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Question: Who's in the worst situation, Tennessee or Auburn?

wastedmason

wastedmason

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Dec 1, 2003
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Tennessee, just having worked out Fulmers buyout or whatever has 3 games left with Wyoming, Vanderbilt and Kentucky. Auburn has Tenn-Martin, Georgia and Bama.

Tennessee needs three straight wins to become bowl eligible. Auburn needs to win 2 out of the three left on their schedule to become bowl eligible. Who do you think has the best shot at becoming bowl eligible? Right now in my opinion Tennessee looks to be in better shape.

I think with Fulmer stepping down now instead of waiting till the end of the season Tennessee will be fired up to send Fulmer out a winner. Whether it will be enough I don't know but the schedule sure looks easier than Auburn's.

I think Tubby has more or less lost this team. I also think Auburn has fallen the furthest between the two teams. Auburn was the preseason pick to win the west, Tennessee was preseason mid pack in the east.

I think Tennessee has been in a slow but steady decline ever since Fulmers embarrassment after Tommy Galleons law suits uncovered his involvement in Bama's NCAA troubles. I think he basically buried his credibility with recruits and their parents across the country by his involvement with all the law suits and not showing up in Birmingham for the SEC media days. His intentional sacking of Bama ultimately led to his demise even though the law suits were not a great success in the court room. He lost in the court of public opinion and it has only been a matter of time before it affected his performance on the field.

Auburn on the other hands big downfall can be directly attributed to the one and only Nick Saban. It was as if once Coach Saban was announced as Bama's next coach you could hear the life whoosh out of the Auburn nation. And they looked to have weathered the storm when Bama slumped to finish the regular season last year. But then Coach Saban brings in the #1 recruiting class in the nation in February and Auburn goes into panic mode. Which the panic mode actually started last season when their offense wasn't playing lights out and was blown out by Georgia for the second year in a row, but after signing day they really started panicking. They started signing any and everyone they could it seems like.

Now that Tennessee has made their decision what will Auburn do? Especially if Tennessee winds up going to a bowl and Auburn doesn't? And how long will it take them to decide? Or do they jump into the coaching sweepstakes now? I think firing coordinators is not going to satisfy the Auburn nation especially after the mess with Franklin. But who knows, plenty of subplots yet to be played out but its going to be interesting watching then unfold.

In my opinion Tennessee is in the best situation, while not great I think by making a decision now helps them. They have actually been in decline longer than Auburn so actually new blood should help them in the short term by getting their fans excited and the players fired up. Depending on the hire it could be only short lived but at least they will be optimistic.

Auburn on the other hand will have a rougher go of it if they decide to go coach shopping. What proven coach would want to have to deal with the Crimson Juggernaut in Tuscaloosa that is just beginning to make the noise we all knew one day would happen.

Tennessee and Auburn, while seemingly in the same boat are really not in my opinion. They both may have a hard time getting that home run hire coach but I believe Tennessee has a better shot at it. Tubs I believe and Auburn as a whole is between a rock and a hard place. They better hope Fulmer, with his newly soon to be found extra time on his hands can dig up some more dirt on Bama. Because while Tennessee looks to have a long row to hold to get out of their funk, Auburn looks to be just beginning their long downward slide.

And Oh what a happy time to be a Crimson Tider!!!!:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::QUARTET:
 
I actually think they're both decent situations. Just like any SEC school, both face stiff competition on the field and on the recruiting trail. UT has to recruit nationally and AU has to compete with us, UGA, UF, FSU, LSU, etc. However, there is plenty of talent to go around, especially if you get someone (like Saban) who can see past the stars a recruit is given.

Both have to play Bama every year and during this current era, it won't be easy. Most people think the SEC East is tougher, but there very well could be a shift to the West. Both fanbases want to beat Bama every year, which will be very tough.

UT has more talent IMO, but AU isn't far behind. UT will probably pay more and has a better tradition and facilities. Both schools have an ugly orange color, but UT's is far uglier. It's close, but I see UT is the better job.
 
I'll address a single issue here and that's the buyout. After the departure of Johnny Majors, the administrators at UT set up and fully funded an account which was designed specifically for an occasion such as this. That fund is now available and ready for them to not only pay Fulmer's buyout, but also to use in the hiring of his successor. Hence they are not going to worry about funding the buy out of Phil Fulmer's contract.
To the best of my knowledge, AU has no such fund. They are still paying Al Borges and Tony Franklin and Lord knows who else. If and when they force Tubbs out, they'll have that additional expense as well. All this is undoubtedly weighing heavily on the minds of the boosters and administrators at AU.
So to answer the question, Auburn is in the worse situation. UT is operating with pockets full of cash, while AU is having to pull out the old credit cards. :wink:
 
Gotta say I agree with this. Tennessee may be down without fat Phi, but not out. Auburn, on the other hand, is gonna have a hard time with or without Tubby.
 
No question in my mind. Auburn is playing the best they have. Many of those playing are playing crippled because there is no one better behind them. Hmmm. Aubies O was bad last year. With the new system they are bad this year. And how their D has joined them.

I suppose you could say the same thing about TN. I haven't kept up with them like I have Aubie. TN seems to need a HC. Aubie has problems deeper than that.
 
As mentioned before, the economic and financial circumstances put Auburn in a much worse situation. Not only do they have a stable of former coaches on the payroll, they are doing it with resources donated by people in real estate, banking and construction. Those are not the strongest sectors of the economy.

Furthermore, while Auburn's athletic facilities are very good, they have been passed somewhat by their rivals. Their basketball venue is a dump. They have no equivalent of the Hank Crisp. They have just not done as good a job in keeping up with the neighbors.

