Lane Kiffin named early favorite to become Auburn’s next head football coach

There isn’t a bigger name in the world of college football that is available like Deion Sanders. Coach Prime would bring a lot of eyeballs to Auburn. With a Power Five team could his staff do some damage on the recruiting trail? If he can swing five-star wide receivers at Jackson State, what could he do in the SEC? Sanders doesn’t have the experience of others but what do you have to lose at this point?

His resume is more impressive than Harsin with a combined 103-61 record in the SEC. It could be a story of redemption after being ousted in 2021 from the job at Florida. Not to mention he was the head coach at Mississippi State when new the Auburn AD was there. Just spitballing here.

This isn’t a name that will garner much positivity among some fans. But as a head coach Bill O’Brien has a pretty good resume, as a general manager not so much. He did a good job at Penn State before moving to the NFL. Perhaps attending Nick Saban’s school of wayward coaches has done him some good. At least a name to keep an eye on.

Jeff Grimes has been on the Plains before as an offensive line coach. His work with the BYU Cougars and Baylor Bears will certainly have him getting some attention with the openings around college football.

Matt Rhule’s run as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers was shortlived but perhaps he would return to the college game. He turned the Baylor Bears from worst to first in a quick span, an experience he could lean on with Auburn. The big question revolves around whether or not Matt Rhule wants to return to the game.

If Stoops doesn’t like dealing with basketball coach John Calipari, then he would probably love Bruce Pearl. A man who is very supportive of other sports at Auburn. Stoops has really turned around a football program that has been dormant for decades. He should be on the shortlist.

Chadwell has put Coastal Carolina on the map in the G5 and he would likely do wonders for the offense at Auburn. While he doesn’t have experience at the Power Five level, his ability to build programs shouldn’t go unnoticed.

Freeze is a name that has come up quite a bit. He did just sign a new contract with Liberty making it a longshot but worth a mention.

Lance Leipold is the hottest name on the coaching carousel it seems. The Wisconsin Badgers and Nebraska Cornhuskers are likely both making a run at the Kansas head coach. Auburn should at least kick the tires.