I don't know how to make polls

[AUBURNJAC 53]

From the time he was hired, I saw something special in CGC, and the people like me were definately a minority: A lot of people were upset, sceptical, and angry.

Now, my question for you all is how has your perception changed in the last 2 weeks? Do you like him better now that he has shown the ability to put together a stud staff and is doing a great job recruiting?

This is for discussion only, I'm anxious to read what you guys write.

[OldNewby 27]

I was angry the Saturday that it became evident that CGC was our new HC. But I got over it by his Monday PC.

Now I look back and wonder what was I thinking. He said he had a plan. And boy oh boy, am I excited about his plan so far. War Eagle, Coach Chizik!

[RunInRed 19,665]

His staff hires give me reason to be optimistic. Jury will be out on recruiting for awhile. He's basically shoring up xCTT's diamonds this year. However, I am encouraged by his willingness to engage recruits who Tuberville wouldn't pursue.

[DCWarEagle 0]

I thought it was a terrible hire by Jay Jacobs, but I always supported Chizik. I was pretty dubious about his chances for success though.

So far Chizik has exeeded my expectations with his staff. Obviously nothing will be certain until he gets some games under his belt, but I feel better about it now than I did when he was announced.

I still think JJ is an idiot that needs to be fired.

[FootballFanatic 4]

The hire of Gus Mahlzan and a few other offensive coaches has made me optimistic.

I still am not sure the CGC hire was a good one, but I am really excited to see what he can do in 2009 and 2010. Id say I am very happy we didn't see an all Auburn men hire and we have some "Great at their job and soon to be Auburn Men" hires.

[Tigermike 4,304]

When he was first hired I was surprised to say the least. But knowing he had been a very good DC at both AUBURN & Texas I was optimistic. Since then he has done nothing to make me less optimistic. As I have said in several other threads I think Gene Chizik will surprise a lot of folks in the SEC and around the country. So far the assistants he has hired are looking good.

To say this spring training will be exciting for AU & AU fans is an understatement. I am ready to see a scrimmage or two.

War Eagle!

[buzzurd24 11]

I was not happy when he was hired but I vowed to support him 100%. Since then, he has made a lot of good moves. I think he has done a lot of the little stuff right. Whether that translates into wins...we will have to wait and see.

[autigeremt 7,551]

It's getting better all the time.....and more to come

[jw 4 au 548]

I thought it was a terrible hire by Jay Jacobs, but I always supported Chizik. I was pretty dubious about his chances for success though.

So far Chizik has exeeded my expectations with his staff. Obviously nothing will be certain until he gets some games under his belt, but I feel better about it now than I did when he was announced.

I still think JJ is an idiot that needs to be fired.

I agree except on the last sentence. I was skeptical of JJ at first, but not so much anymore. Of the coaches we interviewed or were "rumored" to be interested in, the bowls have proven JJ correct. Gill got out coached by UConn, and the Buffalo offense was anemic. Patterson and Peterson both looked just OK in their bowls, but nothing to get excited about. Spurrier seems old and already looking forward to the next phase of his life playing in golf Pro-Ams. Paul Johnson got a raise out of the situation, but I am glad he did not end up here in Auburn with that offense (or defense). Nutt looked good, but I don't think Auburn was serious on him other than his agent getting him the pay raise. Nix and Garner were just gift interviews to former players. We'll see about Brady Hoke (against our future OC) tomorrow. Who did I leave out?

In addition, you have to credit JJ for not dealing with Sexton in regards to Chizik’s contract. Bold move, but the right one. In retrospect, I think the Chizik hire was a well thought out hire. It seems to me, Auburn will start to recruit Texas more now than in the past. From the bowls, Kyle Whittingham seems to be a guy to be excited about. Whatever program lands him will get a good, solid coach. Makes you think Mullen to MSU may be a good hire too.

[GaCoach 0]

I can't say I was happy going back to Tommy being fired. As a HS coach, I liked Coach Tubs and all of the former staff (maybe my personal feelings clouded my vision).

