Cleaning up some files and found something I wrote the week before Gene Chizik's first game as AU head coach. This is part of it...
The Good: Chizik’s staff was decisive in naming a starting quarterback and established a clear heirarchy. When former Auburn offensive coordinator Tony Franklin toyed with the media a year ago, refusing to name a starter and then unveiled his co-starter surprise on the Jumbotron before the first game, even the most unaware observer knew there were major issues. Franklin’s refusal to name a clear starter stunted the development of both quarterbacks. Chizik not only named a starter, but he also named his backup. There are no questions and the rest of the team knows where to look for a leader.
What strikes me about that is other than this season, his first, the "name a starter and stick with it" hasn't materialized under either Chizik or Malzahn. Even Cam was a "down to the wire" decision, or so we were told.
The closest they came was with Jeremy Johnson, but that didn't turn out so well.
I find it amusing that I bashed Franklin for the Jumbotron surprises when we've seen those with Gus, too.
FWIW, I was also critical of the number of signees in the recruiting class. It wasn't full which is another continuing pattern.
2 Replies
1054 Views