12/09 at 11:36 PM

Names, names, names and more names. 

This is how a coaching search goes.

Names get thrown against the wall like wet noodles. Some stick. Some don’t. Most, well, they hang on for a little while before peeling off and falling to the floor.

Right now, the Auburn Head Coaching Search (AHCS) is in that very stage.

It’s been a week since Tommy Tuberville stepped down, and in that time, names have been poured out of a box into boiling water, taken out and heaved against some Drywall.

Who’s a real candidate? Who’s just getting the token interview? How much of this is a “smoke screen?” Is there any truth to Auburn interviewing that coach from “Necessary Roughness?”

Not sure. But I have some thoughts.

First, the names. So far, Auburn’s interviewed Buffalo head coach Turner Gill, Georgia defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Rodney
Garner (a former Auburn player and coach) and Miami offensive coordinator Patrick Nix (also a former Auburn player).

Louisiana Tech head coach and athletic director Derek Dooley interviewed with Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs in New York City this week. After sticking to a week-old statement about how he hasn’t been contacted by any school about any opening, Dooley released an
announcement Tuesday night saying he did talk to Auburn, but wouldn’t comment any further.

Hmm.

The Muncie (Ind.) Star Press reported that Ball State head coach Brady Hoke has also interviewed with Auburn, contrary to what Hoke told the same paper Sunday night.

See what I mean about names being thrown around to see which ones stick?

And, oh, let’s not forget the less-than-concrete comments made by Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher when asked about the job Monday in Montgomery.

Fisher was kinda, sorta against the idea of leaving FSU for Auburn, saying that he hasn’t been contacted and he’s “very content” and “happy” to be at Florida State. But he stopped short of saying “No, I’m staying at Florida State. Period.”

Trying to figure out what a head coach means a lot of times is like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube with only three sides.

Again, that’s how coaching searches go. No one wants to tip their hand. No one wants to open a door too wide or close it completely. It’s a game of cat and mouse, but it’s really hard to figure out who’s the cat and who’s the mouse most of the time.

All we do know is that Auburn’s opening is one big, honking piece of cheese.

Names are coming out, and no one knows who to take seriously. And those are just the names that have been leaked out. What about the coaches we aren’t talking about?

The names listed above aren’t what most would consider a “Big Name” coach. No, the names on this list are so far “middle of the road” candidates. Although, Gill is the best of the bunch, and I wouldn’t be surprised that if he did get the job, he’d have Auburn playing on a championship level very soon.

But what about the “big catch” — the “home run” coach? Is he on Auburn’s list? Has he already been interviewed, contacted, locked down? I wouldn’t be shocked if that were the case.

Auburn’s a pretty good gig as far as college football goes, and I’m sure there are a lot of heavy hitters interested in the job who want to keep their name far away from any publicity. Back-channel, off-the-radar connections are often made during searches that no one will ever know
about.

Again, that’s how these things work.

Has any of that happened? Maybe. Maybe not. It’s hard to tell, because the noodles are still being whipped in every direction.

And that’s not a bad thing. Actually, it’s good for Jacobs and Auburn. It gives them time to think, interview, discern and, most importantly, find the right fit.

We talked about “fit” before. That’s Jacobs’ No. 1 criteria for Auburn’s next head coach — he’s got to be the right “fit for Auburn.” Now, whether that’s a big name or an up-and-comer is still to be decided.

One thing’s for sure, though. We haven’t heard all the names ... yet.

MIKE SZVETITZ is sports editor of the Opelika-Auburn News. He may be reached at or 737-2513.