Gus Malzahn's position at Auburn is more secure than ever after signing on for a multi-year contract extension that will pay him $1.3 million annually. Malzahn is just one of several coaches on the Tigers' staff who will be receiving raises on the coattails of Auburn's 13-0 season.
Vanderbilt, on the other hand, will turn their attention to their short list of candidates in coordinator positions across the country. Maryland Offensive Coordinator James Franklin, Stanford Assistant Head Coach Greg Roman, Michigan State OC Don Treadwell, and Nebraska OC Shawn Watson appear to be the current frontrunners. Other names such as Miami's Mark Whipple and Navy's Ivin Jasper have also come up in rumors, though nothing official has been reported by either Vanderbilt or any other institution.
It was a wild 24 hours of speculation, and Commodore fans have transitioned from the crest of a potential big-name signing and into the depths of same-old Vandy ineptness. Malzahn was a high-profile signing that would have put this team on the front page of sports sections across the southeast throughout his tenure. The buzz that this near-coup generated proves that bringing a big name to Nashville can make the Commodores relevant, at least from a media standpoint. Now fans across the country are left wondering what the university can do for an encore. Gus Malzahn may not be coaching at Vanderbilt next year - but there's still time to pick up a coach who can generate headlines and wins during his time at Dudley Field.