The toughest coaching job in America

[igo4uni]

You guys thought Nebraska was harsh on Frank Solich. The expectations for Nebraska football are a walk in the park compared to what is expected out of the wrestling program down in Iowa City.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060330/SPORTS020503/603300417

Zalesky won the national title his first 3 years on the job and had an overall record of 127-34.

Dan Gable is a hard act to follow. Anything less than a national title is simply unacceptable. Tough stuff. I'm glad I don't have that kind of pressure at my job. :)

[89Hen]

You guys thought Nebraska was harsh on Frank Solich... Zalesky won the national title his first 3 years on the job and had an overall record of 127-34.

Dan Gable is a hard act to follow. Anything less than a national title is simply unacceptable. Tough stuff. I'm glad I don't have that kind of pressure at my job. :)
Dunno...

The Hawkeyes last won an NCAA championship in 2000 and did not crown an individual national champion the last two seasons. Iowa's 10-7 record this season included the most losses in a season since a 7-8 record in 1966-67. The Hawkeyes finished sixth in the Big Ten Conference tournament - its lowest spot since 1967 - before placing fourth at the NCAA championships in Oklahoma City this month.

Under Zalesky, the Hawkeyes saw a 30-meet winning streak against intrastate rival Iowa State halted in 2003, and suffered rare losses to Northwestern and Illinois in 2005. Iowa's 30-10 loss at home to Oklahoma State in January 2004 was the Hawkeyes' worst home loss in 30 years.

Agreed they have unbelievably high standards, but they do have some legit claims IMO.

[igo4uni]

"The standard at Iowa-whether we like it or not-is to win the NCAA championship, the Big 10 championship, win the National duals, and go undefeated."

--Bob Bowlsby, Iowa Athletic Director

Is there any other AD in the country that would set the standard for any sports program this high??

The Iowa wrestling program has been down the last few years (They did finish 2nd nationally in 2004) but I think it is unreasonable for such lofty expectations. I thought the same thing when Nebraska got rid of Solich as well.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

I've give you another candidate, the men's basketball coach at UNH!


Since WWII, UNH has only had eight winning seasons!
It has never won 20 games in a season.
It has never finished first in its league during the regular season.
It has never played in the EOY league championship game.
It has always been "third fiddle" after ice hockey and football. And with the women's ice hockey team just finishing a Frozen Four season with virtually everybody returning, that third fiddle will be challenged! NH is an ice hockey state.
Very few D-I hoop players come out of NH high schools. The prep schools are a whole different story.
Traditionally, very stringent academic standards for the hoop players.


Obviously, this scenario is on the other end of the spectrum from your Wrestling example. But I think most coaches would rather tackle one of your extremely high expectation jobs!

[colgate13]

Oh I can top that - Colgate men's basketball coach! We LOST to UNH this year AND have the lowest Division I attendance in the country! :) :(

[colgate13]

"The standard at Iowa-whether we like it or not-is to win the NCAA championship, the Big 10 championship, win the National duals, and go undefeated."

--Bob Bowlsby, Iowa Athletic Director

Is there any other AD in the country that would set the standard for any sports program this high??
If that's the case, then the next hire better win the whole thing in 2 years or else perhaps it's not the coach, but the AD who needs to be canned. Isn't he ultimately resonsible for such a program with high standards? :nono:

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Oh I can top that - Colgate men's basketball coach! We LOST to UNH this year AND have the lowest Division I attendance in the country! :) :(

Don't want to rub salt into that wound, but the game was at Colgate while our football teams were playing in Durham! And the ESPN announcers were having fun with the hoop score. FWIW, we were very surprised (and elated) UNH won that hoop game in Hamilton!

Seriously 13, has Colgate hoop been as inept since WWII as UNH? I know when we were both in the NAC, that we were both consistent second division dwellers. I don't know Colgate's hoop history pre-NAC.

[igo4uni]

If that's the case, then the next hire better win the whole thing in 2 years or else perhaps it's not the coach, but the AD who needs to be canned. Isn't he ultimately resonsible for such a program with high standards? :nono:

Very good point.

