Hire Paul Winters Now.

[akronad]

I agree totally about loyalty. Anyone that wants to bleed Blue & Gold puts them at the top of the list. I am sure that is why we haven't named a coach. I am also sure that the committee has look at other coaches as well.

Here's hoping that we get a coach that not only has a passion for the game, but has a passion for UA. RI never made a good showing of himself as an Akron guy. He made matters, when he and his staff did not continue with golf outing.

[GJGood]

@ IntheZone

I have a question and want your insight. It appears most of the HC positions are getting filled rather quickly. I believe that most ADs have a list in mind when they pull the trigger on termination. They go through the national search looking for better than the list they have but...they have a plan in mind. I would if I were replacing a guy in the private sector. That said...it seems we are taking a very long time. I could understand that if we are getting turned down a lot and had to move down the list. That does not appear to be the case. The only other reason for the long process is one of the key candidates is in a playoff and unable to speak with them. A D1 bowl would not be an obstacle so a D1 assistant should not be the hang up. That would lead me to believe that Paul Winters is the leading candidate. If you thought Campbell was the #1 guy...I don't think you would wait and risk that Beckman getting hired by someone giving Campbell more options. Maybe Campbell was there guy all along and he wanted to wait and see if this scenario played out??

Is there any other reason Akron would take such a long time to make a hire?? I don't think the interview process is a hang-up for Paul as he has gone through that process 2 years ago. Do you think he wants the job??

Probably right on Winters at least being one of the primary candidates, but lets not forget the FCS level is in its quaterfinals this weekend too. It could be possible that we are looking at somebody still playing at that level too. I, for one, would certainly be glad to hear it if we were.

[Zipsrifle]

I don't know as much about Winters as some of you. I've tried to research him as best I could. By all accounts he appears to be a good and decent man who has toiled long and hard to reach where he is this season. His connections to UA are undeniable. In many ways he makes an almost perfect candidate for those who have longed for a qualified head coach with strong UA ties.

From all I'm able to gather, I believe that he would make a good head coach for UA in that he could probably make UA competitive in the MAC within a couple of years.

My only concern is that I haven't seen anything to convince me that he would be likely to turn UA into a big winner in the MAC, or in a more competitive conference in the event that UA should ever make such a move.

I guess I look at Winters as the comfortable choice -- the guy who is likely to draw the least criticism on ZN.o if he's selected, and someone who could probably navigate the MAC well enough to keep the Zips from being an embarassment.

I just don't see the flash of potential greatness that I do in someone like Matt Campbell, who has risen quickly to prominence at a young age.

If Winters ends up being the choice, I hope I'm wrong and that all of the optimism from others is well-founded.

This is why Proenza had better put together a hell of a Search Committee to find the coach. F the opinion fans on ZNO, make the right hire and lets get this thing turned around.

Ummm..... no. This administration knows they have F'd the fans enough, and they are not going to make a hire such as Ianello again that may come out of a "process" but leaves everyone saying WTF and then places the blame squarely on them if and when he fails. If they all want to save their asses, they'll hire someone the fans and alumni are behind, which at this point can really only either be a big name or Paul Winters (Mike Johnson has alumni support too, but doesn't want the gig). If they go with a choice of the fans, everyone shares in the blame as a community when the guy fails. They go out on a limb, its squarely on their ass again, and they know they can't survive that.

Come on.....

To make a decison because it is safe?

Absolutely the wrong approach! Those in the "administration" are paid to LEAD and make strategic decisions for this university.

Plus, I am not convinced it is anywhere near unanimous among alumni that they are insisting on an "Akron Man". I'm not.

I want the best coach available. That might be Winters, but I think there might be better people available.

I will be angry if I find UA did not make every effort to find the best person they can get. If a legitimate process leads to the hiring of Paul Winters, he will have my 100% support.

Anything less, and they will have people waiting to say "I told you so" if Winters isn't successful. How would that even be a "safe" approach for the administration?

Good post. And they are indeed searching for the best people available. There are some great coaches out there. It all depends on whether they can get them to come to Akron.

Good posts. The main reason I DON'T want the administrations listening to the fans is ME. I love watching football, but honestly, I don't know much. I have to imagine there are lots of passionate but basically football illiterate football fans out there (like me). My experience has been that things appear simple until you begin investing large amounts of time in it, then you realize why it is so hard to get ahead. I often summarize this sentiment with this sarcastic phrase:

"Everybody is a race car driver. They admit they wouldn't win the race, but they could easily stay on the lead lap."

Ignore the idiots, let people who know what they are talking about make the decision! Those people need to be on the search committee.

[jupitertoo]

I don't know as much about Winters as some of you. I've tried to research him as best I could. By all accounts he appears to be a good and decent man who has toiled long and hard to reach where he is this season. His connections to UA are undeniable. In many ways he makes an almost perfect candidate for those who have longed for a qualified head coach with strong UA ties.

