If there is anyone who knows what it’s like to be Auburn coach Gus Malzahn this week, it’s Tommy Tuberville.

Reports Auburn “powerbrokers” met with former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, first reported by Josh Moon, bring back memories of the infamous JetGate.

The year was 2003, and after dropping three straight SEC games, then-Auburn booster Bobby Lowder, Auburn President William Walker and athletic director David Housel flew to Louisville to gauge then-Cardinals coach Bobby Petrino’s interest in the Auburn job. The meeting took place prior to the 2003 Alabama game, which Auburn won.

Fast forward to 2018 and now reports surface that representatives have reached out to Stoops, which the former Sooners coach denies.

Tuberville joined me and Lee Shirvanian during “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 to discuss the headlines of the past 24 hours at Auburn.

“Unbelievable, isn’t it?” Tuberville asked.

He said he had heard three weeks ago that there “was someone” visiting Stoops, but said it was not a credible source. “It was just kind of rumor.”

That’s not to say he dismisses it.

“There’s problems in Auburn,” said Tuberville, who led the Tigers to an undefeated season in 2004. "There’s always been problems in Auburn. And, for some reason, they will continue to be problems in Auburn.

"That being said, the things I’m hearing out of Auburn is if they do pay Gus Malzahn $32 million (for a buyout), they want to have somebody in place that can settle the troops down.

“It’s a complete mess, to be honest with you. There are too many people up there trying to make a decision. Obviously, they don’t have a clue what they are doing.”

Tuberville isn’t necessarily bitter. He “survived the storm” as he put it, running off six straight wins against Alabama. Still, the week leading up to the 2003 Iron Bowl was no picnic. He has a pretty good idea what Malzahn is going through this week.

“You feel like you’re out on an island,” he explained. "There’s no boat. There’s no life preserver to get to a safe place. You’re just there. No one is talking to you. You have your assistants, but they’re out on the road. He probably doesn’t have anyone really talking to you.

“When I had my JetGate it was during the week of the Iron Bowl. I couldn’t get people I talked to 24 hours before on the phone or into their office. ... You’re closed out.”

Tuberville made it clear that he has no idea what the future holds for the Auburn head coaching position. He simply can relate. In addition, he isn’t sure who wants to step into the current situation on the Plains.

“I don’t know anyone out there that wants to get into this mess,” Tuberville said. "Do you think Bob Stoops wants to get into this mess? He dropped a better job than this.

“Jeff Brohm would be my first choice. He could get the job done. Is it good enough to catch the runaway train in Georgia and Alabama? No, because no one is going to catch them.”

Tuberville insists you don’t necessarily have to compete with Saban and Smart, you just have to make Auburn the best it can be.

“You want somebody to come in and run Auburn like it needs to be run,” he explained. "Get people on your side. Help raise money. Make Auburn the best you can make it. And, if you can beat the people you need to beat, then you beat them.

“You can’t beat them with everyone trying to add their own ingredient on how they think things ought to be run. You can’t do it.”

Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.