Auburn University had a bad year this year, culminating with a humiliating loss to Alabama in the Iron Bowl. This coming after six straight wins over Alabama, guess it had to end sometime. So you figure, Tommy Tuberville who has had more good years than down in his tenure at AU, steps down. Maybe he resigned, perhaps he was forced out. Either way, he's gone. Now you figure, this isn't Auburn Tech or Auburn A & M scrapping to get the local station's attention in terms of national exposure. This is Auburn University we're talking about. Member of the SEC, which last time I checked, has a television contract with The Big Eye network. They were unbeaten four years ago and aren't exactly struggling to get recruits. Point being, this school shouldn't have a problem finding a SUITABLE replacement for Tommy Tuberville.
I mean, Tennessee got Lane Kiffin who came from the Pete Carroll coaching tree. Hell, his daddy's one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL and he's coming too. Rocky Top found itself a suitable replacement for Phillip Fulmer, whose voice just got dimmer after its national title. Go fig. Okay, back to Auburn. Auburn's got a great facility, but more than that, it has a rising power in Alabama. It has Nick Saban, who ran the table during the regular season with what most experts are calling his least talented team in Tuscaloosa. So to counter this, you need a coach who can go into homes and go toe to toe with the likes of Nick Saban.

Auburn, with its resources and the like...turn to Gene Chizik. (Crickets chirp.) Yes, Gene Chizik. For those of you unaware, Gene Chizik was the head man at Iowa State. The very same Chizik who "coached up" the Cyclones to 10 straight losses to close out the 2008 season. (Crickets stop chirping.) The very same Chizik who went 5-19 in two years as head man as...(Crickets are trampled by angry Auburn boosters.) Uhm, yeah. This guy is the new head man, but wait. Apparently he was the defensive coordinator for the aforementioned 2004 team and just one year later, had the defense which short circuited OU and USC en route to a national title. So alright, he's a great defensive coordinator. So what can we safely conclude? From the two seasons he spent as a coordinator, compared to his two as a coach, he's more than capable calling a game from the box rather than the sideline. Iowa State if nothing else, is probably glad they won't have to fire this slug. They can turn their attention towards someone who can lift their beleagured program from the dregs of the Big XII North, while Auburn has to hope and pray that with a better roster, Chizik can prove everyone wrong. Sometimes you find yourself asking 'what were they thinking' with some moves. I ask...

12/17/08 | Posted by Len | Category NCAA Football 29 comments | Permalink | No Trackbacks |