Akron's Rob Ianello

[Zip Watcher]

No longer Notre Dame's Rob Ianello, he is now OUR Rob Ianello.As posted by Tom Gaffney @ Ohio.ComFor the record, the more I learn about Rob, the more I like about this hire. I don't believe this to be a reach at all, I think he brings some qualities to UA that will help improve the Zips, and I look forward to watching his impact on the Zips, both on and off the field.Welcome to Rob Ianello. Welcome to his family. Glad to have you as a Zip. B) B) Go Zips!

[Zips Win!]

Didn't fit any of my criteria!!Be prepared for Ron Powlus to be named offensive coordinator...

[UA Fan]

Welcome to Akron...much nicer than San Jose !! (minimal earthquakes, wildfires, water shortages...)

[RowdyZip]

I'll go this way..."It's now what I expected."Welcome to Akron, Rob. Lets get this thing turned around. Looking forward to see the product on the field in the spring and again next September.

[Zipmeister]

Hey! He's got a kid named UAkronkid.

[InTheZone]

Huge disappointment. I'm officially checking out on my alma mater. Cancel my season tickets and you will no longer see me posting on ZipsNation. We've been given everthing to go big time and once again we go small time on our head coach. I'm done. Look forward to six more seasons of mediocrity until the school can afford to fire this guy and start the process all over again. I'm done. I guess I'll just pick a BCS school that I like and go with them. It's a shame Tom when you can't even keep the guys who donned the GOD DAMN UNIFORM with the stupidity you display.

[Zipgrad01]

Didn't fit any of my criteria!!Be prepared for Ron Powlus to be named offensive coordinator...

I am sure they simply forget to check YOUR criteria list before they made the hire. It's a simple mistake.

[Zipgrad01]

I am excited about the hire. I am talking with Notre Dame guys on Rivals and they think we got a HUGE steal. Many people in South Bend wanted him to be the new guy there. Lets give the guy a chance before we start the doom and gloom bs. The guy has worked for many quality programs and is obviously an amazing recruiter. Just because he hasnt been a head coach before doesnt mean he wont be a great one. Give it time and step away from the cliff.

[GP1]

Huge disappointment. I'm officially checking out on my alma mater. Cancel my season tickets and you will no longer see me posting on ZipsNation. We've been given everthing to go big time and once again we go small time on our head coach. I'm done. Look forward to six more seasons of mediocrity until the school can afford to fire this guy and start the process all over again. I'm done. I guess I'll just pick a BCS school that I like and go with them. It's a shame Tom when you can't even keep the guys who donned the GOD DAMN UNIFORM with the stupidity you display.

I'm disappointed too. However, this is what I expected. People in college athletics have almost zero creativity. Tom could have taken the difficult road and hired someone highly qualified. Instead he hired a buddy from a past job.......lazy. This is typical.....sad, but typical. Guys like Tom don't care because they always have their eyes on the next job.The only thing I disagree with is us having everything we need to go "big time". We have everything we need to win the MAC, but not even enough to win a second tier conference or even compete in one.

[OldZipFan]

Yes I agree also, it's not what we expected. I told TW what we needed was a HC or a defensive coordinator with experience. I read somewhere that Urban Meyer came out of Notre Dame as a wide receiver coach with no HC experience. So anything can happen, hopefully positive.Welcome to Akron Rob!

[Hilltopper]

Huge disappointment. I'm officially checking out on my alma mater. Cancel my season tickets and you will no longer see me posting on ZipsNation. We've been given everthing to go big time and once again we go small time on our head coach. I'm done. Look forward to six more seasons of mediocrity until the school can afford to fire this guy and start the process all over again. I'm done. I guess I'll just pick a BCS school that I like and go with them. It's a shame Tom when you can't even keep the guys who donned the GOD DAMN UNIFORM with the stupidity you display.

Why don't you tell us how you really feel ITZ!

[GoZips]

I feel InTheZone's pain.This is NOT the time to give up on our Zips. It is, however, to become the loyal, vocal, oppositionto the knuckleheads running the athletics.I was strongly considering not renewing my football season tickets and refusing to contribute to theZ-Fund, etc. if Brookhart had not been sacked this year. Twenty-five years of terribly bad footballis all I can stomach. I am way to damned old to tolerate six more years of blundering. At thisrate, most of us will not live long enough to enjoy a winning tradition at Akron.First up. I want to see Ronnie Boy hit the ground running. That means, he assumes the head coachingposition today. Specifically that means he starts his new job now, not after the bowl games,tidying up loose ends at Notre Dame, etc. The job starts now. Not tomorrow, not next week, notnext month, not in some nebulous future. NOW.Ron Ianello = JD Brookhart II

[Buckzip]

Huge disappointment. I'm officially checking out on my alma mater. Cancel my season tickets and you will no longer see me posting on ZipsNation. We've been given everthing to go big time and once again we go small time on our head coach. I'm done. Look forward to six more seasons of mediocrity until the school can afford to fire this guy and start the process all over again. I'm done. I guess I'll just pick a BCS school that I like and go with them. It's a shame Tom when you can't even keep the guys who donned the GOD DAMN UNIFORM with the stupidity you display.

