Akron Head Coach fired over the phone while driving to mother's funeral?

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gerb131

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Nov 26, 2011 11:11 PM
Akron Football is serious.
Nov 26, 2011 11:11pm
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enigmaax

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Nov 26, 2011 11:16 PM
Another brilliant O-Trap marketing ploy.
Nov 26, 2011 11:16pm
Pick6's avatar

Pick6

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Nov 26, 2011 11:25 PM
Not true
Nov 26, 2011 11:25pm
Pick6's avatar

Pick6

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Nov 26, 2011 11:30 PM
He was going to be fired earlier in the week, but upon hearing of his mother's death, Akron decided to wait and let him coach the last game. Ianello knew, everybody knew, it just became official today.

2-22 in 2 years as a coach. 1 win against a FBS team. 1-1 against FCS teams. Shouldnt have been around this long.
By the effort the team gave Saturday, Ianello didnt really give a shit.


Rumor right now is Fickell is the #1 target. I think he is staying at OSU though. Tressel has been brought up, but thats wishful thinkng. I think Paul Winters ends up being the guy.
Nov 26, 2011 11:30pm
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cats gone wild

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Nov 26, 2011 11:33 PM
Thanks for clearing it up, but still sounds bad. Why didnt they do it in person or wait till he got back from NY (if it was done over the phone on his way to the funeral)? Or why didnt they do it the Houston Nutt way?
Nov 26, 2011 11:33pm
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Pick6

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Nov 26, 2011 11:39 PM
cats gone wild;988654 wrote:Thanks for clearing it up, but still sounds bad. Why didnt they do it in person or wait till he got back from NY (if it was done over the phone on his way to the funeral)? Or why didnt they do it the Houston Nutt way?
Dont know what the Houston Nutt way is, or even if its a fact that he was officially notified on his way to New York. I think I seen some OSU fans say that some big recruiting date is coming up, so they would have needed to do it quick. Either way, I agree bad timing, but nothing you can do about it.
Nov 26, 2011 11:39pm
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bo shemmy3337

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Nov 26, 2011 11:40 PM
I think fickle would be a great choice.
Nov 26, 2011 11:40pm
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jordo212000

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Nov 26, 2011 11:53 PM
Hopefully this isn't true, but the guy definitely needed fired. Akron's product was atrocious this year. It's been a while since I saw a D-I team look as bad as they did this past year.
Nov 26, 2011 11:53pm
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Mulva

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Nov 27, 2011 3:07 AM
bo shemmy3337;988671 wrote:I think fickle would be a great choice.
I'm not sure they could afford him.
Nov 27, 2011 3:07am
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FairwoodKing

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Nov 27, 2011 5:19 AM
bo shemmy3337;988671 wrote:I think fickle would be a great choice.
Why not? Akron hired Gerry Faust the day after he was fired from Notre Dame. Nothing Akron does surprises me.
Nov 27, 2011 5:19am
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believer

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Nov 27, 2011 7:29 AM
Mulva;988818 wrote:I'm not sure they could afford him.
If Fickle is serious about maintaining a head coaching career, I don't think he can afford NOT to take the job.
Nov 27, 2011 7:29am
Pick6's avatar

Pick6

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Nov 27, 2011 10:10 AM
FairwoodKing;988830 wrote:Why not? Akron hired Gerry Faust the day after he was fired from Notre Dame. Nothing Akron does surprises me.
Yep. Everything I have seen from Akron is that they have the money. However, I'm uncertain on whether or not they had to buyout Ianello's remaining 3 years or there was some sort of failure to perform clause he didnt meet in his contract.
Nov 27, 2011 10:10am
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Pick6

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Nov 27, 2011 10:23 AM
So Im hearing Akron is targeting Tressel.

You guys think there is any chance of that happening? I personally think Tressel will feel that he is too big for a school like Akron, but who knows how bad he wants to get back into head coaching..
Nov 27, 2011 10:23am
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bigkahuna

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Nov 27, 2011 11:54 AM
Granted I have no knowledge of the situation, but I have a very HARD time thinking that Tressel would even consider walking into Akron's locker room let alone the head coaching office.

