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Former Auburn coach Gene Chizik defends Gus Malzahn: He’s ‘fighting an uphill battle’

Updated 12:49 PM; Posted 12:49 PM

Gene Chizik went on ESPN Radio and discussed coaching at Auburn, while defending head coach Gus Malzahn. ((Photo by Todd J. Van Emst/Auburn athletics))

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By Sam Blum | SBlum@al.com

SBlum@al.com

Former Auburn head coach Gene Chizik, who led the 2010 national championship team, was vociferously defensive of current head coach Gus Malzahn in an ESPN Radio interview on Friday morning.

The show’s host, Rick Neuheisel, asked Chizik about the reported post-season contract negotiations at Auburn with Malzahn, as well as the unique atmosphere of coaching the Auburn program.

Chizik went into a four-and-a-half-minute response, where he defended Malzahn, explained the genesis of the issues, and criticized the people that he said aren’t helping the “institution” of Auburn.

“It’s different at Auburn, to say the least,” Chizik said, starting his diagnosis of the issue. “Part of the reason, Rick, as you know, is, first of all, there’s no professional sports in the state, right? So what does everybody hang their hat on? Look, when you’re in first grade, about a 75-year-old gentlemen told me one time, he was surrounded by five guys, and in first grade on the playground, he had to decide whether he was Alabama or Auburn. And that’s no joke, and you decide who you are. And then you never flip, you never flip flop. And that story is a microcosm of what happens in this state simply with the Auburn-Alabama rivalry.”

Chizik continued on to explain that Malzahn inevitably gets compared to Alabama head coach Nick Saban, who is quickly forming a reputation as the greatest coach in college football history. He said the frustration is reactionary to seeing Alabama do so well in contrast Auburn’s struggles.

“We win a national championship several years ago, Gus goes back and plays for it again,” Chizik said. "So were’ in the fight, but it’s not good enough because you’ve got a guy that’s been to every college football playoff since the inception of it, the national titles that he’s won. He’s getting ready to play it again. He just cleaned up in recruiting with a class that we haven’t seen the likes of maybe ever, OK? And then you’ve got Gus over here holding on for dear life.

Malzahn was on Chizik’s staff at Auburn for three seasons as the offensive coordinator. He came back as the head coach after Chizik was fired following a 3-9 season in 2012.

So Chizik himself has gone through the personal toil of struggles in a must-win program. He said the key to more success at Auburn is an attitude change from the “power brokers” who need to be more focused on helping the coach succeed than hurting his image and hampering his abilities.

“But the people at Auburn have a knee jerk reaction or at least in the past they have, because of what’s going on across the state. And it’s never gonna change.”

“... Because all of the things outside of that that are negative, do not help whoever the head coach is be successful. Former players that want to go out and trash the coach, that doesn’t help the institution. Everybody on a national perspective looks at Auburn, ‘Yeah, they won seven games, OK? They got beat bad by Alabama like everybody else did.’ Instead of cutting the head off of a $49-million guy, lets rally the troops behind the scenes and say, ‘Guess what guys, all you power brokers, let’s get to the man and figure out what we can do to help him win, not figure out what we can do to cut his head off.’”

“... You can’t tell me Gus is a bad coach.”

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Hey Gene- the fanbase has ceded the Bama game for ten years, only gets pissed off about Tennessee games, quarterbacks with broken arms, and such. Maybe he's worth defending  IDK  But the Saban comparison is not even on the list of issues at play here. Total misread Chizick. Go figure.

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31 minutes ago, jAUSon said:

... the Saban comparison is not even on the list of issues at play here....

I'm sorry, but that statement is BS...and Chizik is not referring to the Iron Bowl as one game, he's talking about the success of Saban as a whole.

 

You can bet your ass it's in play.

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Probably has a point about the power broker meddling.

Dead wrong about Saban.  

I believe the power brokers have already tried the 'counsel Gus' approach and they've finally given up on that.  Gus' dogged determination to keep doing the same damn things over and over is what's gotten him to this point and is what will eventually get him fired.  

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54 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

Guess what guys, all you power brokers, let’s get to the man and figure out what we can do to help him win, not figure out what we can do to cut his head off.’”

This is true and how it should be until the moment the coach receives the pink slip. 

Bad powerbrokers. Bad!! :hammerin: 

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First Tubs, now Chizik. Gus is cornering the market on ex- Auburn coaches backing him. Is Bowden next on the list?

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I've never understood people saying Bowden was fired. He was not. He quit on his team. In the middle of the season. 

