Chizik: Recruit now, build staff later

[AUSportTalk 4]

Gene Chizik just wrapped up an interesting interview on Birmingham radio station WJOX . Normally, a coach doing the talk radio circuit isn't blog-worthy, but Chizik hasn't had much time to talk since his formal introduction on Monday.

Chizik did say what has become increasingly obvious this week: His first priority is recruiting aggressively up until the dead period (which begins Saturday at midnight). After that, he will start assembling his staff.

"I'm going to be fighting and battling and scrapping for the next two days," he said. "When that slows down, then we'll go in the next direction and that is to start putting together the best Auburn staff that we can put together."

Chizik sounded like he already knows who many of the coaches are going to be, but he didn't share any details. Read below for his full comments.

As we talked about the game of chess, you've always got to have a plan, you're always staying three or four steps ahead, and I am that way right now with our staff.

The decision I had to make when I took the job is do I put all my time into creating a staff, knowing I already know basically what direction I'm headed, or do I go out there and find out who my recruits are? Obviously, one right now is much more important than the other, and that's getting out and seeing who these kids are and getting in the door.

The staff is going to be there. Many of them know the direction that I want to go. When we get done with this -- I'm going to be fighting and battling and scrapping for the next two days. When that slows down, then we'll go in the next direction and that is to start putting together the best Auburn staff that we can put together.

I feel real good about it. Obviously I can't divulge exactly what direction we're going to go in. But I can tell the Auburn people that it will be an extremely good staff.

[UgotChizzedOn 0]

If Chizik handles SEC opponents like he has handled negative feelings from fans we could be in for a couple of good years. He really is doing and saying a lot of things right this first week as a head coach.

[RunningBackU1345162763 0]

Agreed.  Hopefully this staff will be as good as the one he is promising. 

[Jackson-Sullivan 0]

Definitely reason for optimism!