Of the supposed "finalists"... Who's your choice

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

Another reason I like the idea of Winters is that as a true local high school football product, I believe he will recruit locally much more effectively than recent coaches here. Can you IMAGINE the reaction that coaches and players at Buchtel must have had to Ianello? It makes me shudder that he's considered a recruiter. Now picture Winters, a local guy done good, meeting with local coaches who remember him from days of old, and tell me that he won't be very effective in recruiting in NE Ohio. It's also a very comparable sales job to the one he will be coming from, in that he had to recruit kids to an inner city campus that had zero history/tradition of winning, and from what I've read, has done very well at finding good players there. The recruiting angle is a major part of why I'd like to see him here.

So let me get this right...because Winters is black he will recruit better? That is what I am getting out of your response.

Uhhh, no. Not sure where you're getting that. I did point out that he was a local product. Local coaches should remember him and know of him, and his local ties should produce dividends. Was it my mention of Buchtel? I pointed out Buchtel because they are the local power in HS football. I can't imagine anyone reacting well to sales pitches from Ianello, regardless of race or ethnicity. Can you?

[Doug Snyder]

Another reason I like the idea of Winters is that as a true local high school football product, I believe he will recruit locally much more effectively than recent coaches here. Can you IMAGINE the reaction that coaches and players at Buchtel must have had to Ianello? It makes me shudder that he's considered a recruiter. Now picture Winters, a local guy done good, meeting with local coaches who remember him from days of old, and tell me that he won't be very effective in recruiting in NE Ohio. It's also a very comparable sales job to the one he will be coming from, in that he had to recruit kids to an inner city campus that had zero history/tradition of winning, and from what I've read, has done very well at finding good players there. The recruiting angle is a major part of why I'd like to see him here.

So let me get this right...because Winters is black he will recruit better? That is what I am getting out of your response.

I did not read that.

[Zipgrad01]

Another reason I like the idea of Winters is that as a true local high school football product, I believe he will recruit locally much more effectively than recent coaches here. Can you IMAGINE the reaction that coaches and players at Buchtel must have had to Ianello? It makes me shudder that he's considered a recruiter. Now picture Winters, a local guy done good, meeting with local coaches who remember him from days of old, and tell me that he won't be very effective in recruiting in NE Ohio. It's also a very comparable sales job to the one he will be coming from, in that he had to recruit kids to an inner city campus that had zero history/tradition of winning, and from what I've read, has done very well at finding good players there. The recruiting angle is a major part of why I'd like to see him here.

So let me get this right...because Winters is black he will recruit better? That is what I am getting out of your response.

Uhhh, no. Not sure where you're getting that. I did point out that he was a local product. Local coaches should remember him and know of him, and his local ties should produce dividends. Was it my mention of Buchtel? I pointed out Buchtel because they are the local power in HS football. I can't imagine anyone reacting well to sales pitches from Ianello, regardless of race or ethnicity. Can you?

Yeah, it was the I can't IMAGINE line about Ianello and recruiting to an inner city campus comments. Sorry if I took it the wrong way, that is just how it sounded.

Actually, I can imagine people reacting well to Ianello. He came from a big program, could throw all his former big name coaches around, etc...and obviously had success in the past. Now, Ianello walking into a high school right now....thats another story.

[Doug Snyder]

Is it Mark or Mike with votes in this poll?

Mark.

[Dave in Green]

I suggest that we remove from contention any candidate who has so many siblings in the coaching business that no one can keep track of who or where they all are.

[Blue & Gold]

I cast my lot for Paul Winters. Building up UA should be a piece of cake compared to what he did @ WSU.

Akron should dominate the MAC.

[K92]

Is it Mark or Mike with votes in this poll?

Mark.

I think some people need to re-read the 4 choices presented in the poll.

[johnnyzip84]

Mike Stoops

Mark Stoops

[Doug Snyder]

Is it Mark or Mike with votes in this poll?

Mark.

I think some people need to re-read the 4 choices presented in the poll.

LOL I think your are right. I never noticed. But it is Mark that is being cnsidered for the job. At least that is what thought I read. I will have to go do some research now

[K92]

Is it Mark or Mike with votes in this poll?

Mark.

I think some people need to re-read the 4 choices presented in the poll.

