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They made it a little interesting in the top of the 7th, Western Michigan scored a run and had the bases loaded with two out but a little pop out ended the game with Akron with their first MAC Championship 3-1!

This is a strange comment. We have someone coming in that averaged 17.3 ppg on a .520 eFG%. Are we as good and deep at PG as last year? Most likely not, but at the same time it seems odd to call it a question mark. Steveskie is a proven D1 contributor. In fact, will probably make preseason All-MAC lists (1st or 2nd team). If anything I would say the 2 PG you listed for Kent are the real question mark as neither have played a minute of D1 collegiate basketball. The only thing you can judge either of them on is hype.

Overall successful year for athletics. Love to see a spring team go on a run

Zips get four players on the all tournament team, Cantrell, Lee, Glass and MVP Madie Jamrog. Felt like Lily Sullivan certainly could have been included but I guess five is getting a little greedy. 🤣

zips going dancing for the third time in the 2025-2026 academic year! Four when you count our swimming/diving champs. Great day- once again- to be a zip.

Ford has seen Max for the last few years. The fact that he was one of the first additions to the team says a lot about what they think of him IMO.

It took coach JRod a few seasons of recruiting to get the offensive line to a point where there was enough quality depth to compete on a weekly basis. Now the challenge has shifted from building depth to retaining developed talent. This offseason alone, four linemen transferred to power programs — three were high school recruits and one was a JUCO addition. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: coach JRod does as good a job as anyone in the MAC when it comes to identifying under recruited prospects with high upside and then developing them into legitimate contributors. Returning Starters: C. Lyons is the lone holdover from the previous regime and returns as the starting center. He really came on strong toward the end of last season, so having him back is a big plus heading into 2026. A. Jones opened 2025 as the starting right guard before eventually sliding outside and splitting time at right tackle with M. King. Jones also finished the season playing some of his best football and is the likely favorite to lock down the starting right tackle spot this year. A. Archer closed out 2025 as the starting left guard and also logged snaps at right guard throughout the season. His versatility gives the staff options and he’ll likely step back into one of the starting guard spots this fall. Who else returns? A. Fox is a former JUCO All-American who may finally be ready to step in and contribute in a meaningful way. Injuries have seemingly slowed his development since arriving on campus, but the talent is there. For whatever reason, former Alabama signee D. Shor hasn’t panned out yet. One former Alabama insider claimed Shor stepped away from the team in 2022 due to mental health concerns. I can’t speak to the situation, but hopefully he’s able to put everything together and eventually provide a boost along the offensive line. J. Mann is now a redshirt junior and should begin pushing for meaningful snaps. At 6’7”, 310 pounds, he has the physical tools to develop into a solid tackle. J. Gould is another young tackle with plenty of upside, though he’s probably still a year, or two, away from being ready for major snaps. Portal Additions: I. Falkner started at left tackle for DII Missouri Southern State University. He’s built more like a guard, but should have enough athleticism to stick outside at tackle in the MAC. C. Slayden is now on his fourth and final stop after previous stints at JUCO, Troy, and Southern Mississippi. He’s logged snaps at nearly every position along the offensive line throughout his career. Captain mentioned during the spring that Slayden was working at left tackle. B. Smith started at center for Merrimack (FCS) before transferring to South Dakota (FCS) this past season, where he served as a backup across multiple interior OL spots. He should provide depth behind Lyons at center. J. Hoskins comes from a Lackawanna College program set to transition to DII this coming year. He earned 2nd Team JUCO All-American honors while playing left tackle. Hoskins moves exceptionally well for someone listed at 350 pounds. That said, trimming some weight would help maximize his effectiveness at the FBS level. He originally committed to Old Dominion during this signing cycle before ultimately changing course. D. Christman-Gourley is another JUCO addition. Piecing together DCG’s path hasn’t been easy. It appears he went the JUCO route out of high school, though it’s unclear how long he remained with the football program. There are spring highlights floating around, but I haven’t been able to track down any actual JUCO game film. I believe he has four years to play three. Regardless, based on his high school tape and limited JUCO highlights, DCG flashes solid size, length, and agility. He could end up being a strong developmental addition over the next year or two. M. Puckett transferred in from Bethune-Cookman, where he started at right guard the previous two seasons. An injury early last year limited him to just two games. If healthy, he’ll have a legitimate shot to compete for starting reps this year. Puckett was especially strong in pass protection at Bethune-Cookman. J. Stephens played left tackle in a pass-heavy JUCO offense. At times he had issues dealing with quicker edge rushers and probably projects more as a developmental addition right now. N. Hampton is an interior lineman with solid size and a good frame. He played at powerhouse DeMatha Catholic High School before signing with Saint Francis. Hampton only appeared in a handful of games there and should still have multiple years of eligibility remaining. The Freshmen: L. Barthelemy - Barthelemy played both ways in high school, and it’s easy to see the upside he brings to the table. However, it’ll take some time to reshape his body before he’s ready to consistently contribute as a tackle at this level. Similar to former high school teammate and Zip Jayvin James, Barthelemy was lightly recruited out of Florida. Coach JRod helped develop James (transferred out after two years in the program) into Mississippi State’s starting left tackle. The tools are there with Barthelemy, but patience will probably be needed early on. E. Rollins - Similar to Barthelemy, Rollins was also lightly recruited coming out of high school. There’s solid upside here, and he may see the field sooner depending on roster need. Rollins appears to be further along physically than Barthelemy, and projects more naturally as an interior lineman. If he continues to develop technically, he could carve out a role quicker than expected. Projected Depth Chart: This is my best projection for who will see the most playing time to begin the season. Coach JRod typically opens the year rotating around 10 guys before tightening things up later in the season. LT Slayden Falkner LG A. Archer N. Hampton C C. Lyons B. Smith RG A. Fox M. Puckett RT A. Jones D. Shor Last Thoughts: The offensive line lost some key players and guys who absolutely would’ve helped in 2026. Unfortunately, that’s probably something Zips fans are going to have to get used to, as functional offensive linemen are in high demand in today’s NIL environment. All things considered, I think the staff has done a good job bringing in talent that should be able to step in and contribute right away while also adding developmental pieces for the future. After diving deeper into the position, I’m honestly not all that concerned about this group. Returning: C. Lyons (Gr.) A. Archer (R. Sr.) A. Fox (R. Sr.) A. Jones (R. Sr.) D. Shor (R. Sr.) J. Mann (R. Jr.) J. Gould (R. Fr.) In: I. Falkner (R. Sr.) = (DII) C. Slayden (R. Sr.) = Southern Miss B. Smith (R. Jr.) = South Dakota (FCS) J. Hoskins (Jr.) = (JUCO) M. Puckett (R. So.) = Bethune-Cookman (FCS) D. Christman-Gourley (So.) = (JUCO) J. Stephens (So.) = JUCO N. Hampton (R. Fr.) = St. Francis (FCS) L. Barthelemy (Fr.) E. Rollins (Fr.) Out: K. Davis = Pittsburgh M. King = Iowa State K. McManus = Auburn D. Morris = Kansas State J. Moore = Graduation J. Motley-Simmons = Graduation D. Johnson = Graduation

