Alabama Football G04 vs Florida 2014

Alabama head coach Nick Saban greets Florida head coach Will Muschamp before a game, Saturday, September 20, 2014, at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Vasha Hunt/vhunt@al.com)

AUBURN, Alabama -- Will Muschamp unplugged for seven days in the Dominican Republic.

And Auburn waited.



An opportunity to join Gus Malzahn's staff as defensive coordinator had already been offered to the coach, who was fired after four years as Florida's head coach in November. Muschamp had some thinking to do, however, and spent some time away from the mainland, leaving Auburn and its fans in suspense for a week.



"Gus and I have talked a lot throughout the last two weeks. I didn't for about seven days because nobody could get a hold of me," Muschamp said. "I couldn't get any reception down there, so it was kind of nice."



Muschamp spoke directly to Malzahn about the job, though super agent Jimmy Sexton figured into those conversations -- especially when it came to discussing the contract, which will pay him more than $1.6 million each season over the next three years, according to a source.



But Malzahn had to wait and wait and wait some more.



"I'm not a real patient guy, but I really felt like I really needed to be in this setting and give him a chance to take his family and go off and all that," Malzahn said.



Muschamp sought advice, too, from his friends in the coaching profession, including Alabama coach Nick Saban. "Certainly, I've talked to him during the process," Muschamp said.



Muschamp served on Saban's staffs at LSU and the Miami Dolphins during a five-year stretch (2001-2005) before their paths separated in 2006 as Muschamp took the coordinator job at Auburn, where he spent two seasons before leaving for Texas and later Florida.



Saban's message to Muschamp as he pondered his future destination?



"Good luck at what you're trying to do and where you're going to end up landing," Muschamp said.



Muschamp is 1-3 against Saban-coached teams, including Texas' 37-21 loss to Alabama in the 2010 BCS National Championship. His lone victory was a 17-10 win against Alabama as Auburn's defensive coordinator in 2007.



