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NCAA tournament to go to 76 teams. All the 16 seeds and half of the 15 will play in the opening round. Just another excuse to shove the automatic qualifiers down further so they can shove a few more P4 teams in. I hate college sports more everyday.

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

Worth noting just 71 players have filed as early entry candidates for NBA Draft 2026, the lowest total in over 20 years. With the player pool much smaller than usual, maybe there's a shot? I would think a summer camp invite, at least.

Returning Starter: Last year, C. Cravaack took advantage of Newell missing time with an injury to lay claim to the starting tight end position. I thought Cravaack was playing substantially better than Newell by the end of 2025 and I imagine that played at least a part in Newell deciding to transfer out. New Faces: W. Hook comes in as a transfer from Michigan State. Although Hook only saw snaps on special teams during his time as a Spartan, he easily has the most upside of all the newcomers. An insider at MSU compared Hook to Josh Whyle, who was selected in the 5th round of the 2023 NFL Draft. I don’t know if I’d go that far with the praise, but Hook definitely has the potential to immediately step in and be a productive player for the Zips. E. Alexander is a JUCO signee with some potential. He’s a good athlete with a long frame and uses it well to gain yards after the catch. He may not be a great blocker at this time, but he is a willing blocker and should improve in that area with some added mass and experience. Y. DeReese is the most recent, and probably final, addition to the tight end room. He’s actually listed as the smallest TE on the roster, but looks bigger on film, so there’s some discrepancy there. The way he moves reminds me of former Bowling Green and current Wisconsin tight end Jacob Harris. My guess is DeReese is more of a depth addition at this time, but he has the ability to eventually become a contributor down the line. Conclusion: I thought the tight end room had the potential to be one of the best in the MAC last year between Newell and Cravaack, however that did not come to pass. Cravaack came on strong the more he played, while Newell only saw action in six games and didn’t necessarily play all that well when he was on the field. This season will feature some new faces alongside Cravaack that should have enough ability to help this offense be productive. Returning: Cravaack (R. Jr.) In: DeReese (Jr.) - JUCO Hook (R. So.) = Michigan State Alexander (So.) = JUCO Out: Newell = Toledo Whisner = Sam Houston Witherspoon = Still in portal (Transitioned to WR)

Haven’t had time to read much, but sounds like he was very highly touted out of HS, signing with OSU. Played 5 games as a sophomore, then transferred and spent last year or two with SMU. No idea what he did there, but from a talent standpoint, could be our top DE.

