Eli Drinkwitz weighs in on friend Bryan Harsin's ouster as Auburn's head coach

While fans might be happy to see Auburn move on from Bryan Harsin, other coaches inside the SEC are always disappointed to hear the news. Especially as friendships grow through the conference and at previous stops. Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz still is a good friend of Harsin, no matter his employment status, and was disappointed to hear the news.

Drinkwitz knows there are three different sides to the coaching process in the SEC when someone is fired. He went to bat for Harsin’s past, citing his accomplishments while at Arkansas State and Boise State. There are of course others affected besides Harsin, with Drinkwitz knowing some other staff members as well.

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“There’s a personal side and a business side and a fan side of this profession,” Drinkwitz said during Wednesday’s SEC coaches teleconference. “I think Coach Harsin is a tremendous football coach. Obviously, he’s displayed that in his ability to win conference championships at two other previous schools.

“Think he’s a good person and had to deal with some very difficult situations down there and I really think more about his family and the rest of that staff’s family because there is a personal side.”

Drinkwitz and Harsin were on staff together at Arkansas State during the 2013 season, with Missouri’s head coach being the then-offensive coordinator. They were able to secure a Sun Belt Championship and get an eight-win season with a bowl victory.

Eli Drinkwitz knows schools have choices to make

Drinkwitz then talked about the other side, where schools have to make decisions on what’s best for the program. He said college football coaches are paid “handsomely” to deal with the repercussions but still feel for everyone going through the situation.

“The fandom side, the business side — that’s up to that university to make those decisions. In our profession, we get paid handsomely to have to deal with it. Whatever choice they made, that’s on them. From a personal side and all the people that were there — I knew a lot of those guys on that staff and people in the administration. I know it’s a hard time and it’s unfortunate.”

The two coaches got to face off against one another this season, with Harsin coming out on top. It was his only SEC win of the season, even with all of the late-game/overtime craziness. With Harsin moving out of the conference, he may have one to hold over his friend for some time.