ZipperRoo44

Let's see... Tressel played at Baldwin-Wallace, coached at D2 Akron, before moving on to D1 Miami, Syracuse and Ohio State then back down to 1AA at Youngstown State then back up to 1A and Ohio State. If anyone has worked himself up it has been Jim. This alone debunks your theory on moving up. Kelly at Notre Dame is another strong example. Miles played at Michigan, worked in private business for 5 years then went back to Michigan as a GA. He later coached at Colorado, back to Michigan, then to Oklahoma State, to the NFL with the Cowboys, back to Oklahoma State and then to LSU. Miles is a silver spoon guy who had big names blocking for him, but who has also done a great job everywhere he has been. Saban is the son of a Coaching Legend and the key protege to Bill Billichek, played at Can't State, coached at Syracuse, West Virginia, Ohio State, Navy, Michigan State, Houston Oilers, Toledo, Cleveland Browns, Michigan State, LSU, Miami Dolphins, and Alabama. Not sure I follow your logic - can you please elaborate?

Did you actually read what Foster said about Akron? "On Monday, Foster offered a glimpse into what sort of head coaching gig he’s looking for, openly discussing the vacancies at Memphis and Akron. Both fired their coaches after just two seasons and the Hokies defensive coordinator labeled the two schools as “coach killers” right now. “Their administration is crazy,” Foster said. “They’ve got false visions of grandeur.”

Winning does not know divisions, it knows a process. On Saturday Wayne State won it's 11th game of the season and beat the defending D2 national champions on the road to advance to the D2 Final Four. Some people on this forum will discount it as being a lower level of football and will question whether Paul Winters could replicate the same winning ways at Akron and D1. Would the same people have protested Central Michigan's hiring of Brian Kelly out of the GLIAC and Grand Valley State. Kelly is the current head coach at Notre Dame, just 7 years after being a D2 head coach. Kelly had been a D3/D2 assistant for 7 years before getting a D2 head coaching job where he stayed for 13 years before heading to CMU and Cincy for a pair of 3 year stays - then he got the UND head coaching position. Why would CMU, Cincinnati and UND hire a guy who had coached in D2? He was a winner. Akron football has won 10 of its last 48 games over the last 4 seasons and has paid off two coaches after both failed to move the program forward. Both coaches were bought out as President Proenza wanted a coach who could fill up Infocision Stadium and make the Zips a regular MAC contender. Over the same four year period Wayne State has won 34 games and lost 13, and has shown a steady run of improvement against all odds in the best D2 conference in America. This year the team is 11-3, and is a combined 12 points away from being 14-0. Two losses were by a total of 4 point, including a 1 point overtime loss in the regular season finale. Do not lose this point, as it is telling of the leadership that Paul Winters provides to his team. A 1 point loss in that last regular season game could have been crushing as it cost Wayne State seeding in the playoffs. Winters has coached up his team and has since gone on the road for three playoff games and won all by an average of 8 points per game. Winners win. When it the last time Akron had a winning team? 2005 when the team went 7-6 and won the MAC Championship. Akron has had 6 winning seasons over the last 20 years. Paul Winters was a big part of 3 of those and helped build the 6-5 and 7-6 teams that JD Brookhart coached in his first two seasons. Winners win. You can talk all you want about a national search, about looking around at big names and hot shot coordinators, but in the end, what Akron needs more than anything else is someone who knows how to build, how to lead, how to manage, how to coach. You will not satisfy those requirements with someone who has never been a head coach. That's a specific skill set which takes years to sharpen. Success as a coordinator or as an assistant does not necessarily translate into success as a head coach. It's a risky proposition for a program that has had 6 straight losing seasons, spent $100,000,000 on a new stadium, field house and outdoor practice complex, and another $1,000,000 in transition costs from buying out the last two head coaches and assistant staffs to look to an unproven candidate who has never been a head coach nor recruited in Northeast Ohio. In Paul Winters you have an alumnus who would consider this the best job in America. In any other candidate you have someone who wants to come in, make an impact, and then bolt to a better job. In the end that is not a bad thing, but how has that worked the last two times out. History has a funny way of repeating itself. Winners win. Gordon Larson. Jim Dennison. Paul Winters. Winners win.

Paul Winters is an Akron native. He bleeds Blue & Gold. He is a proven head coach who knows how to lead young men. He has played at Akron and been an Assistant at Akron. His brand of football is exciting and his kids love playing for him. What more do you need than what Paul brings to the table? This time the selection of a new football coach will truly define the legacy of Luis Proenza as far as athletics goes at UA. He has championed the spending of almost $80,000,000 on a new football stadium and has now bought out his 3rd head football coach since 2003. Football has been the achilles heel for Proenza and this is his last chance to get it right. It's time to turn the program over to someone who will appreciate the history as well as the potential. It's time to bring Paul Winters home. Winning will fill the seats and winning will come with Paul Winters.

Hire Paul Winters NOW.

Paul Winters. Alum. Recruiter. PROVEN HEAD COACH. WINNER. Get it done.

Jim Tressel will have a lengthy NCAA show cause on his record and will not coach again under the NCAA banner. Bank on it. Bruce Pearl received a 3-year ban http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball...w-cause-penalty and JT will get something very similar, if not more harsh. In the end he lied to the NCAA and that is a cardinal sin. IF the iCoach is dismissed, and I am still not believing that Proenza will pay off 3 years of a deal, there is only one coach who Akron will be able to afford, and that is Paul Winters. This is the only FBS job that Winters will ever have a chance to get at his age and experience level. He is an alum, so Akron can appeal to his sense of duty to his alma mater and make the contract very incentive based. When you think of the almost $1.5 million in buyout that will have to come for the current head coach (3 years), assistants (6 months) and the hiring of a new head coach, staff, transition costs, etc... this is a mighty big chunk to bite off for a sport that has never generated much public interest or financial following. No one stepped up to buy out Brookhart in 2009 or Owens in 2003 - that all fell on the University to pay the costs. That means in 2010 Akron was paying two head coaches and if this goes through Akron will be paying two head coaches in 2012, 2013, 2014. The "make every good effort" clause is not worth the paper it was written on as Ianello will be mud in the business for at least a year after getting the hook at Akron after only two seasons. As much as he needs to go Akron does not have the cash to pay him off without placing a major financial strain on the department for years to come.

20-10, 5:41 left in the 3rd - all back up

Season Scoring ComparisonAkron Soccer: 11 goalsAkron Football: 3 pointsThe soccer team is averaging around 3 goals a game, doesn't look good for Akron Football.This is the most pathetic thing I've ever read. Fold the football program as soon as possible and make this an MLS stadium.