And no it's not about Saban. It's about my 9 year old daughter who hates football being able to call out the plays after we line up. It's about running up the 0 gap after a first down 746 times in a row. It's about players looking worse in year 2 than they did year 1. It's about not hanging on to talent, not processing under performing talent, but running off talent. It's about not being able to count to 4.

I mean I COULD keep going listing the absurdities but everyone knows what they are unless their head has been in the sand for the past 5 years.

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I read Chizik's comments before I saw it here. This is what comes to my mind when I think of Gus and his masterful coaching job, and it has nothing to do with Saban's success at bammer...

I give you the ....WHIRLYBIRD!

 

 

whirlybird.gif

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8 minutes ago, oracle79 said:

Why would anyone care about Chizik's opinion of a HEAD coach?  

Um because he was a former coach here. So he has a unique perspective that only a few people would have. 

That doesn't make what he said correct though. It seems he actually thinks that Auburn acted impulsively firing him, lol

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PTB feel like they live in UAT's shadow....I don't think anyone can deny that!  Saban's success weighs heavily on other SEC schools but mostly on our beloved Auburn.  In state rival, that just 11-12 years ago we wrapped up a 6 game win streak against....the longest for 1 side since the 70's. They cannot stand Saban's success (it bugs the $%*$ outta me too!) but we won't fire and hire our way into that type of success.  His man-crush leading the NCAA, REC, along with the machine that has been built over there can't be found on the shelf at the local sporting goods store.  Any AU coach is gonna feel intense pressure.  Chiz lost the team in 2012; Gus has never lost a team...they always put their best effort and heart into the games.

 

Bowden was very successful at AU; 20-1-1 in his 1st 2 years; 3-2 against UAT; lost to UTK by 1 point in 1997 SECCG and then a few games into the 1998 season was told he would be fired at the end of the season.  Pissed him off and he quit.  I don't agree with that but can't say that I blame him.  Again....PTB sticking their noses into places they shouldn't be.  Tubs got his buyout money because PTB went courting Houston Nutt after the 2008 IB.  We must get off of this hire 'em/fire 'em roller coaster.  Continuity is important. 

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5 hours ago, CR said:

First Tubs, now Chizik. Gus is cornering the market on ex- Auburn coaches backing him. Is Bowden next on the list?

And Auburn is the common denominator...that's the problem.

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8 hours ago, penguin149 said:

PTB feel like they live in UAT's shadow....I don't think anyone can deny that!  Saban's success weighs heavily on other SEC schools but mostly on our beloved Auburn.  In state rival, that just 11-12 years ago we wrapped up a 6 game win streak against....the longest for 1 side since the 70's. They cannot stand Saban's success (it bugs the $%*$ outta me too!) but we won't fire and hire our way into that type of success.  His man-crush leading the NCAA, REC, along with the machine that has been built over there can't be found on the shelf at the local sporting goods store.  Any AU coach is gonna feel intense pressure.  Chiz lost the team in 2012; Gus has never lost a team...they always put their best effort and heart into the games.

 

Bowden was very successful at AU; 20-1-1 in his 1st 2 years; 3-2 against UAT; lost to UTK by 1 point in 1997 SECCG and then a few games into the 1998 season was told he would be fired at the end of the season.  Pissed him off and he quit.  I don't agree with that but can't say that I blame him.  Again....PTB sticking their noses into places they shouldn't be.  Tubs got his buyout money because PTB went courting Houston Nutt after the 2008 IB.  We must get off of this hire 'em/fire 'em roller coaster.  Continuity is important. 

Roller coaster?  Six seasons so far.  How many years of Gus is good for you?  

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6 hours ago, AURealist said:

Roller coaster?  Six seasons so far.  How many years of Gus is good for you?  

Being here six seasons doesn’t deny that Gus’s tenure, his product, and his approval has been one giant roller coaster. 

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Chiz is correct about a lot of this. It doesn’t absolve Gus in our eyes but Auburn can be it’s own worst enemy trying to keep up with the most corrupt college football program in NCAA history. During the “founding” of the current UAT dynasty Saban took advantage of the “process” to create a machine he couldn’t do anywhere else. As good of a coach that he is he wouldn’t have all this glory without the built in advantages. 

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8 minutes ago, aujeff11 said:

Being here six seasons doesn’t deny that Gus’s tenure, his product, and his approval has been one giant roller coaster. 

Yes. Gus led off with a big climb right away just like every rollercoaster does. A few smaller climbs and a some surprise twists. The problem is that he started out seeing daylight and has now turned into Space Mountain... can't see what's ahead and don't know what to expect. 

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5 minutes ago, autigeremt said:

During the “founding” of the current UAT dynasty Saban took advantage of the “process” to create a machine

Saban built a well oiled machine of a program. The machine short for (political machine) was alive and well well before Saban. Nobody knows the amount of power that it possesses but there is no question it exists. 

