Gene Chizik declined comment Wednesday, Nov. 21 on what he called "speculation" of the NCAA investigating Auburn football's recruiting.
"I'm not going to comment on any speculation out there, so we'll talk about the Iron Bowl and Alabama," Chizik said at the Auburn Athletic Complex at 3 p.m. Wednesday afternoon.
The investigation stems from freshman former Auburn running back Jovon Robinson being ruled academically ineligible on August 17. The former Wooddale High School star was forced to leave the team after The Commercial Appeal reported Robinson's counselor admitted to falsifying grades on Robinson's transcript.
Assistant and running backs coach Curtis Luper and wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor were taken off the road as well earlier this season after there were reports the NCAA was looking into their recruiting methods.
At approximately 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, Yahoo! Sports' Pat Forde first reported that "NCAA investigators have spent weeks looking into potential improprieties involving Auburn recruits, players, coaches, representatives of the school's athletic interests and third parties."
Ten minutes before Chizik addressed the media, AL.com's Charles Goldberg subsequently reported that NCAA investigators have spoken with an assistant coach and some players this week in Auburn.
Chizik refused to address that report as well.
"Again I'm not going to comment on speculation of any of that," Chizik said. "I've got one goal in mind and that's Alabama."
When asked if the purported investigation was a distraction, Chizik said it wasn't a distraction to him and "we haven't thought one second about it."
The investigation is the latest in a lengthy saga of disappointments for the Tigers.
The NCAA investigated Auburn in 2010 for recruiting violations in the acquisition of former quarterback Cam Newton.
The following year, four players were arrested for first-degree robbery. All-SEC running back Michael Dyer was suspended for unspecified rules violations and transferred after the 2011 season.
This season, Chizik has dealt with numerous other player conduct issues leading to suspensions for former quarterback Zeke Pike, center Reese Dismukes and wide receiver Quan Bray.
In addition, the Tigers are one loss away from being the first-ever Auburn football team to go winless in an eight-game conference slate.
One player, junior defensive tackle Jeff Whitaker, has been through the crests and troughs of Chizik's head coaching career at Auburn, and said Tuesday he still has "much love for Coach Chizik."
With Chizik on the hot seat and likely facing his last game in Auburn orange and blue Saturday against Alabama, Whitaker declined to comment on his head coach's status.
When asked about his favorite memory of Chizik, however, Whitaker said it was the way Chizik recruited him.
"My greatest memory of Coach Chizik is probably when I was getting recruited," Whitaker said the day before the NCAA investigation was reported. "The excitement, the enthusiasm throughout that recruiting process made it easier. He didn't pressure you, he didn't try to make you try to lean this way. One thing I can say about it is he didn't bash-mouth programs. You kind of get that in recruiting, but he didn't bash-mouth programs. It's almost like kind of hats off to the other program, but we're trying to get here, and he was very humble during the whole process."
Assistant coach and running backs coach Curtis Luper and wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor were taken off the road earlier this season after there were reports the NCAA was looking into their recruiting methods.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
