College Football 2013 Season

[rah]

Zook's magic at Illinois over 7 seasons.

5 losing seasons and a combined record of 34-51. Good riddance.

[Guynemer]

What are the odds that Meyer can entice Greg Mattison to leave Michigan?

Probably 0%. He's coached at Michigan before, loves it here, and he is already a god on campus for the turnaround the defense has experienced this year.

Ohio State has never been able to keep Michigan from recruiting in Ohio; even during the Vest's reign of terror, most of our best players came from Ohio. There are just too many players for OSU to keep them all.

A lot will hinge on what the NCAA ultimately decides to do with sanctions and scholly reductions on OSU.

[Boris Godunov]

Maybe you sat in the wrong section, bro.

[Tupac Shakur]

Ohio State has never been able to keep Michigan from recruiting in Ohio; even during the Vest's reign of terror, most of our best players came from Ohio. There are just too many players for OSU to keep them all.

Yes, but it's perfectly possible for Ohio State to keep all the best players from Ohio. Tressel was pretty successful at doing this and Meyer stands to be even better if he's the same recruiter that he used to be.

[Tupac Shakur]

Zook's magic at Illinois over 7 seasons.

5 losing seasons and a combined record of 34-51. Good riddance.

Illinois' record in the seven seasons before Ron Zook arrived (1998-2004) was 35-46 with five losing seasons. 1997-2003 was 32-49 with six losing seasons thanks to the 0-11 campaign in '97. It's no surprise that Zook didn't alter the long-term trajectory of the Illinois football program; he's not a great coach. A program like Illinois can't expect to attract a great coach, however, so it seems ill-advised to can someone that led the Illini to their first Rose Bowl since 1983 and just earned a second consecutive bowl trip (which hasn't happened at Illinois since 1992) in order to take your chances on an abnormally crowded coaching carousel.

[Tupac Shakur]

I had a bit of a conversation with my dad about this last night, as the final minutes of Illinois' loss to Minnesota ticked away. I told him that if Zook's fate wasn't certain before a twenty point loss to the conference basement Gophers, it was set in stone now. He asked me if getting rid of Ron Zook after taking the Illini to two straight six win seasons was a good idea, considering how few bowls we have had over the past 20 years. He asked me if the Illinois program could really do better than Zook, who recruited well above his win loss record, and who had at least brought the Illini back to relevance.

He asked me if there was NFL talent on this team, I said that there was. He asked me if Zook had routinely put players into the league, and if there was a bigger presence of Illini in the pros than there was ten years ago. In this regard, I had to admit he was right, from Jon Asamoah to Martez Wilson, the Illini are as visible as they ever have been on Sundays.

Has the Ron Zook experience at Illinois been all bad? Of course not. Is it the right decision to move on now, yes.

http://www.hailtotheorange.com/2011/11/27/2590207/ron-zook-era-at-an-end-the-good-and-the-bad

I've become the wise old father figure for a bunch of middle-age retards on the internet.

[Ming]

I've become a total ****** for a bunch of middle-age fathers on the internet.

FIXED

Only a total idiot would think that Zook is worth keeping another game let alone another year.

Coaching is all about WINNING, and a .400 winning percentage sucks. Your argument that he recruited well and has sent players to the NFL is meaningless considering he couldn't do squat with them. He's a terrible coach. He didn't win games.

Will the Illini be able to get some current big name coach with all the open jobs out there... probably not.
But we aren't asking for some big name coach... we are asking for somebody who can do better than .400, and Zook couldn't.

But feel free to continue being a complete moron by thinking somebody with a .400 winning percentage is a good coach that deserves to keep his job.

[rah]

I guess I'm more insulted that he feels that a couple of 6 win seasons is the pinnacle of what we can expect at Illinois. There is no reason that the football team can't succeed in the league like the basketball team has. (or like MOST of the other NCAA sports)

And this year's 6 win season should not be held up as a good example. Their early wins (mostly against cream puffs) weren't even that impressive, and the next 6 games were mostly just torturous to watch.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I guess I'm more insulted that he feels that a couple of 6 win seasons is the pinnacle of what we can expect at Illinois.

I kind of have to agree with Drake on this score. I do think that's Illinois's ceiling.

[SlowwHand]

Although it's about hit me with the blind staggers, I have to agree with rah. If one's expectations can be so low that 6 wins is dandy, there's a problem.

[Guynemer]

There is no reason that the football team can't succeed in the league like the basketball team has.

Actually, there are least seven reasons: Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, and Michigan State.

[-Jrabbit]

Illinois' record in the seven seasons before Ron Zook arrived (1998-2004) was 35-46 with five losing seasons. 1997-2003 was 32-49 with six losing seasons thanks to the 0-11 campaign in '97. It's no surprise that Zook didn't alter the long-term trajectory of the Illinois football program; he's not a great coach. A program like Illinois can't expect to attract a great coach, however, so it seems ill-advised to can someone that led the Illini to their first Rose Bowl since 1983 and just earned a second consecutive bowl trip (which hasn't happened at Illinois since 1992) in order to take your chances on an abnormally crowded coaching carousel.

By your own statistics, it seems clear that anyone can do what Zook has done. Yeah, getting creamed in the Rose Bowl was lovely, but why not take a shot at an up-and-coming mid-major coach looking to make his mark? If you don't strive to improve, you are doomed to greater failure.

This may not be the best year to go trolling for coaches, but Zook coached the last few games with one foot out the door anyway and, as you so ably pointed out, any semi-competent coach can match what he did.

[H Tower]

Actually, there are least seven reasons: Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, and Michigan State.

He didn't say win the league, he said succeed. Success for Illinois can reasonably be placed at 4-4 in conference, 3-1 non conf. 7-5 and a bowl game appearance. Obviously they won't hit that mark exactly every year, but that would be a great start. What isn't acceptable is going 2-6 in conference play and attempting to hide your poor excuse for a team by going 4-0 vs cream puffs in non con games.

This isn't Indiana we are talking about here, Illinois has fielded good teams before and won, and will do so again. Zook was able to field what looked like good teams on paper, but couldn't deliver the wins.

[Ming]

Actually, there are least seven reasons: Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, and Michigan State.

I don't see seven good reasons there... Winning turns a program into a good program. Sure it takes time to turn a program around, but it can be done.
If Michigan or Nebraska had a .400 record over multiple years, you guys would be screaming for blood. I don't see any reason why Illini fans shouldn't be doing the same thing.

Zook was a bad coach... and that's a fact. There is no "Ceiling" on the number of wins that the Illini can get.

[Tupac Shakur]

I do think that's Illinois's ceiling.

Bowl eligibility is a good goal for a school that's had 11 losing seasons in the last 15 years.

Actually, there are least seven reasons: Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, and Michigan State.

Well said.

If Michigan or Nebraska had a .400 record over multiple years, you guys would be screaming for blood. I don't see any reason why Illini fans shouldn't be doing the same thing.

Comparing Illinois to Michigan and Nebraska? Ya'll have an acute case of Clemson Syndrome.