Auburn job open

[60minuteMan 44]

VA Preps board says Auburn football HC job is open

[sixcat 2,919]

Don't blame the guy one bit. Moved here two years ago from Mississippi to land his first head coaching position and they have managed to play 9 total games.

Maybe Auburn will get it turned around but the dedication those kids and community has to year-round basketball and baseball has killed the football program. 

[Hokiebird7 1,416]

I talked to the Auburn coach last year at the galax-giles game....super nice guy and very complimentary of both giles and galax....good luck to him in whatever he decides to do

[Hokiebird7 1,416]

Plenty of people here that should apply with their vast knowledge of how to run a program and what to call every play....but I doubt any of these will apply lol

[60minuteMan 44]

28 minutes ago, sixcat said:

Don't blame the guy one bit. Moved here two years ago from Mississippi to land his first head coaching position and they have managed to play 9 total games.

Maybe Auburn will get it turned around but the dedication those kids and community has to year-round basketball and baseball has killed the football program. 

probably going to take a local guy that's committed to staying and implementing at least a 5 year plan. Get participation numbers up, work with middle school and youth programs as much as possible. I've seen first hand the overwhelming  student and community support for that program when they started getting it turned around awhile back. I think the last guy, not being from the area, saw what Auburn was doing in all other sports, and thought he could come in and just flip a switch on the football program and turn in on, turn it up, and watch it go. admired his enthusiasm, but reality was kind of cruel. 

 

29 minutes ago, sixcat said:

 

 

[sixcat 2,919]

I know some guys around the golf course in Riner. I'm not sure that community will ever be fully on-board with what it takes to develop a winning football program. They have been dominant in Class 1 across the region and state in everything but football. Those kids participate year-round in track, cross country, volleyball, baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, swim, tennis, and golf. Not a lot left for football.

When I say dominant, VHSL Book Of Records shows 91 state championships in various sports (team and individual) since 2012!!!

[Jags52 346]

1 hour ago, sixcat said:

I know some guys around the golf course in Riner. I'm not sure that community will ever be fully on-board with what it takes to develop a winning football program. They have been dominant in Class 1 across the region and state in everything but football. Those kids participate year-round in track, cross country, volleyball, baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, swim, tennis, and golf. Not a lot left for football.

When I say dominant, VHSL Book Of Records shows 91 state championships in various sports (team and individual) since 2012!!!

That is impressive!! IMO its hard to attract good coaching when football is the #2 sport and even harder when football in #3 (look at Fort Chiswell). But it seems like at Auburn its #8 good luck

[Jags52 346]

1 hour ago, sixcat said:

I know some guys around the golf course in Riner. I'm not sure that community will ever be fully on-board with what it takes to develop a winning football program. They have been dominant in Class 1 across the region and state in everything but football. Those kids participate year-round in track, cross country, volleyball, baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, swim, tennis, and golf. Not a lot left for football.

When I say dominant, VHSL Book Of Records shows 91 state championships in various sports (team and individual) since 2012!!!

That is impressive!! IMO its hard to attract good coaching when football is the #2 sport and even harder when football in #3 (look at Fort Chiswell). But it seems like at Auburn its #8 good luck

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717]

Auburn needs to cancel their football program.  I know, you are going to have about 18 kids per year that are hurt by this, but.......we often don't think about the consequences, or the damage cancelling games does to OTHER human beings, and it's MORE than the 18 kids that get hurt every year.  This new coach has been directly hurt by this, literally having to uproot and move.  The cancellation of gameseffects travel issues with other teams, planning, less games for the kids on other teams which actually does matter.  I know many may disagree with this and there is another take that I respect.  I disagree with it, but respect it, and I understand how someone could see it another way.  All I'm saying is....cancelling games regularly is not Benign.  It effects More People than simply the school that is cancelling games.  

Only my opinion

[sixcat 2,919]

9 minutes ago, BandanaVTDavis4321 said:

Auburn needs to cancel their football program.  I know, you are going to have about 18 kids per year that are hurt by this, but.......we often don't think about the consequences, or the damage cancelling games does to OTHER human beings, and it's MORE than the 18 kids that get hurt every year.  This new coach has been directly hurt by this, literally having to uproot and move.  The cancellation of gameseffects travel issues with other teams, planning, less games for the kids on other teams which actually does matter.  I know many may disagree with this and there is another take that I respect.  I disagree with it, but respect it, and I understand how someone could see it another way.  All I'm saying is....cancelling games regularly is not Benign.  It effects More People than simply the school that is cancelling games.  

