John Hartwell has resigned as Utah State athletic director, per a report from Pete Thamel of ESPN.

The news comes hours after Auburn hired new AD John Cohen away from Mississippi State.

“We had a great run at Utah State,” Hartwell reportedly told Thamel. “It’s time to make sure my family comes first.”

Hartwell, who spent three years as the Troy athletic director, took the Utah State job in June of 2015. However, he made it clear in August he was interested in the Auburn job when the school parted ways with AD Allen Greene.

Hartwell told WNSP-FM 105.5 in Mobile earlier this year – ahead of his team’s visit to Tuscaloosa to play then-No. 1 Alabama – that he “would absolutely listen” if Auburn called.

“To be associated with that job is flattering, and I think it is one of the very best jobs in the entire country so if they called, I would absolutely listen,” Hartwell said then.

Hartwell made it clear his name being linked to the job is a direct result of the success of Utah State and past successes at Troy and Ole Miss, where he worked with Greene.

Still, it is hard to deny his connection to Auburn.

“My family does have a history with Auburn,” he explained. “Both of my parents were grads, both of my sisters were grads. Both of my mom’s parents were grads, my grandfather and father are longtime season ticket holders.”

Meanwhile, Utah State has won seven Mountain West Conference regular-season championships and four postseason titles under Hartwell.

Hartwell told the Action Network’s Brett McMurphy: “We are moving close to my wife’s family in Arkansas. We’re good. It’s time to put our family first. We had a great run at Utah State. We appreciate our time there.”

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