Chizik has received ‘hundreds’ of emails from fans, says it’s all about winning

Embattled Auburn coach Gene Chizik has heard from Tigers fans; both those offering support and those focused on winning, which has not happened much this year.

“I think that fans are exactly what they are, they’re fanatical and I think that’s a good thing,” Chizik said. “I’ve got hundreds of emails from a lot of great fans that are very supportive and understand that when you go through struggles you continue on the path and you don’t deviate off the path in terms of being who you are and pressing through those things. And then you have the other fans that again, are caught up in the winning and losing so much that it’s hard for them to see it that way. And you know what? Both of those are fair.

“It depends on who you are and it depends on how you see things from a general perspective. When you get into this business as a player or a coach, if that hurts your feelings and you can’t handle that, then you shouldn’t be a player or a coach because that’s what comes with the territory.”

Auburn (2-8, 0-7 SEC) is mired in its worst season in 60 years and calls for change in leadership of the program have been voiced far and wide. Chizik, who is 37-37 as a head coach including 32-18 at Auburn, is under contract through 2015 but has a buyout in his contract which will depreciate to $7.5 million on Dec. 1.

“It’s very simple in college football, in the NFL, in high school, it’s very simple, OK? It’s all about winning or losing,” he said. “There’s a lot of other things out there that really, really matter but at the end of the day, most people or a lot of people, see wins or losses.”