Posted by stinenavy on 10/14/2014 12:32:00 PM (view original):
That doesn't make any sense. Auburn ruled Cam Newton ineligible, the NCAA cleared him to play, and then they won the Championship.

FSU is just turning a blind eye to the mountain of problems that involve Winston.

Had to doublecheck but, yeah, that's wrong.

When the allegations were discovered, Chizik backed Newton and declared they were "all in".    The NCAA declared Newton ineligible for a day then reversed their decision.   Unless I'm missing something, Auburn never suspended him. 


1. Cam Newton's eligibility
The highest-profile college-football controversy this year centered around dominant Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. Midway through the season, allegations surfaced that before Newton landed at Auburn, his father had indirectly demanded $180,000 from Mississippi State for his son's services, a clear rules violation. The NCAA announced Newton would be ineligible to play — then quickly reversed course in a ruling that "left cynics rolling their eyes," says Ted Lewis at the Times-Picayune. Newton went on to win the Heisman Trophy — but, says Lewis, despite the NCAA's pledge to "curb agents and their representatives from tampering with still-eligible players, few expect the practice to change."

But that wasn't really my point wrt Fisher/Chizik.    Newton left early, Auburn stunk, Chizik got the ax.   No one was interested in hiring him, some speculate because of the "all in" nonsense, and he just got a gig with the SEC Network.  Not the worst thing but I think he was unemployed for a couple of years and I doubt he'll coach again.  

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/12/01/cam-newton-auburn-cleared-by-ncaa/

The key part:

According to a press release issued by the NCAA, the Auburn quarterback was declared ineligible by the school Tuesday after “the NCAA concluded on Monday that a violation of amateurism rules occurred.”  Wednesday, however, the NCAA announced that Newton has been reinstated and is immediately eligible to compete.


So, yeah, I guess Auburn did declare him ineligible AFTER the NCAA found that he had violated NCAA rules.   Auburn also immediately applied for his reinstatement.  

And, for the record, the story didn't break in December.   The allegations were made in late October/early November and that's when Chizik declared that they were "all in" with Newton. 

Correct - procedurally Auburn had to declare him ineligible, but it's not really something they should get credit for in terms of being proactive.  They were prepared to stay the course, the NCAA eventually signed off.

That being said, I don't know how much of the Cam Newton stuff is sticking to Chizik.  His record sans Newton doesn't scream "hire me" to any big-time program, and he got a 7.5 million dollar buy out from Auburn.  This is only the 2nd season he's been out of coaching, and who knows how big a hurry he is to get back in.

Pure speculation on my part.   But championship winning coaches usually don't have a tough time finding a job.   I don't think he's even been mentioned as a candidate since getting canned. 

Fair enough.

I don't think Chizik is really on anyone's priority list because he doesn't get much credit for being a Championship coach. I imagine most people look at it as he happened to be the coach of the team Cam Newton decided to play for, and that Gus Malzahn was the real brains of that operation. 

Larry Coker is another example. Won a Championship in his first season, got canned five seasons later, didn't get another job until he took over a start-up UTSA team.

Fired in 2007.   Hired in 2009.    Shapiro scandal during his tenure.

But, yeah, I can see Chizik being viewed as the third wheel on the championship bicycle.

The Shapiro scandal didn't break until after he had been hired at UTSA, so it wouldn't have impacted anything.   He was out for 2 seasons (which is what Chizik is at right now) and came back in at a startup FCS school.  And he had a stronger body of work outside the title season than Chizik does.

Is there evidence that Chizik has been looking for a coaching job? (Honest question, I have no idea.)  He wouldn't be the first person to take a big buyout and take a break, and I certainly don't see him as the kind of guy that schools are going to calling for if he's not giving indications that he's even in the market.

I don't really following Hurricane football but they've been dirty forever.   Just guessing but I don't think it's unreasonable to think that everyone felt Miami was dirty during Coker's tenure.  Maybe that carried some weight, maybe not.

