Should Coach Ianello be fired?

[CPAZip]

Did Paul Winters get an interview?

[ZachTheZip]

Did Paul Winters get an interview?

Yes. We interviewed Paul Winters, Elon Head Coach Pete Lembo, Ed Warinner, and Mark Stoops.

[Zipmeister]

does the Athletic Department ever check this website? Is there anything us fans can do to put some heat on our AD and Coach I?

Flood Proenza's office with letters, emails, and phonecalls. In fact, someone should organize a Zipsnation. "Email the President" day to voice as a solid block of fans our dissatisfaction and refusal to accept the mediocrity of that entire operation over in the JAR.

Yes, this forum is looked at and from my previous post this is NOT going to be fixed overnite. ACCEPT it or find something else to do this fall. JD left us and coach I bare and this will not be COMPlETELY fixed this year

COMPlETELY fixed. A two word phrase consisting of an adverb and an adjective meaning to totally repair using a dish baked in pastry-lined pan.

[suitanim]

Zach said it best...there is talent on this team, a lot of it. But they aren't going to win a single game this year unless the coaching staff gets a LOT better (the last two games are both winnable, but not if the team remains as clueless as they looked in the first two games). It doesn't matter at all how great a recruiter Ianello is, no 3 or 4 start recruit will come play for a team that finished 0-12, 3-21 over the last two seasons. It's quickly becoming apparent that the coaching staff really is in over their heads. Kicking both half's, all the stupid penalties, failing to address the kicking game AGAIN, poor scheming on both sides of the ball, etc, etc...it's amateur hour, and the saddest things are: A) There's no way they'll fire him until at LEAST the season is over and B)There are some really great players on this team (Like Brian Wagner, for one) who deserve a lot better.

How awful is it this...two games in, and we have to wait until week 10 for even a REMOTE chance of winning the years first football game?

[ZachTheZip]

Coach's coach, players play. Yes, I am very disappointed about this season already, however, players "know" and need to line up properly, hold onto the ball, handle their assignment, make kicks, catch passes, etc, etc. etc. Some say we were left with all this "talent" from JD. Last year was an embarrassment like this year. Coach I inherited this "talent" with attitudes. Look at Brian Wagner and others early on. Brian was second and third on the depth chart but "bought into the program" like others (which I commend them for). It seemed the tail was wagging the dog last year and Coach I will not tolerate (which I commend him). Many did not buy into his program and are no longer with this team. Currently we only have approx. 75 scholarship players when allowed 85. Next year, after what we lose and with 25 allowed per year, we may be up to low 80's. It will be a few years before we are able to max. out with scholarships. There are 34 freshmen/redshirt freshmen on this team. (45% of the curent scholarship players) JD did NOT leave US with much, let alone Coach I and his staff. We can all "second guess" every decision made, we do it in business, sports, etc. everyday, however, the players, Coach I, the staff, TW, LP are more disappointed than anyone on this board. Yesterday, Gardner Webb was a "well coached" team and that is what having a coach for 12 years can do for you. Unfortunately, this will NOT turnaround overnite, try to accept it (even as difficult as it is) and support this group. It needs you more NOW than ever.

Do you still stand by what you said? There are two possible reasons we haven't won a game yet. The first is that the players are in rebellion and actively working to screw things up on the field. The second is that the coach has removed those players and the remaining players aren't being put in a position to succeed. So either Ianello can't control his players or he's a terrible game-day coach. Which is it?

And as for this:

Jim Tressel raised Luke Fickell's salary to $250,000.00/year to be sure he doesn't go anywhere. Luke, making that money, being from Columbus, playing and coaching for OSU with Tressel, with longevity would be a fool to leave to take a MAC head coach for a few dollars more. You can bet, the OSU coaching staff along with Tressel can go anywhere in the Columbus area and get whatever they want.

Ianello makes $350k. That's a significant jump, not "a few dollars more". And if he really wanted to be anything more than a position coach, he would have to leave OSU at some point. Why not go to the only other school he ever coached at? And if you don't think that Tressel and company couldn't walk anywhere in Akron or Cleveland and not get the same treatment as in Columbus then you're kidding yourself. Fickell could come here as head coach, simply say he trained under Tressel to recruits' parents and get any recruit he wanted.

[ZipRoo]

Thank heavens for Zach the Zip's posts. He's one of the very few who make sense on this site. If people are really here to try to justify Ianello's hiring and knock the very notion of Luke Fickell coming to Akron, I have to seriously question the football intelligence of these commentors.

