Monday, November 26, 2007

Coach-Watch 2007

Hurry up and wait.

That’s the motto of all coaching searches and contract negotiations. What’s happening at Auburn’s athletic complex this week doesn’t quite fit either description…the Tigers aren’t looking for a new head coach, and their current one still has four seasons left on his seven-year, $18-million deal.

But there’s plenty of activity here at AU today, with more scheduled for tomorrow.

Tommy Tuberville met with athletic director Jay Jacobs and AU President Jay Gogue early this morning, but the meeting wasn’t exactly an event of earth-shattering significance. The three men mostly discussed the past season and Tuberville’s vision for the future of the program—or so we’re to believe.

The real discussion will take place in the coming days—possibly as soon as Tuesday. The meeting that counts will be one-on-one between Jacobs and Tuberville. Expect Jacobs to offer the coach a raise and presumably a contract extension…the current deal expires in 2011. As I’ve written ad nauseam in the last month, assistant coaches’ contracts and facilities improvements will also be on the table.

Still, I expect Tuberville to stay at AU, as I’ve predicted throughout the ongoing hoopla regarding his future.

There’s no firm information about Tuberville’s plans or possible suitors, but anyone with an Internet connection and a basic knowledge of college football knows Arkansas could be interested in Tuberville if the Hogs part ways with Houston Nutt. Georgia Tech hasn’t displayed any interest in Tuberville, but anything’s possible after the Yellow Jackets cut Chan Gailey loose today. No one has formally contacted Jacobs for permission to speak to Tuberville, a step Tuberville’s contract requires. Nor has anyone expressed interest in paying his $6-million buyout, which may have scared away Texas A&M.

(In case you’ve been under a rock lately, A&M hired Mike Sherman as its head coach, three days after Dennis Franchione stepped down and a month after reports from Texas proclaimed Tuberville was A&M’s “only candidate.“ As always, coach-search rumors should be taken with very large grains of salt.)