Only my opinion

As long as protocols are put in place to reevaluate as numbers improve, if numbers improve, I don't disagree with you at all.

That community has said "let everyone else worry about football. We're going to go all-in on the other sports and dominate." To a large degree, that's exactly what they have done. 

[sixcat 2,919]

Auburn team state championships in recent years.........

• Baseball - 2017, 2019, 2021
• Boys Basketball - 2020, 2022
• Boys Cross Country - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 (3 additional runner-up finishes since 2014)
• Girls Cross Country - 2017, 2018 (3 additional runner-up finishes since 2015)
• Golf - 2017 (runner-up in 2018)
• Girls soccer - 2019 (runner-up in 2022)
• Softball - 2019, 2021, 2022 (runner-up in 2018)
• Girls Tennis - 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 (runner-up in 2014)
• Boys Indoor Track - 2017 (runner-up in 2018 & 2019)
• Boys Outdoor Track - 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021 (runner-up in 2019)
• Girls Outdoor Track - 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022 (runner-up in 2019)
• Volleyball - 2012, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 (runner-up in 2015)

Auburn has won the Class 1 VHSL Cup in 2015-2016, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2020-2021, 2021-2022. No VHSL Cup was awarded in 2019-2020 due to Covid. Auburn has only been beaten out for the VHSL Cup by Radford since the 2013-2014 school year!!!

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717]

Sixcat, got to hand it to them though regarding all other sports minus football.  An absolute MACHINE in pretty much........every single freaking sport.  If they had ping pong.....they would likely do well at that also.

[60minuteMan 44]

3 hours ago, sixcat said:

I know some guys around the golf course in Riner. I'm not sure that community will ever be fully on-board with what it takes to develop a winning football program. They have been dominant in Class 1 across the region and state in everything but football. Those kids participate year-round in track, cross country, volleyball, baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, swim, tennis, and golf. Not a lot left for football.

When I say dominant, VHSL Book Of Records shows 91 state championships in various sports (team and individual) since 2012!!!

time will tell. I saw them go from a 30 game losing streak to back to back winning seasons. Not only making the playoffs those years, but huge first round  upset road wins against Chilhowie and Wytheville. So, it can be done there. 

[60minuteMan 44]

1 hour ago, BandanaVTDavis4321 said:

Auburn needs to cancel their football program.  I know, you are going to have about 18 kids per year that are hurt by this, but.......we often don't think about the consequences, or the damage cancelling games does to OTHER human beings, and it's MORE than the 18 kids that get hurt every year.  This new coach has been directly hurt by this, literally having to uproot and move.  The cancellation of gameseffects travel issues with other teams, planning, less games for the kids on other teams which actually does matter.  I know many may disagree with this and there is another take that I respect.  I disagree with it, but respect it, and I understand how someone could see it another way.  All I'm saying is....cancelling games regularly is not Benign.  It effects More People than simply the school that is cancelling games.  

Only my opinion

football still brings in money. Even in the last few years, you go to a home Auburn game, and the home side stands are full. The people of Riner support their sports programs, the good, the bad and even the ugly. Now the big challenge is to try to insure you can get those 5 or 6 home games per year

[sixcat 2,919]

9 minutes ago, 60minuteMan said:

Now the big challenge is to try to insure you can get those 5 or 6 home games per year

It's going to be difficult to find non-district opponents willing to agree to a home-and-home series if Auburn keeps cancelling the season in early October. I hope they figure it out but it affects much more than just the folks in Riner when games get cancelled midseason.  

[60minuteMan 44]

25 minutes ago, sixcat said:

It's going to be difficult to find non-district opponents willing to agree to a home-and-home series if Auburn keeps cancelling the season in early October. I hope they figure it out but it affects much more than just the folks in Riner when games get cancelled midseason.  

Agree, but\you can't put all the blame on Auburn. Craig and Bland both cancelled games on Auburn last year. With  Schedules made as much as 2 years in advance,  No great solutions.

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717]

34 minutes ago, 60minuteMan said:

Agree, but\you can't put all the blame on Auburn. Craig and Bland both cancelled games on Auburn last year. With  Schedules made as much as 2 years in advance,  No great solutions.

I blame all 3 of them.  Cancel each program at each school.  Regarding football, yes it brings in money.  That means.......it can cause harm to the team that is cancelled on because they then lose money.  Home games for Auburn or whoever are important, but it's the 5 away games that equally matter, because OTHERS are effected when Auburn or whoever cancels an away game.  It's not fair to the other schools, and the focus can't simply be about the schools that are struggling to maintain football programs.  There has to be at least some attention paid to the other schools around them that are effected by this.

