Chizik Interview

Saniflush · « **on:** January 09, 2009, 11:33:49 AM »

From AL.com

Quote

Auburn's Gene Chizik: On his first month on job, his assistant coaches, Pat Dye and more
Posted by cgoldber January 09, 2009 08:41AM

Gene Chizik will celebrate his one month anniversary as Auburn's head football coach Saturday. Here's are some of his thoughts about a variety of subjects, as told in today's story in the Birmingham News:
Todd Van Emst/AuburnGene Chizik: Things going well
AUBURN - Gene Chizik says he's going to get out and meet and greet Auburn fans - as soon as he finishes laying the foundation of his football program.

Chizik, who will celebrate four weeks as Auburn's head coach on Saturday, is trying to finish the job. He acknowledged Thursday he arrived amid controversy over his hiring, but says he's stayed focused on what needs to be done. He said he's not concerned about the fact he has hired only six of nine assistant coaches, that he respects the opinion of former coach Pat Dye and that becoming a head coach for the first time two years ago at Iowa State prepared him to take over Auburn.

Here is what Chizik said:

Question: You became a head coach at Iowa State. Was that experience been helpful in taking over at Auburn?

Answer: Yes. The good thing about it is I went through this recently. The first time you go through it is overwhelming. The next time you go through it you have a great expectation of the way things are going to unfold and the way different things are going to hit you. In that regard, it's been so much easier - not that it is easy, but easier because you have a working knowledge of the way it unfolds.

Q: What's the biggest thing going from a defensive coordinator to a head coach?
A: When you're a head coach there's so many different things that you have to get involved in. What I didn't realize when I was an assistant was the things I got screened from, because all I was worried about was `Can that safety make a tackle?' I say that a little bit tongue-and-cheekish, but your focus is limited. Everything gets so broadened when you're a head coach because you are responsible for all the things.

Q: You've hired six of nine assistants. Is the hiring process on schedule?
A: Philosophically, this is what I'm smart enough to know: This job is not about me. This job is going to be about the nine guys, and the three or four other guys, that I hire. When you go to any corporation that is really good, and their goal is to make money, there's somebody good under the guy who runs it, and it usually branches out. They're very productive and they've got a plan. You have to have good people working with you - I don't like saying `for' you - to make all the plans come together. How ever long it takes to get the right ones, that's how long it takes. I want guys in here who are not only the right guys coaching-wise, but the right fit for these players.

Q: Have you lost anything not having a complete staff to this point?
A: I'm sure there is probably some man power things that you lose, but it's better to lose it at first for an X amount of hours instead of an X amount of years. I don't want to build this thing for a one-month recruiting effort. I want to build it for years to come.

Q: Where you aware of the criticism Auburn received after you were hired, or where you a little isolated while doing your job?
A: A little bit of both. You're aware of things. Certainly, I heard it at the press conference. I've been around this business long enough to know that everybody was going to have their opinion. I'm fine with that. But you stay focused on what your job is, just like I did when I was a defensive coordinator. What's out there publicly, I can't control that.

Q: Has the criticism come up during recruiting or while hiring assistant coaches?
A: Not a bit.

Q: Is it good for former coach Pat Dye to have input?
A: Coach Dye has been great for Auburn. Coach Dye is one of the reasons Auburn is what it is. I certainly respect his opinion. When your name is in the stadium, you've done something right for a number of years. I have a high level of respect for that.

Q: Your new spread offense drives defensive coordinators crazy, sometimes even defensive coordinators on the same team. As a former defensive coordinator, what do you think of Gus Malzahn's offense?
A: I always look at things from a defensive perspective. I thought, `What would I not like to defend?' I think Auburn's new offense is going to have all the ingredients to frustrate defensive coordinators. That's my goal.

Q: Some criticism of the spread is some drives don't last very long. Is that fair, and does the spread sometimes put your defense back on the field too quickly?
A: You can be a grind-it-out offense and go three-and-out as fast as anybody. I'm looking for the number of plays run in a game, I'm looking for first downs, and I'm looking for third-down conversions.

Q: Did you watch Malzahn's Tulsa offense (which gained more than 600 yards) in its bowl game the other night?
A: I wanted to, but I'm in a rental house and my cable wasn't turned on. I didn't see it. I just saw the final results.

Q: When do you start making the rounds to meet Auburn people?
A: As soon as I can get out there. I'm going to be out there in full force. Right now, there are so many moving parts that I haven't been able to get out and meet people as much as I would like. That time will come shortly.

