Bryan Harsin and his program were well aware of the noise surrounding the program this offseason. At its peak, it was deafening.

But they believe it strengthened those who remained inside the building.

“From the outside looking in, you’d probably think the house was on fire,” said linebacker Owen Pappoe, a three-year starter who’s returning from an injury-plagued 2021 season. “But honestly, man, we’ve been fine. Just trying to control what we can control. Rumors are rumors. People will go online and say whatever, but all that matters is what we have going on inside.”

Defensive coordinator Derek Mason left for a pay cut to do the same job at Oklahoma State. Harsin fired offensive coordinator Mike Bobo after the season, and his replacement, Austin Davis, resigned after six weeks.

Around 20 players found their way into the transfer portal. Some former players criticized Harsin on social media just after the Tigers signed zero players on National Signing Day in February, with UCF-bound defensive tackle Lee Hunter saying Harsin treated players “like dogs” and NFL-bound defensive back Smoke Monday saying Harsin “don’t understand kids that come from nothing.”

Salacious rumors surfaced, and before spring began, Harsin’s job status was in doubt amid a university investigation.

“I always expected to continue. I never had any indication that I wouldn’t. I know there were a lot of things that played out on social media that were unfounded and really unfair. But that’s social media, right? And once that died down, the mob kind of moved on to their next victims, and that’s kind of how life is nowadays with some of those things,” Harsin said. “Unfortunately, our players had to go through that. The guys who came back and chose to be a part of our team, those dudes are working their ass off. They’re putting in the time and doing what they’re asked to do.”

While some former players criticized Harsin, others like Derick Hall, Eku Leota, Tank Bigsby, John Samuel Shenker, Chandler Wooten and Pappoe publicly came to Harsin’s defense, posting on social media in support of their head coach.

“Some of what took place, I wanted to make clear the players are doing what they can, and they knew it. That’s why they stood up. That’s why the support and the conviction for the things happening in this program were so powerful,” Harsin said. “I couldn’t be more proud of how our players handled it. When leadership is needed, provide it. You’re going to find out in times of adversity who steps up and who is able to do that, and our guys did that. That’s exactly what our guys did. They didn’t shy away from it. They know a lot of the information out there is inaccurate, it’s not true. We have good players, they work hard, care and want to be here. They got a taste of misinformation and how that type of stuff is unfounded. It was good to see our guys in those situations take advantage of the opportunity to stand up and lead.”

The week Harsin’s future was in limbo was difficult. Players’ phones blew up. Questions without answers rolled in. Players were nervous about their own futures, too. But most leaned on a simple principle on the field to survive a tumultuous time off it: control what they can control.

“All the drama with Harsin and whatever, it actually brought us closer together. It made us realize that hey, we may not have a coach, but all of us will still be here so we can bond, get on the same page and lock in,” defensive end Colby Wooden said. “It brought us closer together, and when he did come back, we were closer, and it eased us into being a player-led team. We have players on each side of the ball who hold each other accountable.”

Harsin is still the head coach at Auburn, and his program took to the field this spring amid the fallout. Inside the building, the program has moved past one of the nation’s most tumultuous offseasons.

The 2021 season, Harsin’s first leading the Tigers, was the program’s first losing season since 2012, a 3-9 campaign that proved to be Gene Chizik’s last year in charge. A season later, the Tigers played for a national title, just a year after going winless in SEC play.

Spring practice this year was a welcome respite from the drama that ruled the months preceding it, simplifying a situation that had grown complex. And now, Auburn is undergoing a task that at times can feel more difficult than combating social media rumors: competing in the SEC West.

“I think the cohesiveness, the chemistry of the team has been really good,” Harsin said. “They worked extremely hard in the spring, and right now, I feel like the players and coaching staff are in a really good place as far as the connection you want to have and you want to see.”

Who’s the quarterback? That question, the most pressing for any offense, won’t have an answer until the season draws closer.

Bo Nix’s exit stage west to Oregon created a void at the most important position on the field, leaving T.J. Finley, who transferred from LSU before the 2021 season, and a fresh pair of transfers — Robby Ashford (Oregon) and Zach Calzada (Texas A&M) to compete for the starting job.

Finley earned the most first-team reps during the spring, and Calzada was limited because of offseason shoulder surgery. He didn’t participate in any contact or live team drills. Ashford thrived late in the spring and captured A-Day MVP honors, but Harsin and new offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau are far from naming a starter.

