Sad or Angry?

[RootforRoo44]

I want to be optimistic, but I'm more apathetic toward Zips football than I've ever been. I am turned off by rumors of an athletic department in complete disarray, a football coaching staff that is way too full of themselves, and the lack of any signs that either of those two groups are interested in getting their proven fans excited about the season. I was turned off by the process used to hire the football coach, the kind of qualities that they believe are needed to coach this team (hint: we already had a no-experience "great recruiter" who was a position coach way down the line in the failed Belichik coaching tree, and look how well that worked), and the emphasis put on being in the AD's circle of friends to be considered seriously.

Ianello is already repeating his predecessor's mistakes (taking a transfer with a questionable past for a "quick fix", taking top recruits who never saw the field because of poor academics like Erick Howard, etc), ensuring that the program won't progress for many more years. The parallels to the early Brookhart years are abundant. I can't be optimistic and "give this guy a chance" because I've seen this before and watched it crash and burn over the past several years. The only difference this time is that Ianello didn't bring a few great transfers from his last job to help him luck into a MAC championship.

Ianello thinks, just like JD did, that he can win fast and get out. Akron's problems run too deep for that to work. We'll be lucky to go 2-10 this season.

While i agree with the first 98% of what you said, i think we will at least win 4 or 5 games. We have too much talent to not get lucky a few more times than twice.

[Zipmeister]

I want to be optimistic, but I'm more apathetic toward Zips football than I've ever been. I am turned off by rumors of an athletic department in complete disarray, a football coaching staff that is way too full of themselves, and the lack of any signs that either of those two groups are interested in getting their proven fans excited about the season. I was turned off by the process used to hire the football coach, the kind of qualities that they believe are needed to coach this team (hint: we already had a no-experience "great recruiter" who was a position coach way down the line in the failed Belichik coaching tree, and look how well that worked), and the emphasis put on being in the AD's circle of friends to be considered seriously.

Ianello is already repeating his predecessor's mistakes (taking a transfer with a questionable past for a "quick fix", taking top recruits who never saw the field because of poor academics like Erick Howard, etc), ensuring that the program won't progress for many more years. The parallels to the early Brookhart years are abundant. I can't be optimistic and "give this guy a chance" because I've seen this before and watched it crash and burn over the past several years. The only difference this time is that Ianello didn't bring a few great transfers from his last job to help him luck into a MAC championship.

Ianello thinks, just like JD did, that he can win fast and get out. Akron's problems run too deep for that to work. We'll be lucky to go 2-10 this season.

While i agree with the first 98% of what you said, i think we will at least win 4 or 5 games. We have too much talent to not get lucky a few more times than twice.

If you guys keep this up you are going to depress dreal. The next thing you know he will be saying we are not going to win every game we play by 4 touchdowns. Stop it.

[akzipper]

Let me ask you this, name coaches you would have rather had. Realistic choices, and I bet you they are all from FCS, D2, and D3. Like I said before everyone wanted the guy from Mt. Union and I even heard some PSAC coaches named. Please...Division 3 has no recruiting or scholarships. It might as well be high school, and D2 isn't much better.

[K92]

So here is my confusion....GoZips might be confused and may have his anger in Akron athletics misplaced, but perhaps the better answer would be to provide him with reasons to believe in RI. Has RI done anything in his short time at this school to make you believe he can turn it around. Isn't there something to him actually selling us the die hards on the team? I know we aren't going anywhere (at least not most of us) but shouldn't we be the people he wants to make in evangelists and aside from winning (which they haven't) evangelists are what this organization needs. So where are the reasons to be excited about this upcoming season?

I think there are 3 main reasons to be excited:

1. 4-3 defense

2. Pro style offense

3. Nice hires for the assistants

At this point, there is so little to go on either way. Those are 3 reasons I like the hire, and at least 3 BEGINNING reasons for me to believe in RI.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I totally agree with your 3 reasons.

All that matters is winning/being competitive. If TW hired a guy with an impeccable resume, PR skills out the wazoo, who was the second coming of Bob Hope at the golf outing, an expert texter and actually hung the drywall and placed the merchandise orders for the Team Shop...but was a loser on the field...We would all be disappointed.

We are all hungry for a winner. All of our posts stem from that. We all express that hunger differently. But even if the Zips go 0-11 this year, I will be at the Info for the Buffalo game. But the reasons for that are a whole 'nother thread.

