It's been 61 days since Allen Greene stepped down as Auburn's athletic director. That's 1,464 hours that Christopher Roberts has had to vet candidates and introduce a new leader for the athletic program.

Still, Samford Hall sits more silent than Neville Arena when the Tigers attempt a free throw.

There's been a lot of speculation about who the leaders are for the job, with Utah State's John Hartwell and New Mexico's Eddie Nuñez being the two mentioned the most over the last few weeks. Both seem like excellent choices as both have experience working in the SEC: Hartwell at Ole Miss and Nuñez at LSU.

Yet there's been no decision, and as the hours and days start winding toward November, some are growing frustrated with Roberts's dragging of the feet and those advising him on the decision. A lot can be said for the new president's willingness to ignore the powerful boosters and show that he is the right person to make a choice, proving that he is more than a one-trick pony in the office. There's also a lot to getting the job done in a timely matter.

Every single second there is no action and no new leader on the corner of Samford and Donahue, the more questions go unanswered, including the elephant in the room: Bryan Harsin's job status. The football program is, in almost every way, dysfunctional at this moment, and all signs point toward a regime change either in the coming weeks or immediately after the season.

Clearly, Roberts is not putting it on himself to bring down the axe, nor is he willing to make interim AD Rich McGlynn perform that act. But it's more than just assessing if Harsin needs to go. It's about the future of each program hanging in the balance with no clear idea of what to expect.

Of course, it could very well be a case of due diligence, not being reactionary, and hiring the first person that seems like a good fit. In all regards, Roberts is a knowledgeable man with an outstanding record of making decisions that have a lasting impact for the good of Auburn University. And, let's be honest, being the president of a large, public university means dealing with every aspect of its operation. Hiring an athletic director is another task on a list full of them, albeit a massive one considering the prominence of Auburn's brand.

We've seen how damaging quick decisions – Gus Malzahn's contract extension, Greene's out-of-the-blue hiring of Harsin, the Steven Leath experience – has been to both athletics and the university. Ultimately, making the right choice is more critical than a fast one.

But, with it now being more than two months without any final decision, time is fastly ticking away, and those who this decision affects the most – coaches, student-athletes, athletic administration – wait with bated breath.

So when will the white smoke start appearing from Samford Hall as Auburn fans discover their new leader? Many signs are pointing toward soon, possibly this week or next. Time will tell if the drawn-out process was worth it, but an ultimate decision needs to be made.

Get the right person in and start moving the athletic department forward. For everyone involved, it can't happen fast enough.