. And there's enough rumors out there that people can make up anything they want to make up, but facts speak for themselves, and that's just how things are done."
There was also some speculation about the board of trustees' involvement with Auburn athletic director Allen Greene, who has been put under fire by virtue of hiring Harsin back in December of 2020. Rane commented on his hand in Greene's contract with the university.
"Trustees don't hire athletic directors either," Rane said when asked about Greene's future beyond the end of his contract. "... So that would be a decision that Chris Roberts would make as to whether or not he wanted – this is a brand new administration, and historically, presidents hire their own cabinet. Their own people. So I would say he has his decision whether or not he chooses to keep Allen or if he wanted to make a new change ... And that would be proper. It would be like a head football coach hiring his own assistant coaches."
After surviving the unjust attacks on his character and his ability to coach earlier this year, Harsin faces a difficult challenge of pleasing both the university and the fans heading into his second season. Oddly enough, there's a very simple solution- win.
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