Tressel's asst., Luke Fickell wanted UA job

[ZipRoo]

So, we finally have the identity of the Ohio State assistant who wanted this job: Luke Fickell. Eight years on Tressel's staff....a personal recommendation by Tressel, along with a donation to UA....and the Zips (err, their outsider, Tom Wistrcill) opted for an unproven non-coach to lead this program.

This is a disgrace and an embarrassment. Zips fans should demand an explanation.

[skip-zip]

So, we finally have the identity of the Ohio State assistant who wanted this job: Luke Fickell. Eight years on Tressel's staff....a personal recommendation by Tressel, along with a donation to UA....and the Zips (err, their outsider, Tom Wistrcill) opted for an unproven non-coach to lead this program.

This is a disgrace and an embarrassment. Zips fans should demand an explanation.

I share some of your frustration, but I don't quite see it as a day-and-night difference. This guy has never been a head coach either, is much younger, and has been a position coach himself, and more recently a "co-defensive coordinator", whatever that means.

It says on his coaching record that he was a line coach here about 10 years? I don't remember that. However, I don't make a practice out of following the careers of Cowlumbus State football players.

[ZipRoo]

Here's Fickell's bio page and photo.

Yeah, notice all of the practical coaching experience...for one of the top D-1 programs in the nation. And an Ohio guy, to boot.

This is what we COULD HAVE (SHOULD HAVE) had here at Akron:

http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/ViewArtic...p;Q_SEASON=2010

[Zip_ME87]

I share some of your frustration, but I don't quite see it as a day-and-night difference. This guy has never been a head coach either, is much younger, and has been a position coach himself, and more recently a "co-defensive coordinator", whatever that means.

It says on his coaching record that he was a line coach here about 10 years? I don't remember that. However, I don't make a practice out of following the careers of Cowlumbus State football players.

One HUGE difference is that this guy is from OHIO, which to me, means that he would care about Akron and would have an understanding of football in Ohio.

Akron's biggest mistake was hiring Tom Wistrcill. Hunter Yurachek should have moved up for continuity and his understanding of Akron.

[Zipsrifle]

One problem....to make him feel at home, how would we schedule the same cupcake schedule that OSU has to deal with for 50% of the year? Maybe we could schedule a couple High School teams? That would be about the same skill differential right now.

[akzipper]

I thought you guys wanted someone with head coaching experience....evidently that's why JD and RI have failed...

[RootforRoo44]

One problem....to make him feel at home, how would we schedule the same cupcake schedule that OSU has to deal with for 50% of the year? Maybe we could schedule a couple High School teams? That would be about the same skill differential right now.

you mean the "cupcake teams" that OSU killed and we in turn got killed by?

We essentially play OSU's cupcake schedule...difference is it's 9 out of our 12 games each year and not 4 or 5.

[Captain Kangaroo]

So, we finally have the identity of the Ohio State assistant who wanted this job: Luke Fickell. Eight years on Tressel's staff....a personal recommendation by Tressel, along with a donation to UA....and the Zips (err, their outsider, Tom Wistrcill) opted for an unproven non-coach to lead this program.

This is a disgrace and an embarrassment. Zips fans should demand an explanation.

Who cares about Jim Tressel.

He offers to make a donation, so his "guy" can get the job? If he's bribing AD's, can brown paper bags full of cash on recruiting visits be far behind?!

[RootforRoo44]

Think TW reads ZN.o?

Anyone notice this a few days ago?

obviously not really him but pretty funny.

[Buckzip]

What makes anyone think Fickell would make a good HC?

He is co-defensive coordinator. He isn't even the d-coordinator.

He has never been a HC either. He was on the Akron staff a while back, but he has proven nothing.

We need to get an experienced HC. Someone that has been a consistent winner. There are guys like that available at the lower levels.

[Buckzip]

One problem....to make him feel at home, how would we schedule the same cupcake schedule that OSU has to deal with for 50% of the year? Maybe we could schedule a couple High School teams? That would be about the same skill differential right now.

you mean the "cupcake teams" that OSU killed and we in turn got killed by?

We essentially play OSU's cupcake schedule...difference is it's 9 out of our 12 games each year and not 4 or 5.

