It’s been a terrible year at Auburn for head coach Gene Chizik.  But what he’s dealing with today probably puts the rest of his woes/issues in perspective.

Auburn University has confirmed that Rita Chizik — the 86-year-old mother of the coach — passed away this morning:

“The Chiziks appreciate the prayers and support that have been sent from the Auburn family.  We ask that everyone respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.”

Our condolences go out to Chizik and his family today.  Sad story.

After a 1-4 start and continued struggles at the quarterback position, Auburn is making a change.  Gene Chizik announced this afternoon that Clint Moseley will start tomorrow’s game at Ole Miss, not Kiehl Frazier.

Moseley — who many feel lost out on the starter’s job due to a sore shoulder in preseason camp — saw his first action of the year last week against Arkansas.  Unfortunately, he continued a trend started by Frazier and tossed two interceptions in a half of work.  Auburn’s new Scot Loeffler-led offense has struggled with turnovers since the season’s beginning.

Now Moseley will get the first shot at staying pick-free tomorrow in Oxford.

Last week at the Montgomery, Alabama Quarterback Club, ex-Auburn coach Pat Dye gave some praise to Gene Chizik.  In doing so he ticked off a bunch of Alabama fans who felt his compliment towards Chizik was a backhand to Nick Saban.  His remarks from a week ago:

“Don’t question the guy we got leading the (Auburn) program.  I wouldn’t swap him for 10 Sabans.

Saban is the best coach in the country — I’ll grant him that.  But he ain’t a better man than Gene Chizik.”

Well, first, being a better man doesn’t count for a thing if you’re not winning (and we all know it).  It should, but it doesn’t.  If being a good guy had anything to do with keeping one’s job, Mike Shula would still be coaching in Tuscaloosa.

Second, in a society where 90% of the people go through their day looking for something to be upset or to feel slighted about, you can see how some Tide fans took offense.  Yesterday, Dye apologized on the Paul Finebaum radio show:

“I said what I wanted to say wrong.  I really don’t know Coach Saban.  What I do know is I know he and Ms. Saban have done and are doing wonderful things in the community in Tuscaloosa.  I have no authority or reason to compare his character with Gene Chizik’s, and if it came out that way, I was wrong.  I didn’t mean for it to come out that way, and I apologize deeply.”

Much ado about nothing.  (Which I believe is what Shakespeare once wrote regarding the many slights — perceived or otherwise — that soooo tick folks off when it comes to the Iron Bowl rivalry.  Ol’ Bill knew not to take things too seriously.)

Jovon Robinson was an Auburn signee in February and a Tiger player until August.  But last month, he was ruled ineligible by the NCAA after a guidance counselor at his Memphis high school admitted to having changed his transcript.  The NCAA is targeting the Memphis area hard right now and fellow SEC school Mississippi State is also dealing with potential issues tying back to the Bluff City.

Asked today if the NCAA is looking further into Auburn’s recruitment of Robinson, Gene Chizik chose to stay mum:

“I have one thing on my mind, and that’s winning a football game this week.  I’m not getting into that.”

That answer could mean one of two things.  First, it could be that Chizik doesn’t know what the NCAA is doing.  Second, it could mean that Chizik knows the NCAA is still looking into Robinson’s case — to find out who asked the guidance counselor to change the player’s grades, for example — but the coach doesn’t want to say a peep about it.

It’s highly unlikely that Chizik would pass on a chance to snuff out the rumor of an investigation if he knew for a fact that no investigation was underway.  So again, two options — he doesn’t know if the NCAA is snooping around or he knows the NCAA is definitely investigating but he doesn’t want to admit it.

It should also be noted that the NCAA instructs schools and their representatives not to say much about ongoing investigations.

1. Georgia coach Mark Richt said the Bulldogs are interested in Penn State’s players.

2. Georgia AD Greg McGarity hopes lessons are learned from the Penn State story.

3. Some schools have already begun aggressively pursuing some of Penn State’s players.

4. One SEC school started its pursuit Monday morning, according to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach.

