Auburn legend Frank Thomas ‘shocked’, disheartened by Allen Greene’s firing – newsdubai
In the wake of Allen Greene’s departure as Auburn’s athletic director, Auburn legend and Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Thomas went to bat for the soon-to-be former AD.
Thomas took to Twitter Friday night to share his thoughts on the situation that unfolded earlier in the day when the university announced that Greene this week offered his resignation to Auburn’s president, Dr. Chris Roberts, to pursue other professional interests. Greene’s tenure ended after 4 1/2 years and with five months remaining on his original contract — which the university had not extended. Greene’s last day overseeing Auburn’s athletic department will be Wednesday.
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“I am still so shocked by this Allen Greene situation at my alma mater,” Thomas wrote. “The entire sports department has flourished under his leadership! Yes, AU’s football program has struggled over the past two years. That’s another conversation, period. Auburn football will return!! For him not to get more years to put things right is disheartening in my eyes! I was just getting to know this man and he has left an impression on me that will last forever. He cares about Auburn University and I wish him the best of luck in the future.
Thomas — who will soon have a statue outside Plainsman Park — ended his comments with hashtags thanking Greene for his work at Auburn and calling him a “class act.”
Thomas, who was a three-time All-SEC selection and a consensus All-American at Auburn, is the latest prominent voice to advocate for Greene. Former Duke athletic director Kevin White, who Greene worked under at Notre Dame, released a statement earlier in the day calling Greene’s premature exit “absolutely disgraceful” and describing the “apparent political dysfunction” at Auburn as “truly legendary.” Tennessee athletic director Danny White — son of Kevin White — also chimed in on Twitter, congratulating Greene for “getting the heck out of a crazy situation.” Greene previously worked with Danny White at Ole Miss and Buffalo, and he succeeded him as Buffalo’s athletic director when White left the program for UCF in 2015.
Greene’s departure comes on the eve of the football season, and just as the 2022-23 athletic calendar has gotten underway. Auburn’s season-opening football game is Sept. 3 at Jordan-Hare Stadium against Mercer. With Greene’s last day set for the end of the month, Roberts named Auburn athletics director Marcy Girton as the Tigers’ acting athletics director until the university board meets to name an interim AD. Auburn will then conduct a national search to find Greene’s permanent replacement, who will be the program’s 16th athletics director.
Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.