Early HC Scouting

[johnnyzip84]

In spite of others who think the best way to "support" the program is to essentially boycott it after this season, I will continue to attend Zip football games (and other sports) until I am physically unable. Call me selfish, but I look at it from the standpoint that there are truly a limited number of Zip football games in one's lifetime. Even when prospects are dim, I don't want to miss any of them. And I am always in support of the players, no matter how the coaches are performing.Besides, I believe Rob will LIKELY be dismissed halfway through next season with an interim from his staff finishing out the year. That's not too much more to endure. I simply think his tenure has reached critical mass, where the results on the field will prevent the type of recruiting class needed immediately to make much of a difference in game results.With this said, I don't think it's too early to toss around a few names of coaches who are impressing in the jobs they currently hold. My first nominee is Rob Ambrose of Towson St. Rob has turned around a program that couldn't even compete in the Patriot League a few years ago to the point where they are at the top of one of the best FCS conferences in the country (CAA). I'm not sure Rob will still be at Towson the next time we're hiring though. I could see a more prominent FBS school hiring him sooner.

[bobbyake]

I love this thread!! Pete Kwiatkowski or Brent Pease from Boise State. I would love to see them bring Boise's philosophies and mimic them here.

[ZachTheZip]

Sweatervest.

[johnnyzip84]

I love this thread!! Pete Kwiatkowski or Brent Pease from Boise State. I would love to see them bring Boise's philosophies and mimic them here.

I like the style you're after. Heck I'd consider an equipment manager from Oregon if I thought he could bring a whiff of Chip Kelly's offense with him

[zipseuph]

Sweatervest.

+1 I was actually just thinking the same thing.

[GP1]

My first nominee is Rob Ambrose of Towson St.

Twenty years ago, this guy was around Ambrose's age.I don't know exactly who I want, but I want an experienced coach who understands the challenges in the MAC. Specifically, how to get good players to a MAC school, which is something a school like Toledo has always been able to do for the most part. We don't need flash. We need a guy who knows the MAC and can actually get some players of MAC talent and turn them into something.Everyone is looking for that "one guy". I think there are a lot of coaches who could win at MAC schools and they never get a shot because they aren't the right age or have the flash of others. KD was exactly that guy for the basketball program. His career in coaching was basically over, but he was a good coach with successful MAC experience and a talent for coaching the game. It would have been easy to look past him when change came.In closing, I'm not surprised to see a thread like this. I am surprised to see JZ84 started it. Things must have been really bad yesterday. Very sad for UofA, but the truth is the truth.

[johnnyzip84]

My first nominee is Rob Ambrose of Towson St.

Twenty years ago, this guy was around Ambrose's age.I don't know exactly who I want, but I want an experienced coach who understands the challenges in the MAC. Specifically, how to get good players to a MAC school, which is something a school like Toledo has always been able to do for the most part. We don't need flash. We need a guy who knows the MAC and can actually get some players of MAC talent and turn them into something.Everyone is looking for that "one guy". I think there are a lot of coaches who could win at MAC schools and they never get a shot because they aren't the right age or have the flash of others. KD was exactly that guy for the basketball program. His career in coaching was basically over, but he was a good coach with successful MAC experience and a talent for coaching the game. It would have been easy to look past him when change came.In closing, I'm not surprised to see a thread like this. I am surprised to see JZ84 started it. Things must have been really bad yesterday. Very sad for UofA, but the truth is the truth.

Everyone has their breaking point I guess. I am generally an optimist who will give people the benefit of doubt much more often than not. I was critical of the hire from day one, but I backed off and have done my best to be open minded over the last season and a half. Besides the poor showing on the field, something else got my attention yesterday. On the post-game show, one could audibly discern the first evidence of cracks appearing in iCoach's confidence. Up until now, he (like many coaches) could always seem to exude a brashness that's probably necessary for any chance to succeed in the coaching business. I wonder if anyone else heard him the same way I did? I just had the feeling that the house of cards was beginning to collapse.Moore is a terrific coach, but he's been at Appy so long I wonder how easy he'd be to pluck away, especially to a MAC school.

[you am i]

My first nominee is Rob Ambrose of Towson St.

