We did learn that nothing has changed on the Plains and it probably won't while Pat Dye is semi functioning or the NCAA has not forced a cleaning. The coach at Auburn is a system coach just like a system quarterback. Most top quarterbacks don't want to play in a system unless it's a proven success.There is no doubt that Smart was offered the job.............it all comes down to semantics about what constitutes an "offer".:cool2:
I believe the request to coach the Bama defense in the BCSNCG was likely a poison pill request designed to elicit a Barn refusal and thus give at least one reason for his own refusal. As I said previously, I'm not sure he genuinely wanted the job to begin with -- it makes zero sense for an in-state conference rival to agree to such a condition in my opinion.Would you give up an NC Ring?
That's why in the long run (and short) they lose! I wouldn't walk blindly into something. He investigated the issue and it turned out that something was fishy. He didn't want to get dirty and I don't blame him.Exactly..In other words you won't have control of the team..Just do what the "Good 'Ole Boys" tell ya to do..Business as usual in Lee County..
You can't seriously tell a coach to sign the contract 1st & then we'll show you what we know about the looming NCAA mess,,And top that off by telling you we will have control of the hiring & firing of your coaching staff..Equals exactly what they got..A puppet HC that stands no chance of making this work at auburn..Only one problem Barners..They'll never keep Malzahn's wife quite..She will make "The Powers That Be" lives a living hell when the Malzahn Era takes a nose dive..That's why in the long run (and short) they lose! I wouldn't walk blindly into something. He investigated the issue and it turned out that something was fishy. He didn't want to get dirty and I don't blame him.
I think Northern Illinois coach is on his way to NC State.
Good analysis GCT but I would say there is a bit of difference between the Godaddy bowl and the BCSNC so I would be prone to believe it happened.Jess is absolutely right. Kirby was offered the job and the intent was to throw him a huge wad of cash, thinking that the money would satisfy any issues he had. Auburn took themselves a little too seriously and thought he'd want them more than they really needed him.
Kirby wasn't playing that game.
He already has a great job and he knows his future is bright. There was no way he was taking that job without having every one of his demands met to his complete satisfaction. Not only did he want full disclosure on the current NCAA investigation, he wanted complete protection from any fallout from it. He also wanted complete control of football operations. Not just on-field assistants, but total control, just like his current boss has in Tuscaloosa.
He was told that NCAA rules forbade them from disclosing the nature and extent of any investigations and that he would not be given that level of power due to the school's "institutional control" policy. That has Rich McGlynn written all over it.
Scarbinsky reported that he also wanted to coach the Tide defense in the BCSCG and was refused on that as well. I'm not sure about this--as Malzahn is reportedly being allowed to coach his team in the GoDaddy.com bowl just one night before the BCSCG.
At the end of the day, Kirby let them know that it was he who was negotiating from the position of strength and that either they give him what he wanted, or he wasn't taking the job he never truly coveted to begin with. They balked, he walked.
Interesting read on here:
http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/in...insky_is_gus_malzahn_stro.html#incart_m-rpt-2
"His (K Smart)demands included full disclosure of the state of the NCAA’s current look-see at the Auburn program, full control of hiring and firing staffers and the opportunity to coordinate the Alabama defense in the BCS Championship Game against Notre Dame."
"Smart’s demands are perfectly understandable. So is Auburn’s unwillingness to grant them, which is part of the reason Auburn didn’t offer Smart the job and turned toward Malzahn."
"That raises a question. Why would Auburn interview Smart in the first place? Did they not see that stalemate coming?"
I'll make note of that. This would really surprise me and my main counter would be that maybe Gus is not as confident in himself as he appears, his wife kind of demonstrates that to some degree. Gus took a pay cut to take the ASU job and I bet he's guaranteed at least $10 million.I wrote this yesterday on my blog and feel free to disagree with me on this point: But the fact that Gus took the Auburn job means that they probably skate on the NCAA investigation, or at least receive relatively light penalties.
Gus knows where all the bodies are buried and I think he's too smart to walk into what might become a smoldering crater and risk his future marketability as a coach. There's no amount of short term cash that can mitigate the risk of becoming the next Jim Tressel--a radioactive coach that no one will likely ever touch again.
Dye admitted Tuesday what insiders have told us all along, that Smart was his first choice for the job. No surprise there. Like Smart, Dye grew up playing for Georgia and coaching at Alabama on the defensive side of the ball. Like Dye, Smart is hard-nosed and strong-willed.
Those characteristics may have helped Smart with Dye, but they hurt him with the Auburn search committee. Smart asked for things during his interview that Auburn wasn’t willing to give him, according to people close to the process.
His demands included full disclosure of the state of the NCAA’s current look-see at the Auburn program, full control of hiring and firing staffers and the opportunity to coordinate the Alabama defense in the BCS Championship Game against Notre Dame.
Smart’s demands are perfectly understandable. So is Auburn’s unwillingness to grant them, which is part of the reason Auburn didn’t offer Smart the job and turned toward Malzahn.
I doubt the Aubs mind him coaching Arky State. I do think they would have a problem with their new head coach coaching their arch rival to another National Championship, though.Scarbinsky reported that he also wanted to coach the Tide defense in the BCSCG and was refused on that as well. I'm not sure about this--as Malzahn is reportedly being allowed to coach his team in the GoDaddy.com bowl just one night before the BCSCG.
That's possible, but would he know who's been interviewed, etc?I wrote this yesterday on my blog and feel free to disagree with me on this point: But the fact that Gus took the Auburn job means that they probably skate on the NCAA investigation, or at least receive relatively light penalties.
Gus knows where all the bodies are buried and I think he's too smart to walk into what might become a smoldering crater and risk his future marketability as a coach. There's no amount of short term cash that can mitigate the risk of becoming the next Jim Tressel--a radioactive coach that no one will likely ever touch again.