AuburnChopper 3.0 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 09, 2009, 11:39:53 AM »

Sounds down to Earth. It was a good point to bring up the type of offense he "wouldn't" like to defend while referring to Malzahn.

boartitz · « **Reply #2 on:** January 09, 2009, 01:22:06 PM »

Yall need to turn his cable on.

Saniflush · « **Reply #3 on:** January 09, 2009, 01:30:41 PM »

Quote from: boartitz on January 09, 2009, 01:22:06 PM

Yall need to turn his cable on.

We don't give a fuck what he thinks about cable.

ssgaufan · « **Reply #4 on:** January 09, 2009, 01:40:37 PM »

Quote from: Saniflush on January 09, 2009, 01:30:41 PM

We don't give a fuck what he thinks about cable.

Its not even in HD

Saniflush · « **Reply #5 on:** January 09, 2009, 01:43:36 PM »

Quote from: ssgaufan on January 09, 2009, 01:40:37 PM

Its not even in HD

Well hell no. That's been put off.

http://tigersx.net/forum/index.php?topic=4285.0

Kaos · « **Reply #6 on:** January 09, 2009, 07:19:59 PM »

There are so many things about that interview that make me want to puke blood.

AUTailgatingRules · « **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2009, 07:26:34 PM »

Quote from: Kaos on January 09, 2009, 07:19:59 PM

There are so many things about that interview that make me want to puke blood.

It's getting old

Kaos · « **Reply #8 on:** January 10, 2009, 11:42:38 AM »

Yeah it is. I keep hoping I'm going to wake up and this will all be some late night taco-induced nightmare.

I've tried. But my spidey sense continues to scream in agony.

I just don't like turd sandwiches even if you put lettuce, onions, mayo, mustard, ketchup, pickles, mushrooms, hot sauce, cheese, and chili on them.

AuburnChopper 3.0 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 10, 2009, 11:56:54 AM »

Quote from: Kaos on January 10, 2009, 11:42:38 AM

Yeah it is. I keep hoping I'm going to wake up and this will all be some late night taco-induced nightmare.

I've tried. But my spidey sense continues to scream in agony.

I just don't like turd sandwiches even if you put lettuce, onions, mayo, mustard, ketchup, pickles, mushrooms, hot sauce, cheese, and chili on them.

Seriously Kevin, instead of describing another physical ailment to you, and your soul, why don't you outline your issues so that people can actually debate you assertions. Who knows, God forbid somebody might say something that triggers a light bulb for you or something. However, the daily news flash, that you're puking blood, your soul is bleeding and your spidey sense is about to make you shit a taco is getting old.

Try something new. JMO...

The Prowler · « **Reply #10 on:** January 10, 2009, 12:11:19 PM »

Seriously dude, get the FUCK OVER IT!!!

How many more Negative posts are you going to make? It doesn't do any good, except make you look like a fool.

And, it's not a negative post here and there, it's every fuckin' post. You lead a very sad life, if all you do is complain. How 'bout this....stop Bitchin' and Cryin' about Coach CHIZIK or Coach MALZAHN for just a second and try to look at the positives.

Kaos · « **Reply #11 on:** January 10, 2009, 12:27:15 PM »

Already have. On multiple occasions. Thirty or more if I remember right.

Instead of discussion of the real issues, though, the discussions tend to sail off into pissy "stop bitching like a woman" defenses, "get on the bus" proclamations and spinning irrelevancies like whether Texas' DBs turn around -- as if that has a fucking thing to do with the price of gas in Albany.

I've said what I want to say.

A decent staff that may or may not be equal to what we had and a bunch of big ass chiz-talk hasn't swayed me one iota.

I understand your need to try to make a silk purse out of this bag-o-crap. I understand the need to find whatever glimmers of hope you can in this abyss. But you can quit fucking talking down to me because I won't catch your chizfatuation. I'm not a chiz cheerleader and until something other than some decent hires and a bunch of big hat talk takes place I am not picking up the fucking pom pons.

AuburnChopper 3.0 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 10, 2009, 12:33:26 PM »

Quote from: Kaos on January 10, 2009, 12:27:15 PM

I've said what I want to say.

One can only hope at this point.

Kaos · « **Reply #13 on:** January 10, 2009, 12:34:34 PM »

Quote from: The Prowler on January 10, 2009, 12:11:19 PM

Seriously dude, get the FUCK OVER IT!!!

How many more Negative posts are you going to make? It doesn't do any good, except make you look like a fool.

And, it's not a negative post here and there, it's every fuckin' post. You lead a very sad life, if all you do is complain. How 'bout this....stop Bitchin' and Cryin' about Coach CHIZIK or Coach MALZAHN for just a second and try to look at the positives.

