Kickin' it with Coach Chizik....Part II

[The Prowler]

Kicking it with Gene Chizik, Part II
August 21, 2009 11:30 AM

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

AUBURN, Ala. -- Auburn coach Gene Chizik is the first to admit that it took a lot of courage for athletic director Jay Jacobs to hire somebody that was 5-19 the last two years.

But the fact that Jacobs knew Chizik, knew his work ethic and had worked with him previously at Auburn allowed him to look deeper than just those two losing seasons in Ames, Iowa.

Had it not been for that prior relationship, Chizik wouldn't be here right now.

Taking the Iowa State job was a gamble. It was a major rebuilding task. But as Chizik points out, when you start passing up head coaching opportunities as an assistant, you never know when another one is going to come your way.

And while some have fixated on what Chizik didn't do at Iowa State, Jacobs was more interested in what he did do at Auburn and Texas as defensive coordinator.

At one point, Chizik was part of 29 consecutive victories, beginning in 2003 at Auburn and ending in 2006 at Texas. In 2004, his last season at Auburn, he won the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach. He also coached three consecutive Thorpe Award winners for the nation's top defensive back.

Here's the second part of my Q&A with Chizik:

You've sort of locked it down here as far as releasing information about your team, closing practice and closing scrimmages and have generally been pretty guarded. Why is that?

Gene Chizik: Everything that I do is to protect what we're trying to do here at Auburn. Things over the last few years have gotten so out of control with technology. It's changed the whole world. The world right now is different, so I do what I think is in the best interest of our football team at all times. That's our players. That's injuries. That's rumors. That's whatever gets out there. I want to be able to have control of whatever's out there. I still won't always have control, just like no coach has complete control. But to the best of my ability, I'm here to protect and do what I think is best for our players, and that's the bottom line. I don't close practices because I want to close practices. I close practice for a reason, because the people I need to be at practice are the ones I want to know what is going on in depth with Auburn football, and I don't need it in 200 chat rooms 15 minutes later.

Some coaches take over a program and go out of their way to bring attention to themselves and to their team. You've sort of been the opposite. You've kept your head down, gone to work and haven't made a lot of waves off the field. Is that just your style?

GC: Here's the deal: I do my job, and I go home to my family. I want to do what I can to help Auburn win football games. Now that entails a lot -- recruiting, re-recruiting my players everyday, doing everything I can for this program. I ask myself every day: Does this help me win football games? Does this decision affect my guys in a positive way or negative way? That's everything I do, because at the end of the day, the only thing that gets you attention is whether you win or you lose. I don't get validation by the outside world. I get validated because I have a job to do for these players, for the guys who hired me and for my family. So if it doesn't tie into winning football games, all that other stuff doesn't matter. That's not who I am, and I'm never going to be that.

Where are you with this football team two weeks away from playing your first game as opposed to where you thought you would be?

GC: That's a hard question because we're playing against ourselves everyday. We're a very, very thin football team. We're 10 players under the (85-man scholarship) limit.

How did your numbers get so low?

GC: Part of it is natural attrition. But before I even got here, it was down. Again, depth is a huge concern for us right now. Couple that with the fact that we don't have an off date until 11 games into the season.

How have those factors impacted the way you've structured preseason camp and how much you've hit?

GC: Just look at it. We've been in camp two weeks and have 14 more weeks before we get a week off, so you're practicing four straight months before you ever get some reasonable time off. It's a very fine line. We've hit them, and we've pulled off. We've practiced them long, and we've practiced them short. We really take it day by day.

You're on record as saying you won't be one of those head coaches that meddles into what your offensive coordinator, Gus Malzahn, is doing on that side of the ball. Is there a big difference in being involved and meddling?

GC: One thing Gus and I have been on the same page about from Day 1 is that philosophically we agree on what we're trying to get accomplished. We spend countless hours going over situations so that on game day it's not our first rodeo. We're watching the ends of halves of games together, how they're handling time, how they're handling what they're doing, how they're handling what they're calling and talking about communication on the sideline. We go over what's four-down territory, what's not four-down territory, all those things so it's been like we've been together before. But I can assure you that philosophically we're on the same exact page. We meet a lot, not on how he calls plays, but situationally what I would like to see in certain situations and see called in certain situations.

How much healthier is Chris Todd now with his shoulder, and has it been obvious with the way he's thrown the ball in camp?

