Auburn coach Bryan Harsin plans to promote assistant head coach/linebackers coach Jeff Schmedding to defensive coordinator after Derek Mason decided to leave the program, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Schmedding came with Harsin from Boise State, where Schmedding was Harsin's defensive coordinator during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Mason, the former head coach at Vanderbilt, was at Auburn for just one season. Sources told ESPN he may explore other coaching opportunities or possibly sit out for a season.
On3.com and AuburnUndercover.com both earlier reported that Mason was expected to leave Auburn and that Schmedding was expected to be his replacement among other changes on the Tigers' defensive staff.