The scoop on Malzahn

Gus Malzahn, Auburn's new offensive coordinator:

I love this hire for Auburn. This is the guy Auburn should have hired instead of Tony Franklin. However, I believe the Franklin fiasco was necessary for Gus Malzahn to be successful here.

The difference between the two is that Malzahn's offense is much more physical. He say's many people classify it as a "spread," but that it's really not that way in his mind. There are no gimmicks with this offense, from what I understand. 

He has had 1000+ yard rushers in each of his three seasons as a college offensive coordinator.

He says to be successful you have to be able to run the ball first. I wholeheartedly agree with that and think most other Auburn folks would also agree. He says running sets up the pass, mostly via play-action. One wrinkle he is apparently going to throw into Auburn's new offense is throwing the ball down the field, A LOT.

This is pretty foreign to most of us and I believe will be a welcome change. We saw it a little bit in 2004 with Jason Campbell, but none since (mostly due to our quarterbacks, for various different reasons). Now, it may not be pretty next year and Malzahn is definitely going to have a lot of work to do with Kodi Burns' fundamentals. If he is successful with Burns in the offseason,I think Burns will remain the starter. But I think there is a great chance one of the other quarterbacks could step up (Todd, Caudle or most notably, Trotter). And Ray Cotton may still end up an Auburn Tiger and get into the mix. That said, I think Burns will be the guy. Malzahn said that in addition to playing against them as a coach when they were in high school, he recruited Burns and Lee Ziemba, so he is very familiar with them. That is great news for Burns, and should speak for his potential as a quarterback.

Also, it should be noted that Tulsa, from Conference USA, has a four-star quarterback commitment by the name of Shovodrick Beaver, who is currently ranked as the No. 8 dual-threat quarterback in the country and the No. 5 scrambler. Cotton is the No. 12 dual-threat quarterback and the No. 3 scrambler. If you ask me, Beaver is a better fit for a balanced offense, but you really never know. And here's the kicker: Beaver is a fairly recent commit to Tulsa and Malzahn was his recruiter. In my opinion, there is an outside chance that he could convince Beaver to commit to Auburn. He has also been recruited by the likes of Texas Tech, Arizona, Michigan and TCU.

Beyond that, don't forget that Malzahn was the OC at Arkansas when Darren McFadden and Felix Jones ran ALL OVER US several years ago at home. That should tell you that this guy is serious about moving the ball. If he can do it on the ground, I believe he will do it. If it must come through the air, I believe he will do that. Only time will tell.

If you really want to delve into this thing and see what Malzahn is all about, check out these links to see what the stats were like at Tulsa this year and last year and at Arkansas when he was there:

http://tulsa.rivals.com/playerstats.asp

http://tulsa.rivals.com/playerstats.asp?Team=TULSA&year=2007

http://arkansas.rivals.com/playerstats.asp?Team=ARKANSAS&year=2006

Chizik retains Willis

News came today that new Auburn Head Coach Gene Chizik will retain former linebackers coach James Willis.

Willis has coached the linebackers at Auburn since 2006. He was a standout linebacker at Auburn from 1990 to 1992. He played seven seasons in the NFL.

This is great news for Auburn. Not only is Willis a great coach, but he is also an outstanding recruiter - widely considered Auburn's best recruiter. He is a high-energy guy and has been in on the recruitment of quite a few of Auburn's original 27 commitments.

What does this mean? It means that several of the guys Auburn lost when Tommy Tuberville resigned may be convinced to come back - most notably, Ray Cotton. Cotton withdrew his commitment when news hit that Willis would not be retained.

Now, I'm sure that Cotton will wait to see who Auburn hires as an offensive coordinator and evaluates what type of program he will run.

This should be fantastic news for Auburn fans - I am elated.

Chizik will also retain team chaplain the Rev. Chette Williams, Director of Football Operations Jimmy Perry, Director of NFL relations Phillip Lolley and Strength and Conditioning Coach Kevin Yoxall.

It's always a great idea to keep your director of football operations, as this is the person who coordinates the whole program and typically knows everything there is to know about the football program, and your team chaplain, as this is the person who guides the players through their hard times and through the coaching change. Players really bond with the chaplain, especially at Auburn.

It has also been reported that UGA offensive line coach Stacey Searels will NOT join Chizik's staff, but will instead remain at Georgia.

No room for racism in SEC football

-- This is my column that will appear in the Citizen of East Alabama Wednesday --

In the wake of Auburn University’s decision to hire Gene Chizik as its next head football coach, there has been a strong public outcry of disappointment. But beyond that, there have been a few people who cried that Auburn is racist for choosing Chizik over Turner Gill, who happens to be black.

The funny thing is that the racial argument is coming primarily from one group of people: the media. Sure, you could make a strong argument that Chizik might not have been the best choice for the job, but to say he was chosen over Gill because Gill is black or because he is married to a white woman is ridiculous and unfair.

Not only has Gill, himself, come out and said he would not have been a good fit for the Auburn job, but so have players and other coaches. Nobody but Jay Jacobs and Turner Gill know what was said in his interview. Maybe his plan was simply not very good.

Not to mention that I have on pretty good word that one of Auburn’s recent black assistant coaches is married to a white woman. How then, can anybody say that’s the reason Gill was not hired? Especially when that particular coach was one of Auburn’s lead recruiters…

When winning football games is one of the most important things at a school, such as Auburn, I promise you there is no room for racism. I guarantee that if the powers at be at Auburn believed hiring Turner Gill, or any other black, green or yellow coach would help win recruits and ultimately football games, that it would be a done deal. But that’s not necessarily the case. They believe Gene Chizik will help them win recruits and football games, bottom line.

