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  1. Thank you very much for the kind words. I think is was roughly 18 years ago that we began ZipsNation.org. Seven of us met outside Porky's Shop and pitched in some money to get the site started. @Zip Watcher did the original heavy lifting to set up the server and work with Invision. He's also the guy that came up with the "ZipsNation.org" name. Now-a-days "XYZ Nation" is everywhere. Back then is was more novel...and pretty perfect. Although he doesn't post much anymore, he continues to help with the server updates and issues. And keeping the domain name valid. And probably some other stuff I'm unaware of. Beyond participating, @ZZZips helps fund the site, paying for the server. This is greatly appreciated. In addition to his stellar photography skills and posts, @Dr Z has taken over the technical side of things, installing the updates to keep the site modern and running smoothly. This is not his specialty...he has learned this side of the internet on his own and the site would not exist if he hadn't stepped up and volunteered to do this. I pay the bi-yearly Invision fees. And I am the "heavy" when things occasionally get out of control, or improper content gets posted. I'm happy that doesn't happen too often anymore. Which ties into the closing thoughts - At the recent March MAC tournament two different people whom I, at best, casually know approached me to say how much they enjoyed the ZipsNation site. And what a great community of members we have. This is a "community"...with are scores of "regulars" that keep the site fresh, informational and interesting. And there are several hundred "lurkers" who check-in daily. Keeping the discussions on a high/professional level is what I want. No "professional" like everyone should write like Grantland Rice, but that everyone should be civil and respectful. The class exhibited by this site's members allowed me and Dr.Z being able to work with UA on the athletics stories and photography up through the COVID era. Several coaches over the years have told me "I don't read ZipsNation, but I have people that do. And they tell me you run a nice site." Of course, when I asked newly-hired Rob Ianello if I could stop by his office and interview him, he stuck his open hand in my face and stated - "We had FIVE fans sites covering us at Notre Dame...FIVE!" In conclusion - thanks to everyone in this community for making the site fun and informational for 18+ years. Who knows how long it will continue, but those of us that fund and run it are grateful that so many of you enjoy it, and contribute to making it great.
    21 points
  2. Hello Fellow Fans! I thought I would update you on Kwan. This past year has been crazy, but despite the craziness Kwan has became a father to a little boy named Kyler James Cheatham. He also got married on Aug 7th to Emily Rose Correal. Lastly, Kwan will be playing in Israel this season. We are so proud of the man Kwan grown into. His career as pro baller has afforded him to see the world. God is good and we truly blessed!
    19 points
  3. Good Day Zips Fans! A quick update on Kwan. He's having a GREAT season over in Spain. He's expecting another son with his wife Emily
    19 points
  4. Here's what I learned Groce says we have 2 more players that will be committing in the next 2 weeks. Once they clear the compliance process announcements will be made. That will bring us to 13 players on scholarship. 4 more football players will be added through the transfer portal in the next few weeks. JoMo is very optimistic about seeing real improvement this season but is realistic about how far the program needs to grow to be a consistent force in the MAC. He totally understands how important it is to beat Kent! Every practice ends with a drill focused on making that happen. Embick says we should see improved scoring this season but we have a young backfield that will need to improve. The rifle team signed 2 freshmen that placed in the top 10 at the junior Olympics recently. Womens golf had their best ever MAC finish this season taking 3rd overall. Track and Field is getting ready for the regionals next week. They feel confident the Zips will be represented at the NCAA meet in Oregon.
    17 points
  5. I'm dusting off an old thread based on quotes on other threads and my observations of Jimond this year. I have come to senior days of many seasons and stood to cheer the players I thought represented my alma mater in an exemplary manner. I won't cheer any player louder than Jimond. From that awkward out of control freshman to being a senior leader, Jimond has given 100% every minute he has been on the floor. He stuck with UA when KD left and others bailed. Last year, I watched him try to counsel and temper Virshon. This year, I have watched him taking younger players under his wing and offer them advice or words of encouragement. His impact on the team has gone far beyond his basketball talents. He has done the Zips proud. Good luck Jimond in wherever life leads you.
    17 points
  6. We most likely should have been anticipating our seed and matchup for the NCAA Tournament today. Instead, the sports world shut down and the world in general is shutting down. I caught myself realizing this team didn't get the proper recognition from the fans at the end of the season. Not because the fans didn't show up, but because a special season like this is usually capped off with a community celebration at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on a Saturday night in March, maybe followed by a NCAA Tourney watch party at the JAR for our seed/matchup. I wanted to let Coach Groce know how much Zips Nation (not this site but the fans) appreciated this group of guys and the season. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mr. Groce, I am not an Akron alum. I was born in 1994, and I'm pretty sure I learned the Akron Blue & Gold fight song before I learned to even breathe. My dad and grandma are both Akron alumni, and I bleed Blue & Gold because of them. Two quick stories before I continue. My parents tell this story where after an Akron basketball game in the mid-late 90s, I fell asleep in the back seat instantly. My dad would whistle the fight song, though, and apparently I woke up just in time to say, "Go Zips," at the end before passing back out. One year, my mom asked me who I wanted to be for Halloween, fully expecting me to say Batman or a firefighter like every other kid in the world. I said I wanted to be Bruce Weinkein, a former Akron 7' Center from the 90s. She made me a custom #00 Weinkein jersey that I would wear to every game, and it eventually got me on the news and got Bruce's attention. One Christmas, he had us meet him after the game and gave me a game-worn Weinkein jersey (I still have it), while also inviting me into the locker room for the next couple of years on Senior Night to get the autographs of the seniors on a basketball (I still have that as well). My roots are Akron, which is why I had mixed feelings when Akron hired you - not because you aren't a great coach, but because we had to get the bad taste out of our mouths from all the butt-whoopings you gave us and the success you had at our rival Ohio U. I remember the first game of your tenure against Cleveland State. We had some raw skill, but I was already impressed with the style of play you preach and practice. It's very fun basketball, and not just because of the faster pace with fluid motion on offense. It's fun basketball because it's fundamentally sound. Thank you for bringing that back to Akron. I love the emphasis on defense, effort, rebounding, and FREE THROWS. The Kent game to end the year was the PERFECT example, with that game being won because of our clutch free throw shooting and effort on BOTH ends of the floor. The 2019-2020 Zips Men's Basketball team was an easy group of guys to get behind. They put the effort in during the off-season to take the program back to a level we're accustomed to at Akron. LCJ was incredibly special, and everyone around him was fun to watch. Most importantly, though, the character on this team was incredible. These are good people, first and foremost, and I want to thank you for recruiting them to Akron. On top of that, thank YOU for being a good man as well. I have heard nothing but great things about you and am proud to say you're the Head Coach of the Akron Zips Men's Basketball program. Thank you for choosing to come to Akron. Team 119 will always be remembered not because of how the season ended, but because of how much joy it gave us as fans. This team won a lot of people over, and we all appreciate the effort from the program to deliver that joy. Who knows what the future has in store, when basketball/sports will resume, etc. I'm excited for the future of the program with you at the helm, and thank you & the team again for such a special season. Go Zips.