[Dave in Green]

Let me ask you this, name coaches you would have rather had. Realistic choices, and I bet you they are all from FCS, D2, and D3. Like I said before everyone wanted the guy from Mt. Union and I even heard some PSAC coaches named. Please...Division 3 has no recruiting or scholarships. It might as well be high school, and D2 isn't much better.

I'm a buyer and you're a seller. Convince me to buy into your sales pitch that winning lower level head coaches make better higher level head coaches than higher level assistant coaches from winning programs.

I'm absolutely certain that one category is not always better than the other.

I seriously doubt that one category is much more likely to be better than the other.

I'm open to the possibility that one category might be slightly more likely to be better than the other, but I've yet to see definitive proof.

Show me what's convinced you.

EDIT: I guess I should be clear that this is not addressed directly to akzipper, but to anyone who believes that a winning head coach at a lower level program or an assistant coach at a winning higher level program clearly has a big overall advantage over the other in most instances.

[Dr Z]

I think there are 3 main reasons to be excited:1. 4-3 defense 2. Pro style offense 3. Nice hires for the assistants

I'm with you on your three. I have a fourth on my list...Players. I'm excited to see PN7, Wager and AA.

[zen]

The key to selling a sport is winning. Everyone in Ohio knows Akron has a football team, so a billboard to remind them is a waste of money. Can't has billboards, they suck, and no one goes to the games and we still outdraw them. Everyone goes to soccer games, but when was the last time we saw an ad for them? the team sells itself.

we are the oddball outcasts..... we aren't just a minority, we are the insane fringes.

everyone else... they don't just demand a winner before they will turn their head, they will demand the assurance that the winning may continue, before they dip their tepid toes into the waters of fandom.

[Dr Z]

Can't has billboards

How do you know?

[GP1]

Why? Because Ron Ianello is a joke.

What ever success JD Brookhart had came on the back of Lee Owens.

Why? Why do we Zips fans have to be the laughing stock of a terrible conference?

May be Akron deserves to be a laughing stock.

The Zips are making me neither sad nor angry or happy or any other emotion. I'm starting to have a problem with my lack of emotion about the whole thing. I hope they do something to make me happy this season because I don't like to be mad or sad about anything. I'd rather feel nothing which is exactly where I am right now. If they stink, I will not be mad or sad.

I really don't know what kind of a coach RI is going to be and I am completely open minded about him. He has the one of the best, if not the best QB in the league, this season. That makes me feel good about the upcoming season.

Let's be clear again about JD's championship season. No Biggs (JD player) no championship. No Getsy (JD player) no championship. No Hixon (A guy JD took off of LO's scrapheap of a defense and turned into an NFL player in two years) no championship. JD gets all of the credit for the championship. If RI wins this season, he should get all of the credit as well.

Why are the "fans" laughing stock? That's silly. The fans aren't the laughing stock, teams are or aren't.

Does UofA deserve to be a laughing stock? I really don't know. My experience in life is you deserve what you get. UofA has mistaken building buildings as the key to winning. I don't think that is the case. A focus on winning and not building is the problem.

I think Coach I has come here to win and get the Hell out. I say good luck with that and God's speed. If some of your feelings are hurt because you don't get to talk to him at a golf outing, tough crap. If he wins sooner rather than later, you will have a new coach's to sniff the jock of in three years. Give your olfactory nerves a break for the fall sports season. Most of your olfactory nerves are in full bloom during basketball season anyhow.....I'm surprised some of you can take fawning over another grown man more than one sports season a year anyhow.

[Dave in Green]

..... If he wins sooner rather than later, you will have a new coach's to sniff the jock of in three years. Give your olfactory nerves a break for the fall sports season. Most of your olfactory nerves are in full bloom during basketball season anyhow.....I'm surprised some of you can take fawning over another grown man more than one sports season a year anyhow.

The only undies worth savoring belong to libertarian politicians, right?

[zip37]

I'm glad soccer season is starting.

[skip-zip]

The "new stadium" thrill is over. And even with the little bit of hope that comes with hiring a new coach, I think the lack of enthusiasm in the community has a lot to do with the lack of expectations. I don't think that should surprise anyone.

We already bear the cross of being a MAC school. So, being a bad MAC football program is going to dampen things even further. We have a long way to go to even get the community back to the "decent" excitement level that we had during and first few years of the JD era.

