Let's talk JD

[bobbyake]

What do you think JD's future should be with the Zips?

[zippyrifle32]

the year's not over yet

[zip37]

He's <.500/ 5 yrs he'll never be more than .500, lot of money for a .500 coach.

[bobbyake]

Here are my thoughts:Win at least 5-6 of the last games, MAC Championship, and a Bowl Game = 3 year deal with less money, more accentives.Win at least 4 of the last games = 1 year deal with less moneyWin 3 or less of the last games = Fired!!He has to be held accountable for his results. - The last 2 seasons were ugly. - Attendance has been declining.- Where are all of his good recruits?

[Quickzips]

Probably not. He's got the rest of this year at least to prove me wrong, but for now, I'm sticking to what I've been saying for over 2 years now. JD isn't that good a coach. If we're going to get to where Ball St. is, or even to where a team like Western Michigan is we are going to need to shake things up. I don't like instability in the coaching staff as much as the next guy, but sticking with a guy who isn't getting the job done just for the sake of continuity is insane.

[Class of 82]

I guess I'm of the mindset that the appropriate time for evaluating such things is when the season is over. Any AD worth his salt evaluates every program every year, based on all of the perameters deemed important. Winning certainly tops that list, followed by the overall direction and progress of the program.It does seem likely JD is headed for a fairly severe and thorough review at season's end. I think he did a good job when he arrived of building on what Lee Owens had done here (and Lee did help us, imo). But it does seem that, for whatever reason, JD's been unable to put the program into that next gear. From a purely personnel standpoint, I don't think JD has recruited much better than Owens did. Marginally better, maybe. Throw in the added pressure of the new stadium and the expectations it quite naturally creates, and I think it's safe to say that JD is definitely sitting in the hotseat. But, that's the life of a football coach, I guess. And he is being paid handsomely enough to endure philosophically whatever comes his way.At any rate, I think we have a good AD in Rhoades and a top-shelf president in Proenza. I trust they'll do what's right and proper.

[GP1]

You guys need to understand something. Nothing bad is going to happen to JD if he gets fired at Akron. He will get one year salary and have a job in the NFL as an assistant by next March making more than what he does at Akron. He has had these offers in the past and can accept one of them whenever he wants. You should worry more about what would happen to Akron if he gets fired....and don't say it couldn't get worse because just when you think it can't, it does.Besides, Akron is going to win this Saturday and at least one other game. Five wins gets JD another year. Six gets a bowl game and a contract extension.

[zippyrifle32]

At any rate, I think we have a good AD in Rhoades and a top-shelf president in Proenza. I trust they'll do what's right and proper.

agreed. has anyone else noticed that mack is right there on the sidelines 90% of the game? wonder if that adds any pressure, or maybe i'm forgetful and he's done it every year.

[Quickzips]

You guys need to understand something. Nothing bad is going to happen to JD if he gets fired at Akron. He will get one year salary and have a job in the NFL as an assistant by next March making more than what he does at Akron. He has had these offers in the past and can accept one of them whenever he wants. You should worry more about what would happen to Akron if he gets fired....and don't say it couldn't get worse because just when you think it can't, it does.Besides, Akron is going to win this Saturday and at least one other game. Five wins gets JD another year. Six gets a bowl game and a contract extension.

Six does NOT guarantee a bowl bid. The MAC has three bowl tie ins and Ball St., Western, Central and probably Buffalo and BG are in line ahead of us for those spots.Five wins MIGHT get JD another year, but I wouldn't guarantee that either.Look, it very easily CAN get worse. The other way to look at that though, is it going to get better? If it isn't going to get better than hoping for .500 seasons every year then it's time to move on. At that point we can't concern ourselves much with it getting worse. Count me in the category who has serious doubts that it is going to get better.

[uafan]

I think that if this university is to grow, we need to go in another direction. This season has been a microcosm of the past 5. We have lost three games we could have won; 2 we should have won. By now, JD's karma, or whatever you want to call it, pervades the team. And right now, instead of the team thinking, "How are we going to win this game?'", the pervailing attitude is, "How are we going to lose?" It's time for that mindset to change.

