Adelson on Chizik
- Thread starter WoadBlue
- Start date
"I don’t have to prove anything to anybody. As a head coach and as an assistant, I’ve done all you can do.... If somebody calls and says you’re our top guy or top two guys, would I listen? I don’t know, depends on where it is. But I’m in a way different place than I was. I’m very happy doing this, being a defensive coordinator."
I freaking love Gene Chizik. Hope he sticks around for at least another year. Or two. Maybe longer, if he wants.
I freaking love Gene Chizik. Hope he sticks around for at least another year. Or two. Maybe longer, if he wants.
Based on a prior interview back in the early weeks of the season, he indicated that when he first arrived, he felt a strong kinship(?) to Chapel Hill, as his Father and Uncle had grown up as close friends with Carolina's legendary #22, Mr. Charles Justice (aka "Choo Choo"), a relationship they maintained throughout their lives, and a gentleman the Chizik had known as a young man. Just seeing Choo Choo's statue at the west end of the stadium on a daily basis seemed to give him some sense of belonging here, of "being in the right place".
And at least for a couple more years, money is not really the issue (if it ever was), unless the prospective employer is willing to up his compensation to a figure that is among the elite of college football. I read in that earlier article he is still receiving substantial payments from Auburn under his buy out agreement, which reportedly has a couple more years to run. And such payments are reduced by any salary received otherwise (dollar for dollar(?)) So in essence, he's working at Carolina right now primarily because he chooses to.
Both Fedora and Chizik have strong ties to Mack Brown, who was very influential in both of them deciding to come to Chapel Hill. IF Chizik has had enough of the endless pressure of being the head man in a elite Power 5 program, and REALLY enjoys the challenge of coaching and teaching young men as a hands on DC, in the relatively low key environment for coaches that has historically been UNC, then assuming our AD and HC can keep his compensation very competitve for a top flite Power 5 defensive coordinator, it seems possible he may have found a home in the Southern Part of Heaven! As far as I know, his family still resides in Auburn (?), but I believe that had more to do with not "uprooting" teenage children still in high school while giving this new situation a trial year to see how it felt, and how he meshed with Fedora and Cunningham - which intuitively makes a lot of sense.
In any event, the above well written article by Andrea Adelson seems to indicate he's in no great rush to get back in the competitive head coaching rat race, and implies (to me at least) that the "where it is" he refers to just may be Chapel Hill, NC!
NC is the greatest state in the country to live in. In my job I deal with many retirees and many who left for jobs elsewhere have come home and many with no ties have relocated here. The ones who have relocated here tell me it's better than Florida and you get beaches , mountains , a taste of all the seasons and an easier trip back up north to visit family and friends.
Chizik has done his part to make certain Fedora does not fail. That team work can lift us to greater heights.
I think he is content - for now. I think he will not leave just to get more money or prestige. I think he intends to do the job the way he wants and have a good time doing it. I think he knows that being the key piece to rebuild UNC and take the program to heights we've never reached will be a major accomplishment.
A
anon_i4zuby9r2e1zz
Guest
Very true, Lets not forget, he is still getting a healthy Paycheck From Auburn every month, so he is sitting comfortably .
I think, or perhaps just hope desperately, that you are right Woad. Fed and Chizik have a certain amount of synergy going with Fed's energy and Chizik's coaching acumen. Better results on the field should naturally translate into better recruiting, which should lead to even better results on the field.
I hope we can keep this staff intact for a few years. The benefits could be huge.
I hope we can keep this staff intact for a few years. The benefits could be huge.
Chizik won a National title as DC at Texas, but he did not 'build' that D and in so doing elevate a program well up from where he found it. So what happens at UNC is on a different level for Chizik. He is central to all improvement. He will take more pride in what we do than in what Texas did in his brief stay.
And you are right that he and Fedora seem to be a natural team.