Harsin is aiming for around 10 days before the season opener against Mercer but may adjust if necessary.

“We have a lot of depth, a lot of good players. It’s going to be fun to see how thing unfolds,” Kiesau said. “When you have a bad day, the guy right behind you wants your job. It brings your awareness and your spidey senses out because you’ve gotta be alert and aware of what’s around you. The addition of the quarterbacks we brought in really helped that room and competition helped raise the level of play.”

Finley has the advantage of a year in the system and started three games last season when Nix was injured, but the job will be open heading into camp.

Running back will be the strength of the offense, headlined by Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter. Bigsby racked up 1,933 rushing yards the past two seasons and became a featured back as a sophomore in 2021.

“He wants to be the best. His drive and his work ethic is contagious,” said running backs coach Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, who ran for ​​3,831 yards and 45 touchdowns with the program from 2001-04. “He rubs off on guys and his energy; he’s great for our people.”

The wide receivers are an unknown quantity exiting spring. Last year’s top receiver, Kobe Hudson, left for UCF and Demetris Robertson is off to the NFL. But Shedrick Jackson and Shenker (at tight end) both returned for an additional year of eligibility allowed by the NCAA because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

They’ll be experienced leaders in a group of pass-catchers that needs younger players like Ja’Varrius Johnson and Malcolm Johnson Jr. to play bigger roles to make the passing game more efficient and explosive after ranking 94th nationally last year in pass efficiency.

“We have some guys growing in their second and third year where they can hopefully flourish and be productive for us,” Kiesau said. “We’re going to need those guys.”

Even after losing tackle Brodarious Hamm to the NFL and guard Tashawn Manning to Kentucky, Auburn has plenty of experience on its line. But it will have to be more productive than a year ago. Center Nick Brahms leads the group, which missed a majority of its rotation to a variety of injuries this spring. Tackles Austin Troxell (10 starts in 2021), Kilian Zierer and Brenden Coffey all return along with Brandon Council (back for a seventh year of college football after leaving Akron as a graduate transfer and starting nine games last season) and Alec Jackson at guard, along with Keiondre Jones and Jalil Irvin.

Depth and experience will be a strength for the group up front, but in conference play, Auburn ranked just 99th nationally in yards per carry, at 3.52.

“I think we’re going to run the ball more effectively. We have a plan for that and when you run the ball effectively, it opens up the passing game,” Brahms said. “That’s the plan. The fundamentals are there.”

Key stat to know: Mississippi State and Vanderbilt were the only SEC teams that had fewer offensive plays from scrimmage that went for more than 40 yards. But what the Tigers lacked in explosiveness, they made up for in sure-handedness and good decision-making. Auburn turned the ball over just 12 times last season (only 12 teams had fewer).

Auburn did lose seven defensive linemen to the portal, but the good news is Colby Wooden, Marcus Harris and Marquis Burks all return and give the front some experienced returning starters and some bright spots in the immediate future. Wooden had 8.5 tackles for loss last season and will be the best returner in the front four.

“The defensive line came a long way this spring,” Pappoe said. “They got better every practice.”

Jayson Jones arrived from Oregon via the portal and should figure into the rotation. His ability to pick up the scheme in spring practice impressed new defensive coordinator Jeff Schmedding. Zykeivous Walker, Tobechi Okoli and Enyce Sledge should all be in the rotation, and Jeffrey M’ba, the nation’s No. 1 junior college prospect, had a strong spring that left coaches and teammates eyeing a breakout season for him.

“Last year, Georgia just lined up and ran the ball down our throats toward the end of the game to kill the clock. We weren’t able to stop them, as well as A&M and other teams. We’re going to be better in the run game. Our fits, our technique, fundamentals and all that,” Wooden said. “It also helps to have Owen back.”

Pappoe, who will lead a rebuilding group of inside linebackers, was a team captain a year ago but missed four games with a leg injury and elected to return for his senior season rather than enter the NFL Draft.

“His athleticism is dynamic, but he really dove into understanding everything around him,” Schmedding said. “He has a really good grasp of our defense and is definitely the leader in that room.”

Wesley Steiner is the favorite to begin the season as a starter opposite Pappoe, but Cam Riley, Joko Willis and Desmond Tisdol could compete for time.

