cphil006 Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 This just in... http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/football/ncaa/10/25/zook.fired/index.html?cnn=yes 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 Web site. 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 preseason poll. Off the field, Zook got into a heated confrontation with several members of a fraternity last month while defending his players, behavior 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." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. S Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 heh, seems like itd be smart for Spurrier to return to the college ranks, either that or should become an offensive co-ordinator with a good line coach at his side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockville Redskin Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 I think we'll be hearing Spurrier's name over and over again all weeklong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wkelch Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 talk about class, firing 30-40 people (Zook and his staff) but making them work the rest of the year. :doh: What happened to Spurrier to UNC? he'd fit just in with Krzyzewski and Williams and the golfing is pretty good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codeorama Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Originally posted by wkelch talk about class, firing 30-40 people (Zook and his staff) but making them work the rest of the year. :doh: What happened to Spurrier to UNC? he'd fit just in with Krzyzewski and Williams and the golfing is pretty good... Yeah, Poor Zook, he's getting paid for the next 4 years regardless of if he coaches or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockville Redskin Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 There were most likely several clauses and stuff in his contract...oh well back to the NFL for him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BayouBrave86 Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 I think Spurrier goes to Texas after this year to take over for Mack Brown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BayouBrave86 Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Oh and I bet Florida goes quietly after Stoops after this season, because his contract runs up with Oklahoma, and remember Florida wanted him badly after Spurrier resigned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wkelch Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Yeah, Poor Zook yeah, can't argue a $1.8-mil buyout... but couln't Flordia have waited till the end of the year to can Zook? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cphil006 Posted October 25, 2004 Author Share Posted October 25, 2004 Why fire him now? He lost 3 close games to LSU, Tenn., and now Miss State. At least wait until after the season... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Conspiracy Theory #1: Florida had already been in contact with Spurrier about replacing Zook and the loss to Mississippi State just put the ball in motion sooner. Conspiracy Theory #2 - Florida fired Zook now but gave him until the end of the season in order to gauge Spurrier's interest and court him. If things don't work out in the next month or so, they can turn their attention to Utah's Urban Meyer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopper Dave Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Originally posted by Jimbo Conspiracy Theory #1: Florida had already been in contact with Spurrier about replacing Zook and the loss to Mississippi State just put the ball in motion sooner. Conspiracy Theory #2 - Florida fired Zook now but gave him until the end of the season in order to gauge Spurrier's interest and court him. If things don't work out in the next month or so, they can turn their attention to Utah's Urban Meyer. Exactly. Add the potential courting of Stoops to that list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codeorama Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 You fire him now so that you can 1. get busy finding the next coach and 2. let potential recruits know who the new coach is and 3. let potential recruits know that Zook WONT be there....LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopper Dave Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Originally posted by codeorama You fire him now so that you can 1. get busy finding the next coach and 2. let potential recruits know who the new coach is and 3. let potential recruits know that Zook WONT be there....LOL Actually, one could argue that Zook was an infinitely better recruiter than Spurrier. I think that the top recruit in the nation has a soft verbal commit. Don't forget Crowder, Leak, Ingram, etc. I really hope that SOS or Stoops ends up there. I'll be there for the glory years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codeorama Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Originally posted by Chopper Dave Actually, one could argue that Zook was an infinitely better recruiter than Spurrier. I think that the top recruit in the nation has a soft verbal commit. Don't forget Crowder, Leak, Ingram, etc. I really hope that SOS or Stoops ends up there. I'll be there for the glory years. Zook was a great recruiter, however, after another disappointing year, I think he has less leverage to recruit. Imagine if you were a top HS player, in Zooks first year or two, you can expect the "we are growing for the future" stuff, but at this point, he has developed a trend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopper Dave Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Originally posted by codeorama Zook was a great recruiter, however, after another disappointing year, I think he has less leverage to recruit. Imagine if you were a top HS player, in Zooks first year or two, you can expect the "we are growing for the future" stuff, but at this point, he has developed a trend. I know, but you can't help but be amazed at the talent he's brought in. Only Mack Brown and MAYBE Stoops have done as good of a job. Texas, just like Florida, pretty much did nothing with the talent. Stoops did. That's why I want him for UF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Damn, that's too bad. I have totally enjoyed watching the Gators dissapoint under Zook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopper Dave Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Originally posted by Trevor Damn, that's too bad. I have totally enjoyed watching the Gators dissapoint under Zook. Yeah, because BC is totally dominating the uber-tough Big East, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Originally posted by Chopper Dave Yeah, because BC is totally dominating the uber-tough Big East, right? Nope but at least they didn't lose to Miss State. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorEye Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 I'd rather win SEC and National Championships than recruiting championships. Zook is a great recruiter, but lousy coach. Spurrier is a great coach, and pretty good recruiter. I'd take the latter over the former 10 times out of 10. I wonder what phat Phil is thinking tonight. The return of Darth Visor is imminent. A nice little distraction for the off week, now the Skins need to get down to business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopper Dave Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Originally posted by Trevor Nope but at least they didn't lose to Miss State. And the last time they won the National Championship was....? I feel like I'm talking to a PHILLY Eagles fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Originally posted by Chopper Dave And the last time they won the National Championship was....? I feel like I'm talking to a PHILLY Eagles fan. Not sure what that has to do with anything. I've never bragged on BC and realize that the school will never be a national contender. I hate the Gators with a passion and enjoyed watching them underachive under Zook, simple as that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullbackIsKey Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Ok, first of all, as a guy who's been at UF for the last 2 years of spurrier's reign and the 2.5 years of **** that "The Zooker" has brought us, let me just tell you that I am ABSOLUTELY ECSTATIC! As some of you may have gathered I work in the media here in Gainesville, and I was actually sent over to the press conference with the AM sports guy here. From watching this go down, our AD, Jeremy Foley, did not want to do this. He almost broke down during the press conference, and after his time at the mic, he stood in the back corner of the room with his head hanging as low as I've seen a man with a suit on's hang. He almost broke down again as Zook fled the room teary-eyed. Then our new president, Bernie Machen, a.k.a. The Man, steps up. From what I can gather, Machen went into Foley's office and said to him, "Foley, t's him or you, you pick." MAchen's track record show that he's gonna have a hand in the football program. This is his first year here from the University of Utah, he started this summer. Utah's #10 with almost no talent right now. The most telling question of the day came from our sports guy, which was, "If you and Jeremy disagree on who the final candidate is, how will that work out if there's a disagreement there?" And Bernie turns his head to look Sports Guy right in the face, dramatic pause, then, "That's not going to happen". Bernie put the fear of Machen in Foley. Broke up the Foley-Zook-Butt-Club I'll back up my rabid hatred of this man, because I've seen th4e team operate first hand. I've covered training camp for the past 2 seasons, and its sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullbackIsKey Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Zook has managed to make the Gator Nation forget about what Steve Spurrier did to us. I had to go through it twice, so I'll never forget Spurrier giving up on and turning his back on his and my beloved Gators. But a lot of people are calling for the return of Steve-O. I wish I'd taken a decibel meter into the Swamp for a Steve-O game and a Zook game and could compare the 2, because I'd bet that the place is only about 2/3 as loud as it used to, that's what it feels like in there, anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cphil006 Posted October 26, 2004 Author Share Posted October 26, 2004 If Spurrier returns...Leak could be his greatest QB ever...He'll make him a star... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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