Michael Schwartz staff writer

Ron Zook never had a chance.

Not after following Florida coaching legend Steve Spurrier and having a web site - fireronzook.com - dedicated in his honor shortly after stepping foot on campus.

Two and half years after Spurrier left for the Washington Redskins, Florida fired Zook before his first recruiting class could even qualify for an NFL draft.

In that time period, Zook compiled a modest 20-13 record and reached the New Year's Day Outback Bowl twice. However, after being spoiled by Spurrier, the coaching legend who won a national championship and six league titles in 12 seasons, Florida wanted more than a couple of 8-5 seasons with consecutive Bowl losses.

Although Zook's recruiting abilities arguably top his list of strengths, he won't be around to coach the blue chippers he sold on the Florida program. Even signing the top quarterback in the 2003 recruiting class, Chris Leak, could not buy Zook time.

Other odd circumstances surround this firing. Just a year ago, athletic director Jeremy Foley extended Zook's contract, saying he thought the program was headed in the right direction. Apparently, fan pressure and a mediocre 4-3 start coupled with an embarrassing loss at Mississippi State Saturday proved otherwise.

Even more bizarre is the fact that Zook and his staff will be on the sidelines every Saturday the rest of the season as the firing is effective at the end of the campaign. Players have told ESPN that they question the justification and timing of the move, days before they kick off against rival and tenth-ranked Georgia.

The firing could really blow up in Florida's face if the Gators run off an improbable win streak and finish 9-3 with a quality bowl win while the athletic director lines up Zook's successor. What happens then? Do you re-hire Zook on the basis of what he's done once he's "fired?" Or do you still can a guy who the players obviously respond to?

Last year, when Arizona fired former head coach John Mackovic after a 1-4 start, defensive coordinator Mike Hankowitz took the reins for the remainder of the season. This infused fresh blood into the system and allowed the team to play for the future.

Now all Zook is coaching for is pride and his next job. Retaining Hankowitz also prevented the "dead man walking" feeling which could set in at Florida and result in the unthinkable: the Gators staying home for the holidays.

While fireronzook.com started the trend of fan mutiny Web sites, it isn't alone in the department of fans not giving their coach a chance.

If you take any stock in firemackbrown.com, the Longhorns coach will be the next head man to be fired from a prominent football program.

All Brown has done in his first seven years at Texas is compile a 65-19 record in the tough Big 12 Conference with major bowl appearances every year. However, in this time Texas has never reached a BCS bowl, won a conference championship or beaten rival Oklahoma in its past five tries. Texas currently ranks ninth in the nation with a 6-1 record, its only loss coming at the hands of the Sooners.

A certain Tucson school would be thrilled with that record since 1998, but it likely won't be enough to keep Brown in Austin past this season if it follows the lead of Big-12 foe Nebraska.

Frank Solich posted a 58-19 record in his tenure, nearly identical to Brown's first six seasons, with a conference title and national title game appearance. Apparently, this wasn't good enough for Big Red, who fired him last year.

The Cornhuskers currently stand at 4-3 with a matchup at Oklahoma looming under new coach Bill Callahan, who is in the process of transforming Nebraska from a power running team to a squad that runs the West Coast offense he prefers.

How's that transformation coming?

Callahan's Huskers were manhandled, 70-10, last month by oft-mediocre Texas Tech.

If he does not have Nebraska competing for a national title soon, he better watch his back come 2006.

The most important lesson Arizona can learn from surveying the coaching landscape in college football is to understand that patience is a virtue. While the Wildcats limp through a 1-6 season thus far, hope is on the way in the form of Mike Stoops' recruits.

However, even a talented recruiting class and a passionate coach won't guarantee results. It takes time to build a BCS team, time which Florida did not afford Zook. If UA stays the course, takes its lumps and lets Stoops build the program his way, the results will be worth it.

Just ask his big brother.

-Michael Schwartz is a journalism freshman. He can be reached at sports@wildcat.arizona.edu.