University of Idaho (1-7, 1-2 WAC) Athletic Director Rob Spear has finally axed six-year football Head Coach Rob Akey.
During his tenure of leading the Vandals, he amassed an overall record of 20-50.
After taking another beat down, 70-28 to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, the higher-ups decided they had seen enough.
I sent a text message to an anonymous Vandal alum and friend of mine that read: “No offense, but you have no offense. No more Akey, who really wants that job anyways?”
His response was simple “Very dark times for the university indeed. I bet Gesser gets the head coach gig after his interim stint at Idaho.”
Gesser was awarded the interim position. Good luck with that one, buddy.
Akey came in oozing enthusiasm and pipe dreams galore.
He was always upbeat and optimistic, which is good for the fans, players and boosters. Sadly none of that equaled W’s in the column that counts most as a head coach. I’ll give him credit for his one bowl game victory, when Idaho beat the Bowling Green Falcons 43-42 in 2009 Humanitarian Bowl.
Other than that, what else can you say about the man?
There’s a saying ranchers use, “All hat, no cattle,” which in so many words means more talk, less
production.
It’s tough to recruit to the Palouse, where Moscow is located.
Some have said it was their only scholarship offer to a Division 1 program. My response is why not go a junior college or walk on at Washington State University, which is just up the road, where you can maybe earn a scholarship, still play for a bad team and at least get a Pac-12 education.
This past summer I met Akey at a Vandal Scramble golf tournament at Banbury Golf Course. As boosters and alum plowed through even kegs of beer and countless cases, the questions of how the team looks and which conference will they land in appeared to be wearing on him.
Good luck to the University of Idaho and Spear, as they begin a new chapter and search for the right candidate to be fired within the next three seasons. That’s
all folks.
