How do I feel about the decision to keep Ron Zook, fire some assistants, keep some others, and begin looking for miracle cures?  Let me count D ways:

     1.  Disappointed

     2.  Disillusioned

     3.  Despondent

     4.  Dooms-dayed

     The band-aid that is Ron Zook barely covers a small portion of the gaping wound that is Illinois football today. 

     Zook can recruit they say.  That is his strong point.  Yet, the incoming recruiting class today rests near the bottom of D-1 schools.

     Zook provides a family atmosphere they say.  How then do we account for the number of players who have left the program and the number who are considering leaving?

     The Illini Nation needs a reason to be excited, to buy tickets, to provide support.  Keeping Zook does none of that.

     Hiring a new coach would cause problems, too.  A new guy will have to hire a staff, establish recruiting contacts, build relationships, etc.  But, it will have to be done sometime soon.

     Why not now?

     Ron Guenther has made a ton of right decisions as the Illinois AD.  He has ram-rodded the building of new facilities,  hired terrific coaches and provided support for them,  updated our grand old Memorial Stadium - the list is endless.

     But, his record in hiring and handling football coaches is awful.

     Ironically, it is the one thing that he wants most to do - hire a good coach and put Illinois football in a competitive position.

     This will be a very long Winter for those of us who want to see Illini football succeed.