So I take it you love this hire ITZ.

[akronad]

Like ZW, I did some research on Ianello and was pleasnatly surprised. Although he does not have the HC experience many were looking for, he has been around some good coaching staffs and good programs. And yes, many at ND were hoping he would be their next HC. Let's get behind him and the team, show them our support and see what happens. I know this, no new hire is ever going to be popular or the right choice for everyone.

[johnnyzip84]

Will he be Pete Cordelli, Urban Meyer or (most likely) something in between? I'm not thrilled at all, mainly because I was really hoping for a D-2/FCS head coach. Someone stated on another thread that these hires are basically a crapshoot anyway. I vehemently disagree. I think there is significantly more risk of a "bust" in taking the approach that TW decided to take. This hire gives me two distinct impressions. First, I don't think he was TW's primary choice (Chryst perhaps?). I'm also somewhat disappointed that this has the appearance of a "buddy hiring". I just recently accepted a new position myself, and I have had zero prior personal contact with the people who hired me. I was selected solely on my expercience and qualifications. My references were no doubt scrutinized, etc. and my new employer decided I was the right person. I realize there is a "leap of faith" in the end, but I'm sure they did their due diligence in the process. I was hoping for a similar process here, but (though I could obviously be wrong) I don't think this occured. I believe anyone who takes the "buddy" approach in a situation like this severely limits the potential for finding the "great" hire. Maybe TW felt as if he needed to make a hire quickly because of recruiting etc. My answer to this is simple and borrowed (OK, stolen) from other sayings. I'd much rather hire the right guy at the wrong time, than hire the wrong guy at the right time.Still I am left with no choice but to hope for the best. I hope you can do it Rob. I hope you're a whole lot closer to Urban than you are to Pete. After all, I'm just a silly fan with no closer access to the situation than my computer and TV can provide. Go Zips!

[zippyfan34]

I feel InTheZone's pain.This is NOT the time to give up on our Zips. It is, however, to become the loyal, vocal, oppositionto the knuckleheads running the athletics.I was strongly considering not renewing my football season tickets and refusing to contribute to theZ-Fund, etc. if Brookhart had not been sacked this year. Twenty-five years of terribly bad footballis all I can stomach. I am way to damned old to tolerate six more years of blundering. At thisrate, most of us will not live long enough to enjoy a winning tradition at Akron.First up. I want to see Ronnie Boy hit the ground running. That means, he assumes the head coachingposition today. Specifically that means he starts his new job now, not after the bowl games,tidying up loose ends at Notre Dame, etc. The job starts now. Not tomorrow, not next week, notnext month, not in some nebulous future. NOW.Ron Ianello = JD Brookhart II

If I am remembering right, I think Notre Dame decided not to go to a bowl game, so that shouldn't hold him back from starting right away.

[g-mann17]

I had not heard of Ianello until about 2:30 or so yesterday. I read up on him as much as I could. What I can come up with is this...He can recruitHe can developHe can bring players upHe has worked for a National Champion (no, not the coveted D-II national champion some of you all want, but some team from Alabama, I think they are the Crimson something another)I know that ND and the ND fans thought enough of him to make him the interim coachHe was thought of highly enough by Weiss to be made Asst. Head Coach Offense (the Walt Harris position)He has great contacts in the NFL world (big deal to recruits)He has ties to the SEC, Pac-10, and Big 10 (meaning he can recruit nationally, and did for ND, but I think theKid is the one that said "You better be able to recruit for ND they have MILLIONS of dollars" yes and the toughest entry requirements of any D-1 school in the country outside of the Academies)Bottom line we wantedHistory of winning....checkExperience as a head coach....noneStrong recruiter....checkPassionate....TBDI think he fits 75% of what we want, I really didn't know what to expect, I knew my top candidates wouldn't be available to us (London and Strong) but I also didn't want an area guy. Why? Because 90% of the time that "We can't succeed, we are Akron" is so bread into people that it is self defeating.I am fine with this hire. If we are at least 5-3 in the MAC next year I like the hire.

[Zipgrad01]

I had not heard of Ianello until about 2:30 or so yesterday. I read up on him as much as I could. What I can come up with is this...He can recruitHe can developHe can bring players upHe has worked for a National Champion (no, not the coveted D-II national champion some of you all want, but some team from Alabama, I think they are the Crimson something another)I know that ND and the ND fans thought enough of him to make him the interim coachHe was thought of highly enough by Weiss to be made Asst. Head Coach Offense (the Walt Harris position)He has great contacts in the NFL world (big deal to recruits)He has ties to the SEC, Pac-10, and Big 10 (meaning he can recruit nationally, and did for ND, but I think theKid is the one that said "You better be able to recruit for ND they have MILLIONS of dollars" yes and the toughest entry requirements of any D-1 school in the country outside of the Academies)Bottom line we wantedHistory of winning....checkExperience as a head coach....noneStrong recruiter....checkPassionate....TBDI think he fits 75% of what we want, I really didn't know what to expect, I knew my top candidates wouldn't be available to us (London and Strong) but I also didn't want an area guy. Why? Because 90% of the time that "We can't succeed, we are Akron" is so bread into people that it is self defeating.I am fine with this hire. If we are at least 5-3 in the MAC next year I like the hire.