    16 points
  7. Yes, I'm sad that we lost on Senior Night and upset my son foul out! But we should of still won even without him in the game. Basketball is a team game and when one goes down the next man needs to step up! As a mom I'm very proud of Kwan and I know he works his butt off to come out here and try to win games. He will continue on this journey on becoming a great player & and just a better man. He's still trying to figure this out. He is just a passionate young player who wants to win and make his teammates better. Trust and believe God has a plan for my son. At the end of day Kwan leaves Akron with a degree and a masters so with that being said I THANK Akron for giving my son the opportunity that most young men don't get. Thanks to all the fans that supported him through all his ups & downs and will continue to support him.
    16 points
  8. Bobcat fan here. Just wanted to say good luck out west. Bring that win share back to the MAC!
    15 points
  9. On Thursday December 20th, new Zips Head Football Coach Tom Arth was kind enough to allow me a 30 minute interview. While I would have loved to garnered details such as recruit names and a detailed list of staff candidates, unfortunately neither was possible. Trust me, I tried. Until things are official, and contracts are signed, we all simply need to put the puzzle pieces together ourselves from Twitter and other similar sources. That said, I though he provided some great insight into his personal life, his football mindset and the DNA that will make up Akron Zips Football in the Arth Era. I hope you enjoy it. Note to Dr. Z: Regarding photography at scrimmages - Coach Arth was quoted as saying “Still photography is great.” Unlike the Bowden scrimmages, where only the initial 15 minutes of warm ups were open to photography, you should now be able to take plenty of action shots. Hope Santa got you a sweet new sports lens for Christmas this year! Coach Arth Q & A
    15 points
  10. ”Who are these guys?!” was the question I kept asking myself regarding The University of Akron’s 2018 Football Recruiting Class. The local newspapers gave Akron’s February 7th, 2018 National Signing Day virtually no print space. Northeast Ohio television stations all but ignored the event. And the various internet recruiting websites again focused their columns on the Power 5 programs. Aside from the noble efforts of a couple local AM radio sports talk personalities, the Zips signing day coverage fell well short of what a real fan wanted to learn about the class, and certainly beneath the coverage it merited. 2018 has a chance to be a great year for Zips football, and the kids bound to these 25 letters of intent have some really interesting storylines. So I thought I would head down to the Zips football offices and see if Head Coach Terry Bowden would give me a little time to discuss the class. Here’s what he had to say. Program Growth Generating a Bright Future
    15 points
  11. I stopped down at the EJ Thomas meet-and-greet last night. The downside was it was poorly attended. The upside was being able to spend a good amount of time talking to Groce. The guy barely knows where the JAR's located, so it wasn't really the time nor the place to ask who'll be the starting point guard next season, or who's going to round-out his staff. The conversation was "casual." He was very gracious with us. After talking to our group for an extended time period, Larry Williams had to pull him away to speak to some of the other attendees. I think he would have talked to us all night if Williams wouldn't have interjected. He said his #1 priority was getting to know the existing players, and trying to "recruit" them to stay with the Program. The signing day is April 12th, but he's giving the kids some extra time recover from the coaching changeover and make a well-thought-out decision...to an extent. He mentioned "three weeks" as the max time before he needed an answer. Based upon the tone of our conversation regarding Antino, there's a chance he sticks around once the emotions subside. He met with the team yesterday, and is meeting again with them today. I asked if he had any idea regarding the players abilities, and said he'd watched the Zips final two games in the MAC tourney. I assured him that the sparse turnout at EJ wasn't indicative of the Zips basketball following, and that we'd had 7,000 Zips fans at The Q only a couple weeks ago. He didn't seem concerned, as he knew of our respectable game day crowds from his time at OU. It was more of an event to make the guy and his family feel welcome. I think once the dust settles, he'll prove to be an approachable guy, The next 2 weeks will be fun...certainly the most intriguing basketball recruiting period since Zeke's. And the coaching staff formation will be fun to keep tabs on as well. It was fun to catch up with a couple other ZipsNation members that I had't spoken to in a while. And the University put out a really nice spread of food. Although it was a cold, crappy Thursday night I had a good time, and left with the feeling that our Basketball Program is in better shape than it was had Keith Dambrot stuck around for another season.
    15 points
  12. K-Roo and Dr. Z get it. This is the time when strong leadership is required. Scarborough...Van Horne...whomever...needs to come out guns-a-blazin' and say: "How the F#*k does some wing nut faculty member's uneducated, self-serving opinions get any media traction whatsoever? We are D-1A, we'll always be D1-A, we have a great team this season that will contend for a MAC title. We have a great coach and great kids whom we support 100%. The last 6 years are ancient history. It is time to move forward and get the football program back on a Championship track. Our team this season will be great. Get your tickets now and come down and have some fun." "Furthermore, to address the issue of revenue - our last AD made a horrific football HC hire. We've been politically correct in ignoring this fact for some time....but in light of the shadow he cast over our program, it is time to call a spade a spade. At a time where it was critical to put our collective foot on the gas pedal he single-handedly set our program back 10 years. The hole he put us in was unprecedented, but we are finally out of it and moving forward. It is short-sighted and ignorant to look at the past 5 or 6 seasons of Akron football and InfoCision and say that is our fate. Instead, the football program and this 30,000 seat stadium are our way OUT of our financial bind. That stadium is a way to galvanize the local community, generate revenue, get alumni and prospective students on our campus...it is a sleeping giant that we are committed to awakening in 2015." "There is one reason to drop to 1-AA. That's to save 22 scholarships. But why would we do that? You can't tell me with the facilities you see on campus, the coaching staff, the student athletes...that Akron football can't compete with Bowling Green, K.e.n.t. State, Toledo, Ball State, etc? That's insane. We can compete at the 1-A level. We can, and should compete for a MAC Championship every season. And after enduring and overcoming what Tom Wistercill and Rob Ianello did to the football program, the winning starts now. If you want to discuss dropping to 1-AA, have an educated discussion with me after the 2015 season. Until then, discuss Cate Jenner or deflated footballs or Johnny Manziel or whatever other "sports" topics you "sports" guys discuss for 12 hours every day. Leave Akron Football alone, because, to be quite honest, you know nothing about it."