5. If a school wants to land Penn State running back Silas Redd, it will likely have to battle Southern Cal.

6. Ole Miss tight end Jamal Mosley has been suspended after another arrest.

7. Here’s a sneak peek of Mississippi State’s new football uniforms.

8. Will Mississippi State pursue Penn State players? Here’s an early look.

9. Michigan – Alabama’s opening opponent – has suspended its starting running back.

10. Will Auburn see Clemson’s star wide receiver Sammy Watkins in the opener?

11. Here’s a podcast with SEC coaches Gene Chizik, Gary Pinkel and Kevin Sumlin.

12. Tennessee coach Derek Dooley knows why people speculate about his job.

13. LSU coach Les Miles is showing confidence in quarterback Zach Mettenberger.

14. South Carolina basketball forward Carlton Geathers will have right knee surgery.

15. Florida coach Will Muschamp will go through the “Car Wash” at ESPN on Tuesday.

16. Some Penn State players will decide to leave. Here are some possibilities.

1. Behind The Scenes With A&M’s Sumlin At Media Days

2. UF’s Muschamp Says Mizzou, A&M Questions Are Overblown

3. Mizzou WR Moe The Hit Of SEC Media Days

4. Richt Says UGA Not The Only School Where Kids Get In Trouble

5. SEC Releases TV Schedule For First Three Weeks Of Fall

Bonus: Podium Notes For All SEC Coaches

1. Nick Saban

2. John L. Smith

3. Gene Chizik

4. Will Muschamp

5. Mark Richt

6. Joker Phillips

7. Les Miles

8. Dan Mullen

9. Gary Pinkel

10. Hugh Freeze

11. Steve Spurrier

12. Derek Dooley

13. Kevin Sumlin

14. James Franklin

Dan Mullen exceeded expectations.  Joker Phillips lived down to them.  What will Gene Chizik do?  Since arriving at Auburn, he’s quickly become the one guy in the league most media folks dread seeing step to the mic.  Not because he’s a bad guy, but because he doesn’t show much personality at these types of events.  To be honest, it might be just as entertaining if they simply took his black leather jacket and hung it behind the SEC dais for 30 minutes.

At any rate, his time is now…

* Good start.  Chizik opens with a thanks for all the thoughts, prayers and support that poured into Auburn following the shooting deaths of two ex-Auburn footballers a month ago.  Nice touch.  Very classy.  Heartfelt.

* Says the Chick-fil-A Bowl win last season was a “big moment” for the growth of his young players’ confidence.

* The coach says his team has more depth and more experience than last season.

* Chizik points out that his senior class has averaged 10 wins per year for three years, they haven’t lost a bowl game and they’ve won a BCS crown.  (Much of that thanks to the signature of Cam Newton and his one incredible season, of course.)

* Scot Loeffler’s offense won’t be “completely different” from what Auburn’s done in the past.

* Brian VanGorder and Chizik are “on the exact same page” philosophically.

* Chizik says the recruiting class he’s putting together now is “very pivotal” for finishing off the foundation that his regime has been putting down in Auburn.

* Auburn’s coach is benefiting from following Joker Phillips.  He doesn’t seem nearly as drab as he normally does.

* Chizik isn’t worried about winning ugly.  He said he’s proud of the fact that his guys have found a way to win games decided by seven points or less.  “At the end of the day, it’s all about winning” whether that’s “by 24 points or by one point.”

* Asked about defensive end Corey Lemonier, Chizik said his player “has got the art of pass rushing down,” but that he’s got room to improve in the run game.

* The quarterback position is “up for grabs.”  Chizik said Kiehl Frazier was used in key parts of games last year so he wouldn’t be awed by playing in big games at big times this season.  The coach said he won’t put a timeline on naming a starter, but “the sooner the better.”

* As for kids who flip-flop their commitments, Chizik said some guys get caught up in the emotion of a visit.  He said — correctly — that

* Mizzou and A&M aren’t getting “the credit they deserve.”

* “Gary Pinkel’s one of the best football coaches in the country.”

* “Missouri and Texas A&M aren’t coming into the SEC with their hat in their hand… These are two dang good football teams with two dang good football coaches.”  Finally he added, “Overall, Kevin Sumlin and Gary Pinkel, they can coach.”