Actually it's 12 out of our 12 games. Every single team Akron plays would be a cupcake to a top 20 team.

Certain irrational fans don't see that.

[GP1]

This is a disgrace and an embarrassment. Zips fans should demand an explanation.

I agree it is a disgrace and embarrassment. I demand an explanation.... What evidence is there that this guy wanted the job?

[skip-zip]

One problem....to make him feel at home, how would we schedule the same cupcake schedule that OSU has to deal with for 50% of the year? Maybe we could schedule a couple High School teams? That would be about the same skill differential right now.

you mean the "cupcake teams" that OSU killed and we in turn got killed by?

We essentially play OSU's cupcake schedule...difference is it's 9 out of our 12 games each year and not 4 or 5.

Actually it's 12 out of our 12 games. Every single team Akron plays would be a cupcake to a top 20 team.

Certain irrational fans don't see that.

Tell that to Kentucky, who knocked off the #10 team in the country and nearly knocked off Auburn in the last few weeks.

Or, Syracuse, NIU and Temple, who are all now in the Top-50 in RPI.

Yes, many teams we play would be cupcakes to a Top 20 team, but to put every team we play into that category is just a huge exaggeration.

[Buckzip]

One problem....to make him feel at home, how would we schedule the same cupcake schedule that OSU has to deal with for 50% of the year? Maybe we could schedule a couple High School teams? That would be about the same skill differential right now.

you mean the "cupcake teams" that OSU killed and we in turn got killed by?

We essentially play OSU's cupcake schedule...difference is it's 9 out of our 12 games each year and not 4 or 5.

Actually it's 12 out of our 12 games. Every single team Akron plays would be a cupcake to a top 20 team.

Certain irrational fans don't see that.

Tell that to Kentucky, who knocked off the #10 team in the country and nearly knocked off Auburn in the last few weeks.

Or, Syracuse, NIU and Temple, who are all now in the Top-50 in RPI.

Yes, many teams we play would be cupcakes to a Top 20 team, but to put every team we play into that category is just a huge exaggeration.

Kentucky is the only one that even makes sense there. And even they got beat up quite a bit. Every team can play a good game or 2, but an entire season tells the story.

Syracuse, NIU and Temple would be smashed by most of the top 20. The only chance they would have is if the other team was on a down week. Which does happen. Upsets happen.

[johnnyzip84]

Think TW reads ZN.o?

Anyone notice this a few days ago?

obviously not really him but pretty funny.

I saw that same login a few nights ago, too. Glad you captured it. Pretty funny

[UAZipster0305]

One problem....to make him feel at home, how would we schedule the same cupcake schedule that OSU has to deal with for 50% of the year? Maybe we could schedule a couple High School teams? That would be about the same skill differential right now.

Does schedule strength matter when we can't win any I-A games and lost to a very mediocre I-AA school? We need to schedule games that we can be competitive in and likely win and build from there. We have a long way to go before complaining about our strength of schedule.

[Lee Adams]

One problem....to make him feel at home, how would we schedule the same cupcake schedule that OSU has to deal with for 50% of the year? Maybe we could schedule a couple High School teams? That would be about the same skill differential right now.

you mean the "cupcake teams" that OSU killed and we in turn got killed by?

We essentially play OSU's cupcake schedule...difference is it's 9 out of our 12 games each year and not 4 or 5.

Actually it's 12 out of our 12 games. Every single team Akron plays would be a cupcake to a top 20 team.

Certain irrational fans don't see that.

Tell that to Kentucky, who knocked off the #10 team in the country and nearly knocked off Auburn in the last few weeks.

Or, Syracuse, NIU and Temple, who are all now in the Top-50 in RPI.

Yes, many teams we play would be cupcakes to a Top 20 team, but to put every team we play into that category is just a huge exaggeration.

Kentucky is the only one that even makes sense there. And even they got beat up quite a bit. Every team can play a good game or 2, but an entire season tells the story.

Syracuse, NIU and Temple would be smashed by most of the top 20. The only chance they would have is if the other team was on a down week. Which does happen. Upsets happen.

Guess WVU must have had a down week...

[akronad]

What difference does iit make now who we would've or should've gotten. We got RI. And we will have to live with him for at least 1 more year and more likely 2 more years before the ax may fall.

