Yahoo Sports Allen Greene out as Auburn athletic director
Auburn will soon embark on a search for a new athletic director.
The school announced Friday that Allen Greene has decided to step away from his role as AD “in order to pursue other professional interests.”
The school and Greene parting ways has long been expected with Greene’s contract expiring on Jan. 31, 2023. According to multiple reports, Greene has been seeking clarity on his future with the university and has also interviewed for multiple other jobs. With it becoming increasingly clear that his contract would not be extended, Greene ultimately decided to walk away on his own. Greene’s final day will be Aug. 31.
“The decision to step away from Auburn Athletics is not an easy one, but it is the right time for me to begin the next step in my professional journey,” Greene said. “I am very proud of the work that we have done together to move our athletics program forward. Christy and I want to thank the Auburn family for allowing us to be a part of something truly unique and I wish Auburn nothing but the best in the years ahead. I’m confident we leave Auburn Athletics stronger than when we arrived.”
Added Auburn president Christopher Roberts: “In the brief time that I have worked alongside Allen, he has proven to be an asset to Auburn, enhancing our athletics programs and facilities and has been dedicated to our student-athletes, to integrity and to our university. We’re grateful for his commitment and contributions to Auburn over the past four and a half years and we wish Allen, Christy and their children all the best as they embark on a new chapter in their lives.”
Greene brought Bryan Harsin to Auburn
Auburn hired Greene away from Buffalo in January 2018. During his time at Auburn, the school has reached a Final Four in men’s basketball and also twice advanced to the College World Series in baseball.
Perhaps more notably, Greene oversaw the athletic department when Gus Malzahn was fired as football head coach in December 2020 and led the search that yielded Bryan Harsin from Boise State. It has been widely reported that many Auburn boosters were not on board with Harsin's hiring. The Tigers went 6-7 in Harsin’s first season, losing five straight games to close out the campaign.
In February, there was a controversial university inquiry into Harsin’s handling of the football program that many believe was an attempt to find a reason to fire the coach with cause. After all of that, Harsin will begin his second season coaching the Tigers next weekend against Mercer.
And now the athletic director who hired Harsin will not be involved in deciding his fate at the university.