    15 points
  13. Went down to the lower area to near the tunnel to watch the celebration. I couldn't be more impressed by our guys. A few took pictures with my son, who was on cloud nine. If there was any doubt he's going to grow up a die-hard Zips fan, that's gone. He's a lifer like his dad. 🙂 Some stories while we were down there: There was a little girl who asked Mikal to sign her Zips poster she made - he took it, said "I'll be back", and went and had all of the team sign it. Was chasing down each player so this young fan would have them all. Just won a championship and thinking of others. Sammy asked a young boy near my son if he was going to grow up and win a MAC Championship for the Zips. He also took a ton of pictures with kids and fans nearby. Enrique actually went into the stands to take pictures with the students who came. Took his shoes off and gave them to someone. Probably spent a good 10-15 minutes signing and taking pictures with fans. He also went over to the band and celebrated/took pictures. We saw one band member ask him for his gamertag (basically his screen name on Playstation to play online with). I think he may have had some sort of disability, but I don't want to assume. Anyhow, Enrique took the student's phone, typed his gamertag in, and took a picture with him. Literally minutes after winning a championship. This group is one we can be very proud of for more than just being a fantastic basketball team
    14 points
  14. Hello Zips Nation. I am a St Bonaventure alum from the dark ages who has lived in the Akron area for 35 years. Big MAC hoops fan here, who tries to attend several Akron and Kent games a year. The Bonnies fan base really is looking forward to Saturday’s matchup at RM Fieldhouse. It should be a good one. Zips have a great roster with Ali back in the mix. Here’s some insight on the Bonnies: we started slow the first month, with a 3-point home loss in game 2 to rival Canisius that sent the fans into a sky-is-falling frenzy. Our other two losses are to top 30 teams Auburn and FLA Atlantic. Hopes are very high this season with all five starters returning from last year’s 14-18 season. It was the Bonnies first sub-500 record in more than a decade but we were very inexperienced. Now with three key transfers the Bonnies are the oldest team in D1. Go figure. Bona has been playing great D the last month while shooting much better. In a recent 10-point loss the Bonnies held FAU to 64 points … 23 below FAU’s average. Our downfall was 21 turnovers when FAU turned up the pressure. The Bonnies are lead by two grad transfers who have emerged as our best players. Mika Adams-Woods (6-3 PG from UCincy, 15 ppg) and Chuck Pride (6-5 wing from Bryant, 12 ppg) are experienced, solid guys who are childhood friends from Syracuse. Bonaventure gave them a chance to play together this season. It’s been a great fit. Exactly what the Bonnies needed. Woods is an excellent floor leader, defender and scorer … exceeding all expectations and stat lines from his 4-year Cincy career as a starter. Woods is shooting 60% from the field and 50% from deep. In one 3-game stretch Woods made 19 shots in a row including 10 three-pointers. He has 48 assists to 19 turnovers. Pride has deep, deep range. He’s a solid rebounder and passer who gets to the basket when healthy. He missed several games with a high ankle sprain this month and has been getting back up to speed. He was averaging 16 pts, 6.5 rebs before getting hurt. We are hopeful that Pride will benefit from having the holiday week off. The Bona big men, Venning and Brown, both are 6-10, 250+ lbs, — very physical dudes which is the MO for the Atlantic 10. They can score when not hurt by foul trouble which is about half the games. Unlike the Zips front-court players, our centers like to work inside and can bog down the offense if they don’t see double teams. How we match up on D with Freeman and Ali will be a key to the game. The Bonnies go 9 deep. We start four guys between 6-3 and 6-6. Barry Evans, a 6-8 high-energy athlete off the bench, likely we be our best option to control Ali or Freeman. Evans is a solid defender and rebounder … he can fill any role off the bench. Moses Flowers (6-4 win) is a dangerous outside shooter as our 6th man. Flowers is coming off of a career-high 25 vs Binghamton. Other starters are Darryl Banks III of St Peter’s NCAA fame two seasons ago, and Assa Essamvous (formerly Yann Farrel) are streaky shooters. Both have had games with 5 threes made in the last year. Banks has been struggling and losing minutes to Flowers. Despite a solid roster and some solid stats, the Bonnies have feasted on bad teams. Bona is prone to scoring droughts and sometimes too dependent on the three. The Zips will be a good test and it should be the best of the 3 games Saturday.