Thank you for this reading from the Book of Franklin, Chapter 2, Verses 11-19.

Thou shalt not be critical. Get on the bus or go support bammer. If you dont agree with the official opinion, uiu are a sad pathetic little fuck Smile when you eat the turd sandwich.

I get it. I've heard it before.

Kaos · « **Reply #14 on:** January 10, 2009, 12:42:35 PM »

Quote from: AuburnChopper1 on January 10, 2009, 12:33:26 PM

One can only hope at this point.

Yeah. I'd hate for a lightbulb to finally go off and shock you out of Chizland and back into the real world.

Fuck this. I hope Chiz does well. But I'm not going to sit around and watch cheerleaders prance while I wait. Especially ugly cheerleaders.

AuburnChopper 3.0 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 10, 2009, 12:49:53 PM »

Quote from: Kaos on January 10, 2009, 12:42:35 PM

Yeah. I'd hate for a lightbulb to finally go off and shock you out of Chizland and back into the real world.

Fuck this. I hope Chiz does well. But I'm not going to sit around and watch cheerleaders prance while I wait. Especially ugly cheerleaders.

Actually explain yourself, instead of this bullshit, look how angry and colorful my shitty world is crap.

I gave you a thread.... Go for it. Help us understand. Show us the way. It's all you Kaos.

AUChizad · « **Reply #16 on:** January 10, 2009, 01:51:15 PM »

Quote from: Kaos on January 10, 2009, 12:27:15 PM

I'm not a chiz cheerleader and until something other than some decent hires and a bunch of big hat talk takes place I am not picking up the fucking pom pons.

Could you lay out exactly what would have to "change" for you to stop bitching?

I think what irks most of us, is it's one thing to say "Hey, he hasn't proven anything on the field yet, I'll withhold an opinion until I the 09 season is underway". It's totally different to look at universally agreed positives (our all-star offensive staff, national top 10 recruits taking visits, etc.) and pretend somehow they are somehow negatives so egregious that you claim they cause your soul to bleed.

If you want to bitch, lay out the negatives specifically to us. What don't you like about Malzahn, Taylor, Luper, etc.? Be sure to include how you think we were better off with Tubervilles staff (Nall, Ensminger, etc.). Why do you prefer Tuberville's method of never having a top 10 recruit sniff our campus as opposed to getting them to AT LEAST (at this point in time) give serious consideration to Auburn.

I'm not saying you shouldn't voice your concerns, just please be more specific in doing so.

Jumbo · « **Reply #17 on:** January 10, 2009, 02:46:13 PM »

Quote from: Chizad on January 10, 2009, 01:51:15 PM

Could you lay out exactly what would have to "change" for you to stop bitching?

I think what irks most of us, is it's one thing to say "Hey, he hasn't proven anything on the field yet, I'll withhold an opinion until I the 09 season is underway". It's totally different to look at universally agreed positives (our all-star offensive staff, national top 10 recruits taking visits, etc.) and pretend somehow they are somehow negatives so egregious that you claim they cause your soul to bleed.

If you want to bitch, lay out the negatives specifically to us. What don't you like about Malzahn, Taylor, Luper, etc.? Be sure to include how you think we were better off with Tubervilles staff (Nall, Ensminger, etc.). Why do you prefer Tuberville's method of never having a top 10 recruit sniff our campus as opposed to getting them to AT LEAST (at this point in time) give serious consideration to Auburn.

I'm not saying you shouldn't voice your concerns, just please be more specific in doing so.

Tubb's staff was a joke, no comparison to the current staff.

tiger88 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 10, 2009, 02:49:42 PM »

My only concern with the staff is that malzahn could jump quickly if he turns us around. I hope we keep him at least 2 or three years.

If he comes in here and turns us around on a dime next season he could get some decent offers it seems.

Hopefully that's how they got luper and taylor in. To be there as candidates for possible replacements for him if they are capable and ready.

AuburnChopper 3.0 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 10, 2009, 03:25:47 PM »

Quote from: tiger88 on January 10, 2009, 02:49:42 PM

My only concern with the staff is that malzahn could jump quickly if he turns us around. I hope we keep him at least 2 or three years.

If he comes in here and turns us around on a dime next season he could get some decent offers it seems.

Hopefully that's how they got luper and taylor in. To be there as candidates for possible replacements for him if they are capable and ready.

Absolutely valid concern 88. I would only answer it, or tell you that I'd like to see our staff advance because of positive results on the field, and a fair shake at Auburn. I don't want to see assistance leaving Auburn to go to places like Texas anymore, even if for a later position, because they feel it puts them in a better position to advance. That's got to stop.