SI: Less than two years removed from title, Auburn's Chizik is on thin ice

[BleedGopher]

from the article:

It's somewhat amazing for a coach who brought Auburn its first national title in 53 years, but Chizik's job is in serious jeopardy. Chizik has been a head coach for approximately five and half seasons, two at Iowa State and the past three-plus at Auburn. His record during that time when he has had someone other than Cam Newton at quarterback: 22-33.

That seems to be the primary case against Chizik these days. Critics claim he is a one-hit wonder who managed to corral an amazing talent in Newton and ride him to a 14-0 campaign. Even with Newton, Auburn flirted with disaster for much of 2010, winning five games -- including the championship over Oregon -- by three points or fewer, and two others by eight points or fewer. And the difference in most of those games turned out to be Newton, who single-handedly made plays to win, most notably in the case of his serpentine touchdown run against LSU.

Now that Newton is gone, Chizik is back to being perceived as the same coach who went 5-19 in two seasons at Iowa State before -- inexplicably to some -- he was hired at Auburn. That decision led many members of the normally staid Auburn fan base to howl in protest, led by a lone fan who greeted AD Jay Jacobs at the airport after Jacobs met with Chizik by yelling, "We want a leader not a loser; 5-19 is not what we need. No Chizik. No."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...0/10/auburn-gene-chizik/index.html?xid=cnnbin

Go Gophers!!

 

[MNVCGUY]

Sad reality of college athletics in that it is all about what have you done with me lately. It is no wonder that coaches break the rules and do whatever they can to win because they know if they don't they will be out on their a$$.

It is why I cringe when Kill talks about needing 5-6 years to get the team where it needs to be. He may be right in saying that, but in this day and age it is highly unlikely he will get that kind of time. Next year is going to be huge for this staff to show significant improvement. Not saying we need to be in the Rose Bowl but we will need to be competitive across the board and at least relevant in the conference picture. The new AD is willing to discount tickets this year to try and build fan excitement but if he is staring at a ton of empty seats next year he may start looking for "his guy" to run the football program.

 

[wels0081]

I'm sorry, Chizik won by adding Newton to Tubberville's talent. Now, he's gotten rid of quality assistants like Gus Malzahn.

If I were an Auburn fan, I'd be screaming for change as well.

 

[dpodoll68]

Now, he's gotten rid of quality assistants like Gus Malzahn.

What? Malzahn left for the head coaching job at Arkansas St.

 

[Stan The Caddy]

I'm sorry, Chizik won by adding Newton to Tubberville's talent. Now, he's gotten rid of quality assistants like Gus Malzahn.

If I were an Auburn fan, I'd be screaming for change as well.

I would not say he "got rid" of Gus Malzahn. The guy left to be a head coach.

 

[gophmeister]

It is why I cringe when Kill talks about needing 5-6 years to get the team where it needs to be. He may be right in saying that, but in this day and age it is highly unlikely he will get that kind of time. Next year is going to be huge for this staff to show significant improvement. Not saying we need to be in the Rose Bowl but we will need to be competitive across the board and at least relevant in the conference picture. The new AD is willing to discount tickets this year to try and build fan excitement but if he is staring at a ton of empty seats next year he may start looking for "his guy" to run the football program.

I seriously doubt Kill loses his job by failing to be in the championship picture next year. Kill has a 7 year contract. There would have to be an epic disaster for Kill to lose his job. Brewster lasted 3-1/2 years, which included a 1-11 season and 1-5 start to his fourth. Kill is a highly respected coach among his peers and administrators. Take a second to compare Kill to Chizik and Minnesota to Auburn. Yes ponder it. Kill will be here in year 5 guarding some manner of serious meltdown.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I seriously doubt Kill loses his job by failing to be in the championship picture next year. Kill has a 7 year contract. There would have to be an epic disaster for Kill to lose his job. Brewster lasted 3-1/2 years, which included a 1-11 season and 1-5 start to his fourth. Kill is a highly respected coach among his peers and administrators. Take a second to compare Kill to Chizik and Minnesota to Auburn. Yes ponder it. Kill will be here in year 5 guarding some manner of serious meltdown.

At no point did I say he needs to be in the Championship picture, in fact I even stated we don't need to be in the Rose Bowl. What I said is the team needs to be relevant in the conference meaning 3-4 conference wins.

