Chiz is figurehead, yes-man head coach. PTB in smoke filled room loved him as he was already 'down home" from previously being at Auburn. I believe Blowder knew his chances at getting a NC were about to go away because without his BoT seat, football would be harder to control. Plus with Saban across state, the time to act was upon him. ALL-IN wasn't just a slogan, it was a shove of booster money to the center of the AU football pot.
IMO with a yesman head coach, the PTB hired the most aggressive recuiting assistants known to the CFB world, giving not one care about their past reputations. This includes Malz with his street agent connection in Arky. Malz is no choir boy, remember he was the last of the coaches asking Lattimore's mom what was it going to take to get Marcus to play for Auburn. She blasted them for their tactics. He also was the one screaming at Chiz to get Cam, supposedly Chiz didn't want Cam at first.
Since Jay Jacobs was not fired, there is still a link to the old school PTB to manipulate things. Trooper and Luper's continued employment may end up being a condition of the next coaches hire. If Auburn has to sacrifice fire them to appease the NCAA, I say they still get their buy out money---even if there are NCAA sanctions-same with Chiz. I believe Troop and Lupe especially are joined at the hips with AU PTB and complicit in their tactics. Regardless of contractual wording, they'll still get their money.
With the bad 2011 season, the PTB likely thought that with all the recuiting talent their 'hired guns' had brought in, all it should take is a couple of decent coordinators, hence Uncle Rico and Loueffwaffer. Now the whole house of cards has collapsed.
Incidentally, that Chiz contract change says Auburn can't withhold certain parts of his money WHILE an NCAA investigation is on going. On paper he can still be terminated for NCAA violations. But in a smoke filled room, dey don't need no stinkin' contracts and Chiz still gets his money.