11-19-2003, 12:53 PM
I see quite a few posts expressing shock that Akron could fire....ok, tecnically, "reassign" Lee Owens. Lee was Akron's coach for 9 seasons. Below are the Cliff's Notes from his tenure:
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To me 1995-1997 doesn't count. Starting in 1998 LO predominantly had "his guys" in the Fr-Sr. classes, so that's what he should be graded upon.
1998 (4-7): We had Marshall @ home...had the lead in the 4th quarter...then the defense folded and we lost. The 35-0 loss to Pitt that season still ranks as LO's worst-coached game. I never saw a coach try to run out the clock from the opening kick off to avoid a drubbing, but that's what he did. It was horrible.
1999 (7-4) Zips surrendered 70(!) points to Penn State. The game was tight in the 1st quarter, then LO inserted Gromek for the "hot hand" Butchie...Gromek tossed two quick INT's that turned immediately into PSU TDs, and the route was on. Wins that season were against some atrocious schools...Navy, Temple, Ball State, Kent, Buffalo, a woeful BG squad and OU. The biggest game of 1999 was a home game against WMU, and we were dominated 24-10. WMU brought their band that day, and they played all day as WMU killed us. Horrible...
2000 (6-5) EVERYONE was back...this was to be "our year." We played Va. Tech tough...for a half...then folded. Hey, a lot of teams did that against Tech that season...and we were without Schifino most of the game...but the pattern of playing "big games" close, then watching them unravel, was beginning to become apparent. Home wins vs. decent UCF and Miami squads gave us hope...then NIU posted a 52-spot on us @ home...UConn pulled off the late comeback to beat us @ home...then Marshall completed the sweep with another 4th quarter comeback, of course, @ home in the Rubber Bowl. As is typical, we waxed cellar-dwellers Kent and Buffalo to salvage a winning season, but we fell far short of expectations...and our potential as well.
2001 (4-7) A "rebuilding year," as if it is possible to "rebuild" after a 6 win season? Played OSU tough througout, but lost. Had Purdue close early in the 2nd half...then folded. Folded late against Miami. Thank God the Kent punter kicked that ball into the endzone or we lose that one...loss to BG reminded me a bit of the Pitt game...Junior McCray takes the draw play 7 yards deep in the endzone for a safety, probably the worst playcall I ever witnessed. Marshall and UCF waxed us, posting 50 and 57 respectively. As usual, we close against two "dogs" in Buffalo and EMU and take two wins.
2002 (4-8) Trecey signed to save the D. Another 4-win campaign. The Marshall win was the highlight of an othewise dreadful season. Had the lead early against Miami...folded. Had the lead early against OU...folded. Had the lead early against CMU...folded. Had UVA on the ropes...let them off with a series of bizarre fake kicks. Gave up a whopping 35 FIRST QUARTER points against Iowa!!! Hey...we did put the wood to Liberty...even kicked an on-side kick when we were up 30+ points just to show those 1-AA losers who was boss!
2003: (7-5) Easiest schedule in the history of the school. We even dropped a game with Hawai'i to further simplify it. At the summer Zip golf outing, Owens predicts 8 wins. Had Wisconsin by the balls...let them off the hook. Had Miami late...let them off the hook. Had Kent late...let them off the hook. Had Uconn late...let them off the hook. In between, we got waxed by an "average" (by their standards) Marshall team from-start-to-finish.
If I can summarize all of the above, it would be:
Lee Owens was given 9 years to be successful at The University of Akron. After 9 years, you can get a pretty good read on what you'll get the following 9 years, should you decide to keep him. If your benchmark is 3rd place, history bears that Lee Owens can take you there. If your benchmark is to reach the MACC game...to be in the MCB or GMAC Bowl...to achieve a Top 25 ranking, Lee Owens is probably not the guy to take you there.
Lee has done some great things in his 9 years, and he leaves the program in far better hands than it was given to him. However, the AD has a job to do too. He also has a boss to answer to. And, if he wants one of those BCS-AD type jobs in the future, he needs to show he can do more than enhance the Athletic Department's Marketing image...he needs to prove he can build Men's Football and Basketball programs, generate $$ and put butts in the seats. That's a daunting task at Akron, and 4- to 7-win season won't cut it.
As a side note: Some will contend that Thomas fired Owens to "put a notch in his belt," to prove he could make a big-time hire so he can leave for a better AD position elsewhere. That's BS. You can't tell me Lee Owens wouldn't have left in a heartbeat for a BCS-level coaching position. Whether it is the AD or the Coach, it is very rare that a successful MAC coach/AD is a long-timer. There's a reason LO was poised to be at Akron for his 10th season...it wasn't because he was a hot coaching commodity.
I agree with the coaching decision. I wish Owens well. He's a solid guy, and he'll land on his feet. Ditto the rest of the staff.
I also love the players. A great group of guys. I hope they give the new coaches a chance.
The next few weeks will be interesting. Judging from Faust and Owens, we'll have the new guy for 9 years. He'll be the one that's going to champion the new stadium, and he's the guy that'll be under the microscope to put Akron football on "MAC Map." (Note: Not to "...be like Notre Dame or OSU," and Tammy Pluto wrote in his sorry little column) The "bar" for the Akron coaches' position is raised higher than it has ever been...so he'd better be a good hire.
******************************************************************
To me 1995-1997 doesn't count. Starting in 1998 LO predominantly had "his guys" in the Fr-Sr. classes, so that's what he should be graded upon.
1998 (4-7): We had Marshall @ home...had the lead in the 4th quarter...then the defense folded and we lost. The 35-0 loss to Pitt that season still ranks as LO's worst-coached game. I never saw a coach try to run out the clock from the opening kick off to avoid a drubbing, but that's what he did. It was horrible.
1999 (7-4) Zips surrendered 70(!) points to Penn State. The game was tight in the 1st quarter, then LO inserted Gromek for the "hot hand" Butchie...Gromek tossed two quick INT's that turned immediately into PSU TDs, and the route was on. Wins that season were against some atrocious schools...Navy, Temple, Ball State, Kent, Buffalo, a woeful BG squad and OU. The biggest game of 1999 was a home game against WMU, and we were dominated 24-10. WMU brought their band that day, and they played all day as WMU killed us. Horrible...
2000 (6-5) EVERYONE was back...this was to be "our year." We played Va. Tech tough...for a half...then folded. Hey, a lot of teams did that against Tech that season...and we were without Schifino most of the game...but the pattern of playing "big games" close, then watching them unravel, was beginning to become apparent. Home wins vs. decent UCF and Miami squads gave us hope...then NIU posted a 52-spot on us @ home...UConn pulled off the late comeback to beat us @ home...then Marshall completed the sweep with another 4th quarter comeback, of course, @ home in the Rubber Bowl. As is typical, we waxed cellar-dwellers Kent and Buffalo to salvage a winning season, but we fell far short of expectations...and our potential as well.
2001 (4-7) A "rebuilding year," as if it is possible to "rebuild" after a 6 win season? Played OSU tough througout, but lost. Had Purdue close early in the 2nd half...then folded. Folded late against Miami. Thank God the Kent punter kicked that ball into the endzone or we lose that one...loss to BG reminded me a bit of the Pitt game...Junior McCray takes the draw play 7 yards deep in the endzone for a safety, probably the worst playcall I ever witnessed. Marshall and UCF waxed us, posting 50 and 57 respectively. As usual, we close against two "dogs" in Buffalo and EMU and take two wins.
2002 (4-8) Trecey signed to save the D. Another 4-win campaign. The Marshall win was the highlight of an othewise dreadful season. Had the lead early against Miami...folded. Had the lead early against OU...folded. Had the lead early against CMU...folded. Had UVA on the ropes...let them off with a series of bizarre fake kicks. Gave up a whopping 35 FIRST QUARTER points against Iowa!!! Hey...we did put the wood to Liberty...even kicked an on-side kick when we were up 30+ points just to show those 1-AA losers who was boss!
2003: (7-5) Easiest schedule in the history of the school. We even dropped a game with Hawai'i to further simplify it. At the summer Zip golf outing, Owens predicts 8 wins. Had Wisconsin by the balls...let them off the hook. Had Miami late...let them off the hook. Had Kent late...let them off the hook. Had Uconn late...let them off the hook. In between, we got waxed by an "average" (by their standards) Marshall team from-start-to-finish.
If I can summarize all of the above, it would be:
Lee Owens was given 9 years to be successful at The University of Akron. After 9 years, you can get a pretty good read on what you'll get the following 9 years, should you decide to keep him. If your benchmark is 3rd place, history bears that Lee Owens can take you there. If your benchmark is to reach the MACC game...to be in the MCB or GMAC Bowl...to achieve a Top 25 ranking, Lee Owens is probably not the guy to take you there.
Lee has done some great things in his 9 years, and he leaves the program in far better hands than it was given to him. However, the AD has a job to do too. He also has a boss to answer to. And, if he wants one of those BCS-AD type jobs in the future, he needs to show he can do more than enhance the Athletic Department's Marketing image...he needs to prove he can build Men's Football and Basketball programs, generate $$ and put butts in the seats. That's a daunting task at Akron, and 4- to 7-win season won't cut it.
As a side note: Some will contend that Thomas fired Owens to "put a notch in his belt," to prove he could make a big-time hire so he can leave for a better AD position elsewhere. That's BS. You can't tell me Lee Owens wouldn't have left in a heartbeat for a BCS-level coaching position. Whether it is the AD or the Coach, it is very rare that a successful MAC coach/AD is a long-timer. There's a reason LO was poised to be at Akron for his 10th season...it wasn't because he was a hot coaching commodity.
I agree with the coaching decision. I wish Owens well. He's a solid guy, and he'll land on his feet. Ditto the rest of the staff.
I also love the players. A great group of guys. I hope they give the new coaches a chance.
The next few weeks will be interesting. Judging from Faust and Owens, we'll have the new guy for 9 years. He'll be the one that's going to champion the new stadium, and he's the guy that'll be under the microscope to put Akron football on "MAC Map." (Note: Not to "...be like Notre Dame or OSU," and Tammy Pluto wrote in his sorry little column) The "bar" for the Akron coaches' position is raised higher than it has ever been...so he'd better be a good hire.
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