This Coaching Staff

[mom2kid 216]

I just wanted to say that I really appreciate Gus and this coaching staff. They appear to know how to evaluate and develop talent. I really see the focus on character too which is critical for hard work and team chemistry.

I never liked the Chizik hire and frankly never warmed to the previous staff. I think they just went after stars and didn't develop talent or coach players. Chizik just walked up and down the field with an ugly jacket but Gus has that headset on leading the charge. The previous regime brought in players with questionable character and most of those are no longer with the team. But the worst was Chizik bringing on the cancer that was Trooper Taylor. He had questionable recruiting tactics and almost got us on probation. And after he was relieved of duty, he worked against us. Meanwhile every post about him on this forum was positive and wishing him well. He doesn't warrant that kind of respect or well wishes IMO. I am not trying to stir the pot but I just wanted to get this off my chest. (Mods you can remove or move if you wish.)

[1TexasTiger 55]

I appreciate you sharing your feeling. I too am very thankful for Coach Malzahn. I however do not share the same sentiment towards Coach Chizik and his staff as you do. At the end of the day Coach Chizik, his regime and those kids with questionable characteristics, brought us our last championship. I believe it was Coach Chizik that gave an up and coming OC a chance after a 1 year stint in the SEC and a year or 2 at a small school in OK.

I also do not dislike CTT. His actions have been questionable at times but with most information coming from forums and fanatics, who knows what to believe about his involvement with player x or y that did not come here? But this is what I know. It shows a lot of class no matter who you are to wish someone well after parting ways. That's the essence of this family... the Auburn Family.. to me. He may not warrant the respect but giving respect, even in the face of adversity is sign of true character.

[AUcivE09 582]

Trooper is an outstanding story and was able to relate to troubled kids. All the hate for trooper came from a certain other fan base that hated how well he could recruit so they chose to look at a waiving towel as throwing up gang signs. That staff's only short coming was developing talent. That staff's recruits helpped win a NC and was within seconds of another one last season. The OP is misguided here.

[Timeslider 6 269]

well, i guess i was the who was was blind during the Chizik regime. I didn't really perceive any problems until the problem year of 2011. Until that point i was really pulling for that staff. Taylor seemed like someone who was able to relate to the young men on their level. I was okay with that until i began to see that there was too much friend and not enough coach. Seems like he was at Tenn for a while and he didn't stay there long either. He may be a fine person but looking back now it is easy to see they didn't get much done developmental wise with the team. Just glad we got Gus and now we are rolling along at a steady click.WDE :jossun:

[AU64 10,122]

What's the point of going after Chiz and Trooper? Would have been easy enough to praise the current staff and stop there.

A classless and unnecessary commentary on Chiz and not even factual. JMO but the OP might have wanted to type that diatribe...and then erase it before making it public.

[mom2kid 216]

I'm honestly not intending to offend . I see a clear difference with this coach and staff. I trust their ability to evaluate talent and bring out the most in players. I see a staff that intends to recruit within the rules and I don't worry that we will be accused of violations. Gus expects this team to play and lose with class. So I will elect to stress that part of my post.

[Mikey 16,776]

Coach Chizik and his staff deserve a big "Thank You" from the Auburn family. Our first national Championship was won because of them. Things didn't end the way we or they wanted things to end, but there is no call to disrespect them now. They have earned better.

[TheBlueVue 177]

The former staff did do a lot for Auburn football. Some may suggest, however, the core of that staff that was the driving force for its accomplishments was Gus and Rock. Clearly, once those 2 were gone the descent of Auburn football progressed at a full speed clip. At any rate, in today's society when people are being paid $millions of dollars to deliver an outcome and they fall as short as this program did in 2012, IMO, they're fair game for criticism. Nobody wanted that to happen but it did. Chiz is still knocking down $200 grand A MONTH so, I'd say he's fair game for criticism, like it or not.

[Charleston Tiger 134]

Coach Chizik and his staff deserve a big "Thank You" from the Auburn family. Our first second national Championship was won because of them. Things didn't end the way we or they wanted things to end, but there is no call to disrespect them now. They have earned better.

FIFY

[Marmot 0]

Since this thread is in the recruiting section, I think we should all remember what a radical adjustment Chizik made to Auburn's recruiting identity. Tuberville was mailing it in his last couple of years and we as fans were relegated to the "we only want players that love Auburn" and "we coach up blue collar, diamonds in the rough" arguments. Even before Tuberville got his lunch eaten on the recruiting trail by Saban, Auburn was at best an opportunistic recruiting entity, never really fighting for the elite "tough pull". Sort of what South Carolina is now. Chizik changed all that and made us a 5 Star destination for recruits. Malzhan has built on that and now we expect to be in the top 10 recruiting picture every year.

