Early word is that Fick is the top choice

[Jalapeño Zippy]

Considering the demographics in the Akron area, the idea of hiring Paul Winters seems pretty appealing. He has turned around a program at an urban university, he has obvious ties here, seems solid to me. Why is there usually push back on here when his name comes up? Wouldn't he bring the potential to recruit well here? What are the negatives with him?

Winters is getting the seal of approval from former UA Interim AD Mike Waddell on twitter. This coming from the guy who hired Caleb. Winters was high on my list but with that endorsement it just jumped higher.

[Zipsrifle]

Considering the demographics in the Akron area, the idea of hiring Paul Winters seems pretty appealing. He has turned around a program at an urban university, he has obvious ties here, seems solid to me. Why is there usually push back on here when his name comes up? Wouldn't he bring the potential to recruit well here? What are the negatives with him?

Winters is getting the seal of approval from former UA Interim AD Mike Waddell on twitter. This coming from the guy who hired Caleb. Winters was high on my list but with that endorsement it just jumped higher.

+1

[Lee Adams]

Zook is available.

Ya and so is Dennis Erickson,probably.

[Blue & Gold]

Considering the demographics in the Akron area, the idea of hiring Paul Winters seems pretty appealing. He has turned around a program at an urban university, he has obvious ties here, seems solid to me. Why is there usually push back on here when his name comes up? Wouldn't he bring the potential to recruit well here? What are the negatives with him?

Winters is getting the seal of approval from former UA Interim AD Mike Waddell on twitter. This coming from the guy who hired Caleb. Winters was high on my list but with that endorsement it just jumped higher.

+1

Paul Winters' Wayne State Warriors won again today.

[ZachTheZip]

The early word may be Fickell, but the late word say it's Tressel. Powerful forces are in play.

[UADavid]

Ohio St. 3..........2.........1............

[skip-zip]

I'm not sure how I feel about Fickel. I would prefer to not make a rush hire just to make a hire. I will say that I didn't like how all this Urben Meyer stuff came up when Fickel was still coach. Give Fickel a chance to coach the rest of the season and see if he's still interested in the job after the season. Talk about classless. Then again, it is Ohio State and they are good about being classless and not giving a s*** about what others say and think of them. Ohio State also has the balls to go after someone who wasn't running a clean program at Florida and has health issues. If UM were to get the job, I don't see him being around three years before he leaves. I did enjoy Michigan beating Ohio State today.

Good post. However, do we really need any more examples of the classless nature of those folks down south. We have enough for a lifetime.

I know I've spent some time commenting on some of the candidates that have been mentioned. Let me comment on what I want to see with a new head coach.

1) My first preference would be a guy with high level I-A coaching experience and connections, who may be hungry for another chance to be a successful figure in the highest division. That's why I joined most people here in voting for Stoops in the previous poll. I think Zook would be a great candidate as well (We should have taken him when we had the chance in the mid-90s). I don't expect the same results that OU got by following this route, but we need someone who has the tools to make a major splash, quickly.

2) If we would go down to I-AA, I want a proven winner.

3) If we go down to D-II as a last resort, I REALLY want a proven winner. No, not a guy who is "An Akron Guy", has "Done OK at a tough place to recruit", and certainly not a guy who was a key part of the leadership in a previous unsuccessful era of Akron Football.

[Blue & Gold]

The early word may be Fickell, but the late word say it's Tressel. Powerful forces are in play.

Ahh, I hate posts like these. So enigmatic.

Can you elaborate at all? What makes you say this? Frat house rumor? An overheard conversation? twitter/internet rumor? Pure speculation?

I'm hanging on to any Jim Tressel rumor because I want it to be true.

[Z-P]

So (to the old timers here) what EXACTY makes you THINK PW would even want to come back after the way he and his friends were ushered out? Never mind the fact that in his own opinion he may feel he was TWICE passed over since that Saturday night massacre.

