BBQ bunch out at Auburn

[Jumbo]

http://blog.al.com/goldmine/2008/12/chizik_tells_tubervilles_assis.html
Chizik tells Tuberville's assistants to look for jobs
Posted by Charles Goldberg, Birmingham News December 14, 2008 10:18 PM
Categories: Football
Gene Chizik gave the impression that he'd be an inspirational, fiery head coach when he met with his Auburn players for the first time Sunday night, but the news was not as rosy for Tommy Tuberville's old coaching staff.

Chizik told Tuberville's remaining assistant coaches they should look for employment in a Sunday night meeting, indicating a big change in the coaching staff. Chizik wasted no time setting the tone for his regime, according to someone familiar with the coaches' meeting. Some of Auburn's support staff will likely remain, said the person familiar with the meeting.


 
Auburn began the season with a veteran coaching staff, including five coaches who had been with Tuberville for 14 years, including the last 10 at Auburn. Chizik coached with most of Auburn's assistants while serving as the defensive coordinator from 2002-04.

Former Auburn linebacker coach Joe Whitt will be asked to help with recruiting while Chizik puts together a new staff. Whitt has been with Tigers Unlimited, the athletic fund-raising arm, since moving off the field after the 2005 season.

[Buzz Killington]

Former Auburn linebacker coach Joe Whitt will be asked to help with recruiting while Chizik puts together a new staff. Whitt has been with Tigers Unlimited, the athletic fund-raising arm, since moving off the field after the 2005 season.

This may be the only piece of good news I have heard since Friday.
Maybe there will be room for either Whitt or Garner as recruiting coordinator.

[AUChizad]

There's a silver lining at least.

Hopefully Chizik is better at hiring talent than the guy that hired him.

[War Eagle!!!]

Willis is out though. That will be HUGE in terms of recruiting. I bet we see a lot of decommits now that he is gone...

[Buzz Killington]

Willis is out though. That will be HUGE in terms of recruiting. I bet we see a lot of decommits now that he is gone...

Not flaming, but what makes you say that? 
I haven't seen any evidence that he is a great LB coach, nor have I seen his ability to get top notch LB recruits in.  I am just wondering if I am missing something.

[War Eagle!!!]

Not flaming, but what makes you say that? 
I haven't seen any evidence that he is a great LB coach, nor have I seen his ability to get top notch LB recruits in.  I am just wondering if I am missing something.

Just reading what a lot of the recruits have said. Willis was the one guy that made calls to the recruits after Tubs was fired, and a lot have said that he was the reason that they hadn't decommited.

I hope I am wrong, but I don't think I am. Like everyone else on this board, I really hope I have to eat a lot of crow...

[Buzz Killington]

Just reading what a lot of the recruits have said. Willis was the one guy that made calls to the recruits after Tubs was fired, and a lot have said that he was the reason that they hadn't decommited.

I hope I am wrong, but I don't think I am. Like everyone else on this board, I really hope I have to eat a lot of crow...

Gotcha.  I hadn't read anything admittedly since Friday afternoon.
Maybe once the new staff gets in place, these recruits will change their tunes.  Maybe.

[War Eagle!!!]

Not flaming, but what makes you say that? 
I haven't seen any evidence that he is a great LB coach, nor have I seen his ability to get top notch LB recruits in.  I am just wondering if I am missing something.

Fort Meade (Fla.) Meade four-star quarterback Raymond Cotton has decommitted from Auburn, his father Raymond Cotton, Sr. said Monday.

Cotton's decision came moments after he learned Auburn coach and his area recruiter James Willis was informed he would no longer be coaching on the Plains.

Auburn hired Gene Chizik Saturday to replace Tommy Tuberville. Willis and the other Tiger assistants who had stayed on to help the Tigers recruit during the search were informed to look for new jobs Sunday night.

That was the last straw, said Cotton, Sr.

"I just talked to James Willis and he was let go," said Cotton, Sr. "Coach Willis got let go and Raymond had built a good relationship with him and all of the guys that were down there. None of those guys are there anymore. He's going to look elsewhere."

Cotton, Sr. said Willis was integral in keeping his son committed to the Tigers during Auburn's coaching search. But with Willis now gone, so is his son's commitment.

"He was going to allow Coach Willis to come up here, but Coach Willis was let go. Everyone Raymond had built a relationship with Auburn was let go," said Cotton, Sr. "He's now going to take his commitment elsewhere."