The 2012 meltdown will be one of the greatest collage football mysteries of all time, and Chizik may never escape the shadow of that season. I still can't understand how we were so bad and showed absolutely no potential to even be competitive. It will unfortunately taint our memory of those coaches, who so masterfully changed our recruiting culture.

As an aside I was re-watching highlights of the 20210 season, and my stomach turned every time I saw Chizik on the sideline. I wasn't prepared for such an emotional reaction. Made me realize how happy I am to have Malzhan in charge, but I try not to run Chizik down unnecessarily.

[grt2bnautgr 0]

Does it smell in here?

[Charleston Tiger 134]

Does it smell in here?

I swear I showered this morning...

[AUcivE09 582]

I'm honestly not intending to offend . I see a clear difference with this coach and staff. I trust their ability to evaluate talent and bring out the most in players. I see a staff that intends to recruit within the rules and I don't worry that we will be accused of violations. Gus expects this team to play and lose with class. So I will elect to stress that part of my post.

Do you think we did something wrong? That is the part I have the biggest problem with. We were "accused" of everything in the book - and since you forgot, we went through 18months of investigation with nothing but an apology letter from the NCAA to show for it. We will be accused again - many times I am sure. I am very thankful for that staff and the level of recruiting they began at AU - now its up to Gus to continue that AND win with them.

[TeBoneAU 89]

Its a NEW DAY! CGM made that point very clear and priority #1 during his physical and mental transformation of the players. I can relate and do understand as to why he did this because I work with young men from the ages of 12 to 18 on a weekly process. You teach and train them to be mindful of their past but not to keep rehashing it or reliving it. It can mentally weigh you down, keep you from focusing on moving forward with your future because your to caught up on your past mistakes. IMO young people have resilience to do this with the proper guidance but us adults not so much. We don't have the memories of AU 2013 football team without the memories of AU 2012 or 2010 football team. The future looks very bright for the AU football program and I can't wait win, lose or draw to make many more memories

[Dixie1860 27]

I don't think there is any mystery as to what the problem was in 2012. I am happy we won in 2010 and I thank Coach Chizik for that. I have defended Trooper Taylor in the past, never again. There are many words I could use to describe him I suppose, class isn't one of them.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

It's time to move on from Chizik and his staff. Now we need to only focus on coach Malzahn and his awesome staff. That is all.

[doc4aday 1,887]

I thought the CGC did a solid job as HC, but made a lethal mistake when he hired Scott Lefler and VanGorder that cost him his job. Coach Malzhan is one of the top 5 best coaches in all of college football. This era will be the best in Auburn's history no doubt. I see Coach Malzhan having consistent 10 win seasons year after year. Coach Malzhan will be the undoing of Nick Saban within the next 5 seasons. Saban's stupid tactic to have 10 seconds to substitute defensive players is going to cost him far more than he knows.

I think it is time to overhaul the recruiting process in a major way that would level the playing field in a big way. The 25 recruits per season should be 25 recruits..no more or no less. Each team could have a maximum of 3 total 5 Star players, maximum of 9 total 4 Star players, and no less than 13 5-Star players. If a team could not sign 3 total 5 Star players, they could have up to 3 additional 4 star players.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

A lot of people on here loved Chizik and his staff. Some of y'all loved Taylor and Luper. I do wish Malzahn had tried to hire Tracy back. As it turned out, Georgia didn't have any trouble hiring him.

[WarTiger 3,927]

I just wanted to say that I really appreciate Gus and this coaching staff. They appear to know how to evaluate and develop talent. I really see the focus on character too which is critical for hard work and team chemistry.

They absolutely do. The future is extremely bright with this staff at Auburn.

I never liked the Chizik hire and frankly never warmed to the previous staff. I think they just went after stars and didn't develop talent or coach players.

Chizik brought recruiting to a new level at Auburn. I agree the staff as a whole didn't do a very good job of developing the wealth of talent they signed.

Chizik just walked up and down the field with an ugly jacket but Gus has that headset on leading the charge.

Chizik had a headset on too for every game he was at Auburn. I also liked the jacket he wore on the sideline.

The previous regime brought in players with questionable character and most of those are no longer with the team.