[Buckzip]

The problem here is that many people feel a 500 record is good. Sorry guys, but many teams are above 500 in down years. Here at UA a 500 year is considered a success.I am not saying UA should win 12 games ever year, but 6 should be a down year, not a good year.

[Dead Horse]

Ouch!Stop beating me!

[zipseuph]

Ouch!Stop beating me!

by far the best post ever

[UADavid]

Ouch!Stop beating me!

[Zipsrifle]

I don't see JD leaving after this year. I'm not happy with the losses, as I believe we have the talent to have won those games, but look at the competition. We lost to BSU, a top 25 team, Cincinnati, a good BE team and BG a.......uh........ Anyway, he can claim that he came very close to winning those games with his D being decimated by injuries and without his #1 and #2 Running Backs. I think we've got a good chance at 6 wins, but I don't think we'll go to a bowl. It's apparent to me that JD's approach to improving UofA football is to go after good players that, for one reason or another, may never see the field at UofA. Players that could play at BCS schools but have too much baggage. If a few of these guys manage to hang around and play, we fill the holes with JUCO's and we have an average MAC team, as we do today. What may happen, if enough guys hang around, is that we'll just mow through the MAC. As for his coaching ability, I think it is average. In the end, I think JD is cut from a similar mold as Brian Kelley (former CMU coach and now Cincinnati Coach). JD is going to hit the road as soon as another, better offer comes around. 6 wins will keep him here IMO. The administration does not want a potential disaster next season when we have the best chance to hook a lot of new fans.

[zen]

oh yay.... lets start over again....

[HELLOZIPS]

I think JD will be around for next year. He needs to get some better coaches under him. Moorehead play calling needs to be re-evaluated. The D-Line Coach needs to think about putting more than 3 up front. The 3-3-4 is not working. I understand Brookhart is the man and he needs to step up. I think it will be good for the new stadium if he's around.

[zen]

I think JD will be around for next year. He needs to get some better coaches under him.

Seems like every year we lose a few coaches. That kind of coaching carousel cannot be good.

Moorehead play calling needs to be re-evaluated.

I think I agree, although it has improved since last years screen-fest.

The D-Line Coach needs to think about putting more than 3 up front. The 3-3-4 is not working.

OMG, Hii SOULD BE FIYARD!dood, hez onli puttng 10 guyz on teh feyald!loleveryone haitz on the 335

I understand Brookhart is the man and he needs to step up. I think it will be good for the new stadium if he's around.

What do you guys want?I hear bill cower is looking for a job?Seriously, can you imagine starting all over next year "rebuilding"?

[Buckzip]

Seriously, can you imagine starting all over next year "rebuilding"?It's only rebuilding if we lose all the players too. This team really has no identity now. The 3-3-5- sucks and the offense is as basic as you can get. A new coach may bring new energy to the program if it's the right coach.

[ksu sucks]

It's only rebuilding if we lose all the players too.

Great idea.So then when Rhoades is asked at some press conference why he decided the year before they open the brand new stadium, he fired the 5 year head coach, he can just say,"It's only rebuilding if we lose all the players too."Hearing that would really get fans pumped for the new stadium!

[skip-zip]

Ok...I think this is the right approach....I will answer this as a fan who really wants to see us win right now, and as someone who is objective and knowledgeable, and has a long history with MAC football.As a Fan:1) I'd sure like to see JD show improvement THIS YEAR...and show that we are heading in an upward direction.2) This year, we are doing better than predicted, and came within a couple of points of being 5-2 right now. I can't complain. 3) Is a coach even available, who we can also afford, who we know can win more games for us starting next year?4) We're surely much better off than we were under the previous coaching staff.5) JD certainly deseves some extra credit for winning our first MAC title (2005), and winning our first two games against BCS schools (2006 and 2008). As a realist about MAC level football:1) Nobody in our conference likes to (or can really afford) to buy coaches out of contracts.2) As a result, patience and time to build are normally a much larger stretch of time than you will see in bigger conferences. For example, our last coach was given 8 years even though he was 20-some games under the .500 mark. And he never won a MAC championship, and never beat a BCS team. 3) JDs accomplishments over these last few years normally don't get coaches on the hot seat in this league. At least not right now.