If a change is made, it will not come cheap. There is the $6 million for buying out Tubbs and several assistants also have contracts with guarantees. Some estimates put the total burden at close to $10 million. Then, your incoming coach will want his people to have SEC-level salaries and contracts. Once he sees Auburn's facilities, he may insist on certain investments to be part of the overall arrangement. Those improvements have been on the drawing boards for years, but never moved ahead.

When Lowder and his puppet AD Jacobs sit down and run the numbers, they may decide that they can't afford to make a change. They may decide to suffer through another two or three years of mediocrity before before cutting ties at a cheaper price and in a better economic environment.
 
Bowl-wise, UT is in better shape.

Short-term success: they will both be hurting. What offense is Moo U recruiting for? What offense will they run?
 
TideBlazer81 said:
Gotta say I agree with this. Tennessee may be down without fat Phi, but not out. Auburn, on the other hand, is gonna have a hard time with or without Tubby.
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I think they are both down and out for at least two to three years and then there will be a whole lot of catching up to do.

The hardest time will be for the Barn; who in the world would want to coach there and go head to head with CNS in recruiting; The world, as they know it, is gone.

:BigA: RTR!
 
Bamaball2001 said:
The hardest time will be for the Barn; who in the world would want to coach there and go head to head with CNS in recruiting; The world, as they know it, is gone.
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I totally agree. The barn is down and out for some time to come.
BUT, money talks and they might be able to buy a decent coach.
I don't think any coach in his right mind would want to go there.

ROLL TIDE!!
 
Short-term looks rough for UT. Mid-term may or may not be better, depending on who they hire. Long term, UT will be back, and hopefully as a better organization.

Short-term, mid-term, and long-term all look bad for Opelika State. Besides the team problems, they got beat to the punch by Clemson and UT in the head coach hunt. Even if they get one, he will compete head-to-head with CNS yearly on the recruiting trail. Bama IS back, and things are going to be bad for Awburn for a long, long time.
 
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Bama Reb said:
I'll address a single issue here and that's the buyout. After the departure of Johnny Majors, the administrators at UT set up and fully funded an account which was designed specifically for an occasion such as this. That fund is now available and ready for them to not only pay Fulmer's buyout, but also to use in the hiring of his successor. Hence they are not going to worry about funding the buy out of Phil Fulmer's contract.
To the best of my knowledge, AU has no such fund. They are still paying Al Borges and Tony Franklin and Lord knows who else. If and when they force Tubbs out, they'll have that additional expense as well. All this is undoubtedly weighing heavily on the minds of the boosters and administrators at AU.
So to answer the question, Auburn is in the worse situation. UT is operating with pockets full of cash, while AU is having to pull out the old credit cards. :wink:
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Didn't know about the buyout fund at UT. That certainly brings a different light to the subject. I had figured UT was in a better position to let Fulmer go and hire another coach, but the fact fact Auburn may have to stay with what they got another year or two tickles me pink, lol! But I think I read where Auburn was planning on selling a jet or two. They may figure out a way but at what cost?!:eek2:
 
The situation with the Barn is a comedy of errors. Loudermilk started the whole thing with Jetgate. That caused a faction of sympathy for Ears and disdain from the other half. Things have festered and I think it is to the point now that Tubbs is either going to play hit and miss to see what he can do or if nothing works (getting close to that point now), he's just going to ride the ship down out of spite for Loudermilk and collect his 6 Mil and have the last laugh.


JMO but I think this is the situation there. Tubbs is arrogant and a gambler but not stupid.
 
Whoever takes over the 'Viles program should have a much easier time of it, if only from a recruiting standpoint. They should be able to out-recruit any of the ACC schools they run up against, plus Kentucky. They probably will break even against Georgia, and get one out of four against Florida.

And with the 85 scholarship limit, they will continue to get the occasional star from North Alabama, Mississippi, Ohio, etc.

The Barners, OTOH, are landlocked. NW Florida is out, Georgia hasn't lost one to them in several years, and they will be relegated to taking our leftovers in Alabama.

My opinion is that Wingnut will stay a couple of years longer, although I believe the powers that be will force him to replace the entire offensive staff.
 
I think it's gotta be Auburn.

First, the reputation of the crazies there (Jetgate, meddlesome boosters, etc.) would make a lot of decent coaches--many of whom would jump at the UT--think twice before stepping into the hothouse there.

Second, the presence of CNS and the Tide's rise is more of a threat to Auburn's geographical recruiting base than that of UT.

Third, no decision has yet been made of Tub's fate. The likely choice is either keeping him while forcing painful and disruptive change to his staff or dumping him and jumping into the market well behind both Clemson and UT, whose searches will be well underway.
 
Im_on_dsp said:
Yeah, but how does the short-term look? :biggrin:
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Beyond terrible! Auburn needs to win 2 to be bowl-eligible. They MIGHT win one, their homecoming against Tee-Martin! they don't stand a chance against Georgia, and then we'll finish off whatever's left! 2002-07 they had their way with us, but this rivalry is historically streaky and things are about to swing in our favor for a long time to come! Roll Tide Roll! :BigA:
 
I believe utk is in actual better shape, because they have made a decision and are going forward. The barn is still up in limbo, who knows at this point can't bode well for them.
 
Based just on your title, I would say aubarn because we haven't handed a beating to 'em yet. And we're going to!

Whoever coaches at Tennessee will have a good recruiting base. Whoever coaches at aubarn will be Alabama's whipping boy until he gets fired. :biggrin2::biggrin2:
 
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