I completely disagree. Kids often make poor decisions. To assume they have "questionable character" without knowing them is extremely short sighted, IMO.

But the worst was Chizik bringing on the cancer that was Trooper Taylor. He had questionable recruiting tactics and almost got us on probation.

Trooper Taylor was largely recognized as one of the best recruiters in the country. Since you mentioned he had questionable recruiting tactics, I'll ask for you to list them. It shouldn't be that hard since you are so sure of yourself on this one. Almost got us on probation? That couldn't be further from the truth. Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING Trooper Taylor did came anywhere close to getting us put on probation. That's a total joke. It seems to me you have been reading (and buying into) what the uaters said about Trooper and not the actual truth. The uaters hated Trooper taylor because he could recruit. He related to most of those kids more than any other coach in the conference because of what he came from in his own life.

And after he was relieved of duty, he worked against us.

I've seen no evidence of this anywhere.

Meanwhile every post about him on this forum was positive and wishing him well. He doesn't warrant that kind of respect or well wishes IMO. I am not trying to stir the pot but I just wanted to get this off my chest. (Mods you can remove or move if you wish.)

He has my respect for what he came from in his own life and what he became. He has my respect for his part in us winning the national Title in 2010. He has my respect for being a great recruiter and operating within the rules. Being bitter about someone that you really don't know and then buying into the false garbage put out there by some idiot uater with NO FACTS to support it serves no purpose. I am one Auburn fan that absolutely wishes him well on his next coaching stop.

[Tigerswde! 0]

I just wanted to say that I really appreciate Gus and this coaching staff. They appear to know how to evaluate and develop talent. I really see the focus on character too which is critical for hard work and team chemistry.

I never liked the Chizik hire and frankly never warmed to the previous staff. I think they just went after stars and didn't develop talent or coach players. Chizik just walked up and down the field with an ugly jacket but Gus has that headset on leading the charge. The previous regime brought in players with questionable character and most of those are no longer with the team. But the worst was Chizik bringing on the cancer that was Trooper Taylor. He had questionable recruiting tactics and almost got us on probation. And after he was relieved of duty, he worked against us. Meanwhile every post about him on this forum was positive and wishing him well. He doesn't warrant that kind of respect or well wishes IMO. I am not trying to stir the pot but I just wanted to get this off my chest. (Mods you can remove or move if you wish.)

He won a NC at Auburn. Has a Heisman Trophy in the case too as well as the SECCG hardware. Signed Cam. Hired Gus. Put up with fair weather fans like you. What did I miss? Oh, you didn't like his jacket. LMAO

[AU64 10,122]

Good rebuttal WarTiger....thanks....that OP was total crap and I can't believe the poster had to poor judgment to come back and try to defend it. Some AU fans ...or people purporting to be AU fans just make me shudder.

[AUbritt 611]

I just wanted to say that I really appreciate Gus and this coaching staff. They appear to know how to evaluate and develop talent. I really see the focus on character too which is critical for hard work and team chemistry.

They absolutely do. The future is extremely bright with this staff at Auburn.

I never liked the Chizik hire and frankly never warmed to the previous staff. I think they just went after stars and didn't develop talent or coach players.

Chizik brought recruiting to a new level at Auburn. I agree the staff as a whole didn't do a very good job of developing the wealth of talent they signed.

Chizik just walked up and down the field with an ugly jacket but Gus has that headset on leading the charge.

Chizik had a headset on too for every game he was at Auburn. I also liked the jacket he wore on the sideline.

The previous regime brought in players with questionable character and most of those are no longer with the team.

I completely disagree. Kids often make poor decisions. To assume they have "questionable character" without knowing them is extremely short sighted, IMO.

But the worst was Chizik bringing on the cancer that was Trooper Taylor. He had questionable recruiting tactics and almost got us on probation.

Trooper Taylor was largely recognized as one of the best recruiters in the country. Since you mentioned he had questionable recruiting tactics, I'll ask for you to list them. It shouldn't be that hard since you are so sure of yourself on this one. Almost got us on probation? That couldn't be further from the truth. Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING Trooper Taylor did came anywhere close to getting us put on probation. That's a total joke. It seems to me you have been reading (and buying into) what the uaters said about Trooper and not the actual truth. The uaters hated Trooper taylor because he could recruit. He related to most of those kids more than any other coach in the conference because of what he came from in his own life.

And after he was relieved of duty, he worked against us.

I've seen no evidence of this anywhere.

