I saw this little piece about Thigpen coming over from UNC. I didn't realize it, but UNC was his Alma Mater. One of the up and coming coaches left his freaking alma mater to come coach for Chizik. Not only that, but Mack Brown gave Chizik his FULL endorsement. You can hate Mack Brown all you want, but he has been around football (and WINNING football) a long long time. And when he says that Chiz is one of the best he has been around, it should mean something...
Once again, I am not saying that this will turn into wins, but I really am liking more and more of what I see in this guy and his coaching staff.
Thigpen and Lolley were the last two hires by AU head coach Gene Chizik . Thigpen left North Carolina, his alma mater, to join AU's staff.
"I could have been at my alma mater all my life," Thigpen said. "I want to be at a place where football is really, really important. This place? It's unbelievable.
"When you talk to coaches outside the country, the told me you've got to go. It's one of the best jobs in all of America."
One of the coaches Thigpen consulted was Texas head coach Mack Brown.
"Mack is one of my biggest confidants," Thigpen said. "I ask him about my career all the time. He said: I'm going to tell you one of the best, fiery young coaches, most talented coaches coming up, one of the best I'm ever had coach for me, is Gene Chizik.
"When he told me that, it was a no-brainer. Pack up, it's time to go."