The Firing Line: Auburn AD Offers Careful Support for Tuberville

“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…

The president pro tempore of Auburn’s Board of Trustees says coach Tommy Tuberville deserves a chance to turn things around in 2009. Paul Spina, a trustee from Pelham, told the Press-Register today that Auburn’s 10-year head coach has earned the right to fix the mistakes of a rocky 2008 season. – Mobile Press-Register

Tommy Tuberville is trying not to discuss what others are saying about his future at Auburn University. He figures he stated his case last week when he said he plans to coach the Tigers next year. No matter what others are saying, he’s trying to lay low. But he is aware of Wednesday newspaper stories about a trustee offering, with conditions, public support for him. On Wednesday, he said he appreciated trustee Paul Spina saying he’s standing with him despite a 4-4 record. “But you have to do your job, just keep going, try to get better. You always look for support, obviously, but I know we’ve got to get better and win games.” Auburn still has at least one-third of its games remaining and this is what he has to talk about days before playing an SEC road game at Ole Miss? That seems to be the Auburn way, for Tuberville’s career future is being played out in the media again, and it hardly seems to surprise anyone. “After all these years, I’m used to it,” Tuberville shrugged Wednesday. – Birmingham News

Auburn Athletic Director Jay Jacobs said he would evaluate Tuberville’s complete tenure after the season. “As I do with every coach, I evaluate their job performance based on the body of work,” Jacobs said in a statement released tonight. “That being the case, we will continue to support Coach Tuberville and the program as we always have, and are looking forward to the next four games.” – Mobile Press-Register

Athletic director Jay Jacobs said Wednesday night that he’s standing by his football coach. It’s unclear how long that support will last. Jacobs said Wednesday that he’ll assess coach Tommy Tuberville at season’s end and will withhold judg-ment until then… Tuberville is 84-37 in nearly 10 seasons as the Tigers’ head coach. Auburn is 4-4 this year, though, and is a six-point underdog at Ole Miss this weekend. – Montgomery Advertiser

Tuberville is 84-37 in his time at Auburn. The Tigers have been SEC West co-champions four times and SEC champions once during his tenure. Auburn went 13-0 in 2004, but ultimately finished second in the BCS rankings. Spina did say, however, that Tuberville has “made a couple staff mistakes.” Tuberville fired Al Borges and hired spread-offense guru Tony Franklin as offensive coordinator before Auburn’s appearance in the 2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl in hopes of rejuvenating an offense that had become stagnant over the past two seasons. Six games into the 2008 season, with Auburn’s offense moving downward in the rankings by the week, Tuberville abruptly fired Franklin. He has since admitted that hiring Franklin was his mistake. Tuberville was aware of Spina’s comments after Wednesday evening’s practice. “You look at it and appreciate it,” Tuberville said. “You just have to do your job. Just keep going and work at it and try to get better. – Dothan Eagle

It seems no matter where you turn, you can’t escape the chatter surrounding Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville. Should he stay? Should he go? Should he disguise himself as Nick Saban for Halloween to boost his approval rating? The answer is easy. Tuberville should stay… Let’s say Auburn does get rid of Tuberville. It would take a complete fool to accept that job given the outrageous expectations. There’s better job security as a snow-plow driver in the Bahamas. Stick with Tubs. He’s done nothing but win since he was hired in 1999. He deserves a chance to redeem himself after one rotten season. – Times-Daily