Mike Leach is decidedly out of the running at Auburn, and with the Cap'n's ship remaining firmly in port in Lubbock, Tiger fans want Turner Gill. They need Turner Gill, because everyone else on the ever-shortening short list has either denied interest in the job -- Houston Nutt, Brady Hoke, Jimbo Fisher -- or, like Will Muschamp, Gary Patterson and Paul Johnson, seems hopelessly out of reach. Gill is the only plausible name that will seem like a step up from Tommy Tuberville; we know he'll will interview for the job this week at the Hall of Fame induction/schmoozefest in New York, and even the fans who come down against Gill agree he certainly looks the part, if his resumé is still a little short.

Other than Gill, well, the pickings are getting rather slim: The most prominent member of the buffet line into Jay Jacobs' suite at the Waldorf Astoria appears to be ex-Auburn quarterback/current Miami offensive coordinator Patrick Nix, who is, let's just say, not exactly the pick of the litter for the highest profile opening in the country.

I'll say this for Nix -- he did once do this in one of the greatest games I've ever watched:

But as an offensive coordinator? He's better known for moments like this. Nix's units at Georgia Tech and Miami since 2006 have ranked 67th, 110th and 88th nationally in total offense. Put it this way: Auburn's major rivals wholeheartedly endorse Nix as the Tigers' next head coach. Rodney Garner, too!

Otherwise, it's either Gill or holding out that Fisher, when waved an even more ludicrous sum of money than he's already promised upon Bobby Bowden's retirement at Florida State, is not a man of his word. And you are a man of your word, aren't you, Jimbo?