i got a question about coach chiz and cam.

[aubiefifty 17,487]

i read somewhere that coach chiz had to be talked into signing cam cus he did not want him. anyone know the story? not trying to bash chiz cus i still care for the man. just wondering if gus really had to put his foot down( this is a plus for coach gus to me) if it happened like that.

[SphyNxXx 98]

Yes this is true. I believe Chizik discussed it in his book. One of the assistants, I believe Luper, found Cam while scouting a teammate and informed Gus. I believe Gus had to beg Chizik to sign Cam because Chizik didn't want to sign any QBs in that class.

[TheBlueVue 177]

Somebody may prbably now the exact story but Im not sures who had to put his foot down. Originally Curtis Luper was at Blinn recruiting a WR when he saw Cam for the 1st time. Im not sure at that point if it was Gus or Trooper that went back but since Cam was not on their original list of target recruits Chiz did put up some resistance until he was able to talk to him and see if it was a good fit in his opinion. I think he was just being the boss which I understand he liked being a lot.

[gonefhin 8]

I think "talked" into is not correct.

Auburn had 4 rides to give that December, that could count back towards the previous year, if someone enrolled winter semester. We had used up three of them, and had one offer out to a defensive player at a junior college in California. (not Joel B; but I think he was one of the three already on board) Chiz wanted the defensive player, Cam did not visit until the week before xmas or two weeks before something like that (just a note his dad did not go on the visit with him). It got to be one of those do we wait on the defensive guy or offer Cam. The offer went to Cam, and I am not sure but I do not think he took it until after xmas, or maybe a day or two before. The guy from CA went away?? what ever and Cam had the spot. I remember when he signed everyone was like who? kid from florida why? Anyway I say the part about his Dad and the late visit because I always felt it was evidence that AU did not do anything wrong in the recuriting process.

I do not remember all the recurits names that we got that December but I am sure someone on this board does. Not defending Chiz, he was suppose to be a defensive coach so I guess he wanted the def. guys.

Note: I hope I did not butcher this story completely but I think in general I got it right.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Read Chizik's book "All In." In his own words it's pretty simple. Luper went to Blaine to look at a WR when he saw Cam and was blown away. He came back and told Chizik we should get him. Chiz said no, For one reason he didn't want to sign a JC QB at the time. Luper and Trooper convinced Malzahn to try to get Chiz to change his mind. Chiz reluctantly agreed and the rest is history.

[CleCoTiger 1,957]

For one reason he didn't want to sign a JC QB at the time.

Right. Cam didn't fit with the plan Chiz had laid out. The "plan" didn't include a JC transfer at QB. Sure am glad Chiz modified the plan in this case.

[AU-24 3,124]

Read Chizik's book "All In." In his own words it's pretty simple. Luper went to Blaine to look at a WR when he saw Cam and was blown away. He came back and told Chizik we should get him. Chiz said no, For one reason he didn't want to sign a JC QB at the time. Luper and Trooper convinced Malzahn to try to get Chiz to change his mind. Chiz reluctantly agreed and the rest is history.

If you read the book, this is 100% true. Chiz admitted, it in his own book! Not slamming on the man, but I understand the truth does hurt sometimes!

[CleCoTiger 1,957]

Read Chizik's book "All In." In his own words it's pretty simple. Luper went to Blaine to look at a WR when he saw Cam and was blown away. He came back and told Chizik we should get him. Chiz said no, For one reason he didn't want to sign a JC QB at the time. Luper and Trooper convinced Malzahn to try to get Chiz to change his mind. Chiz reluctantly agreed and the rest is history.

If you read the book, this is 100% true. Chiz admitted, it in his own book! Not slamming on the man, but I understand the truth does hurt sometimes!

Your post makes it sound like admitting he wanted to stick with his plan and not go after a JC QB is something to be ashamed of. It's not like Chiz or any of the other coaches ever tried to hide any of this. I don't get this "the truth hurts" stuff at all.

[AU-24 3,124]

Read Chizik's book "All In." In his own words it's pretty simple. Luper went to Blaine to look at a WR when he saw Cam and was blown away. He came back and told Chizik we should get him. Chiz said no, For one reason he didn't want to sign a JC QB at the time. Luper and Trooper convinced Malzahn to try to get Chiz to change his mind. Chiz reluctantly agreed and the rest is history.

If you read the book, this is 100% true. Chiz admitted, it in his own book! Not slamming on the man, but I understand the truth does hurt sometimes!

Your post makes it sound like admitting he wanted to stick with his plan and not go after a JC QB is something to be ashamed of. It's not like Chiz or any of the other coaches ever tried to hide any of this. I don't get this "the truth hurts" stuff at all.

If you don't get it, I won't attempt to explain.

War Eagle to you!

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,334]

I think "talked" into is not correct.

