Here is my theory as to what has went down the past few years. They finally got rid of Tubberville with a chance to hire someone that they could control, in walks Chizic. They then go out to hire the best coordinators they could find and luck up on Malzahn. Whoever was in charge down there wanted to implement the spread offense and they tried with Tubbs but he wouldn't go all in and thus the mess after that!
The first year they find out who is really the head coach between Chizic and Malzahn. Malzahn goes after Cam Newton for QB and hits a home run and the next season wind up winning the SEC and BCS championships. Chizic gets the glory and even writes a book. Cam moves on and discontent ensues between Chizic and Malzahn because Malzahn knows he is the reason Auburn won the championships and the Auburn brass knows it too.
So how do you go about demoting the head coach and promoting the coordinator to head coach? While they are both working on the same team? I've never seen it that I can recall.
So the plan is hatched for Malzahn to take a head job somewhere else even if its a lesser job and preferably so. Wouldn't do to let him go to a program of equal or better prestige than Auburn plus more money and then him come back after just one year. But if it were to a lesser program it would make better sense for him to return for the big time job and money. Thats why he agreed to a pay cut to go to Arkansas State!
They knew Chizic would tank this season. If it weren't for Malzahn they would have had just as bad a season last year as they did this year. So it was planned all along. Malzahn knows their skeletons and he probably shares them. The rest was just a ploy to make it look on the up and up. They are slick down there without a doubt! Thats my story and I am sticking to it...at least for now!