I was also very surprised when Chizik was hired. I met Gene and got to know him while he was here before. I like him and I think he is a man of character and integrity, much like Coach Tubs, which was what I wanted in a replacement. I didn't want to see Auburn 'sell its soul to the devil' like the school up the road did. My belief has been that the success of Auburn/Coach Chizik will be in the staff he hires. I don't know anything about the three most recent guys he hired, but from you guys have posted on here about them, they sound like very good coaches. I'm not ready to put Malzhan up on a pedestal the way we all did when Tony Franklin got hired, but I'm OK with it. My reservation is that he has been Tulsa's CO-OC. The O-line coach is the other and is in charge of their running game so with that said I don't believe Auburn will be leading the nation in offense next season, but I hope I'm wrong.

My excitement does grow each day and I look forward to seeing the team play next fall.

[subterranean_jack 113]

It's hard to say at this point, because the bottomline will be wins.

I like the way the coaching staff is shaping up, but it is going to be difficult to get more than 5-7 wins the next two years with the offense as messed up as it is. I think we can expect improvement on offense but not miracles. After a couple less than spectacular seasons, I think Chizik and Malzahn will have Auburn contending for the SEC title, if they get the time to rebuild the program, particularly recruiting.

[LegalEagle 22]

Things keep looking better, but there are milestones ahead in which to gauge CGC:

1. Top recruits added to our list by signing day.

2. Spring game performances plus the fan turn out for the game. Can we pack the stadium?

3. Game results.

I am optimistic now, but I also remember how optimistic we were at the start of this year.

I also wonder why it seems that it appears difficult for a team with a great offense to have a great defense. Can we be an exception.

[Draven 0]

I think I was still more upset that we fired Tubs then the hiring of CGC, but I cant say I was all to happy about the hire either. I have since listened to Chizik at his presser, look at the assistants he is pulling in and I cant help but admit I am really starting to like the guy and getting excited about the season.

War Damn Chizik

[RunInRed 19,665]

Packing a stadium for a spring game is NOT a gauge. We aren't bammers.

[woody 11]

Packing a stadium for a spring game is NOT a guage. We aren't bammers.

You took the word's right out of my mouth. I have a job .and I'm not driving 4 hrs to watch a glorified scrimmage!

[HuntsvilleTiger 0]

I've definitely gotten over the sick feeling I had when I heard of CGC's hiring, but I still reserve the right to wait until I see what his fielded team looks like. I do like the staff hires so far though which is causing me to look forward to spring training and the season!

WDE!

[OldNewby 27]

Packing a stadium for a spring game is NOT a gauge. We aren't bammers.

Correctomondo!

But, God willing, I'll be there.

[cadillacattack 0]

Like many, I supported Tuberville to the end but I also recognized that the politics at AU made it impossible for him to stay, so I embraced the need for change. But embracing the need for change doesn’t mean that all change is positive.

IMO, Auburn’s needs were (1) Recruiting, (2) Offense, and (3) organizing and uniting the Auburn family.

So how do the changes to date address our problems? JMO:

Recruiting

Outside of Trooper, I’m not impressed. (We already had Willis, so securing him doesn’t represent an improvement, IMO). Auburn doesn’t need a marginal effort in addressing it’s primary deficiency, it needs an exceptional approach …. but unless we get Garner or someone with a similar proven reputation, we will continue to take a backseat to Georgia, Florida, and Alabama, as we do now. Until last week, Chizik has been out on the recruiting trail defending his atrocious record at ISU instead of selling what AU can offer. Personally, I don’t care about CGC’s record at ISU, but I do care about his ability to recruit …. and he needs to beef-up this current staff by adding a DC that is an uber-stud recruiter, …. someone intimately familiar with the HS coaching network within 200 miles of Auburn.

Offense

For starters, I believe Malzahn is an innovative offensive-mind in CFB. I never felt that way about Franklin, even though 100,000+ Auburn fans were convinced he was the juice, so pardon me for some of my skepticism directed at my brethren. I’ve got mad respect for CGM, but I also can acknowledge that he one of the least-experienced OC’s in CFB. That said, I’m bullish on CGM’s ability to develop a solid QB by 2010.

Auburn Family

Same as it has been for the past decade really …... until we are blessed with strong leadership governing all of our athletic programs, we will continue to see marginal results and a divided AU family. Hell, I’m not even convinced that is what the PTB wants since it is easier to control a house divided.

