Chizik on ejections: ‘I am embarrassed by it’
Transcript of Auburn coach Gene Chizik’s postgame news conference:
Opening comments: “I couldn’t be happier for our fans . . . the Auburn family. I am excited for everybody. That stadium out there tonight was electric, and our student body, our alumni, our fans . . . it was a great night for everybody. Our football team in that locker room over there has a lot of love for each other. I think tonight was another situation when we were down by 14 points I think at one point; they just play as a family. That’s all that I can tell you. They play as a family, and I couldn’t be more blessed personally in my life to be around great people, great coaches, great administrators and players who are a joy to be around. They care about Auburn. They care about this football team, and they never cease to amaze me. I am very proud of [Cam Newton] and his performance, and I am very proud of our whole football team starting with our seniors, who have done a great job getting us to this point this year.”
On Cam Newton’s ability to avoid the distractions: “Cam rushed for (151) yards tonight. I was just really proud of the way he played. Like I said, he’s a really, really talented, extremely gifted football player who means a lot to our football team. By his performance, I felt like he’s done just about what he’s done in every other game this year.”
On the decision to on-side kick to open the second half: “That’s a very potent offense, and the on-side kick we felt really good about it during the week, and we felt like we needed to take one possession away from them in the second half. We needed to get some momentum coming out. We told our guys in the locker room at halftime it’s up and running and you have to get it. Wes [Byrum] made a great kick. I think it swung the momentum starting the second half, and it took one more possession away from their offense in the second half, which we needed to do.”
On how difficult it was to defend A.J. Green: “I don’t know that we did. I know that we certainly tried about everything we had, and they made some great throws to him. He made some great catches. He’s one of the best football players, wide receivers, certainly in college football. There’s no question about it. He is a force to be reckoned with. He’s a very talented young man.”
On the difference between Auburn’s defense in the first quarter and the rest of the game: “We settled down a little bit. We tried to do some different things coverage-wise just trying to get the passing game under control. We felt like we could stop the run, but we knew that they had very talented guys at wideout, including the tight end. They do a great job of seeing what you are in. The quarterback does a great job of reading what coverages that you are either disguising and trying to work to, and he hits the guy who is most available in that coverage. They are really good at that, and I thought they executed that well. I think pass rush and pressure, more so in the second half, got to them a little bit.”
On controlling the game running the ball in the second half: “We felt like offensively, starting with our offensive line, we could get some movement up front. We were trying to get a pace going where we could wear them down a little bit. I don’t know if that happened exactly the way we wanted to, but we had some explosive plays in there where they had to run down the field and get set and reset. We did some things that we thought with clock management and other things would help us towards the end of the game. Again, our offensive line … that was a good defense we played against. My hat’s off to them. They tried to do a few different things to take away the quarterback run game which we were able to do some other things with our tailback run game, but at the end of the day, that was a really good defense. I was proud of our offensive line.”
On winning the SEC Western Division: “We had goals at the beginning of the year, and this was the first goal. Really in the name of trying to take them one at a time, we didn’t know when, if we were going to win the West, when that would happen. We were blessed to be in a position tonight where if we won, then obviously we have a trip to Atlanta. So I think there was a lot of incentive out there. There was a lot on the line, and I couldn’t be more proud of our team because of the way they responded and the way they just kept playing.”
On the personal fouls and ejections in the game: “Just really disappointed in that. That’s a lot of reflection on us as coaches, and I am embarrassed by it. That’s not who we are. That’s not the way we carry ourselves, and we will address that tomorrow.”
On Michael Dyer breaking Bo Jackson’s freshman rushing yardage total: “I think Mike as the year has progressed has got a little more comfortable with the offense every week. We certainly have a lot of confidence in him running the football and protecting the football. What a great accomplishment. I think he feels a great comfort level, and I think it is a great honor for him. Again, we are not trying to break individual goals here but certainly that is one he is always going to be proud of until the next guy comes along and breaks it. I am proud of Michael.”
Did you believe you would win the SEC Western Division this soon after taking over as head coach? “I never put a timeline and a timeframe on anything. Our belief was that the only thing that we could focus on is where we’re going with the program and how we’re trying to get there, and we’re trying to do all the things the right way that make sense that the Auburn people would be proud of and the Auburn family. It would just be what Auburn is and who Auburn is, and that’s where we tried to start. So we didn’t put a timeframe on anything, but make no mistake our goal since the day we stepped here was to win a championship, and we haven’t done that yet. So, I don’t want to act like we have. We haven’t, but we are one step closer to being able to do that.”
