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That's because you're hearing what you want to hear. You keep just saying move on from JoeMo and it will make us magically better. Others are saying we need additional resources regardless of coach. Just because someone points out that the program is underfunded doesn't mean they're saying the program can never succeed in the MAC. They're saying that if we want to have success in the future we need to find ways of increasing resources. Whether that falls on getting more donations, playing more buy games, or whatever else. Replacing a coach is just a bandaid. I'm not even opposed moving on from JoeMo. I just want there to be a plan in place for how we're going to be financially competitive with the other MAC schools. Without it you will be here in 2-3 years demanding we fire another coach.

Thought Barre had an excellent game for the minutes he was in.

Just jumping in to say that this season was a pleasant surprise and the post season run was incredible. You could see the on- field chemistry. So gutted for the guys. If the ending was hard to see as a fan, quadruple that feeling for the players. And I don't blame Stefan one bit for continuing what was working for him - how many PKs did he successfully convert prior to this one? No player has a 100% conversion rate even at the pro level. Eventually, an attempt will be saved or will go wide or high. As for the SLU game ...sheesh...as long as I've been watching soccer (a long time) and playing (maybe too long) I can't recall that many unfortunate occurrences in a single match over such a short time period and to such detrimental effect. Lady luck must have been on a cruise. These are the types of games that can propel a group forward. I'm happy to hear that the incoming class is talented. That taken with the now experienced returners should produce another good year. Congrats to the players and coaching staff for getting Akron soccer back on the map. Onward and upward!

Embick deserves everything for his loyalty and commitment to Akron for all these years. Incredibly thankful for him.

This loss is the bitterest pill of all to swallow. Everything had aligned to set up a once in a lifetime run for the Zips to our second star. We have talent. We play a beautiful brand of soccer that attracts that talent. We had an opponent whom we respected, yet we knew we could beat. The coaches had, over the season, developed a scheme that worked considering we lost 23 goals in Emil last season and 8 starters. What an incredible job they did! The crowds were responding to this team. Then comes the game and we beat ourselves. SLU played hard for 90 minutes, but what they did was insignificant compared to what we did to ourselves. I feel so bad for the players. They like each other and play for each other. They are proud to be Zips. They are excellent students. They are what we want in D1 athletes representing our school no matter what the sport. Next year can't come soon enough!

What a heartbreaking loss that was! It was all right there for the Zips to take. Much appreciation for the really good senior class! Thanks for the memories, boys! The very harsh, straight red card on Matt Dreas killed the match.

I hope UGA gets it. NIL can't only be a one way deal in favor of the athlete.

Home and away. They come here next year.

Back with Minnesota

I'm missing your point. Every one of those calls involved video review. The only call I question was the straight red against Matt Dreas. Was it reckless for him to go high with his foot?...yes. However, it could have been a yellow card caution and not red. It was borderline in my opinion, and I thought refs tended to not want to tip the balance with "big" calls. Unfortunately, in the exuberance of the game, Matt made a decision to go high with his foot and put himself in a position for the ref to make a judgement call. NCAA Tournament games go the way of the team that weathers the storm. SLU had a bad first half and benefitted from a series of unfortunate events by our Zips. I'm devastated by the loss, more so for our players, especially the seniors who have no next season for the Zips. In solace, it was a great season thanks to a group of outstanding student-athletes and coaches. I can't thank them enough for this season. There's so much of which to be proud. I try to focus on positives and will remember this season for qualifying for an exclusive 4-team BE Tournament by winning a tough final regular season road game and getting to the NCAAT Elite 8, playing all of our NCAAT games at home. The win at Xavier in the regular season was a personal highlight as a special friend attended that game with me and then he left for his drive/move to Salt Lake City that evening. These Zips made that "goodbye" special for both of us. We have a great memory and picture with the team and other Zips fans as we celebrated the program's 800th win. Toujours de premiere classe! (Always First Class) Thanks 2025 Zips Men's Soccer!!!

So the Big East had two chances to get to the College Cup and got neither. The College Cup will be a 15 seed, a 16 seed, and two unseeded teams. St Louis last won in 1973, and none of the other three have ever won a national championship.

I haven't chimed in but wanted to share the following post from the boogeyman himself Connor Stalions when talking about the MSU hire - It's insightful. "People need to understand coaching is just one piece of the pie. More times than not, it’s a huge factor because talent & resources are usually close. But at Northwestern, it’s not even in the same ballpark as the rest of the conference. The academic standards make recruiting damn near impossible. The administration doesn’t care about winning. It’s basically an Ivy League school in the Big Ten. Pointing to a couple bad seasons (from a record standpoint) is lazy. Speaking from personal experience (yes, at a much different scale): I coached at Mumford HS in Detroit as the DC for a few months. We had 3 coaches & 18 total players in the program with a team-wide average GPA of a 0.9 when we arrived in the summer, and had to play JV & Varsity games with those 18 players (do the math on that). We somehow won a game. But of course we lost to Cass Tech 70-0. Went to Belleville right after the regular season as the OC and won 70-0 first game in the playoffs. Do you think I didn’t know how to coach then all the sudden learned in one week for a 140-point turnaround? No… We won at Belleville because we had Bryce Underwood, Elijah Dotson, etc. We lost at Mumford because we didn’t (and played against CJ Sadler, Don Tabron, etc.). While talent gaps are much greater in high school, I’m explaining the point that coaching only matters when the talent gap is manageable." Akron like Northwestern's issues are largely structural (and financial here), and Moorhead is not to blame there. Without addressing those underlying issues, a coaching change seems cosmetic. Unless they could line up someone like Jason Taylor. They are working to address the underlying issues though.