Hall and Leota, both seniors, return on the edge after combining for 22.5 tackles for loss last season. Leota transferred in from Northwestern and made a massive, immediate impact. Dylan Brooks may earn some playing time outside, too.

“They’re impact guys and you saw Derick step up from a leadership standpoint. Eku, like Jayson took some major strides. He was already a good player but had a really, really good spring,” Schmedding said.

Cornerback Roger McCreary and safety Smoke Monday are massive losses in the secondary, but look for Zion Puckett and Donovan Kaufman to lead the way at safety and Jaylin Simpson and Nehemiah Pritchett to be the first in line at cornerback. Keionte Scott, the nation’s No. 1 junior college cornerback, will push for time, and so will Oregon transfer D.J. James. Scott will arrive this summer.

Key stat to know: Auburn is one of just three SEC teams (Alabama, Tennessee) that returns two players who logged double-digit tackles for loss last season. Hall and Leota make up a rare returning duo in the conference.

Fifth-year senior kicker Anders Carlson headlines the group, but he’s recovering from a torn ACL suffered in November. That may force Ben Patton or Alex McPherson, the nation’s No. 1 kicker in the class of 2022, to step in until Carlson returns.

Oscar Chapman is back at punter after averaging 44.1 yards per kick and pinning 23 kicks inside the 20 in 2021.

Kaufman and Johnson are the most likely candidates to handle punt return duties. Kaufman may return kicks as well, but the Tigers could turn to Bigsby, Pritchett and Hunter to get work there, too.

Auburn’s offense is straightforward, and one SEC coordinator said while it’ll be “interesting” to see who wins the quarterback job, the strength of the offense is clear.

“The thing that makes that engine go is Tank Bigsby and the other kid, the freshman Hunter. Shit, he’s damn good, too. That’s what you worry about with Auburn. Those two are legit,” he said.

He also pointed to one aspect of Auburn’s offense that can make it hard to prepare for: Auburn runs different plays out of the same formation with different personnel, often at tight end. That allows the Tigers to run more plays because individual players don’t have to retain as much of the playbook.

But the coordinator pointed to average wide receivers and a below-average offensive line that makes it easier to slow down Auburn’s offense.

“You can try to load the box and dare them to beat you,” he said.

Defensively, he pointed to a defensive line that’s far below what he has become accustomed to seeing from the Tigers.

And the offseason rumors, along with Auburn power brokers’ displeasure with Harsin, real or perceived, will cost the Tigers on the recruiting trail, he said.

“I don’t know if there’s anybody in the country that doesn’t think Bryan Harsin is a dead man walking unless he somehow wins 10 games. It’s gotta be tough,” he said. “I felt bad for him. I just think it’s ridiculous. I know what we sign up for, but to drag people’s families and marriages into it is ridiculous.

“I don’t think he’s really been given a chance. There’s a witch hunt out for the man. Even last year, they’re 6-7 but the ceiling on that team was probably only like eight or nine games anyway.”

He also said the staff moves this offseason, especially Mason’s exit, will be used against Auburn in recruiting: “You don’t leave Auburn for Oklahoma State if there’s not something that isn’t right. Nobody wants to give up $400,000 and as a defensive coordinator to go from the SEC to the Big 12.”

Auburn’s recruiting has taken a noticeable dip under Harsin. Last season, the Tigers ranked 14th overall in 247Sports’ talent composite and went 6-7. After a mass exodus through the portal and an incoming transfer class that ranks just 25th, Auburn’s overall talent relative to its schedule and peers in its conference is trending in the wrong direction.

Reversing that trend will be key if the program is going to rebound under Harsin. It fell out of the top 10 in 247 Talent Composite in 2018, and the only way to reverse that trend is to win in recruiting. And with annual games against recruiting juggernauts Georgia and Alabama, hoping to consistently outperform recruiting results is a tremendous ask.

Harsin is well aware of the conversation and chatter regarding the program and its future, but his focus is getting players and their families on campus as quickly and often as possible so he can dispel what he believes are inaccurate portrayals of his program.

“You can read anything you want. People can say whatever they want. And that’s exactly what happened,” he said. “Because most everything’s unfounded. It’s just speculation, rumors, whatever people choose to say. And it’s completely different. A lot of people see that when they get on campus, they’re like, ‘Well, this is awesome. We love this.’ That’s not what people have said, and I’ve heard that from players and families alike. We can go win every single game and there’s still going to be something that, especially here in this league, people are gonna say that you suck at or they’re going to find ways to try to be negative.”

