supadupafly
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This is an excerpt from a letter that was recently written by Jerry Ramshaw (a former University of Illinois football player and longtime Champaign, Ill. businessman) on why the U of I should not fire Ron Zook (which happened today) and his staff. Thought there were a few parallels to Minnesota in terms of the similar frequency of coaching changes we have also seen here over the past 50 seasons.
The key message to take from it? That continuity in college football coaching staffs (even if there is not initial or consistent success in the first 4, 5 or even 6 years) is extremely important. Makes me believe the 7 year contract for coach kill was the right move to make by the U of M. It creates an atmosphere and system of continuity and consistency that the U of M has lacked at times over the last 40-50 seasons.
This is the excerpt from his letter that caught my eye.
Loren Tate’s article on Sunday, Nov. 19
: (“Change Isn’t Always Good”) really drove
: home the
: importance of stability. Wisconsin and
: Virginia Tech are great examples.
:
: At Wisconsin, Barry Alvarez didn't have a
: winning season until his fourth at the
: school and was 4-5-2
: in his sixth season. But Wisconsin knew the
: program was headed in the right direction.
: He went on to coach
: in three Rose Bowls. At Virginia Tech, Frank
: Beamer had two winning seasons in his first
: six years and never
: won more than six games. In his sixth
: season, Tech was 2-8-1. But they didn't quit
: on him. The rest is history.
:
: The key to it all—continuity.
:
: If continuity is the Badger motto, and the
: Hokie motto; if Barry Alvarez can go 4-5-2
: in his
: sixth season and go on to create a dynasty
: in the next ten years; if Frank Beamer can
: go 2-8-1 in his sixth
: season and do the same, then maybe it’s time
: for the Illini to borrow a page from the
: Badger and Hokie
: playbooks and end the 50 years of revolving
: door coaching changes at Illinois.
:
: Illinois football needs continuity and
: stability—now more than ever.
:
: Illini forever!
:
: Jerry Ramshaw
The key message to take from it? That continuity in college football coaching staffs (even if there is not initial or consistent success in the first 4, 5 or even 6 years) is extremely important. Makes me believe the 7 year contract for coach kill was the right move to make by the U of M. It creates an atmosphere and system of continuity and consistency that the U of M has lacked at times over the last 40-50 seasons.
This is the excerpt from his letter that caught my eye.
Loren Tate’s article on Sunday, Nov. 19
: (“Change Isn’t Always Good”) really drove
: home the
: importance of stability. Wisconsin and
: Virginia Tech are great examples.
:
: At Wisconsin, Barry Alvarez didn't have a
: winning season until his fourth at the
: school and was 4-5-2
: in his sixth season. But Wisconsin knew the
: program was headed in the right direction.
: He went on to coach
: in three Rose Bowls. At Virginia Tech, Frank
: Beamer had two winning seasons in his first
: six years and never
: won more than six games. In his sixth
: season, Tech was 2-8-1. But they didn't quit
: on him. The rest is history.
:
: The key to it all—continuity.
:
: If continuity is the Badger motto, and the
: Hokie motto; if Barry Alvarez can go 4-5-2
: in his
: sixth season and go on to create a dynasty
: in the next ten years; if Frank Beamer can
: go 2-8-1 in his sixth
: season and do the same, then maybe it’s time
: for the Illini to borrow a page from the
: Badger and Hokie
: playbooks and end the 50 years of revolving
: door coaching changes at Illinois.
:
: Illinois football needs continuity and
: stability—now more than ever.
:
: Illini forever!
:
: Jerry Ramshaw