ISU athletics director Jamie Pollard confirmed on Saturday that football head coach Gene Chizik will accept the head coaching job at Auburn.

Chizik leaves Iowa State after posting only a 5-19 record in two years at Iowa State. He will replace Tommy Tuberville, who resigned following a 5-7 season.

“I’m disappointed for our Iowa State fans and student-athletes that he has chosen to leave our program after only two seasons,” Pollard said in a press release given to the Daily. “I understand that it [Auburn] is a dream job for him, but the timing and the way it played out has been hurtful and disappointing.”

Pollard also had a message for Cyclone fans.

“Although this is a significant setback, we will get through the challenge because the Iowa State University athletics program is far greater than one person,” he said.

The athletics department released no further comment, but Pollard will be at a news conference at 11 a.m. Monday for additional comment.

The Auburn athletics department did not answer numerous phone calls from the Daily, but did post a press release on its website.

“I’m extremely proud and excited to have Gene returning to Auburn to take over as head coach of this program,” Auburn athletics director Jay Jacobs said in the press release. “I know that we have found the right fit for Auburn… I’m confident that Gene can build upon the foundation that has been established and make this a program that competes for championships on a consistent basis.”

Chizik also had a comment in the press release, saying “Through my travels in coaching over the last 23 years, there’s one place that I’ve always wanted to return to and that is Auburn. The tradition of the Auburn football program combined with the passionate fans and their love for Auburn are second to none. My family and I are Auburn through and through, and look forward to being part of the Auburn family and community.”

The decision to leave came after rumors surfaced in November that Chizik was unhappy at Iowa State. Chizik said at a news conference on Nov. 10 that the rumors were not true.

“Anybody who knows myself, my wife, my family, they know that we are firmly entrenched here in Ames,” Chizik said at the news conference. “We love this university, we love who we work for, we love this football team, we love this community.

“We are on a journey here that we will get done, and I’m as happy as I have ever been in the coaching profession, and I want to make that very clear,” Chizik added.

On Friday, the ISU athletics department sent out a press release that quoted Pollard as saying “When your organization has talented staff members, other schools express interest in their services.”

Chizik was defensive coordinator at Auburn from 2002 to 2004 and was part of the Tigers’ undefeated season in 2004. Chizik then coached at Texas for two years as an assistant before taking the job at Iowa State in 2007.

His time at Iowa State ended after only two years. Highlights as a Cyclone were few and far between, with only a win over Iowa and two wins over Big 12 opponents in his first season, and 10 straight losses to end 2008.

— Other Iowa State Daily staff members contributed to this article