Two months after it last had a full-time athletics director, Auburn’s search for Allen Greene’s replacement is coming to an end.

The Tigers are set to make Mississippi State athletics director John Cohen the 16th all-time athletics director on the Plains. AL.com confirmed Saturday that Auburn was zeroing in on Cohen and working to finalize a deal. Cohen informed Mississippi State president Mark Keenum of his resignation, effective immediately, the university of announced late Monday morning.

“We thank John and Nelle for their long and dedicated service to MSU,” Keenum said in a release. “In many ways, MSU is a victim of our own success in that several former MSU athletics directors have transitioned into similar roles at peer institutions in the Southeastern Conference. That fact speaks to the growing culture of success among our student-athletes and the commitment of our university, our alumni and friends and our fans to competing at the highest levels of collegiate athletics and doing so in the right way. Together as the Bulldog family, we will move purposefully to find a new leader who can both embrace and build on that culture of success.”

According to a report from Sports Illustrated, Auburn is set to ink Cohen to a five-year contract worth $1.5 million annually to take over the Tigers’ athletics department. That represents a significant raise for Cohen, who was making $1.1 million annually after agreeing to a four-year extension at Mississippi State back in July.

Cohen’s reported $1.5 million deal to come to the Plains also represents a significant investment by Auburn and new president Dr. Chris Roberts. Former athletics director Allen Greene made $625,000 annually over the course of his five-year deal after then-president Steven Leath poached him from Buffalo.

AL.com will update this post.

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.