JD: Fire him?

[InTheZone]

Pretty simple here folks. Regardless of what you think WILL happen, what do you think SHOULD happen? Based on JD's performance as our head football coach these past five seasons, do you think its time for a change, and do you want to see him go, or do you want to see him return next season? Let's get a straight up poll of the Zips nation.

[johnnyzip84]

I voted that he SHOULD be fired, and I made my argument for this last week sometime. Basically the 3 losing seasons in a row and losing the last 3 games of this season is exactly the wrong type of momentum we needed heading into the Info. However, I don't think that it's likely that he will be fired.

[zip37]

YES!

[ZachTheZip]

He SHOULD be fired, but he won't. The most important season in UA history is next year, and I can only hope he doesn't screw it up.

[72 Roo]

Forget the importance of next year. J.D. has not earned the right to continue. He has mis-used coaches (fire Fleming), mis-used philosophy (3-3-5), mis-used talent (Jacq under pressure, wideout drops, special teams, last three games, etc) and failed to lead (lost 4 games that should have been won ( Temple, BG, UC, Buffalo). These are the same issues we have talked about before and after the last two seasons. Nothing has changed and a new stadium will not bring a diferent style of coaching. Only a new coach will bring that. Make the change to get better. The present coach has shown he can't do it left to his own devices. He has had a fair shot. Time for a change, if we can afford to eat his contract.

[UAZipster0305]

Well-coached teams are disciplined, adapt and improve from mistakes, and win close games. Even though we won the Can't and EMU games, we were either handed or lucked into those outcomes. They weren't actually won. We lost four other games that were undecided in the last half of the fourth quarter (UC, BGSU, UB, and Temple). That has made the difference between a subpar season and one that could have been a top three all-time for this program. What's worse is that with three games left, a game removed from a nearly three week break, and a potentially great season for the taking with the division leader and two weak teams ahead, our team played its worst football of the season and appeared unmotivated at times. Unacceptable.Please spare me the "we outperformed expectations (by the media in preseason)"! This team had the talent to win those four games. Coaching was the difference. Period.If this program is ever to be taken seriously, it has to start next year with a fresh face. With some of the best facilities in the country, there are no longer any excuses for mediocrity. From season to season, this program should be 7-5 to 10-2. 5-7 or 6-6 are even OCCASIONALLY acceptable, but shouldn't be the norm.Head coaches make very good money (even relative to other professionals) to produce wins and represent their university well. JD (and his players) represent the university well, but the wins (or corresponding progress) isn't their to justify continuation in the most important season (prospectively and retrospectively) this program has and will likely ever have. However, I would sympathise with some of the assistant coaches who don't make nearly as much and for better or worse has their success tied to the head coach and performance of the entire team. Unfortunately though, that's the nature of their profession.For now, go support the soccer, basketball, rifle, and track/field/CC programs as those are well-deserving of our support.

[skip-zip]

InTheZone... I think we got your thoughts in the last post. Personally, I don't want to dwell on would or should. I simply know that we are not in a financial or stability position to recycle coaches continually. No MAC school is. So, maybe I would like to say "hey...lets bring in a star coach next year", but I know all too well the realities of being an AKRON-level team after 3 decades of following this program. With that said, I won't waste any time even thinking about the ever-so-slim possibility that we'll have a new coach next year.And to those of you who wish for a different outcome....please tell me who we can land as a coach that will miraculously change our direction next year, and we can afford. Yep, that's what I thought.

[UAZipster0305]

And to those of you who wish for a different outcome....please tell me who we can land as a coach that will miraculously change our direction next year, and we can afford. Yep, that's what I thought.

The coaches at BSU, CSU, and UB weren't high profile before obtaining their current positions and yet, have built strong programs. I want a coach like them. Keep in mind, none of those coaches have the facility resources JD has had to entice recruits either.