What really upsets me the most about the whole situation is this: of all the coaching searches and hirings that have taken place the last two months, why is Auburn the only school being questioned as racist?

What about Clemson, or Tennessee, or Syracuse – none of which even interviewed a minority coach? Syracuse is less than two hours away from Buffalo, where Gill is now. It really makes a lot of sense that Syracuse should have hired Gill – being that he already knows how to recruit the area. But they didn’t. What about Nebraska last year? Gill is an alumnus there. If he is so good, why did they pass on him? Why aren’t these schools being called racist? What about Iowa State? They just hired Paul Rhodes. Why aren’t they being called racist?

It just doesn’t make sense, until you consider the source of the information. None of the schools I just mentioned have a loudmouth celebrity alumnus who is willing to betray his alma mater to get attention.

Of course, I’m referring to Sir Charles Barkley. I loved him as a basketball player, but most often nowadays, I just wish he would keep his mouth shut. He’s kind of a joke in the media ranks and what he says should be taken simply as entertainment. But when somebody of his stature says something about his own, unfortunately the media is going to run with it. Luckily, it seems to be blowing over.

Check out these national columns that defend Auburn - not only in the racial argument, but also in the hiring of Gene Chizik. I will add to this list as I re-find them.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/8959530/Gill-needs-to-find-program-that-fits-him?MSNHPHMA

http://ugadogsblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/garner-no-token-interview.html

Just a reminder:

To everyone who criticizes Auburn for hiring Gene Chizik because he has a losing record as a head coach, and especially to Alabama fans:

Don't forget that Gene Stallings was a consistent, proven loser as a head coach before he became head coach of Alabama. Here are some interesting numbers:

Texas A&M Aggies (1965 - 1971) :   27-45-1

St. Louis Cardinals (1986 - 1989) : 23-34-1

Then, 

Alabama Crimson Tide (1990 - 1996) : 62-25

Before he ever stepped foot on Alabama's campus, he had a combined record of 50 wins to 75 losses. That seems a whole lot worse to me than 5-19 at a doormat school like Iowa State. He should have been able to win at A&M. And St. Louis was a pro team, where he also should have been able to win (but that's not uncommon for college coaches). So don't be so quick to judge Chizik.

Racist? Are you kidding?!?!

How can people say it was a racial decision not to hire Turner Gill!?!?!?

What about Mississippi State, or Nebraska last year, or Clemson, or Tennessee or Syracuse?? Are they also racist, then, for not hiring Gill?  

What about Iowa State? Will they be considered racist if they don't hire Turner Gill?  

By the way, Byron Franklin is black and he is on Auburn University's board of trustees. I guess Auburn should remove him since he is black and Auburn is racist. Right??

What a load of crap. 

Gene Chizik was not my first choice either. But he's a hell of a coach and recruiter and anyone who does his or her research would know that. HE STARTED 11 TRUE FRESHMAN AT IOWA STATE LAST YEAR. Anyone who understands how rebuilding a program works and installing your system at a place where your ideas are foreign should see that it's not fair to judge Chizik on two years at Iowa State.  

Chizik's ideas are very similar with those of Tuberville, Gill's are not. Plus, nobody knows what happened in those interviews. Gill may have had completely different ideas for the Auburn program than most people would like to see (maybe he wanted to implement a spread offense, or believes offense wins games - not an Auburn belief). 

Since Tuberville was tired of being influenced by the administration, he left. Chizik, however, is not tired of it. So guess what, Chizik just may be the second coming of Tuberville.

Oh yeah, and Charles Barkley's mom is racist for not marrying a white man.

My view on Chizik:

Gene Chizik is probably a great fit for Auburn, although he's a HUGE gamble. He is one of the greatest defensive minds in the country, even if his only success has come as an assistant coach.

There are several facets to this hire.

First and foremost, he is a great person who knows how to raise guys from high school students into young men. He is straightforward and honest with his players, which they love. He graduates his players and teaches good morals.

Second, he loves Auburn and left four years ago only to further his career. He hoped one day to return - not sure he expected it this soon.

Third, his defense at Auburn was the best in the nation in 2004, and it was top five in 2003. His defense at Texas was top ten in 2005. He was the defensive coordinator for four seasons (1998-01) at Central Florida, where he improved a unit that ranked 81st in total defense before his arrival to one that was 16th in the country in 2001. He is an incredible teacher as far as X's and O's.

Fourth, he is only 5-19 as a head coach in two years at Iowa State.

He is a proven defensive coordinator. NOBODY will question that. But as a head coach he is only 5-19 in two seasons. Only two of those wins came this year. In your second year at a school, shouldn't you win more than two games? You would think so. I'm not at all familiar with the situation at Iowa State, but I suspect Chizik's lack of success there can be attributed largely to only having two years to recruit the type of players he needs.

As far as on the field, his defense is largely based on Monte Kiffin's "Tampa Two," which relies on speed over size and the state of Iowa is not exactly known for its speedy players - it's players are more of the "corn-fed" type. Plus, he starter 11 true freshmen this season at Iowa State - often the sign of a program in transition.

So, his philosophy is a huge plus for Auburn, which dresses out one of the fastest teams in the SEC each year. There is no doubt Auburn will continue to put good defenses on the field.

