Far be it from us here in Razorback land to criticize anyone’s coaching search, as we have bungled our way through many over the years.
But we have to comment on the goings on ‘down on the plains’ in Auburn. The hiring of Gene Chizik doesn’t seem to be going over very well with the faithful down there…and rightfully so.
Chizik, who compiled a 5-19 record as the head coach of Iowa State, was announced Monday to replace Tommy Tuberville as head coach.
Uh…was this really the plan? Cut loose a guy that was 85-40 for this?
Don’t get us wrong…as members of the SEC West, we’re not complaining. Especially since the Tigers sniffed but stayed away from Head Hog Bobby Petrino and his $8.75 million buyout.
As the former defensive coordinator for the Tigers from 2002-2004, Chizik was a familiar face for Auburn AD Jay Jacobs. But what about University of Buffalo miracle worker Turner Gill, who took one of the worst teams in the NCAA to MAC Champions in just a few short years.
After returning from a meeting with Chizik, Jacobs was booed and heckled upon his return to Auburn-Opelika Airport. Not exactly the kind of national attention that you want your coaching search to make.
And now it seems that famous Auburn alum Charles Barkley is claiming race had a role in Chizik getting the job over Buffalo’s Gill. Charles, who can’t help himself sometimes, laments:
“I think race was the No. 1 factor,” said Barkley, who played basketball for three seasons at Auburn during the early 1980s. “You can say it’s not about race, but you can’t compare the two resumes and say [Chizik] deserved the job. Out of all the coaches they interviewed, Chizik probably had the worst resume.”
In the cutthroat world that is the SEC, one team’s disaster is another team’s opportunity. The SEC West just got a little easier.
HogBaller also contributed to this post.
Makes our move last year all the better!!!
I have to agreed with Charles, if you look at the other candidate they had done alot more with less and it Gills case work miracles, but as Jay Jacobs AD states Chizik fits their profile and that profile is 5-19 over two years.
Talk in some of the Alabama papers was that Bobby Lowder really wanted Nutt. This is sweet but, that would have been too sweet.
It's not uncommon for a former player/assistant coach to get the HC position at his former school. We seen this at the UofA with Hatfield and Nutt.
I wouldn't want to speculate too much about the race card, regardless of what credintials Turner Gill may have. Barkley likes to run his mouth, so that kind of fits right into his personality anyhow. (ala Jessie Jackson of the sports world.)
Chizik has proven himself as D-coordinator, but hasn't had enough time to prove what he can do as the HC. Iowa St. isn't exactly the right program in the right conference to be prooving it either.
Something tells me the AD at Auburn isn't exactly in charge to begin with. The puppet strings are in full force with this little scenario.
Nan Gonzo, we are from the South and things have changed but they haven't CHANGED that much. I think if you are a black coach and post a 5-19 record at a BCS school you just aren't going to get another BCS job in a better situation. That said I think they should hired maybe Patterson(TCU) or Kelley(Cincy), and who knows Chizik might be successul. Pete Carroll was not USC first choice either and that has turned out alright.