Ron Zook Named New Football Coach
Thursday, January 10, 2002 | Football
GAINESVILLE, FL. -Ron Zook, former Florida and NFL defensive coordinator, has been named head football coach at the University of Florida, Gator athletics director Jeremy Foley announced today.
Zook, 47, New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator the past two seasons, has been an NFL assistant coach the past six seasons after spending 1991-l995 as a member of the Gator coaching staff.
As a Florida assistant he served as defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach from l991-1993, special teams coordinator/nicklebackers coach in l994 and associate head coach, special teams coordinator and nicklebackers and strong safeties coach in 1995.
"I am incredibly excited to have Ron Zook coming on board as our Head Football Coach, " said Foley. "His passion for the game, his work ethic, his credentials and his love for the Gators make him a perfect choice, in my opinion, to build on what Steve Spurrier has built. I feel about this hire the same way I felt when we hired Billy Donovan. I firmly believe our program is in excellent hands with Ron."
Mike Gottfried, ESPN College Football Analyst, has followed Zook's career for over 20 years.
"I've known Ron for over 20 years and I've closely watched him since the very beginning of his college coaching career, when he was with me at Murray State,"said Gottfried. "He has a strong desire and will to win, and to do things the right way. He is very passionate about coaching and helping young people. He has built outstanding relationships with players wherever he has coached. I feel he is unquestionably one of the very best recruiters in all of college football. Ron would rank among the top three coaches of all the assistant coaches I had the privilege of having on my staffs over the years because he was so well rounded
and brought so much to the table in terms of what it takes to be a successful coach. He is a very loyal person in every sense of the word.
"I believe he ranks with people like Frank Beamer, Bob Stoops, Larry Coker and Ralph Friedgen as long-time assistants who deserved a chance to be a head coach and I think Ron will be just as successful
as those other four coaches have proven to be."
Zook joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as special teams coordinator in l996, remaining there for three seasons before leaving to become secondary coach of the Kansas City Chiefs in l999. He moved to the New Orleans Saints as defensive coordinator in 2000-2001, where his unit posted a league-high 119 sacks over this period.
"Ron will be an excellent coach at the University of Florida,"said Saints head coach Jim Haslett.
"He brings intensity, energy and a keen understanding of football from all aspects. He has coached on both the professional and collegiate level and knows what it takes to get players to perform. We will miss him here, but I am excited for him and his family for the opportunity. He will not let the fans of Florida down."
Saints General Manager Randy Mueller calls Zook , "one of the most passionate, energetic coaches I have ever been around. He deserves an opportunity to run his own program and it was just a matter of time. This is a dream job for Ron and I am certain he will make the best of this opportunity. I could not be happier for him."
Steelers' head coach Bill Cowher gave Zook his first opportunity in the NFL.
"I think Ron Zook is a very high energy coach with a great feel for the game. "said Cowher. " Through the years he has developed strong rapport with his players. He is an excellent football coach."
Two current Saints' players, Fred Weary and Willie Jackson, played for the Gators during Zook's days as an assistant coach. Weary was an all-conference defensive back at Florida, earning All-America honors in 1997. Jackson earned All-SEC honors as a wide receiver in 1993 .
"I think the University of Florida made a great choice with Ron Zook as their head coach,"said Weary. "He has big goals, big dreams and he's going to be fine if he continues with his attention to the defense and lets the offense keep rolling like it has in the past. I think he's a heck of a motivator. He can get the best out of guys.
"The guys at Florida are going to enjoy playing for him. He will be able to get them to play their hardest and put them in situations where they will play well. He has been a success at both the pro and college levels. Because of this, he will be able to let them know what they have to do to be successful at Florida and at the next level."
Jackson believes Florida has made a solid choice.
"Coach Zook told me how much he wanted the job and I'm happy he got it. He will be good for the university. He's a guy who I think is the opposite of Coach Spurrier. Where Coach Spurrier is much more laid back, Coach Zook is full of intensity externally. Spurrier is just as intense but it's more inside of himself. That's typical, though, as offensive guys are not as boisterous. Coach Zook is a very good choice for Florida and the players."
James Bates, Gator linebacker from l993-96, said:
"I remember how intense he was and how much fun he was to play for. He was a great recruiter.
I know first hand what a work ethic NFL defensive coordinators must have, how many hours they put in and how much attention to detail they have. It will be interesting to watch how detail oriented he will be as a head coach. "
Other comments on Ron Zook:
Carl Peterson, President, General Manager and CEO, Kansas City Chiefs: "Although Ron was only with the Kansas City Chiefs organization for one year, I have been a long-time admirer of his coaching ability. I closely followed his collegiate coaching career at some of the top programs in the country such as Florida, Tennessee and Ohio State. I always knew he had tremendous ability as a football coach, but even more importantly, it was also apparent that he did an outstanding job of relating to his student-athletes. He obviously played an integral part in the success the Gator program enjoyed during the
'90s, as evidenced by Florida's four Southeastern Conference championships during his five years in Gainesville. I sincerely believe that Ron Zook will do an outstanding job as he returns to Gainesville as the Gators head coach. He possesses a high level of enthusiasm and I have no question that his passion will carry over to the players, coaches, administration and fans at the University of Florida."