His system, philosophically: Defensive ends are undersized and line up wide so they can move around. Defensive tackles try to hit the gaps with aggression in order to apply pressure. Linebackers are undersized but very fast so they can run sideline to sideline. The secondary plays zone coverage with two deep safeties. It's a great defense that has worked for Kiffin and the Tampa Bay Bucs for years.

Plus, he's a coach who teaches players to be physical on the field and has already said Auburn will return to the hard-nosed, run-first approach - that should please the Auburn nation.

According to former players, Chizik is a great hire; they love him. They say he has the fire and knowledge and work ethic to be very successful at Auburn. Current players also seem excited, based on their first team meeting with the guy (plus a few who were recruited by Chizik in 2004). This is very encouraging. 

If these guys say he is the right guy, then I say they are probably right. I'm happy that he fits in with the "Auburn Family" and is a morally good choice as far as academic success and off-the-field performance.

However, I do understand the unrest many Auburn fans are feeling right now, and I see where naysayers are coming from. How can you hire a guy who only won five games in two season in the Big XII? Now, had he chosen to stay at Texas rather than jump at his first chance to be a head coach, he probably would have won another Broyles award for top assistant coach and would likely still be the hottest name in head coaching searches, more so than Will Muschamp. But it's curious that Auburn would choose somebody with such a severely losing record.

It's also curious that the announcement comes only a day after TCU's Gary Patterson withdrew his name from consideration. It looks like Chizik was Auburn's second choice, at best. But that's not uncommon for any school and often works out for the better.

As an Auburn fan, I would have loved to see a proven winner come in, but Auburn may have gotten a steal - especially with only a $75,000 buyout and a reported $2 million salary per year (that's not a lot in the top-notch SEC programs). If he wins, the raises will obviously follow. If he can recruit against Saban, Richt, Meyer and Kiffin, Auburn has a chance to be VERY good in the somewhat near future. But if not, we'll fall into obscurity over the next couple of years and try this thing again soon.

Overall, I'm really not worried. I believe Auburn will likely win more games than it loses next year, but it largely depends on who he brings in to coach the offense (and how he can recruit -- BTW, he recruited such Auburn DBs as Jerraud Powers, Aairon Savage and Walt McFadden). He will need to restock some key positions very soon and Auburn fans will HAVE TO BE PATIENT and not scream for his job if next year doesn't go as well as they think it should. 

I don't doubt he can win with good players, but can he continue to bring in good players? Hopefully he's not just another Terry Bowden, and I don't think he is.

Kirk Herbstreit likes the hire a lot, and the deeper I look into it, the more I like it as well. Check this out: http://auburnundercover.com/news/articles/2008/12/14/espns-kirk-herbstreit-says-outstanding-hire

What people are saying:

Thanks to Andy Bitter of War Eagle Extra for most of these quotes. They made me feel a lot better:

• Gene Chizik's statement from the release Saturday:
  

“Through my travels in coaching over the last 23 years, there’s one place that I’ve always wanted to return to and that is Auburn. The tradition of the Auburn football program combined with the passionate fans and their love for Auburn are second to none. My family and I are Auburn through and through, and look forward to being part of the Auburn family and community.

“I am dedicated to working tirelessly to win championships. We will not be outworked in any facet of the building process. I’m excited to get on the recruiting trail, meeting with the current players and reconnecting with past players. We want to develop young men into champions not only on the playing field, but in the classroom and in the community.”

Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs' comment in the release:

“I’m extremely proud and excited to have Gene returning to Auburn to take over as head football coach of this program. I know that we have found the right fit for Auburn. Gene’s body of work during his 23 years in this profession is remarkable. He has a strong knowledge of this athletics program, this university and the community, and he knows how to be successful in the Southeastern Conference. He is a high-energy coach that is an outstanding motivator and demands a tough, physical style of football. I’m confident that Gene can build upon the foundation that has been established and make this a program that competes for championships on a consistent basis.”

• Auburn linebacker and Shaw High star Antarrious Williams, who played for Chizik when he was the Tigers' defensive coordinator from 2002-04, was on hand as well. Here's what he had to say:
  

What are your thoughts of the hire?
Extremely elated. I think we got the right guy. All along, we interviewed 6, 7, 8 guys -- I don’t know -- before we hired Chizik. I said: Where is Gene Chizik? Where is Gene Chizik? He was my No. 1 choice before they even mentioned him. I think Jay Jacobs got this right on the head. A lot of people are underestimating Gene Chizik’s coaching ability and mo9tivating players and players buying into the system, which is the key right now. That’s whyAlabama’s successful -- players are buying into Nick Saban’s system. It’s not that what they’re doing is so great. It’s that players believe what he’s saying. Players will buy into Gene Chizik.

What was he like as a coach?
He’s a fiery guy, I couldn’t tell you one time I can remember him cussing one players out, but he got on to us. He coached us hard. When Chizik left, it hurt us more to lose the guy than the coach. He’s a really good coach, but players were sad to lose Gene Chizik as a person as well. That just speaks highly of his character. I think he’s just the right fit for us right now.

• CB Walt McFadden
  

His reaction to the hire
"I'm kind of happy by seeing him come back. He's the one who got me here. He's the one who gave me a comfort of coming to Auburn, with me being from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I didn't know anything about Auburn. He told me a lot. Just being aroundCarlos Rogers when I was here on my recruiting visit, he just comforted me and told me all about coach Chizik and just gave me a lot of hype about it. "

On tonight's team meeting
"He just said he was a loyalty person. There's going to be change, but it's going to be for the great. He's not looking to rebuild. We're looking for that 13-0 season again. When he left off, he was 13-0. He's planning on being 13-0 next season."

