Gene Chizik
Encyclopedia
Eugene "Gene" Chizik is an American football
coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of the Auburn University
football team, a position he has held since the 2009 season. Chizik's 2010 Auburn Tigers football team
completed a 14–0 season with a victory over Oregon
in the BCS National Championship Game
. Chizik played college football
at the University of Florida
in 1981 for head coach Charley Pell
.
, serving as their defensive coordinator
and inside linebacker coach from 1986 to 1988. He then became a graduate assistant at Clemson
from 1988 to 1989, working with the outside linebackers. During his time at Clemson he coached in the 1988 Citrus Bowl
and the 1989 Gator Bowl
, under secondary coach Bill Oliver
.
His initial full-time coaching job was as the defensive end
s coach at Middle Tennessee State from 1990 to 1991. In 1990, the Blue Raiders won the Ohio Valley Conference
championship. His next assignment was at Stephen F. Austin, serving as their linebackers coach from 1992 to 1995. SFA advanced to the Division I-AA semifinals in 1995. He was then promoted to the defensive coordinator role, which he held from 1996 to 1997. He then served as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach for Central Florida from 1998 to 2001.
While at Central Florida in Orlando
, Chizik frequently visited practice sessions of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers
studying the Bucs' defensive scheme developed by then-Bucs head coach Tony Dungy
, defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin
and linebackers coach Lovie Smith
.
Chizik later employed a very similar scheme at Auburn
, where he served again as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach from 2002–04. During this time, he had some of the greatest successes of his career to date. He coached in three bowl game
s, the 2003 Capital One Bowl
, 2004 Music City Bowl
, and 2005 Sugar Bowl
. His 2004 defensive unit led the country in scoring defense, giving up 11.3 points per game, and the total defense ranked 5th, which is the same ranking the 2003 team recorded. He garnered the 2004 Broyles Award
, which is given each year to the top assistant coach in the nation. The 2004 Auburn Tigers football team
finished 13-0 that year, won the SEC title, and defeated Virginia Tech
in the Sugar Bowl
. It placed second in the final AP
and Coaches
polls.
In 2005, Chizik was hired by Texas
to serve as their co-defensive coordinator, assistant head coach, and linebackers coach. During his time at Texas, the team won the 2005 NCAA Division I-A national football championship by defeating USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl
.
as head football coach of Iowa State
. McCarney resigned after going 4–8 in his final season, despite five bowl appearances during his tenure, the most of any Iowa State coach. Chizik's contract with ISU was a six-year deal worth a guaranteed $6.75 million. With incentives, the total had the potential to be more than $10 million. In Chizik's first season, Iowa State finished 3–9, including a 15–13 upset victory over Iowa, and back-to-back wins against Kansas State and Colorado. The Cyclones also experienced a notable improvement on defense. In the year prior to Chizik's arrival, Iowa State was ranked 102nd nationally in total defense and in Chizik's first year, they improved to 65th.
In 2008, Iowa State won their first two games against South Dakota State and Kent State before losing their final 10 games to finish the season 2–10. Among all 119 Division I FBS teams, the team ranked 111th in total defense, 115th in passing defense, and 95th in rushing defense. Following the season, Chizik fired two assistant coaches and demoted both his offensive and defensive coordinators. Chizik's name came up frequently as a coach who would be on the hot seat for the following season, though all acknowledged the difficulty of the job given the lack of resources and difficult schedule.
, who
left the position after finishing 5–7 in the 2008 season. Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs
released a statement that said: "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."
Chizik first retained James Willis to continue coaching linebackers. However, less than one month later, Willis would leave Auburn to coach for the University of Alabama
. Ted Roof
would eventually replace Willis and serve as Auburn's linebacker coach and defensive coordinator. Roof had previously been the defensive coordinator at Minnesota before coming to Auburn. Chizik hired Gus Malzahn
as his offensive coordinator. Malzahn enjoyed the nation's top offense at Tulsa the previous two seasons. He subsequently hired Curtis Luper
and Trooper Taylor
, both of whom were coaching at Oklahoma State
, to coach running backs and wide receivers. Chizik also brought Jay Boulware
from his ISU staff to be the special teams coordinator and hired former Auburn player Tracy Rocker away from Ole Miss to coach the defensive line. The final hire was UNC linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen
as safeties coach.
