I'm afraid everyone is in panic mode. I'm not ready to fire Wolf just yet. Reasons ? --
1. Record has improved every year he has been here. Moving forward.
2. Despite the criticism, recruiting HAS improved over Heacock ( you got a I-A win over Pitt with the best Juco class YSU ever recruited) and players often come with star ratings and lots of scholly offers rather than NO other offers. That alone is a huge improvement.
3.Tressel had a problem winning in this league. Its very competitive. We finished tied for 2nd. An improvement. And YSU finishes a Top 20 program that reached near Top 10. Hardly chopped liver.
4. When you average 36 pts a game, you got an Offense. Don't be stupid as no one pounds it out anymore. Its a wide-open game now.
5.Lets be truthful -- the playoff committee tries hard to keep YSU out because the stain of Tressel and cheating has carried over to now. First at YSU then at Ohio St. Criteria isn't followed. Not Wolf's fault.
6. Lets be critical -- Wolf isn't a Tressel. He is rough on the edges where Tressel was smooth. Uses profanity ( I'm shocked , a coach cursing?) . Has a problem on D that is yet to be addressed, yet wins most games in spite of it.
7. NDS and SDS had the best players in the league, bar none. Yet we tied for 2nd. The rest of the league has some nice teams but success was limited with injuries and tough schedules. No Houston Baptist or Incarnate Word here. The league has I-A wins. Level of competition is high.
8. I'll be blunt -- Firing a coach who wins and improves the record every year looks BAD ( 4 years). If I'm a coach and I'm good, I'm not taking a job for less than 5 years ( have a chance to build it my way, get retirement qualified and put some stability in my family's lives in an otherwise gypsy profession). No way I look at YSU. The smart guys look for a down program who has lost, a lot, and tries to build with improved winning. This program improved every year. Missing ? The playoffs. I won't be com ing up. Too easy to lose again before winning and no playoffs. I'll look for a job with better long term outlooks.
I like these points, IF yo assume he is staying ...because they can sound like excuses.
1. Record has show little improvement & none over his predecessor.
2. I am tired of hearing how recruiting has improved ...it is has not. In 4 years I have seen only a couple of players that were better than what was already there. He refuses to play certain individuals for reasons that I can only see as a bias ...(isn't that right Carson Sharbaugh?). I will give Wolf credit for recruiting better athletes ...but he is far below his predecessor in terms of recruiting football players. I will further add that (on defense at least) coach H was the best molder of raw talent.
3. Agree 100%. Allow me to point out that had we faced this gauntlet (our last three losses) early in the conference schedule ...YSU never sees the top-25; we lose those narrow games to USD and SIU because our team is demoralized over the three losses. We finish with a 6-6 record.
4. I agree it is wide opened, but how can you not have a complete ball-control offense? If you are thinking we do not have the scholarships available ...I agree. So if forced to choose ...I choose a power game like SDSU and NDSU.
5. Do not believe in any way. I could be wrong ...just do not believe they ignore their success stories.
6. true, but again, excuses if you are going to keep him. Certainly not a reason to hire him, and THAT is how you grade a coach.
7. Agreed on level of competition, but not that the best players are on the xDSU's.
8. Again an excuse. How long was coach H here & you yourself talked about his inadequacies. If we extend Wolf ...he will be here no less than 9-years. Sound familiar? Justified or not; at least coach H gave us a semi-final appearance for his extension.