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USA Today handicapper explains what it would take for Gus Malzahn to get fired at Auburn
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The talk about Gus Malzahn is starting to pick up after Auburn’s loss to Clemson Saturday.
The Tigers posted their worst offensive game in the Malzahn era, giving up a whopping 11 sacks. ESPN’s Todd McShay is already worried the Malzahn-Jarrett Stidham marriage won’t work.
USA Today analyst and handicapper Danny Sheridan isn’t too bullish on Auburn the rest of this season, and he thinks the Tigers will lose three more games: LSU, Alabama and another one in the middle of the schedule.
Sheridan was a featured guest on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 in Mobile, Alabama, and he shared a couple of thoughts on the current state of Auburn’s offense.
“Auburn’s offense has been like it’s been for the last three years,” Sheridan explained. “Offensively, unless they have a Cam Newton or Nick Marshall, they seem to have a problem.”
It would appear that Sheridan agrees with many others. Unless Malzahn’s offense has a running threat at QB, the offense doesn’t seem to click. Marshall wasn’t a great thrower, but the mere running threat kept defenses off-balance, thus giving the offense success. Obviously, Newton was an incredible player that caused problems based on his talent alone.
Is Malzahn on the hot-seat? For Sheridan, a couple of things need to happen in order for Malzahn to lose his job after this season.
“I would say he would be fired at the end of the year if he loses three or four games and doesn’t beat Alabama,” Sheridan said. “I don’t look for athletic director Jay Jacobs to be there.”
Games against Mississippi State, Ole Miss, LSU, Georgia and Alabama loom large this season, and how Malzahn’s team performs in those games will determine everything.
Malzahn’s contract runs through the end of the 2020 season.
Tye is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He works on-air for ESPN Arkansas in Fort Smith. You can follow him on twitter @TyeSportsRadio.
