10. Gus Malzahn, Auburn
Simple, Gus Malzahn’s the head coach of the Auburn Tigers. According to ESPN’s Ivan Maisel on the Campus Conversation Podcast, the Tigers boosters don’t have an issue with Malzahn’s $32 million buyout. A disaster of a season and they’ll pony up and pay the money.
Big brother in Tuscaloosa casts a large shadow and puts pressure on any coach that walks the side lines of Jordan-Hare Stadium, and Auburn faithful have always been fickle when it comes to their head football coaches. Keep in mind Gene Chizik was two years removed from winning a national title and got fired after one 3-9 season.
According to SB Nation, Auburn met with Bobby Petrino after Tommy Tuberville went 9-4 and finished in the top-15. Tuberville was fired after one 5-7 season. The article also mentions Terry Bowden getting pushed out because of a four-game losing streak the year after he won 10 games in 1997. What’s ironic is, unlike his predecessors, Malzahn hasn’t had a single losing season during his tenure on the plain. He’s probably been the most consistent coaches they’ve ever had, and that includes Pat Dye.
As far as on the field, he has a championship-level defense returning, but he doesn’t have a starting quarterback. However this is an odd-numbered season, and he’s had his best success in odd-numbered seasons (10-4 in 2017 and 12-2 in 2013).
Gus was in the running for the Arkansas job before Chad Morris took it; hopefully he doesn’t come to regret that decision.