Auburn, Ala. ? Auburn wants football coach Tommy Tuberville back next season.

School president William Walker decided Wednesday to retain Tuberville, who came under fire late in the Tigers’ disappointing season.

“If coach Tuberville elects to do so, he will continue as Auburn’s head football coach next year,” Walker said in a statement. “I sincerely hope he chooses to remain at Auburn.”

The Tigers went 7-5 after entering the season ranked sixth nationally and picked to win the Southeastern Conference.

Walker said he will meet next week with Tuberville and athletic director David Housel to discuss how to meet the program’s goals “and to ensure coach Tuberville’s success in the 2004 season and beyond.”

Neither Walker nor Housel had told Tuberville that his job was in jeopardy, but they flew to Kentucky to speak to Louisville coach Bobby Petrino about the job two days before the Alabama game.