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 AKRON, OHIO – On Friday, the Akron Zips lost to Western Michigan 68-19, It was UA’s eighth consecutive loss, finishing the 2011 season at 1-11 overall and 0-8 in Mid-American Conference play. Saturday, Athletic Director Tom Wistrcill announced the decision to terminate head coach Rob Ianello, along with his coaching staff, effective immediately.
“We didn’t feel the program was headed in the right direction.” Wistrcill said when he met the media early Saturday evening before UA’s Men’s Basketball game against Detroit. “Ultimately, we needed to win more games. It is not all about winning, but there are a lot of things that go into it.”
Ianello was unavailable for comment as he was en route to his parents home in the suburbs of New York City to attend the funeral of his mother, Rita, who passed away on Tuesday.
The Zips finished the two seasons under Ianello at 2-24 and just 1-15 in MAC play. In 2010, they lost their first 10 games before beating Buffalo in the season finale. They were the last team in the Football Bowl Subdivision to pick up a victory.
This season after losing their first three at Ohio State, home against Temple, and at Cincinnati by a combined score of 152-19, the Zips defeated Virginia Military Institute, a school from the old Division I-AA, 36-13. It would be Ianello’s last win with the Akron Blue and Gold.
During the middle part of the season, Ianello said that his team was getting better since the second half of the Cincinnati game. It had shown in the offense, especially with the running of sophomore Jawon Chisholm, who had three consecutive 100-yard games.
UA however lost close games to Eastern Michigan and Florida International. After a game against Ohio where they were not competitive, they came back from a 20-0 deficit the next week against Central Michigan, scoring a key touchdown on the final play of regulation. Ianello decided to go for a two-point conversion and the win, but the play failed. That would be the closest UA could get to winning for the remainder of the season.
The Zips lost their next two games by a combined score of 70-6 including a 35-3 loss to arch rival Kent State at home. Next was a 51-10 loss at Buffalo before Friday’s rout in Kalamazoo.
As the losses mounted the fan disinterest in the team grew, crowds at InfoCision Stadium grew smaller.
Wistrcill, who took over as athletic director in 2009, said it was his decision to relieve Ianello and his staff of their duties. “I made a recommendation to the President (Dr. Luis Proenza). He and I have had lots of conversation about this, as well. He supported my decision, and we move forward from here.”
He continued, “I can’t pinpoint exactly what the problem was. We did a lot of good things outside of the games. Ultimately, we did not do well on game days.”
Ianello, 46, was named the 26th head coach in UA football history on December 10, 2009. He succeeded J.D. Brookhart, who compiled a 30-42 record from 2004-09.
It was Ianello’s first crack at being a head coach. He came from Notre Dame where he was assistant head coach for the offense and recruiting coordinator for the Fighting Irish. In addition, he was the interim head coach when then head man Charlie Weis left to become offensive coordinator of the NFL Kansas City Chiefs.
Along the way in his coaching career, beginning in 1987, Ianello worked under Bill Curry at Alabama, Dick Tomey at Arizona, and Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin.
Ianello was given a contract that paid him $375,000 per year through 2014. The money was broken down to a base salary of $300,000 - $50,000 for radio work (being available to Akron radio broadcasts and the weekly show ‘Zips Live’), and $25,000 in shoe and apparel agreements. UA athletic teams, except for the Men’s Basketball team, have an agreement with Adidas.
There is a provision in the contract that calls for UA to negotiate a settlement of at least one-half of Ianello’s base salary for the final three years. A final figure has yet to be determined.
When asked about a settlement, Wistrcill said. “We are still working out the financial terms with our legal people and his, as well.”
In regard to the assistants, Wistrcill said the department will honor their contracts by keeping them on the payroll until February.
As to the future, a national search begins immediately. “I will be really interested to see the potential candidates out there, people who are interested in what we believe is a great opportunity for our next coach,” said Wistrcill, who indicated there is no timetable in hiring a new coach.
Three years ago, UA moved into a gem of a stadium and looked to a future as one of the top football teams in the MAC. Currently they sit as one of the bottom teams in the entire FBS. The hiring of a new football coach will be key step in attempting to turn the Zips’ fortunes around.
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