 

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14 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

Former Auburn coach Gene Chizik defends Gus Malzahn: He’s ‘fighting an uphill battle’

Updated 12:49 PM; Posted 12:49 PM

Gene Chizik went on ESPN Radio and discussed coaching at Auburn, while defending head coach Gus Malzahn. ((Photo by Todd J. Van Emst/Auburn athletics))

315 shares

By Sam Blum | SBlum@al.com

SBlum@al.com

Former Auburn head coach Gene Chizik, who led the 2010 national championship team, was vociferously defensive of current head coach Gus Malzahn in an ESPN Radio interview on Friday morning.

The show’s host, Rick Neuheisel, asked Chizik about the reported post-season contract negotiations at Auburn with Malzahn, as well as the unique atmosphere of coaching the Auburn program.

Chizik went into a four-and-a-half-minute response, where he defended Malzahn, explained the genesis of the issues, and criticized the people that he said aren’t helping the “institution” of Auburn.

“It’s different at Auburn, to say the least,” Chizik said, starting his diagnosis of the issue. “Part of the reason, Rick, as you know, is, first of all, there’s no professional sports in the state, right? So what does everybody hang their hat on? Look, when you’re in first grade, about a 75-year-old gentlemen told me one time, he was surrounded by five guys, and in first grade on the playground, he had to decide whether he was Alabama or Auburn. And that’s no joke, and you decide who you are. And then you never flip, you never flip flop. And that story is a microcosm of what happens in this state simply with the Auburn-Alabama rivalry.”

Chizik continued on to explain that Malzahn inevitably gets compared to Alabama head coach Nick Saban, who is quickly forming a reputation as the greatest coach in college football history. He said the frustration is reactionary to seeing Alabama do so well in contrast Auburn’s struggles.

“We win a national championship several years ago, Gus goes back and plays for it again,” Chizik said. "So were’ in the fight, but it’s not good enough because you’ve got a guy that’s been to every college football playoff since the inception of it, the national titles that he’s won. He’s getting ready to play it again. He just cleaned up in recruiting with a class that we haven’t seen the likes of maybe ever, OK? And then you’ve got Gus over here holding on for dear life.

Malzahn was on Chizik’s staff at Auburn for three seasons as the offensive coordinator. He came back as the head coach after Chizik was fired following a 3-9 season in 2012.

So Chizik himself has gone through the personal toil of struggles in a must-win program. He said the key to more success at Auburn is an attitude change from the “power brokers” who need to be more focused on helping the coach succeed than hurting his image and hampering his abilities.

“But the people at Auburn have a knee jerk reaction or at least in the past they have, because of what’s going on across the state. And it’s never gonna change.”

“... Because all of the things outside of that that are negative, do not help whoever the head coach is be successful. Former players that want to go out and trash the coach, that doesn’t help the institution. Everybody on a national perspective looks at Auburn, ‘Yeah, they won seven games, OK? They got beat bad by Alabama like everybody else did.’ Instead of cutting the head off of a $49-million guy, lets rally the troops behind the scenes and say, ‘Guess what guys, all you power brokers, let’s get to the man and figure out what we can do to help him win, not figure out what we can do to cut his head off.’”

“... You can’t tell me Gus is a bad coach.”

Why do all the morons follow the same talking points? 

* But Saban

* But it's hard.

* But we're just the little brother.

Idiots, everyone who says such.  No one expects to be UA every year but holding our own and looking organized and well coached is a minimum for ALL fans, I would hope.

Gene needs to go back to his grand retiremement he can thank the Institution for.  He'd have never been heard of again after Iowa State if it weren't for the Good Reverend Brother Doctor Jameson Benedict Jacobs.

I do not much disagree with him on the GOBN but that had nothing to do with his self idolization and paranoia induced destruction of team morale.

LOL, dude wrote a book about BEING THE BEST after his only good year as a HC.  His book should be (2) pages: 

1) Cameron Jerrell Newton

2) Curtis Luper (for recruiting Cam)

image.png

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14 hours ago, Swamp Eagle said:

I'm sorry, but that statement is BS...and Chizik is not referring to the Iron Bowl as one game, he's talking about the success of Saban as a whole.

 

You can bet your ass it's in play.

I'm quoting my own post for emphasis and to expound on it.

The fact is, that mentality has been in play since Bryant turned their program around in the late 50's. IMO, it has kept Auburn an 8-win program. This is not a product of Malzahn; it's a product of the institution. 

I'm not the one to figure out how you fix it, but the first thing I would do is find those things that are best for the Auburn program proactively, and stop being reactive to what goes on in Tuscaloosa. 

