Whitt,
now an assistant athletic director, coached linebackers when Chizik was
defensive coordinator at Auburn from 2002-2004. He said Saturday that
Chizik, who agreed Saturday to follow Tommy Tuberville, will be a
winner.
“I think
he’s a heck of a football coach and a heck of a man,” Whitt said. “He’s
a straight-up honest man that will do a great job of anything he does.
He’s as good a football coach as I’ve been around, and I’ve been around
some good ones.”
Bret
Eddins, now a Montgomery realtor, played defensive end for all of
Chizik’s tenure at Auburn. He echoed Whitt’s opinion that Auburn
athletics director Jay Jacobs made a good decision.
“He
wasn’t a big screamer and yeller,” Eddins said. “He was a teacher. He
really wanted you to understand where you fit into the defense and why
it was so important to do everything right. On the field and off, he
really connected with the players a lot. He would get us pumped up for
the games. We were always confident because we always felt like we were
prepared.
“I’m excited. I think he’s going to be a great fit for us.”
Eddins said he puts little importance on Chizik’s 5-19 record at Iowa State.
“I
don’t think his record at Iowa State is indicative of the coach he is
or the team he can put on the field,” Eddins said. “If anything, that
record might push him a little harder. He has a lot of pride. I think
he’s going to be very successful.”
Not
everyone was excited. Message boards were in meltdown mode and
telephones were ringing for most of the day as fans expressed their
unhappiness.
Ralph
Jordan Jr., the immediate past president of the National Auburn Alumni
Association, said the only choice was to get behind Chizik.
“We
are all going to wake up tomorrow Auburn fans,” Jordan said. “We’d
better give this guy a chance. He hasn’t coached a game yet.I don’t
think you can put too much stock in his record at Iowa State. We don’t
know how that would have turned out over the long term. I think he
deserves a chance to show what he can do and Auburn people should
support him.”
Jordan acknowledged he’d received numerous emails and telephone calls from fans unhappy and even angry about the decision.
“I
think everybody needs to think about for a moment what’s in the best
interest of Auburn, the university and the football program,” Jordan
said. “A selection has been made. It’s time to show some unity and do
what Auburn people do best, which is pull together for the benefit of
their program. Anything less than that, to me, undermines the whole
spirit and integrity of Auburn.
“I’m going to support Auburn, support my coach and support my team. I urge all Auburn people to do the same.”
Huntsville
lawyer Steve Wilson, a linebacker on the 1972 team and past president
of the Football Lettermen’s Club, agreed. Despite the disappointment
felt by some, he said, it is time to move on.
“We
have a president and an AD and they are entrusted with that
responsibility,” Wilson said. “I think we should honor their decision.
Apparently, they think it was the right choice. We need to get behind
him. I think all true Auburn people will. He’s our coach. I’d be
disappointed with anything less.”
Wilson
said there was plenty of disappointment in the 2008 season that started
with the Tigers being picked to win the Southeastern Conference and
ended with head coach Tommy Tuberville resigning on Dec. 3 after a 5-7
season.
“I think
it was obvious there were problems early on in the season with the
dismissal of (Tony) Franklin and the lack of offense,” Wilson said. “At
the time, I would have thought there would be a new offensive
coordinator and possibly a few more coaches on that side of the ball. I
didn’t really expect what happened, but that’s what took place and
that’s where we are.
“I
don’t know Coach Chizik well. I’ve met him a couple of times. I thought
he did a hell of a job at Auburn and Texas. As far Iowa State, I guess
I would wonder what he was thinking when he took that job in the first
place.”