PW (for some reason) comes back, so does Z-P...............LOL

[Dr Z]

So (to the old timers here) what EXACTY makes you THINK PW would even want to come back after the way he and his friends were ushered out? Never mind the fact that in his own opinion he may feel he was TWICE passed over since that Saturday night massacre.

PW (for some reason) comes back, so does Z-P...............LOL

Hire PW back now, ZN needs Z-P!

Good to see your still out there.

[ZachTheZip]

Nice to see that Z-P isn't dead!

Also: footballscoop confirms that Akron is focusing on bringing in Jim Tressel.

[GoZips]

The early word may be Fickell, but the late word say it's Tressel. Powerful forces are in play.

Ahh, I hate posts like these. So enigmatic.

Can you elaborate at all? What makes you say this? Frat house rumor? An overheard conversation? twitter/internet rumor? Pure speculation?

I'm hanging on to any Jim Tressel rumor because I want it to be true.

Luke Fickell would normally be my first choice.

Have we forgotten that Luke has already coached at Akron?

He did well enough to get himself hired on to the Jim Tressel bandwagon

at Ohio State. Kudos.

Paul Winters seems to have won his spurs resurrecting a truly moribund

program at Wayne State. Paul sure has support in the Akron camp.

However, if he is willing to take the Akron job one man stands alone.

Jim Tressel. Whether you like him or not is not relevant. What coach

Tressel can accomplish for Akron is relevant.

Coach Fickell is basically untried. He has no recruiting experience. He

coached a tainted Big Ten team for a season. And, all things considered,

performed pretty well.

Coach Winters has done an outstanding job at Wayne State. Kudos.

Unfortunately, coach Winters has zero recruiting experience with

division 1A caliber kids. I am fearful that he would be stuck with the

same one and two star kids that Ianello could reach. And, that spells

the same problems coach Ianello had. Little real talent. Is this fair

to Akron or coach Winters?

Coach Tressel has many years experience recruiting three and four

star caliber kids. His name carries a mountain of credibility. He can

recruit these kids to play for him at Akron.

If your goal is to be mired in the lower echelon of the MAC or even

slide back to division 1-AA by all means show support for coach

Winters.

Coach Fickell could probably elevate Akron to the upper tier of the MAC

a few years sooner than Paul Winters could. Maybe.

Coach Tressel can put the Zips at the top of the Mac in three or four years

at the most. More importantly, coach Tressel could lead the Zips up and

out of the MAC and into a far better conference. Yes, for real, the Big East

where Akron actually belongs.

I am older than most of you. I remember the days of being the big dog

in the Ohio Athletic Conference. You know this conference, its division

three and where Mount Union currently rules. Is this where you want to be?

For years we put up with then old foggies who constantly lamented that

Akron belonged at that level. And at every step upward they whined that

Akron could not succeed at the new, higher level. Yet, Akron has.

And, some will respond to this post with the same woeful doomsday

predictions that it can not be done.

Now, I ask all of you, which do you prefer; to be national champs in

division three football or National Champions in division one soccer?

National champs in division 1-AA football (ala YSU) or national champs

in division one soccer? And, a sports program member of the Big East

where your Infocision stadium had to be expanded to its full 68,000

capacity because you have more than 45,000 season ticket holders?

What is your vision? Short sighted, hopeless or visionary and always

looking upward?

Do not coach Porter and coach Dambrot deserve and have earned the

opportunity to coach their programs at a higher level than the MAC?

For me, I want to see coach Jim Tressel lead the University of Akron

into the Big East and the caliber of sports that many thousands of fans

point to as their school. Go Zips.

[ZipRoo]

Nice to see that Z-P isn't dead!

Also: footballscoop confirms that Akron is focusing on bringing in Jim Tressel.

Outstanding news. Can't ya feel the excitement in the air already? UA officials better know one thing: they need to make an ENORMOUS SPLASH with this hiring.

Akron: The same source that confirmed to us the Akron news on Tuesday has told us that Akron officials are targeting Jim Tressel. For what it's worth, Akron's facilities are considered "the best in the MAC".

[Zipsrifle]

The early word may be Fickell, but the late word say it's Tressel. Powerful forces are in play.

