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Auburn athletic director Allen Greene “stepped down” from his role, it was announced Friday, bringing an end to a tumultuous four-year tenure with the SEC school.
Greene had just five months remaining on his contract with Auburn and had asked for clarity on his deal that was set to end in January, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. When he was told that the university planned to wait until after the football season to make a decision on an extension, he began to work toward an exit.
With Greene now on his way out, Tennessee athletic director Danny White congratulated his peer on getting out of a rather bizarre situation at Auburn.
“Congratulations @AGreeneIV for getting the heck out of a crazy situation for greener pastures! I admire how you managed that chaos with class & integrity,” White wrote on Twitter. “Look forward to seeing your next chapter!”
Greene oversaw his fair share of success during stint as Auburn’s AD, including two College World Series appearances in baseball, a Final Four berth in men’s basketball and the beginning construction of a $92 million football facility. However, his tenure was also marred by issues within the football program that have persisted since the firing of coach Gus Malzahn after the 2020 season.
Bryan Harsin was hired to fill the vacancy but eventually found himself at the center of an inquiry into the program this offseason. The investigation, which Harsin called “uncomfortable” and “unfounded,” left a cloud over the team that has seen over 20 players and five coaches leave the program since the inquiry unfolded.
Greene was hired by Auburn from Buffalo in Jan. 2018, becoming the school’s first Black athletic director. A former Notre Dame baseball player, he also had a brief stint as an assistant athletic director at Ole Miss.
“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 in a statement released by the school. “I am very proud of the work that we have done together to move our athletics program forward.
“… I wish Auburn nothing but the best in the years ahead. I’m confident we leave Auburn athletics stronger than when we arrived.”
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For more Auburn coverage, go to Auburn Daily.