GC: I think he is healthier. I think he's more confident with it. He's really made some nice throws. We're at the point in camp where we need to be very careful with it, because your arm gets tired. But that happens with everybody. I don't think any of that is shoulder-related. I think going with Chris (as the starter) was a home run.

With Chris being out for the spring while recovering from shoulder surgery, was he at the forefront of your mind in the quarterback race coming into the preseason?

GC: One of the things we said was that we were going to be very open-minded and very specific when we're accessing these guys. When you put all the factors out on the table right now, he's got game-time experience. He's played with an unhealthy shoulder. He hasn't gone through spring practice, yet he comes in and picks up the offense fast, which is what you get from a guy who's played. He's made some really good throws, which tells you his shoulder is on its way to being what you want it to be. And in a short period of time, he's made up a lot of distance. So what does that tell you? At the end of the day, as long as you give him the right reps, we felt like he gave us the best chance to win. It doesn't mean he gave us the only chance to win. But we felt like down the road, the longer he's in it, that he's going to give us the best chance to win.

The rap on Auburn has always been that the board of trustees and other boosters have manipulated what went on with the football program. How realistic is that?

GC: You've got passionate people here who really care. They want to be a part of things. It's no different from Florida or Georgia. If that's the rap against us, I would take a little bit of issue with that. They are simply passionate people that care like everybody else does. We've got a great leader now. The guy over there in that office, Jay (Jacobs), played here, has been here and has done it for X amount of years. He's a great leader and has a firm grip on running this athletic department now.

What role do you think former Auburn coach Pat Dye played in your hiring?

GC: I really don't know all the details in it. I don't know what role, if any. I just know that I always respected the heck out of coach Dye and what he's done here. But I can't really answer what role he had. I'm just glad I'm here. I know that.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/sec/0-8-134/Kicking-it-with-Gene-Chizik--Part-II.html

[Snaggletiger]

"I don't know what role, if any"

Wow.  Clearly he can't make up his mind whether to have bread with his dinner.  Either you want a role or you don't.  It's not hard.  If Gene Chizik is this indecisive, I'm not sure he can be trusted as a Corch.


Wait, is that "Roll" or "Role"?  Well, makes no difference.  He's obviously wishy washy.

[Greaseyweasel]

Its not my fault. I have a blueprint!!

[The Prowler]

His Blueprint worked pretty good.

Signed,
Carlos Rogers ('04 Thorpe Award Winner)

[boartitz]

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/sec/0-8-134/Kicking-it-with-Gene-Chizik--Part-II.html

And then Kaos pulled his britches down and I axed, Wherez the fucking MEAT?

[Kaos]

His Blueprint worked pretty good.

Signed,
Carlos Rogers ('04 Thorpe Award Winner)

His blueprint sucks hairy balls.  

Signed,
The only Fuking team ever run by his shit-acular blueprint,
The Iowa State Cyclones

co-signed,
The entire Big 12,
UNLV,
Kent State,
Toledo,
Iowa State Athletic Administration,
Iowa State Beat Writers,
Iowa State Fans,
Iowa State videographers,
Former Iowa State Assistant coaches,
Dan McCarney,
Iowa State Cheerleaders,
Iowa State trainers,
Iowa State medical staff,
The parents, grandparents and siblings of Iowa State players,
All named and unnamed Cyclones,
Seneca Wallace and
the Iowa State grounds crew

[AuburnChopper 3.0]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2008-12-15-iowastate-chizik_N.htm

"Pollard confirmed he offered Chizik a two-year contract extension the week before the Cyclones' final game."

Answer this.  If his blueprint "sucks hairy balls", then why did their Athletic Director try to get him to stay and even offer a contract extension?

Dan McCarney was 26-67 in conference at Iowa State over 12 years, resigned and left the program considered the  most successful coach in their history. 

Did his blueprint "suck hairy balls"?

[Kaos]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2008-12-15-iowastate-chizik_N.htm

Answer this.  If his blueprint "sucks hairy balls", then why did their Athletic Director try to get him to stay and even offer a contract extension?

Dan McCarney was 26-67 in conference at Iowa State over 12 years, resigned and left the program considered the  most successful coach in their history. 

Did his blueprint "suck hairy balls"?

Are you truly this ignorant?  Seriously?

There is only one worse athletic director in college football than Jamie Pollard.   Only one.  Congratulations.  We have him. 

Are you so dense you don't understand that coaching contracts are essentially worthless?

