Gene Chizik speaks

Here we go.

• Overview on spring: ``The tentative plan ... is to go the first Wednesday after spring break. I'd like to make it a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule with, if we're ready, a scrimmage day on Saturday."
  
  
• Second time?: ``It's much easier for everybody. There are a lot of variable in there that a year ago we didn't know. Your second go-round is so much easier for everyone -- as you'd expect."
  
  
• On differences between now and a year ago: ``There's nothing new. The difference is that we went to a bowl game this year, so there were some discretionary period we had to adhere to. The class schedule is going to let us practice in the mornings. Other than that, nothing is really different."
  
  
• They are planning to practice in the mornings.
  
  
• On the raises: "It's not about me. It's really important that there was a vote of confidence there in our administration in the importance of continuity in the coaching staff. When you have very talented guys as assistant coaches, a lot of people are going to be interested in hiring them. Also don't forget the huge impact is has on your kids when they don't have to change coaches."
  
  
• More on that: ``It's supply and demand. It starts with the coordinators. People understand the importance of the leaders or your offense and the leaders of the defense -- and the impact they can have on your football team. People are willing to pay that money to get the best people in the trade."
  
  
• "Anytime you don't have change, it's a big deal."
  
  
• ``The patience level out there, when you get paid a lot of money, is shorter."
  
  
• On Aairon Savage and his future position: ``I'm really, really proud to have him back on the football team. I know he can play either/or ... because he's done it."
  
  
• On Zac Etheridge: ``I feel very encouraged about the progress he's made in the past couple months."
  
  
• He isn't expecting anyone to miss spring drills ... including Daren Bates, who had shoulder surgery a few weeks ago.
  
  
• ``We're not going to place any expectations on him that we don't place on everyone else. He's really no different from anyone else. May the best man win."
  
  
• On the situation at tailback: ``Mario is somebody we're looking at. We feel like Eric Smith can do it because he's done it. Those are the guys we're looking at. Dontae is a guy we can more around and do some different things with. He can bring some different options to the table -- a guy in the slot, a guy like Mario last year. Whether he can play tailback or not -- he could be in that mix. We're still feeling him out."
  
  
• On Auburn signing so many high-school QBs with the idea of moving them: ``I like quarterbacks. Sometimes they have a different way of seeing the game -- just because of what they did in high school. When they've done that in high school, they have a great feel for the game."
  
  
• On Gus' salary bump: ``Some guys on our staff were offered, potentially, were off head coach jobs. We did what we needed to do to keep everything together. With some of our guys being sought after, we did what we needed to do."
  
  
• What does potentially offered mean?:``They were interested in them."
  
  
• ``It's been good to have them all year. It's been a great transition of those five (players)."
  
  
• On Roszell Gayden: ``He's working really, really hard to get into the swing of what we do. At the tackle position right now, there will be some young guys we'll potentially try to play out there. You still have Brandon Mosley there. He can do both (tackle and tight end). There are some young guys we may try out there -- like John Sullen. We feel good from left tackle to right guard. That's the spot that's open."
  
  

Questions? Comments? Post directly to the blog below or email me at jgtate@gannett.com.