    14 points
  15. While I am certainly no GT, I'll do my best to pass along a few things gleaned from a Zips football event held last evening at Café Arnone in Fairlawn.😀 The event was for boosters-only, until the last minute when they opened it up to the public. So I just went on my own. I may have been the only person in attendance that wasn't a former player or administrator. The main purpose of the event was to kick off a booster group composed primarily of former Zips players. Most of the guys seemed to be from the Dennison era. A few from the Faust era. Buchtel coach and former Brookhart RB Bryan Williams was in attendance. There will be a big push to get former Zips back into the fold, supporting the program. They'll be arranging road trips, fund raising and a lot of other things. Joe probably spoke for an hour. The most important thing discussed his adamant statement that he was at Akron for the long haul, and 100% committed to turning the ship around. He mentioned the offers he's had both before and since coming to UA...paraphrasing - "I could be a Power 5 head coach right now...I could be a Power 5 coordinator right now...I could be in the NFL right now...with a lot more commas and zero's on my paycheck...but I'm at Akron because I chose to be here, and I WILL turn this thing around." It was a pretty powerful and honest statement. In no particular order, here are some tidbits (I'm going off memory here) - There are two 2023 scholarships left to give The Zips expect two more 2024 freshman commits by next week. I think one is an OL from Florida? Future recruiting classes will likely be 60-70% from the portal (it depends upon what talent is available in a given year). The rest will be freshman. The preference is the portal guys will be like Alex Adams, mature kids with 3-or-so years of eligibility remaining. From the tone of the QB discussions, DJ and Taj are the top 2. But Billy Fessler said "We've only seen Taj in shorts so far, so we'll see what happens in August." Joe mentioned it was nice to have a guy like Undercuffler in the mix, as "he won a game last year, and was a minute away from winning another." Joe addressed the two late-game fumbles from last year - "I think the guys looked up at the scoreboard and said "Holy crap...we can actually win!?" And then, we folded. He said "regardless of how much you simulate those late-game scenarios in practice, the game is just different." He doesn't feel those situations will be repeated in 2023. 😀 The kicker from Oregon State can consistently put a ball 6-7 yards deep in the endzone on kick offs. Joe thought last season may have been his best coaching job ever considering the program's talent level when it was handed to him. On 2022, he said the Zips were "1 deep" at most positions. Now they are 2-3 deep. That's going to create some great competition and raise the level of play appreciably. "We look like a Division 1 team this year...last year that wasn't the case." Coach Tibesar said he has no idea who's going to start on the defensive line, but he likes the numbers and talent they have on the roster. He said the linebackers look like D1 linebackers. Joe Dunn was at the event. He expects to return for another season of broadcasting. The boosters seem like a good group of people. Older, professional guys who seem more than capable and motivated to make the group effective and grow it. I think 16 people joined last night, at $100 each. Nice start! They're appreciative that Joe and the staff have reached out to them. If you're a former player and want to find out more, contact Reno Ferri or Tom Freeman. Joe said the difference between the Fordham team he inherited in "Year 1", and the Zips team he inherited in "Year 0" was buy-in. The Fordham team won the 1-score games the Zips lost because they universally bought in to what his staff was implementing. That universal buy-in wasn't there for the Zips last season. But it is now. He expects great things now that players know they are being held accountable, and so many returning players have a year of Joe's system under their belts. Overall, a very nice, small-venue event. Definitely worth $30 to hear Joe speak. I'll leave the rest to GT. 😀
    14 points
  16. 14 points
  17. 1,583 days ago, Greg Tribble and Ali Ali suited up for their first regular season game for Akron, against Malone. Was Freeman with the team yet? He played later that month. Anyway, Ali started and played 19 minutes, Tribble played 14 minutes and both made an impact in the box score. Today, all 3 will play at the JAR for the last time. The last home game is always bittersweet, but this one is far and away the most I’ve ever felt that before. These 3 guys have been in my life longer than some of my close friends. I’m going to enjoy every second of tonight. Hopefully a comfortable win. These guys have done so much, and still have a lot on the table. Go Zips!
    13 points
  18. Warning: I got long-winded late at night, sorry. When it comes to recruiting, there are few better than Groce. A saying at Illinois was "Mothers love Groce" for the way he was able to alleviate their concerns during the process. And the guy's work ethic is off the charts. Also, I think he (and Dustin Ford) have proven to be solid at player development as well as game planning at each of their stops. As long as the Akron administration continues to meet him half way the sky is the limit. I believed that on day one and nothing has changed. Groce has the ability and the patience to continue to grow this program incrementally. And I believe we would be even further along if not for COVID. It's my opinion that injuries and the unethical side of the business is why Groce failed at Illinois. Nothing more. You lose your 4 star point guard 2 years in a row to season ending injury it's going to have ramifications. And today, if Illinois gets into that 2 way battle vs. Villanova for Jalen Brunson they would send in the CEO of the NIL Collective to try to seal the deal. Groce didn't want any part of that crap. I don't have first-hand knowledge, but the evidence was clear then. Groce ended up the "recruiting bridesmaid" way too many times on the high level recruits for it to be pure misfortune. Groce always talked about "not taking any short cuts". I took that statement to mean he had no intention of buying a championship. Now thanks to NIL, all of those seedy dealings are legal and part of the standard operating procedure. The other aspect of the P6 racket that I don't think people quite appreciate is the pressure to win immediately. I know from following Illinois that P6 fan bases can be entitled and insufferable. And their donors can be even worse. I don't see any of that appealing to him anymore. There are many factors that motivate a student athlete to attend a university; prestige, promises of going pro, immediate cash payouts, specific educational goals, family legacy, other relationships such as girlfriends, favorite team growing up, etc. Some of those might not apply to Akron, but here are a couple that might. Guys from the Cleveland area can play for their local team and their friends / family can attend many of the games. Freeman's family is a great example. And this is the pitch I believe Groce is using more than any other; come to Akron and you can be a part of building something special, something bigger than yourself, create your own legacy and the players that follow you will stand on your shoulders to reach even higher. This approach appeals to a certain personality and it's not for everyone. But Groce can sell that. I truly believe Groce is just getting started. Go Zips!!
    13 points
  19. Hello My fellow Zips Fans! Just wanted to share a picture of Kwan from the Fiba Europe Cup 2019-2020.
    13 points
  20. Hello Zipsnation, Kwan ask me to post this on his behalf. As a family we would like to thank the University, fans , and coaches who supported our son through his 4 years here. Go Zips
    13 points
  21. George Thomas interviews Larry Williams, Jeff Boals, Anthony Stewart and Lamont Paris about UA opening. GT has kicked it up a notch!