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

With the Hustle Belt going under and not much news coming out about the football program, I figured I’d fire up the position previews again. I stopped updating them before because it got to be too much balancing a full-time job, writing for Rivals, and trying to keep up with the insane amount of portal movement. I’m going with a slightly different format this time around. Now that I’ve got a bit more free time, I’ve gone back and watched full games of our portal and JUCO additions to get a better feel beyond just their highlight reels. If anyone was at the spring game or has anything else to add, feel free to jump in. New Additions: The new additions will provide depth, and a few of them might end up entering the starting rotation at different points during the season. That said, I’m not seeing any clear all-conference type additions right now. If injuries don’t become a factor, the starting DL feels fairly predictable: Hull at one DT spot and Durham holding down one end. They are the two most likely all-conference candidates along the DL. @Captain Kangaroo mentioned D. Frazier as a starter at DE during his spring visit, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that sticks heading into the season. Based on one of the photos, Frazier looks like he’s added some bulk. He was an explosive player coming out of high school as a linebacker, so this might be the year where the move to DE starts to pay off and he takes that next step. The real question mark is the other defensive tackle spot. At this point, I’d lean toward Mixon holding onto it. I just haven’t seen anything on film from the incoming group that suggests someone is clearly better right now. Potential Starter: I originally expected V. Highland to start alongside Hull, and that still could end up being the case. But the staff may lean towards rotating Hull and Highland to keep both fresh, which could give us very little drop-off at that DT spot. Highland graded out as the highest-rated defender on Arkansas Pine-Bluff last season per PFF, but it’s worth noting his snap count was under 400. For comparison, Laventure logged over 650 snaps and Hull was north of 550, so there’s a difference in workload. Either way, Highland is going to play a lot this year. Whether he’s technically listed as a starter or comes in as part of a rotation, he should see significant snaps. The X-Factors: K. Waye and JD Williams bring the kind of size, length, and athleticism you just can’t teach — Waye at 6’4”, 240 and Williams at 6’6”, 340 really stand out. That said, both look a bit raw and are making the jump from DII, so there’s naturally going to be some projection involved. If I’m not mistaken, they each only have one year of eligibility left, which makes it tougher to bank on major development in a short window. I’d be a lot more intrigued if they had two years in the program with the staff having more time to refine things. It sounds like Waye was backing up D. Frazier during the spring, which at least provides a pretty athletic rotation at that end spot. Williams, on the other hand, wasn’t on campus for spring ball, so he may need a little more time to get up to speed. If one (or both) hit, it could really elevate the ceiling of this defensive front. Depth: JUCO DT Ross-Graves looks a bit smaller on film than what he’s listed at, but he plays with a relentless motor. That alone should give him a chance to push Mixon on the interior. At minimum, he feels like a solid backup option. DE J. Ridley is another JUCO addition with a similar high-effort profile. In the game I watched, he was in more of a 3-4 alignment and spent a lot of time lined up inside the tackles - almost like a DT - and held his gap pretty well against that level of competition. B. Tobias is more of a longer-term addition. He has excellent size at 6’5”, 240 and comes over from Western Kentucky, but I’m not expecting much from him this season. Overall, I’d still be surprised if any of these guys provide more than depth right away, but that was clearly a need after the portal losses and graduation. What about the rest of the returners? Not to be forgotten, D. Frazier’s brother, J. Frazier, should continue backing up Durham at DE, just like we saw at the end of 2025. There’s definitely some potential with the younger group. At defensive tackle, E. Davis (R. So.) and Brown-Demery (R. Fr.) could start working their way into the rotation. At defensive end, redshirt freshmen T. Watkins and V. Kavals may not quite be ready to make an impact yet, although it sounds like Kavals could be growing into more of a tackle role. Duncan is also listed at DE, but it sounds like he may have been moved over to linebacker. Overall, there’s some intriguing upside in this group, even if it doesn’t show up in a major way this season What’s next? The staff may not be finished adding to the defensive line if they feel there’s someone out there who can come in and contribute right away. As it stands, there’s a solid mix of older players and younger developmental guys. This unit certainly wouldn’t be mistaken for the best DL in the MAC, and I don’t think it matches the overall talent level of last year’s group. But there does seem to be enough depth here for the unit to be productive and, at the very least, not a liability for the defense. Projected Depth Chart: DE: D. Frazier Waye DE: Durham J. Frazier DT: Hull Highland DT: Mixon Ross-Graves Returners: DE - Duncan (R. Sr.) (Might be a LB now)* DE - Durham (R. Jr.) DE - D Frazier (R. So.) DE - J. Frazier (R. So.) DE - Kavals (R. Fr.) DE - Watkins (R. Fr.) DT - Mixon (R. Jr.) DT - Hull (Jr.) DT - E. Davis (R. So.) DT - Brown-Demery (R. Fr.) In: DE - Waye (Sr.) (DII) DE - Ridley (Jr.) (JUCO) DE - Tobias (R. So.) (Western Kentucky) DT - Highland (R. Sr.) (Arkansas Pine Bluff) DT - Williams (R. Sr.) (DII) DT - Ross-Graves (Jr.) (JUCO) Out: DE - Dall (All-MAC) = UCF DE - Cheatom = Robert Morris DE - Brown = Graduation DT - Laventure (All-MAC) = Texas Tech DT - Murphy = Western Kentucky DT - Vega = Portland State DT - Madden = Graduation DT - Musika = Portal

According to an email from Coach Embick about Day of Giving, the 2026 home schedule features matches against the following (potentially more as he said they are finalizing some dates). Dayton, Army, Wake Forest, Syracuse, Creighton, Georgetown, Xavier, Butler and Robert Morris

This is a fantastic home schedule. We will see some of the best collegiate soccer in the country. I am so glad we got out of the MAC and into the Big East. We need big crowds for each of these games to cement our reputation as a near impossible place for visiting teams to win.