Twenty years ago, this guy was around Ambrose's age.I don't know exactly who I want, but I want an experienced coach who understands the challenges in the MAC. Specifically, how to get good players to a MAC school, which is something a school like Toledo has always been able to do for the most part. We don't need flash. We need a guy who knows the MAC and can actually get some players of MAC talent and turn them into something.Everyone is looking for that "one guy". I think there are a lot of coaches who could win at MAC schools and they never get a shot because they aren't the right age or have the flash of others. KD was exactly that guy for the basketball program. His career in coaching was basically over, but he was a good coach with successful MAC experience and a talent for coaching the game. It would have been easy to look past him when change came.In closing, I'm not surprised to see a thread like this. I am surprised to see JZ84 started it. Things must have been really bad yesterday. Very sad for UofA, but the truth is the truth.

Everyone has their breaking point I guess. I am generally an optimist who will give people the benefit of doubt much more often than not. I was critical of the hire from day one, but I backed off and have done my best to be open minded over the last season and a half. Besides the poor showing on the field, something else got my attention yesterday. On the post-game show, one could audibly discern the first evidence of cracks appearing in iCoach's confidence. Up until now, he (like many coaches) could always seem to exude a brashness that s probably necessary for any chance to succeed in the coaching business. I wonder if anyone else heard him the same way I did. I had the feeling that the house of cards was beginning to collapse.Moore is a terrific coach, but he's been at Appy so long I wonder how easy he'd be to pluck away, especially to a MAC school.

I noticed the same thing at RI's press conference after the OU game. I felt bad for him.Three years ago Toledo fired its coach after a 3-9 season. They had won a total of 10 games the previous two seasons.Two years ago Akron fired its head coach after a 3-9 season. We had won a total of 9 games the previous two seasons. Akron and Toledo were in a similar position when their new coach was hired, except that Akron had the added advantage of having beautiful new facilities. Toledo's coach had an immediate positive impact; RI had an immediate negative impact. What really gets me is that we have squandered the advantage of our new stadium. The crowds and the quality of Akron football these past two seasons have been worthy of the Rubber Bowl.The Towson coach is having a good season so far, 5-1. But this is just his third year. he was 3-19 his first two years. So who knows, maybe there is hope for RI.My biggest concern is that if the present situation continues for too long it will be difficult to attract a talented young coach to come here.

[UAZip0510]

Sweatervest.

It won't happen but it'd be incredible. Akron would be a Top 25 team within 3 years.

[Dave in Green]

..... I believe Rob will LIKELY be dismissed halfway through next season .....

Just to expand on that a bt, I believe that Ianello will DEFINITELY be dismissed before next season is over if the team doesn't show significant progress. I was at least slightly hopeful after the FIU game. That hope was extinguished by the team's performance in the OU game.Unlike some others who don't believe that UA will eat some of Ianello's contract, I believe that they will if they don't see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.It's one thing to have a mediocre football program. It's another thing altogether to be locked into the Bottom 10 with no chance of escape.The clock is ticking louder.

[ZachTheZip]

Sweatervest.

It won't happen but it'd be incredible. Akron would be a Top 25 team within 3 years.

The timing couldn't be more perfect than after this season ends. OSU will move on to a new coach and so their current staff will be looking for jobs. Bring in Sweatervest and most of them will want to follow him here. Their contracts at OSU mean they'll still get paid.

[K92]

Sweatervest.

It won't happen but it'd be incredible. Akron would be a Top 25 team within 3 years.

Disagree. I don't think Tressel is the greatest coach in the history of football and the greatest coach in the history of football would not have the Zips in the top 25 in 3 years.

[GoZips]

I mentioned in a previous post that Tom Wistrcill told me face-to-face that NOevaluation of Rob Ianello's performance would be done until he completes fouryears as head coach.Now this is either utter loyalty or utter stupidity. I suspect the latter.Perhaps both men need to given their walking papers ASAP.Rob Ianello is killing Zips football.For the record, I want a bright, up and coming current head coach from aslightly lower level program. A couple of them were mentioned in this thread.Let us go get one ... NOW.And, GP1's, ancient mariner is not one of them. Cripe the dude isseveral years older than me and I'm retired.BTW, excellent thread.

