Ron Zook hired by Maryland

[SKane]

https://www.espn.com/college-footba...aryland-hires-former-gators-illini-coach-zook

As a "senior analyst" in an "off-the-field role" working with "defense and special teams."

Best wishes to Coach Zook. The Rose Bowl year will not be forgotten.

 

[lexwaldez]

SWINGING GATE
SWINGING GATE
SWINGING GATE

 

[BZuppke]

I liked him. He had some flaws but he was a good guy and gave his all. Brought in some great talent and yes a Rose Bowl.

 

[Hoppy2105]

I liked him. He had some flaws but he was a good guy and gave his all. Brought in some great talent and yes a Rose Bowl.

I feel like Ron Zook will never stop rotating to different jobs at different schools.

In like 20 years people will forget he was ever a head coach and Florida will hire him again.

 

[Deleted member 649710]

There will never be a more inspiring photograph of an Illini coach.

 

[breadman]

I am Zook's age.
I can understand his networking skills.
I knew he was in Green Bay, didn't realize it was for the last 5 years though.
I guess the question would be why was he either let go or simply resigned and decided to move on.
Re-connecting with Locksley was a no brainer for him. I wish him well.
I just recently was given new life in my own career by being accepted into a new project. It was like "Really? They want to bring me onboard? I'l take it!!"
At this point, don't know if Zook needs the continuing cash flow of a steady paycheck, but I know I sure do!!
Just like to see my generation continuing to contribute.

 

[Calvin]

I liked him. He had some flaws but he was a good guy and gave his all. Brought in some great talent and yes a Rose Bowl.

+1

He brought in guys that were fun to watch, and had a good eye for pro potential. I doubt there was an opposing coach who feared him on game day, but he could assemble a talented roster. And making a run to the Rose Bowl was a memorable season. No complaints about his tenure here. Thought he was actually a good fit by and large, considering where we are in the league. He was a great recruiter and inspiring guy who was below average on game day.

 

[JTOWNillini]

Ron Zook brought more excitement to Illini football than any coach in my lifetime. Not only were the players he imported fun to watch, but so was his personality. Never a dull moment.

 

[Deleted member 236589]

Didn't "we" can him after a 6-6 regular season? In the words by the great hair band Cinderella...."Don't know what you got till it's gone...."

Those were fun recruiting seasons, with massive talent that rolled in. He wasn't the finest X's and O's guy admittedly, but I'd take that in a heartbeat over recruiting battles with MAC schools and 2 to 4 win seasons.

Just my opinion.

 

[sbillini]

Didn't "we" can him after a 6-6 regular season? In the words by the great hair band Cinderella...."Don't know what you got till it's gone...."

Those were fun recruiting seasons, with massive talent that rolled in. He wasn't the finest X's and O's guy admittedly, but I'd take that in a heartbeat over recruiting battles with MAC schools and 2 to 4 win seasons.

Just my opinion.

Yes, it was a 6-6 season. It was also the first time in FBS history that a team finished 6-6 after starting 6-0. I agree that he was a good guy and was probably among the best recruiters in the country, but the guy was an absolute liability at in-game coaching (esp. after Locksley left). Relative to what we've had since, he was an obvious upgrade, but that's hindsight bias at its best mixed with a healthy dose of "things are so bad now that I want to go back to the days when things were just kind of bad".

Maybe we as a fanbase would've resigned ourselves to being OK with Zook's ceiling over time. A mediocre team averaging ~6 wins that was at least entertaining to watch and sent some players to the NFL. But let's not make it sound like those were really the "good ole days." Just look at his career since he left. not exactly one of someone that got slighted.

 

[holmerica]

Yes, it was a 6-6 season. It was also the first time in FBS history that a team finished 6-6 after starting 6-0. I agree that he was a good guy and was probably among the best recruiters in the country, but the guy was an absolute liability at in-game coaching (esp. after Locksley left). Relative to what we've had since, he was an obvious upgrade, but that's hindsight bias at its best mixed with a healthy dose of "things are so bad now that I want to go back to the days when things were just kind of bad".

Maybe we as a fanbase would've resigned ourselves to being OK with Zook's ceiling over time. A mediocre team averaging ~6 wins that was at least entertaining to watch and sent some players to the NFL. But let's not make it sound like those were really the "good ole days." Just look at his career since he left. not exactly one of someone that got slighted.

Believe it or not, in 1903 the Illini won their first 8 and then lost the last six. I thought I remember some stat at the time saying Illinois was the only school to do something like this?

 

[champaignchris]

Maybe we as a fanbase would've resigned ourselves to being OK with Zook's ceiling over time. A mediocre team averaging ~6 wins that was at least entertaining to watch and sent some players to the NFL. But let's not make it sound like those were really the "good ole days." Just look at his career since he left. not exactly one of someone that got slighted.

Ron Turner, 8 years, 35-57 .380, 1 Big Ten title
Ron Zook, 7 years, 34-51 .400, 0 Big Ten titles

I have no idea why Turner gets vilified on this board while so many have fond memories of Zook. They basically posted the same (lackluster) results during their tenures. The slight difference in winning percentage is entirely mitigated by the fact that Zook was able to schedule a 12th FCS game every year and Turner wasn't.