[Buckzip]

One problem....to make him feel at home, how would we schedule the same cupcake schedule that OSU has to deal with for 50% of the year? Maybe we could schedule a couple High School teams? That would be about the same skill differential right now.

you mean the "cupcake teams" that OSU killed and we in turn got killed by?

We essentially play OSU's cupcake schedule...difference is it's 9 out of our 12 games each year and not 4 or 5.

Actually it's 12 out of our 12 games. Every single team Akron plays would be a cupcake to a top 20 team.

Certain irrational fans don't see that.

Tell that to Kentucky, who knocked off the #10 team in the country and nearly knocked off Auburn in the last few weeks.

Or, Syracuse, NIU and Temple, who are all now in the Top-50 in RPI.

Yes, many teams we play would be cupcakes to a Top 20 team, but to put every team we play into that category is just a huge exaggeration.

Kentucky is the only one that even makes sense there. And even they got beat up quite a bit. Every team can play a good game or 2, but an entire season tells the story.

Syracuse, NIU and Temple would be smashed by most of the top 20. The only chance they would have is if the other team was on a down week. Which does happen. Upsets happen.

Guess WVU must have had a down week...

Every team does.

[skip-zip]

One problem....to make him feel at home, how would we schedule the same cupcake schedule that OSU has to deal with for 50% of the year? Maybe we could schedule a couple High School teams? That would be about the same skill differential right now.

you mean the "cupcake teams" that OSU killed and we in turn got killed by?

We essentially play OSU's cupcake schedule...difference is it's 9 out of our 12 games each year and not 4 or 5.

Actually it's 12 out of our 12 games. Every single team Akron plays would be a cupcake to a top 20 team.

Certain irrational fans don't see that.

Tell that to Kentucky, who knocked off the #10 team in the country and nearly knocked off Auburn in the last few weeks.

Or, Syracuse, NIU and Temple, who are all now in the Top-50 in RPI.

Yes, many teams we play would be cupcakes to a Top 20 team, but to put every team we play into that category is just a huge exaggeration.

Kentucky is the only one that even makes sense there. And even they got beat up quite a bit. Every team can play a good game or 2, but an entire season tells the story.

Syracuse, NIU and Temple would be smashed by most of the top 20. The only chance they would have is if the other team was on a down week. Which does happen. Upsets happen.

Guess WVU must have had a down week...

Every team does.

I'm just confused how all of this supports your "Every single team Akron plays would be a cupcake to a Top-20 team" quote.

[akzipper]

You should know by now, Suckeyes fans are not the smartest. They always believe their team is the greatest, and no matter how many games they lose, or haw many times it is proven, they will not accept the fact. They are just flat out overrated. ESPN said it themselves, fine you are better than Akron thats something to be proud of....not. There's a reason no one likes OSwho fans. Fair weather and no matter how bad Akron does, you'll never see us crying on the street corner like I saw so many people do in their stupid red and gray, that night they got spanked by Wisconsin. I even saw idiots turning their jerseys inside out! please get real.

[Big Zip]

I'm ambivalent about Ohio State, but the pure hatred some of you have for Ohio State is amazing. I could care less if they win or if they lose.

What I know is that Jim Tressel walks around with the same The University of Akron on his resume that all of you who graduated from here do and those who are planning on graduating from here some day will. He has coached multiple National Championship teams at 1-AA and one at 1-A. Charlie Weiss the guy who recommended RI (I imagine) has none of those and is a faiulre at the HC ranks. Fickel started his coaching career here and knows the area better than RI could possible know the area. He's from Ohio and played football in Ohio. How these don't add up to him being a better candidate than RI is beyond me.

At the end of this season we are going to be sitting with an 0-12 record and a coach whose team has looked worse than they did the first game of the season. He is a complete and utter failure. To flog someone because they believe another assistant coach from another school that more logically fits with our situation is idiotic. You're right he doesn't have past HC experience but he still fits our situation better and IMHO would have been a much better fit with our program. Not to mention (like it or not) he at least came from a winning program. On top of it look at what the "Recruiter" left behind in South Bend....a 4-4 program that got their ass handed to them by Navy last week. How does he even get the reputation of being an excellent recruiter when the program sucks soooooo bad!