You guys can all jump on the Ianello Bandwagon, and we'll talk to you in five years, when Akron is still in the Bottom 10 and even the administration is publicly wondering "What, again, was it that we saw in this guy?" And then the new AD (because TW will be long gone) will say: "He wasn't my idea. You guys could've had a top assistant from Ohio State. Go figure."

[scottditzen]

Who the heck is on the Ianello bandwagon?

I don't see questioning the merits of Coach Fickel the same as defending Coach I.

For the love of God, I'd rather have eguins the Youngstown State ZN poster coaching than Ianello right now.

Thank heavens for Zach the Zip's posts. He's one of the very few who make sense on this site. If people are really here to try to justify Ianello's hiring and knock the very notion of Luke Fickell coming to Akron, I have to seriously question the football intelligence of these commentors.

You guys can all jump on the Ianello Bandwagon, and we'll talk to you in five years, when Akron is still in the Bottom 10 and even the administration is publicly wondering "What, again, was it that we saw in this guy?" And then the new AD (because TW will be long gone) will say: "He wasn't my idea. You guys could've had a top assistant from Ohio State. Go figure."

[RootforRoo44]

I think the bigger question is: What the heck are you 36 people who voted "that we should give Ianello more time" thinking?!

Haven't you had enough losing? My God Ianello is such a downer that i think he's rubbing off on the Soccer team! Porter must have caught some of it when he went and spoke to the football team earlier this year.

[zipseuph]

I think the bigger question is: What the heck are you 36 people who voted "that we should give Ianello more time" thinking?!

Haven't you had enough losing? My God Ianello is such a downer that i think he's rubbing off on the Soccer team! Porter must have caught some of it when he went and spoke to the football team earlier this year.

this poll was taken back in sept 11. I'm gonna start a new poll to see what people think now.

[wadscarman]

Coach's coach, players play. Yes, I am very disappointed about this season already, however, players "know" and need to line up properly, hold onto the ball, handle their assignment, make kicks, catch passes, etc, etc. etc. Some say we were left with all this "talent" from JD. Last year was an embarrassment like this year. Coach I inherited this "talent" with attitudes. Look at Brian Wagner and others early on. Brian was second and third on the depth chart but "bought into the program" like others (which I commend them for). It seemed the tail was wagging the dog last year and Coach I will not tolerate (which I commend him). Many did not buy into his program and are no longer with this team. Currently we only have approx. 75 scholarship players when allowed 85. Next year, after what we lose and with 25 allowed per year, we may be up to low 80's. It will be a few years before we are able to max. out with scholarships. There are 34 freshmen/redshirt freshmen on this team. (45% of the curent scholarship players) JD did NOT leave US with much, let alone Coach I and his staff. We can all "second guess" every decision made, we do it in business, sports, etc. everyday, however, the players, Coach I, the staff, TW, LP are more disappointed than anyone on this board. Yesterday, Gardner Webb was a "well coached" team and that is what having a coach for 12 years can do for you. Unfortunately, this will NOT turnaround overnite, try to accept it (even as difficult as it is) and support this group. It needs you more NOW than ever.

Do you still stand by what you said? There are two possible reasons we haven't won a game yet. The first is that the players are in rebellion and actively working to screw things up on the field. The second is that the coach has removed those players and the remaining players aren't being put in a position to succeed. So either Ianello can't control his players or he's a terrible game-day coach. Which is it?

And as for this:

Jim Tressel raised Luke Fickell's salary to $250,000.00/year to be sure he doesn't go anywhere. Luke, making that money, being from Columbus, playing and coaching for OSU with Tressel, with longevity would be a fool to leave to take a MAC head coach for a few dollars more. You can bet, the OSU coaching staff along with Tressel can go anywhere in the Columbus area and get whatever they want.

Ianello makes $350k. That's a significant jump, not "a few dollars more". And if he really wanted to be anything more than a position coach, he would have to leave OSU at some point. Why not go to the only other school he ever coached at? And if you don't think that Tressel and company couldn't walk anywhere in Akron or Cleveland and not get the same treatment as in Columbus then you're kidding yourself. Fickell could come here as head coach, simply say he trained under Tressel to recruits' parents and get any recruit he wanted.