How welcome is this bye week now? “I think it comes at a great time. We are definitely a tired football team. If you count two-a-days when we started in August, this is probably week 14 straight. I think we tried to manage it about the best way we could with trying to back off when we needed to back off, and try to be aggressive when we needed to be aggressive. They’ve done everything we’ve asked them to do, and that’s the great thing about this team. It’s a well-needed break. We will sit back and try to get a little bit of a breather here in the next probably 48 hours, but we have a huge, huge football game coming up in two weeks, and we have to get ready to play that game.”
On coming back from a 21-7 first-quarter deficit: “Like I said, the guys in that locker room just never cease to amaze me and the coaches … offensive coaches, defensive coaches, special team coaches. Nobody gets rattled. Players keep playing and the coaches keep coaching and we have to adjust and sometimes it doesn’t look exactly the way we want it to look. Sometimes it is really ugly. Sometimes it’s not. For 11 weeks in a row now, we have found a way to win so that’s the most important thing.”
How will you deal with the ejections? “I am going to deal with that tomorrow, and I am not happy about it at all.”
Was your team a little bit hyped up to start the game? “They were. I think they were very excited to play. I knew that when we were getting off the bus. We were trying to temper it down a little bit. They were extremely excited to play this game. The seniors knew that they were never going to play out here again. That’s where it started, and they love Auburn, and they love playing in front of these fans, and they were off the chart in terms of excitement and I don’t blame them. But I think that was a little bit part of some of the play at the beginning … we weren’t very smart. We were just too out there with that. Finally we settled down, and I think we played a little bit better.”
On what it was like when it was 21-7 Georgia: “You are always concerned when it is 21-7, but I don’t think a 21-7 score affects you unless you have never been there before. We have probably been there two to three maybe more times this year. I just think our football team has confidence, and we get things adjusted to the best of our ability, and we try to come back and just keep playing for 60 minutes. We just don’t look up at the clock. We just keep playing and when it is 0:00, we will look up and the best man will win.”
(Transcript provided by Auburn.)
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481 comments Add your comment
Pat
November 15th, 2010
1:26 pm
If there was ever a player who name does not fit, it is Fairley. I have always, always pulled for the SEC team in the national champioship. Thanks to Fairley, I hope Alabama beats them and they don’t even get there. But if they do, I will be the biggest fan of the team they play.
Ron
November 15th, 2010
1:57 pm
Never met such a bunch of cry-babies in my life.
UGA has been the dirtiest team in the SEC for years – always have the most penalties. Even in this game they were chop-blocking and storming the field.
Pathetic losers.
Dave
November 15th, 2010
1:58 pm
@Brad Newcomer – seriously?
Hershel SUCKED in the NFL. Actually sucked.
Bo owned the NFL until his injury.
Get a clue.
dawgrific
November 15th, 2010
3:19 pm
I could not agree more, as I went into this game hoping to win, probably expecting to lose, but with no ill feeling towards the plainsmen whatsoever. I came out of it fuming mad, and hoping that they lose the rest of their games, and that when they get put on probation, that it is a pricey version for them to think about for about 5 years. Fairley is an embarrassment, and scam has little-zero class as well.
Don't have a dog n this fight
November 15th, 2010
4:27 pm
It seems the ones concerned about the 4Q Un-Fairley hit are not considering all contributors: Richt had Murray in there with a poor call late in a game UGA was well on its way in losing; the UGA offensive line was not doing its job keeping Fairley away from its QB; and the officials did not call a penalty. You can lament about it, but at least distribute some of the blame (if there is any) around to all sources of Murray’s injury. BTW hope all these athletes have a healthy and successful future ahead of them.
Steptoe
November 15th, 2010
4:48 pm
Enjoy it now Auburn…cause when its all over, how’s that 0-12 gonna taste. As far as the late hits on Murray, the referee is to blame for his refusal to throw the flag.