Ahh, I hate posts like these. So enigmatic.

Can you elaborate at all? What makes you say this? Frat house rumor? An overheard conversation? twitter/internet rumor? Pure speculation?

I'm hanging on to any Jim Tressel rumor because I want it to be true.

Luke Fickell would normally be my first choice.

Have we forgotten that Luke has already coached at Akron?

He did well enough to get himself hired on to the Jim Tressel bandwagon

at Ohio State. Kudos.

Paul Winters seems to have won his spurs resurrecting a truly moribund

program at Wayne State. Paul sure has support in the Akron camp.

However, if he is willing to take the Akron job one man stands alone.

Jim Tressel. Whether you like him or not is not relevant. What coach

Tressel can accomplish for Akron is relevant.

Coach Fickell is basically untried. He has no recruiting experience. He

coached a tainted Big Ten team for a season. And, all things considered,

performed pretty well.

Coach Winters has done an outstanding job at Wayne State. Kudos.

Unfortunately, coach Winters has zero recruiting experience with

division 1A caliber kids. I am fearful that he would be stuck with the

same one and two star kids that Ianello could reach. And, that spells

the same problems coach Ianello had. Little real talent. Is this fair

to Akron or coach Winters?

Coach Tressel has many years experience recruiting three and four

star caliber kids. His name carries a mountain of credibility. He can

recruit these kids to play for him at Akron.

If your goal is to be mired in the lower echelon of the MAC or even

slide back to division 1-AA by all means show support for coach

Winters.

Coach Fickell could probably elevate Akron to the upper tier of the MAC

a few years sooner than Paul Winters could. Maybe.

Coach Tressel can put the Zips at the top of the Mac in three or four years

at the most. More importantly, coach Tressel could lead the Zips up and

out of the MAC and into a far better conference. Yes, for real, the Big East

where Akron actually belongs.

I am older than most of you. I remember the days of being the big dog

in the Ohio Athletic Conference. You know this conference, its division

three and where Mount Union currently rules. Is this where you want to be?

For years we put up with then old foggies who constantly lamented that

Akron belonged at that level. And at every step upward they whined that

Akron could not succeed at the new, higher level. Yet, Akron has.

And, some will respond to this post with the same woeful doomsday

predictions that it can not be done.

Now, I ask all of you, which do you prefer; to be national champs in

division three football or National Champions in division one soccer?

National champs in division 1-AA football (ala YSU) or national champs

in division one soccer? And, a sports program member of the Big East

where your Infocision stadium had to be expanded to its full 68,000

capacity because you have more than 45,000 season ticket holders?

What is your vision? Short sighted, hopeless or visionary and always

looking upward?

Do not coach Porter and coach Dambrot deserve and have earned the

opportunity to coach their programs at a higher level than the MAC?

For me, I want to see coach Jim Tressel lead the University of Akron

into the Big East and the caliber of sports that many thousands of fans

point to as their school. Go Zips.

Well stated.

From a pure football standpoint, no doubt, I would take Tressel. But, how do we keep him "In Check"? Maybe I am too idealistic, but I want to win WITHOUT cheating. Second, I really don't know why Jim Tressel would come to Akron? Obviously he is the one who can make the decision, but consider the following:

1) We are the worst FBS team in the country two years running.

2) Historically (FBS-wise) we are losers.

3) He probably could get a job at a higher profile (relative to the MAC) FBS school.

4) He has the skill to move up in the NFL coaching ranks.

Hopefully, I'm wrong....

[Dr Z]

Outstanding news. Can't ya feel the excitement in the air already? UA officials better know one thing: they need to make an ENORMOUS SPLASH with this hiring.

What would that contract look like?

[Zipmeister]

[Citation Needed]

Sorry. I don't really care if you believe me. Just putting out there what I heard.

I never said he will be the HC. I said he will be first choice

im just messin with ya. i do it with my friends whenever they speculate about something lol

Me too.

