Ianello G-O-N-E!?

[bobbyake]

so far the reaction to this rumor seems to be positive. Doesn't look like there will be many disappointed if Akron does fire Ianello. I honestly think we should play on this rumor and send thank you emails to Proenza, I'm going to start working on mine right now.

[you am i]

I think you folks are going to be disappointed.

Do you have access to inside info, or are you just guessing like everyone else?

As is now evident from examining Ianello's contract, UA would not likely incur a heavy penalty by releasing him early because it's likely that Ianello would land a well-paid assistant position in a major program that would offset most or all of what UA would owe him over the remaining 3 years of his contract.

Based on the Zips' record over the last 2 years, including the most recent team performances, UA would have to have really deep and abiding faith that Ianello is on the verge of a major turnaround next season to keep him in place. I'd be just fine with Ianello as UA's head coach if it were true that a major turnaround is just around the corner. But, like others on this forum, I've seen no evidence to give me deep and abiding faith in that scenario.

I am pretty sure that he would not be required to accept a position below HC. We would like be on the hook for a few years.

The contract just says that he must make a good faith effort to mitigate damages by looking for a coaching job or comparable position. I think that any coaching job that he would get would mitigate damages, not just a head coach position.

I love the clause in the contract that specifies that the contract is terminated if the coach dies. The lawyers who write these things are something else.

[Dave in Green]

I am pretty sure that he would not be required to accept a position below HC. We would like be on the hook for a few years.

Read the contract. He's required to make "reasonable and diligent efforts to obtain a coaching or other comparable employment position as soon as practicable following such termination."

Under terms of the contract, he does not have the option to hold out for a head coaching position.

Ianello has a fine assistant coaching resume to land a good assistant position.

[bobbyake]

these rumors could get out of hand: http://www.facebook.com/groups/18446205830...=group_activity

Tressel????

I don't want to get my hopes up. I'm staying away from the football boards for a week.

[Big Zip]

I have said I will not renew my tickets to watch an Ianello coached team. I reserve judgement should he be fired. I need to have to believe the next coach is a solid decision. I would love to see a big name, but i am not against another coach because I am sure there are plenty of quality options out there. I would love to see a coach that runs a wide open offense though and an attacking defense.

I surely hope this week is Ianellos last at Akron.

[Doug Snyder]

I am pretty sure that he would not be required to accept a position below HC. We would like be on the hook for a few years.

Read the contract. He's required to make "reasonable and diligent efforts to obtain a coaching or other comparable employment position as soon as practicable following such termination."

Under terms of the contract, he does not have the option to hold out for a head coaching position.

Ianello has a fine assistant coaching resume to land a good assistant position.

I may be wrong...but I think most coaches contracts have similar wording. If he does not work for 3 years...we will pay and we will not go to court. There is no way we will set that kind of precedent. Walt Harris came here and worked for practically free because he was paid by Stanford. Don't hold your breath hoping this will save our ass.

Show me the contracts of Shane Montgomery, JD and Walt Harris. They would be relevant comparisons. All got paid by the firing University. Can we save maybe 50-60K year?? Maybe. But unlikely in year 1

[skip-zip]

If we hire Fickell I'm done with Zips football foever. And all of you will be too, because the program will be run so far into the ground it will pop out of the Indian Ocean as a ball of molten slag.

As I've already said, his best chance of being employed after Saturday is to hope the new coach keeps him at his alma mater as an assistant. How humiliating must it be to find out that your school is looking for another coach when you are only about 10 games into your tenure? He's clearly shown that he's not head coaching material by not only looking clueless, but by taking OSWho's talent and posting a .500 record with a Big 10 schedule and Toledo, Akron, and Miami as your OOC. And heck, he even lost to one of those teams, and almost lost to another. This team started the season ranked #17, and now isn't getting a SINGLE Top-25 vote.

Yep, that's the proven leader and winner that we want for our program

[icchamp1]

Bad week for Coach I, best wishes to him and his family during these times...