The same fans that are infatuated with Chizik’s media coachspeak are the same fans that will eventually use it to criticize him in a year or two …. the same as they did with CTT. I’m not naïve enough to believe everything the media produces, especially given the unfriendly media environment that our current administration continues to ignore ….. the same administration that publicly sees it’s fans as little more than “customers.”

In summary, I love and support AU, but I’m not buying the bandwagon-fueled hype I’ve been hearing of late. I’m reserving judgement until the staff is complete and we’ve had an opportunity over the next 3-4 weeks to see real recruiting instead of the filler we’ve been reading about. Our coaching staff is partially made up of guys that few heard of before last week, including the local media. So color me a bit skeptical until “Chizik’s plan” becomes public knowledge.

Bottom line, we’ll likely be a 4-5 win program next season as we rebuild with a green staff and quarterback. In 2010, our schedule will provide some much needed relief and I would expect the added player-leadership will put us back in the bowl hunt. If all goes well, we can likely win 8 or more in 2010. If we fix recruiting, we’ll be back in the SECC by 2011/2012.

But the question that continues to nag is whether the AU fanbase will be patient enough to wait 4 years for meaningful results ...... it's anybody's guess. WDE.

[FootballFanatic 4]

I may try to drag my rear end to the spring game. It wouldn't hurt for the fans to show their support for this new staff and the kids out there after the year they suffered. They have been through a lot and being inspired by a full stadium of supporters would be tremendous.

[AUBURNJAC 53]

THIS IS GREAT!!!!!! WAY MORE OPTIMISM!!!!!!!! That's what I was hoping for! I LOVE having our glasses half full!

[AU alum 2]

From the time he was hired, I saw something special in CGC, and the people like me were definately a minority: A lot of people were upset, sceptical, and angry.

Now, my question for you all is how has your perception changed in the last 2 weeks? Do you like him better now that he has shown the ability to put together a stud staff and is doing a great job recruiting?

This is for discussion only, I'm anxious to read what you guys write.

I have to admit, I thought that when Chizik was hired, Pat Dye would be picking all the assistants. And I thought that Lowder, Ranes, and Dye would be pulling all the strings. I am happy to admit that it doesn't look like Dye or anyone else for that matter has been being Chizik choosing the assistants. He seems to be doing that all himself, and quite well, it seems. Well, to be truthful, I think that Malzahn might be working with him on choosing the Offensive assistants, which is a breath of fresh air. I think they are doing great!

Now, to be absolutely truthful, we haven't seen the PTB pulling strings - yet! I'm holding my breath on that one.

And yes, my perception has changed in the last 2 weeks. I feel good about the way the staff is being built and promise toward a good recruiting year.

[woody 11]

Like many, I supported Tuberville to the end but I also recognized that the politics at AU made it impossible for him to stay, so I embraced the need for change. But embracing the need for change doesn’t mean that all change is positive.

IMO, Auburn’s needs were (1) Recruiting, (2) Offense, and (3) organizing and uniting the Auburn family.

So how do the changes to date address our problems? JMO:

Recruiting

Outside of Trooper, I’m not impressed. (We already had Willis, so securing him doesn’t represent an improvement, IMO). Auburn doesn’t need a marginal effort in addressing it’s primary deficiency, it needs an exceptional approach …. but unless we get Garner or someone with a similar proven reputation, we will continue to take a backseat to Georgia, Florida, and Alabama, as we do now. Until last week, Chizik has been out on the recruiting trail defending his atrocious record at ISU instead of selling what AU can offer. Personally, I don’t care about CGC’s record at ISU, but I do care about his ability to recruit …. and he needs to beef-up this current staff by adding a DC that is an uber-stud recruiter, …. someone intimately familiar with the HS coaching network within 200 miles of Auburn.

Offense

For starters, I believe Malzahn is an innovative offensive-mind in CFB. I never felt that way about Franklin, even though 100,000+ Auburn fans were convinced he was the juice, so pardon me for some of my skepticism directed at my brethren. I’ve got mad respect for CGM, but I also can acknowledge that he one of the least-experienced OC’s in CFB. That said, I’m bullish on CGM’s ability to develop a solid QB by 2010.

Auburn Family

Same as it has been for the past decade really …... until we are blessed with strong leadership governing all of our athletic programs, we will continue to see marginal results and a divided AU family. Hell, I’m not even convinced that is what the PTB wants since it is easier to control a house divided.

