Around the SEC: Three Potential Replacements for Former Auburn HC Bryan Harsin

The future of the Tigers' football program remains unclear, but a few big names could potentially join coaching search.

Auburn is in the hunt for a face to lead its football program after the university fired second-year head coach Bryan Harsin on Monday morning.

Harsin's release came shortly after news broke of former Mississippi State Director of Athletics John Cohen's decision to take over as Auburn's next AD. Now, the Tigers must dig themselves out of a hole and try to find a candidate who can bring the program back to the championship level. Despite having to pay $15.3 million to Harsin for his buyout and continuing buyout payments totaling $21.5 million with former coach Gus Malzahn, Auburn is expected to go big for its next hire.

Here are three potential candidates that could replace Harsin on the sidelines next season.

1. Hugh Freeze, Liberty

Freeze was once a talented SEC coach at Ole Miss before off-the-field issues led to his quick resignation ahead of the 2017 season. Since he departed from the conference, he has taken over as the leader of Liberty University's football program. The Flames have posted a 33-13 record in Freeze's four years with the program with a perfect 3-0 record in bowl games since joining the FBS in 2018. Given his proven success in one of the sport's top conferences, it's safe to say that the once-revered SEC coach could look for redemption and make his grand return.

2. Deion Sanders, Jackson State

Sanders has changed the culture surrounding Jackson State football, even earning the university its first-ever visit from College GameDay on Saturday. While on the show, the former NFL and MLB star revealed that he would consider offers to coach at Power 5 schools. He's been able to do what was once considered unimaginable in a small Mississippi SWAC program, boasting a winning percentage of 82.1 percent since his tenure began in 2020 and flipping some of the top recruits in the nation from Power 5 institutions. If Auburn is willing to pull out all the stops and make Coach Prime an offer that he can't refuse, then who can say that he won't consider a big career move?

3. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss

Out of all of the candidates that Auburn could hire, Kiffin's name has come up in conversation more than any other. The current Ole Miss head coach is known for his abilities in the transfer portal, and an entire program rebuild with a much larger amount of NIL money to spend could be enticing. Kiffin has been known for his quick departures from programs in the past, but would he truly be willing to leave what he has built over the last few seasons in Oxford? The Rebels earned a Sugar Bowl berth after their historic 2021 season and are currently 8-1 with a handful of games left to play. New AD Cohen is very familiar with this potential hire and might be willing to do just about anything to bring him to the Plains.