As long as the team is moving in the right direction, winning games and selling tickets, Kill will be just fine. But people really underestimate the new AD factor, if the team is winning 1 or 2 Big Ten games and the fans are not showing up at TCF Bank, NT will not hesitate to fire Kill and bring in his own guy. If significant improvement is not evident on the field next year Kill will be on a very short leash going into the 2014 season. Just to be clear I am not saying Kill is in danger of losing his job this year or next year but if the wins aren't coming and the butts are not in the seats he won't get the full 7 years of his contract to get them there.

 

[Sportsfan24]

I seriously doubt Kill loses his job by failing to be in the championship picture next year. Kill has a 7 year contract. There would have to be an epic disaster for Kill to lose his job. Brewster lasted 3-1/2 years, which included a 1-11 season and 1-5 start to his fourth. Kill is a highly respected coach among his peers and administrators. Take a second to compare Kill to Chizik and Minnesota to Auburn. Yes ponder it. Kill will be here in year 5 guarding some manner of serious meltdown.

Not to rekindle the whole Brewster versus Kill thing.....but.

An experienced Brewster received 3 1/2 years to turn it around and the more proven and experienced Kill will receive at least 5 years?

My confusion is one of expectations. We expect the guy with less to perform more and the guy with more to perform less.

Back on topic, I fully can understand why mean Gene will get run out of town sooner than later. He came in with the meal already prepared, the table already set. He placed the food on the table and everyone ate. They were estactic! The food was wonderful! Unfortunately every meal since then has gotten progressively worse and the diners are starting to realize what Genes food actually tastes like.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

Not to rekindle the whole Brewster versus Kill thing.....but.

An experienced Brewster received 3 1/2 years to turn it around and the more proven and experienced Kill will receive at least 5 years?

My confusion is one of expectations. We expect the guy with less to perform more and the guy with more to perform less.

Back on topic, I fully can understand why mean Gene will get run out of town sooner than later. He came in with the meal already prepared, the table already set. He placed the food on the table and everyone ate. They were estactic! The food was wonderful! Unfortunately every meal since then has gotten progressively worse and the diners are starting to realize what Genes food actually tastes like.

I think the big distinction is improvement and what they inherited. Brewster inherited a 6 win team, turned it into a 1 win team, rode Mason's personnel to 7 and 6 win seasons, and then got himself fired by regressing. Kill inherited a 3 win team, despite some early growing pains kept it a 3 win team, and now has a 4 win team (with 7 games to play only needing 2 wins to match his conference performance form last year). The expectation should be improvement, not miracles. So long as Kill matches his 2-6 conference record from last year (which he should have no problem doing), with the out of conference improvement, he will be fine.

 

[NateDawgUM]

It was odd that they even hired him in the first place. Chizik had an absolutely putrid record at Iowa State, putrid for Iowa State even.

While it seems frightening to want to oust a coach who just won a title, I have to agree with the Auburn fans. Chizik is more Coker than Saban.

If the Tigers really wanted to troll they could go after Paul Rhoads.

 

[Killjoy]

Sportsfan24

Not to rekindle the whole Brewster versus Kill thing.....but.

An experienced Brewster received 3 1/2 years to turn it around and the more proven and experienced Kill will receive at least 5 years?

My confusion is one of expectations. We expect the guy with less to perform more and the guy with more to perform less.

It is obvious to most of us that you have an agenda/issues when it come to coach Kill. Since you are an intelligent man you also must know that the two situations are not even close to being comparable. One was a coach trying to learn how to be a head coach the other one is head coach with a proven track record. The reason why Brewster was fired after 3 1/2 years is that it was painfully obvious that he was way over his head and something had to be done immediately. So contrary to your statement, you did mean to rekindle the whole Brewster versus Kill thing. Therefore if you are going to do it, at least be honest about it.

 

[Sportsfan24]

It is obvious to most of us that you have an agenda/issues when it come to coach Kill. Since you are an intelligent man you also must know that the two situations are not even close to being comparable. One was a coach trying to learn how to be a head coach the other one is head coach with a proven track record. The reason why Brewster was fired after 3 1/2 years is that it was painfully obvious that he was way over his head and something had to be done immediately. So contrary to your statement, you did mean to rekindle the whole Brewster versus Kill thing. Therefore if you are going to do it, at least be honest about it.

While i have never kept it a secret that I don't care for Kill, there is no doubt he is good football coach. My comments where more about how folks adjust the expectations depending on if it's their guy. Brewster (my guy) lost the support of the fans; it was time for a change.

Edit was done to make it less about me and more about what I actually intended in my first post (which would make it about me? You know what I mean!)