Chizik's incentive-laden contract at Auburn is for five years with a salary of approximately $1.9 million per year, an $800,000 increase from his Iowa State contract. Iowa State was paid $750,000 by Chizik to be released from his contract which was paid by a loan from Auburn that is forgiven $150,000 for every year Chizik coaches, and will be paid off entirely if he reaches the end of the five-year deal. For the BCS Championship winning 2010 season, Chizik earned a base salary of $2.1 million plus bonuses worth an additional $1.1 million, including $500,000 for 13 wins, an SEC title, a BCS bowl appearance and winning the AP SEC Coach of the Year and an additional $600,000 for winning the BCS Championship Game.
, Calloway "Cally" Presley Belcher. Belcher and Chizik had a very close relationship and Chizik named his son Cally in honor of Belcher who died of a brain aneurysm after suffering a hit to the head in practice.
Chizik earned a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Florida
in 1985, and went on to receive a master's degree in guidance and counseling from Clemson University
in 1991. He is highly supportive of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Auburn University.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of the Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
football team, a position he has held since the 2009 season. Chizik's 2010 Auburn Tigers football team
2010 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2010 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 2010–2011 college football season. The Tigers, led by second year head coach Gene Chizik were members of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference and played their home games at Jordan-Hare Stadium...
completed a 14–0 season with a victory over Oregon
2010 Oregon Ducks football team
The 2010 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon in the 2010 college football season. The team was led by Chip Kelly in his second season as a head coach. The Ducks played their home games at Autzen Stadium for the 44th straight year....
in the BCS National Championship Game
2011 BCS National Championship Game
The 2011 Tostitos BCS National Championship Game was the final college football game to determine the national champion of the 2010 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision season. The finale of the 2010-2011 Bowl Championship Series was played at the University of Phoenix Stadium, the host...
. Chizik played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in 1981 for head coach Charley Pell
Charley Pell
Charles Byron "Charley" Pell was an American college football player and coach. Pell was an Alabama native and an alumnus of the University of Alabama, where he played college football. He is most notably remembered as the head coach of the Clemson University and the University of Florida...
.
Early years
Chizik began his coaching career at Seminole High SchoolSeminole High School (Pinellas County, Florida)
Seminole High School is a public coeducational high school located in Seminole, Florida. It is governed by the Pinellas County School District. The school's mascot is "Wally the Warhawk"...
, serving as their defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
and inside linebacker coach from 1986 to 1988. He then became a graduate assistant at Clemson
Clemson Tigers football
The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
from 1988 to 1989, working with the outside linebackers. During his time at Clemson he coached in the 1988 Citrus Bowl
Citrus Bowl
The Florida Citrus Bowl is a stadium in Orlando, Florida, USA, built for football, which currently seats around 70,000 people....
and the 1989 Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
, under secondary coach Bill Oliver
Bill Oliver
-External links:...
.
His initial full-time coaching job was as the defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
s coach at Middle Tennessee State from 1990 to 1991. In 1990, the Blue Raiders won the Ohio Valley Conference
Ohio Valley Conference
The Ohio Valley Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the midwestern and southeastern United States. It participates in Division I of the NCAA; the conference's football programs compete in the Football Championship Subdivision , the lower of two levels of Division I...
championship. His next assignment was at Stephen F. Austin, serving as their linebackers coach from 1992 to 1995. SFA advanced to the Division I-AA semifinals in 1995. He was then promoted to the defensive coordinator role, which he held from 1996 to 1997. He then served as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach for Central Florida from 1998 to 2001.
While at Central Florida in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Chizik frequently visited practice sessions of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
studying the Bucs' defensive scheme developed by then-Bucs head coach Tony Dungy
Tony Dungy
Anthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
, defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin
Monte Kiffin
Monte Kiffin is an American football coach. He is widely considered to be one of the preeminent defensive coordinators in modern football, as well as one of the greatest defensive coordinators in NFL history...
and linebackers coach Lovie Smith
Lovie Smith
Lovie Lee Smith is the head coach of the Chicago Bears professional football team of the NFL. Smith has been to the Super Bowl twice, as the defensive coordinator for the 2001 Saint Louis Rams and as the head coach for the Chicago Bears in 2006....
