Why Does Rashard Mendenhall Hate Ron Zook?

The News Gazette is in Champaign Illinois and I find it hard to believe that it declined to say where it was located beings it has been there for over 50 years. I live in Champaign and have friends at the university and never heard any rumblings out of Mendenhall until after the draft. I had wondered where his brother had gone up and until about a month a couple of months ago. The only thing I can figure out was that Juice got his tail kissed too much and Mendenhall felt left out. That or Turner was too nice to him and when Zook came in it was time to toe the line. I hope Rashard has a nice career, was actually hoping the Bears would've taken him, but if he doesn't want to come back to where he was given his opportunity to shine and now be a pro so be it. Nobody here is going to be down on their knees begging for a guy that had one great year out of 3.

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Mendenhall has let his new fame go to his head. He was a backup back for two years because the backs ahead of him were playing better and were not as selfish. He constantly states in the Chicago newspapers that his brother (who does not have his skills) should be playing more. I wish him the best in the pros but he will soon learn that others are much better than he is.

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Rashard should thank his lucky stars for Zook. He wasn't even on the NFL's radar entering the season. then afterwards, Zook told him that the chance to go in the first round was worth more than coming back. I'm not totally convinced he's the real deal. The whole team was far better around him this season. It was hard not to be an upgrade.

Pierre Thomas was a solid back as well, but it's difficult to put up Mendenhall numbers when you're dragging 3 defenders by the line of scrimmage like he was... being handed the ball by a freshman with a completion pct on par with GWBush's approval ratings.

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"a freshman with a completion pct on par with GWBush's approval ratings."

Hilarious

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He was just hurt that Zook never took him water skiing.

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Wow. Shows how much all of you know. Rashard was told what he could - and could not - do as a running back. In other words, his talent and instincts were stripped from him by Mr. Zook. He was fed consistent lies by the head coach about playing time, offensive schemes, and better yet, Zook takes credit for an athlete's talent. Good luck with your 5-receiver sets and the Big-Ten's bottom-of-the-barrell QB, Juice Williams.

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That "bottom-of-the-barrell (only one "l") QB" almost single-handedly won the game against then-No. 1 (The) Ohio State by running and running for the final 8 minutes. And against a very good defensive team. Now, I don't think Illinois will repeat their Rose Bowl season, but they will be a very good team. They are a top 4 Big 10 team for sure.

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Finally SOMEONE speaks up. Ron Zook has been a classless joke of a man to just about every single person 'below' him, Whether it be players or his assistant coaches. Let's not forget, this is the man that has had coaches numbering in the double digits either leave his staff or be fired in his first two years. People in Champaign are in love with him because he recruits well but frankly, i not only believe that character should play a role in who you want as your head man, but also that truth be told, he isn't a miraculous coach. He has a great supporting staff and knows what to say when the camera is on, and that's all there is to him.

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There are more then a few reasons to HATE zook if you knew what was happening behind the scenes rather than just assume that his fame has gone to his head. I've known and grew up with the kid and unlike the common athlete, he has maintained a fierce loyalty to his friends, family and hometown while being the most humble, non "trouble-making athlete" I or YOU will ever see. He doesn't go out and compeltely air his dirty laundry on Zook because he chooses not to. He was asked a direct question and he answered it. Its not like he went on a T.O. like monologue rant on his driveway. The kid doesn't drink, smoke, stay out late or skip any activity that would make him a better player or person. Now lets talk Zook...

