Gene Chizik SPEAKS

By WarEagleAtlanta on November 26th, 2013 in Football 12 Comments »

Nice article today in USA Today with a lengthy interview with Gene Chizik. Glad he is doing well.

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12 Comments

AUwaterboy says:

November 26, 2013 at 6:46 pm

Chizik’s a class guy.
AUTigerinBR says:

November 26, 2013 at 7:46 pm

Regardless of how last season turned out, Coach Chizik will always have a special place in my memory because he was the Auburn coach during the fall that my family spent together. Our children were at home on Saturdays to watch the games and we had the trip of a lifetime to Phoenix. That National Championship season was about so much more than football for those who have loved Auburn for a lot of years. Only wish him the best.
restless6 says:

November 26, 2013 at 9:11 pm

He’s class and Finebaum is an ass.

Pawl loves piling on Coach Chizik.

Speaking of Pawl, I hate the Bammer idiots like Bishop, Jim and the Legend. They exemplify Bammer idiots worldwide.

Please drown that jackass out Saturday!!!
domaucan1 says:

November 26, 2013 at 9:22 pm

Coach Chizik will always be an Auburn Man and will always have a place in the hearts of all Auburn people. I must admit that I envy him a bit since he is able to live in Auburn and enjoy the atmosphere. I’ve been able to enjoy it for four weekends this year and am planning to be there more next year. Auburn is a great place, and,

NEVER FORGET:

IT’S GREAT TO BE AN AUBURN TIGER !!!

WAR EAGLE !!!

GO BIG BLUE !!!

BEAT BAMA !!!
Tiger on the mountain says:

November 26, 2013 at 11:49 pm

Mean Gene. He’s done a lot for Auburn. He was instrumental in the undefeated 2004 season, and obvs 2010 MNC. While 2012 was painful, I wish him the very best. Honestly, it took a lot of guts and character to stay in Auburn. War Eagle, Gene Chizik!!!
Tigerstripe says:

November 27, 2013 at 12:56 am

I’m torn… I really like Gus and what he’s accomplished in a short time but I was in the group that thought Gene should have been given another year… After reading the article, I wish the powers that be would have listen to his plan to right the ship. Oh well.
- WarEagleAtlanta says:
  
  November 27, 2013 at 11:40 am
  
  He did admit that it was a BAD idea to hire two new coordinators at once. That took courage to admit that. While I agree also that he should have had another year, I love the Malzahn offense and am glad that we’re back with it.
friedca says:

November 27, 2013 at 2:57 am

I had no problem with Chizik and appreciate everything he did for us. However, even from 6000 miles away it was obvious he had lost control of the team. I don’t know what was going on in the locker room, but the players just didn’t want to play. A 3 win season would have been awful, but at the very least we could hope for improvement next year. I vividly remember thinking that these players didn’t look like they cared to play anymore, and thats why that season hurt even more. We gave up which I’ve never seen. Something had to change and unfortunantley the success and blame rest on him.

Glad to see he and his family love the Auburn community and still treated great. Every coach seems to love Auburn, even if they left the school abruptly. Tuberville still talks highly of Auburn everytime they put him on tv. Isn’t his son also going to Auburn.
wpleagle says:

November 27, 2013 at 7:51 am

I’ll never forget Chiz telling 78,000 folks in Jordan-Hare after the NC game, “You are the greatest fans…” That was truly fantastic.
However, I also think it was time for a change. Chiz, I agree, is a class act, but AU needed to move on. Blessings to him and his family.
usmc71au83 says:

November 27, 2013 at 7:56 am

As I have said before, I liked Gene and thought we had finally gotten the man with the plan as head coach, especially when he hired Gus. Unfortunately, it became apparent that he was not going to let Gus coach in the manner that had made Gus successfull. He also showed that he had not developed a coaching philosophy that had a proven track record, especially when he began to shift back to a pro style offense in order to try to be competitive with Saban, Richt, and Miles. He was trying to find the answer, and unfortunately, another year of his tinkering with coordinators and schemes was not going to help either him or Auburn. The same thing is happening at Florida with Muschamp. He has not had the necessary time to develop a successfull coaching philosophy that will allow him to succeed. The difference between these coaches is that Gus has developed his coaching philosophy over many years, at many levels.It has proven to be successfull everywhere he has had the controll to implement it. The coaches that did not allow him that latitude are no longer coaching. That is also why it has not taken Gus several years to build his program. He knew what worked for him and did not concern himself with what was making some other coach successfull. It does not appear that Gene has learned that lesson, yet. I hope he will because I do believe he is a good man and truly wants to succeed.In any event, I do not believe we need to look any further for the man with the plan. We have him, if we are wise enough to keep him.
mvhcpa says:

November 27, 2013 at 10:33 pm

I remember when Gene issued his farewell statement after being fired, where he repeated his statement that Auburn fans are the best fans anywhere. I remember feeling like he really meant it, and that it wasn’t standard gracious coach-speak. I seem to have been proved correct in my assessment.

What I think is important is that he knew that all the fans calling for his head weren’t doing so to get personal; it was because they actually cared about Auburn–not just the football, but the whole University. I think he may also understand that he was to blame not just for the new coordinator gambit, but for the total loss of control that went on under his watch. Even if he didn’t state that in his interview, I bet he admits it to himself.

I for one will always think that he was the one person who COULD and DID hold the team together during the Cam Newton smear, proving that he was great as a Chief Executive Officer but NOT as a Chief Operating Officer (when he tried to meddle with Gus, for example).

That’s a lot of words to say that Gene has consistently shown class.

Michael Val
(who also thinks that $7.5M of AU’s cash, given by Jay Jacobs, helped to smooth away the bitterness)
- Tiger on the mountain says:
  
  November 28, 2013 at 10:43 pm
  
  Truth