Plain Dealer: Akron's Rob Ianello expects significant improvement in 2011 Zips football

[Doug Snyder]

We've got plenty of political crap in the OT forum. Nothing explicitly stated in the thread titles, though. Maybe someone should start one for arguments to be held in. Anyway, this thread is about iCoach's interview. I read it again. This quote is a terrible analogy."I think you're either green and growing or ripe and rotting, both as a coach and as a program. I think our program is clearly green and growing, and as a coach you always need to be green and growing."It's the mindset of a perpetual builder. It doesn't allow for sustained success. In his mind, you're either building the program or tearing it down to build again. But what happens when you're stuck constantly placing and demolishing the very first brick, unable to move on until you think you placed it absolutely perfectly?

See General George McClellan.

You mean this?? "McClellan was the most popular of the army's commanders with its soldiers, who felt that he had their morale and well-being as paramount concerns"

[Buckzip]

Most teams make significant improvement between the first and second years of a new staff.I expect a huge improvement this season.

[ZachTheZip]

Most teams make significant improvement between the first and second years of a new staff.I expect a huge improvement this season.

But how much is a huge improvement? We could have three wins (Brookhart's worst season), would it count as a huge improvement? There should be a bigger leap going from year 1 to year 2 than there is going from year 2 to year 3. In that light, if we can expect to get to a bowl in year 3 (not an unrealistic expectation for a new coach brought in to turn around a sinking program), we need to have 4 or 5 wins in year 2.If Ianello gets to 5 wins this season, I'll temporarily shut up about him. How's that for incentive, coach?

[Doug Snyder]

Most teams make significant improvement between the first and second years of a new staff.I expect a huge improvement this season.

But how much is a huge improvement? We could have three wins (Brookhart's worst season), would it count as a huge improvement? There should be a bigger leap going from year 1 to year 2 than there is going from year 2 to year 3. In that light, if we can expect to get to a bowl in year 3 (not an unrealistic expectation for a new coach brought in to turn around a sinking program), we need to have 4 or 5 wins in year 2.If Ianello gets to 5 wins this season, I'll temporarily shut up about him. How's that for incentive, coach?

Temporarily?? How temporarily?? 1 hour?? 1 Day?? 1 Month?? 1 Season?? 1 Year?? Please be more specific...I am planning on keeping this post.

[ZachTheZip]

Most teams make significant improvement between the first and second years of a new staff.I expect a huge improvement this season.

But how much is a huge improvement? We could have three wins (Brookhart's worst season), would it count as a huge improvement? There should be a bigger leap going from year 1 to year 2 than there is going from year 2 to year 3. In that light, if we can expect to get to a bowl in year 3 (not an unrealistic expectation for a new coach brought in to turn around a sinking program), we need to have 4 or 5 wins in year 2.If Ianello gets to 5 wins this season, I'll temporarily shut up about him. How's that for incentive, coach?

Temporarily?? How temporarily?? 1 hour?? 1 Day?? 1 Month?? 1 Season?? 1 Year?? Please be more specific...I am planning on keeping this post.

Until he screws up big-time again. Something on the order of kicking twenty palyers off the team, or pulling a kids scholarship offer the day after he gives us a verbal commitment, or botching the coin-toss. I'm not really worried about it because five wins under Ianello won't ever happen.

[Dave in Green]

..... If Ianello gets to 5 wins this season, I'll temporarily shut up about him. How's that for incentive, coach?

It's no big incentive for the coach, as I doubt he cares much about the negative trash talk that appears on sports forums about every coach in the country, no matter how successful. It goes with the job.But it would be a nice break for ZN.O regulars, who could get along just fine without the hourly reminder that some have dedicated their lives to trashing UA's coach.

[Buckzip]

Most teams make significant improvement between the first and second years of a new staff.I expect a huge improvement this season.

But how much is a huge improvement? We could have three wins (Brookhart's worst season), would it count as a huge improvement? There should be a bigger leap going from year 1 to year 2 than there is going from year 2 to year 3. In that light, if we can expect to get to a bowl in year 3 (not an unrealistic expectation for a new coach brought in to turn around a sinking program), we need to have 4 or 5 wins in year 2.If Ianello gets to 5 wins this season, I'll temporarily shut up about him. How's that for incentive, coach?

I think 4 wins and being competitive in most of the other games is a huge improvement. I realize that a loss is a loss, but last year not only did we lose, we weren't even competitive in many games. Obviously we will get beat up against the BCS teams, but if we can be competitive against the rest while pulling out some wins, I consider it a huge improvement.

[Doug Snyder]

I am cautiously optimistic for this season. I think the QB position will vastly improved either by improvement by Nicely or the ascension or Moore. I also think the skill positions of RB and WR will surprise people. So....I will be disappointed if we do not win 5 games. If we win only 4 but are competitive and improving...well I will give it another year.