Reasons to hate Zook:
1. This man came into the locker-room and immeadiately alienated half the locker room by giving favors to and helping only his recruit. Mind you, the Mendenhall brothers, J Leman, the O and D line and almost every other stud defensive player (minus Vontae) were Turner Recruits. Yet they were treated like second class citizens on multiple occasions. Example: Turner players getting punihsed for ebing minutes late while Benn and Vontae Cuss out the coaching staff and come in or leave practice as they please.
2. For a player of Rashard's Caliber, he was purposely used half as much as he should've been. Two huge examples: He got only TWO touches in the red zone against USC. Two of about 20 plays! His touchdown came on a 79-yd breakaway beauty. Second example: Iowa, 1st-10 on the Iowa 12 yd line. 1:32 left with 2 timeouts. Illinois down 4. What do we do? I'll give you a hint... we don't give it to our all-american RB with a 7yd per carry average and use the clock to our advantage. We instead pass 3 times with our mentally disabled QB the third of which was a bunny to the free safety. Game over.
3. Publicity: YOU WILL NOT FIND A RASHARD MENDENHALL JERSEY ON OUR CAMPUS... Do I have to repeat that? We have had No. 7 Juice and No. 1 Vontae Jerseys since they were back-ups two years ago. But our stud RB (and also our hometown hero LB J Leman) Jerseys could not be found anywhere on campus. They did show up to a small bookstore one day before a home game. the entire shipment sold out in 2 hours (my roommate worked there) never to be seen again. Juice is always on tv with Zook on his show and radio program. No invite for Rashard. Juice and Vontae are the center piece of our Football yearly poster all over campus. No sign of Rashard. See a pattern? Zook vs. Turner Recruits. I'll let you extrapulate on the billboards around campus.
4. LIES: For the past two years Walter (older brother) was told he would see the field. Despite working harder then anyone else, despite posting better physical stats other than his brother and despite being dominant in the Spring game, he continued to see only the bench. Rashard did give his oppurtunity to his brother in the MInnestoa game. Instead of being put back in the game to break the all time single season record Rashard adamently told the staff to put his brother in. What did Walter do? 4 consecutive carries for 67 yds. Not too shabby. All the while being lied to about his oppurtunities every week. Why did he put up with it? So his younger brother could continue to develop and breakout. Walter is a physical Specimen who was a 4-star recruit, hard worker and proven RB on multiple occasions. Theres no way scrubs like Dufrene should see the light of day before Walter. Some other lies include: The gameplan against almost every team, offensvie schemes and plays that would highlight Rashard's route running ability that were never used.
5. Zook didn't show up to either Rashard's Draft Annoucement or his Draft party despite being invited to both, I know, I was at both. (Zook was invited against his family's wishes but Rashard thoguht it was the right thing to do). In fact, Zook had committed to a phone interview, Live during the Draft annoucement to take some questions and wish Rashard well. What happened? We called and in front of the media on speakerphone, his assistant told everyone Zook "stepped out of the office".

Please don't tell me Juice won the Ohio State game either. He had four touchdowns. I know, I was there. But OSU had 8 men in the box and every touchdown came off the play action where lauranitus would hit Rashard in the mouth. Post game comments from the Neanderthal QB? "Uh, yea I just threw a good ball all game and the Receivers got under em. I really think this is a turnaround game for me" what he should of said was Thank God OSU decided not to give a damn about me and key in on Rashard and I had a line that could protect me. Thank God for my Fullback who protected me almsot every play. Thank God the D-line was not going for sacks instead, staying upfield to help on rashard. Thank God no linebackers were blitzing to play conservative. And most of all Thank God the entire Defense would follow rashard and hit him every time he moved so that I could throw up lobs to one on one covered receivers for touchdowns.

Why should Rashard thank Zook for anything? Zook inherited a 5-star all-american Running Back that would've made it to the league if he played for Western-middle of nowhere-State. Rashard CARRIED, I repeat CARRIED Illinois to the Rose Bowl and their first winning season in forever. What changed? Not the defense, they had the same unit that was decent last year. Not the O-line, O'Donnell has been good forever. QB was a liability. Not the Coaching staff, we know Zook can't in-gmae coach worth a damn, ask Florida who won a championshipo with his players. The only place of drastic improvement was at the RB spot, and thats because it was Rashard's first season as a starter and full time guy.

I love Illinois, it will be my alma mater forever. I love Illinois football and all athletics. But Having a snake like Zook at the helm makes it difficult to be proud my team. Good luck next year, I'll be watching the Illinois State games for a year.

Mark these words. Rashard will lead the NFL in rushing within the next 4 years. Even though he slipped, he is in the best possibel situation for him in Pittsburg. Great, honest, no nonsense coaching staff. Stud Defense. Solid O-line. Stud QB. WIllie Parker to learn from and share the load with. Run oriented Offense. Tradition. And the No. 34 on his back (W. Payton being his favorite player). Get ready for big things.

Good luck Shardy.

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Uh, the lack of #5 jerseys had everything to do with Nike, and nothing to do with Illinois. The #1 Jerseys weren't for Vontae, they're the women's jerseys. Every school's women's jerseys are #1, and Nike chose #47 and #7 at the start of the year because they were proven commodities. #5's and #9's came later in the year when they proved something too. It takes a long time to get those made, and since everyone knew Rashard was going pro, why would they order them in super bulk?

Walter Mendenhall was not a 4 star recruit. That's just untrue. Walter also carried all those yards on a second string Minnesota defense that was one of the very, very worst in ALL of college football.

Your hatred for Juice and clear bias towards the Mendenhall family is completely clouding your judgment.

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Zook is a lier.

http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/091702acd.html

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Bias doesn't take away facts that have been stated. Perhaps your own bias does "cloud" your ability to understand these simply put statements.

Juice Williams is an incredible athlete. A poster-boy of a Big Ten University's football team, he is not. Ron Zook can b/s all he wants to get amazing recruits to come to Champaign, however, the fact still remains that he can't coach. See 2007 BCS National Champs.

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