LLUGA
November 15th, 2010
4:48 pm
Only one to blame for Murray’s bruised sternum and knee is Fairley. He took cheap shots on a QB and got away with it. He played dirty…attempting to injure another player on purpose with hits that are routinely fines in the NFL. Blaming Richt or Murray for Fairley’s cheap shots is like blaming a rape victim for “dressing too sexy.” Fairley is a punka$$ thug…if he keeps playing dirty someone is going to take out his ACL…
November 26, 2010
November 15th, 2010
5:14 pm
WE CANT WAIT TO RUIN YOUR PERFECT SEASON YOU DIRTY ROTTEN STINKING CHEATING BARNERS.
Henry "The Manuver" Heimlich
November 15th, 2010
5:34 pm
When a fight starts in a football game, it is usually the 2nd person involved that gets the flag… 2 Auburn players flagged…hmmm, who started it? (Not to mention the gang-style jump from the OL on Fairley)
When the Auburn player was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct from the bench during the replay review, he was reacting to a ThUGA player running his mouth towards the AU bench. Hmmm, again.
When Fairley speared Murray, a flag was thrown. It extended the drive on the failed 3rd down. UGA eventually scored on that drive. I would say Auburn was penalized. On all of the other plays, Fairley was playing to the “last echo of the whistle”, something that Richt’s mentor at FSU liked to preach. Fairley actually put his shoulder into his target and wrapped up on the tackle. That is something that every coach would like his players to do. If the hits were late, the flags would have been thrown. Obviously, they were too close to call.
I also heard the CTG was jawing at fans in the stands. First it was opposing players, and now he is getting into it with the fans? Stay classy UGA…
Molly
November 15th, 2010
5:56 pm
After reading some of these comments…I find myself shaking my head. I am a hard core AU fan!! I love Nick Fairley, yes he did make some late hits…the block in the back of Murray was bad and he received a penality. There were several chop blocks, and blocks in the back and face masks by UGA that were not called or penalized…Fairley was doubled teamed all night and he still was able to get to the QB…I attribute that to the UGA OL…they didn’t block, they were too busy getting in face masks, cheap shots, and chop blocks to block correctly. Apparently everyone saw a different game than I watched…. as for Fairley, he is a BIG guy and once his momentum is going it is hard to stop…you can’t stop a Semi on a dime and he can’t stop on a dime!! Fairley was blocked into the QB when his “Knee/Shin” injury occured, he did not intentionally “spear” Murray’s Knee…also why didnt Murray get out of the way? He knew Fairley was coming for him and Murray just stood there…If the Refs would have called some of the cheap shots made by both teams we would not be discussing this to begin with…Fairley injured his shoulder the first half of the game and wasn’t even playing full speed…so to continue to bad mouth him is wrong!! Also when 3 of UGA players piled on top of him and was punching him they did not get called or penalized for their actions…I think if the NCAA/SEC were to watch the game again and see all the bad hits and plays there would be alot of players penalized on both teams!! But at Auburn it is FAMILY ALL IN and when the UGA players were on top of Nick, and the AU players tried to pull them off it got heated and Goggans hit one of the guys…but so did the UGA player on top of Nick and #3 for UGA punched at an AU player but didnt get called… As for the Mike Blanc ejection, the UGA O Lineman drug/pushed him several yards away from the play after the play was whistled dead and continued to push Blanc into the UGA players, and yes he had to defend himself…I don’t condone it but I understand it….also as for the fans booing the UGA player…Mark Richt tolded the player to stay down…to slow the AU Offense down so they could rest…the player wasn’t actually injured that was what the fans were booing about was Mark Richt “motioning to the UGA player to stay down”. Also the UGA players stomping the AU emblem is disrespectful and was Classless in my opinion…and for some of UGA fans to set the toliet paper on fire at Toomers Corner is classless…so when you call a team “classless and thugs” you need to look in the mirror… If you can’t handle getting beat, that is really your problem…don’t take it out on the team that has beaten you!! At AU we love and support our team, our coaches and fans!! WAR EAGLE!!!
James D
November 15th, 2010
6:38 pm
I love it when you jerks try to defend that assclown Fairley. You think there is nothing wrong with the way he played and that says alot for the Auburn fans. Why don’t to go to the special olympics and boo the downs kids. Classless to the core
Broken Record...
November 15th, 2010
6:58 pm
Hey Molly…did you really just type the word tolded?
Fairley injured his shoulder does not mean he can play dirty and we have to look the other way as the refs did.
