Tidbits From The Chizik Press Conference

[AUChizad]

Since we're starved for anything to discuss...

Live-blogging Gene Chizik's Monday press conference
By Evan Woodbery
February 22, 2010, 1:27PM
geneatoutback.jpgTodd Van Emst, AuburnGene Chizik speaks during a press conference at the Outback Bowl in Tampa.
AUBURN -- We just finished visiting with Gene Chizik to get a brief update between National Signing Day and the start of spring football.

Here's what we learned:

* On raises for his assistants: "Some guys on our staff got offered, potentially, other assistant coach jobs. Other guys got offered potential head coaching jobs....We did what we felt like we needed to."

* The tentative plan is to start spring practice on the first Wednesday after spring break. (Update: I believe this is March 24). The regular schedule will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, with a possible scrimmage on Saturday.

* Daren Bates (shoulder surgery) is "questionable" for the spring, but will at least be able to do something.

* Zac Etheridge is "day by day. I don't want to overstep my boundary. I'm not a doctor....You would think contact is not going to be a factor for him."

* On Cameron Newton: "We're not going to put any more focus on him than anyone else. There's going to be a battle at the quarterback position. He's going to be part of that battle. May the best man win."

* Dontae Aycock: "We're going to look at him in different spots -- whether it be the slot, or the guy who did what Mario did last year." At tailback? "He could be in that mix, too."

* Kodi Burns: "He's a wide receiver. He'll stay play Wildcat, but his predominant position is wide receiver."

[AUChizad]

http://blog.al.com/goldmine/2010/02/gene_chizik_says_quarterback_r.html

Gene Chizik says quarterback race is on; it'll be morning practices at Auburn this spring
By Charles Goldberg -- The Birmingham News
February 22, 2010, 2:09PM

Auburn coach Gene Chizik says junior college transfer Cameron Newton will certainly be in the mix for the quarterback job in spring practice, but "we're not going to place any expectations on him than what we'd place on anybody else. That wouldn't be fair.

 "There will be battle at the quarterback position, and he'll be a part of that battle. May the best man win."

Chizik said Newton is "very focused in what he wants to accomplish."

It'll be a five-man race, at least for a little while. Chizik said he doesn't see any of the contenders switching positions.

Chizik also said the tailback job in the spring will start off with Mario Fannin, Eric Smith and Onterio McCalebb fighting for honors. Dontae Aycock will be used in multiple roles, he said.

 Chizik made his comments in a meeting with the media Monday.

 Here's some more:

**Chizik said the Tigers will practice in the morning in spring practice. That's a change from last year.

 **He said his second spring at Auburn figures to be easier than the first.

"Your second go-around is so much easier for everybody,'' Chizik said. "It's been really smooth since we've come back from the bowl game."

**Chizik said his recruiting class was good, "but we're certainly not there. It's going to take those types of recruiting classes, one on top of the other. But it was important to us...to bring in good teammates, it was important to our fan base'' to show we're serious in recruiting.

**On last week's raises for the coaching staff...

 "It's not about me. The administration has been phenomenal to me. It was really important for a vote of confidence for our coaching staff.

"When you've got very talented guys, there are going to be a lot of people interested in hiring them. It was important for the administration to be proactive."

He also said keep the staff intact is "a huge impact it has on your players when they don't have to change coaches."

**He said he was happy to have defensive back Aarion Savage back for a sixth year of eligibility.

"That's not just a gimme,'' Chizik said of the extra year.

"He'll have his master's degree before he even plays his last year."

Chizik said he's open to Savage playing either cornerback or safety.

"Wherever he can help our team the best. I know he can play `either/or' because he's done it."

**Chizik stopped short of saying defensive back Zac Etheridge will be back from the neck injury that cut short his 2009 season. But he said he expects all his players to be at spring practice, though Etheridge would not go through any full-scale workouts.

"Zac is a day-by-day pergression whether he can play again. But I feel very encouraged about the progress he has made.''

**Defensive back Daren Bates certainly won't go through contract, either, after off-season shoulder surgery.

**Chizik said he's looking at Fannin, Smith and  McCalebb as Ben Tate's replacement at tailback.

It looks as if Dontae Aycock will be a jack of all trades.

"Dontae is a guy we can move around. We're going to look at him at different spots...slot-type option, a guy who did what Mario did last year. Whether he can play tailback or not, he can be in that mix as well. I think he'll do a few different things."

**On Kodi Burns playing quarterback...

"He's a wide receiver. He'll still play Wildcat."

[AuburnChopper 3.0]

Good to get the "Kodi Question" out and taken care of early.   

[bottomfeeder]

Good to get the "Kodi Question" out and taken care of early.   

As a wide receiver he has been great inside the red zone.