    13 points
  22. Some final, random thoughts on the game... There will never be a bigger opportunity lost for the Zips to beat Ohio State in basketball. The Ohio State team I saw on Tuesday night was essentially Ohio U masquerading in Ohio State uniforms. In the MAC, that team would be 10-6. Maybe worse. I do believe the dead-legs excuse. I never saw 3-point shots careen off the backboard like I saw towards the end of that game. From guys like Antino and Josh, who are typically solid. The 4-games in 6 days...with all being do-or-die tourney games, and 4th going to OT was just too much. In hindsight I'm sure Dambrot wishes he'd have played Jimmond a little more, and rested McAdams. Buy I admire that he went with his seniors to win or lose the game. He didn't do that at the end of the Buffalo game (sitting McAdams for the final possession), and I bet it's a regret. And before anyone writes a sappy "please get of KD's back" post - if you ever were a successful head coach at any level, then you've coached in Championship games against good coaches and great talent. Those games are always dogfights. And you make calls that you, in hindsight, regret...but you make them and live with them. And if people question them...so what...it's part of the deal when you're a coach. The Zips had at least 12 opportunities to put pressure on OSU with a back-breaking 3-pointer, and came up empty every time. The Zips team I saw the bulk of 2015-16 should have won this game by 15+ points...but it didn't happen. The OSU fans were nice. I wanted to hate them, but they were all very respectful. The cheerleaders from both programs performed together at one point, and the arena even played the Akron fight song over the PA system during a break. That's unheard of in any road game, let alone a tightly-contested tournament game. Referees did a nice job. Absolutely no homer element. If those guys ref'd the MAC finals, we'd have won the game. No way Buffalo would have only 1 foul whistled in the first 17 minutes of the 2nd half. Big Dog has developed into a Big 10 talent. OSU really had no answer for him. I think he fouled 2 guys out? His free throw misses were brutal. But you can't knock a guy when he puts forth an effort like we've seen from him over the entire season. Zeke came to UA with the accolades, and had a very nice career. But a dominant senior season puts Big Dog as UA's #1 all-time best center. Who'da thunk that last season? Kwan had some big blocks. He's a good at-the-rim defender, but he's not a good on-ball defender. Especially so the further away he gets from the hoop. It will be interesting to see how he works on his game over the off season. We really need the redshirted kids to step up and contribute in 2016-17. There are plenty of game-minutes to be had for the kids that put in the most work this off-season. The coaches need to re-evaluate themselves, and the program too. What can be done differently to better prepare the Zips for post-season success? The scheduling mindset of the past decade appears to be in obvious need of re-evaluation. Is it better to play a freshman with upside than upper-classmen who may have maxed-out? Who redshirts? Who leaves? I don't have much more to offer that already hasn't been said. It was a fun ride, but an all-too abrupt stop. See you at InfoCision.
    13 points
  23. I have not posted or logged on to this site for a few years. I have no real football knowledge as many posters here appear to have. My wife and I have purchased season tickets for many years. If we went to a game in the last years, we always left after the band played at halftime. This year we have stayed till the end for all three games. As I said, I am far from a football guru, but I see tremendous improvement with this team. I believe Joe Moorhead is the real thing. He has a plan for this team and is going to try like heck to execute the plan. Give the man some time.
    12 points
  24. I talked to Chad Welker today at the golf outing and the web cam should up and running in the next day or two.
    12 points
  25. 12 points
  26. Yes. But we have a life, and sometimes we misplace trust that our members will act like adults. Jut so everyone knows - when I cut the check to Invision every 6 months to keep this site going it comes out of my pocket. I do it because I feel Zips fans need a nice place to discuss their teams comings and goings. 97% of you "get it," and I appreciate your contributions. If you are a cyberbully looking to inflate your ego, you're in the wrong board. Start your own Zips site and run it as you please. But here, you play by the house rules. It's as simple as that.
    12 points
  27. Don't blame Groce for Mark's lack of ability to compete at the D1 level....disingenuous to suggest it was on Coach's back, if you ever watched him play at UA. No disagreement on Mark being a great kid, etc. but just wasn't a D1 baller. Walsh and mark will compliment each other.
    12 points
  28. Written by @Captain Kangaroo Article linked here.
    12 points
  29. After attending one team practice it's clear to me why we were able to keep at least SOME of our players from escaping to PA. Damn! This Groce guy is a motivational leader. Two hour full contact session at UH Gym 2 from 10:30 - 12:30, and there were a couple of elbows to the chops in the lane. Everyone came out no worse for the ware. Coach G is a totally positive force on his players -- the only words of criticism on the floor were from #0, who for good or bad -- and I think it's the former -- is the vocal leader of this club. I did wonder if the attitude is similar to some of us -- "We have nowhere to go but up.", but I imagine the team's expectations are higher than that, as I could sense a belief in their chemistry and confidence to compete vs a recent top 15 team on the court Friday. 'E' Olajakpoke was throwing down just like in game, and didn't even miss "bunnies". Steve French be warned. Want to hear a name to be looking out for in the future -- if not necessarily this weekend? That guy #13, the new JC transfer can play with a smooth presence on the court, and puts up three-pointers with more confidence than, e.g., Virshon who will be good but isn't quite there after just two months. BUT, I have to say he played tough hard-nose defense today, and that will be important vs USC's guards like McLaughlin who you HAVE to keep away from the ball. BTW, the reason #13's not on the GoZips.com roster is because he does not have a head-shot photo yet that is required for consistency with the rest of the players. I swear, that's what I was told was the reason! From the way Coach talked to his troops -- especially about errant passes underneath that the Trojans big man will mark "return to sender" -- it seems he expects USC to be at full strength personnel wise. One more shorter no-contact session tomorrow and a walk-through in the arena at the same time on Thursday. Coach Groce is attending a Coaches Against Cancer fund-raiser tonight with Hawai'i coach Aran Ganot and I guess the other tournament coaches. An opportunity to tell the Dan Peters Story to a wider audience. #ForPetesSake. Aloha and mahalo for reading!
    12 points
  30. You came here at the absolute worst point in the 124-year history of the football program, and you leave us with the best season in Zips history. It's hard to believe and if I didn't watch it happen in person, I doubt I would ever understand the full impact of your careers at Akron. So, thank you. Thanks for believing in your team and yourselves when nobody else did, thanks for taking a huge risk in coming here, and thanks for sticking it through to the end.
    12 points
  31. 2001: Spicer Hall demolished at University of Akron 2016: Spicer/Hall demolished at University of Akron Have faith.