Mother of UA football coach dies, Ianello expects to coach in game on Friday

[Buckzip]

If we hire Fickell I'm done with Zips football foever. And all of you will be too, because the program will be run so far into the ground it will pop out of the Indian Ocean as a ball of molten slag.

As I've already said, his best chance of being employed after Saturday is to hope the new coach keeps him at his alma mater as an assistant. How humiliating must it be to find out that your school is looking for another coach when you are only about 10 games into your tenure? He's clearly shown that he's not head coaching material by not only looking clueless, but by taking OSWho's talent and posting a .500 record with a Big 10 schedule and Toledo, Akron, and Miami as your OOC. And heck, he even lost to one of those teams, and almost lost to another. This team started the season ranked #17, and now isn't getting a SINGLE Top-25 vote.

Yep, that's the proven leader and winner that we want for our program

There is a good chance that he will remain on Meyer's staff so he won't be available anyway.

Your childish antics aside, I can't believe I actually agree with you.

[Hilltopper]

OSU to Hire Meyer

The sources said Meyer would bring a number of Florida's current assistant coaches with him, including Gators linebackers coach D.J. Durkin, who would become defensive coordinator.

Florida's strength coach Mickey Marotti was also set to join Ohio State as director of football operations.

Ohio State interim coach Luke Fickell would remain with the team as assistant head coach, the report said.

[Zips Win!]

I ran across this article from Sept 6th. I don't recall this getting posted.

Gregg Doyle nailed it after one game. The football season would have been better if we hadn't showed up all year.

There's no crying in football -- unless you're a coach

By Gregg Doyel | CBSSports.com National Columnist

Akron's Rob Ianello and Ohio State's Luke Fickell chat. After the game, Ianello was unhappy. (US Presswire)

The thing is, I was there for Akron-Ohio State. I was there for this 42-0 beatdown, but my mistake was going to the winning locker room. Had I known what Akron coach Rob Ianello had done immediately after the game, I would have hightailed it to the Zips' locker room and asked the question I'm now dying to know:

Where were you hiding your pacifier during the game, Coach Ianello?

You big baby.

Lots of these guys are babies, of course. It shouldn't be such a shock to my system every time another football coach gives us a peek under the façade and reveals his diapers. But it is. It's a shock, maybe because they're such hypocrites. Football coaches act like they're the toughest people around -- jaws of granite, eyes of steel, mannerisms of macho.

And then something like this happens. A coach loses a game, and out comes the pacifier. Wah! The other team scored too much! The other team tried too hard! The other football team, get this, kept playing football until the final horn!

Wahhhhhhhhh.

Babies.

This isn't about Ianello as much as it's about all these football babies. But Ianello, bless him, started this season off with a tantrum that allows me to address the issue and even offer advice to any future coaches -- jaws of granite, eyes of steel, underwear of Huggies -- who get tempted to whine about a loss. Kind of like Ianello whined after that 42-0 loss, when he sulked across the field of Ohio Stadium, met Ohio State coach Luke Fickell and told him, "I don't think that's real good sportsmanship but good luck the rest of the year."

Nice passive-aggressive pout there. Ianello couldn't even whine like an adult.

What was his problem? Honestly, I have no idea. The ESPN announcers at the game thought they had an inkling to the insult -- here's the video clip -- as it was happening, noting that Ohio State was allowing tailback Carlos Hyde to go for the 100-yard plateau. As if that's some major insult or something. And as if there weren't mitigating factors even if it was some major insult. Which it is not.

But the mitigating factors are these: Ohio State has five game-ready tailbacks on the roster, a normal amount. Three of them weren't able to play Saturday, two because of suspension and a third because of injury. That left Carlos Hyde and Rod Smith as the only two available. Hyde finished with 19 carries for 93 yards. Smith had 18 for 74. Before Hyde got the last three carries of the game, Smith had received the previous 11 carries. It was the end of a three-hour game on a day when the field temperature hit 120 degrees and a referee was sidelined from heat dehydration.

Is it OK, Coach Ianello, if Rod Smith gets a break?

