On the field, Auburn and Texas A&M compete as members of the SEC West. Off the field, they’re competing with their checkbooks as prospective employers for a recently-deposed SEC East head coach.
According to Jay Tate of Rivals.com‘s AuburnUndercover.com, both A&M and AU have offered their respective vacant defensive coordinator’s job to former Florida coach Will Muschamp. Additionally, Tate writes that “at least two NFL organizations have contacted him with provisional offers.”
The identity of those two NFL teams wasn’t revealed.
The Aggies fired defensive coordinator Mark Snyder the day after Thanksgiving to create their opening. Two days later, the Tigers did the same to Ellis Johnson.
Muschamp, of course, has ties to Auburn, serving as the Tigers’ coordinator from 2006-07 before moving on to Texas for three seasons. While his time as head coach of the Gators is viewed as a failure, Muschamp is still looked upon as one of the top defensive minds in the game.
Now, it’ll be up to AU and A&M -- and their respective bank accounts -- to prove to Muschamp just how valuable they think he is. Provided, of course, an NFL team doesn’t swoop in and bring him back to the big-boy league for the first time since he was part of Nick Saban‘s Miami Dolphins coaching staff.
(Photo credit: Auburn athletics)