Enrique has to make a splash quickly. The average NBA career lasts around 4.5 years. He is two years into his professional career. G League careers last around 2.5 years on average. Next year could be a make it break period for his NBA career. He's a smart guy. I'm sure he knows this. He could still make a very good living internationally.

All this sounds about right from what I can gather. One SMU insider claimed Abor “lost his explosiveness and was buried on the depth chart,” and also described him as “troubled.” Whether the SMU insider is correct or not, the bigger point still makes sense: we had three scholarships available, so why not take a flyer on a guy who, at one point, was more physically gifted than anyone currently on our defensive line? If it doesn’t work out, the staff can send him on his way. Low risk, high reward.

This was a great interview. Thanks for sharing. We are lucky to have Michael on our coaching staff. he will make a good head coach some day.

Yeah, i do the same and it's how I get almost all of my Zips gear. Usually either new or gently used. And usually about half the price of what it would retail for.

I have a saved eBay search for "Akron Zips Nike" that I check out every week or so. It's my go-to for all my Zips gear now. Tons of team issued stuff shows up on there. I'm assuming it's all surplus that the players and coaches didn't need. But I have gotten an awesome Zips Football hoodie, a game worn football jersey, Akron/LBJ basketball quarter zip and two other Akron Nike pullovers. All came brand new with tags and everything.

Barbara Turner at East Tech was awesome. Maybe a year before LeBron? She was the best on the floor at nearly every single skill and aspect of the game. Best HS hooper I ever saw, and it's not close.

It seemed like how they do soccer. The unseeded team were mostly placed in geographically close locations

The “Akron Racers” will play LSU

Michael Nanchoff (great interview) this interview occurred during the 2025 Fall season. Sorry if it was previously posted but I don’t recall seeing it.