From all I'm able to gather, I believe that he would make a good head coach for UA in that he could probably make UA competitive in the MAC within a couple of years.

My only concern is that I haven't seen anything to convince me that he would be likely to turn UA into a big winner in the MAC, or in a more competitive conference in the event that UA should ever make such a move.

I guess I look at Winters as the comfortable choice -- the guy who is likely to draw the least criticism on ZN.o if he's selected, and someone who could probably navigate the MAC well enough to keep the Zips from being an embarassment.

I just don't see the flash of potential greatness that I do in someone like Matt Campbell, who has risen quickly to prominence at a young age.

If Winters ends up being the choice, I hope I'm wrong and that all of the optimism from others is well-founded.

This is why Proenza had better put together a hell of a Search Committee to find the coach. F the opinion fans on ZNO, make the right hire and lets get this thing turned around.

Ummm..... no. This administration knows they have F'd the fans enough, and they are not going to make a hire such as Ianello again that may come out of a "process" but leaves everyone saying WTF and then places the blame squarely on them if and when he fails. If they all want to save their asses, they'll hire someone the fans and alumni are behind, which at this point can really only either be a big name or Paul Winters (Mike Johnson has alumni support too, but doesn't want the gig). If they go with a choice of the fans, everyone shares in the blame as a community when the guy fails. They go out on a limb, its squarely on their ass again, and they know they can't survive that.

Come on.....

To make a decison because it is safe?

Absolutely the wrong approach! Those in the "administration" are paid to LEAD and make strategic decisions for this university.

Plus, I am not convinced it is anywhere near unanimous among alumni that they are insisting on an "Akron Man". I'm not.

I want the best coach available. That might be Winters, but I think there might be better people available.

I will be angry if I find UA did not make every effort to find the best person they can get. If a legitimate process leads to the hiring of Paul Winters, he will have my 100% support.

Anything less, and they will have people waiting to say "I told you so" if Winters isn't successful. How would that even be a "safe" approach for the administration?

Good post. And they are indeed searching for the best people available. There are some great coaches out there. It all depends on whether they can get them to come to Akron.

Good posts. The main reason I DON'T want the administrations listening to the fans is ME. I love watching football, but honestly, I don't know much. I have to imagine there are lots of passionate but basically football illiterate football fans out there (like me). My experience has been that things appear simple until you begin investing large amounts of time in it, then you realize why it is so hard to get ahead. I often summarize this sentiment with this sarcastic phrase:

"Everybody is a race car driver. They admit they wouldn't win the race, but they could easily stay on the lead lap."

Ignore the idiots, let people who know what they are talking about make the decision! Those people need to be on the search committee.

What an awesome post. It's true of me and about 99.9 percent of posters on every forum everywhere. Bravo.

[Captain Kangaroo]

What an awesome post. It's true of me and about 99.9 percent of posters on every forum everywhere. Bravo.

Wow...I'm in the Top 0.1%? Sweet.

[zippy5]

What an awesome post. It's true of me and about 99.9 percent of posters on every forum everywhere. Bravo.

Wow...I'm in the Top 0.1%? Sweet.

#occupyCK?

[g-mann17]

What an awesome post. It's true of me and about 99.9 percent of posters on every forum everywhere. Bravo.

Wow...I'm in the Top 0.1%? Sweet.

#occupyCK?

Ewwww

[Doug Snyder]

What an awesome post. It's true of me and about 99.9 percent of posters on every forum everywhere. Bravo.

Wow...I'm in the Top 0.1%? Sweet.

**Deleted Post**

Oops.... my bad.

[Blue & Gold]

The D-II National Championship Game is at 11:00 a.m. on ESPN2.

Nice WSU -vs- Winston-Salem State highlight video.

Go Warriors. Go PW!

[johnnyzip84]

The D-II National Championship Game is at 11:00 a.m. on ESPN2.

Nice WSU -vs- Winston-Salem State highlight video.

Go Warriors. Go PW!

WSU will be playing a traditional D-2 power, Pittsburg St (Kansas), in the final.

[Doug Snyder]

The D-II National Championship Game is at 11:00 a.m. on ESPN2.

Nice WSU -vs- Winston-Salem State highlight video.

Go Warriors. Go PW!

WSU will be playing a traditional D-2 power, Pittsburg St (Kansas), in the final.

It would be way cool for Paul Winters to win the D2 championship in grand style before he leaves for his coveted job with his alma mater Akron. Story book. And the post season delay is actually letting a consensus develop among UofA fans that Paul is the guy. I think we need to really show support for Paul if and when Paul gets the job.

[ZippyRulz]

D-II Playoffs: Pitt State beat Delta State and Wayne State beat Winston Salem State. Thus, it's Pitt State (a 2 seed - coached by Tim Beck, 2008 FootballScoop D-II Coordinator of the Year)) vs. Wayne State (a 6 seed, coached by Paul Winters, one of the finalists for the Akron head job) in the championship game Saturday Dec. 17th. In a related note, we're speculating that Akron will name their next head coach on Monday December 19th.