As for 6 man or 8 man football?  That's the way to go.  There's enough programs in SWVA and Southern West VA, Eastern Kentucky, and maybe Northeastern TN, that could have a sound and quality league.  

[sixcat 2,919]

1 hour ago, 60minuteMan said:

Agree, but\you can't put all the blame on Auburn. Craig and Bland both cancelled games on Auburn last year. With  Schedules made as much as 2 years in advance,  No great solutions.

I don’t only blame Auburn. With Auburn being the topic of this thread, I kept my comments on topic. 
 

Craig and Bland are equally to blame but their situation is a bit more understandable considering enrollment. Auburn has double the number of students as either of those schools. 
 

With that said, Auburn should have only played a JV schedule last season. That is their fault entirely. They knew the age of the roster in July. It was as predictable an outcome as one could imagine. 

[60minuteMan 44]

54 minutes ago, BandanaVTDavis4321 said:

I blame all 3 of them.  Cancel each program at each school.  Regarding football, yes it brings in money.  That means.......it can cause harm to the team that is cancelled on because they then lose money.  Home games for Auburn or whoever are important, but it's the 5 away games that equally matter, because OTHERS are effected when Auburn or whoever cancels an away game.  It's not fair to the other schools, and the focus can't simply be about the schools that are struggling to maintain football programs.  There has to be at least some attention paid to the other schools around them that are effected by this.

As for 6 man or 8 man football?  That's the way to go.  There's enough programs in SWVA and Southern West VA, Eastern Kentucky, and maybe Northeastern TN, that could have a sound and quality league.  

To to inject a little humor into this topic, If auburn, Bland and Craig all ended their football programs, you would be putting enormous pressure on the AD at Narrows to find  3 more regular season cupcakes to continue their impressive string of regular season successes

[Hokiebird7 1,416]

43 minutes ago, 60minuteMan said:

To to inject a little humor into this topic, If auburn, Bland and Craig all ended their football programs, you would be putting enormous pressure on the AD at Narrows to find  3 more regular season cupcakes to continue their impressive string of regular season successes

Naw they would replace those 3 with Salem, EC Glass and Pulaski Co

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717]

I wonder how tough it will be for that Auburn position to be filled.  My guess is that it will definitely be someone new to a Head Coaching position and somewhat local to the area in order to not have to make a move, because he is fully aware of what just happened and the Non-football emphasis.  It's a circular thing.  The program is very down with little emphasis on pigskin, it doesn't do well, games get cancelled, the coach leaves, and so the odds of at least having to take what may be considered a "gamble" on the New Coach is all you can get to come there.  Hopefully though, whoever they get surprises.  It gets back to that organizational leadership kind of thing.  If you don't have "buy in" from the top of the organizational culture, it's very difficult to change that culture from below.  The new coach has his hands absolutely full.

[sixcat 2,919]

I don’t believe Auburn is that dissimilar to Galax 20 years ago. They obviously have athletes coming out their ears. Evidenced by the number of state championships in a wide variety of sports. If they ever get the right person to get the community and school bought in on football, look out!!!

[60minuteMan 44]

9 minutes ago, BandanaVTDavis4321 said:

I wonder how tough it will be for that Auburn position to be filled.  My guess is that it will definitely be someone new to a Head Coaching position and somewhat local to the area in order to not have to make a move, because he is fully aware of what just happened and the Non-football emphasis.  It's a circular thing.  The program is very down with little emphasis on pigskin, it doesn't do well, games get cancelled, the coach leaves, and so the odds of at least having to take what may be considered a "gamble" on the New Coach is all you can get to come there.  Hopefully though, whoever they get surprises.  It gets back to that organizational leadership kind of thing.  If you don't have "buy in" from the top of the organizational culture, it's very difficult to change that culture from below.  The new coach has his hands absolutely full.

I would be surprised if anybody with past head coaching experience applies. Only one that comes to mind would be Eddie Slauss. With his record, especially at Blacksburg,  Doubt Nontgomery County school system would even consider him.  

[sixcat 2,919]

Eddie is a great human being. The kids would be better people having him in their lives. But he’s a terrible football coach. 

[Gridiron60 2,554]

On a different note sort of Auburn related, I heard Bland County was appointing a football coach & going to give it a go this season. Former coach, Hayes, is helping at Graham next season. I believe Reed guy that was helping with football at Auburn and was HC at Bland prior to that is back in Bland County working & doing weight lifting. I heard Harris Hart might be taking over football again. I hope they can get enough to play & finish out the season.