KewlKat00
11-27-2006, 05:04 PM
AMES, Iowa -- Texas defensive coordinator Gene Chizik will be named the Cyclones new head coach, Iowa State associate athletic director Steve Malchow told The Associated Press on Monday.
Malchow said that Chizik accepted the position Monday. Iowa State has scheduled a 7 p.m. ET news conference to make its announcement official.
Chizik and members of his family were seen by reporters Monday being picked up at the Ames airport by Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard -- and that alone was enough to suggest Chizik would be the man to replace Dan McCarney, who resigned after 12 seasons.
A school source told ESPN that the coach who arrives at the airport would be announced as the school's new football coach.
Earlier today, WOI-TV in Des Moines reported that Chizik would be the Cyclones' new football coach. Chizik, 43, has never been a head football coach at any level.
"We were challenged to get him," Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard told the Des Moines Register. "We were told we wouldn't be able to get him by a lot of people. He's the real deal."
Reports earlier indicated that Central Michigan coach Brian Kelly, who has led the Chippewas to an 18-16 record the past three seasons, was regarded as the leading candidate to succeed McCarney. Nebraska offensive coordinator Jay Norvell and San Diego head coach Jim Harbaugh also were considered candidates.
School officials said Sunday they'd made a decision, but would not reveal it. In a letter to Iowa State fans, Pollard wrote that the new coach was "our number one choice from the first day of the search."
Chizik is wrapping up his second season as the assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator at Texas. He previously was the defensive coordinator at Auburn from 2002-04.
Chizik came to Texas before the 2005 season, and the Longhorns won a national championship in his first season. By the end of the 2005 season, Chizik's teams had won 28 straight games dating back to his years in Auburn, where he was defensive coordinator for three seasons.
In 2004, the Tigers went 13-0 and finished the season ranked No. 2. The Tigers had the nation's top scoring defense and ranked fifth in total defense that season, and Chizik won the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported Wednesday that Harbaugh's agent, Jack Bechta, said Harbaugh was no longer a candidate.
Iowa State was 4-8 this season and 56-84 overall under McCarney, who resigned this year, and snapped a 22-year postseason drought with five bowl appearances in McCarney's final seven seasons.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2676900
Malchow said that Chizik accepted the position Monday. Iowa State has scheduled a 7 p.m. ET news conference to make its announcement official.
Chizik and members of his family were seen by reporters Monday being picked up at the Ames airport by Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard -- and that alone was enough to suggest Chizik would be the man to replace Dan McCarney, who resigned after 12 seasons.
A school source told ESPN that the coach who arrives at the airport would be announced as the school's new football coach.
Earlier today, WOI-TV in Des Moines reported that Chizik would be the Cyclones' new football coach. Chizik, 43, has never been a head football coach at any level.
"We were challenged to get him," Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard told the Des Moines Register. "We were told we wouldn't be able to get him by a lot of people. He's the real deal."
Reports earlier indicated that Central Michigan coach Brian Kelly, who has led the Chippewas to an 18-16 record the past three seasons, was regarded as the leading candidate to succeed McCarney. Nebraska offensive coordinator Jay Norvell and San Diego head coach Jim Harbaugh also were considered candidates.
School officials said Sunday they'd made a decision, but would not reveal it. In a letter to Iowa State fans, Pollard wrote that the new coach was "our number one choice from the first day of the search."
Chizik is wrapping up his second season as the assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator at Texas. He previously was the defensive coordinator at Auburn from 2002-04.
Chizik came to Texas before the 2005 season, and the Longhorns won a national championship in his first season. By the end of the 2005 season, Chizik's teams had won 28 straight games dating back to his years in Auburn, where he was defensive coordinator for three seasons.
In 2004, the Tigers went 13-0 and finished the season ranked No. 2. The Tigers had the nation's top scoring defense and ranked fifth in total defense that season, and Chizik won the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported Wednesday that Harbaugh's agent, Jack Bechta, said Harbaugh was no longer a candidate.
Iowa State was 4-8 this season and 56-84 overall under McCarney, who resigned this year, and snapped a 22-year postseason drought with five bowl appearances in McCarney's final seven seasons.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2676900