[ngineer]

Not totally surprised by the Zalesky firing--but can't agree with it. Two years ago they were #2 in the country. Yes, they slipped to fourth this year--but still. Unreasonable expectations. As far as I know, he's well respected, runs a 'clean' program, and a good representative of the University. Unless there were some behind the scenes pressures due to dissension on the team I think decisions like these are sad.

[colgate13]

Seriously 13, has Colgate hoop been as inept since WWII as UNH? I know when we were both in the NAC, that we were both consistent second division dwellers. I don't know Colgate's hoop history pre-NAC.

I don't have any historical records like that, but anecdotally, sans 2-3 years with Adonal Foyle, we've been BAD.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

I don't have any historical records like that, but anecdotally, sans 2-3 years with Adonal Foyle, we've been BAD.

How could I have forgotten Adonal Foyle! :eek: :eek: :eek:

IIRC, Colgate made the NCAA Tournament when he played. You'd have to have many, many years of complete futility to offset the NCAA bid. That is an achievement that hasn't been close to happening in Durham. But I'm not trying to be combative so I'll say that both are really, really tough jobs.

[igo4uni]

How could I have forgotten Adonal Foyle! :eek: :eek: :eek:

IIRC, Colgate made the NCAA Tournament when he played. You'd have to have many, many years of complete futility to offset the NCAA bid. That is an achievement that hasn't been close to happening in Durham. But I'm not trying to be combative so I'll say that both are really, really tough jobs.


How long is the tenure of a coach that does not win at UNH and Colgate? Is having a bad team just accepted, or is the AD actively trying to put together a winning team?

Just curious.

[colgate13]

Too long if you ask me! xlolx

Seriously though, Colgate only started offering basketball scholarships 2 seasons ago, so there was always an excuse for mediocrity. Now that that is gone, we're in unchartered waters. I think now there is a 'one more year' mentality on campus. If the current coach can't get it done (and that standard IMO would be above .500 with what he's got), I think he's gone.

[igo4uni]

Seriously though, Colgate only started offering basketball scholarships 2 seasons ago, so there was always an excuse for mediocrity.

Why no schollies before 2 years ago??

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

How long is the tenure of a coach that does not win at UNH and Colgate? Is having a bad team just accepted, or is the AD actively trying to put together a winning team?

Just curious.

At UNH we're on our fifth head coach since 1989. And in a previously unheard of move, last year UNH bought out the last year of the head coach's contract after six losing seasons (longest tenure since 1989). Then Bill Herrion was hired and the salary was almost doubled. The current AD is making a statement that losing isn't "just accepted" and that he wants basketball to be a true revenue sport.

Prior to 1989 we had the same head coach for 20 years. He had five of the eight winning seasons since WWII and was recognized as a fine coach. Some of you might recall that Sports Illustrated wrote a feature article on him (Gerry Friel) when he was being pressured out because he didn't win. He never had very much staff or recruiting resources, no in-state talent pool to draw upon, and very stringent academic standards. He concentrated on developing players and graduating them. During the mid to late 80's, UNH did just accept losing.

Then all of a sudden UNH decided they wanted to win (think about the growth in the NCAA Tournament at this time). Rather than give Friel increased resources and less stringent standards, they brought in a new coach who was given a very significant budget increase as well as much lower standards. He didn't win either and his three year contract was never renewed.

Other than two years when UNH lucked out with two in-state kids who had started college at UMass and Providence transferring in, it has been the same losing ever since. They had winning seasons in 93-94 and 94-95, one being UNH's best ever at 19-9 with a 2nd place league finish. Despite moving into the brand new Whittemore Center in the 95-96 season, they couldn't come close to maintaining any success.

There is hope for the future with Bill Herrion at the helm. But it has been reported that he has said "what did I get myself into" on at least one occasion!

[colgate13]

Why no schollies before 2 years ago??

Colgate had never offered them before, much like the Ivy. The entire PL banned them until Holy Cross huffed and puffed back in '96 I believe. It took some time, but now the whole league is scholarship.

[igo4uni]

Colgate had never offered them before, much like the Ivy. The entire PL banned them until Holy Cross huffed and puffed back in '96 I believe. It took some time, but now the whole league is scholarship.

Thanks for the info!