Tough times put Zook on defensive
February 4, 2010 11:33 AM
Once considered a master recruiter, Zook assembled a 20-player class that is ranked eighth in the Big Ten and 69th in the nation by Rivals.com.
Only six are from Illinois, and Zook acknowledged that all the dark vibes around the program left him and his scrambled staff vulnerable to negative recruiting.
''People don't have to say anything,'' said the coach, two seasons removed from what's looking like a fluke Rose Bowl trip. ''They can just take articles and put them in front of [recruits]. Obviously, you're defending your manhood. You're defending everything about you every time you go out there.''
Gould
Only six are from Illinois, and Zook acknowledged that all the dark vibes around the program left him and his scrambled staff vulnerable to negative recruiting.
''People don't have to say anything,'' said the coach, two seasons removed from what's looking like a fluke Rose Bowl trip. ''They can just take articles and put them in front of [recruits]. Obviously, you're defending your manhood. You're defending everything about you every time you go out there.''
Gould
Filed under: Illini Football