I agree......the guy has contacts throughout the country with the best high school programs. He has an in to the programs that we could never dream of recruiting from. Having a relationship with these high school coaches (as you see with the Hoobler thing) is vital. I think some of you are so hung up on the lack of "head coaching" experience that you are blinding yourself from the other huge positives.

[johnnyzip84]

I had not heard of Ianello until about 2:30 or so yesterday. I read up on him as much as I could. What I can come up with is this...He can recruitHe can developHe can bring players upHe has worked for a National Champion (no, not the coveted D-II national champion some of you all want, but some team from Alabama, I think they are the Crimson something another)I know that ND and the ND fans thought enough of him to make him the interim coachHe was thought of highly enough by Weiss to be made Asst. Head Coach Offense (the Walt Harris position)He has great contacts in the NFL world (big deal to recruits)He has ties to the SEC, Pac-10, and Big 10 (meaning he can recruit nationally, and did for ND, but I think theKid is the one that said "You better be able to recruit for ND they have MILLIONS of dollars" yes and the toughest entry requirements of any D-1 school in the country outside of the Academies)Bottom line we wantedHistory of winning....checkExperience as a head coach....noneStrong recruiter....checkPassionate....TBDI think he fits 75% of what we want, I really didn't know what to expect, I knew my top candidates wouldn't be available to us (London and Strong) but I also didn't want an area guy. Why? Because 90% of the time that "We can't succeed, we are Akron" is so bread into people that it is self defeating.I am fine with this hire. If we are at least 5-3 in the MAC next year I like the hire.

Meister sighting in 5, 4, 3, 2........

[doublezip]

Hopefully, he can cherry pick some of the good coaches from ND's staff (offense only) since they are probably all looking for jobs. I'd love to see them hit the ground running and lock up a great recruiting class. I, like many others on here, never heard of the guy before yesterday, but I'm going to stay positive and hope TW made the right choice.

[g-mann17]

Meister sighting in 5, 4, 3, 2........

No, no. I'm pretty sure it's baked into the bread we eat

[xu9697]

I understand completely the concerns, but just b/c JD did not work out that does not mean that every guy that was not a HC and "just" an assitant should be lumped in with JD. JD had some level of success, and might have had even more if his QB did not wig out on him. And, this is NOT coming from a JD supporter. I wanted him fired BEFORE this season.I know very little about this guy, but I will give him a chance. I am not excited by the pick, but I will let it play out. I hope it is less the "buddy" thing that has been mentioned, and more the "this guy was always great...man I hope I get the chance to hire him b/c he is going to be kick ass as a HC some day" syndrome from TW.Now, it will be interesting to see what kind of staff he builds. I really, really, really hope he considers bring back Okruch. I really liked a lot of what the D brought last year, and if they can switch that over to a 4-3 (which I believe they can relatively easily), I think we can have a VERY STRONG defensive unit next year. I think Okruch can definitely be the leader and bring some continuity that, in this case, would not be so bad.

[Dr Z]

Specifically that means he starts his new job now, not after the bowl games, tidying up loose ends at Notre Dame, etc. The job starts now. Not tomorrow, not next week, not next month, not in some nebulous future.

If I am remembering right, I think Notre Dame decided not to go to a bowl game, so that shouldn't hold him back from starting right away.

You are correct.Nebulous?

[johnnyzip84]

I understand completely the concerns, but just b/c JD did not work out that does not mean that every guy that was not a HC and "just" an assitant should be lumped in with JD. JD had some level of success, and might have had even more if his QB did not wig out on him. And, this is NOT coming from a JD supporter. I wanted him fired BEFORE this season.I know very little about this guy, but I will give him a chance. I am not excited by the pick, but I will let it play out. I hope it is less the "buddy" thing that has been mentioned, and more the "this guy was always great...man I hope I get the chance to hire him b/c he is going to be kick ass as a HC some day" syndrome from TW.Now, it will be interesting to see what kind of staff he builds. I really, really, really hope he considers bring back Okruch. I really liked a lot of what the D brought last year, and if they can switch that over to a 4-3 (which I believe they can relatively easily), I think we can have a VERY STRONG defensive unit next year. I think Okruch can definitely be the leader and bring some continuity that, in this case, would not be so bad.

Here, here!

[zen]

I guess I'll just pick a BCS school that I like and go with them.

You're whole post is so ridiculous, I assume it's all unhinted sarcasm.If you can just pick a BCS school and start rooting, then you were never faithful to your alma mater to start with, even when you thought you were.None of us have any control over this thing. That's just what being a fan is all about. Pure spectators.... no matter whether we agree or disagree with decisions, we have a completely passive role.... but chosing not to be a fan is probably the only choice that you have for yourself. That's fine, if you feel so disappointed that you need to divest, but you said that this is your alma mater. If that's true, then you may not want to reward (what you think is) a bad decision with your money, but it says something about you that you are willing to turn your back on it all together.