They come from Florida football fans, media and the general anti-Zook crowd that was running rampant in 2004 when he was dumped in Gainesville, allowing fireronzook.com to celebrate its three-year pursuit.

"I've had a bunch, just people apologizing for things they said, what they wrote, that they're happy to see my success," Zook said. "They didn't have to do that. I appreciate it, but it's not necessary. I'm not a vengeful guy. I believe what happened, happened for a reason."

The Zook era at Florida is largely a thing of the past, finally put to rest when the Gators won the 2006 national championship and gave fans something better to discuss.

But the question followed Zook when he left, and it's one most have heard by now: He can recruit, but can he coach?

Apparently, many who thought he couldn't coach have had a change of heart in light of the Illini's 9-3 record and berth in the Rose Bowl. Zook led the biggest turnaround by any team in the football bowl subdivision after Illinois went 2-10 last season.

But before the ascension, Zook had to overcome his reputation when he hit the recruiting trail to convince kids he could win in an Illinois program that was foundering when he arrived.

Illinois cornerback Vontae Davis said that reputation was one of the factors he weighed before deciding on the Illini.

"I considered it," he said. "I figured he didn't have the time to show he could coach (at Florida). I figured he could recruit and needed a good situation to show how good he could coach."

Zook usually sidesteps questions about vindication. But the recognition he has received speaks volumes.

He was fourth in voting for The Associated Press coach of the year award and is a finalist for the Bear Bryant award. And last week Zook was named the Schutt Sports national coach of the year awarded by American Football Monthly.

Zook hasn't only been receiving private calls and e-mails. Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel wrote a column wondering what might have happened if Florida had kept Zook. Bianchi admitted he bashed the hiring way back when.

Zook, he wrote, has "discovered a new world ... a world where Ron Zook is revered instead of reviled, beloved instead of belittled, admired instead of admonished."

The same week that was written, Zook said his in-box started to brim with mostly pleasant notes.

"After the Ohio State game is when they really got out of hand in terms of trying to keep up with them," he said.

Zook was one of the first coaches to have a Web site established in his name with the intent of getting him fired. His arrival in Champaign was a bit more welcoming.

Athletics director Ron Guenther and the Illinois administration have embraced Zook, to be sure.

Even before the Illini took down No. 1 Ohio State, they gave him a contract extension through 2013, giving him the potential to earn $1.5 million a year.

"He came through a tough situation in Florida," Guenther said early in the season. "He's been burned around the edges. ... Coaching is interesting because recruiting is part of that. He would not have made the steps he has if he couldn't coach. He's obviously a guy who can coach. Had they been patient enough, he would have had a lot of success at Florida."

When Zook received the raise and extension, he had a record of 9-21 at Illinois without a bowl appearance. He had been fired at Florida after going 23-14 and taking the Gators to three bowl games.

But the expectations were astronomical after Steve Spurrier's tenure. Zook's replacement, Urban Meyer, won the 2006 national championship with 20 starters whom Zook recruited.

Illinois safety Kevin Mitchell recalls being confused how a coach who had been to three bowls could be out of a job.

"We hadn't been to a bowl game, we'd been losing and (Zook) got fired after going to bowl games," Mitchell said. "I talked about it with the people I hang out with. It was kind of shocking to me because we'd been losing so much."

Zook lived up to the recruiting hype immediately and is working on possibly his best class yet at Illinois. The Illini figure to be nationally ranked at the start of the 2008 season.

When he arrives in Pasadena, Zook is sure to be pounded with more questions about Florida and his short tenure. His latest response: