Former head football coach John Volek isn’t afraid to show his emotion on or off the field. His passion for the game is unmatched throughout football.

Unfortunately for Volek, his passion never translated into a winning program. Sacramento State Athletic Director Terry Wanless made the decision to send Hornet football into a new direction by firing Volek on Nov. 26.

In reality, this was a no win situation for Volek. His dreams of turning Sac State into the Florida State of the West Coast were laughable. Volek accomplished all he could by turning a dire program into a decent one. With limited funds, resources and support, Volek’s potential was limited. Still, he did his best to revitalize Hornet football, but when all was said and done. It just wasn’t enough.

He battled against Sac State’s underfunded program, went eight rounds, but was finally knocked out.

The Hornets appeared to reach a peak in 2000 and 2001, when the team recorded their only two winning seasons under Volek. Since joining the Big Sky in 1996, Volek compiled a winning percentage of .346 — worst among all Big Sky coaches.

It wasn’t that the Hornets were doomed for failure; Sac State football was just stuck in a major rut. Envision Sac State’s program as a sports car. The car runs great for about 80,000 miles, but before long you’re going to find a few things wrong with it. The car runs just enough to keep you moving, but now all the newer models are speeding past. To keep up with everyone else, you better upgrade.

A football program is handled the same way. When a team receives only negative attention and fails to get any better, it’s time for a change.

For now, Wanless’ decision to fire Volek merely offers us a false sense of progress. Poor records and second-rate attendance will likely persist in upcoming years unless more significant changes are made.

“We’re committed to doing whatever it takes to finding the best football coach we possibly can for this institution,” Wanless said.

Wanless made the right decision in letting Volek go. But the first-year AD now faces his next crucial decision of finding the future head coach for the Hornets. If Volek built the foundation, the new coach will be asked to build the house. If you fire an established coach, you better make sure someone better follows.

Wanless’ biggest mistake would be to hire a coach who mirrors Volek. If Wanless was really serious about making progress, he would hire a head coach who plays by a new set of rules.

The new head coach should symbolize a positive program. The future of this program rests in the hands of a charismatic coach that can capture new audiences, attract blue-chip athletes and utilize team strengths, all while maintaining control of his team. He should develop positive media relationships in order to publicize Sac State’s team, thus creating interest through the press.

Volek literally got on his hands and knees to help build the team’s locker room.

Let’s hope that our next head coach can design a program that will raise enough revenue to take Sac State to the next level. A level where carpenters do the building, and coaches do the coaching.