[wadscarman]

Coach's coach, players play. Yes, I am very disappointed about this season already, however, players "know" and need to line up properly, hold onto the ball, handle their assignment, make kicks, catch passes, etc, etc. etc. Some say we were left with all this "talent" from JD. Last year was an embarrassment like this year. Coach I inherited this "talent" with attitudes. Look at Brian Wagner and others early on. Brian was second and third on the depth chart but "bought into the program" like others (which I commend them for). It seemed the tail was wagging the dog last year and Coach I will not tolerate (which I commend him). Many did not buy into his program and are no longer with this team. Currently we only have approx. 75 scholarship players when allowed 85. Next year, after what we lose and with 25 allowed per year, we may be up to low 80's. It will be a few years before we are able to max. out with scholarships. There are 34 freshmen/redshirt freshmen on this team. (45% of the curent scholarship players) JD did NOT leave US with much, let alone Coach I and his staff. We can all "second guess" every decision made, we do it in business, sports, etc. everyday, however, the players, Coach I, the staff, TW, LP are more disappointed than anyone on this board. Yesterday, Gardner Webb was a "well coached" team and that is what having a coach for 12 years can do for you. Unfortunately, this will NOT turnaround overnite, try to accept it (even as difficult as it is) and support this group. It needs you more NOW than ever.

Do you still stand by what you said? There are two possible reasons we haven't won a game yet. The first is that the players are in rebellion and actively working to screw things up on the field. The second is that the coach has removed those players and the remaining players aren't being put in a position to succeed. So either Ianello can't control his players or he's a terrible game-day coach. Which is it?

And as for this:

Jim Tressel raised Luke Fickell's salary to $250,000.00/year to be sure he doesn't go anywhere. Luke, making that money, being from Columbus, playing and coaching for OSU with Tressel, with longevity would be a fool to leave to take a MAC head coach for a few dollars more. You can bet, the OSU coaching staff along with Tressel can go anywhere in the Columbus area and get whatever they want.

Ianello makes $350k. That's a significant jump, not "a few dollars more". And if he really wanted to be anything more than a position coach, he would have to leave OSU at some point. Why not go to the only other school he ever coached at? And if you don't think that Tressel and company couldn't walk anywhere in Akron or Cleveland and not get the same treatment as in Columbus then you're kidding yourself. Fickell could come here as head coach, simply say he trained under Tressel to recruits' parents and get any recruit he wanted.

Zach the Zip, I must admit, I believed that anyone should be given a chance after only a few games. However, at this point, I am definitely not sure. From hearing different things from a NUMBER of people, RI has his hands full "keeping his team" more than getting a win. If there is any kind of exodus after this season, then there is a real problem.

As far as Luke, being a coach under Tressel is not going to make recruits wanting to come. I know Luke personally and he is a great guy, coach, family man and would be great for Akron. I still don't know if anyone truly knows if he "wanted" to come here, however, recruits inside of Ohio "might" be impressed about being under Tressel but outside of Ohio, I don't really think recruits or anyone else really cares about OSU or Tressel.

Be it RI, LF or the next coach, they will definitely have their work cut out for the mess the program is currently in.

[RACER]

keep him or get rid of him it does not matter.five years from now akron football will be at the bottom of the mac.just like it has been for 25 years.RI i think brought it to a new low;which i thought i would never see again.im not sure which team is worse faust last year,or this one.

[Lee Adams]

This is becoming nauseating. Repetition upon repetition. Fact is nobody knew if Ianello was/is going to be a successful head coach. Nobody knows if Fickell would be a successful head coach. They never did the job before. Maybe Fickell would have gone 12-0 if they had hired him. I doubt that many figured Ianello wouldn't have won at least 1 or 2 games by

now. No matter your personal feeling,does anyone really think that the president and a.d. are going to fire Ianello after this year?

No matter what decision is made about this coach and his staff(realistically I could see changes in assistant coaches) it is apparent now that it is going to be several more years before this program becomes competetive within the MAC.

[ZipRoo]

No matter what decision is made about this coach and his staff(realistically I could see changes in assistant coaches) it is apparent now that it is going to be several more years before this program becomes competetive within the MAC.

Might be true, Lee, but the danger in keeping Ianello around is: The program will not be taking any steps forward. Then when the axe finally falls, we're years further down the road of abysmal football...and the sport isn't even relevant in Akron anymore. We're at a crossroads right now: expensive new facilities...and a product and coach that couldn't be worse. Does UA continue down the wrong road, or make a course-correction immediately to begin walking the right direction?

The decision lies within Buchtel Hall...and Zips fans deserve better.

[Dead Horse]

This is becoming nauseating.

I agree..........