On the last few weeks
"Just trying to find out who we are again. Before Tubs left us, we were all trying to find what it takes to be a better Auburn Tiger football player. And then soon as he left, we were trying to gain that knowledge, that comfort and he left us. Who are we? Then you know, we've been sticking around with Brother Chette, you know doing our bible studies and Coach Yox is helping us out. Now tonight, Coach Chizik coming right in and talking to us gives us a lot of comfort."

On the mood of the team
"First we were wondering, 'Who's this guy.' The people who wasn't recruited by him was like who's this guy. He came in and everybody just calmed down and it was a big relief that we finally got somebody we could trust."

• TE Tommy Trott
  

On Sunday's team meeting
"He really didn't introduce himself off the bat. I wondered if everybody knew who he was but I'm sure off T.V. and the internet had got familiar with his face. He just came in and said how pumped he was and how jacked he was to be back at a place that he loved. The last time he was in this room he was 13-0. He walked out of that room 13-0 and he plans on getting us back there."

On what Chizik's plan for Auburn is next year
"He said a lot of those seniors out there, he kind of spoke to me, a lot of those seniors out there don't be worried. This isn't a rebuilding thing. I'm not going to start from the ground up. We're coming out next year and we're going to be a lot better football team."

On Chizik's style
"You can tell he's going to be out there motivating us. He sounds like he's going to be a little more hands-on. He's probably going to snatch you up at a practice. He's going to have things done his way, he said. We're going to get back to being physical. If you don't love football, get out, because you better love football to what we're about to do. In a weird way that's very inspiring."

• CB Jerraud Powers
  

His reaction to the hire
"I was just happy it was over. That was the most part. I'm glad they chose a guy like coach Chizik. I just think, from the players' standpoint, we're just happy it's all over. Now we can go back to no worries and just doing what we're doing. Lately, since the thing happened, it's been kind of crazy around here. We're just happy it's over. "

Former Auburn Players who played for Gene Chizik:

Carlos Rogers, Washington Redskins, Former Auburn All-American, 2004 Thorpe Award Winner

"This was the best decision Auburn could have made. Coach Chizik was like a dad to me. From a player and student point of view he's exactly what Auburn needs in a head coach."

Carnell Williams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Former Auburn All-American Running Back

"Coach Chizik is a players' coach. Even though he was on the defensive side of the ball, he taught all of us the importance of hard work. He's the kind of coach recruits hope to get to play for, and I think this is a great hire. I'm excited for Auburn."

Dontarrious Thomas, Minnesota Vikings, Former Auburn linebacker

"Gene Chizik will make a great addition for Auburn. He knows the game of football and knows how to motivate and relate to young athletes. He knows how to motivate them to be successful not only on the field but in the classroom and in the game of life. He will be a blessing for the players and for Auburn University." 

Gene Chizik hired; the facts

• Helped Auburn and Texas to consecutive undefeated seasons in 2004 and 2005. 

• Worked as defensive coordinator at Auburn from 2002-2004, going 13-0 in 2004. Chizik's 2004 defense led the nation in scoring defense (11.3 ppg) and was fifth nationally in total defense, allowing just 277.6 yards a contest. In three years at Auburn, Chizik helped the Tigers to a 30-9 mark including an 18-6 Southeastern Conference record. In 2003, Auburn's defense was fifth nationally in total defense.

• Worked as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Texas, where he had a 22-3 record.

• Coached 3 consecutive Thorpe Award Winners (Nation's best defensive back): Auburn's Carlos Rogers in 2004, Texas' Michael Huff in 2005 and Aaron Ross in 2006.

• Was a part of 23 consecutive victories, spanning from 2003 at Auburn to 2006 at Texas.

• He has a 5-19 record as a head coach, all at Iowa State.

• He has as many career wins as head coach Tommy Tuberville did in his worst season as a head coach.

• His Cyclones failed to win a Big 12 game this year, despite not playing any of the conference's heavyweights -- Oklahoma, Texas or Texas Tech.

• Iowa State lost 10 straight games to end the season and was tied for the second-longest losing streak in the nation with SMU. Only Washington, which hast lost 14 straight and fired its coach, has a longer streak. His defense allowed 35.8 points per game, ranking 11oth nationally.

• He fired two assistants and demoted both his offensive and defensive coordinators less than two weeks ago.
  

Big Names begin to surface

Going along with my previous post, the Montgomery NBC affiliate is reporting that Steve Spurrier may be close to getting an offer from Auburn. They said their source is someone in the coaching ranks. I know this because I just happened to be watching the NBC news out of Montgomery last night (for the first time in more than 6 months, and I do believe that things happen for a reason.)

Beyond that, two FOX affiliates -- New Orleans and Mobile -- have reported that Auburn is likely to name Will Muschamp as its head coach sometime today in a press conference. There has been no mention of a press conference today, which is one of the reasons I find this VERY hard to believe. Muschamp recently told the AJC that those reports are not true. Not to mention his troubles with Jay Jacobs back when he was in contract negotiations as Aubrun's defensive coordinator. But then again, how many times do coaches say one thing then do another? The answer is all the time - I think it's a game they like to play.