Softball won two more yesterday and are now 19-4 in the MAC with 4 conference games left. 2nd and 3rd place both have 14 wins but have more games remaining so I don't think we've quite clinched the regular season title but are getting very close.

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!

The basketball staff was at the women's softball game today. Nice to see them do something like that.

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

Zips add Buddy Hammer Jr.

Article from the Beacon on the Spring game - https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/akron-zips-football-coach-joe-095601341.html

I talked to a coach about him. He said the player was brought in for depth and development. This staff does an impressive job in mining and growing under-developed players. Another interesting part of the discussion was that the staff rates itself on the performance of the players they bring in. Regarding JUCO's they have a hit rate of about 50%, but on high school players they are near 90%, especially in O linemen. The obvious problem is that we are developing high school players for other programs with money. It is what it is until Congress changes things.

The Starters: M. Williams returns after a 2025 season that saw him land 2nd Team All-MAC honors. He had as good of a four-game stretch to close out the year as anyone in the nation — hauling in 30 receptions for 458 yards during that span. Williams was an explosive player coming out of high school and there’s no reason to think his role will be diminished in 2026. K. Mason may be small in stature, but he’s as dynamic as anyone on the roster. Mason split snaps with Walker in the slot last season and should take over the starting role full-time in 2026. Barring injury, it’d be surprising if Mason doesn’t find himself on an All-MAC team this year. The Returners: P. Davis is a former Duke commitment out of high school who also considered Mississippi State. Needless to say, he has not lived up to the billing thus far. Davis is now a redshirt junior, meaning it’s time for him to start pushing for meaningful snaps. B. Hills transferred in from Washington State last offseason and while he did not see much action offensively, Hills locked down the kickoff return role. He came close to breaking a few for touchdowns, but surprisingly never managed to take one to the house. With a full year and offseason in the program, Hills should be in a much better position to carve out a role offensively while continuing to impact special teams. J. Louis signed in the same class as P. Davis and A. Norton. At the time, he was probably the least physically developed of the trio, but he eventually managed to carve out a role as a backup in 2025 — appearing in seven games and even starting the finale against Bowling Green. Louis will likely serve as Mason’s backup in the slot. C. Monteiro transferred in from Pittsburgh last offseason and spent 2025 backing up Polk and M. Williams. He should compete for the receiver spot opposite Williams and Mason this season. Monteiro had six power conference offers coming out of high school and still possesses plenty of upside. He didn’t face what most would consider elite competition in Massachusetts high school football, so in his case, taking a little longer to develop is not unusual. If he can take the next step in 2026, it’ll give the offense another weapon in what is already a deep receiver room. L. Sivon was an underrecruited prospect out of high school that could end up being a steal. Sivon has good size, body control, and can really move. @Captain Kangaroo called Sivon his “Sleeper of the Year,” and that’s probably a safe bet. When players with Sivon’s physical traits begin developing technically, they can become dangerous. This feels like one of those situations where Akron was his only DI offer out of high school, yet there’s little chance he avoids getting poached by a bigger program down the road if things click. Newcomers: M. Burris transfers in from UNC Charlotte where he was a part-time starter. Burris is not going to run by many defensive backs vertically, but he runs solid routes and flashes reliable hands. He was credited with catching all 14 of his receptions without a drop last season. He’s also a willing blocker and was frequently used in Charlotte’s “pick” concepts. Burris will play on the perimeter and is currently listed as the biggest receiver on the roster. Akron also offered him out of high school. T. Myers was the top option on his JUCO squad in 2024 — totaling 888 receiving yards — yet hardly saw the field last season at Old Dominion. Myers is another one that Akron previously offered and he’ll likely be a depth addition for this year. G. Hilburn is another JUCO addition who should immediately add competition at kickoff returner. He may also carve out some offensive snaps as he’s a shifty player with legitimate speed who can be utilized in multiple ways. JUCO receivers haven’t provided much more than depth under this staff, but Hilburn has a chance to develop into more over the next few seasons. One Freshman: I’d like to know the story behind J. Riggins ending up at Akron because Kentucky insiders seemed convinced he was a lock to sign with the Wildcats. At different points in his recruitment, Vanderbilt and Florida were major players as well. Regardless, Riggins is one of the most talented high school receivers this staff has signed during the Moorhead era. Still, I’m going to stop short of placing major expectations on him in 2026 because he’ll likely need time to add mass, learn the offense, and adjust to FBS speed. After that, we’ll see just how high his ceiling is. Outlook: The receiver room may have lost All-MAC wideout I. Polk and former All-MAC receiver A. Adams (who unfortunately looked like a shell of himself after the injuries) but this group appears deeper than before. In my opinion, this is one of the most talented positions on the roster from top to bottom. If quarterback play is at least on par with last season and the unusual rash of early-season drops doesn’t resurface, this offense should once again field one of the MAC’s better passing attacks. Returning: P. Davis (R. Jr.) B. Hills (R. Jr.) J. Louis (R. Jr.) K. Mason (R. So.) C. Monteiro (R. So.) M. Williams (R. So.) L. Sivon (R. Fr.) New: M. Burris (Jr.) = Charlotte T. Myers (Jr.) = Old Dominion G. Hilburn (So.) = JUCO J. Riggins (Fr.) Out: A. Adams = Graduation/Portal T. Grear = Graduation M. Walker = Graduation I. Polk = Oklahoma State (All-MAC)