Why do you offer somebody a two-year contract when you know they are not the answer and will be FIRED after another season like the one they just had?  It's called recruiting, Chopper.  If you don't have something on the table, it's hard for a guy to recruit against coaches that are seen as established.  How would Chizik have gone into some kid's house and told them "I'll be here for the next four years, Mrs. Corncob, don't worry about your son" when ISU refused to give him that vote of confidence?  Did Ole Miss give David Cutcliffe a huge extension and then fire him a year later?  Damn straight.  Did Alabama lock Mike Shula up with a hefty raise and a long-term extension and fire him the next winter? Yep.  Same thing with DuBose.  How many years did Tuberville have left on his contract, Chopper? 

Duh.

Dan McCarney did not "resign" of his own volition. Pollard forced him out because he thought the program was on the verge of turning the corner and didn't think McCarney could take it there.

After winning records in five of the six previous seasons, McCarney's 2006 team struggled to a 4-8 record. It was a young team, learning the ropes.

He wanted to do "better." He thought it was ready to compete for the Big 12 North title.  And it probably was until they brought Captain Blueprint in.

They couldn't find enough buses to cover all the people he tried to shove under the wheels after he got there.

Funny. Or ironic if you will. That's the same thing we've got now.  Jacobs is just as dumb -- or perhaps dumber -- than Pollard.  At least Pollard hired Chizik when he was still a highly regarded assistant.  He didn't wait until he'd proven himself woefully inept at the job of running a college football program.

Nobody else talks about a fucking Blueprint.  Chizik talked big about his when he got to ISU.  Five wins (none of any significance) and nineteen losses later, that team wasn't getting better.  It got progressively worse day by day.  There's your blueprint. 

[wesfau2]

There is only one worse athletic director in college football than Jamie Pollard.   Only one.  Congratulations.  We have him. 

This is so subjective that your flat statement of "fact" is laughable.  What are your criteria for "worst athletic director in college football"?  Please share your exhaustive research with the class.  Thanks.

Dan McCarney did not "resign" of his own volition. Pollard forced him out because he thought the program was on the verge of turning the corner and didn't think McCarney could take it there.

Got a quote and/or citation for this?

Nobody else talks about a fucking Blueprint.  Chizik talked big about his when he got to ISU. 

Saban's "process" is nothing more than a rose by another name.  This is pretty common coach-speak and yet you've hung your hat on this cliche being symbolic of Chizik's ineptitude.

Five wins (none of any significance) and nineteen losses later, that team wasn't getting better.  It got progressively worse day by day. 

Again, by what criteria are you judging?  Quantify this assertion.

[RWS]

Saban's "process" is nothing more than a rose by another name.  This is pretty common coach-speak and yet you've hung your hat on this cliche being symbolic of Chizik's ineptitude.

Wouldn't you agree that Saban's "process" has made visibile results, though? From a 7-6 season with a loss to ULM, to a 12-2 season and a quarter away from a trip to the MNC game? From a decent player at a position or two to NFL-caliber talent all over the field? In just a matter of 3 years? I think the difference here is Saban says "Hey, calm the fuck down. I got this." and then shows it on the field and in recruiting. Chizik says he has a "blueprint", but doesn't have shit to show for it. Just because you have a "plan", doesn't mean its a good one. I bet UGA thought they had a good defensive plan before our game last season.

Five wins (none of any significance) and nineteen losses later, that team wasn't getting better.  It got progressively worse day by day.

ISU was actually worse their second year under Chizik. I wouldn't call that improvement.   

[Saniflush]

Wouldn't you agree that Saban's "process" has made visibile results, though? From a 7-6 season with a loss to ULM, to a 12-2 season and a quarter away from a trip to the MNC game? From a decent player at a position or two to NFL-caliber talent all over the field? In just a matter of 3 years? I think the difference here is Saban says "Hey, calm the fuck down. I got this." and then shows it on the field and in recruiting. Chizik says he has a "blueprint", but doesn't have shit to show for it. Just because you have a "plan", doesn't mean its a good one. I bet UGA thought they had a good defensive plan before our game last season.

Not sure you can compare Saban who has two seasons at UA to Chizik who has not had one yet.  In two years you can make the above comparison and it would have more validity. 