Absurd start to the season for Tavari.

Cornerback signing

Athletics starts around 1:10:00. Footballs APR jumped significantly

Saturday is a very fun slate. Akron v Murray State UMass v Florida State CMU v Stony Brook (old buddy Geno Ford) Toledo v Robert Morris Ohio v St. Bonnie in Cleveland Miami OH and NIU also play but their games don't count in the "very fun" category.

Single-Year APR Scores for Football: 2024-25: 962 (pending an upward adjustment; 2nd highest in program history) 2023-24: 920 2022-23: 908 2021-22: 885 2020-21: 943 2019-20: 953 We would've been bowling this year had we won 6+ games. Guarantee it.

Iona is now 8-3 after beating Bryant.

Tougaloo's total enrollment is 622. All I want to know is how they escaped Miami's OOC schedule?

People still watch the NBA? It's unwatchable.

https://gozips.com/news/2025/12/10/general-akron-athletics-launches-zips-fan-council Don't really know where to put this, but I really like this idea

Congratulations to Mitch Budler. He will participate in the pre draft showcase..... The MLS draft will be held on December 18th.

This should be a high-scoring affair with the Zips averaging 96.2 ppg and Murray State averaging 89ppg. Murray State leads the MCV in 3-point shooting. Will the Zips be able to guard the perimeter? Recently, it seems to be a struggle. Murray also focuses on offensive rebounding to get extra possessions. They've had games with 19 and 16 offensive boards. Can the Zips limit second chance points?

Probably the most talented, definitely the deepest. One area they continue to get beat on defense is on the perimeter. They are dedicated to playing help defense which has the defenders on the off side of the ball sagging into or close in the lane when the ball is on the other side of the floor. When the opponent swings the ball quickly they're caught responding late leaving open threes. They're also getting occasionally beat by cutters to the basket.

Agreed on the red being a debatable decision, but Matt can't put himself and the team in that position as a captain. Everything the Zips did in the second half was dumb, his high boot being no exception. Also, never again to I want to see a stutter step PK. Very unfortunate loss that hurts even more considering we would've been the highest seed remaining with a legit shot at a second star. Gutwrenching to say the least. Saint Louis may just be a team of destiny. I hope they prove me right by winning it all for their 11th star and first in 50 years.

That makes this loss tougher with the higher seeds losing but still an unexpected season. Great job guys!

KSU fires their CH during the season and yet ends up with exactly the same record as Akron. I have been and will continue to maintain that Akron can not compete at the DI level unless some huge changes in commitment are coming from the Administration. Simply changing the HC might make some feel better. But that alone won't get long term improvement.

Pretty unbelievable that the lowest seed in the pod was able to get three home matches.

Don't worry, they won't be able to hold a candle up to it now. 😉

Yes, also if you go back to 2012 their enrollment was about 23k. In 2025 their enrollment is now north of 50k and is still growing so it has more than doubled in less than 15 years. Meanwhile, ours has been cut in half. If our student body was ~3.5x the size that it is currently (to make it comparable to Kennesaw St) we would also be in a better position to fund athletics.

Perry Kitchen-esque to send Furman to their first ever College Cup.

Does a football program really need 105 scholarships? I don't think so. The college game has been great at 85. It seems to me that the SEC and Big Ten are hell bent on spending their opposition into oblivion. I do believe that these two conferences want the rest of the D1 schools out of the big TV revenue picture. They will formalize the existing feeder system the other programs are to them and have their own national champion. A by-product of their greed will be that they kill fan interest in college football. When the fans turn off their TV's the money will no longer be there. It will take a decade or two, but I believe it will happen. For me, I'm OK will a G5 champion. The sooner the better.

