After Minnesota’s loss in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Xavier, Tubby Smith said a report that he is close to taking over at Auburn is “just talk,” and he’s looking forward to returning to Minnesota. Citing unidentified sources, CBSSports.com reported Friday that Auburn is “close” to hiring Smith. Auburn fired Jeff Lebo a week ago after his fourth losing season in six years. Smith is well-known in the SEC, having won a national title at Kentucky and also coached at Georgia. Smith brushed off the rumors after Minnesota’s loss, saying he’s happy with the progress the Golden Gophers have made in his three seasons. When asked if he’s been offered a job by any other school, Smith said, “No. No, I haven’t.”