Not sure if you're auditioning for the next Netflix Roast with these jokes but your post certainly isn't based in reality. Dorian and Miller are intriguing but as Kreed said, neither one has played a minute of DI basketball. In fact, Dorian was with 14th place Rutgers all last season and they seemingly let him walk. I also don't understand Miller's top 100 class ranking because his best offers were PCCC, Miami OH, and Furman. Meanwhile, Akron brought in a guard that averaged 17ppg/4agp/37% 3P and dropped 27 vs. Colorado State, 17 vs. Indiana, 19 vs. High Point, 9 vs. TCU, and 19 vs. McNeese. Sorry he didn't make All Conference in the Southland; I think we've seen enough from the MAC's annual awards to know that these selections are largely a joke and meaningless. By the way, the Southland was ranked 18th in Net, 1 spot behind the MAC. Staveskie will not be in over his head at the MAC level, that's for sure. Did PCCC get better? Maybe, maybe not; that remains to be seen. However, it's a fact that they got smaller and Akron got bigger. Incredibly odd to tout PCCC's two incoming guards with zero DI experience and rip Akron's incoming PG who averaged 17ppg in a very similar conference to the MAC. Go Zips.

It's interesting to see the directions Akron and PCCC have gone respectively. I don't believe PCCC brought in any wing guys - they're all guards and (shorter) post players. That's how Akron was built in the early-mid Dambrot days and Kent used to be built like Akron is now. Roster composition and physicality is completely reversed. We'll see if Akron has the shooters, but I predict PCCC will struggle with Akron's size/athleticism/rotation flexibility/physicality. I think a lot of teams will.

I like seeing the aggressiveness going to the basket and willingness to play through the contact by all three of these guys.

There should be some opportunities for Akron athletics to raise some additional money to reduce the deficit. Sponsor patch on jerseys is allowed next year. That should bring in 6-figures. The stadiums naming rights expire within the next 2-3 years so we should be able to seek something there. The college football playoffs will be expanding and even though the P4 hoard most of the money, some of that will trickle down to the G6.

Energy, attitude, effort, and versatility. He's going to be a great addition.

I don't either. Sounds like the President still believes in D1 athletics even if the faculty doesn't.

I do think he will be a nice addition. He has playing time experience, height and familiarity with the MAC.

It’s not like our later season home games are that well attended anyway

up to 18 games in the Fall and up to 10 in the Spring is moronic. I thought the reason for the Fall/Spring season was so teams didn’t have to play midweek games. 18-20 game regular season could be better accommodated over 2 semesters.

Enrique would benefit from an expansion draft if he can stay around long of enough for the rumored one

Indiana not bringing him back hurt him. Instead of having an opportunity on a team that knows him, who was destined to not make the playoffs this season due to Haliburton's injury, he went to another contender that never gave him the time of day. He needs to find his way onto a non-contender that has the room to play him at the NBA level. He nearly averaged a double-double this past season (17 pts/9 reb) after averaging a double-double last year (17 pts/10 reb), which should almost certainly intrigue some NBA franchises. However, playing 2-3 mpg when he gets a shot in NBA games isn't going to get it done; nobody can get in a rhythm or make a true impact with such little playing time.

Sporting Jax v IndyEleven on ESPN+ as I post this. Announcers highlighted Emil and his 23 goals at Akron in one season.

You can throw in track and field in there to make it five. ☺️

He looks strong and confident.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DYFP1sTjZtx/?igsh=d25zNnZzN282aGNh

Former Zip Darryl Peterson mentioned here:https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/48710416/darryn-peterson-says-high-doses-creatine-led-cramping

so i did a little research on this guy... (mind you i am not nearly an expert like CAT just played around google) and i am not quite as eager to hand him and keys to the car just yet... he was highly recruited out of high school.. 2022 his freshman year was cut short due to a serious near injury 2023 he played in five games 1 solo tackle which was for a 2 yard loss against western kentucky and he had an assisted tackle against purdue. no other stats. according to what i read Ryan Day stated that Abor had an "undisclosed injury" that he could not into details about but he would not return for several months. Abor then entered the portal which he admittedly said he regretted, he chased the money. and he went to SMU. 2024 Abor went to SMU played in 2 games and had 2 assisted tackles. apparently he showed up heavy and slow and it made it difficult to play. that is why he played 2 games abor left after the 24 season entered the portal DID NOT PLAY IN 2025 and remained in the portal until now...

Schedule updates for anyone who may be going tomorrow (and now, potentially Sunday). Tonight's elimination game between Ohio and WMU will now be played tomorrow at 11 AM. The winner plays Akron at 2pm. If Akron loses, there's a rematch on Sunday. https://x.com/i/status/2052905749202739241

Malachi Branham, Darryn Peterson?