That's a rough way to get eliminated. But what a season for softball! I remember a few years ago this team would be lucky to crack 10 wins in a season

The Zips get a 1-0 win over South Alabama in 8 innings for their first ever NCAA tournament win.

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.

Outstanding game ladies! They never gave up battling to the very end. That grand slam walk-off homer has to be one of the greatest moments in Zip softball history. Hope the stadium is filled tomorrow with rabid Zip fans.

Jerry Tarkanian said it best. “The NCAA was so mad at Kentucky they gave Cleveland State two more years of probation.”

I think you guys give the NCAA more credit than they deserve. They only exist because the P4 allows them to. The courts stripped away much of their power and the little power they do still have the P4 holds them as a hostage at gunpoint. Case in point, who wanted the expanded tournament? It was the P4 schools so they could get more 18-15 into the tournament and take more NCAA credits from mid-majors. Not to mention allows them to avoid more costly coaching fires since select P4 programs are content just making the tournament. The second the NCAA doesn't comply the P4+ will just pull out and start their own league. They're the real ones calling the shots. The NCAA is just the fall guy that conferences can point their fingers at to deflect the blame. Their version of Roger Goodell

I am about as big of a soccer fan as there is, and my enthusiasm for the World Cup is modest, at best. I initially intended to go to several games in at least two different cities; now, I won't be attending any. Politics have ruined it for most people already. I think the residual enthusiasm for the program from the Elite 8 is more significant.

I think we also need to equally keep in mind that some of the other MAC programs are catching up. Even without a decline in the Zips program, the competition is getting closer as they learn and adapt to the NIL era, an area where UA was in the forefront and got a head start on the rest of the MAC.

I definitely expect a step back this season, but I expected one had Groce stayed, too. Tavari, Shammah, and Amani are all really tough to replace. With that said, I do think this team can be competitive in the conference, if for no other reason than I believe in Coach Ford.

No. Willis Jr. missed the entire season. Who knows if he's the same player as he was at WMU, and that was during a really bad year for the MAC (23rd or 25th ranked conference when he was averaging double digits). A 6'2" without a 3P shot is an interesting add as the MAC will seemingly be as tall as it has ever been next season. Not impressed with either of Kent's or Toledo's Portal classes so far. BG & Balls have had the best Portal classes along with Akron IMO. Simon thrives in the Portal but can rarely get the pieces to fit together on the court. Balls looks like they'll have a pulse for the first time in years. I can't tell what Toledo, Kent, Miami OH, and Ohio are doing with their classes. Akron is getting bigger and more physical while maintaining athleticism. This final piece Akron adds will complete the roster and I'm curious to see who that is. If they can add another 6'7"-6'9" Forward or a sniper from 3 (G or F), look out.