    12 points
  32. Nice little story in Zips Line today. Read the La A QUICK STORY I WANTED TO SHARE Our 13th-ranked Rifle team competed Saturday at the University of Mississippi, earning a hard-fought and -shot 4.601-4,591 victory over the No. 17 Rebels. That’s a great win for our program, but what made this trip particularly memorable was a man in the crowd wearing a Zips shirt. Although there are Zips fans all over the world, Oxford, Miss., is not exactly a hot-spot for UA alumni, so it was a pleasant surprise to see someone there wearing our gear. After 36 years as our Head Coach (following his time as a UA Rifle team member), Newt Engle knows everyone associated with our program. Since this gentleman wasn’t related to one of our current student-athletes or a former Rifle letterwinner, Newt walked over to introduce himself to a smiling stranger who was waving and cheering for our team. His name is Perry Arrington, and he’s the brother of our late Football Assistant Head Coach, Alan “Tank” Arrington. An Ole Miss grad, Perry is from Mississippi and lives there today. He told Newt that it was the first time he ever attended an Ole Miss event wearing the colors of another school, but he wanted to cheer for the Zips because of how much our school and athletics department meant to his brother and family. We all miss Tank every day, and we think often about Perry, Tank’s wife Gail, Tank’s mother Gale, and their entire family … it means a lot to us that we still have a Zips fan in Mississippi, especially because all of us here in Akron who had the honor to know Tank always will be lifelong Arrington fans.
    12 points
  33. If I were to take a poll, I would bet that every Zip on this board was waiting for Undercuffler to throw an interception on that last drive. He threw some nice balls in the 4th quarter and needs to get credit for this win.
    11 points
  34. I remember looking at Arth's 2021 team and schedule and wondering "How will this team win more than one game?!" (they won 2). We've come a long way. Sep 2 (Sat) 2:00 PM Away Temple Prediction - Zips offense surprises the Owls. Zips win 34-31 (1-0) Sep 9 (Sat) 6:00 PM Home Morgan State No messing around...Zips win 51-9 (2-0) Sep 16 (Sat) 7:00 PM Away Kentucky Lexington, Ky. Zips keep it close at the half, but a couple explosive second half plays carry Kentucky to a 41-24 win (2-1) Sep 23 (Sat) TBA Away Indiana Bloomington, Ind. WKY took these guys to OT last year. Hoosiers aren't very good. I think the Zips lose in a tight one. 27-24 (2-2) Sep 30 (Sat) TBA Home Buffalo Akron, Ohio We should have beaten Buffalo last year. We will this year. Zips win 45-24 (3-2) Oct 7 (Sat) 3:30 PM Home Northern Illinois Akron, Ohio Pounded these guys last year. We'll do so again. Zips 51-16 (4-2) Oct 14 (Sat) TBA Away Central Michigan Mount Pleasant, Mich. Gifted the Chipps a win last season. History doesn't repeat itself. Zips win 35-20. (5-2) Oct 21 (Sat) TBA Away Bowling Green Bowling Green, Ohio Who knows which BG team shows up? Tough to figure the Falcons out. Zips lost by 3 last season. Bullish that Joe schemes hard to prevent back-to-back BG losses, and the JoMo Zips round into form. Zips win 30-27 (6-2) Nov 1 (Wed) 7 or 7:30 PM Home Kent State Akron, Ohio (InfoCision Stadium - Summa Field) No way the Zips lose this one. Arth was #heretodevelop. Joe is #heretopoundkent. Zips win 39-20 (7-2) Nov 8 (Wed) 7 or 7:30 PM Away Miami University Oxford, Ohio Zips due for a letdown, and Miami always seems to have their number. Miami wins 20-19. (7-3) Nov 14 (Tue) 7:00 PM Away Eastern Michigan Ypsilanti, Mich. How did EMU get good at football? If they can play winning ball, anyone can. Unfortunately, the improved Eagles win 42-31. (7-4) Nov 24 (Fri) Noon Home Ohio Akron, Ohio (InfoCision Stadium - Summa Field) OU is down to their 4th string QB. Zips eek out a 19-17 win and look forward to their bowl game. (8-4) Offensively, the Zips should be able to hang with anyone. OL will be improved. RB is MUCH improved. WR should be as good, or better than last year. I expect a lot from Banks at TE. DL should be passable. Lots of size and mature bodies to choose from. Fingers are crossed a couple unknowns step up and make an impact. LB scares me. None of the returning guys made much of an impression last year. Hopefully a year in the system and in the weight room yields a big improvement. Secondary should be a strength...IF the DL can generate some QB pressure. 8-4 is a crazy prediction considering we've won 8 total games since we beat Northwestern in 2018. But I believe we're a MUCH better team that the one Jo inherited last year. Crazy goal...but definitely possible.
    11 points
  35. Enjoyed the spring game today. I thought it was a great idea to open up the lounge/box seats. There were not many people in that area until halftime, when it became flooded with fans and recruits that were guided to free food. Well done and way to show off the amenities of the stadium, which otherwise may not often be seen. The game itself flew by. A few things really stood out to me. 1) This team is way ahead of where they were last spring. They look disciplined (minus a few penalties), physical, and know their assignments. 2) The athleticism and maturity was noticeable. 3) The secondary is much improved. It seemed like last spring game WRs and RBs were running free in the passing game nearly every pass. Not the case this year. 4) Tackling was outstanding. I think there were only two missed tackles the whole game. Last SG I remember coming away thinking Wiley had more lower body strength than what he showed on film due to his ability to break tackles. Turned out our defense was just terrible (as a whole) tackling at that point. Position Takeaways: QB - Undercuffler looked confident and in command. He also had the benefit of playing behind what looked like the first string OL. There are still some passes Undercuffler struggles to complete. That being said, he can get the job done. The offense should be in good shape if Undercuffler has to play meaningful snaps this year. Jennings and Wasel received the rest of the snaps. Both did some good things and also looked like young QBs at times. Jennings throws a nice ball and is clearly a solid athlete, but listing him as 5’11” might be generous. Wasel has a big arm and forced a few throws today. He also made a few that gave reason for excitement. His mechanics need work and he seems to realize that as he was focused on the sideline going through step by step motions before the 3rd quarter began. (Irons and Jankowski were sidelined). RB - Lingard is good. He didn’t break any big runs today, even though it felt like he might a couple of times. Not sure what happened at Florida, but the guy has “it.” He did have a nice touchdown run and is the number one back. Lingard will be a weapon for this offense barring injury. Kellom looks ready to contribute when his number is called and Hester also had a nice run. It’s unfortunate Price is out for an extended period, but I have no doubt this group will provide more production than last year. WR - Might as well mark down George for All-MAC. The guy looks the part in every way. It was good to see some of the other guys get substantial playing time today with Adams out and SJL gone. Like @LZIp mentioned, Walker had the best day catching the ball. Thomas, Golden, Anderson, and Gathings were all noticeable. TE - Banks and Ognenovic took most of the snaps. Nothing substantial to report here. OL - My biggest takeaway is that T. Williams and K. Davis look ready. I can’t place who the other guard was, but the lineup blocking for Undercuffler was LT Chambers, C T.Williams, G K Davis, RT N. Williams. Takeaway from the opposite OL was freshman OT Jayvin James. James is huge, has long