Watching former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville interview for the Texas Tech job has brought on some interesting emotions from Auburn fans - including myself. Some want to see him do well, while others hate to see him wear anything but orange and blue.
WarDamnZach brought up the question earlier this week about whether Tuberville will still be an Auburn man if he moves on to another school. Auburn fans have strong opinions. Regardless of whether he ends up in Lubbock or somewhere else, the odds are long that he'll ever reach the level of success or tenure that he got while in Auburn. It's certainly possible, but history tells us few have done it, with one of the primary exceptions being Nick Saban - and that's up for debate.
Should Tuberville never again go undefeated or win multiple conference championships at another school, he most likely will always be identified as an Auburn man. Obviously, if he exceeds his success at Auburn, he'll be more linked with his new school.
I'm pulling for Tuberville. He's always been a class act when I've been around him and from reading Track'em Tigers, you know I've been a big supporter. There's no doubt he made mistakes in his final years on the Plains. They are well documented. Some of those issues have undoubtedly come back to haunt him in the interview process. But his success at Auburn far out weighs what happened at the end.
What are Tuberville's chances of landing the Texas Tech job? It's hard to say. A new wrinkle has developed this morning with the news that Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart is scheduled to interview with Tech officials sometime today.
The 2009 Broyles Award winner, Smart is unquestionably one of the bright young talents in college football. It's just a matter of time before he lands a big time job. That said, how in the world can his resume hold up to the success Tuberville has had through the years? Unless money is an issue, it's ridiculous to even compare Smart to Tuberville at this point.
Here's hoping Tuberville thinks long and hard about accepting the job if it's offered. Interviewing Smart after Tuberville should send up a big red flag in Tub's mind. The athletic department in Lubbock doesn't have the most stellar reputation.
Does Tommy really want to work for a school that decided to interview a 34 year-old just hours after he talked with school officials? What if former Red Raider coach Mike Leach is right? What if it's a school that's not committed to maintaining the program and paying what's necessary to bring in top notch coaches and building facilities that can compete with Texas and Texas A&M? The last thing Tuberville needs is another combative relationship with an athletic director.
Circling back to the question of whether Tuberville will always be an Auburn man, I believe he will. Most Auburn fans loved him and defended him during the dark days of 2003. He rewarded their support with an undefeated season in 2004. Those times will forever link him to Auburn and its fans. He may or may not go on to greater success elsewhere, but a big chunk of him will always remain in Auburn.
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