The Firing Line: Will Tuberville “Dye” Hard?

“The Firing Line” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on Auburn Coach Tommy Tuberville…

Some believe no matter what happens this week, or for the rest of the season for that matter, it won’t save Tuberville or Fulmer. It’s hard to imagine one bad year could put either coach on the unemployment line, but that’s the way it is in the high stakes world of college football these days. All it can take is one bad year or even one bad game against a special rival, and even with the records Tuberville and Fulmer have compiled that can be the old ball game… Tuberville is not unemployed yet. He’s still the Auburn coach, but this season has been a catastrophe for Auburn, even more so than just the 4-4 record. It was a win, oddly enough, that started this snowball rolling down the hill - Auburn’s 3-2 win over Mississippi State. That score over a supposed inferior opponent embarrassed Auburn supporters, and by supporters I mean the power brokers who can hire and fire at Auburn. – The Randolph Leader

Auburn’s players haven’t quit in the midst of a three-game losing streak, and coach Tommy Tuberville said he doesn’t expect his team to ever give in. Tuberville was asked to respond to comments made by former Auburn coach Pat Dye on Paul Finebaum’s radio program Monday afternoon. Dye said the Tigers’ last two games have been “sad” because he sees “kids that early in the year were playing as hard as they could play and right now they’re not playing that way.” Tuberville rejected that suggestion. “I don’t know how you determine that,” he said. “Our guys have a lot of pride. They practice like everybody else. One thing we’re going to do is we’re going to play hard and we’re going to play for four quarters. Now, we might not play very well, and fatigue is a factor in that. But when people start talking about quitting, they start looking for excuses. We have no excuses.” – Huntsville Times

Last week, Tuberville shot down rumors about his health and his future at a weekly press conference that was anything but routine. Three days later, Auburn lost a third straight game - at West Virginia - for the first time since 2001. The continuing drama has raised the question. Will this spiral end with Tuberville’s dismissal? – Birmingham News