Remember how bad Auburn’s defense was last season?

If you are an Auburn fan you can’t forget it. It was disgusting. It had to make the Old Guard like Pat Dye physically sick.

But there is always hope it will get better.

Right?

Maybe not.

Pat Forde at Little 12 (Big 12) Media Days reported something disturbing. The pathetic tackling was a hallmark of the Gene Chizik regime at Iowa State.

Forde writes, “Tackling. ‘It was horrible,’ Rhoads said. So horrible, in fact, that rudimentary tackling had to be retaught.

“‘The first time we put on pads that first spring, we had to shut practice down for about 15 minutes and go back to Tackling 101,’ Rhoads said. ‘We got their attention, and I think they’ve improved greatly as a tackling football team.'”

Of course Rhodes tries to say some nice things about Chizik and Chizik’s style of defense. However, it sounds like coachspeak. It is clear what Rhoads thinks of Chizik and the mess he left at Iowa State.

But that doesn’t tell the whole story. The last line of Forde’s piece does.

He writes, “Last season Iowa State allowed 21.8 points per game, down from 35.8 in 2008 and 31.8 in 2007 under Chizik.”

Ouch.

27 thoughts on “Reason for Auburn to fear 2010: defense”

  1. Chizik is a good defensive strategist. To argue that is not too bright. I recall Rhodes saying the same thing when he got to Auburn. Our defense took a plunge under his coaching from 07-08.

    I wont argue the fact that our defense is far from where it needs to be. If Roof cant make it happen, show him the door.

  2. Evan Woodberry already posted a colum on his blog about this. The issue was that Chizik (and Muschamp) taught an attack-run through style of tackling, and Rhoads teaches everyone to stop and breakdown prior to tackling. Here’s what Woodberry had to say:

    “I remember this being an issue in Rhoads’ one and only summer on the Plains. Players who were accustomed to Mushcamp’s style had to get used to Rhoads. I think most players liked Rhoads personally, but they preferred the aggressive defensive style of Muschamp…Moral of the story: There’s more than one way to skin a cat. Chizik and Rhoads were both accomplished defensive coordinators.”

    You can say what you want about Chizik, but you’re doing nothing but displaying stupidity if you try to argue that Chizik isn’t a solid defensive coach. The guy won the Broyles Award and led the nation in scoring D with a defense led by linebackers who were about 6 ft and 200 lbs (Travis and Antarious Williams).

  3. Yeah, I saw the spin.

    I’m not saying anything.

    Iowa State is saying it.

    I guess you are that worried, huh? Just believe the spin.

    Auburn 14-0 in 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!

  4. So Cappy, you’re saying that Chizik is not a good defensive coach? That question is answered with a yes or no, not a diatribe of your own spin and sarcasm that fails to even address the question.

  5. Is he good?

    You tell me.

    I don’t know. I’m just asking questions. These are important questions. Unlike what you get in the pro-Auburn media, I’m going to do my best to bring out the truth.

    The truth is that Iowa State is better without Chizik.

    Will Auburn be better when it fires Chizik next year?

  6. Like I said, the question is answered with a yes or no. You won’t answer it because you know you’ll sound like a freakin’ idiot if you say he’s not a good defensive coach, but you’ll make this article look stupid if you admit that he is a good defensive coach. Kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place, ain’t ya cappy?

    BTW, it’s about time you posted something good and controversial. I’ve been getting bored.

  7. The article makes sense because Chizik’s teams are pathetic at tackling.

    They were pathetic at tackling when he was at Iowa State.

    They were pathetic at tackling at Auburn.

    Now, when Mack Brown and Tommy Tuberville told the guy what to do, he might’ve been good.

    Again, as a head coach, Gene Chizik’s defensive teams have sucked.

    But, I’m sure you don’t care because Trooper is the real head coach and Gus Malzahn will score 5000 points per game!!!!!!!!

  8. I’ve answered the question.

    Gene Chizik sucks as a head coach.

    Thank God for Auburn’s head coach Trooper Taylor!

  9. The jury is still out on Chizik, but it wont be after this year. To say he sux based on his record / performemance at Iowa State is a little bit of a reach guys.