The hangup will be money. He will make More as an asst at OSU than the HC here. It depends how badly he wants to be a HC

That has to be a tough decision for him......stay at a big time program making a boatload of money waiting for the right opportunity to open up somewhere or go to what stands to be a career-ending job. Hmmmm, what should I do, what should I do??

[Dave in Green]

Nice to see that Z-P isn't dead!

Also: footballscoop confirms that Akron is focusing on bringing in Jim Tressel.

Footballscoop obviously has a good UA source as they were the first to nail the Ianello firing, so they have big creds with me.

I'll just repeat here what I said in an earlier post:

Tressel may not be the greatest college football coach in America. But he is without question the best proven college football coach who would even have the slightest chance of considering coming to Akron for what UA can afford to pay.

[bobbyake]

Nice to see that Z-P isn't dead!

Also: footballscoop confirms that Akron is focusing on bringing in Jim Tressel.

Footballscoop obviously has a good UA source as they were the first to nail the Ianello firing, so they have big creds with me.

I'll just repeat here what I said in an earlier post:

Tressel may not be the greatest college football coach in America. But he is without question the best proven college football coach who would even have the slightest chance of considering coming to Akron for what UA can afford to pay.

that source was the first to report Ianello was being hired by Akron a couple years ago.

[RowdyZip]

Nice to see that Z-P isn't dead!

Also: footballscoop confirms that Akron is focusing on bringing in Jim Tressel.

Footballscoop obviously has a good UA source as they were the first to nail the Ianello firing, so they have big creds with me.

I'll just repeat here what I said in an earlier post:

Tressel may not be the greatest college football coach in America. But he is without question the best proven college football coach who would even have the slightest chance of considering coming to Akron for what UA can afford to pay.

that source was the first to report Ianello was being hired by Akron a couple years ago.

This latest scoop makes me think the "source" is someone that posts on this board. A quote about facilities being best in the MAC? Come on.

Still hope it's right.

[LZIp]

Nice to see that Z-P isn't dead!

Also: footballscoop confirms that Akron is focusing on bringing in Jim Tressel.

Footballscoop obviously has a good UA source as they were the first to nail the Ianello firing, so they have big creds with me.

I'll just repeat here what I said in an earlier post:

Tressel may not be the greatest college football coach in America. But he is without question the best proven college football coach who would even have the slightest chance of considering coming to Akron for what UA can afford to pay.

that source was the first to report Ianello was being hired by Akron a couple years ago.

This latest scoop makes me think the "source" is someone that posts on this board. A quote about facilities being best in the MAC? Come on.

Still hope it's right.

you dont think Akron has one of the better football facilities in the MAC?

[zen]

Coach Tressel has many years experience recruiting three and four

star caliber kids. His name carries a mountain of credibility. He can

recruit these kids to play for him at Akron.

Didn't the same thing get said about Ianello?

The example has been set by Rob. Recruiting here is not the same as recruiting at Notre Dame.

Same would probably be true for Tressel. Recruiting here is no the same as at OSU.

One exception though; He would probably recruit Ohio well because of his reputation (even if tarnished a bit) and his connections.

Well stated.

From a pure football standpoint, no doubt, I would take Tressel. But, how do we keep him "In Check"? Maybe I am too idealistic, but I want to win WITHOUT cheating. Second, I really don't know why Jim Tressel would come to Akron? Obviously he is the one who can make the decision, but consider the following:

Was Tressel a "cheater"?

I don't know where it is, but someone on here made a great post about what he did wrong, but nothing he did was cheating, particularly on the field. It appears that there was a subculture trying to get things for some of the players, and Tressel didn't reign it in. Did he know and turn a blind eye or was he truly oblivious and poorly motivated to acknowledge the problem when the signs surfaced? Either way, it's bad in the eyes of the NCAA, and he is the man to take the blame, but was he "cheating"?

[RowdyZip]

Nice to see that Z-P isn't dead!

Also: footballscoop confirms that Akron is focusing on bringing in Jim Tressel.

Footballscoop obviously has a good UA source as they were the first to nail the Ianello firing, so they have big creds with me.