Auburn is wrestling with a net negative in the portal, and the mass departure was part of the reason why Harsin faced such scrutiny in the offseason. Nix was the biggest and most surprising exit, but the defensive line group was hit the hardest, with seven total departures, down from eight after Marquis Robinson removed his name from the portal late last month. Hudson and Hunter, a top 100 recruit in the Class of 2021, both ended up at UCF. Versatile, 300-pound fan favorite J.J. Pegues and safety Ladarius Tennison both ended up at Ole Miss as part of Lane Kiffin’s top-ranked transfer class.

“Depth becomes, in some areas, an issue. But it’s a trade-off. Some guys leave and other guys come in. The portal has created more of that. There’s always been transferring. There’s just more of it,” Harsin said. “I just want the guys we bring in to be successful. If guys leave our program, I want them to go on to succeed. College football is an experience. You don’t get to do this very long.”

It wasn’t all bad news. Calzada joined the Tigers and is competing for the starting job. While the Tigers lost Nix to Oregon, they brought in a duo from the Ducks: Jayson Jones and James. Linebacker Eugene Asante also arrived on The Plains after making 23 tackles last season for North Carolina.

Don’t be surprised if the Tigers add a few players in the portal before preseason camp, but they take a best-available approach more than targeting specific positions.

“If you’re so focused on one position and a guy comes open at another position and you kind of dismiss him because he’s not at the position you’re looking for, you could miss on a really good player,” Kiesau said. “You have to keep your full lens, so to speak and look at everything and take the best players available. It’s almost like free agency in the NFL. You might get a really good player, pick him up and go from there. There’s no specific need, we just keep a broad lens for really good players.”

The Tigers dealt with a game of musical chairs at both coordinator spots this offseason, adding to some of the offseason pressure that nearly cost Harsin his job. Mason left to make $400,000 less at Oklahoma State. Harsin fired Bobo after the season and then Davis resigned just before spring practice, six weeks after accepting the job. Harsin later promoted Kiesau, who followed him to Auburn from Boise State and had been coaching the wide receivers.

Don’t expect major changes in the scheme on either side of the ball. Schmedding replaced Mason and will keep his scheme, which operates out of a 3-4 base alignment with a mixture of man and zone coverages, but can also operate from multiple fronts.

Kiesau will continue Harsin’s vision of a run-first attack that Harsin has utilized for much of his career and the entirety of his run at Boise State. It’s a scheme that Brahms and the rest of the offensive line find motivating.

Special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach Bert Watts left for the Denver Broncos, and the Tigers promoted Roc Bellantoni to replace him for both roles. The veteran coach had been on staff as an analyst before moving into the on-field role. Harsin hired Ike Hilliard, who coached the Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receivers the past two seasons, to fill Kiesau’s void with the wide receivers.

“Everybody loves him, and he’s been a huge addition to this team and everything we’re doing,” Harsin said of Hilliard.

Former Auburn star Jimmy Brumbaugh is back at his alma mater to coach the defensive line, replacing Nick Eason, who left for Clemson. Christian Robinson arrived from Florida to coach the linebackers and be the defensive run game coordinator.

The long-term impact of the offseason upheaval is still to be determined, but winning fixes anything. The Tigers do have a favorable schedule that begins with five home dates, all winnable games. If the offensive line and running game can improve, that makes life a lot easier on whoever wins the quarterback battle. In the new era of the SEC, explosiveness is a prerequisite to climbing the standings. If the Tigers can do that behind the strength of Bigsby and Hunter, improving on last year’s record is definitely possible. But there’s no hiding from the fact that Harsin lacks the full support from everyone with influence in the program. Operating a program under those circumstances is difficult, and the only way to change it is to beat rivals and win games the team is supposed to win. The problem for Auburn is two of its biggest annual rivals are also the two best programs in college football right now.

The goal has to be improvement and climbing up the SEC West standings, but time will tell how much improvement will be enough to satisfy those who control Harsin and the program’s future.

Editor’s note: This is part of a series previewing Power 5 and top Group of 5 teams for the 2022 college football season.

(Top photo of Tank Bigsby: Chris McDill / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)