Franklin out at Auburn

AUBURN - Tony Franklin entered Auburn's Athletic Complex at 4:15 p.m. to move his personal belongings from his office to his car shortly after he was relieved of his offensive coordinator duties Wednesday.

He quickly walked to his office, emerging moments later with a smile on his face.

"Y'all look like you just got fired," said Franklin, who was fired after coaching just seven games at Auburn.

Franklin declined further comment, but said he might talk today. Less than 30 minutes later, Franklin had packed up his Hyundai Veracruz and left Auburn in the rearview mirror.

"No reason to stay around," Franklin said as he packed up his car.

Only minutes earlier, the players Franklin coached as recently as Tuesday left a 45-minute meeting with Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville, who informed them of the decision to remove Franklin.

"After evaluating where we are at this point of the season offensively, I felt it was in the best interest of the Auburn football program to make this change," Tuberville said through a released statement. "I'm not satisfied with where we are and I am personally going to take a larger role with the offense the remainder of the season. We are going to work harder than ever to make sure we consistently improve as we move forward."

The abrupt move came one day after Tuberville gave Franklin and the spread offense another vote of confidence during the head coach's weekly press conference.

"Sometimes people will say, 'Why don't you go back to doing what you did?' Well, if you do that, then you are asking for major disaster," Tuberville said Tuesday.

Tuberville hired Franklin in December, just days after previous offensive coordinator Al Borges resigned. The intent was to bring a fast-paced, explosive offense to the Plains.

The "Tony Franklin System" that produced a strong offense at Troy seemed a good fit. Franklin signed a guaranteed two-year contract on Aug. 11 for $280,000 per year.

Instead, Auburn (4-2) sputtered through the first six games this season. The Tigers enter Saturday's game against Arkansas ranked near the bottom of the SEC in virtually every offensive category. Auburn is currently ranked 104th in total offense.

As a result, Tuberville parted ways with his second offensive coordinator in less than 10 months. Borges is still receiving payment under his negotiated resignation.

Players had grown critical of Franklin's offense, with several saying they were "confused" by the offense's identity.

Still, Tuberville insisted Tuesday that Auburn would continue to run Franklin's system.

"I want them to express their feelings, but they also need to understand, as we go through this, that the offense isn't going to change with whatever we do," Tuberville said Tuesday.

He said Auburn would mix in a few other formations, but the spread would serve as the base of the offense.

Tuberville has also said in recent weeks that the Tigers didn't have the personnel to fit Franklin's fast-paced system.

Auburn has not yet named Franklin's replacement. Tuberville is expected to announce who will call plays against Arkansas within the next day.

Offensive line coach Hugh Nall and receivers coach Steve Ensminger split coordinator duties in 2003. They are the only coaches on Auburn's offensive staff with any coordinating experience.

Franklin spent two seasons as Troy's offensive coordinator before coming to Auburn.