The same fans that are infatuated with Chizik’s media coachspeak are the same fans that will eventually use it to criticize him in a year or two …. the same as they did with CTT. I’m not naïve enough to believe everything the media produces, especially given the unfriendly media environment that our current administration continues to ignore ….. the same administration that publicly sees it’s fans as little more than “customers.”

In summary, I love and support AU, but I’m not buying the bandwagon-fueled hype I’ve been hearing of late. I’m reserving judgement until the staff is complete and we’ve had an opportunity over the next 3-4 weeks to see real recruiting instead of the filler we’ve been reading about. Our coaching staff is partially made up of guys that few heard of before last week, including the local media. So color me a bit skeptical until “Chizik’s plan” becomes public knowledge.

Bottom line, we’ll likely be a 4-5 win program next season as we rebuild with a green staff and quarterback. In 2010, our schedule will provide some much needed relief and I would expect the added player-leadership will put us back in the bowl hunt. If all goes well, we can likely win 8 or more in 2010. If we fix recruiting, we’ll be back in the SECC by 2011/2012.

But the question that continues to nag is whether the AU fanbase will be patient enough to wait 4 years for meaningful results ...... it's anybody's guess. WDE.

I would like to thank you !

On behalf of all Auburn fan's who were getting Excited about our future and or program.

Thank you! For bringing us down and showing us how bleak and dismal our live will be.

And I personally would like to thank you ! For showing us we have no future.

And as for our new staff , I don't know how I could have missed how pathetic and pittyful they all are.

And wow recruiting ! We may as well pack in there too.

It's over ! We are all going to dye , Just like our beloved program. And from the bottom of my hart.

Thanks you for brightening my day too !

[quietfan 233]

Absolutely, when hired, he wasn't my first choice. Wasn't even on my list... But as I told friends: "I'm just trying to pretend it's actually 2005 (i.e., pre-ISU). CGC would have looked like a great hire then!"

Still, Chizik is definitely winning me over:

1) He said all the right things at his introductory press conference ("I love Auburn"..."we're going to win"...etc.). Sure that's standard coachspeak for a new hire anywhere, but his enthusiasm made me feel better.

2) He hit the recruiting trail immediately and hard, shoring up some of our waffling commits. (Nice to see Eltoro finally coming to campus, after what seems like years of waiting!) Convincing A. Coleman to stay added to my positive impression of his ability to sway players.

3) His staff hires have all been far, far better than I expected. The prospects of "Malzahn-Ball" has me really excited (especially after watching what the Utes did Friday night).

As I told someone the other day--I may not be 100% on the Chizik bandwagon yet, but I find myself jogging along beside it, intentionally or not!

WDE!

[SKCAUB 0]

From the time he was hired, I saw something special in CGC, and the people like me were definately a minority: A lot of people were upset, sceptical, and angry.

Now, my question for you all is how has your perception changed in the last 2 weeks? Do you like him better now that he has shown the ability to put together a stud staff and is doing a great job recruiting?

This is for discussion only, I'm anxious to read what you guys write.

Mine has not changed. I will not drink the Kool Aid.... I will not accept any more Bobby Lowder.... Sorry...that's just me...I'm tired of it.

From reading most of the other boards, as well as this one, I see that mine is a lost cause...but I still think it's a cause worth fighting for. I say, get rid of Cheeze Whiz, Lowder, Jacobs and Gogue.

It matters not to me, what kind of job Chizik does, or who he hires, or how well he recruits...it's the danged principle of the thing. I will not be moved...not this time.

JMHO....

[TigerEyes1914 1]

I was pretty irate at the fact that AU hired what seemed (on paper anyway) to be the worst HC in the running. It took some time for me to get beyond that and actually find some glimmers of hope for our program. I have been impressed with the resume of his hires. They all seem like very football savy guys with a passion for recruiting and innovation.

Obviously, the true test will be the product that is put on the field and the discipline and development that our team shows off the field. Apparently AU has given him alot of resources to pick a great staff but now he has to manage the day-to-day activities of the program. This is where the rubber mets the road and with such a great staff coming together I think his already short leash might be a bit shorter. If he can manage a 7 win season, that would be a great start to his era.