Underhand is a natural motion while overhand is not. That's why softball teams often use the same pitcher in back to back games.

I just rewatched the bottom of the 7th and I'm still in awe. Zips got two quick outs and then their lead off hitter Meagan Lee dropped down a good bunt single. Hayley Glass went down 0-2 and maybe took strike three but it was called a ball and then she fouled off five pitches before she finally walked. Sophia Wygast then walked before Lily Sullivan hit her slam on an 0-1 pitch. Just amazing.

The secondary should be the strength of the defense in 2026. Despite losing DeWalt to the NFL and Reed to a power program, there is still plenty of potential and experience returning. Safety: Former Oregon transfer D. David is back for another go-round and will attempt to finally make it through a full season healthy. If he does, he should lock down one of the starting safety spots. Flanking him will likely be former Penn State transfer M. Flowers, who showed flashes last season and should benefit from another year in the system. Backing them up are J. Somerville and R. Hunter, both of whom have enough experience and will likely rotate in regularly. T. Davis may also be ready to push for significant snaps. Overall, this is a group that should be able to build on last year’s performance. Nickleback: Both Branches return at nickel, which is a positive for this defense. AL. Branch started most of the games last season, but by the end of 2025 I actually thought AI. Branch was the better overall player. Both bring experience and versatility to the position, and that continuity should help stabilize the secondary. I also expect Miami (OH) transfer K. Moss to eventually settle into this role, although that may still be a year or two away depending on how quickly he develops and adjusts to the system. Cornerback: White started the first game of 2025 and promptly went down with a season-ending injury just several plays in. Assuming White is healthy, he should lock down one starting CB spot. T. Thomas (former Purdue signee) has been around the program for quite a while now and emerged as the top backup by the end of 2025. He’ll likely slide into the starting role opposite White. Behind them, there are several intriguing options among the defensive back transfers listed below, and that group should create solid competition. Incoming Defensive Backs: Old Dominion transfer Z. Hobson has great height, length, and speed for the position. However, in the game I watched of him at West Virginia State (DII), he struggled in run support, and I have to wonder if that played a role in keeping him off the field at Old Dominion this past season. Hobson only has one year of eligibility remaining, so he’ll need to quickly shore up the weaker parts of his game if he wants to become a regular contributor as a Zip. Mizzou transfer S. McNeil is the definition of a player who hasn’t played up to his potential. He’ll be a redshirt junior with two seasons left to prove why he was once considered a top-100 cornerback recruit coming out of high school. The physical tools are clearly there, it’s just a matter of putting everything together consistently at the college level. Holy Cross transfer C. Newsome has good speed and tracks the ball well in the air. His tackling could still use some improvement, though that will probably come with added mass and time in the program. Newsome is also a willing special teams player, which should help his chances of working his way onto the two-deep during his first season at Akron. Redshirt freshman D. Galloway may end up being one of the bigger pickups in this class. He was an explosive player on both sides of the ball in high school and has really impressive upside. Galloway originally committed to West Virginia and now enters this season as a redshirt freshman. Honestly, this is the type of player I’m still not totally sure how the staff managed to land given the financial restraints of today’s NIL era. Redshirt freshman K. Moss was lightly recruited out of high school before ending up at Miami (OH). He’s another guy that shouldn’t be overlooked because he may quietly develop into a really solid player. Moss actually reminds me quite a bit of former Zips DB Darrian Lewis. The Freshmen: H. Perrymond is an explosive athlete who played both ways in high school. My guess is his size — similar to Patrick and Mason — is what ultimately landed him with the Zips. He’s a cornerback that I expect to see the field sooner rather than later, and honestly, he’ll probably be a tough one for Akron to hang onto for all four years if he develops the way I think he can. Perrymond was listed on the spring roster, which should give him a head start. S. Lewis is another freshman who played both ways in high school. To me, he doesn’t look quite as explosive as Perrymond, though that’s not really a knock on Lewis. He actually reminds me a lot of C. White coming out of high school and appears to have excellent hands. Lewis will need to add some mass before he’s ready to contribute consistently at this level. He did not participate in spring ball. Anyone else? Former JUCO and Cincinnati signee I. Jarmon returns for his final season, and K. Johnson is back as well. Both possess the physical traits to contribute, but neither have done so in an impactful way to this point. What to make of this? There’s probably more overall talent in this year’s secondary than in any previous season under this staff. I’m not saying this is an elite secondary, but on paper, this group has a chance to be one of the better units Akron has fielded in quite some time. Of course, secondary play is still heavily tied to what happens up front. If the pass rush can’t consistently affect the quarterback or gaps are being filled incorrectly by other positions, that can easily skew how this unit’s play is perceived. Still, there’s a good blend of experience, athleticism, and upside here. The staff also finally appears to have accumulated enough legitimate depth to withstand a few injuries without a major drop-off in production. At this point, I doubt any more players will be added to the secondary. Returning: CB - Jarmon (Gr.) CB - T. Thomas (Sr.) CB - White (R. Jr.) CB - K. Johnson (R. So.) S - David (Gr.) S - Flowers (R. Sr.) S - Somerville (R. Jr.) S - Hunter (R. So.) S - T. Davis (So.) NB - AL. Branch (Gr.) NB - AI. Branch (Jr.) In: CB - Hobson (R.Sr.) = Old Dominion CB - McNeil (R. Jr.) = Missouri CB - Newsome (Jr.) = Holy Cross CB - Galloway (R. Fr.) = West Virginia CB - Lewis (Fr.) CB - Perrymond (Fr.) S - Moss (R. Fr.) = Miami (OH) Out: CB - Kamara = North Dakota CB - Reed = Utah CB - DeWalt = Graduation S - Anderson = Graduation S - D. Johnson = Graduation S - Stepney = Graduation