As far as the coaching decision, I have mixed feelings. I like that he was involved with a major program. I like his recruiting success since I feel that talent means everything....but i'm not convinced how ND recruiting success equates to UA recruiting success. I don't like his lack of experience running a program, and I have some bad vibes about some things that have happened so far. I may have leaned towards a lower-level head coach, but I am hoping to be wrong about that.

Low expectations aren't always a bad thing. I think that situation will make many of us hardcore fans happy if we can win more than a few games. But for the fans on the outer fringes, it's going to be a lot longer before they catch on again.

[Darkwaters1122]

I don't care if RI was a waterboy at Notre Dame, he has a better resume than some guy who coaches D2 or D3 football.... We needed someone from a big school.

No. We needed someone who has proven that they know how to run a football program as a head coach. How in love are you with Notre Dame that you believe that Ianello is at all qualified to do that just by virtue of him cleaning Charlie Weis' man-bras? Notre Dame is not what it used to be, it's not some great college football mecca, and hasn't been for 20 years. Stop living in the past. Notre Dame is just a step above the MAC, and a step behind the big Ten.

Being at a "big program" just means that they don't understand what it takes to run a program that isn't big. At all his previous jobs, Ianello's recruits were falling over themselves to join a BCS school or Notre Dame. He didn't have to work to get recruits at all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_Meyer

If you do some research, life will be easier for you down the road. But you are young and prone to being rash. But since you are a Zip...I have high hopes for you still!!! ;-)

Go Zips!!!!

[ZachTheZip]

I don't care if RI was a waterboy at Notre Dame, he has a better resume than some guy who coaches D2 or D3 football.... We needed someone from a big school.

No. We needed someone who has proven that they know how to run a football program as a head coach. How in love are you with Notre Dame that you believe that Ianello is at all qualified to do that just by virtue of him cleaning Charlie Weis' man-bras? Notre Dame is not what it used to be, it's not some great college football mecca, and hasn't been for 20 years. Stop living in the past. Notre Dame is just a step above the MAC, and a step behind the big Ten.

Being at a "big program" just means that they don't understand what it takes to run a program that isn't big. At all his previous jobs, Ianello's recruits were falling over themselves to join a BCS school or Notre Dame. He didn't have to work to get recruits at all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_Meyer

If you do some research, life will be easier for you down the road. But you are young and prone to being rash. But since you are a Zip...I have high hopes for you still!!! ;-)

Go Zips!!!!

BG took a gamble and got lucky. Meyer excited their fans. Ianello is creating apathy among ours.

[Zip_ME87]

I don't care if RI was a waterboy at Notre Dame, he has a better resume than some guy who coaches D2 or D3 football.... We needed someone from a big school.

No. We needed someone who has proven that they know how to run a football program as a head coach. How in love are you with Notre Dame that you believe that Ianello is at all qualified to do that just by virtue of him cleaning Charlie Weis' man-bras? Notre Dame is not what it used to be, it's not some great college football mecca, and hasn't been for 20 years. Stop living in the past. Notre Dame is just a step above the MAC, and a step behind the big Ten.

Being at a "big program" just means that they don't understand what it takes to run a program that isn't big. At all his previous jobs, Ianello's recruits were falling over themselves to join a BCS school or Notre Dame. He didn't have to work to get recruits at all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_Meyer

If you do some research, life will be easier for you down the road. But you are young and prone to being rash. But since you are a Zip...I have high hopes for you still!!! ;-)

Go Zips!!!!

You're right, Darkwaters. An excellent example of someone without offensive/defensive coordinator or lower level HC experience becoming a great D1 HC.

MEYER'S COACHING CHRONOLOGY

Year School Assignment Bowl Experience

1986 Ohio State Tight ends (Grad. Asst.) Cotton Bowl

1987 Ohio State Receivers (Grad. Asst.)

1988 Illinois State Outside Linebackers

1989 Illinois State Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers

1990 Colorado State Wide Receivers Freedom Bowl

1991 Colorado State Wide Receivers

1992 Colorado State Wide Receivers

1993 Colorado State Wide Receivers

1994 Colorado State Wide Receivers Holiday Bowl

1995 Colorado State Wide Receivers Holiday Bowl

1996 Notre Dame Wide Receivers

1997 Notre Dame Wide Receivers Independence Bowl

1998 Notre Dame Wide Receivers/Special Teams Gator Bowl

1999 Notre Dame Wide Receivers

2000 Notre Dame Wide Receivers Fiesta Bowl

2001 Bowling Green Head Coach

2002 Bowling Green Head Coach

2003 Utah Head Coach

[Darkwaters1122]

..... If he wins sooner rather than later, you will have a new coach's to sniff the jock of in three years. Give your olfactory nerves a break for the fall sports season. Most of your olfactory nerves are in full bloom during basketball season anyhow.....I'm surprised some of you can take fawning over another grown man more than one sports season a year anyhow.