I can't recall Chizik being mentioned as a candidate anywhere.   I don't think Gruden or Cowher are looking but virtually every opening has Gruden mentioned(not so much with Cowher now but he's been out for quite some time).    You don't have to be looking to be a "candidate".  

BTW, Vegas took ND/FSU off the board.   Doesn't necessarily mean they know something but that seems odd at this point in time. 

Posted by MikeT23 on 10/15/2014 9:17:00 AM (view original):
I don't really following Hurricane football but they've been dirty forever.   Just guessing but I don't think it's unreasonable to think that everyone felt Miami was dirty during Coker's tenure.  Maybe that carried some weight, maybe not.

I can't recall Chizik being mentioned as a candidate anywhere.   I don't think Gruden or Cowher are looking but virtually every opening has Gruden mentioned(not so much with Cowher now but he's been out for quite some time).    You don't have to be looking to be a "candidate".  

I didn't say that in general you had to be looking to be a candidate, I said Gene Chizik specifically isn't going to be a candidate if he's not looking.  

And time isn't helping the perception of his coaching chops, since Malzahn rode back in and turned around his mess in one season.

Gruden/Cowher aren't looking.    And Gruden is EVERYONE'S first choice(or so it seems).    Harbaugh has a job and it seems he's getting a lot of play as the next guy at Michigan(probably just MI hoping to wish it true). 

Guys that aren't looking are often candidates.   Chizik hasn't been on anyone's list that I know of. 

Jimbo living in fantasyland.

 

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said the university has spoken with the company that has authenticated more than 950 items with Jameis Winston's signature and is confident Winston did not receive money in exchange for autographing memorabilia.

On Monday, ESPN.com's Darren Rovell and Mark Schlabach reported Florida State compliance was looking into how so many Winston autographs were authenticated by James Spence Authentication.

 

"Feel very good. Talked to [Jameis] and everything, people have talked to the owners of the company and different people, from what I understand," Fisher said. "We'll see.

"... They're sorting it out, but I feel very confident right now."

After last weekend's win against Syracuse, Fisher asked Winston if he signed autographs for money, to which Winston said he did not, ESPN.com reported Monday.

Fisher reiterated on Tuesday that Winston told him directly that he has not accepted money in exchange for signing memorabilia.

"He's never taken a dime from anything," Fisher said. "He's signed thousands of things. An hour and a half before a baseball game he signs, an hour and a half after the game. There's thousands of things out there with his name. He's very accommodating."

James Spence, founder of James Spence Authentication, told ESPN.com on Tuesday it is unlikely the more than 950 items were signed at different times and for a number of different fans.

"The way they are sequenced does mean they were submitted at the same time by a person," Spence said. "I can't imagine that fans would get together to do that."

JSA's website lists more than 950 Winston autographs -- on helmets, footballs, jerseys and more -- that had been authenticated and logged into the company's website verification system. Spence said he is "very confident" the Winston autographs sent to his company for verification are authentic.

JSA was the authenticator that certified more than 500 autographs by Georgia running back Todd Gurley, who last week was suspended by Georgia while the school investigates. Fisher said he couldn't speak to the specifics of Gurley's situation when asked to compare but again expressed his confidence Winston did not take any money.

"From what I understand [with Jameis] everything is great," Fisher said. "I'm not familiar with Todd's situation."

Florida State could consider changing its autograph policy in light of the Winston investigation, Fisher said.

"It may be you have to eliminate it. It's a shame, but you got to protect the [players]," he said. "We have to look at what we're doing. What's a shame is for the little kids whose dream is to get an autograph by one of the great players."

I will, for the second time, agree that guys that aren't looking are often candidates.  I never said that wasn't true.  I just don't see Chizik as the kind of guy you "have to call" even if you don't believe he's presently interested in coaching.  He had one standout season in 6 years across two schools, with nothing else to validate it, and his last year was an unmitigated disaster.   It just doesn't seem to me like someone you want if you have to talk him into coaching in the first place.