[uafan]

Ok...I think this is the right approach....I will answer this as a fan who really wants to see us win right now, and as someone who is objective and knowledgeable, and has a long history with MAC football.As a Fan:1) I'd sure like to see JD show improvement THIS YEAR...and show that we are heading in an upward direction.2) This year, we are doing better than predicted, and came within a couple of points of being 5-2 right now. I can't complain. 3) Is a coach even available, who we can also afford, who we know can win more games for us starting next year?4) We're surely much better off than we were under the previous coaching staff.5) JD certainly deseves some extra credit for winning our first MAC title (2005), and winning our first two games against BCS schools (2006 and 2008). As a realist about MAC level football:1) Nobody in our conference likes to (or can really afford) to buy coaches out of contracts.2) As a result, patience and time to build are normally a much larger stretch of time than you will see in bigger conferences. For example, our last coach was given 8 years even though he was 20-some games under the .500 mark. And he never won a MAC championship, and never beat a BCS team. 3) JDs accomplishments over these last few years normally don't get coaches on the hot seat in this league. At least not right now.

As a fan:1)JD has been in a steady downward spiral since winning the MAC in 052)We are only doing better than predicted because everyone thinks of us as a joke and have no reason to take us seriously. We should be 5-2 right now, not 3-4. I can and I will complain!3) There are several available lower division coaches that would love to move up. I don't know who they are; that is why we have search committees.4) F--- the previous coaching staff! I'm concerned with this one!5) Yes, give JD credit, with LO, for our championship season. Yes, he beat a down N.C. State. Syracuse is a BCS team, but so bad, they would finish last in the MAC!As a reralist:1) I say it's time for someone in our conference to grow a pair, eat the contract, and move on.2) Again, grow a pair, hold the coach accountable, and demand results! Maybe if this happened, coaches wouldn't feel so smug.3) JD's results the last three seasons demand he be fired!

[johnnyzip84]

Ouch!Stop beating me!

The emergence of the "dead horse" should make all of us careful before we start a new thread. After all, who really wants to be the inspiration for its THIRD post ever? :DI've stated these thoughts elsewhere before but I'll summarize again.6-6 or better --> JD definitely stays (and should)5-7 --> JD probably stays (and should IMO)4-8 or less --> JD could (and perhaps should) goIf he does manage to get himself fired, the good news is that there is PLENTY of talent here at UA right now. I, for one though, am still rooting for him to finish this season on an upswing.

[skip-zip]

uafan...although they are completely to the very negative end of the spectrum, I'd be interested in your thoughts, and would pay attention to what you are trying to say if you only addressed my comments appropriately.- The first group of responses were stating how I feel as a fan.- The second group of responses was to address the reality of MAC level football.You used the second group of responses to state your personal opinion all over again. Johnnyzip...I think you've got it. If JD only has 4 wins this year, the administration could very well look at 3 poor seasons in a row, even with the BCS wins, as something that would be enough to consider a change. However, we did see his predecessor slip far below the .500 mark, and he was given 8 years, and didn't accomplish some of the other milestones that JD now has on his resume here. You just never know what is going to happen at this level. Coaches have historically been given a long leash....especially those with JDs contract situation.

[tbozeglav]

This is very bad timing for JD... with the new stadium coming, it's going to be a major recruiting point. Even so, the greater issue is locker room stability. If you bring in a new coach for next year, chances are that he'll be using a new system and the personnel he'd be working with would be all JD recruits. That would more than likely cause our inaugural season at the Info a disaster. Yes, JD hasn't won at home this year, but if anyone wants a decent shot at winning some games at the Info in its first year, JD is the man. I would much rather go into next season with JD at the helm and have roughly the same successes and failures as this year (aside from those damn home losses) than go into the season with the new stadium and end up at the bottom of the MAC...