The only undies worth savoring belong to libertarian politicians, right?

Dave...

I think you are the most unbiased. logical poster on this (or most any) site. I actually look for your posts. Your almost always insightful and rational. You are the one person on this site I would like to actually meet.

BUT...I live in the bay area of California. You can't buy cigarettes in Walgreens (soon potato chips as well). You can't buy soda pop in vending machines in SF. You can't smoke ANYWHERE in Hayward except inside your home. Libertarians vs. Liberal Progressives?? LOL not even close. I consider myself a Blue Dog Democrat but if the choice are those 2...put me down for a double dose of Libertarian!!!!

And let's be honest...based on what politicians tell us...their shit does not stink anyway. Left or right side of the undies does not matter ;-)

[Darkwaters1122]

I don't care if RI was a waterboy at Notre Dame, he has a better resume than some guy who coaches D2 or D3 football.... We needed someone from a big school.

No. We needed someone who has proven that they know how to run a football program as a head coach. How in love are you with Notre Dame that you believe that Ianello is at all qualified to do that just by virtue of him cleaning Charlie Weis' man-bras? Notre Dame is not what it used to be, it's not some great college football mecca, and hasn't been for 20 years. Stop living in the past. Notre Dame is just a step above the MAC, and a step behind the big Ten.

Being at a "big program" just means that they don't understand what it takes to run a program that isn't big. At all his previous jobs, Ianello's recruits were falling over themselves to join a BCS school or Notre Dame. He didn't have to work to get recruits at all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_Meyer

If you do some research, life will be easier for you down the road. But you are young and prone to being rash. But since you are a Zip...I have high hopes for you still!!! ;-)

Go Zips!!!!

BG took a gamble and got lucky. Meyer excited their fans. Ianello is creating apathy among ours.

That is one way to look at it. Or...you could say there is a different fan base???

If you are a hammer...everything looks like a nail. Many Zip fans are negtive about Porter, Dambrot and others. The key word being NEGATIVE. Put on your rose colored glasses...life looks so much better and you walk around wit a smile instead of a frown.

[GP1]

..... If he wins sooner rather than later, you will have a new coach's to sniff the jock of in three years. Give your olfactory nerves a break for the fall sports season. Most of your olfactory nerves are in full bloom during basketball season anyhow.....I'm surprised some of you can take fawning over another grown man more than one sports season a year anyhow.

The only undies worth savoring belong to libertarian politicians, right?

It depends on what she looks like......

[Dave in Green]

Dave...

I think you are the most unbiased. logical poster on this (or most any) site. I actually look for your posts. Your almost always insightful and rational. .....

Goes to show that even I can fool some of the people some of the time.

[Darkwaters1122]

I don't care if RI was a waterboy at Notre Dame, he has a better resume than some guy who coaches D2 or D3 football.... We needed someone from a big school.

No. We needed someone who has proven that they know how to run a football program as a head coach. How in love are you with Notre Dame that you believe that Ianello is at all qualified to do that just by virtue of him cleaning Charlie Weis' man-bras? Notre Dame is not what it used to be, it's not some great college football mecca, and hasn't been for 20 years. Stop living in the past. Notre Dame is just a step above the MAC, and a step behind the big Ten.

Being at a "big program" just means that they don't understand what it takes to run a program that isn't big. At all his previous jobs, Ianello's recruits were falling over themselves to join a BCS school or Notre Dame. He didn't have to work to get recruits at all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_Meyer

If you do some research, life will be easier for you down the road. But you are young and prone to being rash. But since you are a Zip...I have high hopes for you still!!! ;-)

Go Zips!!!!

BG took a gamble and got lucky. Meyer excited their fans. Ianello is creating apathy among ours.

Actually...I think you are blowing smoke. Show me proof that Meyer "excited" their fan base. iCoach desrves a chance.

"No. We needed someone who has proven that they know how to run a football program as a head coach" is really lame. EVERY great coach started with no experiance.