(footballscoop.com)

[hiroad1]

SIAP

Paul Winters and Wayne State getting some NY Times love.........

http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/1...la-wayne-state/

[hiroad1]

Another article about Winters.

I have to admit, I like his "old-school" approach to developing his young players.

http://www.detnews.com/article/20111212/OP...onal-title-game

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

Am I the only one who will take it as really tough news if Winters spurns UA? After the Ianello debacle, I would find it to be quite a feel-good story for Winters to take the UA job. It's my impression that he really knows the area inside and out, knows the MAC inside and out, and most importantly knows how and why the UA job is such a tough one. I can really see him recruiting some of the quality local kids and rebuilding the program. So, with all of these assumptions rambling around in my pea brain, if he decides to tell UA to pound sand (assuming that he gets an offer) and we end up with an unknown quantity, it will be a huge letdown. It makes me laugh a little to think that I've somehow gotten to a place where losing out on Paul Winters, about whom I knew very little 3 months ago, would upset me. How did we get to this place?

[ZachTheZip]

If he tells us "no", both sides would be better off.

[Zipsrifle]

Am I the only one who will take it as really tough news if Winters spurns UA? After the Ianello debacle, I would find it to be quite a feel-good story for Winters to take the UA job. It's my impression that he really knows the area inside and out, knows the MAC inside and out, and most importantly knows how and why the UA job is such a tough one. I can really see him recruiting some of the quality local kids and rebuilding the program. So, with all of these assumptions rambling around in my pea brain, if he decides to tell UA to pound sand (assuming that he gets an offer) and we end up with an unknown quantity, it will be a huge letdown. It makes me laugh a little to think that I've somehow gotten to a place where losing out on Paul Winters, about whom I knew very little 3 months ago, would upset me. How did we get to this place?

Though I would be disappointed if he said no, I respect that it is the best decision for him. I've thought about this a few times. Why does a guy who has already brought one program from nothing to national prominence want to do it again, but in a much more demanding environment? He will have to work harder than he ever has before and the ultimate prize is virtually impossible to achieve. He has plenty of money, is well respected, I imagine he has lots of job satisfaction and, as much as people bash Detroit, SE Michigan is a nice place to live.

[InTheZone]

I can't say more than if he is offered the job, he will be our next head coach. Take it to the bank. It's up to TW to make that offer though.

[johnnyzip84]

Here is a Detroit News story that discusses PW's approach. If he gets hired here, it doesn't look like too many true freshmen will see the field next year.

[InTheZone]

Here is a Detroit News story that discusses PW's approach. If he gets hired here, it doesn't look like too many true freshmen will see the field next year.

Sounds like the college equivalent of the Steelers approach in the NFL. Seems to have worked well for both Wayne State and the Steelers.

[Doug Snyder]

Here is a Detroit News story that discusses PW's approach. If he gets hired here, it doesn't look like too many true freshmen will see the field next year.

+1

Give him ...or anyone...a hall pass for next year and let them do it right. How many times did we get burned down the middle on pass plays this year. And the safeties?? Freshmen. Looks like they had some talent but they were freshmen!!! Bring in some JUCO linemen and redshirt ALL the freshmen.

[Blue & Gold]

Here is a Detroit News story that discusses PW's approach. If he gets hired here, it doesn't look like too many true freshmen will see the field next year.

Sounds like the college equivalent of the Steelers approach in the NFL. Seems to have worked well for both Wayne State and the Steelers.

I was never close to being a D-1 caliber athlete, so I have no idea, but will this scenario translate when recruiting quality D-1 players? Most of them are pretty cocky (and rightly so) and firmly believe they're going to come in & be BMOC right off the bat, right?

(Just playing devil's advocate here, because I know PW already has plenty of experience in recruiting D-1 players. Also, if need be, I'm sure PW could tweek his strategy a bit.)

[Doug Snyder]

Here is a Detroit News story that discusses PW's approach. If he gets hired here, it doesn't look like too many true freshmen will see the field next year.

Sounds like the college equivalent of the Steelers approach in the NFL. Seems to have worked well for both Wayne State and the Steelers.

I was never close to being a D-1 caliber athlete, so I have no idea, but will this scenario translate when recruiting quality D-1 players? Most of them are pretty cocky (and rightly so) and firmly believe they're going to come in & be BMOC right off the bat, right?

(Just playing devil's advocate here, because I know PW already has plenty of experience in recruiting D-1 players. Also, if need be, I'm sure PW could tweek his strategy a bit.)

Our 2 best recruits (Chisolm and Suel) sat out last year. Don't know what impact it will have but I think it can be done. InTheZone may have some valuable input.

[ZachTheZip]

Here is a Detroit News story that discusses PW's approach. If he gets hired here, it doesn't look like too many true freshmen will see the field next year.

At the rate we're recruiting, we will only have seven or eight true freshmen on the roster anyway.

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

..