Akron is notoriously bad at staging these events. The John Groce welcome was a train wreck as well. The best part was watching Antino smirking and circling around the student union while Groce introduced himself. They then had a private meet and greet for the fans at EJ Thomas. That wasn't that hot either.
I don't understand football that well, but I do understand human nature. Tom Arth has a hunger to succeed. He's got a wife and five small kids (I think one is special needs), and he knows he can't screw this thing up, get fired, and be scrambling to find a head coaching job at Albion or Otterbein. I'm sure this is overwhelming change all of a sudden mid-school year for his family. John Groce had such an easy transition. Illinois owed him millions. He had a stable group of assistants who were going to follow him wherever. And he only had to meet with 9 or 10 players as opposed to 80! So if he wasn't all rah rah Akron U at the presser I get it. Also, he was sitting there with an interim president who is a political guru who joked about Arth being the lowest paid in D1.
He is right out of central casting for football coach, and I can see how he wowed the interviewers. He's going to need all that youth, energy and family support to make this thing work at Akron. Right now he's refreshing and definitely something new for us. I hope he succeeds and can really brand himself and our football program.