This is a circular argument. You say our players were bad for going after that dirty POS Fairley. We say our players were justified in doing so because he had been taking cheap dirty shots on our QB all night long and the refs called it once. If Dirty Fairley was playing remotely fairly…the line would not have tried to exact their revenge for hurting our QB. You see lady, if you try and hurt someone for 4 straight quarters and finally succeed…lack of intent on an isolated play is not an argument you can win.
Your Semi analogy also disproves your argument. Looking at the replay play we are looking at Dirty Fairley’s back. He was being blocked to his right. As Murray stood there our blocker was blocking him to the right and he dove to his left the opposite way he was being blocked. The only way a semi going right suddenly jerks to the left is if the driver makes it happen!
Lastly…why was Chizik even rushing the QB at that point in the game!? It was clearly out of reach. UGA could not win. The only reason you keep that guy in there is so that he can hurt someone–and it worked. Chizik got what he wanted! Dirty Fairley tried all game to hurt Murray and he finally did it with two minutes left when the game was totally out of reach! THe refs stood idly by and allowed the dirty play…So Dirty Fairley got what he had coming. If the refs didn’t make it happen…well our OL had no choice.
I do not condone tryng to set fire to that corner y’all like to vandalize after wins. But then again I didn’t see anything on Saturday that won Auburn any respect from me anyway…so if it burned it burned. I couldn’t care less.
Broken Record...
November 15th, 2010
7:04 pm
Also Molly as far as your detail of the fracas…that is all beside the point. The refs let Dirty Fairley get away with murder on all but one play. So our guys went after him. They could and should only have to take it for so long. The knee play was the straw that broke the camel’s back, It was Fairley and only Fairley’s doing. If he had been playing within the rules–we wouldn’t have gone after him. If the refs had made him play by the rules–he wouldn’t have had as many chances to hurt our QB–And our guys would not have gone after him. No Fairley–No fight. Get it?
I hope the NCAA demolishes your dirty program.
LLUGA
November 15th, 2010
7:39 pm
When did Auburn fans get so greedy…it’s not enough to win…now they have to convince everyone they aren’t a dirty team…good luck with that…
WatsonOne
November 15th, 2010
7:40 pm
Auburn is a good team, BUT the team and the fans showed poor sportsmanship. There is no class at Auburn. Nick Fairley is a thug and should be disqualified by the SEC. I hope they lose the next game to Alabama.
nobody
November 15th, 2010
9:04 pm
Chizik has no character….while talking about how disapointed he was in the ejections of his players, he was pumping his fist harder than anyone else to fire up the crowd and his players…how did fairlie avoid a taunting call when doing his solo on national tv?
Dawg Tired
November 15th, 2010
9:46 pm
I would like to hear more about what a fine person Cam is.
Dawg Tired
November 15th, 2010
9:47 pm
I would like to hear more about what fine person Fairley is.
Dawg Tired
November 15th, 2010
9:49 pm
I would like to hear more about how classy it is to boo a player who has been intentionally injured by one of your fine upstanding players.
Dawg Tired
November 15th, 2010
9:51 pm
I would like to see how proud CGC is when Auburn has to forfeit the games the best player money can buy is deemed to have been ineligible for the entire season.
Dawg Tired
November 15th, 2010
9:53 pm
This is certainly a time in history that Auburn can be so proud of for so many reasons.
Skitty Fritty
November 15th, 2010
9:58 pm
$cam Newton, the best college player money can buy.
FOOTBALLFAN
November 15th, 2010
11:01 pm
Fairley hit late and paid the price. The knee hit was incidental contact. These things happen in the moment of a violent game that most of us have never played so we have no idea the intensity. As to class what about the cut blocking and the knees to the stomach in the pile? What about the becnh clearing by GA? Go check out the video of a Bulldog elbowing under the chin against Florida and his helmet flying. Point is the SEC is a rough and tough league to win in so GA fans and players stop whining. You got beat by a team with a chip on its shoulder and right now AU has a us against the the world mentality. Also no one has stopped the methodical death marches when Cam simply wears you down and there is nothing you can do but watch, Down 14 and there was no doubt this was coming. You can see it developing. Off field stuff aside we are all witnessing a college athlete who is playing at a level not seen in a long time or maybe never.
