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McGriff blessed to be back at his ‘forever spot’

SELMA | Wesley McGriff left Auburn in 2017 to take a step up the coaching ladder. But he always knew he’d return one day.

Maybe not as soon as two years later, but, McGriff doesn’t have any complaints. Just the opposite, actually.

“You know, Auburn’s a first-class program,” said McGriff before a speaking engagement with the Dallas County Auburn club. “It’s always been a place I wanted to coach in my coaching career. Had a chance to do it in ’16, and to have the chance to come back, it’s hard to turn down.

“And to add to that point, I’m going to retire in Auburn. That’s going to be my ‘forever spot.’ I was actually there when the opportunity became available. To be back at Auburn, and to be with those guys, Coach (Kevin) Steele and (Gus) Malzahn, it’s a no-brainer. I’m blessed to have the opportunity and I’m looking forward to the season.”

McGriff working with Auburn's secondary this spring.
McGriff working with Auburn's secondary this spring. (Todd Van Emst/Auburn athletics)

McGriff worked under Malzahn and Steele in 2016 as secondary coach and co-defensive coordinator. He left to serve as the Ole Miss defensive coordinator the next two years, but when that didn’t work out and the job at Auburn came open in February, it didn’t take long for McGriff to sign right back up with the Tigers.

“It was a short conversation. Really short conversation,” McGriff joked. “(Malzahn) called and said — I think the coach (Greg Brown) was in the early stages of accepting the other job, and he said he wanted to talk with me and start with me, and I said, ‘Well, it’s going to end with me if you offer.’ But it was a real short conversation,” McGriff said. “He’s a pleasant guy to work for. He grinds and does it the right way and he treats people right, and he’s a winner. So, how can you not want to be around him?”

McGriff still had his home in Auburn and was actually in town when the offer was extended.

“When I was leaving the NFL and Gus hired me the first time, I told my wife, ‘I feel like I’m home. We need to start thinking about a forever home.’ And we talked about various spots, and I looked there at my son and I said, ‘I’m going to trump both of you. We’re going to retire right here in Auburn.’ And we all agreed,” McGriff said. “But it’s a great spot. So to have an opportunity to come back is unbelievable.”

McGriff arrived in time to watch the players complete winter workouts and then get started with spring practice. Not surprisingly, the veteran of 24 years of coaching hit the ground running.

“He’s got great energy,” Malzahn said this spring. “He relates great to players, you know, and I think that’s a key to a big-time coach. He has both those. He doesn’t have any bad days. He brings great energy and a positive attitude to every meeting and every practice. That rubs off on players, and players like to play for a guy like that.”

The two years at Ole Miss gave McGriff some important experience and life lessons he can pass down to any young coach looking to move up the ranks.

"The biggest thing that I would pass on to them is always be yourself," he said. "Sometimes you go in situations that are not so stellar and sometimes that, when you’re in those situations—you know, we’re all human—sometimes you get away from your training and you get away from who you are. That’s one thing I stressed to them is that regardless of what the situation may be, stay who you are. I tell them it’s a wonderful opportunity to get better experience. You really find out a lot about yourself. I just tell them to be patient and keep working; it’ll come to them.”

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