Instanalysis: Will Illinois Give Ron Zook The Hook?

Is a 7-point, road conference loss enough to destine a head coach for the unemployment line? It could be if that coach is Ron Zook.

The ever-tenuous relationship between a coaching staff and a fan base is based on instant gratification, and consecutive, offensively anemic performances by the Illini have made a 5-0 start ancient history. Last season’s Texas Bowl rout of Baylor? A fossil. The 2008 Rose Bowl Game may as well be the primordial ooze.

Don’t expect a presser announcing an interim head coach, national coaching search and promises of a splashy hire from new athletic director Mike Thomas Monday morning. Zook won’t be fired next week, nor should he. This team’s still making a bowl game, beat a legitimately good Arizona State and entered Week 8 in the polls for crying out loud. All that considered, suggesting Zook’s release is coming by Christmas may seem a stretch of Dhalsim proportions. But the Purdue loss was so perfectly indicative of Zook’s run in Champaign, one can’t blame the natives if they’re restless.

Illinois’ 21-14 loss at Purdue wasn’t the debacle of UCLA’s 48-12 showing Thursday night at Arizona. Frankly, such a disastrous implosion would not suit Zook’s Illinois tenure. UI fell behind early by giving up three touchdowns in the first half, asserted itself defensively in the second and mustered just enough offense to make the finish excruciatingly close.

Indeed, if Rick Neuheisel’s fate was sealed in a monumental collapse, Zook’s was more like an afternoon in the dentist’s chair.

Wins like the 2007 defeat of Ohio State to help punch Illinois’ Rose Bowl ticket, December’s Texas Bowl and last month’s ASU defeat always seem to have their counter in ugly, perplexing losses. Purdue isn’t a bad team, actually coming in ranked in the top 30 of scoring defenses. But the Boilers were allowing a considerable 149.3 rushing yards per game, yet the Illini’s three-headed running back corps of Jason Ford, Donnovon Young and Troy Pollard made a combined 18 carries. Ford picked up over eight yards per attempt, but saw just 10 opportunities.

Meanwhile, dual threat quarterback Nathan Scheelhasse was sacked four times — Purdue entered the game with six all season. And no, Ryan Kerrigan was not mysteriously granted eligibility for the one game.

The lack of run calls is partially attributed to the 21-0 deficit early, but that disadvantage in itself is another problem Illinois’ faced under Zook. Purdue is one of those trap potential teams for an opponent overlooking it, but coming off a loss, Illinois shouldn’t have needed extra focus. Obviously, it did, and the result was an ultimately insurmountable hole.