[zipboy]

I have been a a supporter of JD but next year is it for me. Hey, I liked Lee until his last year so I never like knee jerk reactions. But at some point we need to start winning games. Yes the MAC is a balanced league and many of the games are close but the good programs win more of those than they lose. We seem to lose more than we win. JD has made changes for the better in his tenure, gave up calling plays, took over special teams which have been excellent except for a few moments, changed recruiting philosophy, now will he change the D?With what is coming back next year, probably having 6 home games, having a good chance to win 3 out of 4 OOC games for the 1st time in a while, next year is make or break for me. JD is clearly not the worst in the league and clearly not the best. I give him 1 more year.

[uafan]

All good arguments here.....but let's not forget the academic side. He is in charge of seeing that our student athletes get an education, but as we saw by losing 5 scholarships, even that is not being done.

[zipboy]

All good arguments here.....but let's not forget the academic side. He is in charge of seeing that our student athletes get an education, but as we saw by losing 5 scholarships, even that is not being done.

No question that was an issue in his 2nd and 3rd year of recruiting. I give him credit for owning up and saying that he had the wrong philosophy. That has been fixed. The last 2 classes have had excellent retention, Andre Jones got his last year back. I can't fault what is going on in the classroom now. He runs a clean program, no issues with the law. I find fault in how many games we are winning.

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

I am torn on this one in a big way. Continuity can be a good thing, especially in a MAC where there is none. However, I am so disappointed in the way this team finished this year that I wonder how much blame the coach should take for it. I'd give him the first year at InfoSumma, but will be pissed off if we see a defense that at all resembled what they trotted out to the field this year. GO ZIPS SOCCER TOMORROW!SeeTeeZip

[zip81]

I can't see the U firing him going into the new stadium next year.If next year is a flop..uh, bye, bye!

[skip-zip]

trimmy10...I know what you're thinking. Other schools have found good, unknown coaches. But, that's exactly the point...they are UNKNOWN. In the MAC, you simply don't have the luxury of hiring new coaches all the time hoping that one turns out good. So again, if we turn to a new coach next year...how do we know that things will be better? The only thing you can do to accomplish that is to get a big-time proven coach, and we simply can't afford that. I'm sorry, but this is the reality of being Akron.

[Zipsrifle]

I voted no, but here's why. Is I've mentioned before, I think JD took some BIG risks to try to get in and out of Akron as fast as possible. Now, though he hasn't totally reformed from his risky ways, he's been more conservative with bringing in players that will at least see the field for one season (two may be pushing it). I think that one season will be next year and with the new stadium, we will have some success. Enough success that he will jump ship to any offer that comes around.With this success, and facilities, I'm hoping we can pull in another quality coach who can continue building the team.I am far from happy with JD, but I think a disaster opening season at ICS is too much of a risk. I think we have some good athletes next season which were recruited for this system, and we will peak next season. Next season we must be MAC E Champs and a Bowl and nothing less!With that said, I really don't care either way what the AD does this year.

[Lee Adams]

All good arguments here.....but let's not forget the academic side. He is in charge of seeing that our student athletes get an education, but as we saw by losing 5 scholarships, even that is not being done.

No question that was an issue in his 2nd and 3rd year of recruiting. I give him credit for owning up and saying that he had the wrong philosophy. That has been fixed. The last 2 classes have had excellent retention, Andre Jones got his last year back. I can't fault what is going on in the classroom now. He runs a clean program, no issues with the law. I find fault in how many games we are winning.

lets also not forget the negative effects this is already having on recruiting...bad record three years running...coach who could be gone this year or next and who has little time left on his contract anyway...does a kid commit with the possibility a new coach could come in and not want him?...the entire program is affected for years to come..as odd as it may sound, if the AD keeps brookhart he may have to add a year to his contract for the sake of the long term..?

[Lee Adams]

boy you can tell we are AKRON fans...

[zipboy]

All good arguments here.....but let's not forget the academic side. He is in charge of seeing that our student athletes get an education, but as we saw by losing 5 scholarships, even that is not being done.