[GP1]

And, GP1's, ancient mariner is not one of them. Cripe the dude isseveral years older than me and I'm retired.

I don't want the guy from App State. I was just trying to tie JZ84's example to him.

[GP1]

Dave WalkoskiThis is the kind of guy we need. Long time coach at MAC level and in the MAC. Comes from the Toledo program which was successful. If not him, would Toledo Tom want to get back in coaching?

[Dave in Green]

I mentioned in a previous post that Tom Wistrcill told me face-to-face that NOevaluation of Rob Ianello's performance would be done until he completes fouryears as head coach. .....

Urban legends are created out of statements like this.Not only will Ianello's performance be evaluated on an annual basis, so will Wistrcill's. The performance of every employee of every state institution will be evaluated on an annual basis. If this isn't being done, I want a refund on my tax payment for every Ohio state institution that is not performing best business practices, which include annual employee evaluations.Do I need to call someone at UA to make sure this is being done?

[2Ball]

Sweatervest.

It won't happen but it'd be incredible. Akron would be a Top 25 team within 3 years.

Then on probation in 4 years and worse off than we are now in years 5, 6 and 7.......-1

[yazan07]

Sweatervest.

?

[GoZips]

I mentioned in a previous post that Tom Wistrcill told me face-to-face that NOevaluation of Rob Ianello's performance would be done until he completes fouryears as head coach. .....

Urban legends are created out of statements like this.Not only will Ianello's performance be evaluated on an annual basis, so will Wistrcill's. The performance of every employee of every state institution will be evaluated on an annual basis. If this isn't being done, I want a refund on my tax payment for every Ohio state institution that is not performing best business practices, which include annual employee evaluations.Do I need to call someone at UA to make sure this is being done?

Let's be fair here. Sniping is not the answer.Of course Ianello and Wistrcill get annual evaluations from their superiors.When I mentioned that there will be no evaluation of Ianello for four years it wasin the context that Ianello has four years to prove himself and not be hiper graded onevery game as we fans tend to do. That was the jist of what AD Wistrcill was saying.As in, we are going to give the man a chance to prove himself without having amonkey on his back. This is precisely what the AD should do.Do I like it? Heck no. Like the rest of you I am fed up with many years of truly bad football. Like the rest of you I want a coach that lusts to win; just short of cheating.In all fairness to coach Ianello and the AD, Tom Wistrcill also told me that they planto shore up both the offensive and defensive lines by recruiting three JUCO linemen foreach side of the ball. The football staff has recognized the weakness of the lines.As have the fans. Quality depth is the answer. Can not argue with facts.For a lot of us, curing Rob Iaenllo's abrasive and arrogant personality would goalong way in helping suave our wounds. This they can cure. They could sendhim to a charm school such as Dale Carnegie during the off season.

[GP1]

In all fairness to coach Ianello and the AD, Tom Wistrcill also told me that they planto shore up both the offensive and defensive lines by recruiting three linemen foreach side of the ball.

Is that all?Let's assume that with attrition, there are 4.5 years worth of players on a team. That's 19 people per class year with 85 scholarships. We play a four man front so we use 9 linemen counting the 5 offensive linemen. That's 41% of the starting 22 players on offense and defense. Only recruiting six is between 1 and 2 fewer than we need to recruit just to keep the numbers even. TW might want to rethink that answer.

[ZachTheZip]

Sweatervest.

It won't happen but it'd be incredible. Akron would be a Top 25 team within 3 years.

Then on probation in 4 years and worse off than we are now in years 5, 6 and 7.......-1

It's impossible to be any worse off than we are now. What would happen? We're already winless against the FBS. Even with a reduction of 30 scholarships like USC has, we would still see better players commit based on Tressel's name alone, enough to make a 50-scholarship team better than we are now. We would have higher attendance even if we're winless. We would see nightly reports on every Cleveland TV news station with everyone in the region rooting for us to get better because they want to see Tressel make a comeback.The benefits far outweigh any possible sanctions that might get thrown at us.

[GoZips]

In all fairness to coach Ianello and the AD, Tom Wistrcill also told me that they planto shore up both the offensive and defensive lines by recruiting three JUCO linemen foreach side of the ball.

