There's been a lot of action on the coaching front at Auburn, so let's get everyone caught up.

Coaches on staff (5):

• Head coach: Gene Chizk, hired from Iowa State (Dec. 13)
• Defensive assistant (likely linebackers): James Willis, retained from previous Auburn staff (Dec. 26)
• Offensive coordinator: Gus Malzahan, hired from Tulsa (Dec. 28)
• Running backs coach: Curtis Luper, hired from Oklahoma State (Jan. 2)
• Special teams coordinator: Jay Boulware, hired from Iowa State (Jan. 4)

Positions still available (5):

• Defensive coordinator
• Defensive line coach
• Secondary coach
• Offensive line coach
  
• Wide receivers coach

Oklahoma State's Trooper Taylor is a strong possibility for the wide receivers post, possibly getting some co-offensive coordinator title to match the job he had with the Cowboys. Taylor met with Chizik yesterday.

The Auburn University plane might tell the tale. It flew to Mobile last night (maybe to meet with Malzahn, who is preparing Tulsa for the GMAC Bowl and surely would have to give some kind of approval of a hire), then back to Auburn before immediately taking off for Stillwater, Okla., last night. It is still there, which is strange, unless Auburn is simply waiting for a decision from Taylor, who reportedly is being courted by Miami and Tennessee as well.

UPDATE: The plane is scheduled to leave Stillwater at 11:40 a.m. and arrive in Auburn at 1:18 p.m.

Are we expecting any comments from Chizik and Co.? Probably not. He's been very quiet throughout the search process and now that we're back in a live recruiting period (up until Jan. 11), I imagine he'll be a ghost around the Auburn athletic complex for hte next week.

In fact, here's the recruiting calendar for the next month in case you're interested.

Nov. 30-Jan. 31 - The Contact Period

A total of six off-campus visits permitted per prospect. Except during these times:

Dec. 22 - Jan. 1: Dead Period
Jan. 2 - Jan. 4: Quiet Period
Jan. 11: Quiet Period
Jan. 12 - Jan. 15: Dead Period
Jan. 16- Jan. 17: Quiet Period
Feb. 1: Quiet Period
Feb. 2 - Feb. 5: Dead Period
Feb. 4: Signing Day 2009

Dead period: Coaches cannot have any in-person contacat with prospects or their parents.

Quiet period: Coaches cannot hvae any in-person contact with prsopect or their parents off the college's campus.