Ron Zook Fired

[dudeman0501]

http://www.sectalk.com/teams/Florida.gifRon Zook Fired

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Florida coach Ron Zook was fired Monday but will finish the season, a university source told The Associated Press on Monday.

The move comes after Florida (4-3, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) lost 38-31 on Saturday to Mississippi State, which was just 1-5 entering that game. It was Florida's 13th loss in three seasons under Zook, hired in 2002 to replace Steve Spurrier, who led Florida to a national championship in 1996.

Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley told The Gainesville Sun that he and school president Bernie Machen met Sunday, then informed Zook of the decision Monday morning, the newspaper reported on its website.

Calls to Foley by The Associated Press were not immediately returned.

A news conference was scheduled for Monday afternoon.

Zook went 8-5 in his first two years at Florida. The Gators started 4-3 in 2002 before reeling off four straight victories. They opened 3-3 in 2003 - sparking speculation the coach would be fired - but then won five games in a row.

The Gators have had several late collapses in losses, including against Tennessee and LSU this season. And they have fallen out of The Associated Press Top 25 for the third straight year, after being voted No. 11 in the pre-season poll.

Off the field, Zook got into a heated confrontation with several members of a fraternity last month while defending his players, behaviour Foley called unacceptable and said would factor into a decision on Zook's future.

"Any time a fellow coach is fired, that's disappointing," Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom said Monday. "Ron's a good football coach who has had an excellent career. I hate that he and his coaching staff and their families have to go through that. We know this is part of the business, but it's not a part of the business that any of us enjoy."

[Neo]

It's like I said in my "Coaches On A Hot Tin Roof" article.

"Florida: Ron Zook (20-12-0) MR. Zook is on his way out. Do I feel that it is justified? No way! This man inherited a program that could not ascend any higher. Aside from being compared to "Visor Man" on a regular basis, UF fans as a whole have never given Mr. Zook a fair shake and never will. Exclude the fact that he's an EXCELLENT recruiter and that UF is rebuilding. I feel that if he doesn't beat Georgia and/or USC this year, he will be given his pink slip."

I do not think that by firing Mr. Zook that will help Florida. I think it will bite them in the butt like it did Nebraska. Look at Nebraska for instance, firing a coach that went 9-2-0. How stupid is that? What kind of message is that sending to the potential coaches? I wish Florida the best of luck hiring a decent coach because they are going to need it. Firing a coach three (3) years into his tenure is a touch much and the fact that it is showing that Florida has NO patience with it's coaching staff. That is setting the performance "bar" wayyy to high. I have always believed that it was simple, professional courtesy to give a coach 5 years before you grade him. That gives him time to incorporate his own recruits, system, etc, etc. There's nothing wrong with wanting to win, hell, USC has been wanting it consistantly for years but firing Mr. Zook before he's even given a chance is just plain WRONG!

Question: How many days after he was hired was the website "www.fireronzook.com" made public? My point is that he NEVER got a fair shake on this deal.

[volimhtown]

There's nothing wrong with wanting to win, hell, USC has been wanting it consistantly for years but firing Mr. Zook before he's even given a chance is just plain WRONG!

Question: How many days after he was hired was the website "www.fireronzook.com" made public? My point is that he NEVER got a fair shake on this deal.

Delorean, I just have to completely disagree with you on this issue. While I agree with you on your feelings about a coach getting a fair chance and being given the time to implement his ideas, that does not apply in this case where you have as much talent as Zook had taking the position. This is not about Zook getting a fair shake or not, it's about the results on the field. Comparing this situation to the Nebraska situation is not a fair comparison. Nebraska was consistently finishing 9-2 and 8-3 post Osborne. Florida has back to back 8-5 seasons plus a losing conference record to date this year, with a humiliating 38-31 loss to quite possibly one of the worst Div 1-A football teams in the country. What interest does it serve to hold onto the guy? All personal issues aside, how can you honestly say this is somehow unjust? Sure, NOBODY the Gators brought in was ever going to live up to Spurrier, and I think if you were to ask most Gator fans, they'd agree. But, the fact remains that Zook has lost this team and it is obvious by their play on the field that they've lost faith in his ability to coach. He's NOT a good coach!!! It's nothing personal, just the facts. You make the argument that this is somehow a "rebuilding year" for the Gators, BUT, I bet I could find 7 or 8 SEC coaches who would kill to have the talent that Florida has. Put Saban, Richt, or Fulmer at the healm and I guarantee this team is competing for the SEC championship. That's the bottom line!!! Ask the folks in Austin how thrilled they are right now to have a coach who can recruit and recruit ONLY!!! A "fair shake" has nothing to do with the results on the field!!

[Neo]

Delorean, I just have to completely disagree with you on this issue. While I agree with you on your feelings about a coach getting a fair chance and being given the time to implement his ideas, that does not apply in this case where you have as much talent as Zook had taking the position. This is not about Zook getting a fair shake or not, it's about the results on the field. Comparing this situation to the Nebraska situation is not a fair comparison. Nebraska was consistently finishing 9-2 and 8-3 post Osborne. Florida has back to back 8-5 seasons plus a losing conference record to date this year, with a humiliating 38-31 loss to quite possibly one of the worst Div 1-A football teams in the country. What interest does it serve to hold onto the guy? All personal issues aside, how can you honestly say this is somehow unjust? Sure, NOBODY the Gators brought in was ever going to live up to Spurrier, and I think if you were to ask most Gator fans, they'd agree. But, the fact remains that Zook has lost this team and it is obvious by their play on the field that they've lost faith in his ability to coach. He's NOT a good coach!!! It's nothing personal, just the facts. You make the argument that this is somehow a "rebuilding year" for the Gators, BUT, I bet I could find 7 or 8 SEC coaches who would kill to have the talent that Florida has. Put Saban, Richt, or Fulmer at the healm and I guarantee this team is competing for the SEC championship. That's the bottom line!!! Ask the folks in Austin how thrilled they are right now to have a coach who can recruit and recruit ONLY!!! A "fair shake" has nothing to do with the results on the field!!

Part of what you said was correct but he didn't even get through his third (3rd) year though. You don't see anything wrong with that? It is a fact though that Zook's teams with statistically better than Spurrier's first three (3) years. In Spurrier's first three years, he compiled a 28-8-0. Now Zook, in three years compiled a 20-13-0. Not that much difference if you ask me. I just think that since Spurrier left, they have gauged his successor by "Spurrier's" bar of excellence. There will never be another "Fun & Gun" offense at Florida and as a whole, people should not compare Mr. Zook to Mr. "Visor" Man. (((That's my nickname for Mr. Spurrier.)))

As to the Mississippi St. game, how many times did Mr. Spurrier lose to MSU during his tenure? His record against MSU is 3-2-0 and it could have been worse. MSU has always played Florida hard and always will. I heard something about the Florida AD saying that the MSU debacle had something to do with it. Well, on the outside looking in, can't the "scrub" teams have a good day?

Comparing the Nebraska thing was a observation. If you remember, in 2002 Nebraska lost to Ole Miss in the Independence Bowl and finished 7-7-0. The AD told Mr. Solich that he needed to straighten up or be shipped out. Well, the very next season Solich's team goes 9-3-0 and he still gets canned. In the offseason between the 7-7 & 9-3 teams, he fired most of his assistants and other coaches in an attempt to right the wrongs. The reason I used that comparision is because it is a lot like this situation at Florida. Mr. Zook actually didn't have enough time to make changes to his system or the coaching staff if needed. Granted, you said most Gator fans agreed that Zook would NEVER live up to Spurrier and that's probably true in a certain sense. That topic can be widely debated though. Two games into his tenure, the "www.fireronzook.com" website took off and was logging hundreds of thousands of hits per day. Keep in mind that his first two (2) games were against UAB (Won 51-3) and Miami, FL (Lost 41-16).

If you read the message boards all over the sports world, you would know that NO ONE wanted Zook there period. They wanted Mr. Spurrier and that's it. They (FL Fans) would not accept any less.

[volimhtown]

Hey DeLorean...we're going to have to respectfully agree to disagree!!
It is a fact though that Zook's teams with statistically better than Spurrier's first three (3) years. In Spurrier's first three years, he compiled a 28-8-0. Now Zook, in three years compiled a 20-13-0. Not that much difference if you ask me
I personally believe that is a HUGE difference!! Plus, if you are going to compare the two, you have to consider the amount of talent that each coach inherited. I would have to believe that Zook has a huge advantage in that department!!
As to the Mississippi St. game, how many times did Mr. Spurrier lose to MSU during his tenure? His record against MSU is 3-2-0 and it could have been worse. MSU has always played Florida hard and always will.
True, but history has NO bearings on current games despite any trends. Spurrier's record against MSU has no bearing in this case. Just as Carolina's recent history of playing Tennessee tough has no bearing on Saturday's game. Carolina's loss last year offers no insight into what the outcome will be Saturday. Back to my point, I guarantee the MSU teams that Spurrier lost to never lost to a Div 1-AA opponent!!
If you read the message boards all over the sports world, you would know that NO ONE wanted Zook there period. They wanted Mr. Spurrier and that's it. They (FL Fans) would not accept any less.
I absolutely agree with you!! Zook was never accepted in Gator land. Nobody would have truly been accepted short of immediately winning an SEC or National Title. BUT...I don't believe this was a "witch hunt". This was about results!! While your assertion that he was not given enough time is certainly debatable, all of the writing was on the wall and the team was not progressing. College football is a results business especially at the higher levels such as Gainesville. It is obvious that there was far more risk than reward to keep Zook, and when your in that kind of high-profile position, "being fair" to the individual is not an acceptable reason to keep him.
Florida made the right decision!!