DiNardo's firing questionable

Yesterday afternoon when I discovered that Ty Willingham was fired as the head football coach at Notre Dame, I was surprised and disappointed at the decision makers at the University. Building a strong football program takes time, and three years with your predecessor's recruits is not sufficient time to judge a coach's tenure. However, because of all of the talk radio and articles published recently, I had a sense of pride in the IU football program, for it was not making the same mistake that these other schools are currently making. As a regular losing-record program, we understand that to rebuild and win, you need several things: A coach who is dedicated to sticking with the program and not using the school as a stepping stone to another job, players who believe in the coach's vision for the future and an administration willing to wait for the slow process to take form.\nLess than 24 hours later, my sense of pride in the IU Athletic Department had plummeted. Gerry DiNardo has officially been fired as head coach of IU football. I am shocked and frustrated at this decision, and I can only hope that the school has a game plan for the future of the program. In my opinion, if there aren't any better options for head coach available who would realistically relocate to a continuously rebuilding program, don't fire a dedicated and hard-working coach.\nAt least Notre Dame has the name to attract almost any coach in the country that it wants. In addition, it has the money and desire to compete for a national championship every year. Indiana is a basketball school that desperately needs the money that comes from selling football tickets and going to bowl games. Football programs generate the money necessary to fund the majority of the athletics department. With dwindling attendance for Indiana home football games, IU is in trouble. Remember, Assembly Hall, which sells out every basketball game, only seats in the 19,000s. Memorial Stadium, the enigma of a football stadium, holds about 52,000. IU cannot afford to pay a high-priced salary to a well known football coach. More importantly, any coach that comes to Indiana understands these three things:\n1. Basketball comes first\n2. Indiana is the third best team in the state (behind Purdue and ND)\n3. Basketball comes first\nSo what did DiNardo do wrong? The reports are claiming that the reason for his early firing is due to his 8-27 record over his three seasons and the low attendance. What is not being reported is how he did not have a complete 85-player roster until his third season. Additionally, his 2005 recruiting class was being named the best IU class in years, and IU still had 12 scholarships to give. Indiana will be fortunate to keep half of the recruits who have verbally agreed so far. The 2005 season will mirror 2002 -- an undermanned team, few high-caliber recruits, low attendance and, most importantly, another losing record with no bowl game. In three years, it is more likely than not that we will be exactly where we are now, sitting with a coach who has rebuilt the program in the hot seat because we haven't seen immediate strides. It takes baby steps to build a program and, most importantly, time. I hope I am wrong and a savior comes along and turns our football team into a contender. I just hope enough people remember where the football stadium is by the time that day comes around.