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Auburn AD says Bruce Pearl will ‘absolutely’ return barring new information

Clemson v Auburn

SAN DIEGO, CA - MARCH 18: Head coach Bruce Pearl of the Auburn Tigers reacts as they take on the Clemson Tigers in the first half during the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena on March 18, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

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Auburn athletic director Allen Greene gave men’s basketball head coach Bruce Pearl more public support on Wednesday during a radio interview on WJOX.

After already giving Pearl a vote of confidence last Friday on a school-issued podcast, Greene was even clearer with his intentions in this public interview on The Roundtable. Greene, the new Auburn AD, appears to have taken Pearl off of any kind of theoretical hot seat as long as Pearl isn’t involved in the recent FBI and NCAA investigations.

“I have not had a chance until I got here to really interact with coach Pearl and his staff and really to get an understanding a lay of the land,” Greene said on WJOX on Wednesday. “I felt that after being on campus for a few weeks and being around that team that I had a good enough chance to understand coach, look at his program and then just realize, you know what, we do have a great person here for us and we want to see that success continue.

“We want to do it the right way and it’s unfortunate that the state of college basketball is where it is. We didn’t get that way overnight. We certainly won’t fix things overnight. But knowing the process of the FBI and NCAA investigation is - who knows how long it’s going to be? But it’s going to be lengthy. So, I think it’s in our best interest to stay the course.”

Greene was then asked if it’s his intent and desire for Pearl to remain the coach, barring something changing during the course of the investigation. Greene responded with, “absolutely.”

There has been speculation that Pearl’s job could be in jeopardy after assistant coach Chuck Person was arrested last fall. With Greene’s recent comments, however, it looks like Pearl should be okay for now. As long as Pearl stays out of the FBI and NCAA investigation, we will likely see him back and coaching the Tigers next season.

(H/t: James Crepea, AL.com)