College Football 2011: 10 Expectations for Gene Chizik and Auburn in 2011
Expectations for Auburn Tigers coach Gene Chizik were most likely at an all-time low as a newly-hired coach in 2008.
Two years later, Chizik has the chance to become a legend or a Larry Coker-type. The Auburn faithful are quick to announce their joy, but they also add a quick quip to make sure everyone knows the fan base hasn’t laid the red carpet just yet.
Going into 2011, there doesn’t appear to be a repeat title run on the horizon, but a winning season and possible New Year’s Day bowl could be in the cards. A lot of hard work and time have to pass before the Tigers are bowl eligible, but the expectations are there.
Will Chizik continue with another winning season? Will the defense improve for the third straight year? How will the staff adjust to coaching mostly veterans to all underclassmen?
These are hurdles that have to be crossed, and the fan base will be watching every step of the way. With that said, here are 10 expectations for Chizik and the Auburn Tigers in 2011.
Winning Record Continues
1 of 10
Chizik has quite the winning percentage at this point in his Auburn career.
Continuing on the winning path is a must if Chizik wants the Auburn faithful to stay in his corner. Keeping more in the win column than the loss column is a must for any coach, and in the SEC, you only get two years at the most to rebuild.
Looking at the schedule for 2011, maintaining a winning record will not be an easy task. After the losses on both sides of the ball and the lack of rising seniors, expecting too much would be foolish.
A winning record though is far from out of the question.
Coach Retention
2 of 10
One of the major wins and biggest recruiting pulls Chizik has landed in his tenure so far has to be the staff. He has had only one defector in three years, which is virtually unheard of, and only losing one coach coming off a national title is a huge win for Chizik and the Tigers.
Having a staff that carries over will ease the lack of experience the Tigers have and will make expectations a little higher than usual since the players should already know the system and level of play the coaches are looking for.
Keeping the staff together after the 2011 season will be another daunting task, but it is a huge expectation for the fan base.
Battle for the West
3 of 10
No one is going to pick Auburn to win the West this season.
No one picked them to win it a year ago either, but too many things appear to be fighting against the Tigers this season for them to repeat.
The expectation is there though to be competitive. Just being in the mix will be good for the Tigers with the hurdles this season seems to be bringing.
Auburn may not come out on top of the West, but they must maintain their competitiveness. Chizik has to do what he can to keep this team motivated and moving, especially when the times get rough and the losses come. In 2008 it seemed like the team could not finish, and it suffered some bad losses. This season when the losses come, Chizik will have to keep the team focused and moving in the right direction.
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Undefeated Non-Conference Record
4 of 10
Looking at the 2011 non-conference schedule, Chizik and co. should not cringe too much.
The largest detractor will be an away game at Clemson. If Auburn can win that game in Week 3, the Tigers should finish with an undefeated non-conference record.
Looking at the rest of the schedule-fillers, if losses come to Florida Atlantic, Utah State or Samford, this staff will have their hands full of unhappy fans. There is always an expectation to win the games you should, and even as Auburn has questions coming into 2011, a non-conference loss should never be in the cards.
Nine-Win Season
5 of 10
With a bowl win, the Tigers should finish the season with at least nine wins.
An 8-4 regular season record seems manageable and somewhat acceptable in the pending rebuilding year. Chizik and co. should be battling for a repeat title, but the reality is that a nine-win season is very good given the circumstances.
The Auburn faithful have built expectations of success, and Chizik will deliver this season with a modest rebuilding year. A non-bowl season would be totally unacceptable though and would pole vault Chizik onto the hot seat.
Bowl Win
6 of 10
Texas made history this past season by becoming the first team in recent history to make it to the title game and not go bowling the following year.
Auburn is going to claw and scratch not to be the second. Chizik will have to address not only getting wins and making it to the bowl season, but also landing a win.
The Tigers and their fans will expect no less than a bowl trip, but at the end of the day, a bowl win will also be expected. How the Tigers finish the season will be a big move toward the 2012 campaign.
Two Wins of the Big Four
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The toughest four-game stretch for the Tigers this season falls in the month of October.
With three away games and one home game squeezed in between them, the Tigers will have a tough task ahead to say the least.
For Auburn to have the season it expects, and for Chizik to continue the legendary path he is on, at least two wins have to come from this tough stretch. Winning at Arkansas, South Carolina and LSU will no doubt be a tough feat, but this is an expectation Chizik needs to live up to.
Top-Five Recruiting Class
8 of 10
At this point, most fans have come to expect a top-five recruiting class from Chizik and his staff of hard-nosed recruiters.
Continuing the trend a year after winning the national title seems about right.
The Tigers are off to a good start with four talented commits, but landing a few marquee backs has to be a goal, as the Tigers seemed to swing and miss on some backs a year ago.
With a season that looks to be less than perfect lurking in the shadows, a recruiting win could be huge for the Tigers and will be much-needed to keep the ball rolling in the right direction on the Plains.
Destructive Defense
9 of 10
Chizik built his reputation on smash-mouth defense.
His players seem to play with reckless abandon and love to find contact. That mentality has found its way to the Plains yet again, but a lack of able bodies has hurt the Tigers' efforts the past two seasons.
Heading into 2011, Chizik and defensive coordinator Ted Roof look to have the athletes this time around to keep fresh bodies on the field and lay some serious licks on opposing offenses. One sure bright spot this season will be the play of the defense, and the fans are looking for a breakout year from this defensive unit.
Look for Chizik to have the right players in the right places come September. Anything less than bone-chilling hits and highlights will be a disappointment for Auburn fans.
Iron Bowl Win
10 of 10
This is the game that determines whether or not coaches get the final nod as a success at Auburn and Alabama.
You have to win the Iron Bowl. This rivalry is the nastiest in college football and is played out every day of the year in the conversations and reenactments around the state.
Whatever happens throughout the season, an Iron Bowl win can make it all seem like a success. Chizik will go into this game with home-field advantage and has the chance to become 2-1 against 'Bama. With a win here, the 2011 season will likely close strong, and Chizik will have closed out yet another successful regular season for the Tigers.
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