Spurrier sighting

According to my sources, Steve Spurrier was seen at the Auburn airport this weekend. 

He apparently was in town for several hours before he left.

Now, what does this mean? In my opinion, he met with Athletic director Jay Jacobs to discuss the head coach opening. Someone of his caliber doesn't really need much of an interview. All he has to do is lay out a plan to convince the Auburn folks that he is serious about the job. 

He would surely be the big name Auburn fans want, but whether or not he's a good choice is not clear. He was pretty unsuccessful at South Carolina, but then again, who has ever been successful there? You can't win in Columbia. 

So, assuming he hasn't lost his fire, I'll take him. Not to mention that he's a big golfer and Auburn has some of the best golf in the state.

Of course, there's always the possibility that the Old Ball Coach simply met with Tommy Tuberville for a round of golf.

Candidates... Is Spurrier in the mix?

So here's the updated list of candidates:

•  Tulsa's Todd Graham - interviewed

•  Buffalo's Turner Gill - interviewed

•  Ball State's Brady Hoke - interviewed

•  Lousiana Tech's Derek Dooley - interviewed

•  Georgia's Rodney Garner (Assistant coach, Recruiting specialist) - interviewed

•  Miami's Patrick Nix (Offensive Coordinator, former Auburn quarterback) - interviewed

Then there's all the speculation. These are the names that are being thrown around as being interested or who Auburn may be interested in, as well as some who I think should be in consideration:

•  Boise State's Chris Petersen (HC) - has a 23-3 record at Boise in only two years, but inherited a program that had two unbeaten seasons in the last five years. This may be a case of a team that needs to be in a stronger conference. But that's not to say Petersen isn't a great coach - it's just difficult to tell. He's definitely an offensive genius, much like Urban Meyer was at Utah.

•  FSU's Jimbo Fisher (Offensive Coordinator) - has not interviewed, but curiously didn't deny interest when asked on five seperate occasions in one interview. Continually said he is "happy at FSU."

•  Utah's Kyle Whittingham (HC)

•  Utah's Gary Anderson (Asst. HC and Defensive Coordinator)

•  TCU's Gary Patterson (HC) - five 10-win seasons in seven years...

•  South Carolina's Steve Spurrier (HC) - may be a long shot, but I believe he has actually informally interviewed for the job (based on some inside information, hehehe). He would likely take the job if Auburn offered it, but would Auburn consider a 63-year-old coach who may be burnt out? Especially after Tubs was rumored to be burnt out.. I continue to say he may be the only guy Auburn could hire right now that could come in and garner excitement from the Auburn Nation after losing a guy like Tubs. HOWEVER, I think he would not be a good choice, since he will likely retire in the next ten years.

•  Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson (HC) - may be a long shot. Would he leave Tech after only one year? doubtful. But he would probably jump at the chance in the future.

• Ole Miss' Houston Nutt (HC) - definitely a long shot, especially after his recent contract extension and only one year at Ole Miss.

• North Carolina's Butch Davis (HC) - may be a long shot. He is rumored to be very happy in Chapel Hill. He is also the big name Auburn people are looking for.

•  Florida's Charlie Strong (Defensive Coordinator) - a defensive guy like this would likely satisfy Auburn fans. Plus, he is a great recruiter.

•  Alabama's Kevin Steele (Asst. HC, Defensive Coordinator) - This would be a hell of a hire. Not only would it seriously piss off the Alabama folks, but he is a fantastic football coach and recruiter.
  

--- NOTE - The last three are my favorite. I like Turner Gill, too.

No longer in the mix:

• Texas' Will Muschamp (Defensive Coordinator and HC-in-waiting) - I think this was just wishful thinking. He is easily one of the premier assistant coaches in the game and will be one hell of a head coach one day. But i don't think that day is very near. I am fairly certain he will not consider coaching at Auburn again until Jay Jacobs is no longer the athletics director. He and Jacobs could not get on the same page about his contract in the days before Muschamp left for Texas (sound familiar?? i.e. Tommy Tuberville??) Of course, I could be wrong.

• Texas Tech's Mike Leach (HC) - I think he was never a serious candidate. Honestly, I think Jacobs leaked that name to the media in order to get the people's minds off of Tuberville. His name surfaced almost immediately and it was all just a smoke screen. 

Update: Florida's Dan Mullen (Offensive Coordinator) was hired today as Mississippi State's next Head Coach, so he is obviously out of the mix.

You'd like to think Auburn would go after a heavy hitter after dumping a coach the caliber of Tommy Tuberville. But who knows. 

I wouldn't be surprised if the name of the next Auburn head football coach hasn't even been mentioned yet. Auburn may even dip into the NFL ranks. But I'll say this, if it's not a big name, expect a HUGE reaction of disapproval from the Auburn faithful. The 70-person protest yesterday on the president's lawn will be nothing compared to the what we might see...

Transcript of Jacobs' press conference

http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120408aab.html

I'm convinced, "resigned" = "fired"

After three days of heavy consideration and research into the issue, I'm thoroughly convinced that Tommy Tuberville was forced into resignation, aka, fired. This is contrary to what has been coming out of the Auburn athletic department, of course.

Jay Jacobs has been telling a good story, but it just doesn't add up. I just don't believe that Tubs would do that to this program and to these players. 