He has impressive film, that’s for sure. We might’ve gotten a steal. If Duncan stays at LB, then I think we’re done there. If not, I imagine one more will be added.

Shammah showed up in every game this year. Hoping he gets a shot.

Zips clinch the number one seed at Firestone!

Thanks, I thought that was a done deal. His failure to sign now makes sense. It is weird in that before the college money, players could not wait to make money and left college early. Now they want to stay in college to make more money than they ever could as a pro.

The Zips could play a little Ten team on the Road.

https://akronzippedup.substack.com/?utm_campaign=pub&utm_medium=web A superb edition of Zipped Up! Lots of good stuff. Clears up a few things for me.

Hopefully, coming off the World Cup and the Zips Elite 8 run last year, there will be some decent crowds.

My primary concern is that the majority of the roster was somewhere else last year. Two of the reasons we have been so successful are player development and a winning culture passed down from class to class. Freeman to Lyles. Castaneda to Tribble to Johnson. We don't really have any of that going into next year. The other thing we just don't know is how these guys will play in big games. I think we'll be OK, because I think every other MAC team took a step back and are dealing with the same issues. But I think it takes some blue and gold colored glasses to believe we'll be better than any of the previous three years. I'd love to be wrong, though.

Spurred on by the posts from Zips 1991 and Sgt Zip I watched snippets of the Zip LAX team vs EMU. Elaine Jones has one exciting team. They started 5-0 against EMU. Sienna Hinchcliffe is the real deal. She can flat out score anytime she has the ball. If the ladies tighten up their D they have a real chance against a superior UMass club. I hope the fans travel to Pittsburgh to give them a boost. Go Zips!

Players have 5 years to play 5 years of college ball from the time they graduate high school or the time they turn 19 - whichever comes first. No more redshirts (which is a good thing).

On the defensive line regarding the high school players that they brought in last year that sat and were not allowed to get any reps "to develop" going into next season ... Brown - Demery is 6'4 about 330 lbs had a sack/force fumble Saturday and is going to be hard for anyone to stop at the zero gap; Watkins is about 6'4 240 and looks raw but has been getting a lot of reps, he returned the fumble that Brown-Demery forced for six; Bivens is listed on the roster at 6'0 255 although I think he is much heavier; and Kavals is listed at 6'5 265; he is 6'6 and is between 275-280. Not sure if they are going to move him to tackle or leave him at end, (last year on scout team he played both and did well; he has long arms and is quick and athletic) he played end in high school and qb so he is athletic. Should be interesting to see if these guys can contribute right away this year.

I checked in to see how our three most recent Zips have been doing. After starting just one of the first four matches for Crown Legacy, Ashton has started the last four matches in a row. Austin FC 2 have only played 6 matches so far and Stefan has appeared in all 6 matches including 4 starts. One assist. Mitch Budler has not appeared yet for Pittsburgh but has been on the bench for 7 of the past 8 matches.

Zips Baseball sweeps OU in Athens to improve to 20-24 and 10-14 in the MAC. Both are the highest winning percentages since the program returned. Baby steps in the right direction? The downside is they have 9 conference games left against three very good programs (Kent, CMU, and Miami).

Not sure if this is known already or not.

Right now, I've seen two of the current Zips who combined played 20 minutes a game last year. I've never seen Dustin Ford be a head coach. There are still roster spots to be filled. As such, I'm not quite ready to make predictions.

Personally, I think this season will be unlike any other and damn near impossible to predict. Of the 15 players named as All-MAC 1st-3rd teams, I believe Luke Skaljac is the only one with eligibility remaining returning to his school. With so much turnover everywhere, I think it's damn near impossible to project who will do what next season. This level of universal turnover is unprecedented in the MAC. Now, that doesn't mean there isn't talent, or there won't be good teams. I just don't think we'll know who that will be until we see every team on the floor for 8-10 games.

I received mine yesterday as well. I plan to get a case and display it in my home office. There have been some talks here about how the success of the program warrants our attention, but it's also great seeing Ford, Bud, and the assistants engage the fan base. In a day and age where college athletics has become more transactional, it's great to still see the sense of community they're trying to instill in the program. They genuinely seem to want to be here and do great things.