Reader Opinion: Chizik or Malzahn

Auburnstevo tackles the question that seems to be on everyone's mind lately: Chizik or Malzahn?

I have heard time and time again that fans would be happy to be rid of Chizik as long as they can keep offensive mastermind Malzahn. I, however, would like to argue the contrary.

It is true that Auburn owes tons of its success, especially offensively, to Coach Malzahn, but without Coach Chizik, Malzahn would NOT be at Auburn. Let me say that again, Malzahn would NOT be at Auburn. Coach Chizik is the President and CEO of the Auburn football team. Malzahn is just a VP. Any offensive coordinator is only as good as his head coach lets him be. Chizik is the driver of the team. He provides the direction. He hired Malzahn to run the offense that he foresaw as the one that best fit the Auburn team he wanted to put together. Talented athletes are also the key to making Malzahn's offense as potent as possible. Everyone saw last year how "bad" it can be without a great QB to make it work.

I am just not convinced that the job of the offensive coordinator is near as important as the head coach. Let me put it to you this way, if Malzahn leaves for a head coaching job somewhere else, what do you think will happen to the team and to the coaches? What would happen if Chizik left? I will tell you. If Malzahn leaves, he would be the only one. All other coaches would stay. All players would stay and there would be minimal to no affect to recruiting. Chizik would work his magic and find another just as talented O.C. to take Malzahn's place. Maybe someone with 4 pictures on a board like Oregon or Oregon State. Now, if Chizik is the one that leaves, a new head coach would need to be hired (obviously). And with the new head coach comes a whole new coaching staff, so Malzahn would be gone as well. Not to mention all of the current players that would want to leave since their coaches are now gone and lots of recruits would decommit. It would be a small disaster with at the very least 1 year of growth.

Simply stated, all of those fans that say they would rather lose Chizik have obviously not thought things through. Myself, I would like to keep the entire coaching staff for many years to come, but that is probably too much to wish for. I only hope that when that day comes, Auburn (with Chizik as the head man) keep things going in the right direction.

-Auburnstevo-