How does Auburn’s firing of Brian Harsin impact Penn State Football?
By Andrew Adair
The coaching carousel is spinning once again. This time Auburn Football has given it a push.
Auburn Football has moved on from Brian Harsin after just 21 games. You may think that this has no bearing on Penn State Football, but that is where you would be wrong.
While there will be no scheduled matchups between the two schools, the decision to move on from Harsin could potentially impact Penn State Football on the recruiting trail. Penn State has made great strides in the state of Alabama and Florida. If Auburn goes and makes a homerun hire, the inroads made in the south could dry up.
2023 Penn State Football Recruiting Class Impacts
The first player that comes to mind is the class of 2023 commit DaKaari Nelson. Nelson is from Alabama, and the Auburn Tigers were high on his list of top schools. I’m not saying that the four-star safety recruit is looking at leaving the Nittany Lions, but anything is possible.
The coaching change can also have the opposite effect. Penn State is making current 2023 Auburn commit Jeremiah Cobb a priority as a flip candidate. The four-star running back recruit fills a need on a Penn State team that is suddenly lacking depth at the position.
Transfer Portal Options
With the emergence of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, mixed in with the departure of Noah Cain, Caziah Holmes and Devyn Ford, Penn State needs running backs. A transfer portal addition will be a hard sell with the pair of freshmen leading the backfield, but Auburn freshman Damari Alston was high on Penn State during the recruiting cycle in 2022.
Future Recruiting Ramifications
Looking at the future recruiting efforts for Penn State football, both schools have offered many of the same recruits. Some of the more important ones include four-star wide receiver Bishop McDevitt, four-star offensive tackle Guerby Lambert, four-star offensive tackle Fletcher Westphal, four-star linebacker Aaron Chiles, and four-star edge Dylan Stewart.
Every coaching change has a ripple effect throughout the college football landscape. With any luck, Auburn will pass on the Deion Sanders hype and make a hire that won’t have a huge impact for Penn State Football.