SZVETITZ COLUMN: Next phase crucial for Chizik

Now comes the hard part.

With Phase I of the Gene Chizik plan almost complete, it’s time to look at the second — and most important — phase to the new Auburn football team blueprint: the players.

The first part was putting together a staff. And Chizik has done pretty well for himself, assembling a “who’s who” of recruiters and position coaches, while making a big splash with one of the hottest offensive coordinators in the game.

He also shored up the defensive side of the ball by retaining James Willis, who can do it all, and bringing in a coordinator who’s seen it — and done it — all.

Now, Phase II. Which really needs to be broken up into two parts.

First, the current players. How does what Auburn already has fit into what the new coaches want to do?

Tricky.

Second, the future players. Who does the new coaching staff go after, and what do they do with the ones who have already committed to Auburn when it was under the direction of Tommy Tuberville?

Interesting.

Quick disclaimer: I’m not sure anyone but Chizik and the guys he’s hired know the answer to these questions. But we do know one thing: Chizik wants “the best fit for Auburn.” Sound familiar? It should. And as he said Friday, Chizik will keep saying it until he’s blue in the face. I thought I saw a little discoloration around the cheek area.

But true to form, Chizik isn’t worried about how many times he has to say anything. He’s got a plan, and he’s not deviating. Period.

Which will help down the line. That drive will most definitely help with the second part of Phase II. Chizik will be able to get the guys he wants to fit his program. He’ll be able to build his roster with his guys. And Chizik’s already started to go after some of them.

But what about the ones who aren’t his guys? The current players? What about who and what Tuberville and Co. left in the cupboard?

That’s the question. A very tough question.

And it’s not so much on the defensive side of the ball. From what Ted Roof told us Wednesday, his defensive philosophy is pretty simple: tackle, destroy blocks and tackle.

Pretty cut and dry.

And with the athletes Auburn has on that side of the ball, adjusting to a new coordinator — the third in three years — shouldn’t be a problem. Defense is just that way. See ball, hit ball. Right?

But what about the offense? How many of those guys will jive with Gus Malzahn’s offense? Last year, we saw how many had trouble with Tony Franklin’s.

Who’s going to play quarterback? How many running backs will be in the mix? What about wide receiver? And offensive line? And, well, everything?

Malzahn said two weeks ago, the day he was officially introduced, that every position would be open. Just because you started last year doesn’t mean your job is safe this year. Which, obviously, is the best way to do it.

But what backup from that 5-7 team is actually better than the starter?

Sure, Auburn’s struggles last year ran far deeper than the players on the field. Some decisions made by that coaching staff put those players in the worst possible position to succeed. And the Tigers struggled because of it.

But that still doesn’t change the fact that there are some significant holes on the roster, which Chizik, Malzahn and the boys are going to have to deal with.

Just because Tulsa, with Malzahn calling the plays, put up 600-plus yards on Ball State last Tuesday night in the GMAC Bowl doesn’t mean that Auburn can run up those kind of numbers when the Tigers host the Cardinals next season.

Does it?

Ahh, the questions.

Phase II: Still under construction.

MIKE SZVETITZ is sports editor of the Opelika-Auburn News. He may be reached at mszvetitz@oanow.com or 737-2513.

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