Here's my take on Chiz after 3 years. As crazy as this might sound, I think this is a very important year for how Auburn people feel about him and his abilities to take a program to...and keep it at the next level. We already know the country hates to give him any respect and they do in fact view 2010 as.."Well, they had Cam...and paid him on top of that."
2009: Great job, especially by the offensive staff. Coming off the year from hell...no need to go into the particulars. But, you kind of expect things to take a turn for the better with a new staff, new schemes, new attitude etc. Good job, no complaints.
2010: The perfect storm. Yes, we had the best offensive player maybe in the history of the game. And yes, we probably had the most disruptive defensive player in 2010. But to even suggest those were the sole reasons for success is lude-uh-chris. Senior dominated O-line. Senior dominated D-line....senior LB's...3 bad ass receivers...Lutz....Dyer...MacProne. Can't discredit the job Chizik and staff did, especially with handling the controversy and impending "Hammer". First rate all the way.
2011: The perfect storm of shittastic recruiting efforts in Tubs' last years. 2010 team gutted by what...26 graduating seniors? The early departures of Fairly, Cam and Adams. One look at last year's departing senior class tells it all. When your top three seniors are Freeman and Turnstile Green and a premier long snapper...you're in a world of hurt. It showed
Now, fast forward to 2012. 4th year. These are Chizik's players. This is his team. This is his staff. It's a well used phrase when you say you're as good as the people around you. I think now, more than ever this holds true for Corch Chin. Until he comes out and says something different, no one can make me believe that Gene Chizik "mettles" or has much input into the offensive or defensive coaching and/or game plans. The Virginia game and the players' comments told me all I needed to know about that. I think the man tries to hire the coaches who best fit his philosophies...and lets them coach. I think Chizik is the CEO and the face of the program. He's a calming, steady influence on the team and Auburn people. But, there's a pretty big risk in handling it that way. You'd better hope and pray you hired the right guys.
Is it all about the Jimmy's and Joe's? Maybe...probably. But when your D is the worst in the history of Auburn football and an opposing player tells the world that Auburn players quit....If you're going to let your coaches coach, you'd better have hired someone with the ability to change that. That's why I think this is a more pivotal year for Chizik than most.
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