Illinois Football: The Mo-Rons Must Go

Before the season started, I wrote an article about whether or not Ron Zook should be on the hot seat.  Now, there is no need for debate, the answer is obvious.

I don't think that there is one Illini fan out there that saw this coming.  A team with a four-year starting quarterback, one of the best wideouts in the country in Arrelious Benn, and presumed talent from several highly regarded recruiting classes lost nine games. 

The Illini underachieved all season long, and will miss a bowl again to end another losing season under Ron Zook.

Sounds bad for us in Champaign, doesn't it? 

It gets worse. 

Cordale Scott, AJ Jenkins, and Hubie Graham, members of the heralded 2008 class are on their way out the door faster than Charlie Weis and Mark Mangino to an all-you-can-eat buffet. 

There are rumors that QB Jacob Charest, WR/DB Terry Hawthorne, DL Corey Liuget, and WR Jarred Fayson will follow.  They are just rumors, but it is obvious, the Illini football program is a sinking ship.

Gruesome outlook, huh? 

There's more. 

CJ Fiedorwicz, a talented TE reeled in by Coach Zook, has decided to go to Iowa, where they actually throw to the TE. 

Kyle Prater, an in-state product who really likes Illinois will likely end up at USC, because of the lack of on-field results. 

Corey Cooper is likely to decommit. Daniel Easterly already has decommited and will attend Missouri. 

Among all of this, Ron Guenther has remained steadfast in his support to Ron Zook.  He is apparently evaluating the football program, and apparently some changes will be made. 

The sad thing is that everyone but Coach Guenther sees the change that needs to be made, and it is at the top.  No assistant coach is going to want to come to Illinois and be on a lame duck staff.

Guenther has supported Zook with words and advice during his tenure, but has not helped him where he really needs it, by getting him seven home games, or by scheduling winnable non-conference games. 

Instead of playing a cupcake team and getting a program-building win, Illinois is taking an early bye, and traveling to play a Top Five team in the nation.

Unfortunately, no one at Illinois can trust Coach Guenther to hire another football coach.  He has done well with the finances, development, facilities, and hiring other coaches. But he has failed at football miserably. 

The football record under his tenure is so putrid I refuse to even look it up. 

Guenther's contract is up next December and that is believed to be a reason he doesn't want to fire Zook.  He apparently doesn't think it would be fair to another AD to make a big decision like that at the end of his tenure. 

Illini fans know that the team will be horrendous again next year, but more are likely to turn out for a program that is making strides toward fixing things, instead of staying in the same place. 

There are people that could fire both of the Rons, but they are all new or interim thanks to Cloutgate 2009, rendering those chances smaller than the Cubs ever winning the World Series again.

Instead, Illini fans will suffer through another losing, bowl-less, possibly even winless season before change comes to Champaign. Hopefully there will be change.

The lone good news...if you actually want to go to a game next year, tickets should be easy to come by. 

Just remember your paper bags.