Now, the surefire way to fix it is to form an Orange Tiger Club by creating a covert network of boosters and donors who can funnel enticements to recruits while our coach can simply coach with plausible deniability.  

But that would just be reactive to what's happening over there.

Auburn needs to worry about Auburn and find some trail-blazing leadership and we'll be fine.

We've seen it work before, we just can't seem to sustain it.

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13 minutes ago, Swamp Eagle said:

The fact is, that mentality has been in play since Bryant turned their program around in the late 50's. IMO, it has kept Auburn an 8-win program. This is not a product of Malzahn; it's a product of the institution. 

First off nothing Bama has done kept Auburn a 8 win program. That's little brother syndrome 101. Secondly, being an 8 win program in the 50s is a LOT different from being an 8 win program in the current day. When you have 10 games in a season, being an 8 win team is a LOT different from being an 8 win team with 14/15 games per season. 

Even when Bama was down (every coach they had between Bryant and Saban, save for a few good years in between,) we weren't much better than an 8 win team. Exactly what was Bama doing to make Auburn an 8 win team while they themselves were an 8 win team?

People have to get the fudge over what Bama is doing. Nothing they do effects us in the least. As long as people continue to BELIEVE Bama is "holding us down" or "holding us back" we will continue to be called the little brother. Clemson isn't a state school. I sure don't feel like they are the little brother in South Carolina. Florida State sure isn't s little brother in Florida. USC sure isn't a little brother in California. But those schools don't cry about the other teams media holding them down. They don't react to everything the other schools do... People need to leave this little brother syndrome at the door.

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6 minutes ago, Auburn2Eugene said:

First off nothing Bama has done kept Auburn a 8 win program. That's little brother syndrome 101. Secondly, being an 8 win program in the 50s is a LOT different from being an 8 win program in the current day. When you have 10 games in a season, being an 8 win team is a LOT different from being an 8 win team with 14/15 games per season. 

Even when Bama was down (every coach they had between Bryant and Saban, save for a few good years in between,) we weren't much better than an 8 win team. Exactly what was Bama doing to make Auburn an 8 win team while they themselves were an 8 win team?

People have to get the fudge over what Bama is doing. Nothing they do effects us in the least. As long as people continue to BELIEVE Bama is "holding us down" or "holding us back" we will continue to be called the little brother. Clemson isn't a state school. I sure don't feel like they are the little brother in South Carolina. Florida State sure isn't s little brother in Florida. USC sure isn't a little brother in California. But those schools don't cry about the other teams media holding them down. They don't react to everything the other schools do... People need to leave this little brother syndrome at the door.

Yeah everything you said is true. Problem is the power players at Auburn don’t think or at least act that way. They want their hands on every little tidbit. Can’t seem to hire a coach and get out of the way. And when they want to replace one they seem to mess that up to. I think that’s what Chiz was getting at. Too much meddling at the wrong times.  Stop worrying about Alabama, focus on Auburn and don’t always panic because Bama is doing so well. 

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26 minutes ago, Auburn2Eugene said:

First off nothing Bama has done kept Auburn a 8 win program. That's little brother syndrome 101. Secondly, being an 8 win program in the 50s is a LOT different from being an 8 win program in the current day. When you have 10 games in a season, being an 8 win team is a LOT different from being an 8 win team with 14/15 games per season. 

Even when Bama was down (every coach they had between Bryant and Saban, save for a few good years in between,) we weren't much better than an 8 win team. Exactly what was Bama doing to make Auburn an 8 win team while they themselves were an 8 win team?

People have to get the fudge over what Bama is doing. Nothing they do effects us in the least. As long as people continue to BELIEVE Bama is "holding us down" or "holding us back" we will continue to be called the little brother. Clemson isn't a state school. I sure don't feel like they are the little brother in South Carolina. Florida State sure isn't s little brother in Florida. USC sure isn't a little brother in California. But those schools don't cry about the other teams media holding them down. They don't react to everything the other schools do... People need to leave this little brother syndrome at the door.

That's exactly what I'm saying. If you'll note the last few words of my portion of my post that you quoted, you would have realized it.

But thanks for reinforcing it, ultimately.

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My professional respect level for Chizik just went up a notch.

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2 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

Saban built a well oiled machine of a program. The machine short for (political machine) was alive and well well before Saban. Nobody knows the amount of power that it possesses but there is no question it exists. 

 

It took a big step upward with the Saban/Emmert connection. No doubt about it. 

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11 minutes ago, Rednilla said:

My professional respect level for Chizik just went up a notch.

Mine too. Chiz is the square chin that we deserve. 

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