[NU Sports] hank must go?

[Mike Nolan]

> I have to take issue to some degree with the sentiments expressed that all 
> will be copacetic if and when Dan Persa takes his first snap.  Let's not expect
> too much from him if he returns at Illinois.  He will have to shake off
> the rust and will be less mobile in any event.  As great as he was (is?),
>  he should not be viewed as the panacea for all of the ills exposed yesterday
> --questionable calls at crucial moments, poor execution by much of team, 
> getting beat in the trenches, and seeming lack of passion, focus and 
> committment for long stretches. 

They weren't so much questionable calls as poor execution and perhaps a
less than perfect understanding of the talent on the field.   It appears
Colter doesn't have the long distance accuracy for the kind of calls they 
were sending in, especially in the 2nd half, even though he pulled a few of 
them off.  Maybe they were hoping he'd grow into the role, or they've
seen things in practice that weren't evident yesterday.  

Persa does, or at least he did last year.  I agree that he could be very
rusty at first, assuming he's 100% recovered, but at least his favorite 
targets, like Ebert, seem ready.  

Illinois was already looking like a tough conference opening game no matter 
who starts at QB for us.  They're likely to be a bigger force in the 2011 
conference race than Penn State and possibly even Ohio State.  The suspensions 
and departures are starting to show there, and the hard part of their season 
is just starting.  And this year I think JoePa might not be able to
deflect Graham Spanier's desire to force him out.  

2-1 seems to be about our norm for the first three games, and about half of
the time it seems we win one game most people thought we would lose and
lose one game everyone assumed we would win.   
--
Mike Nolan