To say that he's been thinking about this move for months has become increasingly absurd to me. I've watched several player interviews and they all seemed very surprised. His assistants also seem surprised. You would think that a guy who has been with his assistants for 10 and even 14 years for some, that he would have clued them in to this decision before-hand. They wouldn't have been out on recruiting trips when it happened and they probably wouldn't have waited until Friday to box up their stuff, like Paul Rhodes did.

Not to mention what I said in the previous post about the contract. It just doesn't make sense to me to give Tubs his buyout even though he resigned. That's what the damn buyout is for - to ensure that he doesn't resign or take another job. 

Tuberville has yet to speak on the issue and I think the writing is on the wall. He knows this and he knows that it's in the school's and his best interest to keep quiet about it. That's why Jacobs is doing all the talking. After all, that's what he is paid to do (as a puppet, that is). 

Don't know what to think

After several days of brooding over this issue, I don't know what to make of the Tommy Tuberville situation.

On one hand, it's easy to sit back and trust what Jay Jacobs says happened. That Tuberville resigned all on his own and that he and President Jay Gogue practically begged him to stay and didn't ever mandate that he make coaching changes. It makes the whole situation easier to swallow.

But on the other hand, it sure is hard to ignore my gut feeling. There's too much evidence pointing in the other direction. He adamantly said in his final weeks that he WOULD NOT resign. Plus, it came as a complete surprise to the players on the team. I don't believe Tubs is that kind of coach at this point in his career. I think he would have given them some kind of heads up. Also, if he had been considering this decision for several months like Jacobs said, why wouldn't he have informed Jacobs and Gogue so they would have the opportunity to woo some other coaching candidates before the season ended? I don't think Tuberville would deliberately hang Auburn out to dry like that. 

And why the hell would Auburn pay his buyout if he actually resigned? Jacobs' said they chose to pay it "because it's the right thing to do." If you ask me, the right thing to do is honor the contract. If Tubs decides to break his contract and resign, he shouldn't get paid -- just like the contract says. But if he gets fired, he should be paid -- just like the contract says. It's really very simple.

This stinks of deceit. 

Sounds to me like Tubs is just doing whatever it takes to get his money after he was fired, and he really does love Auburn, which would explain why he hasn't come out and said that he was forced out. He wants what is best for the university and the football program, which is why he hasn't come out and made a statement. The real winner here is probably Coach Tubs, because he comes out looking like a saint and he has his buyout money - but I do feel bad for the guy. And I'll be honest: I already miss him.

Jacobs' story sounds good, but that's probably because they talked about it for two days before the announcement was made.

Tubs for AD

Tommy Tuberville did not deserve to be treated this way. He is a true Auburn Man, as Pat Dye would say, and he values loyalty - perhaps to a fault. But hey, that's better than Jay Jacobs' philosophy. 

I would like to see Tuberville take Jacobs' job as Athletics Director at Auburn. 

Tubs has already come out and said today that he is an "Auburn Person," and that he will stay in Auburn. If that doesn't tell you anything about this guy and his values then you're not paying attention. 

Tuberville's resume is better than any coach out there right now who is available. He should have his name on that damn stadium somewhere - not be fired!

I continue to very adamantly proclaim that this was the worst move Auburn University has made athletically in 20 years. 

Tubs Firing - the real story?

I love Tommy Tuberville, so what follows should not be taken as anything but speculation.

Perhaps it was the way he handled the Tony Franklin situation that got him fired - especially if it was solely his decision to fire him when he did - combined, of course, with the losing season.

Auburn lost 5 games and won 1 after Franklin was fired. Maybe if Auburn had the same record WITHOUT firing Franklin, Tubs would still have his job. At least Franklin could have been the scapegoat later to buy Tubs another year.

I think the move brought embarrassment on the university and the Trustees didn't like it. However, if the program had turned around, things would be different and of course, Tubs would be looked at as a hero.

I'm very sad right now and disappointed. I think Auburn just lost a converted true Auburn man and a fantastic football coach who will be extremely difficult to replace. We will find a new head football coach, but we will never replace Tommy Tuberville.

TUBERVILLE FIRED

So Auburn pulled the plug on Tommy Tuberville after 10 seasons. Unbelievable. 

This man was 85-40 as Auburn's head coach, with seven of those losses coming this season. He is the fourth winningest coach in Auburn history, behind, Shug Jordan, Mike Donahue and Pat Dye.

To me, this is a huge mistake. This puts Auburn in a terrible state of turmoil and all I can say is that there better be somebody on a plane on his way to Auburn RIGHT NOW. Because if the hiring process takes anywhere near as long as the firing process has taken, this program is in a lot of trouble. 

I can't even imagine the effects this will have on recruits. There's no telling how many will jump ship. Beyond that, will current players transfer? I don't know. 

This is not good.

But here are some names to think about: Mike Leach - already been contacted, Butch Davis - could be someone who could stand in the shadow of Nick Saban and not be in the dark, Steve Spurrier - also would be someone who could rival Saban. Forget about Bobby Petrino - he definitely is not coming to Auburn and I don't want him.

This from Philip Marshall at AuburnUndercover.com:

"How would this candidate sound?

• Has averaged 8.5 wins over the past 10 seasons in a BCS conference.
• Has won a BCS conference championship, had an unbeaten season and an 11-win season in the past five seasons.
• Has never had a problem with the NCAA.
• Graduates his players.
• Has beaten his main rival seven of the past nine seasons and six of the past seven.
• Has a winning record against Alabama coach Nick Saban.

That candidate, of course, would be Tommy Tuberville."