[Snaggletiger]

Wouldn't you agree that Saban's "process" has made visibile results, though? From a 7-6 season with a loss to ULM, to a 12-2 season and a quarter away from a trip to the MNC game? From a decent player at a position or two to NFL-caliber talent all over the field? In just a matter of 3 years? I think the difference here is Saban says "Hey, calm the eff down. I got this." and then shows it on the field and in recruiting. Chizik says he has a "blueprint", but doesn't have shiitake to show for it. Just because you have a "plan", doesn't mean its a good one. I bet UGA thought they had a good defensive plan before our game last season.
ISU was actually worse their second year under Chizik. I wouldn't call that improvement.   

Wes was only addressing the standard "Coach speak" that Saban, Chizik and countless others use.  He wasn't comparing the two. 

[Kaos]

This is so subjective that your flat statement of "fact" is laughable.  What are your criteria for "worst athletic director in college football"?  Please share your exhaustive research with the class.  Thanks.

It is my opinion and I've stated my rationale multiple times. Look it up yourself if you so desire.

Got a quote and/or citation for this?

Also previously noted.  Look back and find it yourself.

Saban's "process" is nothing more than a rose by another name.  This is pretty common coach-speak and yet you've hung your hat on this cliche being symbolic of Chizik's ineptitude.

Only because his doesn't effing work.  Helmets lined up yet?  If I build a house and it collapses and kills the owners, I'm not going to continue to tout my blueprint.  I hope he does have a plan.  I just tire of hearing talk about it as if it is some infallible talisman when it has yet to show any effectiveness whatsoever.  

Again, by what criteria are you judging?  Quantify this assertion.

Performance.  Judging by performance.  

I guess I should only consider how well they juggled cats on amateur night at Binky Boo's nightclub.  

BTW, tell me where to send donations to the Chopper Defense Fund.  I need to contribute. 

[AUChizad]

Only because his doesn't fucking work.  Helmets lined up yet?  If I build a house and it collapses and kills the owners, I'm not going to continue to tout my blueprint.  I hope he does have a plan.  I just tire of hearing talk about it as if it is some infallible talisman when it has yet to show any effectiveness whatsoever.

And you are having hallucinations that the house has fallen in and killed the owners. That hasn't happened.

If it does, then great for you, your visions were psychic visions. But it simply hasn't happened yet.

BTW, tell me where to send donations to the Chopper Defense Fund.  I need to contribute.

So people disagreeing with you means we're jumping to defend Chopper...

You live in a strange world...

[Buzz Killington]

Not sure you can compare Saban who has two seasons at UA to Chizik who has not had one yet.  In two years you can make the above comparison and it would have more validity. 

^^^This

[Kaos]

And you are having hallucinations that the house has fallen in and killed the owners. That hasn't happened.

If it does, then great for you, your visions were psychic visions. But it simply hasn't happened yet.
 

So people disagreeing with you means we're jumping to defend Chopper...

You live in a strange world...

The owners in Iowa died grisly deaths. 

Only when replies to Chopper are the root.  (That part was a joke, BTW).

I do live in a strange world.  But I like it. 

[Kaos]

^^^This

He's had two.  How can you even say that. 

Compare Chizik to ANY two of Saban's years.  To his first two at Toledo or where the hell ever.  Or at Michigan State.

I hate Saban.  I hope he gets a case of the burning shits and fouls his pants on national television, but there's not really any ground to stand on here. 

[Buzz Killington]

He's had two.  How can you even say that. 

Compare Chizik to ANY two of Saban's years.  To his first two at Toledo or where the hell ever.  Or at Michigan State.

I hate Saban.  I hope he gets a case of the burning shits and fouls his pants on national television, but there's not really any ground to stand on here. 

You can't compare Chizik's 2 years in Ames with Saban's first two in Tuscaloosa.  That was the comparison you were trying to make.

[Kaos]

You can't compare Chizik's 2 years in Ames with Saban's first two in Tuscaloosa.  That was the comparison you were trying to make.

No I wasn't.  

I never said anything about Saban's monkey ass at all.

You also can't compare Chizik's alleged "blueprint" for Carlos Rogers to whatever "blueprint" he's toting around now as Prowler tried to do.  The jobs are completely different.  Chizik didn't ramble on and on about his blueprint then.  He pulled that out at ISU. 

It's not a damn blueprint if it doesn't work. 

[Godfather]

It's not a damn blueprint if it doesn't work. 

Actually architects have been providing less and less information, they are still considered blueprints.

Ask Sani