LOL I think your are right. I never noticed. But it is Mark that is being cnsidered for the job. At least that is what thought I read. I will have to go do some research now

I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me for a second. I went back and re-read the "sham" thread and indeed it was Mark that was rumored to be the 4th candidate.

[InTheZone]

My mistake, I meant Mark, the coordinator at FSU, not the failure at Arizona.

[skip-zip]

@skip-zip, forget about D2 coaches for a minute.

What would you think of an experienced D1A (FBS) offensive coordinator who ran an offense that ranked 7th nationally in passing offense (311.3 yards per game), 9th nationally in total offense (470.2 ypg) and 11th nationally in scoring offense (36.2 ppg)?

What if that OC was so good that he was twice nominated for the Broyles Award, a national honor recognizing the nation’s top D1A assistant coach?

What if he had accomplished all that at a school with no history of winning in D1A?

Now, would you hold it against that successful D1A OC if he went to D2 to get head coaching experience and had the same success with a D2 school that previously had no history of winning?

At some point you probably caught on that the person being described is Paul Winters, a man who has accomplished much more in his long career than just taking a perennial loser D2 team into the national championship game as a head coach.

The man has a long body of work that deserves to be considered alongside all the other candidates' bodies of work.

Toss out the D2 work if you think it's irrelevant. Compare only his D1A accomplishments to the D1A accomplishments of other candidates who have no college head coaching experience at any level and whose D1A assistant and coordinator successes have been largely accomplished at schools with much stronger football programs than UA.

No emotion here. Just the facts.

Then why does it appear that you spent your evening digging up everything positive that you could find to support Winters?

His D-1A "accomplishments"? Those "accomplishments" must have been pretty incredible if they landed him a job at a D-II school in the pits of Detroit. Apparently myself and 120 D-1A schools all missed an opportunity a few years ago.

I don't agree with you that he should be a D-1A coach, for many reasons. What else do you want me to say?

[RootforRoo44]

Stoops for name recogniton purposes and the fact that I think he is the best of those listed.

+1. Exactly why I voted for him too.

Stoops is a slam dunk if we can get him....i'll settle for Winters.

[InTheZone]

Stoops may in fact be a candidate, as reported by CollegeFootballTalk.com, but there's another name I heard mentioned on another site by someone claiming to have a source, saying the coach had contacted the search committee (I'm so sick of the he said, she said crap, but I'll play...):

http://www.umterps.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt...en_ralph00.html

[Doug Snyder]

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_co...nd-staying.html

Stoops is currently making 440K and expecting a HUGE increase to 850K. Like his resume?? Maybe...but not that much. Down to 3.

I just hope Skip and Zach don't try to poison the football forum next year with hatred for Winters like Zach did with Ianello without giving him a chance. Have a few beers...and get over it.

[Let'sGoZips94]

Well crap, if it's Mark Stoops then I may have to change my vote.

Is there a write in nominee? I would have to cast my vote for Caleb Porter still. The guy has the key to the city.

[InTheZone]

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_co...nd-staying.html

Stoops is currently making 440K and expecting a HUGE increase to 850K. Like his resume?? Maybe...but not that much. Down to 3.

I just hope Skip and Zach don't try to poison the football forum next year with hatred for Winters like Zach did with Ianello without giving him a chance. Have a few beers...and get over it.

Zach will have very little ammo if that's his plan. While Winters first season may not produce a ton of wins, we will see competitiveness, fire, and competence in managing a football team and coaching a football game, something that has been sorely lacking around here recently. By year #2 Zach will be embarrassed to have ever opposed his candidacy, as will a few other people around here. Ianello gave us a lot to gripe about both with his hire and lack of qualifications and his ability to run a football team. Winters certainly will not.

[Doug Snyder]

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_co...nd-staying.html

Stoops is currently making 440K and expecting a HUGE increase to 850K. Like his resume?? Maybe...but not that much. Down to 3.

I just hope Skip and Zach don't try to poison the football forum next year with hatred for Winters like Zach did with Ianello without giving him a chance. Have a few beers...and get over it.

Zach will have very little ammo if that's his plan. While Winters first season may not produce a ton of wins, we will see competitiveness, fire, and competence in managing a football team and coaching a football game, something that has been sorely lacking around here recently. By year #2 Zach will be embarrassed to have ever opposed his candidacy, as will a few other people around here. Ianello gave us a lot to gripe about both with his hire and lack of qualifications and his ability to run a football team. Winters certainly will not.