This stuff is infuriating because these coaches act so big and bad until it's time to show their baby-soft rear end, and again, this isn't directed merely at Rob Ianello. It's directed at Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley, who has twice made a scene after a game because the other coach was a big fat meanie. Once was an exhibition in August when Haley didn't appreciate Ravens coach John Harbaugh letting his deep reserves play actual football -- and score -- in the final seconds. The other was last year against the Broncos, when Haley scolded victorious Denver coach Josh McDaniels rather than shake his hand.

Pete Carroll, operating a semi-pro team at Southern California, didn't like it when the amateurs at Stanford stuck it to him in 2009, so he whined at Cardinal coach Jim Harbaugh, "What's your deal?" Harbaugh liked the moment so much, he made it his team's slogan. When he was an assistant at Nebraska, Bo Pelini ran down Kansas State coach Bill Snyder to whine about a 38-9 loss in Lincoln. Minnesota's Tim Brewster got fussy with Wisconsin's Bret Bielema after a big loss. So did Rutgers' Doug Graber with Joe Paterno after Penn State had the audacity to call a play from its playbook with the score 52-34. That was 1995. Here it is. And lots of fans -- lots of you -- think these coaches aren't babies. You think they're right.

And there are times, yes, when a football coach can become a classless jerk. One time was in 2007 when Rutgers from the BCS was playing Norfolk State from whatever they call Division I-AA, and Rutgers was winning 45-0 late in the first half when coach Greg Schiano called timeouts to stop the clock and get the ball one more time before the break.

That's classless.

But most of the time there's a reason for whatever you saw late in the game. Fickell didn't have any other running backs at Ohio State. Harbaugh and the Ravens were giving hard-working practice players a chance to play in the game. When Oklahoma's Barry Switzer was accused of running up the score in the 1970s against Big 8 losers, he was putting his fourth-stringers onto the field. If the other team couldn't stop Oklahoma's worst players, whose fault was that? Switzer's?

Back to Ianello, who didn't respond to my interview request Monday but did address the issue on the weekly MAC teleconference, saying: "Luke and I spoke before and after the game, and I would prefer to keep the topic of those discussions between he and I."

So allow me to expand on the situation. Ohio State had the ball inside the Akron 20 for the final 2½ minutes on Saturday, and Fickell gave it to his fourth-string tailback three straight times to run out the clock.

And that's not enough, Rob Ianello? You don't think that's real good sportsmanship? Tell you what, Rob. Your team plays Temple and Cincinnati in the next two weeks. Temple won 42-7 on Saturday. Cincinnati won 72-10.

Since you're so easily offended, maybe you shouldn't show up at all.

But good luck the rest of the year.

[ZachTheZip]

Bad week for Coach I, best wishes to him and his family during these times...

Mother of UA football coach dies, Ianello expects to coach in game on Friday

I think that may be the reason for all this. It's time for both sides to move on.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Bad week for Coach I, best wishes to him and his family during these times...

Mother of UA football coach dies, Ianello expects to coach in game on Friday

I think that may be the reason for all this. It's time for both sides to move on.

He's getting fired because him mom passed away? If you say so, it must be true. Man, that Wistercill is one cold dude.

[bobbyake]

Bad week for Coach I, best wishes to him and his family during these times...

Mother of UA football coach dies, Ianello expects to coach in game on Friday

I think that may be the reason for all this. It's time for both sides to move on.

he could be stepping down for personal reasons.

[jupitertoo]

Bad week for Coach I, best wishes to him and his family during these times...

Mother of UA football coach dies, Ianello expects to coach in game on Friday

I think that may be the reason for all this. It's time for both sides to move on.

he could be stepping down for personal reasons.

This thread might be the biggest case of mental masturbation since the decision to hire Gerry Faust.