Here are more examples:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Miles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Saban

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Petersen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Walker_...football_coach)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Alvarez

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_L._Smith

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Petrino

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Barnett

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Alvarez

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Schembechler

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayden_Fry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Tiller

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Leach_(coach)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Mangino

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Stoops

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Snyder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Friedgen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Pinkel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Pelini

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Tuberville

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butch_Jones

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Schiano

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Dantonio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Golden_(American_football)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Stoops

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Erickson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Tedford

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Neuheisel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Richt\

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Hill

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butch_Davis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Edsall

All had no HC experiance prior to their first D1 HC job.

But...never let the facts get in the way of a good argument.

[ZachTheZip]

Actually...I think you are blowing smoke. Show me proof that Meyer "excited" their fan base. iCoach desrves a chance.

"No. We needed someone who has proven that they know how to run a football program as a head coach" is really lame. EVERY great coach started with no experiance.

Here are more examples:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Miles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Saban

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Petersen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Walker_...football_coach)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Alvarez

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_L._Smith

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Petrino

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Barnett

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Alvarez

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Schembechler

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayden_Fry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Tiller

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Leach_(coach)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Mangino

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Stoops

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Snyder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Friedgen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Pinkel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Pelini

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Tuberville

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butch_Jones

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Schiano

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Dantonio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Golden_(American_football)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Stoops

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Erickson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Tedford

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Neuheisel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Richt\

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Hill

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butch_Davis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Edsall

All had no HC experiance prior to their first D1 HC job.

But...never let the facts get in the way of a good argument.

You list 31 examples (and Barry Alvarez twice).

26 of those (Miles, Saban, Peterson, Walker, Alvarez, Smith, Petrino, Tiller, Leach, Mangino, Bob Stoops, Friedgen, Pinckel, Pelini, Tuberville, Jones, Schiano, Dantonio, Golden, Mike Stoops, Erickson, Tedford, Richt, Hill, Davis, Edsall) were at least offensive or defensive coordinators before becoming a HC. Something Ianello has never done.

9 of them (Miles, Saban, Petrino, Friedgen, Pelini, Schiano, Hill, Davis, Edsall) coached something in the NFL along with having coordinator experience.

2 of them (Barnett at Fort Lewis College, Davis at Tulsa Rodgers High School) coached as a HC at a lower level first.

Out of your list, only Shembechler, Fry, and Neuheisel started off going from a college position coach to a FBS head coach.

If you go back and look at the threads that were around during the coaching search, you would find that I was not opposed to hiring someone with coordinator experience but believed that head coaching experience would be the preferred option. At least coordinators deal with half of roster (40 or more players) and call plays in game situations instead of just coaching 8 or 9 guys as a position coach.

Ianello has never been more than a position coach. He can recruit for easy-to-recruit schools and he can sort of coach WRs. What he can't do is call plays or recruit for a school that doesn't sell itself.

[ZachTheZip]

Ianello's recruiting tactics are as follows:

Spends almost all his face time talking to and about the recruit, his plans, his interests, what he wants from college, what he wants from football, the criteria he's using to decide...

Almost no pressure spiel about how great the school is, how the kid would have to be crazy not to commit to XYZ university. Worked really well with Notre Dame because there really is something there when comes to academics.

That's great when the school is nationally known. You don't need to tell the recruits about all the great things your school has because they already know. That approach will fail at a school as unknown as Akron.

[ZachTheZip]

Coaching analysis by the people at coacheshotseat.com

They rate Ianello as Mediocre/Unknown

Rob Ianello for JD Brookhart – Alum Rob Ianello takes over at Akron and he must have realized that since he left the school over 20 years ago his alma mater has put up a record of 100 – 146 – 3 which can’t be a very comforting thought. Of course when you are talking about going back to the Jerry Faust days at Akron we are talking about a long time ago in the game of college football and it is the current perception of Akron as being a place that has a mediocre football program that will be one of Ianello’s biggest obstacles to success. Ianello’s immediate predecessor, JD Brookhart put up record of 30 – 42 in 6 seasons with 1 MAC divisional title and only 2 winning seasons. The task for Ianello is very clear, he must make Akron a perennial contender in the MAC conference and somehow get to Zips to a winning record every year which will open up postseason opportunities and more importantly drive-up interest in Akron football and the Zips athletic department. We don’t envy Rob Ianello in what he faces at Akron because it really will take a game-changing like coach and approach, like Urban Meyer delivered to Bowling Green many years ago, to turn Akron into a winner and it is up to Ianello and Ianello alone to whether he can deliver the things that it will take to win at Akron.