I asked ChatGPT to help be breakdown this matchup. Below are some of the things that I thought I'd share. The strength of their team appears to be their guards and they do a decent job of protecting the basketball, which could prevent some of those run outs that we all love to see. Given they play a lot of zone it's no surprise to see they are a below average rebounding team. I think this is a game that Evan or Lyles can feast by cleaning up on offensive boards and getting some putbacks. Tulane Green Wave Tulane plays at a more modest offensive clip (~ 76.0 PPG), but they shoot efficiently (~46.1% from the field) which suggests they look to get quality looks rather than volume. FOX Sports+1 Their tempo and style seem more controlled, which can contrast sharply with Akron’s fast-paced, high-octane offense. On the roster, they boast a top backcourt — guards who can shoot from deep and create offense off the bounce. Key Players & Matchup Difference-Makers Rowan Brumbaugh — The preseason 1st-team All-Conference guard is a difference-maker. He’s putting up nearly 20 PPG, hitting threes at a high rate (≈ 42%), and adding steals on defense. Tulane University Athletics+2FOX Sports+2 Curtis Williams Jr. — Provides a strong second scoring option; his inside/outside ability and rebounding help balance the attack. Recently posted 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 steals in a tight win. CBS Sports+1 Tulane’s guard-driven backcourt and ability to hit shots from distance — if their shooters are hot, they can slow down Akron’s transition game and make the Zips pay. What the Matchup Looks Like — Key Questions Can Tulane slow down Akron’s pace? Akron thrives running and pushing transition; if Tulane can control tempo, get stops, and force Akron into half-court sets, they have a shot. Who wins the guard battle? The clash between Akron’s scorers (Johnson / Lyles) and Tulane’s backcourt (Brumbaugh / Williams) might decide the game — whoever gets hot probably swings the outcome. Three-point shooting & ball movement — which team executes better? Akron lives on threes and assists; Tulane needs disciplined defense and clean looks to stay in it. Depth vs. top-end talent: Akron has depth and balanced attack; Tulane has top-tier guards. Can Tulane’s stars overcome Akron’s overall team balance?

It's big to Akron IMO. This is the type of game we typically drop inexplicably. Being on the road, this might end up being a Q2 win come season's end, too. Very solid performance. Akron shot above 40% again from 3; Akron has one of the best offenses in the country.

Better Zips teams than this one did not make it this far. We have been lucky this postseason. The pain comes from the knowledge that this is the year when somebody is going sneak off with the CCup.. it could have been us.

I find it funny when they talk about Akron's magic number for scoring being 85. Almost any team would win every game if they scored at least 85.

The portal hasn’t been too bad for us in recent years. If we can keep most of the talent that isn’t graduating I still think we can build upon this. Maybe a new stretch like the mid 2010s

Barre doing some good things out there.

That joke was awful! Funny, but awful!

I casually check out TWolves forums and someone mentioned that Minnesota may have brought him in for a few days to evaluate him in practice to see his progress and to give him some areas to work on back in Iowa. They have been remarkably healthy so far this season, which has limited opportunities for he and the other two-ways.

Enrique obviously has to play for the team that will sign him but I thing the T-wolves aren't a great fit for him.

“Big get” heh. Candle is one of the most underperforming coaches in the MAC when you consider the resources he has had available to work with.

There should be a financial penalty for backing out of a contract that one signed just a few weeks prior. Otherwise it only benefits the player, not the school he signed it with as he would be free to leave anytime, but the school is committed for the length of the contract. If the situation was reversed and Georgia rescinded his scholarship and ripped up his NIL deal after he signed we would be ripping Georgia apart saying they owe him every last penny. Perhaps the buyout on the players part shouldn't be 100% of remaining value, but I wouldn't be opposed to 25% or 50%. Something needs to prevent players from signing with a team, but then continuing to shop for a better deal. If the concern is about predatory contracts perhaps certified agents should be negotiating these deals instead of these random 'agents' off the streets or family friends.

Zips are favored by 7.5 points according to ESPN

Can they take the directional Michigan's with them?

Updated conference NET as we head into the weekend slate... 44 Akron 62 BUGS 97 Toronto South Campus 113 Miami OH 142 PCCC 160 Toledo 171 EMU 197 UMass (they did it! top 200; insert Buddy the Elf congratulating them) 262 Ohio 290 WMU 308 CMU 313 NIU 346 Balls Yes there will be the usual carnage in MAC play, but there is a clear separation between the top 8 Cleveland-bound teams and the rest. Seeing Ohio with "the rest" will always make me laugh. Imagining a world where "O clap clap clap H clap clap clap I clap clap clap O clap clap clap" isn't played during any of the games in March gives me hope.

Doug channeling his inner Bobby Knight. https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/47208270/gottlieb-tosses-chair-green-bay-loss-played-idiots

St. Louis men's soccer page...is previewing the big matchup.... it is cool that there are 3 watch parties that Billiken fans can attend. St. Louis and Furman are currently tied for having the longest current unbeaten streaks. Amazing that St. Louis won 10 national titles between 1959 and 1973. https://slubillikens.com/news/2025/12/4/mens-soccer-msoc-preview-billikens-zips-clash-for-college-cup-berth.aspx SERIES HISTORY -- SLU leads 8-5-1 in a series that dates back to 1960, though Akron is 4-0-1 in the last five meetings. -- The squads met earlier this year in Akron, with the Zips coming away with a 3-0 victory. Akron opened the scoring with a goal on a penalty kick at the 33:11 mark. The Zips tacked on two more in the second half, scoring in the 62nd and 67th minute for the 3-0 final. -- The last SLU win in the series came on Aug. 29, 2003, a 1-0 victory on a neutral field in Charlottesville, Va. -- The Billikens' last win against the Zips in Akron was in 1989, 1-0 on a game-winner by John Johnson.