[johnnyzip84]

Irrespective of the job situation, I certainly empathize with Rob as he grieves the loss of his mother. It highlights the sacrifices these guys make for the career they’ve chosen. As I listened to Zips Live this past week, Rob mentioned that the team would be having Thanksgiving dinner together in Kalamazoo. He added that, while the season has certainly not gone as he had hoped, there are still many things for which the coaches and players may still be thankful. Now hearing of his mother’s passing, I have that much more respect for what he said on Monday. I extend my thoughts and prayers to him and his family.

[Dave in Green]

We'll see in a couple of days if this rumor is true. If it is, we'll see how the financial situation works out. In the meantime, out of respect for Ianello's loss of his mother, I'm going to take a little break from the speculation.

[Captain Kangaroo]

This thread might be the biggest case of mental masturbation since the decision to hire Gerry Faust.

Then again, the OU guy may not know anything? We'll see who's right shortly.

[g-mann17]

Bad week for Coach I, best wishes to him and his family during these times...

Mother of UA football coach dies, Ianello expects to coach in game on Friday

I think that may be the reason for all this. It's time for both sides to move on.

he could be stepping down for personal reasons.

This thread might be the biggest case of mental masturbation since the decision to hire Gerry Faust.

Well if there is a masturbation expert in here, it is you.

[Doug Snyder]

Irrespective of the job situation, I certainly empathize with Rob as he grieves the loss of his mother. It highlights the sacrifices these guys make for the career they’ve chosen. As I listened to Zips Live this past week, Rob mentioned that the team would be having Thanksgiving dinner together in Kalamazoo. He added that, while the season has certainly not gone as he had hoped, there are still many things for which the coaches and players may still be thankful. Now hearing of his mother’s passing, I have that much more respect for what he said on Monday. I extend my thoughts and prayers to him and his family.

+1 and I have come to respect you more and more. Being a Zip fan is tuff...you do it with dignity.

[Doug Snyder]

We'll see in a couple of days if this rumor is true. If it is, we'll see how the financial situation works out. In the meantime, out of respect for Ianello's loss of his mother, I'm going to take a little break from the speculation.

THAT...is a GREAT idea.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Hearing from multiple sources - iCoach is gone.

It will be interesting to see the coaching short-list, and how quickly UA acts on the new hire.

My guess is - feelers have already been sent out, and someone is on-the-hook.

Big Fish...former Ohio State Buckeye coach? Hometown Dambrot-esque hero - Paul Winters?

I don't see this being a long, drawn-out process.

UA gets my season tickets re-upped in 2012. I may even increase my Z-Fund donation? I hope so.

[g-mann17]

Hearing from multiple sources - iCoach is gone.

It will be interesting to see the coaching short-list, and how quickly UA acts on the new hire.

My guess is - feelers have already been sent out, and someone is on-the-hook.

Big Fish...former Ohio State Buckeye coach? Hometown Dambrot-esque hero - Paul Winters?

I don't see this being a long, drawn-out process.

UA gets my season tickets re-upped in 2012. I may even increase my Z-Fund donation? I hope so.

My only problem with Winters as a potential hire, and it is a small one...He isn't really there yet in the GLIAC and it's hard for me to say how much talent you need to be a successful coach at that level. If he was at a FCS school and he did the same turnaround, I would be a little more impressed.

Other than that I would hope that if he was hired, he would go get Lee Owens to be his OC.

I'm still pulling more for the miracle Big Fish hire...

[GP1]

My only problem with Winters as a potential hire, and it is a small one...He isn't really there yet in the GLIAC and it's hard for me to say how much talent you need to be a successful coach at that level.

I respectfully disagree. It doesn't take a lot of talent to win in the MAC...It takes the right talent at the right places. OU isn't dripping with talent, yet they won 9 games so far this year. They have enough talent to win a coach that helps them win. Winters can get the right talent.

[Zip Watcher]

It will be interesting to see the coaching short-list, and how quickly UA acts on the new hire.

My guess is - feelers have already been sent out, and someone is on-the-hook.

I don't see this being a long, drawn-out process.

Isn't this exactly why everyone believed TW hired his pre-school playmate 2 years ago? It wasn't drawn out and careful ... ? Why would we want a similar quick strike this time?