War Eagle Love
November 15th, 2010
11:23 pm
OK!! The Auburn game against Georgia was very intense We all saw that. And I agree things got out of hand at the end. I am sure the coaches hit those kids hard about that behavior. Lets face it we all hate the one on top. When our teams play bad we always go after the team who play well. As for Cam Newton he signed with Auburn. If he signed with Miss State or UGA or anyother school and they were winning guess it would be on there back however sure there fans would back there school and Newton if he was on there team. Face fact Auburn did not pay a dime for Newton other than a Scolarship. They new nothing neither as it sounds did Cam. And by the way no matter what happens on the field it gives UGA no right to burn toomers corner.. THAT IS LOW CLASS!!!!!!
Tiger Hater
November 16th, 2010
12:43 am
first thing I got to say number 90 should be suspened for that hit on muarry. That can end a career check out the tape of that hit and u see what I mean . Roll tide !!
fatboy
November 16th, 2010
7:59 am
i hope the Bama Offensive line stand fairly up, chip block both freakin knees. he has made a history of driving QB’s into the ground on late hits. hes too fat and slow to get there to sack the QB , until he’s slowed them down with a few cheep shots. my question is why officiating continue to let this go. i under stand running into a QB after the ball is away, i understand sometime its a bang bang play, but he already has his mind made up, he’s not going to pull up, he is going to wrap up, body slam, and drive his shoulder into the QB chest. football is a collision sport, but ive never seen anyone play as dirty as this guy. i hope the NFL remembers this come draft day, all those plays would be a penalty in the pros. its gonna be a long year waiting for the AU game to roll around again.
Kevin
November 16th, 2010
10:42 am
I am shocked you sniffiling UG(LY) fans have enough time to cry about how badly those mean AU defensive players hurt your boy wonder. I figured you guys were too busy crying about your horrible season. I was in Athens last year in your WIN over AU and you guys couldn’t get through the first half without BOOING your own team. They came back and beat AU, but I am sure you guys were too busy picking out a new coach or worrying where to find a new Ugga to notice. The most puny and fairweathered fan base in the SEC…ok save for Vanderbilt. It is over, you got creamed. Now get ready for a game against YOUR in state rivalry against the mighty Tech. What do you call your rivalry game, ours is the iron bowl…your is the mediocre bowl…..
78 DAWG
November 16th, 2010
1:26 pm
The Auburn Family is All IN for winning football games at all cost ($$$), an ineligible qb that solicited money, dirty defensive players (but AU has always been the master of late hits and piling on at the end of the play), 1957 National Champs, but you were on probation, Tiny Bowden and undefeated but on probation, soon to be on probation again, maybe you’ll get the DEATH PENALTY, probably not but you can cry and whine how it was a conspiracy against you…lety’s just say you suck and most people hope Alabama and S.C. beat you so you don’t cause the SEC further embarrasment, would rather see Boise win the MNC than you scum.
What?
November 16th, 2010
3:01 pm
FOOTBALLFAN says “…right now AU has a us against the the world mentality.”
You know what other part of the popualtion shares that same mentality?
The Criminals.
So in this case…I couldn’t agree more.
wild bill
November 16th, 2010
7:03 pm
I just happened to recall something……Almost every time Auburn has an outstanding team they are either on probation or headed for probation. Look it up. Hmmmmm. Fairley is punk and a cretin. Newton is a hot dog for which there is not enough mustard in Alabama to cover him. The SEC officials are a spineless bunch of cowards for not suspending Fairley for the rest of the season. Chizik is a prima donna and obviously condones the thug behavior of his team. Auburn fans should keep in mind one little point. If it is proven there was some shady dealings with Newton and it is discovered that he should have been ineligible, Auburn will have to forfeit all games he played in. Wouldn’t that be a fitting climax to the season?Three schools in three years for Newton, not to mention a little situation with a stolen computer at Florida. Where there is smoke, there is fire.
Get over it Puppies
November 17th, 2010
2:31 pm
I think it is so commical that you are complaining about Chizik being classless by running up the score by 2 TD’s after the score “had been decided.” Give me a break! So you don’t think Richt would have done the same? Of course he would have. It’s a football game. No team is just going to say, “let’s make sure we don’t score again so the pups won’t get their feelings hurt.”
I hardly think you can condem Auburn for being classless either. Lighting Toomer’s tree on fire after the game just because you are sore losers? Thousands of happy AU fans gather there with children. If you don’t want to be around happy AU fans, don’t go to the historic landmark. Luckily no one got hurt over someone being a sore loser. Now that is CLASSLESS!