Auburn had 4 rides to give that December, that could count back towards the previous year, if someone enrolled winter semester. We had used up three of them, and had one offer out to a defensive player at a junior college in California. (not Joel B; but I think he was one of the three already on board) Chiz wanted the defensive player, Cam did not visit until the week before xmas or two weeks before something like that (just a note his dad did not go on the visit with him). It got to be one of those do we wait on the defensive guy or offer Cam. The offer went to Cam, and I am not sure but I do not think he took it until after xmas, or maybe a day or two before. The guy from CA went away?? what ever and Cam had the spot. I remember when he signed everyone was like who? kid from florida why? Anyway I say the part about his Dad and the late visit because I always felt it was evidence that AU did not do anything wrong in the recuriting process.

I do not remember all the recurits names that we got that December but I am sure someone on this board does. Not defending Chiz, he was suppose to be a defensive coach so I guess he wanted the def. guys.

Note: I hope I did not butcher this story completely but I think in general I got it right.

I'll never forget where I was when I found out we landed Cameron Newton- My brother and I were with friends enjoying the Outback Bowl parade through Ybor City, FL (think Cuban New Orleans on a budget) with the team when Cam signed his LOI. It was December 29th or 30th 2009. I had quite a few cheap 32 oz beers by then, so I don't recall the exact night, but I remember exactly where I was standing when I found out. I can't tell if I remember it because I knew who he was or because of what he would eventually do. Still a cool memory, celebrating the bowl game and Cam Newton.

[Mikey 16,781]

Had Chizik agreed to sign a QB before he ever laid eyes on him or even talked to him he would have totally failed "due diligence".

Every recruit an assistant recommends has to first be approved by the head coach. That's true everywhere in college football. There is no way to fault Chizik for doing what any head coach worth a dime would have done.

Chizik did what he was supposed to do, we got Cam and together they won a national championship for Auburn.

[NO UAT 4 ME 0]

Somebody may prbably now the exact story but Im not sures who had to put his foot down. Originally Curtis Luper was at Blinn recruiting a WR when he saw Cam for the 1st time. Im not sure at that point if it was Gus or Trooper that went back but since Cam was not on their original list of target recruits Chiz did put up some resistance until he was able to talk to him and see if it was a good fit in his opinion. I think he was just being the boss which I understand he liked being a lot.

Yep. That WR was Dexter Ransom who eventually wound up at Baylor, I believe. Funny how things work out.

[auburnphan 6,050]

Had Chizik agreed to sign a QB before he ever laid eyes on him or even talked to him he would have totally failed "due diligence".

Every recruit an assistant recommends has to first be approved by the head coach. That's true everywhere in college football. There is no way to fault Chizik for doing what any head coach worth a dime would have done.

Chizik did what he was supposed to do, we got Cam and together they won a national championship for Auburn.

Amen.....+10000

[CleCoTiger 1,957]

Read Chizik's book "All In." In his own words it's pretty simple. Luper went to Blaine to look at a WR when he saw Cam and was blown away. He came back and told Chizik we should get him. Chiz said no, For one reason he didn't want to sign a JC QB at the time. Luper and Trooper convinced Malzahn to try to get Chiz to change his mind. Chiz reluctantly agreed and the rest is history.

If you read the book, this is 100% true. Chiz admitted, it in his own book! Not slamming on the man, but I understand the truth does hurt sometimes!

Your post makes it sound like admitting he wanted to stick with his plan and not go after a JC QB is something to be ashamed of. It's not like Chiz or any of the other coaches ever tried to hide any of this. I don't get this "the truth hurts" stuff at all.

If you don't get it, I won't attempt to explain.

I expect you won't try to explain because it makes no sense even to you. Chiz had a plan. That plan did not include building around JC transfers at QB. There's nothing about that truth that "hurts" anyone in the least bit.

[FHeal 4]

“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” (Allen Saunders)

[EagleFlight34 101]

Had Chizik agreed to sign a QB before he ever laid eyes on him or even talked to him he would have totally failed "due diligence".

Every recruit an assistant recommends has to first be approved by the head coach. That's true everywhere in college football. There is no way to fault Chizik for doing what any head coach worth a dime would have done.

Chizik did what he was supposed to do, we got Cam and together they won a national championship for Auburn. :thumbsup:/>

^^^^This.

And if you don't understand this, there is no need in trying to explain it to you.

[subterranean_jack 112]

There's no reason to throw Chizik under the bus (again) over this. Any football coach looks at Cam in person and they immediately think tight end a la Tony Gonzalez, not QB. I'm sure Luper and Malzahn watched his film before Chizik did, so Chizik probably needed a little convincing. Chizik also wanted to shy away from juco transfers so he could have players in his system for 4-5 years and bring them along his way. Ultimately, this approach was too far-sighted and led to the entire staff being fired. Relying on a bunch of underclassmen to carry the team and losing a lot of games generally has that effect. I think you can fault Chizik for taking a long-view approach instead of focusing on winning games in the short-term, not for being a little reluctant to hand the most important position on the field to a relative unknown.

[sogaaufan 27]

What's interesting about the whole Cam story is the fact that we could have very easily landed him straight out of high school. Tubs staff was very high on him and we were very much in the running for him until Kodi committed. I've always wondered how history may have been altered had he come to Auburn out of high school.

[Bottomfeeder 244]

We have a thread, in this very forum, discussing Cam Newton sated Dec 16, 2009.