Other guys who Auburn may consider include Tommy Bowden, Steve Sarkisian (Southern Cal), Will Muschamp, Jimbo Fisher, Paul Rhodes, Brian Kelly (Cincinnati), Chris Peterson (Boise State) and Kevin Steele (from Alabama).

Assessment of the program: offense.

As promised, I am about to review the prognosis for next year's offense, as I see it right now. I'll go position-by-position. The defense will come later.

To begin, we'll start with the offensive line, where the games are won and lost.

Offensive Line:

Auburn will lose Jason Bosley and Tyronne Green. That will leave the Tigers having to find a center and a guard, as well as a new vocal leader (Bosley).

Returning starters -  Lee Ziemba (OT), Ryan Pugh (OT, C) and Mike Berry (OG).

Auburn will likely replace Bosley with Pugh at center. This leaves Andrew McCain to fill the tackle spot and Byron Isom to fill the other guard spot - both saw significant playing time this year.

The starting lineup will likely look like this:

Left Tackle - Lee Ziemba (Jr next year)

Left Guard - Mike Berry (Jr)

Center - Ryan Pugh (Jr)

Right Guard - Byron Isom (Jr)

Right Tackle - Andrew McCain (Sr)

There is also the possibility that Jermaine Johnson could get in the mix. He is a JUCO transfer who was didn't make his grades this year for the Tigers. He's huge at 6'6" 330 and has been a five-star prospect since coming out of high school in 2007. He will likely be a tackle and should become a starter pretty quickly. 

There are three incoming freshmen lineman as of right now, as well. Only Andre Harris has the needed size to start right away, at 6'4" 327. He is probably a little overweight, actually, and probably will redshirt for that reason.

I think the O-line will be much better next year than they were this year, largely due to the style of preparation they will experience in the off-season. They will open up holes that should have been there this year. This last year, they tried to learn a new blocking style. That would be the equivalent of trying to turn a cornerback into a wide receiver - it's not that much different but corner's often just can't catch.

Running Back:

Auburn will lose Brad Lester and Tristan Davis. Both have been significant contributors over their careers, but in different ways.

Returning Starters - Ben Tate, Eric Smith and Mario Fannin

I think Fannin is the guy to watch. He is the only one of the three who can really make big plays all on his own. Don't get me wrong, the other two can make big plays, too, but might need a little more help from the offensive line. 

The starting lineup will likely look like this:

Tailback - Mario Fannin (Jr next year) then Ben Tate (Jr)

"Fullback" - Eric Smith (So) [[this is the Ronnie Brown, Carl Stewart position]]

Auburn will also see two incoming freshmen who could likely make an impact, in Onterrio McCalebb and Rodney Scott. Both are highly touted and have breakaway speed. McCalebb is probably more of a scat back and Scott is like the typical Auburn back - he'll probably be the guy once Tate and Fannin are gone. 

There are also two incoming freshman listed as athletes. They are LaDarius Perkins and Travante Stallworth. Both could make an impact somewhere on the field, but expect Stallworth to be in the defensive secondary.

Wide Receiver:

Auburn will lose its primary receivers, Rod Smith and Robert Dunn, and will also lose James Swinton. Dunn will be sorely missed in the punt return game. Smith was easily the most consistent wideout over his career.

Returning Starters - Montez Billings.

This will be an interesting position next year. Billings will almost certainly be the posession receiver next year, taking the place of Smith. But Auburn will also have Philip Pierre-Louis, a 5'8" 180 guy who is lightning in a bottle. He's probably the most electrifying guy on the team, but he injured his knee on the first play of the season. Others who are likely to be top contributors are Tim Hawthorne, Terrell Zachery, Quindarius Carr and Darvin Adams.

The starting lineup will likely look like this:

X wideout - Montez Billings (Sr next year)

Y wideout - Tim Hawthorne (Jr)

Z wideout - Philip Pierre-Louis (Fr - because of a medical redshirt in all likelihood)

Of course, with the wide receivers, being a starter is simply that: the guy who starts the game. I would expect that everyone will see some time, most notably Zachery and Adams. There will also be true freshman Cameron Kenney, but I don't think he'll see the field next year.

Tight End:

Auburn doesn't lose anybody. Tommy Trott injured his knee against UGA, but should be back in time to be a contributor next year.

Returning Starters - Trott and Gabe Mckenzie.

The starting lineup will likely look like this:

Tight End - Tommy Trott (Sr next year)

Tight End - Philip Lutzenkirchen (True FR)

I expect Trott to be the blocking TE and Lutzenkirchen to the receiving TE. Lutz is the No. 5 TE prospect in the country this year and has the best hands of any TE in high school this year. Vance Smith may also see some time, as might Mckenzie if Antonio Coleman doesn't go pro. In fact, Mckenzie may be the No. 2 TE in that case and Lutz may redshirt.

Quarterback:

Auburn loses nobody.

Returning Starters - Kodi Burns and Chris Todd.

The starting lineup will likely look like this:

Quartberback - Kodi Burns (Jr next year)

This could get interesting. I think after this year, Burns will be the guy. But look for Todd (a rising senior) to make a push, especially if Tubbs has held him out of practice to rest his arm like he said he was going to do. If he can rehab his arm and get it back to where it was before he hurt it, he may be the best we have. I understand that he was pushing Graham Harrell for the starting nod at Texas Tech at one time. I'm not sure we've seen the last of him and if he does see the field again, look for him to be very good. 

