On February 24, it was reported that touted 2009 recruit Tyrik Rollison was transferring from Auburn.
Rollison’s father was quoted as saying that he “tried to talk him out of leaving, but he has his mind made up” that he would be transferring to Sam Houston State.
Rollison himself wrote on his Facebook page that he was “moving on from Auburn” and that he’s “done. I need a fresh start.”
Today, the Tigers opened spring practice. And head coach Gene Chizik announced that Rollison is still a member of the football program, concentrating on academics right now.
“He’s still in school and he’s concentrating solely on his academics. Again, that’s where his concentration is,” Chizik said according to the Opelika-Auburn News. “We’ll see how it unfolds at the end of the semester. Right now, it’s an academic thing.”
Chizik added that the door had not been closed on Rollison returning to the playing field for the Tigers this year.
Chizik also decided to make an absurd and asinine characterization of the events of the last month, calling the reports of Rollison transferring “external hearsay”?
Really, words from Rollison and his dad should be categorized as “external hearsay”? It’s not like these reports came from an anonymous poster on some team message board. They were words that came straight from the mouths -- or fingers -- of persons directly involved in the situation.
It doesn’t get any more non-external or non-hearsay than that.
When it comes to speaking publicly and assigning blame, some coaches just need to learn when to say when.