arms, and moves well. He’s going to be a good one. I locked in on him for a number of plays and came away excited about what he could become. (Landers and Robarge were on the sideline). DT - Terray Jones is a force. It’s unfortunate Holt left because those two could have been dynamic. Robinson seems to have come a long way and will challenge for a starting spot. Nothing stood out about the other DTs, but they did not make it easy on the OL. (Murphy was on the sideline). DE - Pass rush from this position is still a concern. Rabah and Johnson look like the starters for now. We need the incoming players to step up and provide more. (Richardson was on the sideline). LB - This position looked great. Bubba was Bubba. McCoy is physically impressive even though he surprisingly missed a tackle. Fish looks like he knows what he’s doing this year. I noticed him around the ball often. Griffin and Behm also had their moments. CB - The coverage was solid today despite often not having much of a pass rush. Golden-Nelson and Terence Thomas look ready to cause other teams some serious issues. Those two kept popping up over and over. I believe it was Judson Tallandier who also looked good here. All the DBs seem to have added muscle mass. (Joey Hunter was sidelined and I don’t recall seeing Cam Threatt). S - So many of these guys are built and move so similarly now it was hard to tell them apart at times (that’s a good thing). Martin saw plenty of time and Johnson chased down a miscued pass for an interception. This group was solid against the pass and came up well in run support. (Nate Thompson was sidelined). ST - Some good and some not so good. As a group they struggled at the start, but found their groove as the game progressed. Im sure there is more that I missed or forgot to say. It’s late and I wanted to report as much as I could while I had it on my mind.
    11 points
  36. A great week to be a Zip! It's finally here! Thursday is going to be special, I've got high, high hopes. Which scares me to death in a program and stadium that has done everything to beat the hope out of me for nearly its entire existence. I know nothing about SFpa. and will not pretend to. Looking at their season last year, they weren't much of a match for EMU to open the year, and they weren't as fortunate as Mr. Arth's Zips as they lost to the Bryant Bulldogs. A look at their schedules from previous years, and they along with 2021 opponent Bryant have also just recently begun playing FBS teams. They were on Buffalo's schedule in 2020 before it was canceled, and of course the EMU game last year. In the UA game against Bryant last year, which was an incredibly painful experience, it was obvious how much of a physical advantage the Zips had, but it didn't matter until the final quarter. They were much tougher than Akron despite the lack of size, speed, and skill. We don't have an official 2-deep, but we've got a lot to be intrigued by. I loved Irons' potential last year, but once he got hurt against Ohio he was never the same. Perhaps saving him from getting killed the last 8ish games will be good for his future. I have all the faith in the world in JoeMo + Fessler and the offensive staff to help with his decision making and ball security. He's one of the most athletic QBs in the league, and made plays against the likes of Auburn and Ohio State. I feel good-not-great about the UA QB situation going into week 1. I like opening against a team like this to ease into the new season and new system. Word out of camp is that Cam Wiley looks the part in the backfield. I loved what I saw from Norrils last year. Will Akron have a consistent rushing attack (sans Teon Dollard year) for the first time in decades? Wait to see! The thing I'm most excited for are the receivers--including the TE. Replacing Mumpfield, Mathison, Qualls, and Williams was no easy task, but this staff did that and then some. Daniel George has been phenomenal in camp, Alex Adams may be one of the best prospects to ever wear a Zip uniform, and Shocky Jaques-Louis is a seasoned vet who has done a lot of winning. Throw in Brank and TJ Banks and you've got options all over the place. What does this all mean if the O-Line continues to be swiss cheese? Not a damn thing. Joel Rodriguez is one of the most important pieces to the puzzle. He's had a great young career with JoeMo and got his college football start with one of the best teams of all time at Miami back in the early 2000s. The line is big and experienced. They've also got the potential to take the next step. Defensively? I'm hopeful, but not as sure. This will be an experienced unit with a lot of nice transfers sprinkled in, which I'm quite excited about. It will be so nice to see Bubba back out there on Thursday, that in itself is something to be pumped about. Overall, I see this as a vastly improved team already, simply based on the improved coaching staff. They put together a phenomenal recruiting class including a lot of transfers to get this thing turned around fast. JoeMo talks a lot about the seismic transformation that's going to take place. As the season has approached, I've started to feel the same way. I mean, how can it not work out this time? It's a perfect storm for Akron football to go where it wants to go. And the journey begins Thursday. Can't wait! Go Zips!!!!
    11 points
  37. I have yet to meet the new AD. One seemingly small, yet impressive thing he's implemented is displacing some lower-reserved season ticket holders in the JAR and creating a lower-reserved student section. That idea was suggested here years ago and was dismissed as impossible. Likewise, selling beer at the JAR was suggested here years ago, and dismissed as absolute lunacy. Now we have a basketball student section as engaged and full as I've seen it in decades. And during a pandemic, no less? And I can have a $6 beer at my seat and watch the game, and shockingly...nobody has died because of it. There was a General Electric commercial a few years ago which contained the phrase "Ideas are frightening because the threaten what is known. They're the natural born enemy of the way things are." There are way too many people within UA that had clung to "the way things are" for decades. And believed issues like football game day attendance is just "the way things are." Why? It is a lot easier to say "I wouldn't have built that stadium" than it is to fill it. You're off the hook scot-free...it was the fault of the guys preceding you. It seems like UA may have finally lucked into an ambitious, engaging AD who can pull it out of it's decades-long death grip on the past. He made a great hire with Joe Moorhead. He's implementing changes that are seemingly simple, but on UA's conservative scale, are groundbreaking. I look forward to seeing InfoCision butts-in-seats increase appreciably over the next several years. Based upon the student involvement at the JAR this winter, I expect an immediate uptick in student attendance at football games this fall. Great things are going on at UA. Thanks to Guthrie for pulling us Zips fans off the ventilator. After a 3-24 three year stretch, I was ready to flat-line. Now I'm ready to party! 😁
    11 points
  38. I hope this works. Zippy Video.mp4
    11 points
  39. Keith’s father Sid passed away yesterday. It was always a cool to see him around and to see their father/son relationship and the influence it had on Keith as a coach. Check out this cool photo of them that was posted on social media
    11 points
  40. I got a late call into the Dan Patrick show today during the best and worst of the week(end). I mentioned Jackson having back to back 35 pt games being the best. The worst was the loss to BG. Dan Patrick followed it up with the appreciation of the update on MAC basketball!!
