Eric Wolford

[ELPENGUIN]

I agree with Mr. Paladin and with Mr. Nation on coach Wolford.  Plug pulled early, players playing the game were not at times accomplishing the goals for whatever reason.  Coaching staff was excellent.  As previously stated half time adjustments are myths.  The game plan must be followed and if it is not working then a quick fix or wrinkle will open the game up.  Very proud of all our victories especially over Pitt and our good showing and not so good showing on other games.

Coach is a good man.  Always made himself available to the community and to organizations such as the Curbstone Coaches.  I was impressed with the time and effort he gave to charities and the love he and his family expressed toward Youngstown.  I also wish him the best and look forward to watching his career as the coach can coach and recruit.

[guinpen]

I think that the timing was just right, gave him time to show what he could do and several problem areas were not improving. Recruiting was his strong point and thanks to that he left us in good shape, at least on the "O" side.

[IAA Fan]

I recall everyone saying that Strollo left Heacock in too long (9th-year) and he had better have a much shorter lease on the next coach. Well Wolf (5th-year) had a shorter lease. What more do you want? We can second-guess the move, but he did kept coach Wolford half of the time.

[ValleyTalk]

I was a fan of Wolford and defended him when most of you wanted him gone. It simply came down to making plays down the stretch and we could not do it. The numbers do not lie. I did some calculating of all scores under Wolford in the 1st half vs. the 2nd half and it speaks volumes:

1ST HALF
YSU: 1097 total points
Opponents: 760 total points
Point Differential: YSU +337 points

2ND HALF
YSU: 689 total points
Opponents: 724 total points
Point Differential: YSU -35 points

In conference play, the numbers are even more telling in the 2nd half:
MVFC 1ST HALF
YSU: 663 total points
Opponents: 588 total points
Point Differential: YSU +75 points

MVFC 2ND HALF
YSU: 451 total points
Opponents: 537 total points
Point Differential: YSU -86 points

Wolford's 2nd half performances simply could not get it done.

[paladin]

Do you know   stupid you look ? In 5 years, they were outscored by 35 pts in the second half --- in what,,57 or 58 games. Less than a point a game for 5 years ? Wolf doesn't need a defender, but Strollo sure as he11 does.............. that clown kept a complete disaster in Heacock around for far  too long while the program ROTTED to the core, most from bad recruiting but generally from being a poor HC. Record dropped year after year and Strollo gave that worthless  piece of crap an extension, giving him 9 years here. Here, YSU has a coach who proves to be a great recruiter and improves the record year after year AND is coaching when the League has become the TOUGHEST FCS league  in the nation and after "contensious" negotiations for an extension, pulls the plug after 5 years. Coaches around the  country have to be laughing at Strollo on that. An extension uncalled for on Heacock, but  a quick buyout on Wolf's extension ? LOL ! Moreover, it become a pity party when you stretch  the limits to produce a worthless stat like that. I'll say it -- while Strollo kissed Heacock's azz and allowed him to destroy a Cadillac program, he threw out as quick as he could a coach who   rebuilt a program in shambles and improved it year after year record wise. Strollo didn't like Wolf, period.  Enter Pelini. Its going to be my pleasure to point out over the upcoming years just how incompetent of a buffoon Strollo really is. Yet, here is a feeble  attempt to justify Strollo's actions. Laughable !

[YSUGO]

What's done is done. I liked Wolford a lot he was recruiting guys and we actually tried to beat whoever our money game was.  Wolford couldn't win that extra game a year and crapped a game away every year and we couldn't win in November even though I always thought we got screwed playing all the tough schools at the end of the schedule. If you saw today's Vindy it stated he always recruited the athlete and that hurt him because the coaches and him couldn't coach them up.  I wish him luck and I am all in with Pelini.

[guinpen]

What's done is done. I liked Wolford a lot he was recruiting guys and we actually tried to beat whoever our money game was.  Wolford couldn't win that extra game a year and crapped a game away every year and we couldn't win in November even though I always thought we got screwed playing all the tough schools at the end of the schedule. If you saw today's Vindy it stated he always recruited the athlete and that hurt him because the coaches and him couldn't coach them up.  I wish him luck and I am all in with Pelini.

Pretty much right on, the league schedule was not kind  to us the last 3 years.

[Spiderlegs]

Nice analysis by Valley Talk.

[ValleyTalk]

Do you know   stupid you look ?

No, I really don't see how I look so stupid. Wolford lost a total of 10 games in his 5 years in which YSU was leading at the half; of which 7 occurred in his final 4 seasons at YSU. Had he won just 1 of those 7 games, we certainly would not be having this discussion right now and Wolford would most certainly be our head coach. Why is that, because he needed just 1 more win over the final four seasons to get that coveted at-large into the FCS playoffs.

Furthermore, in November, Wolford was a combined 6-10 over 5 years. In August thru October, Wolford was a combined 25-15. You aren't going to have much success with that sort of record down the stretch.

[Penguin Nation]

Valley Talk with a nice demonstration of how half time and late game adjustments were the flaw of the Wolf in MVFC games.  In OOC games, the foot was pulled off the gas when playing feeble and hapless foes that Strollo  schedules.

[Wick250]

The article that YSUGO is referring to is another of Scalzo's excellent pieces in today's Vindicator.  He interviewed Mark Porter who runs that scouting service and knows Wolford and Pelini well.  Read it if you can.  For those without access, here are a few telling excerpts.

Porter: "I know with Wolf, the FBS measurables had to be there.  Once you put yourself at that rung, it's really tough to find guys.  A lot of times you're getting a track guy who can't play football."

Scalzo: on Wolford gambling that athletes with measurables could develop into football players:
"....it often left the Penguins with a glut of players who looked great in shorts and terrible in games."

Porter also suggested that Pelini would go after good football players even if they fell a little short on statistics.  Thank goodness for that.

Valley, great job in quantifying what so many of us instinctively knew.

[ysufan0505]

Great job Valley. Goes to show how this coaching staff (Montgomery), couldn't make the right adjustments in the 2nd half to win games... But somehow, Montgomery is gonna keep his job. Laughable!

[ysuguins4]

An extension uncalled for on Heacock, but  a quick buyout on Wolf's extension ?

They didn't want to make the same mistake twice.

[Penguin Nation]

An extension uncalled for on Heacock, but  a quick buyout on Wolf's extension ?

They didn't want to make the same mistake twice.

Apples and oranges.

For starters....I like the Wolf but agree with both his firing as well as the timing of his firing.

When Heacock's contract was extended, the w/L record was declining each year.  The AD should have been fired for this debacle of a decision.  Significant revenue was lost due to this single action of the AD.

When the Wolf's was extended, it was improving each year.  2014 is the ONLY year it did not improve, therefore his firing is justified after the 2014 season.

Significant revenue was also lost by renewing Slocum's contract...which makes Strollo's continued presence as AD even more of an absurdity.

[ysufan0505]

An extension uncalled for on Heacock, but  a quick buyout on Wolf's extension ?

They didn't want to make the same mistake twice.

Apples and oranges.

For starters....I like the Wolf but agree with both his firing as well as the timing of his firing.

When Heacock's contract was extended, the w/L record was declining each year.  The AD should have been fired for this debacle of a decision.  Significant revenue was lost due to this single action of the AD.

When the Wolf's was extended, it was improving each year.  2014 is the ONLY year it did not improve, therefore his firing is justified after the 2014 season.

Significant revenue was also lost by renewing Slocum's contract...which makes Strollo's continued presence as AD even more of an absurdity.

Agreed. Very good points made!