.
Chizik later employed a very similar scheme at Auburn
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
, where he served again as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach from 2002–04. During this time, he had some of the greatest successes of his career to date. He coached in three bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
s, the 2003 Capital One Bowl
Capital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
, 2004 Music City Bowl
Music City Bowl
The Music City Bowl is a post-season American college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played in Nashville, Tennessee, since 1998.-Site:The first Music City Bowl was played at Vanderbilt Stadium in 1998...
, and 2005 Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
. His 2004 defensive unit led the country in scoring defense, giving up 11.3 points per game, and the total defense ranked 5th, which is the same ranking the 2003 team recorded. He garnered the 2004 Broyles Award
Broyles Award
The Broyles Award is an annual award given to honor the best assistant coach in college football. First awarded in 1996, it was named after former University of Arkansas men's athletic director Frank Broyles...
, which is given each year to the top assistant coach in the nation. The 2004 Auburn Tigers football team
2004 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2004 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. Auburn compiled a record of 13–0, winning the Southeastern Conference championship and finishing the season ranked #2 in both the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll...
finished 13-0 that year, won the SEC title, and defeated Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
in the Sugar Bowl
2005 Sugar Bowl
The 2005 Sugar Bowl was a postseason American college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Auburn Tigers at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 3, 2005. It was the 71st edition of the annual Sugar Bowl football contest...
. It placed second in the final AP
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
and Coaches
Coaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
polls.
In 2005, Chizik was hired by Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
to serve as their co-defensive coordinator, assistant head coach, and linebackers coach. During his time at Texas, the team won the 2005 NCAA Division I-A national football championship by defeating USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl
2006 Rose Bowl
The 2006 Rose Bowl Game, played on January 4, 2006, was a football game that served as the national championship of the 2005-2006 Bowl Championship Series...
.
Iowa State
In November 2006, Chizik was hired to replace outgoing coach Dan McCarneyDan McCarney
-External links:* * * * *...
as head football coach of Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones football
The Iowa State Cyclones football team represents Iowa State University in college football. The Cyclones compete in the Big 12 Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. ISU started playing football in 1892, however, it did not become an official sport until 1894...
. McCarney resigned after going 4–8 in his final season, despite five bowl appearances during his tenure, the most of any Iowa State coach. Chizik's contract with ISU was a six-year deal worth a guaranteed $6.75 million. With incentives, the total had the potential to be more than $10 million. In Chizik's first season, Iowa State finished 3–9, including a 15–13 upset victory over Iowa, and back-to-back wins against Kansas State and Colorado. The Cyclones also experienced a notable improvement on defense. In the year prior to Chizik's arrival, Iowa State was ranked 102nd nationally in total defense and in Chizik's first year, they improved to 65th.
In 2008, Iowa State won their first two games against South Dakota State and Kent State before losing their final 10 games to finish the season 2–10. Among all 119 Division I FBS teams, the team ranked 111th in total defense, 115th in passing defense, and 95th in rushing defense. Following the season, Chizik fired two assistant coaches and demoted both his offensive and defensive coordinators. Chizik's name came up frequently as a coach who would be on the hot seat for the following season, though all acknowledged the difficulty of the job given the lack of resources and difficult schedule.
Auburn
On December 13, 2008, Auburn University hired Chizik to succeed former head coach Tommy TubervilleTommy Tuberville
Thomas Hawley Tuberville is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at Texas Tech University, a position he has held since the 2010 season...
, who
left the position after finishing 5–7 in the 2008 season. Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs
Jay Jacobs (athletics director)
Jay Jacobs is the current director of athletics for the Auburn Tigers athletic department.He was named Auburn's 14th Director of Athletics on December 22, 2004, after working in almost every area of the Auburn Athletic Department for the previous 20 years...
released a statement that said: "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."
Chizik first retained James Willis to continue coaching linebackers. However, less than one month later, Willis would leave Auburn to coach for the University of Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
. Ted Roof
Ted Roof
Terrence Edwin Roof, Jr. is an American football coach and former player. Currently, he is the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Auburn University. Roof served as the head coach at Duke University from 2003 to 2007, compiling a 6–45 record...
would eventually replace Willis and serve as Auburn's linebacker coach and defensive coordinator. Roof had previously been the defensive coordinator at Minnesota before coming to Auburn. Chizik hired Gus Malzahn
Gus Malzahn
Gus Malzahn is the current offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Auburn University. Malzahn is a high school coaching legend in the state of Arkansas and the former offensive coordinator at University of Arkansas and the University of Tulsa...
as his offensive coordinator. Malzahn enjoyed the nation's top offense at Tulsa the previous two seasons. He subsequently hired Curtis Luper
Curtis Luper
Curtis Scott Luper is an American college football assistant coach at Auburn University, serving as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator under head coach Gene Chizik...
and Trooper Taylor
Trooper Taylor
Trooper Taylor is an American college football assistant coach at Auburn University, serving as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach under head coach Gene Chizik. Prior to joining Auburn, Taylor served as co-offensive coordinator for Oklahoma State...
, both of whom were coaching at Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State Cowboys football
The Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and completes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his seventh year as...
, to coach running backs and wide receivers. Chizik also brought Jay Boulware
Jay Boulware
Jay Boulware is an American college football assistant coach at Auburn University, serving as special teams coordinator and tight ends coach under new head coach Gene Chizik. He has spent over a decade as an assistant coach, primarily in the Big 12 and Pac 10 conferences...
from his ISU staff to be the special teams coordinator and hired former Auburn player Tracy Rocker away from Ole Miss to coach the defensive line. The final hire was UNC linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen
Tommy Thigpen
Tommy Thigpen is an American college football assistant coach at Auburn University, serving as safeties coach under head coach Gene Chizik. He had spent the previous four seasons serving as linebackers coach at North Carolina...
as safeties coach.
Chizik's incentive-laden contract at Auburn is for five years with a salary of approximately $1.9 million per year, an $800,000 increase from his Iowa State contract. Iowa State was paid $750,000 by Chizik to be released from his contract which was paid by a loan from Auburn that is forgiven $150,000 for every year Chizik coaches, and will be paid off entirely if he reaches the end of the five-year deal. For the BCS Championship winning 2010 season, Chizik earned a base salary of $2.1 million plus bonuses worth an additional $1.1 million, including $500,000 for 13 wins, an SEC title, a BCS bowl appearance and winning the AP SEC Coach of the Year and an additional $600,000 for winning the BCS Championship Game.
Personal life
Chizik is married to Jonna Chizik, the daughter of his high school football coach. They have identical twin daughters named Landry and Kennedy, as well as a son, Cally. Cally is named after a former player that Chizik coached at Stephen F. Austin State UniversityStephen F. Austin State University
Stephen F. Austin State University is a public university located in Nacogdoches, Texas, United States. Founded as a teachers' college in 1923, the university was named after one of Texas' founding fathers, Stephen F. Austin. Its campus resides on part of the homestead of another Texas founding...
, Calloway "Cally" Presley Belcher. Belcher and Chizik had a very close relationship and Chizik named his son Cally in honor of Belcher who died of a brain aneurysm after suffering a hit to the head in practice.
Chizik earned a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in 1985, and went on to receive a master's degree in guidance and counseling from Clemson University
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
in 1991. He is highly supportive of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Auburn University.
Honors
- Broyles AwardBroyles AwardThe Broyles Award is an annual award given to honor the best assistant coach in college football. First awarded in 1996, it was named after former University of Arkansas men's athletic director Frank Broyles...
(2004) - SEC Coach of the Year (AP) (2010)
- Home Depot Coach of the Year Award (2010)
- Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year AwardLiberty Mutual Coach of the Year AwardThe Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award is an annual college football award given to the a head coach from each NCAA division. The award honors coaches who succeed on and off the field, displaying sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility, and excellence....
(2010) - Paul "Bear" Bryant Award (2010)
- Bobby Bowden National Collegiate Coach of the Year AwardBobby Bowden National Collegiate Coach of the Year AwardThe Bobby Bowden National Collegiate Coach of the Year Award is a college football award given annually to the nation's best head coach. Established in 2009, Nick Saban was the award's first recipient...
(2010)