  10. Look, we know absolutely that Saban is the man at Alabama. You Auburn guys don’t know for sure that Chizik is the man. But you want him to be so bad. This is the year he has to prove it. If the defense still sucks this year, who will you guys blame? If it weren’t for Malzahn, you guys may not have even won a game last year.

  11. And how many years of Franchioni/ Dubose / Price/ Shula did it take you to figure it out ? Refresh my memory……If Chizik dont turn it around by next year , he will be gone.

  12. ITK, why are you so obsessed with the “emperor has no clothes” analogy? You say it over and over. Is that the theme of some gay porn flick you’re particularly fond of?

  13. I know I am about to invite more spin than a laudrymat on sunday afternoon but…..
    Why is Rhodes able to win at a school were Chizik couldnt win. Rhodes won more games in one season than Chizik did in 2 seasons combined at iowa State. Shouldnt that be a reason for concern for your average auburn fan or are they just so full of the manure wafting out of Lee County and Birmingham they cant discern reality from fantasy anymore?
    Chizik is a joke. End quote.

  14. Same reason that Stallings couldnt win at Texas A&M but could at Bama. Same reason that Franchoni could win at Bama but not Texas A&M….Its different. In the college football world it takes a while to see if things will work or not. We will know more about Rhodes and Chizik in the very near future.

  15. Well, Ballplay, we knew Saban was the man from the start. You guys have had nothing but bad things to say about him, until he started kicking ass and proved you all wrong. That is what you guys are hoping will happen with Chizik, right? There is BIG difference in Saban and Chizik. Sabans record speaks for itself, does Chiziks?

  16. Your speaking out of your rear again. Remind me of how many coaches turned you down before Nick Saban bolted out of Miami for lack of succes and an ego baching in the NFL………

    Lets see, Rich Rod ( man I wish he didnt turn yall down ), Spurrier ( Someone send him to the glue factory already), and not telling who else.

    But yeah brandi, yall knew all along didnt you.

    Yall fell back assards into the best coaching hire at your school since the BAHR…

  17. There’s no spin to it, tmc. The truth is nobody truly knows about either Chizik or Rhoads right now. Maybe it’s because Rhoads is a really good coach. Maybe it’s because Chizik’s plan to totally rebuild at ISU and play a bunch of freshmen and sophomores during his time at ISU paid off in the 3rd year under Rhoads. Maybe (and probably) it’s a combination of both. Check back with both of them in a couple of years and we’ll know the answer.

  18. No BP, I didn’t mention the other coaches at all. I meant when Saban was hired, we all knew that he would do well at Bama, and we showed our support at the spring game that year. And we were all criticized for it, by people like you. And like I am doing to ya’ll about Chizik. “Booooo-we want a winner, not a loserrrr” does that sound familiar?

  19. Dude…………..EVERY coach that has EVER been hired at Bama is expected to be the next BAHR..So why did it take 4 years of Shula for you to see the light ? EWhat about the Price hire ? That was a blessing in disguise. All of the coaches that have come and gone over the last 20 years at Bama ( good or bad) are the next “Answer” to the fans… Hell, I told yall Shula was the pitts the day he was hired and every bama fan I knew argued with me till about year three. You , however may be different…..I dont know. Even Paul Finebaum was jumping off of the Saban wagon after the Lamo loss.

  20. I was looking at the colums on the left , and unfortunately “Shanes Clomumns” have been omitted. I think it was before the 06 season he had a little jewel titled ” THE TIDE IS HIGH AND SHULA IS THE MAN” ,where that spastic predicted Bama to win the 06 national championship…..Cap or ITK , I am absolutely BEGGING YOU to make that thing appear agian.

  21. 92,000 didn’t show up for any of those other coaches spring games. How do you explain that? You guys haven’t even had the first coach like BAHR so you wouldn’t know anything about that would ya? Your Bama envy is funny though. Ya’ll keep up the good work!

  22. Saban helped th spring game……So. what. We had 60k plus in our spring game this year. Most ever…..does that mean Chizik is gonna be the best coach we have ever had ?

    Sounds stupid dont it ?

  23. No it means Auburn is desperate to duplicate what Bama has already done, dipsh!t.

  24. Brandy, you need to realize that this is an internet message board. I know I hurt your feewings so bad last year you didnt show your face for months…Seriously, Im joking 99% of the time.

    You are a little too high strung. No need for the name calling.

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