 

[Gary J]

I'd take Turner and Zook over that knucklehead Beckman. Turner and Zook were able to get something done. Beckman was an embarrassment on many levels most notably, integrity. I still have hope for Lovie but it hasn't happened yet.

 

[illini80]

Believe it or not, in 1903 the Illini won their first 8 and then lost the last six. I thought I remember some stat at the time saying Illinois was the only school to do something like this?

I had to look that one up! Interesting that the first 8 games included only one B10 team. Victories included at least 1 high school team, 1 dentistry school, tiny Knox College, and a bunch of others I have never heard of and I’m sure most don’t exist today.

 

[illini80]

Ron Turner, 8 years, 35-57 .380, 1 Big Ten title
Ron Zook, 7 years, 34-51 .400, 0 Big Ten titles

I have no idea why Turner gets vilified on this board while so many have fond memories of Zook. They basically posted the same (lackluster) results during their tenures. The slight difference in winning percentage is entirely mitigated by the fact that Zook was able to schedule a 12th FCS game every year and Turner wasn't.

I think we had better expectations at that point. We were coming off of the (mostly) successful Mike White and John Macoviak era’s.

Also Turners last 5 seasons he was 24-34, while Zook was 30-32 in his last 5. While Turner had a higher ceiling, he rode it all the way back to the bottom.

 

[SKane]

Believe it or not, in 1903 the Illini won their first 8 and then lost the last six. I thought I remember some stat at the time saying Illinois was the only school to do something like this?

Last year, USF won their first seven games (including beating Illinois) and lost their last six (including UCONN and their bowl game).

Not a Strong finish to a season.

 

[FiveStar]

Yes, it was a 6-6 season. It was also the first time in FBS history that a team finished 6-6 after starting 6-0. I agree that he was a good guy and was probably among the best recruiters in the country, but the guy was an absolute liability at in-game coaching (esp. after Locksley left). Relative to what we've had since, he was an obvious upgrade, but that's hindsight bias at its best mixed with a healthy dose of "things are so bad now that I want to go back to the days when things were just kind of bad".

Maybe we as a fanbase would've resigned ourselves to being OK with Zook's ceiling over time. A mediocre team averaging ~6 wins that was at least entertaining to watch and sent some players to the NFL. But let's not make it sound like those were really the "good ole days." Just look at his career since he left. not exactly one of someone that got slighted.

Zook was a great recruiter but consistent .500 results probably stops attracting nfl talent at some point. At the very least it stops attracting the depth of nfl talent we were somehow able to enjoy. Then you have a lackluster coach trying to win with less talented recruits when he could barely win with future pros. Doesn’t look good for long term viability.

 

[champaignchris]

Also Turners last 5 seasons he was 24-34, while Zook was 30-32 in his last 5. While Turner had a higher ceiling, he rode it all the way back to the bottom.

Those records aren’t apples the apples. The scheduling rules changed from Turner to Zook. The difference in records over those last five years is almost entirely due to the fact that Zook could schedule FBS teams and Turner mostly couldn’t. Take the wins against the likes of WIU and EIU out of the equation and their last five year records are 23-34 for Turner and 25-32 for Zook.

Zook’s 2010 and 2011 bowl teams only got there because of those wins against FBS teams that weren’t available to Turner. Turner’s 2000 and 2002 teams both probably go bowling if he could have scheduled like Zook.

 

[illini80]

Those records aren’t apples the apples. The scheduling rules changed from Turner to Zook. The difference in records over those last five years is almost entirely due to the fact that Zook could schedule FBS teams and Turner mostly couldn’t. Take the wins against the likes of WIU and EIU out of the equation and their last five year records are 23-34 for Turner and 25-32 for Zook.

Zook’s 2010 and 2011 bowl teams only got there because of those wins against FBS teams that weren’t available to Turner. Turner’s 2000 and 2002 teams both probably go bowling if he could have scheduled like Zook.

While this is accurate, I still maintain that most fans remember the losses more than who they were to and Turner’s fall from the top of the B10 to B2B last place finishes are why he is held in lower regard than Zook by many.

 

[Calvin]

While this is accurate, I still maintain that most fans remember the losses more than who they were to and Turner’s fall from the top of the B10 to B2B last place finishes are why he is held in lower regard than Zook by many.

Actually, I think it had a lot to do with personnel. Zook recruited some serious talent. Even when they lost, there were highlight reel plays, and a sense of optimism that we could win the next game. With Zook, draft day was fun, reliving all those highlights.

Turner, IIRC, road Kurt Kittner to a lot of his wins. You can certainly give credit to Turner, but I felt Kittner was one of the smartest guys we've had at QB in my years as a fan, and deserves a big share of the credit. Perhaps that's a poor reason for giving Turner less credit, since he was such a QB specialist, but it made me think less of him after all those losses without him.