Initial Outlook: This is a unit that lost essentially all of its production to graduation and the portal. Cooper, Summers, Spriggs, and Boswell played just about every meaningful snap in 2025, so now it’s an entirely new cast being asked to fill the shoes of what had been steady linebacker play heading into 2026. Previously, I felt comfortable that linebacker would be in good shape no matter who was playing (due to coach Tibesar). However, that’s no longer where I’m at with the current situation. There are legitimate concerns going into the season due to a lack of FBS experience of every linebacker on the roster. None of the transfers really jump out as all-conference types, and losing Spriggs to the portal feels like a bigger deal at this point. There’s also just the reality that this group may need some time. Multiple players are being asked to adjust to FBS speed at once, and that usually doesn’t come together right away. It wouldn’t be surprising if it takes a few games before things start to settle in and linebacker play improves. Who are the newcomers? I don’t want to make it sound like there is no talent on the roster - because there is. Nunoo is a transfer from FIU who doesn’t seem to stand out in any one area, but should be able to adequately fill in at both linebacker spots. Jones is built more like a true MIKE and can come downhill in a hurry. He covers ground quickly sideline to sideline and shows a nice burst. In the game I watched, though, he had some issues in coverage as balls kept getting dropped in over him. So that’s clearly an area that needs to improve. Smith looks a bit undersized on film, but he moves well and, like Summers, just seems to find his way to the ball. He wasn’t on campus this spring, but with his JUCO degree already in hand, I’d expect him to arrive this summer. These three should take up the bulk of snaps early in the season. What about the returners? I’m still very high on the potential of Hocker, James, and Reeves. The question is when they’ll be ready to consistently contribute. The talent is clearly there, but it’s a matter of when it starts translating on a week-to-week basis at this level. Their time can’t come soon enough. One freshman: Curtis has been added to the mix, and like the three young linebackers just mentioned, also has plenty of upside and should be a good one down the road. Any other linebackers? As mentioned in the DL column, Duncan may now be playing linebacker. I haven’t seen any film of him at the position, nor did I see him in the spring, so I can’t really comment on what he’ll bring to the table just yet. My assumption is either the staff likes him enough and believes he can help us there, or the overall play at linebacker hasn’t quite been where it needs to be and Duncan is getting a look as a result. I’m hoping it’s the former. What’s next? Coach Moorhead said there are still three scholarships available so I wouldn't rule out another linebacker being added if the staff doesn’t feel great about things going into fall camp. Projected Depth Chart: MLB: Jones Hocker WLB: Nunoo Smith Returners: Hocker (R. So.) James (R. Fr.) Reeves (R. Fr.) In: Nunoo (R. Sr.) (Florida International) Jones (Jr.) (JUCO) Smith (Jr.) (JUCO) Curtis (Fr.) Out: Benenge = Albany Boswell = Texas Spriggs = Southern Miss Cooper = Graduation Summers = Graduation

Came across this on ebay and bought immediately. Probably fake but I'll always have it to remember his game winner!

It would hurt more if he were a serviceable backup big.

huge whiff by Dustin.

This one hurts. I will never forgive John for poaching our guys.

To nobodies surprise.