[skip-zip]

Actually...I think you are blowing smoke. Show me proof that Meyer "excited" their fan base. iCoach desrves a chance.

"No. We needed someone who has proven that they know how to run a football program as a head coach" is really lame. EVERY great coach started with no experiance.

Here are more examples:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Miles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Saban

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Petersen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Walker_...football_coach)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Alvarez

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_L._Smith

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Petrino

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Barnett

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Alvarez

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Schembechler

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayden_Fry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Tiller

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Leach_(coach)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Mangino

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Stoops

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Snyder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Friedgen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Pinkel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Pelini

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Tuberville

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butch_Jones

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Schiano

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Dantonio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Golden_(American_football)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Stoops

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Erickson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Tedford

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Neuheisel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Richt\

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Hill

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butch_Davis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Edsall

All had no HC experiance prior to their first D1 HC job.

But...never let the facts get in the way of a good argument.

You list 31 examples (and Barry Alvarez twice).

26 of those (Miles, Saban, Peterson, Walker, Alvarez, Smith, Petrino, Tiller, Leach, Mangino, Bob Stoops, Friedgen, Pinckel, Pelini, Tuberville, Jones, Schiano, Dantonio, Golden, Mike Stoops, Erickson, Tedford, Richt, Hill, Davis, Edsall) were at least offensive or defensive coordinators before becoming a HC. Something Ianello has never done.

9 of them (Miles, Saban, Petrino, Friedgen, Pelini, Schiano, Hill, Davis, Edsall) coached something in the NFL along with having coordinator experience.

2 of them (Barnett at Fort Lewis College, Davis at Tulsa Rodgers High School) coached as a HC at a lower level first.

Out of your list, only Shembechler, Fry, and Neuheisel started off going from a college position coach to a FBS head coach.

If you go back and look at the threads that were around during the coaching search, you would find that I was not opposed to hiring someone with coordinator experience but believed that head coaching experience would be the preferred option. At least coordinators deal with half of roster (40 or more players) and call plays in game situations instead of just coaching 8 or 9 guys as a position coach.

Ianello has never been more than a position coach. He can recruit for easy-to-recruit schools and he can sort of coach WRs. What he can't do is call plays or recruit for a school that doesn't sell itself.

I agree with you. This has to at least concern people that, not only has he not been a head coach, but also has not been a coordinator. But the thing that really bothers me is that Akron, one of only 120 or so D-1A schools, SHOULD be able to get a guy with HC experience, if they wanted one.

And someone else tried to make the "well...everyone needs to start somewhere" point. And that's fine, IF they are "starting somewhere" much earlier in their career. With the length of time he has been in coaching, you have to at least wonder why he has not at least been a OC or DC by this point. If he's been offered such jobs, and just has not taken them, then that would explain it for me. But, it just seems odd that he has not reached at least coordinator level with his lengthy tenure in coaching.

[g-mann17]

Coaching analysis by the people at coacheshotseat.com

They rate Ianello as Mediocre/Unknown

Rob Ianello for JD Brookhart – Alum Rob Ianello takes over at Akron and he must have realized that since he left the school over 20 years ago his alma mater has put up a record of 100 – 146 – 3 which can’t be a very comforting thought. Of course when you are talking about going back to the Jerry Faust days at Akron we are talking about a long time ago in the game of college football and it is the current perception of Akron as being a place that has a mediocre football program that will be one of Ianello’s biggest obstacles to success. Ianello’s immediate predecessor, JD Brookhart put up record of 30 – 42 in 6 seasons with 1 MAC divisional title and only 2 winning seasons. The task for Ianello is very clear, he must make Akron a perennial contender in the MAC conference and somehow get to Zips to a winning record every year which will open up postseason opportunities and more importantly drive-up interest in Akron football and the Zips athletic department. We don’t envy Rob Ianello in what he faces at Akron because it really will take a game-changing like coach and approach, like Urban Meyer delivered to Bowling Green many years ago, to turn Akron into a winner and it is up to Ianello and Ianello alone to whether he can deliver the things that it will take to win at Akron.

Ianello is an alumnus? Wow we really should pay attention to what these guys have to say. That is certainly a fact left out.