No question that was an issue in his 2nd and 3rd year of recruiting. I give him credit for owning up and saying that he had the wrong philosophy. That has been fixed. The last 2 classes have had excellent retention, Andre Jones got his last year back. I can't fault what is going on in the classroom now. He runs a clean program, no issues with the law. I find fault in how many games we are winning.

lets also not forget the negative effects this is already having on recruiting...bad record three years running...coach who could be gone this year or next and who has little time left on his contract anyway...does a kid commit with the possibility a new coach could come in and not want him?...the entire program is affected for years to come..as odd as it may sound, if the AD keeps brookhart he may have to add a year to his contract for the sake of the long term..?

Great point Lee. However in the MAC coaches only stay 5 years either way - they do well and move on or don't do well and get canned. The mediocre ones last a couple more years and then get canned. I still think with who is coming back next year we could have a very good season. Unless we get lucky and hire a young Nick Saban or Urban Myer, by switching coaches now it will be even tougher to win next year.

[zip37]

I cannot figure out why any Zips fan would be satisfied with a less than ,500 coach!

[GP1]

Injuries killed the team this year. They still won five and that was my prediction at the beginning of the year assuming a healthy team.JD gets one more year to win at least six games. First things first though. Either he commits to throwing away the 3-3-5 next year or he goes tomorrow as far as I am concerned. The team can't risk another season with that defense.

[zip37]

Injuries, weather, time changes blah, blah blah, less than /500 is as less than .500 does.

[Buckzip]

Injuries killed the team this year. They still won five and that was my prediction at the beginning of the year assuming a healthy team.JD gets one more year to win at least six games. First things first though. Either he commits to throwing away the 3-3-5 next year or he goes tomorrow as far as I am concerned. The team can't risk another season with that defense.

Wow, You will be happy if JD wins 6 games next year. BGSU just fired their coach for only winning 6 games. You will be happy wth 6 games....

[GP1]

Injuries killed the team this year. They still won five and that was my prediction at the beginning of the year assuming a healthy team.JD gets one more year to win at least six games. First things first though. Either he commits to throwing away the 3-3-5 next year or he goes tomorrow as far as I am concerned. The team can't risk another season with that defense.

Wow, You will be happy if JD wins 6 games next year. BGSU just fired their coach for only winning 6 games. You will be happy wth 6 games....

"At least" six games......

[GP1]

Injuries killed the team this year. They still won five and that was my prediction at the beginning of the year assuming a healthy team.JD gets one more year to win at least six games. First things first though. Either he commits to throwing away the 3-3-5 next year or he goes tomorrow as far as I am concerned. The team can't risk another season with that defense.

Wow, You will be happy if JD wins 6 games next year. BGSU just fired their coach for only winning 6 games. You will be happy wth 6 games....

Here is another way to put it that you may relate to better. If tsou played an out of conference schedule that consisted of teams say the quality of USC and they lost all four per year. Then they lost one or two in the Big Ten, would you be this critical of Coach T. or would you be one of the people saying, "He is building a team we can all be proud of."The Zips are not in that much of a different spot than tosu. tosu is just able to hide their averageness with a bunch of piss poor out of conference teams and a bad conference. The Zips do not have that type of money to throw at their averageness.

[skip-zip]

I think some of you are missing the point about why Miami and BGs coaches may have lost their jobs. Typically, ADs look at THE CURRENT DIRECTION OF THE PROGRAM more than anything else.BG...In the last 5 seasons, not even an appearance in the MAC title game. Meaning, no MAC East titles, and no overall MAC title....from a program that used to be regarded as one of MAC's best. Now, they are the pre-season pick to win the East, and end up as an average football team. Don't think you can find a "program is moving upward" argument in this scenario.Miami...Miami has gone from the cradle of coaches to possibly a MAC East doormat. They are now nowhere close to the program they once were, making fairly regular appearances in the MAC title game. Hard to make an argument here for moving in any upward direction. Akron:More wins in 2008 than in 2007.Another win against a BCS school.A better-than-projected finish in their conference race.A 2-point loss against the #15 team in the country...showing you can be competitive against upper echelon competition.Taking the eventual MAC East champ to quadruple overtime. One program is showing some signs of progress, and two of them have not.It's that simple.