I'll just repeat here what I said in an earlier post:

Tressel may not be the greatest college football coach in America. But he is without question the best proven college football coach who would even have the slightest chance of considering coming to Akron for what UA can afford to pay.

that source was the first to report Ianello was being hired by Akron a couple years ago.

This latest scoop makes me think the "source" is someone that posts on this board. A quote about facilities being best in the MAC? Come on.

Still hope it's right.

you dont think Akron has one of the better football facilities in the MAC?

Oh no, I do. Absolutely. However, it doesn't seem like something a legitimate source would highlight in a tip.

[Zipmeister]

Nice to see that Z-P isn't dead!

Also: footballscoop confirms that Akron is focusing on bringing in Jim Tressel.

Footballscoop obviously has a good UA source as they were the first to nail the Ianello firing, so they have big creds with me.

I'll just repeat here what I said in an earlier post:

Tressel may not be the greatest college football coach in America. But he is without question the best proven college football coach who would even have the slightest chance of considering coming to Akron for what UA can afford to pay.

that source was the first to report Ianello was being hired by Akron a couple years ago.

This latest scoop makes me think the "source" is someone that posts on this board. A quote about facilities being best in the MAC? Come on.

Still hope it's right.

You can bank on it.

[skip-zip]

Coach Tressel has many years experience recruiting three and four

star caliber kids. His name carries a mountain of credibility. He can

recruit these kids to play for him at Akron.

Didn't the same thing get said about Ianello?

The example has been set by Rob. Recruiting here is not the same as recruiting at Notre Dame.

Same would probably be true for Tressel. Recruiting here is no the same as at OSU.

One exception though; He would probably recruit Ohio well because of his reputation (even if tarnished a bit) and his connections.

Well stated.

From a pure football standpoint, no doubt, I would take Tressel. But, how do we keep him "In Check"? Maybe I am too idealistic, but I want to win WITHOUT cheating. Second, I really don't know why Jim Tressel would come to Akron? Obviously he is the one who can make the decision, but consider the following:

Was Tressel a "cheater"?

I don't know where it is, but someone on here made a great post about what he did wrong, but nothing he did was cheating, particularly on the field. It appears that there was a subculture trying to get things for some of the players, and Tressel didn't reign it in. Did he know and turn a blind eye or was he truly oblivious and poorly motivated to acknowledge the problem when the signs surfaced? Either way, it's bad in the eyes of the NCAA, and he is the man to take the blame, but was he "cheating"?

He played 5 players for an entire season, who he knew were ineligible because they committed NCAA violations. That's cheating.

[LZIp]

Coach Tressel has many years experience recruiting three and four

star caliber kids. His name carries a mountain of credibility. He can

recruit these kids to play for him at Akron.

Didn't the same thing get said about Ianello?

The example has been set by Rob. Recruiting here is not the same as recruiting at Notre Dame.

Same would probably be true for Tressel. Recruiting here is no the same as at OSU.

One exception though; He would probably recruit Ohio well because of his reputation (even if tarnished a bit) and his connections.

Well stated.

From a pure football standpoint, no doubt, I would take Tressel. But, how do we keep him "In Check"? Maybe I am too idealistic, but I want to win WITHOUT cheating. Second, I really don't know why Jim Tressel would come to Akron? Obviously he is the one who can make the decision, but consider the following:

Was Tressel a "cheater"?

I don't know where it is, but someone on here made a great post about what he did wrong, but nothing he did was cheating, particularly on the field. It appears that there was a subculture trying to get things for some of the players, and Tressel didn't reign it in. Did he know and turn a blind eye or was he truly oblivious and poorly motivated to acknowledge the problem when the signs surfaced? Either way, it's bad in the eyes of the NCAA, and he is the man to take the blame, but was he "cheating"?

He played 5 players for an entire season, who he knew were ineligible because they committed NCAA violations. That's cheating.

He was also under FBI investigation, and was not aloud to release confidential information. One would figure FBI triumphs the NCAA, but I suppose not.