Chizik Faces His Mentor This Weekend

AMES, Iowa--Saturday's Iowa State-Texas football game will be a special one because of the unique bond between the two head coaches. First-year Iowa State head coach Gene Chizik will battle the school he coached at last season and go head-to-head against Mack Brown, a man he respects dearly.

Chizik was hired at ISU in November as one of the nation's most sought after assistant coaches. He padded his resume at Texas, working on Brown's staff for two seasons (2005 and 2006), compiling a 23-3 mark and helping the Longhorns win a national title in 2005. The two will face each other for the first time as head coaches Saturday.

"Coach Brown is a very good friend and mentor of mine," Chizik said. "He is a guy who has really helped me out in a lot of ways. It will be awkward and kind of strange coaching against him, but it will also be fun."

Chizik helped lay a foundation of defensive success in his two years in Austin. In the 2005 national championship season, the UT defense ranked eighth nationally in scoring defense, 10th in total defense and fourth in pass efficiency defense. Ten UT defenders were all-Big 12 selections, including four who made the first team. In 2006, UT ranked second nationally against the run (58.8 ypg). UT has produced the last two Jim Thorpe Award winners under Chizik's guidance, an award given annually to the nation's top collegiate defensive back. Michael Huff earned the honor in 2005 and Aaron Ross was the recipient last season.

Chizik will tell you it was tough to leave the success of Texas. However, he knew he was more than prepared to take over the reins of the Cyclone football program after serving under Brown.

"It is awesome to be the head coach at Iowa State," Chizik said. "Obviously, our record is not where I want it to be. There will always be some struggles when you take over a new job. We are dealing with that now. But I have loved every minute of it. I miss the guys back at Texas, the coaches and players, but this has been a great move for myself and my family."

Brown, who returns to Ames for the third time today, also knows how it feels to play against a former employer. Brown was an assistant coach at Iowa State from 1980-82, directing the Cyclone offense in his final two years on Donnie Duncan's staff. He helped mentor All-American running back Dwayne Crutchfield to a pair of 1,000-yard rushing seasons in 1980 and 1981.

"Gene and I had a lot of discussions over his two years here about him becoming a head coach," Brown said. "Transitions are usually difficult when you take over a program. Gene understands that. He has done a tremendous job and they are much more competitive. He beat Iowa, which was a huge win for the program and a statement win for him. I know they will be ready to play us this weekend."

Brown's Texas teams consistently have been among the best in college football throughout his outstanding tenure (1998-2007). But there was a missing piece of the puzzle for the Longhorns as they sought a national championship. Offensively, UT had always been able to move the ball and score points, but the Longhorns needed to solidify their defense in order to challenge with the nation's elite. Brown made a major move when he lured Chizik away from Auburn after the 2004 season. Chizik had just been named the winner of the Frank Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach, while helping the Tiger defense to a national-low 11.3 points per game en route to an undefeated season.

The Longhorns got the toughness they needed when Chizik arrived. Chizik was instrumental in tightening up the defense, as the Longhorns won their first national since 1970.

"He brought some fresh ideas, great energy and enthusiasm and a tireless work ethic to our program," Brown said. "He's a bright, young coach."