What is the ceiling for Harsin in first year as Tigers Head Coach?

In case you missed it Auburn has its new Head Football Coach and his name is Bryan Harsin (former head coach of Boise State). Harsins first two goals will be to put together a coaching staff and try to help Auburn repair its recruiting class but as soon as spring practice starts in a few months all eyes will be on the team that Harsin will be leading in 2021.

Coach Bryan Harsin has an impressive record of 69-19 (45-8) at his former job, but they are in the Mountain West Conference and the competition there is nothing like playing Alabama, LSU, Georgia, etc every saturday. This is not to knock the job Harsin has done with the Broncos but at the moment he is a small fish in a big pond.

Which brings us to what is the ceiling for Harsin in his first year as Auburn Head Coach? we looked at history of Auburn Coaches since Pat Dye and here are the results

Terry Bowden – In bowdens first year Auburn finished 11-0 but was ineligible for the SEC Championship, the Tigers lone SEC Championship Game appearance came in 1997 where the Tigers fell to Tennessee 30-29

Tommy Tuberville – Tubervilles Tigers captured an SEC Western Division Championship in the head coaches second season, but failed to capture the SEC Championship as it fell 28-6 in its SEC Championship game with Florida. Tuberville and Auburn would get sweet redemption in 2004 however as the Tigers finished with a perfect 13-0 season and an SEC Championship with a 38-28 win over Tennessee in the SEC Championship Game.

Gene Chizik – Chizik led the Tigers to an Undefeated Season, an SEC Championship and Auburns first National Championship since 1957 all in his second year

Gus Malzahn -Malzahn was one of the first Auburn Head Coaches since Bowden to win the Iron Bowl in his first year as Auburn Head Coach, Malzahn also captured an SEC Championship in first year as the Tigers Head Coach with a 59-42 win over Missouri. Malzahn would also lead Auburn back to the National Championship only for the Tigers to fall short, Malzahn would lead Auburn to one more SEC Championship appearance but Auburn fell by a score of 28-7 against Georgia

So based on that alone next season should be no less than nine wins and possibly an SEC Championship appearance? of course its ridiculous to make these observations now in late December but Auburns ceiling under its first year head coach is certainly higher than it appears