If that's the case, OSU might not want to schedule Akron anymore ;)
Nov 27, 2011 11:54am
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Pick6

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Nov 27, 2011 11:59 AM
bigkahuna;988985 wrote:Granted I have no knowledge of the situation, but I have a very HARD time thinking that Tressel would even consider walking into Akron's locker room let alone the head coaching office.
Same. But then again, If Akron ever had the chance to get a big name guy, it would be him.
Here's the source saying that Akron is targeting him: http://www.footballscoop.com/the-scoop

Its also the same source that called Ianello's hiring 2 years ago (over Fickell) and his firing last Tuesday.
Nov 27, 2011 11:59am
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gerb131

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Nov 27, 2011 12:00 PM
Tress' days of coaching are far from over and I'd think he'd stay in Ohio but Akron is a stretch.
Nov 27, 2011 12:00pm
ts1227's avatar

ts1227

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Nov 27, 2011 12:42 PM
Pick6;988921 wrote:So Im hearing Akron is targeting Tressel.

You guys think there is any chance of that happening? I personally think Tressel will feel that he is too big for a school like Akron, but who knows how bad he wants to get back into head coaching..
I could see him going the Solich route. Tressel will be 60 next year, has more than enough money, and may just want to take a lower stress job near home to ride off into the sunset for the next 10 years or so.
Nov 27, 2011 12:42pm
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Little Danny

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Nov 27, 2011 1:24 PM
Tress willlikely get tagged with the Show Cause penalty. That will cost the hiring schools a handful of schollys a year. Can Akron afford that?
Nov 27, 2011 1:24pm
ts1227's avatar

ts1227

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Nov 27, 2011 1:31 PM
Little Danny;989101 wrote:Tress will likely get tagged with the Show Cause penalty. That will cost the hiring schools a handful of schollys a year. Can Akron afford that?
How does that work if Akron hurries up and hires him before the NCAA hands down any decision, since they're dicking around with determing/announcing the sanctions?

I know a show cause hurts you if you hire him AFTER the announcement (you have to petition NCAA to hire him, there's penalties, etc), but if they beat the NCAA to the punch, I don't know if it changes anything.
Nov 27, 2011 1:31pm
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bigkahuna

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Nov 27, 2011 3:18 PM
Little Danny;989101 wrote:Tress willlikely get tagged with the Show Cause penalty. That will cost the hiring schools a handful of schollys a year. Can Akron afford that?
I think the bigger question is are the willing to take the risk/reward for it. Are 5 scholly's a year for 3 years worth Jim Tressel?
Nov 27, 2011 3:18pm
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bigkahuna

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Nov 27, 2011 3:20 PM
gerb131;988995 wrote:Tress' days of coaching are far from over and I'd think he'd stay in Ohio but Akron is a stretch.
The only other schools the are I-A
BGSU
Toledo
Kent St.
Miami
Cincinnati
Ohio

Besides Cincinnati's AQ status, I would consider these a wash in attractiveness. Maybe he goes back to Youngstown?
Nov 27, 2011 3:20pm
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GoPens

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Nov 27, 2011 5:59 PM
Here we go with more like "I've heard Urban Meyer has bought a house in Upper Arlington" and "Bill Cowher bought a house in Strongsville" stuff.
Nov 27, 2011 5:59pm
Pick6's avatar

Pick6

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Nov 27, 2011 7:50 PM
GoPens;989830 wrote:Here we go with more like "I've heard Urban Meyer has bought a house in Upper Arlington" and "Bill Cowher bought a house in Strongsville" stuff.
what you mean?


Akron is located in NE Ohio, where Tressel is from. They have the best football facilities in the MAC. He has been at numerous athletic events at Akron this year. Including the mens basketball game vs Detroit, where he was seen talking to donors.....Like I said, I think its unlikely, but he is at least listening to what Akron has to say.
Nov 27, 2011 7:50pm
Pick6's avatar

Pick6

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Nov 27, 2011 8:13 PM
Oh yea GoPens, your wish has came true. I'm hearing that Tressel is buying a house in Hudson. This is from a source that works for the football program and told me about Ianello firing before that link I posted knew about it.
Nov 27, 2011 8:13pm