[Buckzip]

You should know by now, Suckeyes fans are not the smartest. They always believe their team is the greatest, and no matter how many games they lose, or haw many times it is proven, they will not accept the fact. They are just flat out overrated. ESPN said it themselves, fine you are better than Akron thats something to be proud of....not. There's a reason no one likes OSwho fans. Fair weather and no matter how bad Akron does, you'll never see us crying on the street corner like I saw so many people do in their stupid red and gray, that night they got spanked by Wisconsin. I even saw idiots turning their jerseys inside out! please get real.

Where in the hell did I say a thing about OSU? Answer the question. Where?

Where did I say how great they are? Where?

Nowhere, that's where.

Yeah, OSU fans think their team is the greatest..ROFLMAO. You would change your mind if you ever visited an OSU baord. But you would rather spout off your ignorance rather than know any facts, so you would never do that.

Wow, showing a picture of an upset OSU player. Maybe you think they should just be ok with losing and just be totally apathetic towards it like Akron players seem to be. I guess other teams are partying after they lose.

Some of you are just so jealous and butthurt that you have to attack them in every thread that has nothing to do with them.

Akron plays a cupcake schedule. That has nothing to do with OSU playing a cupcake schedule or if OSU is over rated flat out sucks, or loses every game.

Wow, ESPin said something. ROFLMAO. Mark May, the biggest douchebag in all of broadcasting.

Really, Did someone on the UA board actually call others fair weather? The board that has an entire thread of posters saying they won't waste their money on UA. You are completely clueless and I really hope you aren't a UA grad or alum. You certainly wouldn't make me proud to know we went to the same school.

Well guess what son, I came home for a weekend and actually went to an Akron game that 1 weekend out of the year I was home.

I still give money to my school every year. Do you? I doubt it.

You just come on here and attack that which you are jealous and butthurt over.

You are the fat girl on the beach that hates the trim/fit girl. You don't care that you may be smarter, have a better life or have better friends than she does. You just hate her because she is better looking. And all the denying that in the world doesn't change a thing.

You are right. They are always over rated. 5-3 in BCS games, top 10 year in and year out. The biggest game of the season for nearly every team they play. Bullseye on their back every week. Won the Rose Bowl last year over the Oregon team that was supposed to smack them, bal, bla, bla. Oops, there I go defending them.

YOUR ENTIRE POST IS JUST ONE BIG FAIL AND SHOWS HOW SMALL, JEALOUS AND BUTTHURT YOU ARE.

Carry on.

[meatwad]

I'm ambivalent about Ohio State, but the pure hatred some of you have for Ohio State is amazing. I could care less if they win or if they lose.

What I know is that Jim Tressel walks around with the same The University of Akron on his resume that all of you who graduated from here do and those who are planning on graduating from here some day will. He has coached multiple National Championship teams at 1-AA and one at 1-A. Charlie Weiss the guy who recommended RI (I imagine) has none of those and is a faiulre at the HC ranks. Fickel started his coaching career here and knows the area better than RI could possible know the area. He's from Ohio and played football in Ohio. How these don't add up to him being a better candidate than RI is beyond me.

At the end of this season we are going to be sitting with an 0-12 record and a coach whose team has looked worse than they did the first game of the season. He is a complete and utter failure. To flog someone because they believe another assistant coach from another school that more logically fits with our situation is idiotic. You're right he doesn't have past HC experience but he still fits our situation better and IMHO would have been a much better fit with our program. Not to mention (like it or not) he at least came from a winning program. On top of it look at what the "Recruiter" left behind in South Bend....a 4-4 program that got their ass handed to them by Navy last week. How does he even get the reputation of being an excellent recruiter when the program sucks soooooo bad!

Please take your logic elsewhere... it obviously has no place on this thread.

[ZachTheZip]

Thanks to everyone for degrading this thread. Way to go. What was the point of it all?

Back to Fickell, the least we could have done is give him an interview like the other candidates instead of flat-out rejecting someone who was willing to walk into a difficult situation with the intention of helping us. Is it because he wasn't one of the search committee's recommendations? I don't recall Ianello as being one of their finalists, either.

Fickell draws parallels to Al Golden of Temple and his connection to Paterno and Penn State. That worked out pretty well for the Owls, don't you think?