    11 points
  41. Last year, 4-8 Bowden beat - Northwestern Morgan State (4-7 FCS) Kent State in OT (2-10) CMU (1-11) We lost 9-of-11 starters on defense, and that defense carried the 2018 team. Due to the timing of his hire he completely missed out on the initial signing day. We lost our best returning WR, Jonah Morris, before the season even started. Shocking that we're bad in 2019. Who knew? Arth is a good person, and a hard worker. He's legitimately focusing on NE Ohio recruits, which is something Akron fans have bemoaned for years. Everyone here should support the guy. Against a lot of odds, his staff and team are busting their ass to bring Akron a winner. If you repeatedly post on ZipsNation bitching about Arth, you're just trying to bring the program down. And bring the supporters down. And that is not why I pay the money, and spend the time, to run a nice site that represents UA well. People that repeatedly bitch make ZipNation toxic and drive good, interesting, fun fans away. That won't fly.
    11 points
  42. Long time Zips fan and ZN.o member Go Zips peacefully passed away tonight as his beloved Zips dispatched hated KSU. Fred was a longtime volunteer assistant with the basketball program dating back to the Bob Huggins era. If anyone ever bled blue and gold it was Fred. He was very opinionated but he truly loved every kid that passed through the program. Fred had a stroke late last year and was sorely missed by the staff and team. He did make it to one final game on February 14th, a win against Toledo. RIP Go Zips!
    11 points
  43. Hello to everyone. My name is Tiffany. I am Fred's daughter. There aren't words to describe how much your kind words about dad have lifted me up. He was extremely passionate about the Zips. I mean, I pretty much grew up in the JAR. If any of you have a favorite photo or anything you would like to share, please do. Even maybe loaning memorabilia... I am trying to put together some photo boards and items to display at the viewing. I will hopefully have a date and time set for services today. I will post them on here. Also, the obit will be in the Beacon Journal. Please feel free to contact me here. Thank you again for all the kind words and well wishes. My dad has been so blessed to have a great group of people to call his friends.
    11 points
  44. To all ZipsNation members - I want to put in writing the following - This site was created to allow Zips fans an venue to discuss the various athletic programs. There's no other reason. Rather than sit around with our thumbs up our butts waiting for media coverage, a few of us banded together and did something about it. It would be very easy to drop out and move to a back page of the MACbbs board like K.e.n.t. But I think that would be embarrassing. We created something nice here, with high functionality and a higher standard for content. When opposing fans visit our site, I want them to be impressed and think we are legit. I pay to maintain ZipsNation. Happily. I deal with all the a-hole opposing fans attempting to post, and a bunch of stuff that's invisible to the general public too. I'll sit in a dark Subway parking lot at 10 pm, after a 14 hour work day, talking to some Marshall Podcasters/bloggers to help promote the Zips and ZipsNation. Whatever it takes. Dr. Z has done yeoman's work to ensure to make it look sharp, and install upgrades. He also gives us great pics, which you don't get on other MAC boards. This site has to be about Zips athletics, and fun. It can't exist to cyber-bully other fans. I do not want good people to avoid posting for fear someone will threaten, or just be downright disrespectful to them. Can you tweak someone's nose? Yes. Can you have a passionate debate? Yes. Can you say "The AD sucks!" Yes. But when it gets to the level of "Meet me behind the church after school..." or "Suck <insert something lame>", that's not acceptable. It can't be. One of our posters was a bit out of line the other day, and penned an apology. It takes a man to do that. It isn't easy. It's 100% accepted, and we move onward. I've got around 10,000 posts here. I'm pretty happy with most of them. A couple... I wish I hadn't posted. And I've had to apologize. It happens. I hope K'92 returns to posting. The backbone of this board is the guy that travels to Wisconsin and posts a trip recap complete with a humungous soft pretzel pic. I wish we had 100 more of him. Times are great for Zips football. We've won 7-of-8 games, with the lone loss coming at Wisconsin. Compare that to the Brookhart recruits on Bowden's first team - they won 6 games in their entire 4-year careers! This weekend should be a blast. Great weather and a great home opponent. And I look forward to seeing what that guy under the scoreboard has cooking in his smoker.
    11 points
  45. I saw Brett Ekkins our OL coach a day after the spring game. We had a great conversation. We started talking about the spring game but progressed into the future of Zip football. I'm really impressed with him. His enthusiasm is infectious. He seems to be a guy who is in love with his job and more importantly loves being at Akron. I like having that attitude on our coaching staff. I told him i wasn't impressed with the run blocking in the game. he offered that they did not want to show anything but he felt good about our run game. He said he loved the bigger backs we have coming in like White and Alce (sp ?). Our line is evolving to more athletic guys which will allow us to run wider, something we haven't done much in the past. Coach E said the quality of our recruiting has improved so much because 1) players love our facilities, 2) they see the coaching staff as men who enjoy Bowden, each other, and are here for the long run, and 3) recruits feel Akron will win soon. I asked coach about RJ Kelly from Hoban. Specifically wondering how we beat out Minnesota and other power 5 schools for him. Coach said Kelly really appreciated what Akron could do for him in academics i.e. business school and the future opportunity to play for conference championships. Most of all he liked the culture that is building in Akron football. Finally coach said he has been assigned Columbus for recruiting. The feeling is that too many good players are coming out of there and we need to get our share. I also thought back to ex Pres Wilson when he remarked that we should cut scholarship/recruiting expenses by focusing on more Ohio recruits. Perhaps this is an outgrowth of that. I say fine as long as we are getting the quality we need to excel. I'm tired of losing. No breaking news here, but I thought some of you might enjoy hearing more about football.
    10 points
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