* Asked about Auburn moving to the SEC East someday, Chizik wouldn’t bite.  He said geographic reasons are not the only reasons divisions are set up the way they are.  Didn’t sound like he’d really be in favor of moving AU to the East.  (Good thing, because that’s not going to happen anytime soon.)

* Like Dan Mullen, Chizik — who’s also at his 4th Media Days event — seems much more relaxed and comfortable this year.  Not nearly as blah as he’s been in the past.

Our overall grade for Chizik’s “performance” based on comfort, friendliness, openness… We’ll give him a 5.  He didn’t have one-liners like Steve Spurrier, but he was much more at ease than he’s appeared to be in past years.  The expectations were low because there have been sessions when a stump might’ve been more interesting to listen to, but overall we’ve got to give Chizik credit for improvement.  He was open and honest and he didn’t ramble with long-winded answers as he often has in the past.

When discussing the usual SEC yawners (Gene Chizik and Dan Mullen) earlier today, I left someone of the list.  Joker Phillips.  In itself, that should tell you just how entertaining Kentucky’s coach usually is at these events.

Well, he’s up next to talk about his Wildcats.  Here’s hoping for a Mullenesque improvement over last year’s session.  (Not that media Q&As have a thing to do with winning football games, of course, but if we’ve got to listen to them… they might as well be interesting.)

* Phillips says he’s excited for 2012 after finishing the 2011 season with two wins and two losses.  A lot of young guys made plays for UK in those last four games.

* He said UK’s win over Tennessee allowed his team to achieve one goal on the season — win its last game.

* Oops.  I already nodded off.  Phillips seems like a nice guy and who knows what he’s like one-on-one in a living room, but he’s just brutal.  He wanted to talk about his two new assistants and for a second it seemed he forgot their names.

* Phillips says he’s got some good young talent on his team.

* Listening to Phillips, I wonder if he’s brought in as a motivational speaker in Hell.  Again, he might be great in every other aspect of the job, but yikes this is brutal.

* The coach says “the best league just got better” with Missouri and Texas A&M coming into the SEC.  Asked about further expansion, Phillips said that’s up to the SEC’s “unbelievable commissioner.”

* Phillips said the way UK beat Tennessee last year was more important than beating Tennessee.  That low-scoring win showed his team that they don’t have to win by putting up 500 yards and 35 points.

* He said the success of Kentucky basketball has helped sell his football programs.  “We want to hitch our wagon to our basketball program?”

* Phillips said that John Calipari has been helpful to him.  He said Calipari actually called him on speaker phone recently to talk to the coach and a two-sport athlete Phillips had on campus.

* Asked about his hot seat status, Phillips said, “Well, I’m not sitting down right now, so ain’t nothing hot.”  Drew a few laughs.  Good line.  “I don’t have time to listen to that stuff.”

* Phillips says to take care of his program at Kentucky, he’d be against a nine-game schedule.  (Why are people asking this of coaches?  Of course they’re against it.  The SEC’s coaches were against a seven-game schedule at one time.  Then against an eight-game schedule.  And against an SEC Championship Game.  Nick Saban may be the one guy who’ll say he’s open to playing nine.)

Our overall grad for Phillips’ “performance” based on comfort, friendliness, openness… we’ll give him a 2 on a scale of 1-5.  He just doesn’t seem comfortable in these types of settings.  He comes across as a nice guy who you really want to do well, but overall he’s right down there with Chizik in terms of stiffness.

There are two coaches each year I usually dread hearing from — Dan Mullen and Gene Chizik.  That doesn’t mean they’re bad guys, bad coaches or that I hate their schools/teams/etc.  It does mean they’re sort of bland.  (In Chizik’s case, bland is an understatement.)

Mullen might be the fastest talker in the league (though Will Muschamp and Gary Pinkel certainly have given him a run for his money this week).  Let’s see how he does today…

* Mullen says he’s excited for the season.  Though he doesn’t have a veteran team, he likes the squad’s attitude.

* The coach also talked up his team’s GPA early in his opening remarks.  He also praised MSU’s administration and mentioned the new facilities going up in Starkville.

* Quick opening statement from Mullen… quicker than his usual approach.  He seems a bit more comfortable this year.  Heck, this is his fourth Media Days event.

* Asked about his sometimes shaky relationship with quarterback Tyler Russell, Mullen credited the player and his family for dealing with “outside pressures” from fan and media expectations.  “I expect him to have a huge year,” the coach said.  Mullen said he knows the system and that the staff will give him “the keys” and lot of play-calling responsibility at the line of scrimmage.

* It didn’t take long for the “you’ve only beaten Ole Miss in the West” question to pop up.  In response, Mullen said the first SEC game — against Auburn — is always important because it’s a two-game lead for the winner over the loser.

* Mullen says you have to bring “your A game” every week regardless of division, when asked about the strength of the West Division.

* MSU’s coach is clearly more comfortable this season.  He’s not rushing as he has in year’s past.  He seems friendly and upbeat.  Big improvement over past year’s performance.

* Asked about tougher academic standards, Mullen says he’s sorry that some players won’t be rewarded.  He says it takes depth away.

* Mullen said there will probably be some billboard plans for the fall.  He claimed he only sees the billboards after they’ve already been designed.  Ole Miss fans are scoffing at that.

* Mullen says Russell compares to Alex Smith in terms of style — more passer than runner.  He says only a portion of MSU’s playbook will be used, which is normal.  But this year the percentage used might differ from what’s been used in past seasons.

* “I try to play nonconference games within our region,” he said when asked about a nonconference game at Troy.  Mullen said he wants players’ families to be able to see them play.  He said taking a bus to a game saves money.  MSU doesn’t have to spend “millions and millions” to jet across the country.  A novel spin.

* Mullen’s really doing a good job this year.  Relaxed.

* The coach says the secondary is the strength of State’s defense, especially with defensive tackle Fletcher Cox now gone.  State will have to adjust to his departure and the secondary will have to pick up some of the slack.

* Asked if the gap between State and Alabama/LSU/Auburn/Arkansas closing, Mullen said his teams has had fourth-quarter chances against those teams.  He said he just needs someone to make a play at crunch time.  Mullen said that shows that his team is close to those West foes “which means we’re not very far from the national title.”;

* “As much as we always try to prevent head injuries, in the game of football that’s always going to happen.”

Our overall grade for Mullen’s “performance” based on comfort, friendliness, openness… we’ll give him a 5 on a scale of 1-5.  Totally different Dan Mullen this year.  As noted above, in his fourth Media Days he seems much, much more relaxed and friendly.  This wasn’t a Rat Pack show at The Sands, but in past years, Mullen’s seemed to have a bit of an edge to him — not unlike Gary Pinkel yesterday.  That was not the case today.

1.  ESPN’s Mark Schlabach breaks down the playoff battle brewing between Jim Delany and Mike Slive.

2.  Could a playoff system really cut the little guys from the little conferences out of the race altogether?

3.  This NBA mock draft has the top three players coming from the SEC.

4.  The manhunt for the alleged shooter at Auburn goes on… after police raided the wrong Alabama house.  (Two arrests have already been made in the case.)

UPDATE — Police now say reports of them raiding the wrong house are inaccurate.

5.  This writer says Gene Chizik is the right man to help lead AU through its current tragic crisis.

6.  Mark Richt’s new contract at Georgia states: “It is expected that the recruitment of junior college student-athletes will be kept to a minimum…”

7.  Andy Staples of SI.com says UGA’s drug policy is noble, but it puts the Dawgs at a disadvantage.

8.  Joker Phillips has ended two long Kentucky streaks for futility, but there are still more streaks to snap.

9.  Tennessee’s Cuonzo Martin is taking his hoops program to children across the Volunteer State.

10.  Vanderbilt’s James Franklin thinks the SEC “is difficult enough” with an eight-game football schedule.

11.  According to The Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, Missouri will be an underdog in six of its 12 SEC games this fall.

12.  Sad.  Just a sad day for sports and news coverage.  (Link fixed, sorry.)