5 reasons Gus Malzahn doesn’t make it past 2016 season

Auburn Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn may have gotten a contract extension through 2020, but here are five reasons he won’t make it past the 2016 season.

On Monday night, Auburn Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn received a contract extension through the 2020 NCAA season, making roughly $4.7 million plus incentives over the life of the contract.

While Malzahn did lead Auburn to an SEC Championship and a trip to the BCS National Championship Game in 2013 in his first year as head coach, his Tigers have played progressively worse in his second and third seasons.

Auburn finished in last place in arguably the toughest division in the Power 5 in 2015 with a 7-6 (2-6) record. The Tigers struggled to find continuity at the quarterback position and defensively couldn’t stop hardly anybody. Auburn needed overtime to beat Jacksonville State at home early in the season. Without that victory, Auburn wasn’t going bowling during the 2015 holiday season.

The timing of Malzahn’s contract extension is very odd given that he was very much on the hot seat entering the 2016 NCAA season. One would have to think that 2016 was a make-or-break year for Malzahn and his Auburn program, but athletic director Jay Jacobs has made it clear that he wants Malzahn in the long-term.

Do keep in mind that Jacobs has had to part ways with two former Auburn coaches in the last decade that had previously had an undefeated season while at Auburn. Tommy Tuberville led Auburn to an undefeated 2004 season before resigning in 2008. Tuberville’s replacement Gene Chizik was the head coach during the 2010 National Championship season. Auburn failed to reach a bowl in 2012 and Chizik was promptly ousted from The Plains.

While it would be immensely costly to part ways with Malzahn after another disappointing season in 2016, here are five reasons he may not survive the 2016 NCAA campaign and Jacobs’ good faith in his head coach will ultimately backfire.

Next: 5. Clemson at home to start the season.