RON ZOOK FACT SHEET
CAREER NOTES
NFL CAREER (1996-2001)
Pittsburgh Steelers (1996-98)
Served as special teams coach during his entire tenure. During his three seasons Zook's squad did not allow a blocked punt and finished 1998 as the NFL's third best kickoff coverage group, permitting just 8.9 yard per return. Helped the Steelers to AFC Central Division Championships in both 1996 and 1997 under Bill Cowher.
Kansas City Chiefs (1999)
Coached defensive backs… Kansas City posted 25 interceptions which included a stretch of 11 consecutive games with at least one interceptions, the Chiefs' first such streak in over a decade. Kansas City led the NFL in defensive TDs with nine, six of which were registered by Zook's defensive backs. The Chiefs tied for the best record in the AFC West with Seattle but lost the tiebreaker and did not qualify for the playoffs.
New Orleans Saints (2000-01)
Served as defensive coordinator both seasons in New Orleans. Zook's defense led the NFL in 2000 in quarterback sacks (66) and ranked third in the NFC in total defense and fourth against both the rush and the pass in the NFC. Four members of Zook's defense (Mark Fields, La'Roi Glover, Joe Johnson and Keith Mitchell) were selected to the 2001 Pro Bowl. The Saints won the NFC West Championship in 2000 and defeated the defending Super Bowl Champion St. Louis Rams in the first round of the playoffs for the Saints' first ever playoff victory in the franchise's 35 year history. The 2001 Saints ranked second in the NFL in quarterback sacks (53). Two of his Saints players (La'Roi Glover and Sammy Knight) were chosen for the 2002 Pro Bowl.
COLLEGIATE CAREER (1978-95)
Florida (1991-95)
A prominent member of a Gator staff that compiled one of the most successful five-year periods in school history. Zook served as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach from 1991-93, special teams coordinator and nickelbacks coach in 1994 and in his final year, 1995, he was associate head coach, special team coordinator and also coached the nickelbacks and strong safeties. Over that five year period of time, Florida accomplished the following:
- Recorded a overall record of 52-11-1 including a 38-5 SEC record
- Won four SEC titles (1991, '93, '94, '95)
- Won four SEC East titles (1992-95)
- Played in four SEC Championship Games (1992-95) with three victories (1993-95)
- Played in five bowl games including four majors (three Sugar Bowls, one Fiesta Bowl)
- Ranked in the nation's top 10 of the final polls each of those five years, including a final ranking of No. 2 in 1995.
- Played in the 1995 National Championship Game at the 1996 Fiesta Bowl.
From 1991-93 as the defensive coordinator, Florida was the only school to rank among the SEC's top four teams in rush defense all three seasons (first in 1991, fourth in 1992, second in 1993). The Gators ranked among the nation's top 10 teams in rush defense in1 991 and 1993.
As special teams coordinator from 1994-95, the Gators blocked 12 total kicks and the 1994 unit blocked a school-record five punts.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2000-01 New Orleans Saints (Defensive Coordinator)
1999 Kansas City Chiefs (Defensive Backs Coach)
1996-98 Pittsburgh Steelers (Special Teams Coach)
- Florida (Associate Head Coach/ Special Teams Coordinator/ Nickelbackers and Strong Safeties Coach)
- Florida (Special Teams Coordinator/ Nickelbackers)
- Florida (Defensive Coordinator/ Defensive Backs)
- Ohio State (Defensive Backs)
- Virginia Tech (Defensive Coordinator/ Assistant Head Coach)
- Tennessee (Defensive Backs)
- Kansas (Defensive Coordinator)
- University of Cincinnati (Defensive Coordinator)
- Murray State (Defensive Backs)
- Orville High School
PLAYING CAREER
Played at Miami of Ohio (1972-75), three-year letter winner, 1975 captain, Miami team posted a 34-1-1 record from 1973-75 and won the Mid-American Conference title in each of those three seasons.
BOWL GAMES AS A COACH/ PLAYER
1973 Tangerine Bowl 1989 Hall of Fame 1996 Fiesta
1974 Tangerine Bowl 1990 Liberty
- Tangerine Bowl 1992 Sugar
1984 Sun 1992 Gator
1986 Sugar 1994 Sugar
1986 Liberty 1995 Sugar
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Birthdate: April 28, 1954
Hometown: Loudonville, Ohio
Education: 1976- B.S. in Comprehensive Science from Miami of Ohio
Family: Married to the former Denise Baugh and they have two children-
Jacquelyn (18) and Casey (14)