Meanwhile every post about him on this forum was positive and wishing him well. He doesn't warrant that kind of respect or well wishes IMO. I am not trying to stir the pot but I just wanted to get this off my chest. (Mods you can remove or move if you wish.)

He has my respect for what he came from in his own life and what he became. He has my respect for his part in us winning the national Title in 2010. He has my respect for being a great recruiter and operating within the rules. Being bitter about someone that you really don't know and then buying into the false garbage put out there by some idiot uater with NO FACTS to support it serves no purpose. I am one Auburn fan that absolutely wishes him well on his next coaching stop.

Good post, WarTiger.

[ellitor 33,114]

This will be my only post on the issue and people can take it or leave it as they see fit. All Chiz should get credit for is upgrading our overall recruiting and bringing in Gus to coach the O Line and Rock to coach the D Line. Thank the good lord Gus begged Chiz to take Cam or 2010 would have never happened. With those things said, Chiz carries the weight of many mistakes which can mostly be umbrellad into 4 main areas

-His philisophical belief in that Ws come from players raw talent. He did not believe in developing talent and skills

-Limiting Gus's control of the offense. This includes Chiz going back on his word before the 2011 season when he told Gus he would have full reign. This is a big reason why Gus did not take the $3.5 mil job from Vandy in 2011 but took relative pocket change from Arky St in 2012 at $800k

-Cutting Coach Yox's disciplinary authority legs with the players.

-That dad gum, stupid Tampa Flippin 2 Defense of his to where he forced Coach Thig to teach our CBs to not be physical.

Now on to Trooper. This will not be pretty and I know some of you will not accept this no matter what is said. He has swindelled many AU fans to thinking he is a great guy and one that loves AU. That could not be further from the truth, especially the past 15 months. Troop is a great recruiter but poor at player development. The player development is not even my biggest issue with Troop. Since he was fired last December Troop has done nothing but locally tried to get back and undermine AU for letting him go. He had a lot of influence at Auburn and AHS. He pushed both Reuben Foster and Rashaan Evans to Bama. I understand being hurt from losing a job but man up and move on from it. Him pushing Foster an even more so Evans to Bama is completely unforgiveable to me. I am glad that he's not a cancer to the Auburn area anymore since he has gone on to Arky St. I know those are harsh words but his harsh actions the past 15 months deserve those harsh words. For those that read this and still believe the fairy tale about Troop being good for and doing good by Auburn I pray some day your eyes open up to reality when it comes to Troop and Auburn.

[Dixie1860 27]

This will be my only post on the issue and people can take it or leave it as they see fit. All Chiz should get credit for is upgrading our overall recruiting and bringing in Gus to coach the O Line and Rock to coach the D Line. Thank the good lord Gus begged Chiz to take Cam or 2010 would have never happened. With those things said, Chiz carries the weight of many mistakes which can mostly be umbrellad into 4 main areas

-His philisophical belief in that Ws come from players raw talent. He did not believe in developing talent and skills

-Limiting Gus's control of the offense. This includes Chiz going back on his word before the 2011 season when he told Gus he would have full reign. This is a big reason why Gus did not take the $3.5 mil job from Vandy in 2011 but took relative pocket change from Arky St in 2012 at $800k

-Cutting Coach Yox's disciplinary authority legs with the players.

-That dad gum, stupid Tampa Flippin 2 Defense of his to where he forced Coach Thig to teach our CBs to not be physical.

Now on to Trooper. This will not be pretty and I know some of you will not accept this no matter what is said. He has swindelled many AU fans to thinking he is a great guy and one that loves AU. That could not be further from the truth, especially the past 15 months. Troop is a great recruiter but poor at player development. The player development is not even my biggest issue with Troop. Since he was fired last December Troop has done nothing but locally tried to get back and undermine AU for letting him go. He had a lot of influence at Auburn and AHS. He pushed both Reuben Foster and Rashaan Evans to Bama. I understand being hurt from losing a job but man up and move on from it. Him pushing Foster an even more so Evans to Bama is completely unforgiveable to me. I am glad that he's not a cancer to the Auburn area anymore since he has gone on to Arky St. I know those are harsh words but his harsh actions the past 15 months deserve those harsh words. For those that read this and still believe the fairy tale about Troop being good for and doing good by Auburn I pray some day your eyes open up to reality when it comes to Troop and Auburn.

Truth hurts and can be ugly sometimes. But it is still the truth.

[Mr Bad Example 126]

Amen E, & thanks for confirming several things I suspected.