My point is...there were many, Zach the worst, who crucified Ianello before he even coached his first practice. Whoever is chosen…we need to rally support around the guy. Any of the 4 would be a good hire and I will support.

[Let'sGoZips94]

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_co...nd-staying.html

Stoops is currently making 440K and expecting a HUGE increase to 850K. Like his resume?? Maybe...but not that much. Down to 3.

I just hope Skip and Zach don't try to poison the football forum next year with hatred for Winters like Zach did with Ianello without giving him a chance. Have a few beers...and get over it.

Zach will have very little ammo if that's his plan. While Winters first season may not produce a ton of wins, we will see competitiveness, fire, and competence in managing a football team and coaching a football game, something that has been sorely lacking around here recently. By year #2 Zach will be embarrassed to have ever opposed his candidacy, as will a few other people around here. Ianello gave us a lot to gripe about both with his hire and lack of qualifications and his ability to run a football team. Winters certainly will not.

My point is...there were many, Zach the worst, who crucified Ianello before he even coached his first practice. Whoever is chosen…we need to rally support around the guy. Any of the 4 would be a good hire and I will support.

The sad thing about having Ianello was anyone with a pulse is going to be better than iCan'tCoach, at least in the fans' eyes.

[ZachTheZip]

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_co...nd-staying.html

Stoops is currently making 440K and expecting a HUGE increase to 850K. Like his resume?? Maybe...but not that much. Down to 3.

I just hope Skip and Zach don't try to poison the football forum next year with hatred for Winters like Zach did with Ianello without giving him a chance. Have a few beers...and get over it.

Zach will have very little ammo if that's his plan. While Winters first season may not produce a ton of wins, we will see competitiveness, fire, and competence in managing a football team and coaching a football game, something that has been sorely lacking around here recently. By year #2 Zach will be embarrassed to have ever opposed his candidacy, as will a few other people around here. Ianello gave us a lot to gripe about both with his hire and lack of qualifications and his ability to run a football team. Winters certainly will not.

My point is...there were many, Zach the worst, who crucified Ianello before he even coached his first practice. Whoever is chosen…we need to rally support around the guy. Any of the 4 would be a good hire and I will support.

The sad thing about having Ianello was anyone with a pulse is going to be better than iCan'tCoach, at least in the fans' eyes.

That's what I am afraid of. The mediocrity that Winters will bring will be viewed as a success in the eyes of fans who are just glad to get rid of Ianello and they'll be happy even when we could have done better.

And, Doug, please don't say that you're blaming me and my disgust at his hiring for Ianello's failure. I was absolutely against him because I knew what would happen to the football program. The people that wanted to give him a chance were wrong from the outset. And don't tell me that I had no way of knowing that it would turn out that way. It was obvious to anyone who wasn't just blindly following what the AD was saying.

And I will right once again. Winters is not the best candidate. He won't be a total failure like Ianello, but he won't do as well as any of the the other candidates in this coaching "search". He will put together a weak staff, cater to the Terry Plutos of north east Ohio and their condescending little-engine-that-couldn't attitudes, and generally do nothing to help Akron's cause regionally or nationally. He will wallow in mediocrity for five or six years, maybe getting to .500 in his third year, and then everyone will agree that we will need to move on to someone who can take us to bowl games and MAC championships.

He will be Lee Owens part II and nobody wants to see that besides Owens' former players. Why can't we just skip that step and hire somebody who can get us to bowl games sooner, without having to wait another decade of mediocrity of a Winters era and then having his successor try to get his own systems running?

[Dr Z]

I would have to interview all four and hear their plan to bring Akron football to a level the fans can be proud of.

If I were YouTube, I would be racking up the Continental miles this week.

Without interviewing, with what I know about the four, which is VERY little,

I selected MJ in this poll. I have never spoke a word to any of these guys other than PW.

It amazes me how adamant some are without all the information.

[Doug Snyder]

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_co...nd-staying.html

Stoops is currently making 440K and expecting a HUGE increase to 850K. Like his resume?? Maybe...but not that much. Down to 3.

I just hope Skip and Zach don't try to poison the football forum next year with hatred for Winters like Zach did with Ianello without giving him a chance. Have a few beers...and get over it.

