Gus Malzahn: Could he, should he be on the hot seat at Auburn?

Gus Malzahn led the Auburn Tigers to a BCS National Championship appearance in his first season as head coach, but declining returns and an eerie similarity to another former head coach have some asking that tough question…

Should Malzahn be on the hot seat?

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Anytime that question is brought up about a head coach who has had quick success, the response is usually an emphatic, quick and visceral, no.

But in Malzahn’s case there might be some pause. After being the unfortunate team to run into the FSU buzzsaw in 2013 and break the SEC’s national championship streak, Auburn has seen less and less success using Malzahn’s complex option offense of deception.

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Year two of the Malzahn reign saw Auburn slip to an 8-5 record, and a loss in the Outback Bowl to Wisconsin, the Tigers’ second straight postseason loss.

Year three has been even more of a struggle without quarterback Nick Marshall, who had a solid handle on running Malzhan’s offense after being booted from another SEC program, with Auburn getting off to a 5-5 overall record, falling to 2-5 in the SEC with the latest loss to an admittedly mediocre Georgia team.

After being picked to win the SEC West, Auburn is now just trying to stay above water. To become bowl eligible, the Tigers will have to win a game against Idaho or Alabama. (Hint: the safe money is on Auburn beating the Vandals)

But is bowl eligible enough to have Malzahn keep a job in which he may not survive another season?

Some coaches might get a pass, but given Auburn’s history (and desire to remain a top SEC program), it could be a quick hook situation.

See, Malzhan was preceded by his former boss at Auburn, Gene Chizik, who was preceded by his former boss, Tommy Tuberville – and in Chizik’s second year (2010) the Tigers won a national championship with a quarterback they lucked into after he had been kicked out of another SEC program, Cam Newton.

Following that championship season, Auburn fell to 8-5, and then 3-9 (0-8 in SEC play) before Chizik was relieved of his duties as head coach, and the school plucked former offensive coordinator Malzhan – who had been on Chizik’s staff for the 2010 season – away from Western Kentucky.

Looking at this pattern, it’s obvious those in power at Auburn look towards familiarity first, and don’t have patience with losing conference games (Oh, yeah if I didn’t mention, Tuberville was fired after finishing with a 2-6 SEC record in 2011).

It’s not uncommon. Former coaches who have some footing in a program come in and provide a “quick fix” to get everyone all jazzed up. But there is no sustainable success, and recruiting suffers beyond belief. Auburn may be experiencing some of that even now.

Everything in the past points to Malzhan being called into the dean’s office for a little talking to, and maybe even being put on double-secret probation in 2016.

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But if Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs is even considering making a coaching change, he should go ahead and do it now, or at least at the end of this season. Prolonging what may end up being the inevitable will only hurt the program.

As for this season, there is one codicil…

Beat Alabama, and all will be forgiven (for now).