Chizik To Auburn, Iowa State Stunned

Auburn has a new head football coach, Gene Chizik. Iowa State is looking for one.

Chizik came out of nowhere. There were many names confirmed to have interviewed for the Auburn job and others rumored to be under consideration. Most had a more impressive resume that Chizik. Yet Chizik got the gig.

On the surface this looks like a bone head move by Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs. Chizik is coming off a 2-10 season with Iowa State losing the last 10 games in the 2008 season. In 2 years Chizik was 5-19 with the Cyclones. Even Auburn commitments and those recruits that have the Tigers on their short list are un-impressed.

To Chizik's defense, he was one of the nations top defensive coordinator. For 3 seasons are Auburn's D.C. the Tiger defense was outstanding including a nation's low 11.3 points per game in the perfect season 2004. Than Chizik was off to Texas were he won a national championship the next season. Chizik's stock was high so he took the Iowa State head coaching job. His stock has gone south since.

One good thing Chizik has going for him is that high school football coaches in Alabama think highly of him.

Hoover (Ala) High School head football coach Josh Niblitt told The Huntsville Times, "Gene Chizik is an excellent coach and an excellent man. He brings a lot of high energy to the game. He's a good leader and a good man."

While Auburn now has their man, Iowa State is not thrilled to see a coach they thought could turn the program around bolt after 2 seasons.

"I understand that (Auburn) is a dream job for him," Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard said in a statement Saturday, "but the timing and the way it played out has been hurtful and disappointing."

Iowa State will now look at the same cast of characters that have surfaced for every opening during the silly season. Expect Turner Gill, Todd Graham and Brady Hoke to get a call. I'm just wondering if Florida defensive line coach Dan McCarney a call. He spent 12 seasons as the Cyclones head coach and had some success. Well, he got ISU into bowl games.

McCarney told the Des Moines Register "I don't even want to get into that."

Coverage of the Chizik hiring from WOI-TV and myabc5.com is below...