Zach will have very little ammo if that's his plan. While Winters first season may not produce a ton of wins, we will see competitiveness, fire, and competence in managing a football team and coaching a football game, something that has been sorely lacking around here recently. By year #2 Zach will be embarrassed to have ever opposed his candidacy, as will a few other people around here. Ianello gave us a lot to gripe about both with his hire and lack of qualifications and his ability to run a football team. Winters certainly will not.

My point is...there were many, Zach the worst, who crucified Ianello before he even coached his first practice. Whoever is chosen…we need to rally support around the guy. Any of the 4 would be a good hire and I will support.

The sad thing about having Ianello was anyone with a pulse is going to be better than iCan'tCoach, at least in the fans' eyes.

That's what I am afraid of. The mediocrity that Winters will bring will be viewed as a success in the eyes of fans who are just glad to get rid of Ianello and they'll be happy even when we could have done better.

And, Doug, please don't say that you're blaming me and my disgust at his hiring for Ianello's failure. I was absolutely against him because I knew what would happen to the football program. The people that wanted to give him a chance were wrong from the outset. And don't tell me that I had no way of knowing that it would turn out that way. It was obvious to anyone who wasn't just blindly following what the AD was saying.

And I will right once again. Winters is not the best candidate. He won't be a total failure like Ianello, but he won't do as well as any of the the other candidates in this coaching "search". He will put together a weak staff, cater to the Terry Plutos of north east Ohio and their condescending little-engine-that-couldn't attitudes, and generally do nothing to help Akron's cause regionally or nationally. He will wallow in mediocrity for five or six years, maybe getting to .500 in his third year, and then everyone will agree that we will need to move on to someone who can take us to bowl games and MAC championships.

He will be Lee Owens part II and nobody wants to see that besides Owens' former players. Why can't we just skip that step and hire somebody who can get us to bowl games sooner, without having to wait another decade of mediocrity of a Winters era and then having his successor try to get his own systems running?

Hmmm...I know I am OLD and probably have failing memory but I seem to recall you hammering Ianello shortly after the hire and hammering TW fo not hiring Fickell. The Fickell issue lasted into this year for you. Now?? You hate Fickell. "Tainted/Loser" The point is...it is a crap shoot and nobody knows for sure. The guy you advocated for would have been just as big of loser (per where you stand now). Caleb Porter took heat his first year.

[Doug Snyder]

I would have to interview all four and hear their plan to bring Akron football to a level the fans can be proud of.

If I were YouTube, I would be racking up the Continental miles this week.

Without interviewing, with what I know about the four, which is VERY little,

I selected MJ in this poll. I have never spoke a word to any of these guys other than PW.

It amazes me how adamant some are without all the information.

for...and against

[skip-zip]

He will be Lee Owens part II and nobody wants to see that besides Owens' former players.

I think you hit the nail on the head with this line. This is the basis of my fear right now, and pretty much the opinion I am getting from almost every Zips fan that I know personally.

I also keep seeing the words "safe choice" from Winters/Owens ex-players/supporters. How can hiring a D-II coach, with barely a .500 record, be a "safe choice"? Because there's a faction of people in Akron who won't criticize the decision? Screw that. I want the Best Choice!!

I've said this before. But, if some people on here want to settle for a D-II coach who is an "Akron Guy", we might as well bring back Owens himself. He's also been consistently successful as a D-II coach. And he happens to have plenty of D-1A head coaching experience under his belt too.

[ZachTheZip]

Hmmm...I know I am OLD and probably have failing memory but I seem to recall you hammering Ianello shortly after the hire and hammering TW fo not hiring Fickell. The Fickell issue lasted into this year for you. Now?? You hate Fickell. "Tainted/Loser" The point is...it is a crap shoot and nobody knows for sure. The guy you advocated for would have been just as big of loser (per where you stand now). Caleb Porter took heat his first year.

Things changed. Two years ago, Fickell could play up his connection with OSU and his personal endorsement from Tressel when recruiting kids to Akron. Now he can't do any of that. He would have been better off coming to Akron and he would have been more successful than he was at OSU last season.

Maybe you form an opinion of someone and stick to it even when absolutely everything has changed about that person, but I'm not afraid to re-evaluate my thoughts on people after several years of seeing them change.