Also, look for Neil Caudle to be the backup if Todd can't do it. Barrett Trotter may push him for this spot. And don't forget about incoming freshman, Ray Cotton. But I think the coaches would be wise to redshirt Cotton and begin grooming him into the QB of the future.

This isn't how it was supposed to be

Auburn wasn't supposed to have the worst red zone offense in Division 1 (that's what i call it).

I've never been a fan of running any sort of Spread offense in the red zone. I don't think it works, and I would know - I've played PLENTY of NCAA FOOTBALL on PS2 (haha).

My take is that the offense didn't know the playbook good enough, so they weren't able to execute the plays that would have worked. Then went Franklin was fired they lost their direction and couldn't learn it better without him, so Tommy Tuberville basically abandoned the spread, keeping 9 or ten plays that the team really knew. But at this point, they had already lost their toughness, or physical manor in which the typical Auburn offense absolutely relies on in the trenches. In other words, by the time Auburn switched back to the offense they know, it was too late - it takes time to learn new blocking schemes and techniques.

Auburn wasn't supposed to have a problem putting points on the board.

See the explanation above. Plus, it's pretty difficult to score from outside the red zone; there are few teams who are able to do that consistently.

Auburn's defense wasn't supposed to fail when the offense couldn't get the job done.

This one was almost inevitable when the offense began to falter. Defenses can be a funny thing. Both offense and special teams can typically stand on their own without the help of a defense. But defense is the one thing that can't. There must be some sort of offense for a defense to be successful. The reason I say this is because of what we saw this year at Auburn.

Through the first four or five games the defense was quite good, and exceptional at times. But if you'll remember, the offense wasn't really THAT bad either - at least they were putting points on the board. But as the offense began to fail around the time of Tony Franklin's dismissal, it took a toll on the defense and it, too, began to fail. And as the offense got worse and worse for several weeks straight, the defense spent A LOT of time on the field. In short, the guys got tired and banged up because they were playing the majority of the games.

Toward the end of the season the offense began to get better, but the damage was already done. They were still good enough to shut down UGA, but I think it took a lot out of them, especially when they still didn't win.

This brings up my next point: morale. How would you feel if you busted your ass and played very well only to have the offense not come through? I think it was only a matter of time until the defensive players pretty much stopped giving 110 percent. That's a slap at the defense, because instead they only probably gave, maybe 100 percent. Which equates to not finishing plays.

In the Bama game you saw the fatigue on a much smaller scale and it was painfully obvious. The defense played very well at first but quickly got tired as the offense couldn't keep the ball. Then they got whipped because of it. So case-in-point, that game as a microcosm of the whole season, defensively.

Tommy Tuberville's job wasn't supposed to be in question.

NOBODY would have believed before the season that Auburn would lose 7 games. But even if you predicted it, would you have also predicted that people would be calling for Tubbs' job? Would you say the same thing if Mark Richt lost seven games? or Bob Stoops or Mack Brown? I don't think so, and Tuberville has won just as many games as they have in the last ten years.

Although at this point it seems as though he is safe for another year.

Alabama wasn't supposed to be undefeated, poised to make their first appearance in the National Championship game since 1992.

Just wasn't supposed to happen. Remember when they were going through that embarrassing coaching change situation, and everybody kept turing them down? That was cool until they pulled out Satan himself (just a joke, haha right) and made a deal. And who knew it would only take two years. 

What's in store for next year?

Well, next year could bring in some big changes. It all really depends on whether or not Tommy Tuberville remains as Auburn's head coach - which I think he will.

Assuming he stays, I think we can expect to see a change in some of the offensive coaching staff. I personally think we will see a new wide receivers coach and quarterbacks coach in addition to a new offensive coordinator (of course). 

Who will replace these coaches is really up in the air. Those decisions will largely be affected by who the new OC will be - I imagine Tubbs will finally let the new OC bring in at least a QB coach of his own. 

Beyond that, Auburn has a great recruiting class lined up. Previous posts have dealt with Auburn's lack of a homerun hitter. I think this class will solve that. Auburn will have Philip Pierre Louis coming back from injury, which will be a big help since they say he is such a playmaker, but also will have two running backs. One is named Onterrio McCalebb. He has the breakaway speed this team needs in a running back. He's not very big, but if Auburn decides to stick with the spread or some sort of hybrid spread, he'll be a good fit. The other guy is Rodney Scott. He is similar, and maybe even a little bit faster.

A couple of wildcard darkhorse recruits for the Tigers are Travante Stallworth and LaDarius Perkins. Both guys are extremely fast and quick. Both have big-play potential. Perkins is listed as a running back and Stallworth as an athlete.

Then Auburn has one of the top tight end prospects in the country in Philip Lutzenkirchen, the No. 5 TE according to Rivals.com. He should be an impact player, as he apparently has some of the softest hands in the country. He'll be the release valve Burns will need in his next two years (Tommy Trott grew into this role before he got hurt against UGA, but only for a game or so).

To further bolster the passing game, Auburn has a guy named Cameron Kenney lined up to sign. He is one of the better WR in the country. And at 6'2" 200 lbs, should be a great target for Burns.

Now, this is assuming that Burns remains the starting QB after Raymond Cotton arrives on campus. Cotton is one of the top 10 QBs in the country this season and should push for the starting job. But I believe Burns will be the guy.

Of course, this is all offense. The defense will be fine, as long as Rhodes recruits some guys who can tackle and aren't simply speed demons.