Is that all?Let's assume that with attrition, there are 4.5 years worth of players on a team. That's 19 people per class year with 85 scholarships. We play a four man front so we use 9 linemen counting the 5 offensive linemen. That's 41% of the starting 22 players on offense and defense. Only recruiting six is between 1 and 2 fewer than we need to recruit just to keep the numbers even. TW might want to rethink that answer.

I forgot to insert the term "JUCO" before the word "linemen".Basically they plan to invest in six JUCO linemen as part of their recruiting next year.This is to shore up the thinness of the lines. Of course they will continue torecruit HS players and other JUCOs. Frankly, a lot of SEC schools rely heavily on JUCO players. We could do the same.

[johnnyzip84]

In all fairness to coach Ianello and the AD, Tom Wistrcill also told me that they planto shore up both the offensive and defensive lines by recruiting three JUCO linemen foreach side of the ball.

Is that all?Let's assume that with attrition, there are 4.5 years worth of players on a team. That's 19 people per class year with 85 scholarships. We play a four man front so we use 9 linemen counting the 5 offensive linemen. That's 41% of the starting 22 players on offense and defense. Only recruiting six is between 1 and 2 fewer than we need to recruit just to keep the numbers even. TW might want to rethink that answer.

I forgot to insert the term "JUCO" before the word "linemen".Basically they plan to invest in six JUCO linemen as part of their recruiting next year.This is to shore up the thinness of the lines. Of course they will continue torecruit HS players and other JUCOs. Frankly, a lot of SEC schools rely heavily on JUCO players. We could do the same.

Please understand that I’m not shooting the messenger with the following comments. I really appreciate the snippets you provide from your conversations with various folks in the athletic department across all sports. I am merely addressing the statements from TW/RI regarding the plan to bring in 3 linemen on both sides of the ball.One has to assume, especially with regards to the offensive line, that these players would likely have to be JUCOS in order to contribute immediately (you confirmed this). Of course, bringing in a high quantity of JUCOS falls more into the “quick fix” solution as opposed to the repeated statements made by RI that he won’t be taking any short cuts in his approach. Ignoring that, how are we to expect him to successfully land THREE impact linemen on each side of the ball when his 1st two JUCO linemen (no names necessary) have been largely ineffective to this point. Remember, these guys were recruited before the current (RI) pattern for losing had become fully established. And now he’s going to bring in 6 “studs” after consecutive 1-win and (optimistic) 2 or 3-win seasons? I’m just a tad skeptical to say the least.

[GoZips]

Sweatervest.

It won't happen but it'd be incredible. Akron would be a Top 25 team within 3 years.

Then on probation in 4 years and worse off than we are now in years 5, 6 and 7.......-1

It's impossible to be any worse off than we are now. What would happen? We're already winless against the FBS. Even with a reduction of 30 scholarships like USC has, we would still see better players commit based on Tressel's name alone, enough to make a 50-scholarship team better than we are now. We would have higher attendance even if we're winless. We would see nightly reports on every Cleveland TV news station with everyone in the region rooting for us to get better because they want to see Tressel make a comeback.The benefits far outweigh any possible sanctions that might get thrown at us.

+1I like the idea of having the Vest as our HC. He could easily recruit three and fourstar recruits giving the program an instant shot in the arm. Plus, his presencemeans an instant ticket sales increase.Overall, it would be a major coup and plus for this morbid program.

[zips4ever2008]

Why is everyone so into Tressel? He's not the greatest coach. Plus he's on the staff with the Colts. Have you seen the style of conservative offense that was and is run at OSU? Talk about boring. Maybe he'll put the Zips on probabtion too. Get blown out by better teams. I want someone who will bring extra fire to the Zips. Look at what Oregon, Oklahoma State and Bosie State are doing. I'm even impressed with the emergence of teams like Clemson and Kansas State. Of course you still have the SEC big boys like LSU and Alabama.I see all these good college teams across the country and the Zips just depress me. Why can't Akron be like these teams? I hate to say it, but the rest of the MAC seems to be getting better and we're getting worse. At least Can't is at the bottom like we are. We can't beat EMU and we get blown out by Temple and OU. I want to see results, and I don't see them.