[NU Sports] Coaching shuffles ...

[sjtruog at jorsm.com]

> But when I look at how public and visible the other denials are from the
> other ND candidates, it is a little curious that we aren't seeing just
> as visible and public a denial from RW and NU.

I haven't seen any visible public denials for ND so far ... unless you
count signing extensions at current schools denials.

I think we're reading far too much into this. First off, I doubt Walker
ever was contacted or seriously considered for the job, so he probably
didn't think he needed to issue a denial as soon as the shocking firing of
Willingham happened.

Then, he may have been on the road recruiting ... on vacation ... sick in
bed ... who really knows where he was, but somehow his name got circulated
online and in some small papers (not in any Chicago papers, I believe) --
so he calls the NU Sports department and issues a denial.

What more can the guy do? The Chicago press doesn't cover us during the
season and they're not going to send some cameras and stuff up to Evanston
for a denial of someone they had never even mentioned or considered as a
candidate for the job.

He's issued statements that he's happy at NU and a denial. Unless we want
some sort of blood brothers oath, I think we should be satisfied!:)

Now, speaking of press coverage ...

The hiring of Zook has certainly put the Ill-whine-I back on the Chicago
media's radar for the first time in three years. Which could be bad news
for recruiting, but I'm not sure we're after a lot of the same athletes --
it's more likely to impact Iowa, Wisconsin and Purdue, who have been
reaping the benefits of an awful UI team in the Chicagoland area the past
few years.

I gotta say that I am impressed -- I wasn't sure Illinois would be able to
attract a "name" coach or much attention. But they got someone who -- if
nothing else -- has proven himself to be one heck of a recruiter at
Florida and before that at Ohio State. If the rumored pipeline from
Chicago to Champaign exists for sports outside of basketball, Zook will
sure open it up. And he won't have the unbelievable pressure he did at
Florida (where his recruits are finally going to be upperclassmen next
year and should be top 10 material). So this move has already paid off big
for UI.

Who'd have though that Illinois would be the midwestern university hiring
the big football name this season?

With Louisville and Boise State signing up their coaches a day after Cal
locked Tedford in ... along with Ferentz signing a big contract before the
opening ... the Irish really gotta be in a mad scramble for candidates.
Most of the big mid-major coaches are out of the running. Where do they go
next?

The Trib reported today that ND has called the Buffalo Bills offensive
coordinator ... but I'm not sure that will do much to satisfy alumni. They
may have to wait out the NFL season and hope that either Coughlin gets
fired in New York, Weiss leaves New England or Gruden can be coerced to
come. But none of that is going to happen for another month, leaving four
or five more weeks of wild speculation, rumors, puzzlement and lost
recruits as the embarassment grows.

It's like Christmas came early this year ... with another B(C)S disaster
(a repeat of last year's three-way deadlock with higher stakes since all
are unbeaten ... plus the shady voting/Cal controversey) and the Notre
Dame DOH!mer Debacle.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT