Auburn's Bryan Harsin Could Be the Next Nick Rolovich

Nick Rolovich was fired by Washington State for refusing to abide by the university's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. He surrendered roughly $3 million a year because he refused to be vaccinated. Apparently Auburn's Bryan Harsin saw that all unfold and didn't learn any lessons.

Auburn has announced a vaccine mandate covering all university employees, which would include its head football coach. On Monday, when asked about the mandate, Harsin said he was aware of it but refused to discuss his vaccine decision.

Here's his full statement:

"Yeah, you go back to not just media days, but also in August, I had a chance to talk to you guys about that as well. So I'm aware of the new policy. I appreciate you have to ask the question and understand it, but it doesn't change ... I mean, the executive order, all those things, it doesn't change the fact that I'm not going to discuss any individual's decision or status on the vaccine or anyone else's including my own, like I said before. So from the beginning, I think I've made it clear that wasn't something that I was going to talk about or discuss. I wasn't going to go down that road and don't feel like right now that's any different. We're focused on Ole Miss. We're focused on the things we have to do to get prepared for this week. There's a lot of other things right now that we have to make sure we're ready for on this football team. That's what I've got to stay focused on with our players and our staff and the people in this program. So we've had these conversations and that doesn't change what I've said before."

Harsin has until December 8 to get vaccinated or he'll face immediate termination.

The 44-year-old Harsin is in his first year with the Tigers and the team is 5-2. His contract will pay him an annual average of $5.25 million over six years. And he's apparently willing to give that up.

Just a reminder: Alabama's Nick Saban is vaccinated. He's the greatest head coach in college football history and he did it. If I was a college coach I'd be emulating everything Saban does.

Harsin arrived at Auburn after seven seasons at Boise State, where he 69-19 overall and 45-8 in the Mountain West Conference.